January 26, 2010
In the Rafters
Believers are creative when selecting a name for their church, or re-naming an established church. They try to be respectful to the Lord, identifiable to the world and unique in their community. In 1578 Catholic Mass was outlawed by the Dutch, but Protestant authorities allowed Catholics to worship as long as it wasn’t in public view. A wealthy merchant purchased a tall, narrow canal house in Amsterdam and built a lavish chapel on the top floor naming it, Our Lord in the Attic. I know these people were forced to worship in secret, but for me the parish name conjures up a humorous vision of them trying to keep the Lord in captivity.
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Gail;
-----I am sure Jesus had to chuckle at that, too. If He didn’t, then all He could do was cry. It was His Spirit that inspired Paul to write, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal 6:10) The Protestant authorities kindly allowed Catholics to worship, but was it good to the Catholics to force them into seclusion? So maybe the Protestants did not consider the Catholics to be of the household of faith. But such consideration comes through no means other than passing judgment, which Paul told us not to do. And even if this judgment was correct, how could the Catholics not at least be considered men for whom God called Protestants to do good? The judgment the Protestants passed was actually upon themselves. For if the Catholics were not of the household of faith, then Galatians 6:10 more pointedly demanded good be done to them by Protestants. It was not the Catholics who sequestered Jesus in the attic, it was the Protestants.
-----Love and hate is the simple and most basic dichotomy of human and spiritual affairs. Love builds. Hate destroys. Love does good. Hate does harm. Loves draws things near. Hate pushes things away. Love beholds the beloved. Hate beholds the self. Satan beheld himself within a universe of love and taught hate. Christ beheld others within a universe of hate and taught love. How is it that those who follow Christ and call themselves by His name should seek to destroy the freedom of others who also call upon His name? By what means do they harm another’s expression of faith in the same Lord? What causes them to push away those who think differently? In the certainty of their own faith they are beholden to themselves by judging others. And they do this in the body to which Christ taught love! What? Did Christ audaciously ask His Father to make His followers one? (John 17:20-21) How absurd it is to think the churches are behaving as one like Jesus and His Father were one.
-----Notice carefully, in Revelation 2:5 Jesus does not warn the Ephesian church that He will remove the lamp stand from them, but rather from its place. And what was the subject of the warning but that they return to their first love? Many see prophecy of church history in the seven letters to the churches. I do, too. During the first century there was much less identity anxiety amongst the churches; they were more apt to regard each other as part of the same body. Having a few prominent leaders - Paul, John, James, Peter, etc. - being directly inspired by the Spirit had much to do with this loving condition. But there is a stark difference in the second century. Identities begin to form around theology rather than the body. As church leaders multiply, theological points become opportunities for dividing walls. In as much as Rev 1:20 identifies the seven lamp stands as the seven churches, the early church was certainly removed from its place - to love. In as much as the seven torches around God’s throne were identified as the seven Spirits (Rev 4:5), might they suggest a particular intimacy with the seven lamp stands? Christ is the head of the church to lead it in love through His Spirit. But leaders became the head of the churches to lead them into division. Surely the Spirit was also removed from its leadership role as mere men ran off with that too. Giving more attention to theology than to love, they followed their selves more than the Spirit. So now, their little followings of people need names as distinct as they have become separate.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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