In 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple into his office and asked what he could do. After they expressed their desire to fund a memorial, Eliot impatiently said, "Perhaps you have in mind a scholarship." "We were thinking of something more substantial than that... perhaps a building," the woman replied. In a patronizing tone, Eliot brushed aside the idea as being too expensive and the couple departed. The next year, Eliot learned that this plain pair had gone elsewhere and established a $26 million memorial named Leland Stanford Junior University, better known today as Stanford!
Over the past few years I have noticed more and more the intolerance of Christians on to another because of non-salvific beliefs. I don’t know why I have become more aware, maybe because in the past few years I have a part of an internet culture that makes it easy to throw darts at our Christian brothers without really having to deal with any of the consequences. In my time in the church some of the harshest criticism of other believers has come from inside the church walls. In the “emerging” era it has become all to familiar for Christians to criticize other based on appearances and to not look at what they are teaching and are they teaching it correctly. Just like Harvards president in the above story Christians have more and more looked at the outward `appearance of a ministry then sought to investigate it themselves. I have seen more decisions made lately based on what a Christians favorite pastor, favorite blogger or even their best friend has said then based on personal investigation. I guess in “evangelical” circles it’s not good to be a “Berean” and to search scripture for the truth.
I. Love with a Pure Heart
a."Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;" (1 Peter 1:22-23, ESV)
1 Peter is speaking to believers “elect exiles” (1:1). In this letter he starts out by encouraging them by telling them that they have been “born again into a living hope” (1:3). He then tells these brothers and sisters in Christ that they need to be holy “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in your conduct” (1:15). Peter in defining who they are in Christ tells them that as brothers and sisters in Christ that they should be pure in their love. When we think of pure what do we think of? Without blemish, without anything wrong, it normally means to us that is crystal clear. Our motives should be pure when it comes to dealing with a brother in Christ. Back in verse 15 tells us that our conduct is to be holy also. Our conduct one to another should be viewed by the unbelieving world as different. Holy means separated from so our conduct should be loving to the point that our actions separate us from those actions of the world.
b. "Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another," (1 Thessalonians 4:9, ESV)
Once again we see here that it shouldn’t take an apostolic reminder o tell us to love our brother, we should naturally do it. Why? Because we have been taught this by God. What did Friday represent? The ultimate gift of love. A couple of weeks ago I was able to hear the testimony of a professor here at The Master’s College, Dr. Wong. In telling of the persecution he makes a statement about the believers in the United States. Listen to this, He said that Americans if had to suffer for their religious convictions would be better off, because then a cost would come with their faith. I truly believe one of the reasons we are so hard on our fellow believers for non-salvific matters is because we have not suffered.
II. Love with Humility
a. "Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight." (Romans 12:16, ESV)
Here in Romans Paul tells us to “live in harmony with one another and then really gets to the heart of why many believers do not get along. They are “haughty”, in other words prideful. We are blessed by the type of teaching we get here at PBC and just in this general area. We are blessed o be in close proximity to one of the best expositors of the Word that the 20th and early 21st Century will ever know in Dr. MacArthur and we should not use that as a reason to be prideful. In this day and age when we can go online and educate ourselves about all types of religious doctrines. Many people take that education that they get and see it as wisdom and use it in a prideful way.
b. "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." (Romans 12:10, ESV)
I love this verse because it’s like Paul is telling us as believers to not only love one another like you would love a brother, but outdo one another in respecting and honoring each other. If you are truly humble, if you truly see yourself as not a spiritual giant then you will show honor to those around you because you see what God is doing in their lives. Your focus becomes Christ centered and not me centered. The key is being happy for your brother when good things come their way, instead of asking why didn’t that happen to me?
c. "that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another." (1 Corinthians 12:25, ESV)
We are to see each other as one body and just like you would not dismember your own body you should not dismember the body of Christ. If you have the mindset that you’re a part of a body then why would you desire to hurt another part of the body?
d. "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13, ESV)
Humility serves. If you do not see yourself as being better than someone else then you will serve them. Paul is also telling the Galatians that we have freedom in our claiming Christ as our Savior. In that freedom from sin we should desire to not sin more, but to serve one another. If we use that freedom as a license to be prideful then we only bring the body down.
e. "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3, ESV)
If we walk in manner worthy of being saved then we will act how? We will walk in humility and through that gentleness will manifest itself, patience will manifest itself and we will desire hold each other up, the idea is of encouragement in time of battle, but why? So that we will maintain the unity of the Spirit. We should desire this if we a truly saved.
f. "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)
This sums it all up. If we are truly humble then we will not desire more for ourselves , but will desire more for the body. We will not see ourselves as better because what family we were born into or what church we grew up in or even what college we attended. The Christian walk is about seeing others as more important than you. If our Lord washed the feet of His disciples then what more should we do?
III. Love as an example to unbelievers
a. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35, ESV) John repeats this in 15:12, 17.
Our love should show people that we represent Christ. If we are fighting amongst each other about one doctrine as compared to another and we fight in such a way that we create divisions amongst ourselves then we are no different than the world. Even when we disagree we must do it in a manner that makes the world wonder what is different about us. Right now in many theological circles you cannot tell the differences between believers and non-believers. Right now in our own churches sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between believers and non-believers.
b. "Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him." (Romans 14:3, ESV)
When it comes to things of a non-salvific nature we should no despise those who differ in beliefs from us. Right now in the church there are divisions based on parenting styles and home schooling and non-home schoolers. I can think of no more silly thing to divide on then whether or not your kid is raised one way or another. We cannot divide also based on education or anything else that does not lend any credence to our salvation.
c. "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus," (Romans 15:5, ESV)
If we are to stand out from the world then we must live in harmony as a body of believers. We must show I this one way that we are different from the world in the way we act together and towards one another.
d. "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)
If we are to separate ourselves from the world then we must bear each others burdens. We must seek to find ways to serve one another. I we are bearing each others burdens then it is hard to see yourself as better than the person who you are serving. You know what the kicker about all this is? It’s that we are commanded as believers to do it.
e. "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works," (Hebrews 10:24, ESV)
We should also be examples to the world in how we encourage each other in the way we serve one another. We should be creating an attitude of love and encouraging other s to do the same. The number one thing that kills churches is when believers put there own beliefs above another and then create dissension amongst other believers. Is that really what separates us from the world? The mentality of “if we don’t play my way then I’ll take my ball and my friends and go home”? What is so different about that and the world? In our post modern culture that makes us stand out alright. It makes us look worse than the post modern church.
f. "Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door." (James 5:9, ESV)
I think that the thing that really must separate us from one another must be how we react to one another when we are in disagreement. If we grumble against one another and drag down others in our fit of pride, then we are not being examples of Christlikeness. Our life needs to be such an example that people must see it and desire what we have. If the truth is in us then why should we grumble against others? Either we should desire that persons salvation, so we should pray for them and ourselves that we may present the Gospel to them in an effective way or we should desire our hearts to be right and that we shouldn’t be angry and pray the our example would be that of Christ.
When architect Sir Christopher Wren designed the interior of Windsor Town Hall near London in 1689, he built a ceiling supported by pillars. After city fathers had inspected the finished building, they decided the ceiling would not stay up and ordered Wren to put in some more pillars. England's greatest architect didn't think the ceiling needed any more support, so he pulled a fast one. He added four pillars that did not do anything -- they don't even reach the ceiling. The optical illusion fooled the municipal authorities, and today the four sham pillars amuse many a tourist.
Once again appearances.
4 comments:
Hi Tom,
I've found in Christian circles, that most folks have the Magisterium Mentality; they check with their favorite pastor, teacher, author, scholar, or professor, to know what to "really" think on an issue. In their Magisterium, these men can do no wrong,or at least never run into heresy, but if you speak out against them you have just stepped onto holy ground. Its a twist on an old claim of the Charismatics (of which I was when years and years ago):
"Touch not the seminary anointed and do the Reformed prophets no harm!"
What if our favorite author is wrong on something serious? What if our professor or pastor is wrong? Are Christians willing to confront error no matter where it is? Or are we just walking hypocrits? Its it acceptable to show the error of Benny Hinn but not CS Lewis? Do professing Christians actually believe Scripture MUST be held above all things? I think most believe that its a last resort...that, in the words of a friend of mine, Scripture is their milk, but the theologians are the MEAT.
Psa 138:2 I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.
Is. 8: 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
On another note, I think that often times style reflects doctrine, so style is like a barometer of what one believes.
Denise,
Thank you for your comment. Having come out of a Catholic background I fully understand the "Magisterium" mentality. No one questioned a priest. I think to a certain extent we as evangelicals have become the same way. I know as I grew in faith at John MacArthur’s church there was a sense of just take what he says and don’t question it. Now I love Pastor MacArthur and I would be hard pressed to disagree with anything he ever taught from the pulpit, but at the same time that does not excuse the scriptural command given to me to test what he is teaching for truthfulness. I would certainly hope that in my ministry that my staff and most certainly the college students I shepherd would search out that what I teach and call into question anything that doesn’t jive with scripture. Now I am in a unique situation, most of my college students go to Christian college and some of my staff are seminary graduates or are currently in seminary. So what I teach and even what I write in this blog is tested by them.
As to style equaling doctrine, I may have to disagree with you. I am a little hesitant to do so though because I do believe that there are far too many pastors out there that sacrifice doctrine for style. What I believe is that all pastors contextualize their sermons and preaching style somewhat. If I am teaching at John MacArthur’s church I am going to teach a totally different way then the way I teach at my current church. I must speak into my group’s hearts in a way that challenges them. Far too many seminary students come out of seminary and believe that there is only one style and blow up churches trying to make their style fit. As a shepherd I would be remiss if I did not speak to my flock in a way that challenges them. My example of this would be MacArthur preaches to his flock one way, Piper preaches to his flock one way and Mahaney preaches to his flock another way. All solid men when it comes to the Gospel, all with different styles.
Tom
Sorry Tom, when I said style reveals doctrine, I was referring to worship style.
However, preaching style can also reveal doctrine. For instance, a man who has a low view of Scripture and a high view of man, will fall into pragmatism in style/practice. An example of this would be the Emergent Church leaders. They think that to reach the world they should become like it ("relevant"). Instead Scripture says we're to come out from among her and be separate...we are to no longer act and think and talk like the world(Eph. 4:14-21; 2Cor. 6:14-16; 1Peter 4:4-6;5:3-8).
We should rely on the Person and work of the Holy Spirit to regenerate the elect by the proclamation of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16). If we truly believe God is totally and completely sovereign, then we know that we are not to try to manipulate others by style (how church is actually run including the worship service) or substance (like avoiding words like "sin" for instance).
I hope you see what I mean.
I do see how style in the Emergent church trumps doctrine. But I do not believe that you can make that as a blanket statement. There are some good “emerging” pastors, Francis Chan of Simi Valley Cornerstone Church for one, who have a different style than say a John MacArthur and yet doctrine and scripture are the hinge point for his church.
I do believe like you that a lot of churches have sold out to be relevant. Scripture is as relevant today as it was yesterday and as relevant as it will be tomorrow. Like the example you give about “sin”, these churches have become more seeker sensitive than Gospel driven.
I believe I see what you mean, but I would be careful to make “style” a reason to believe that someone is not biblical. I believe you need to be active in testing that pastor, testing the worship music and being a faithful Berean to see if style is important or scripture is important.
By the way it’s this type of conversation that strengthens us as brothers and sisters in Christ. This type of conversation makes us check our convictions to see if they are biblical. Thank you for that.
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