I think it is so important for us as Christians to be able to discern where our battles and where our true issues lie. Let me make it clear that first and foremost, I understand that the battle belongs to the Lord and that our enemies are not of flesh and blood but of powers and principalities. I'm not talking about warfare and I frankly don't advocate it, but that's another post for another day...
There's an absolute distinction that must be made between that which is an absolute of the faith and that which is relative. The lines between the two can become fuzzy and blurry at times and in different countries, denominations and people. That is why it is so vital that we let love rule the day. In fact, if you have your Bibles with you, please turn to I Corinthians 13. "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing... love never ends..." (I Cor. 13:1-2, 8a, NRSV). In other words, I can understand all about absolutes and relativism, but if I choose to use these distinctions in order to throw rocks or to get in pointless arguments in which no one is saved or edified, then I am a useless and irritating noise to the the world. You know how there are two approaches to witnessing? There's the love 'em approach and there's the fire and brimstone approach. Guess which one Jesus used?
Trick question... both. Jesus showed love in all that he did, but there were times to be tender and times to speak clearly about the alternative to accepting him, which is summed up in one word, hell. Remember, Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone else in the New Testament. Never get it twisted. Jesus wasn't all about pats on the back and "it'll be alright" talks. YET, he always loved. I apologize for the long introduction, but I want it to made abundantly clear that this post and this blog and page are offered in love to one and all.
To the point now... absolutes are those things which are held in the strictest and purest regard. For instance, an absolute - a non-negotiable of the Christian faith is that Jesus is Lord and there are no other names under heaven, not Allah, not Buddha, not Vishnu, not David Koresh, by which we are saved. (Acts 4:12) In other words, syncretism doesn't work. I can't claim salvation in Christ and Buddha together. Doesn't work. Jesus said that he is THE truth and THE life and that NO ONE gets to the Father except through him. (John 14:6) Do you see what I'm driving at here? There are certain things that,a s Christians, we MUST stand for. These are absolutes. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. God is the creator and sustainer of all life.
Now, to something a bit off of absolutes. I believe in the exclusivity of the Trinity. In other words, I believe that God exists in three distinct and equal parts, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 3 in 1. Now, there are those who disagree. Oneness Pentecostalism, some non-denoms from what we would call "Christian" churches and Jehovah's Witnesses, who I would consider a cult rather than as a Christian church. More on that perhaps at another time.
Dining and Differences
Yet, despite those differences and my views, I can still commune with those who feel differently on the Trinity. I believe that they are in theological error. I can even demonstrate 13 proof texts that show the 3 distinct offices of the Trinity. There are many other references that could be made that support the Trinity. Yet, despite these disagreements, at the end of the day, we are still brothers and sisters in the Lord. Now, would it be of benefit to argue the point about the Trinity mercilessly? To denounce them as heretical? You decide.
By the way, a theological term for an absolute is dogma. These are theological statements that are indivisible from Christianity. I can't really believe that Jesus wasn't raised from the dead in order to ascend to heaven and to be the all-encompassing atoning sacrifice for the sins of all who would receive him and still actually be a Christian, can I? I would say no. An absolute, dogmatic statement has just then been made. Jesus is Lord. dogma. No debate necessary, if you are a Christian.
Now, there are other issues that would fall under the term "relative". The real issue here is defining scripturally what these must be. It has taken so much time to develop Christian doctrine and seven ecumenical councils in order to hammer out the basic tenets, or dogma of Christianity. Yet, we find ourselves today as a church spending so much time in that which is relative. Now, before I move on, please understand this as well. I'm not going to say that you should take a stand on issues. I'm only saying that we should recognize them as such before we get so worked up that we border on "losing our religion".
The Issues
Issues are thins which may be culturally driven, time sensitive or even denominationally specific. Four hot button issues come instantly to my mind. Homosexuality, abortion, war and drinking. Now, once again, I am not saying that we as Christians shouldn't make stands. We should, but not by all means. Any stand taken should be motivated by love and be in the best interests of the world as a whole. Remember, Jesus didn't come solely for the American! At no point is that statement made in the Bible, yet we so easily co-opt that frame of mind into what we know as Christianity.
Without wishing to incite an online riot or to be overly confrontational, I would say flat out, that I believe that from the Biblical mandate for sex to be contained to marriage solely that I personally believe that homosexuality is wrong. That said, would I welcome a practicing homosexual into my church? I would welcome them in, but I would not wish them to continue in that sin any more than I would want someone who is beating their wife or who is trying skip through life on the merits of grace. Do you see what I am saying? Remember, Jesus was accused of being a drunk, possessed by demons, being a glutton and all manner of horrible and completely inaccurate things. He hung out with "sinners". He spoke with women and held them in high regard - a socially unthinkable thing in that day. He even witnessed to a Samaritan - to the Jew a half-breed, woman - there are Talmudic statements that make it clear that women are inferior to men. He did this in love! But who attacked him for this? The very people who should have had his back, namely the religious establishment. The very ones who should have known better were the very ones who wished for Jesus to be crucified because he didn't meet THEIR expectations. Sound familiar? I'm afraid to say that statement describes too many Christians today and the way I tried to practice my faith for too many years.
See, even though Jesus hung out with the unsavories and the sinners, he was never content to let them stay the same. A real encounter with Jesus takes you where you are then and should move you to another place all together. Look at Matthew, Zaccheus, the woman at the well, Paul, Peter and so many others. They were at the start of the story tax collectors, adultresses, murderous persecutors and cowards with uncontrollable tempers. Yet, at the end of the story these people were different. Zaccheus gave away money and repaid those he swindled with interest. The woman at the well went into town and brought others back to listen to Jesus - evangelism! Paul and Peter became pillars of the church - remember, both of them had name changes: Saul/Paul and Simon/Cephas or Peter as we know him. What does that mean? It means that we should do no less than Christ here. Let issues be issues and allow the Holy Spirit to convict and to change as he desires.
I could sit here and rant and rave about the ills of alcohol. For me, it may even be wrong. Yet, if I were to have this discussion with a man from South Africa (I have..), the cultural relevance wouldn't be there. Does that excuse me to live as he did? Probably not. Yet, I could have chosen to get all hung up on the issue and ruined a perfect opportunity to share Jesus. Once again, I'm not condoning sin or going light on it. I'm wanting to be governed by love, that perfect love that only comes from Jesus. That's why I say, we should and must learn to choose our battles as both a church and as Christians. I'm not saying that we should smoke because we are trying to fit in with our neighbors. But, I am saying that if your neighbor does, regardless of your personal convictions and stance on the issue, you still should both love them and invite them to church. That lonely divorcee, that drug abuser, that person who society would deem as repugnant or as second-class should be the very people we at least TRY to reach out to. What is past is prologue. We are all sinners saved by grace and it would do us good to remember that. That's not a free pass but it's a door. Choose your battles through prayer, study and community. Let's spend more time reaching out with the love of Christ and being willing to overlook the speck in our brothers eye, so that we may extend mercy. Jesus told us that by the measure that we extend mercy will be the measure by which mercy is extended to us.
What could be accomplished if we were willing to be preoccupied with restoring the hurt to the church, to reaching out to those who have never even heard of Christ? To putting our arms around those who wouldn't get any attention otherwise? I promise you, if we were stand on the absolutes of our faith and let issues be just that, there truly would be a different world around us. But this all starts with you. and me. Let Jesus be Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment