January 03, 2014
Truce
An on-line article in Leadership Journal was
about fighting Christians calling a truce during the holidays. I liked the
premise of the article because sometimes we do look for reasons to pick a fight
with one another over interpretations, denominations, and doctrinal points. The
author, Pastor Bob Hyatt from Portland, Oregon called for a one week holiday truce
saying, “Let’s forget, just for a moment that we are progressives,
conservatives, emergent, Anabaptist, young-restless-and-reformed -that we are
pro-gay marriage or pro-traditional family, that we are egalitarians or
complimentarians, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox…and just be followers of
Jesus Christ.” For a moment there I thought maybe the author wanted me to play the
game of “what doesn’t fit in this list”. Scripture is pretty clear that God has
already passed judgment on same-sex relationships. It’s wrong for the pastor to
put up a stumbling block by asking believers to reconcile with the sin of
homosexuality, rather than reconciling with God. I have to wonder if the writer
wants a truce with the pro-gay marriage contingent, would he object to a truce
with the pro-abortionists, or pro-idol worshipers.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Gail;
-----I think some thought given to resolution might help us understand this tussle and truce stuff. We all resolve to approach the Almighty Father through one Jesus Christ, do we not? And isn’t that resolution our drawing near to Him rather than our drawing Him near to us? The difference is huge. Drawing near leaves behind. Moreover, it’s to a particular point. If we draw near we leave our varieties behind to converge upon one point. Now, tell me again, how many is He?
-----“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee...” (John 17:20-21a) This prayer was very solemn, indeed. Jesus understood what was only hours away. It would be no taking His Peugeot for a pleasant drive to Shangri La. He had seen crucifixion. It was the Roman version of reality TV. And it was now His turn. This prayer was resolutely from His fundamental being.
-----So, why hasn’t it been to ours? Drawing near to the Father is a process of leaving behind what can not be near and building what can. How is it we determine which is which? Was it Him who directed Moses to announce “I AM THAT I AM” had sent him? Or did He tell Moses to go announce he was that he was. Drawing near to the Father by the presumption that we will be there what we think Him to be doesn’t exactly match Jesus resolve. He spent His entire life sculpting His every moment to the shape of His Father’s will, not as He thought it to be, but as the Father thought it, because His Father Is Who He Is.
-----There’s huge meaning in I AM THAT I AM. The biggest universal of it is that we don’t know the overwhelming most of Him. The biggest particular is that we need to learn Him. If we had to choose anything before we could know what was in it, it is each of God‘s ways and ideas. We draw near Him while seeing dimly as through a mirror with Solomon’s, “…for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.” (Eccl 5:2b) We are clearly in the learning position. We must resolve to allow God to have His place for teaching.
-----That’s where the silence begins. Not ours, His. I waited to hear His voice as plainly and resolutely and often and distinct as I hear yours or anyone else’s. And why not? He's more real than any of us. So too should His voice be. What? It’s not actually audible? You expect me to pick it out of all those other voices swirling through my head? How am I to discern which is which? “It’s the voice always agreeing with the Bible!”
-----Then why not just study His Word and quash all the blooming voices? If we join Christ’s resolve to be one with each other as He is with His Father, and the Bible is the most resolute communication God has given us, why is not all our resolve focused upon learning it? Because some want to learn it Missouri style (no offense to any of you Mizzous, but you know what I mean. “That’ll learn ya!”)
-----Though we can’t teach the Bible because it’s to teach us, deceit tries anyway. Most of the Bible’s concepts are not resolved in one verse, or even a chapter, or book. Most are given like puzzle pieces from many different texts which all together have two fits: one all patiently, naturally, straight, proper, and not quite what we expected; and another all quickly jammed together, somewhat contorted, wiggly, and more like what we wanted. The Bible does it this way because resolve for integrity and truth must become those who will know the Word of God as it means. Deceit is in those who lead it around like a leashed kitten, resolute to leave nothing behind, nor go anywhere particularly where He IS THAT HE IS.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
Post a Comment