Zechariah presents God as jealous, but jealous in a positive way. He is jealous for the salvation of his people. He is jealous for their deliverance from bondage. He jealously pursues their good. In our reading from Romans we are told essentially to have the same mind. Are there doctrinal differences between different groups of genuine Christians? Certainly there are. It is the duty of the Church to pursue correct doctrine and practice. Yet in our pursuit of purity we do not endanger those people for whom Jesus died. We are jealous for their good as well. Are there some who choose not to participate in certain freedoms we think they have? It's all right. We nurture the faith and trust of those who are hesitant. As Romans 14.19 (ESV) says, "So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."
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