What percentage of correctness would you attach to your understanding of God? Would you say you are maybe 25% right? Would you venture a 90%? Would you be shocked to hear that a very respected theologian once said that all churches are 80% wrong in doctrine? I was, when I first heard it, but over the years I have come to appreciate more and more what he meant. How often do you and I talk about what we believe?
The Bible says, Let God be true and every man a liar. So, if every man is a liar what does that say of us or great teachers like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Ratzinger or your favorite televangelist? When we follow the doctrines of mere men, we fall into the trap of being perhaps as much as 80% wrong or even more. When we follow Christ and his doctrine, then and only then do we have a chance of getting it right.
Stuck in a Corner
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| Centrality of the Cross |
Getting stuck in a corner can happen to any of us. Have you noticed Christians stuck in one corner or another of doctrine. Some are in the predestination corner, others are in the tongues and some even the gay corner. The whole world is colored from our perspective. One man recently admitted that his perspective on predestination dominated everything else in his viewpoint. Could it be that the things of our corners take on much more importance than they ought? Could it be that our perspective needs to come from a more central part of Scripture. What is the crux of the matter? Could it be that the crux is the crux? Could it be that the cross is the most important part of Scripture and that when our perspective is cross-centered, we have found the best perspective (Galatians 6:14)?Discussion: Poor in Spirit
Jesus said blessed and happy are those who are poor in spirit, those who recognize that they are spiritually destitute and know they need God in their lives. How then is the kingdom of heaven theirs? Does that mean that the arrogant and self-satisfied are not in the kingdom of heaven? How does being poor in spirit work in our daily lives? Can someone be poor in spirit and claim to be spirit-filled? Does a sense of being rich in spirit play out in denominational rivalries?
Is someone who is poor in spirit much more enjoyable to be around than someone who thinks they have it all together? Are those who are poor in spirit therefore a better example of real Christianity than self-righteous and judgmental people? Are those who are genuinely poor in spirit more likely to change their hearts about their sins than those who are pleased with themselves and believe they are rich and increased with goods?
Is someone who is poor in spirit much more enjoyable to be around than someone who thinks they have it all together? Are those who are poor in spirit therefore a better example of real Christianity than self-righteous and judgmental people? Are those who are genuinely poor in spirit more likely to change their hearts about their sins than those who are pleased with themselves and believe they are rich and increased with goods?
You Might be a Christian if...
1. You consider yourself to be spiritually destitute and in need of a Savior.
2. You grieve deeply over your own sins, the sins of the world and the church.
3. You don't think of yourself as anything special, just soil with breath.
4. You really hunger to do what's right and not the evil things of this world.
5. You show leniency to the undeserving.
6. You love to fill your heart with purity rather than filth.
7. You are the one willing to take a loss for the sake of making peace.
8. You have ever been harassed or criticized for doing what's right.
Reference: Matthew 5:1-12, the Beatitudes
2. You grieve deeply over your own sins, the sins of the world and the church.
3. You don't think of yourself as anything special, just soil with breath.
4. You really hunger to do what's right and not the evil things of this world.
5. You show leniency to the undeserving.
6. You love to fill your heart with purity rather than filth.
7. You are the one willing to take a loss for the sake of making peace.
8. You have ever been harassed or criticized for doing what's right.
Reference: Matthew 5:1-12, the Beatitudes
Irrelevant Christianity
A former theology professor of mine from Carolina Evangelical Divinity School, recently challenged people with the idea that Christianity must remain irrelevant to the world around us if it is to be genuine. Now before you go getting your knickers in a twist, let me explain what he meant. Briefly, he lectured that we Christians ought to always be relevant to God, but that a church's desire to be relevant to the world around us has always caused God's people to ignore his teachings and invent their own doctrines. There are too many examples of that to list.
Every denomination contains many worldly man-made teachings, which seem very relevant to human thinking, but are not what God teaches in the Bible. We must preach Christ and not human ideas. If we do not teach or practice what he taught, then we are worldly; our churches are not relevant to God. Let's remain irrelevant to the world and relevant to Christ.
Every denomination contains many worldly man-made teachings, which seem very relevant to human thinking, but are not what God teaches in the Bible. We must preach Christ and not human ideas. If we do not teach or practice what he taught, then we are worldly; our churches are not relevant to God. Let's remain irrelevant to the world and relevant to Christ.
By This...
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you say you are Catholic.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you were baptized by immersion.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you follow the ancient Orthodox way.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you speak in tongues.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you are a Calvinist and not Arminian.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you pray long and wordy prayers.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Teacher: Yes dear student! That's what the Bible says.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you were baptized by immersion.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you follow the ancient Orthodox way.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you speak in tongues.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you are a Calvinist and not Arminian.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you pray long and wordy prayers.
Teacher: No dear student! That's what men say. Try that again.
Student: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Teacher: Yes dear student! That's what the Bible says.
The Glass Ceiling
I like to belong, don’t you? It’s good to be part of something important. Churches often expected me to fit their mold in order to belong. It was not an entirely unreasonable expectation. I wanted that feeling of belonging. However, the mold was often a glass ceiling. I sensed that I was being held down. Other churches also had excellent ideas or good understandings on certain aspects of our faith, or a profound liturgy that inspired me.
This sometimes put me at odds with church politics. I was no longer a blind follower, but a perceived threat. Yet my desire to learn never ceased. I wanted to grow up in the Lord, but felt like some churches only wanted blind followers who would only learn what was to be found within their four walls. I grew beyond needing a sense of belonging to this or that church. It was still important but less so. The real belonging that counts is belonging to Christ.
This sometimes put me at odds with church politics. I was no longer a blind follower, but a perceived threat. Yet my desire to learn never ceased. I wanted to grow up in the Lord, but felt like some churches only wanted blind followers who would only learn what was to be found within their four walls. I grew beyond needing a sense of belonging to this or that church. It was still important but less so. The real belonging that counts is belonging to Christ.
When God Leaves the Building
In most churches where I've been, I have perceived that God was there. However, occasionally I have sensed that God just was not present. What would make God leave a house of worship? In Matthew 23:37-39 Jesus predicted Jerusalem's house would be abandoned. Yet, God did not leave too soon, or lightly. Jesus as God with us spoke of Jerusalem in endearing terms. How often he had wanted to gather her children and protect them, as a hen gathers her chicks.
But, Jerusalem was "heir to a tragic tradition wherein God's messengers were persecuted and killed."* As a result, the House of God would become abandoned. Are there conditions upon which God would return? Would those be similar conditions whereby he would return to a church that he had left? For I tell you this, you won't ever see me again until you say, "Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!" That's what Jesus said.
* Hagner, D. A. (2002). Vol. 33B: Word Biblical Commentary : Matthew 14-28. Word Biblical Commentary (680). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
But, Jerusalem was "heir to a tragic tradition wherein God's messengers were persecuted and killed."* As a result, the House of God would become abandoned. Are there conditions upon which God would return? Would those be similar conditions whereby he would return to a church that he had left? For I tell you this, you won't ever see me again until you say, "Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!" That's what Jesus said.
* Hagner, D. A. (2002). Vol. 33B: Word Biblical Commentary : Matthew 14-28. Word Biblical Commentary (680). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.
A City Judged
The old saying that you are either for us or against us is frequently a false dichotomy. Often there are other options like neutrality. In cases where there are genuinely only two options, it is not a false dilemma but a truism. In eternity, there will be no neutral choice between good and evil, no loving both forever. That’s why Jesus could say, he that is not against us is for us in Luke 9:50, but when George Bush said, you’re either with us or against us in 2001, emotionally it was powerful, but logically it was a false dichotomy.
With that thought in mind, perhaps we can better understand Jesus’ condemnation of a whole city. Jerusalem had harbored those who murdered the prophets, without punishing them, and would soon condone the crucifixion of the Son of God. Jerusalem’s corporate failure to respond to God would be the cause of her punishment. “You were not willing.” That’s what Jesus said.
With that thought in mind, perhaps we can better understand Jesus’ condemnation of a whole city. Jerusalem had harbored those who murdered the prophets, without punishing them, and would soon condone the crucifixion of the Son of God. Jerusalem’s corporate failure to respond to God would be the cause of her punishment. “You were not willing.” That’s what Jesus said.
Disasters of Hypocrisy #7
It was not just ancient Israelites who killed the Old Testament prophets. It was not just the Jews and Romans who victimized early Christians. It was not just the Catholic Church which consented to the murder of martyrs. It has also been Protestants who persecuted Catholics and Orthodox who still mistreat Protestants. We cannot point a finger without pointing it at our own sins. Despite our protests, are we any different?
Rather than identifying with the evils of Christian history, are we like the Pharisees who deceived themselves that they were different? Rather than confess our sins, do we live in denial? In Matthew 23:29-36 Jesus condemned religious leaders who would become involved not only his own crucifixion, but also the martyrdom of his followers. If it is possible for very dedicated and devout people to kill and crucify, scourge, and persecute God’s prophets, what about us? How have we treated the prophets, wise men and scribes sent by Jesus?
Rather than identifying with the evils of Christian history, are we like the Pharisees who deceived themselves that they were different? Rather than confess our sins, do we live in denial? In Matthew 23:29-36 Jesus condemned religious leaders who would become involved not only his own crucifixion, but also the martyrdom of his followers. If it is possible for very dedicated and devout people to kill and crucify, scourge, and persecute God’s prophets, what about us? How have we treated the prophets, wise men and scribes sent by Jesus?
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