The Nature of Unity

What is the basis of Christian unity? Is it belief in the same theory? Is it having the same moral standard? Is it having the same experience? Is it a bond of love and affection? The latter at least seems to have a good Scriptural basis (John 13:34,35; 1 John 3:11-18; 4:7-12). But is there a basis for this love? The unity of believers is ultimately based on who they are in Christ (Romans 12:3-16; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:1-16). This is because Christ has intervened in history and in our lives to make us His children (John 1:12,13; Titus 3:5,6; Colossians 2:13,14). If our unity is based on a philosophy, it would make sense to reject those who had a slightly different theory. If it is based on a moral standard, it would make sense to reject those who had a somewhat different set of rules. If it is based on an experience, it would make sense to reject those who have experienced something different. But if it is based on what Christ did, then we must be careful of rejecting those who have faith in Him even if we do not agree on everything. What do you base unity on?

A Veneer of Happiness

I am convinced it is a grave error to tell people, "Come to Christ and you will not have any more problems. Or at least any serious problems." This flies in the face of what Scripture tells us about the Christian life (John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 4:12,13). It not only sets people up for major struggles of faith when things do not turn out that way, but provides a degree of superficiality to the Christian life. It cannot only lead people to abandon the faith, but it can at least lead those who remain to be afraid of honestly admitting their struggles. It can also make them intolerant of the struggles of others. ("Why can't people seem to get it together?")

Now the Scripture does speak of joy and peace. But it is joy and peace based on something. The kind of joy and peace that can often coexist with heartache and struggle. There is joy and peace in God and who He is (1 John 1:3,4; Philippians 4:4; Psalms 105:3) There is joy and peace in salvation (Philippians 3:3; Romans 5:2; 1 Peter 1:8). There is joy and peace in prayer, not that prayer will always be answered the way we want, but that we can entrust all our worries and cares to God (Philippians 4:6,7; 1 Peter 5:7; John 16:24).  There is joy in the fellowship of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:26; Philemon 1:7; 2 Timothy 1:4) There is rejoicing in God's purposes being accomplished in the lives of others (2 John 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Philippians 2:2). And most strange of all, there is rejoicing in our troubles, because we know there is a hope that goes beyond our troubles (Matthew 5:12; James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5). Now none of this sounds like one big happiness pill that anesthetizes us to all the problems in the world. Much less is it a promise that we will have no serious problems. Rather, we are to see this joy and peace as interwoven with the real pains and sorrows of life. Even the perfect Man felt sorrow at the things He encountered and endured in this life (Matthew 26:37,38; John 11:35; Luke 19:41-44).

But if we adopt the kind of superficial spirituality which denies all troubles, we will find it hard to be honest with others and ourselves about our real problems. We will also find it difficult to minister to those who are going through struggles. And we can fail to carry out the Scriptural commands to minister to those who are suffering (Romans 12:15; James 5:13-18; Hebrews 12:12,13). We live in a world under sin and a curse, in which there is real evil. As Christians, we have reasons to rejoice in the midst of these difficulties. But to put on a mask and pretend the problems do not exist only hinders our walk with God and our ability to minister to others. 

A Touch of Humor - Product Sales

Is it appropriate to use church contacts to sell commercial products? Is there a line to draw as to what is and is not appropriate in this?

Old Erich Proverb - Change

God makes us His own that He might change us; He does not require us to change that we might belong to Him.

A Voice from the Past - Augustine

Let us run, believing, hoping, longing; let us run, subjugating the body, cheerfully and heartily doing alms, - in giving kindnesses and forgiving injuries, praying that our strength may be helped as we run; and let us listen to the commandments which urge us to perfection, as not to neglect running toward the fulness of love.

Augustine of Hippo, 354-430, On Man's Perfection in Righteousness, Chapter VII (19) (translated by Peter Holmes and Robert Ernest Wallis, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 5, Philip Schaff, T & T Clark and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997, p. 165)

How can we make the fullness of love the goal of our life? What things can hinder us in this?

 

The Reading of Books

It is said that many of the Biblical critics are highly intelligent people who have spent many hours studying the Bible. I do not question this. But sometimes I wonder, with C. S. Lewis, if they have ever read any other books or if they have totally compartmentalized the experience.  I have been been a bookworm much longer than I have been a Christian, and people do not write books that way. They do not grow up slowly in a community, nor are they made by putting pieces of sentences together from various sources. The issue is not whether the Bible is inspired by God. I would not consider such theories as explaining any secular book. Now if someone produced for me the physical or historical evidence, I might be forced, against my better judgment, to accept such a theory. But such evidence does not exist. We are asked to believe these things based on the plausibility of the theories. And the theories are not plausible. It is tempting to argue that if this is this best alternative to the inspiration of Scripture, it is a great proof of the inspiration of Scripture. But it is not really fair. It ought to be possible for someone with less scholarship and more common sense to come up with a more plausible theory. There is a kind of scholarship that want to prove its intelligence by coming up with complicated theories that do not stand up in real life. This is one such case.

For comparison it is helpful to look at other literature. I have always wanted to write a book (and may still someday) called The Textual Criticism of the Red Book of Westmarch in which I prove how impossible it is that The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion could be written by the same man. And on their logic one could argue for Strider, Aragorn, and Elessar sources in The Lord of the Rings. Or, even leaving aside the other works of Charles Dickens, how could The Pickwick Papers, which ranges from light comedy to some incredibly dark passages, have all been by the same person? Or how could the same author have written Kidnapped and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Yet on the basis of far more questionable reasoning, these critics claim to be able to deduce how ancient books were written. Now the world is full of interesting theories, and people will never cease to speculate. There will always be new theories as to how The Iliad and The Odyssey were written or what the real meaning of Hamlet is. But for anyone to bet twenty dollars, let alone one's eternal destiny, on the truth of such a theory seems incredibly foolish. The truth or falsehood of Christianity has been and will continue to be argued on various grounds. But such speculation does not seem an adequate basis for arguing one way or the other.    

In the Realm of the Usurper

We live in a world that is under the reign of an usurper. Satan is characterized as being currently in charge (2 Corinthians 4:3,4; Ephesians 2:2; Hebrews 2:14,15). Now I do not want to contradict the fact that God is still in control (Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:28; Isaiah 43:13) and will ultimately be victorious (Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 2:14; Colossians 2:15). But presently this earth is under the power of Satan and his minions. And God has allowed it to remain so up to this time to give an opportunity for more people to switch to His side before the end comes (2 Peter 3:9). I realize this does not answer any ultimate philosophical questions. But it does help keep things in perspective. This is not the way God wants the world to be. It is a world full of real evil, real suffering, and real troubles because there is really someone who is working to promote such things. God is also at work behind the scenes to accomplish His purposes and will finally bring about a new earth free from these things. But for right now we are in enemy occupied territory and should not construe it as reflecting God's ideal.