It is hard to give up something that you thought was true, and that you basically put your trust in. God Himself knows that this is not easy for any of us.
I am a minister of the gospel. One of my responsibilities is to do whatever I can to forward the glory of God, the good of His church, and the overall happiness and welfare of all other human beings.
I am fully aware that much content of this ecclesiocentricity blog site has been difficult for some people to digest, and take to heart. I know that it challenges many fully-embraced presuppositions; and that it tends to “rock” the world of those who thought they had a safe haven, either in their homes, or in their government officials.
But, believe me when I say that my intention is for the good of the readers of this site. I know that love dictates that I seek to release you from what binds you, and keeps you from a joyful and satisfying Christian life. My desires are for your good.
If you have been able, by grace, to trash some old “sacred cows”—then bid them “adieu”; and rejoice that God has something better for you, in Jesus, as He expresses Himself to you first and foremost in His church.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Churches overstepping their bounds
Often, we hear professing Christian people complain about all the ways the government is intruding on their lives. There is some validity to much of this concern.
But it is also helpful for us to turn as wary an eye to our own faults, especially in this general area of keeping within the proper spheres of our responsibilities.
Some churches, both individual congregations and (in some cases) entire denominations, overstep their proper bounds, and call on behavior (and even beliefs) in their people that are not required by God in His word.
Take, for instance, the always hot-button issue of education. We have dealt with this topic in prior posts on this blog site. Is it proper for a church to dictate that officers (and maybe even members) must either homeschool their child(ren), or send them to covenant (private Christian) schools? I argue, “No; it is not their legitimate sphere to do this.”
Someone might object, and urge on us passages such as Deuteronomy, chapter 6; and assert that God’s teaching there demands the essence of home- or private Christian education. But, if you were to go to that chapter and read it, you would find yourself arriving at an entirely different conclusion. God is not speaking of formal education in these verses. Instead, He is insisting on something much more profound yet—namely, covenant life, fully and joyfully lived in and through the hearts of fathers, which then is communicated down to their child(ren). All of the contents of this chapter have to do with redemption (with the Exodus from Egypt being the template), and walking in atonement (with the Old Covenant church being the focus).
How many fathers who insist on homeschooling, or private Christian schooling do you know, who actually keep the spirit (or even the letter) of Deut., ch. 6? If you know a lot, you know more than I do. Could it be that their practices are in reality just their convenient excuse for not fulfilling what God actually intended there?
Again, the point of this post is this: it is dangerous to demand of people what God Himself does not require. We would naturally object to the state overstepping its bounds, if it insisted on behavior in churchmen that the Bible prohibits. On the same token, however, we should balk at the notion of churches foisting on people what God Himself does not insist on.
But it is also helpful for us to turn as wary an eye to our own faults, especially in this general area of keeping within the proper spheres of our responsibilities.
Some churches, both individual congregations and (in some cases) entire denominations, overstep their proper bounds, and call on behavior (and even beliefs) in their people that are not required by God in His word.
Take, for instance, the always hot-button issue of education. We have dealt with this topic in prior posts on this blog site. Is it proper for a church to dictate that officers (and maybe even members) must either homeschool their child(ren), or send them to covenant (private Christian) schools? I argue, “No; it is not their legitimate sphere to do this.”
Someone might object, and urge on us passages such as Deuteronomy, chapter 6; and assert that God’s teaching there demands the essence of home- or private Christian education. But, if you were to go to that chapter and read it, you would find yourself arriving at an entirely different conclusion. God is not speaking of formal education in these verses. Instead, He is insisting on something much more profound yet—namely, covenant life, fully and joyfully lived in and through the hearts of fathers, which then is communicated down to their child(ren). All of the contents of this chapter have to do with redemption (with the Exodus from Egypt being the template), and walking in atonement (with the Old Covenant church being the focus).
How many fathers who insist on homeschooling, or private Christian schooling do you know, who actually keep the spirit (or even the letter) of Deut., ch. 6? If you know a lot, you know more than I do. Could it be that their practices are in reality just their convenient excuse for not fulfilling what God actually intended there?
Again, the point of this post is this: it is dangerous to demand of people what God Himself does not require. We would naturally object to the state overstepping its bounds, if it insisted on behavior in churchmen that the Bible prohibits. On the same token, however, we should balk at the notion of churches foisting on people what God Himself does not insist on.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Compassionate Ecclesiocentricity
You have heard of President Bush’s “Compassionate Conservatism.” Now, you have heard of “Compassionate Ecclesiocentricity.”
Those of us who embrace the Bible’s doctrine of the primacy of the church need to be sensitive to, and patient with those who have not yet come to this conclusion. It may take weeks, months, years, or even decades for some people to come around to this gracious and comforting theological tenet. (Some folks may never come to this deduction.)
Let us all remember that it is not perfect theology that will usher us into glory, on the last day. Instead, it is faith in, and a love for Christ; and an apprehension of His grace in the gospel’s promise of the forgiveness of sins that will do that.
Some truths are just plain hard to see, or imagine. Even our best efforts at taking some doctrines by faith sometimes just doesn’t seem to work.
The only reasons any theological points should be insisted on are for the glory of God, the extension of the church, and the good of human beings.
But some verities (truths) may be missed, without the consequence of forfeiting redemption, or glory. The Bible’s teaching of ecclesiocentricity, like many of its other dogmas, may be under-appreciated or misconstrued by those who are still legitimate heirs of heaven.
Therefore, let us be gracious, and long-suffering. God is good. He does all things well, and right. We may defend His ways and teachings, and insist on them—but it is He alone who will be the Judge of how they are handled.
Those of us who embrace the Bible’s doctrine of the primacy of the church need to be sensitive to, and patient with those who have not yet come to this conclusion. It may take weeks, months, years, or even decades for some people to come around to this gracious and comforting theological tenet. (Some folks may never come to this deduction.)
Let us all remember that it is not perfect theology that will usher us into glory, on the last day. Instead, it is faith in, and a love for Christ; and an apprehension of His grace in the gospel’s promise of the forgiveness of sins that will do that.
Some truths are just plain hard to see, or imagine. Even our best efforts at taking some doctrines by faith sometimes just doesn’t seem to work.
The only reasons any theological points should be insisted on are for the glory of God, the extension of the church, and the good of human beings.
But some verities (truths) may be missed, without the consequence of forfeiting redemption, or glory. The Bible’s teaching of ecclesiocentricity, like many of its other dogmas, may be under-appreciated or misconstrued by those who are still legitimate heirs of heaven.
Therefore, let us be gracious, and long-suffering. God is good. He does all things well, and right. We may defend His ways and teachings, and insist on them—but it is He alone who will be the Judge of how they are handled.
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