No, it's not Republican or Democrat, though that is a great divide. It's not white or black, though that sadly remains a great divide. It's not even Packers or Bears since we can both agree to despise Vikings.
It's in the church. And it's not Protestant or Catholic, Reformed or Weslyan, Charismatic or not.
It's about grace or self-effort. There's a book in the New Testament written by the Apostle Paul where he gets so angry that he actually says, in our language today, "They can go to Hell!" Galatians 1:6-9. Why would Paul, who traveled the whole middle East sharing the gospel wherever he could, enduring shipwreck, arrest, and ultimately death, be willing to condemn someone to Hell? For preaching a 'different gospel' which is no gospel, or good news, at all.
There were those who were teaching that the good news of Jesus had to be united with obedience. And as you read that, most are probably agreeing and saying, "Well, of course." It make sense that if we believe in Jesus we better clean up our act and do the dance of what Christians should look like. And there's the problem: it's an act, a dance, a look-alike. We put on the mask of religiosity to hide our failures and inadequacy. We cannot live up to the standards, so we pretend to, even though inside, we're anxious, afraid, depressed, and eventually, hopeless. We know that we cannot do the dance well enough, that we fall far short. We hide behind masks, trying to convince others and ourselves that we're doing okay. Our pains and failures leak out, though, and we begin to doubt our salvation as the enemy whispers to us that we alone are the ones who cannot get it right. If we were Christians, we'd get it together and we wouldn't be such a mess.
And so often what we hear from our churches doesn't help. Our modern message, summed up? God is good, You're not, Try harder. Isn't that the message we've learned, intended or not? We know God is good, so He cannot be the problem. We know we're not good, so we are the problem. And when it's not working, we're not trying hard enough. We need to work harder, buck up and suck up, commit more, give more, do more, pray harder, get to church more. And stop doing all the wrong things. End 'those' thoughts, stop drinking and smoking, stop wasting money, stop yelling at the kids and the drivers around us.
And Paul says, No, you've missed it. That's not any Good News, that's not a Gospel at all.
And he sends the teachers of that message to Hell.
Where does that leave us? What is the good news, then? If you're tired of trying and failing, there is Good News, a real Gospel. And it's so revolutionary that we still can't believe it. Next time, in Part 2...
Sounds great, but I'm pretty sure Paul was addressing the Judaizers who were teaching that you had to hold to Jewish laws and traditions in order to receive grace through Christ. On the other hand, Paula letter to Colo seems to address the opposite ditch through the teaching of the Nicolatians of "higher understanding" which seems to be a free for all as far as carnality goes. However, Paul does address, in 5 of Galatians the "war" between the carnal and the Spirit. Though your argument sounds tantalizing: throw off the "take up the cross daily", "die daily", putting off old/putting on new", "Christ formed in you", and embrace the carnality. That way we can cut out all passages that teach "overcoming", "standing in God's armor", our weapons "not carnal but mighty to pull down fortresses" and training our hands for war so that our arms can bend a bow of bronze. The way God warned Cain that sin crouched at his door but "he" must master it. Guess we wouldn't need all those mighty provissions and equipment and warnings God so painstakingly provided if we all just cry uncle and give free reign to sin and carnality in our lives. No need then to confess our sins and be cleansed. I don't know. You offer freedom, but is it freedom to hang on to that junky stuff, give up the "good fight" and throw in the towel in order to embrace that sin? Paul called that slavery, not freedom.
ReplyDeleteOutstanding point, brother! And you bet that matters...wait for Part 2, well, might be 3 the way it looks. And exactly what we think we're accomplishing is what matters. Are we working for God's blessings? Or fighting with Him against the enemy of our souls?!
ReplyDeleteIm ready for Part 2 brother! Bring it on...
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