Spiritual But Not Religious

 

I hear people speak of being ‘spiritual but not religious’ or about being against organized religion. These are just two ways of saying, “I want to define spiritual activity by my own rules,” which is exactly what Adam and Eve did in their attempt to interpret reality by their own knowledge and wisdom. 

To rightly understand the Christian faith, one needs to go back to the beginning and build from there. The incarnation took place and when Jesus was thirty years old, he began his ministry. He did so by choosing twelve disciples, whom he instructed in right thinking, right words, and right actions. He did not tell them to look within themselves and figure it out.

After his death, resurrection, and ascension, these disciples became apostles and by the filling and guidance of the Holy Spirit, they began traveling around the known world, preaching the gospel, and establishing churches based on the teaching they learned from Jesus. They did speak ambiguously, telling people to look within themselves and form their beliefs based on their experiences. What Jesus taught the apostles; the apostles taught the first-generation church.

These churches were established in unity, all believing the same doctrines and practicing the same faith. Within a few generations, other people came along and began to introduce contrary doctrines and practices, which required the churches to gather as a unity and say, “here are the doctrines that the church has always believed and taught.” Anything outside of or contrary to that apostolic teaching was rejected and identified as heresy.  

The foundation of the Christian church is that which Jesus taught the apostles, and what the apostles taught to the first-generation church. It was specific, articulate, identifiable doctrine and those beliefs and practices have been handed down to this day, protected and guided by the Holy Spirit within the Church.

The Awkward Questions

 

It is curious to start identifying and understanding how many things in life have been influenced or formed by Protestantism. The use of money, the approach to employment, the form of government, marriage. Romance/emotions/dating, the raising of children, appearance/fashion/modesty, the use of entertainment, housing/family connectivity, the centrality of the church, and the methodology of/labeling of crime / sin.

But one needs to step back and, with an understanding of the theological flexibility that exists in the Protestant/American Evangelical world, question the validity of these relatively new beliefs and practices. We should be asking the question, “What has the Church always believed and taught in this regard?”

Remembering Context

 

It’s all about context. When someone speaks or writes, they are writing within a cultural context, within a personal context, within historical context, and from a foundation of genetics and family influence. The million variables that make up a person cannot be fully understood by another.

Some people are open to dialog which can lead to a change of perspective, but some people are not. Simply winning an argument does not necessarily mean that you have changed the person’s mind. Someone will not be convinced of their logical or historical errors simply by being shown that they are wrong, especially if that error is used as a weapon to humiliate them.  

Putting our effort into understanding someone else’s perspective is vastly superior to simply proving them wrong. Learning to ask the right questions, especially of ourselves will lead to growth and deeper understanding. Being willing to admit that we don't have all the answers and that someone else's perspective may be valuable will move us and others ahead.

Reinventing the Wheel

 

I would say that it is odd that so many people identify as “spiritual but not religious” but this mentality fits perfectly with the Protestant idea of individualism. Because this idea is the foundation to Western culture, what we are seeing today is the fruit of that misguided thought. It began en masse when Luther and Calvin went solo from the church in Rome. There is no argument that the Roman church had greatly deviated from the historic Christian faith.

Instead of trying to start a new church, Luther and Calvin (and the Anabaptists as well) should have connected with the rest of the body of Christ, that is, the churches in Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Constantinople/Moscow. Rome was an unfortunate deviation / break off from the rest of Christendom. The creation of Protestantism was a tragic mistake that has led to a terrible global splintering of those who take upon themselves the label of Christian.

Relationship as the Goal

 

We need to stop thinking of Christianity as a philosophical system or a book of rules to follow. Those two categories originate either from European rationalism or Old Covenant/Jewish thinking. Prior to the incarnation, men were childish and enslaved to sin and death but with Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, mankind is now free to pursue holiness and to love.

God restoring mankind to a place of freedom puts him in a place where he can have a relationship with God through the guidance of the Holy Spirit within the Church. The relationship between God and man has always been about relationship and within “the people of God”. Loving God and loving one’s neighbor is the framework we are to build our lives within. Our goal is not a checklist of “things not to do” but of loving and being loved.

The Shifting of Definitions

 

You’ve heard the metaphor of the frog in a pot of water with the temperature slowly rising. Whether or not the science is true, you understand the meaning. One only needs to think through the last one hundred years of history in the United States to see that this is exactly what is happening in our culture.

What was considered sin seventy years ago is now culturally acceptable and even considered normal.

What was a shameful situation seventy years ago, is now ‘no big deal’.

What was considered immodest seventy years ago is now regularly seen in churches and accepted as fashion.

There is no arguing that our culture influences us and when we are unaware and uneducated, we think nothing of it. Our taste in fashion, our definition of good and true, and our definition of love must not be defined by our culture but by the Church. Even though the Church does not lay out a list of rules, it does expect us to be wise and do all things according to love.

Organized Religion

 

People will say, “I have an issue with organized religion,” while I understand what they mean, the meaning of what they are saying is nonsensical. What then is the inverse of what they oppose? Unorganized religion? Chaotic religion?

They are trying to contrast personally invented “religion” against faiths that have been extant for millennia. But if one steps back and looks at the foundation for this argument, the result is less than fulfilling. They are suggesting that beliefs about eternity, about the existence of god/gods, and the multitude of philosophical questions are better answered by oneself with decades (at best) of experience and knowledge versus the millennia of experience and study by millions of people. Refusing to stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before them, they willingly truncate their potential for growth in wisdom.

Is this not the epitome of American arrogance? In essence, their argument is this. I, with my personal experience, with my very, very limited knowledge, know and understand more than the millions who have gone before me as a collective whole.

This approach is the definition of American Evangelical private interpretation. Ultimately this is about a worldview and belief system that is based on feelings, rather than objective truth, and authority outside of oneself.

Our Goal and the Results

 

We are called to love our neighbor, but we are not called to seek out being loved in return.

We are called to holiness, but we are not called to be nice.

We are told that the world will hate us.

The more holy one becomes, the less he will be like the world and the world will like him less and less.

The man who is walking the path of holiness will be seen as a fool by the culture around him.

The Question of Play

 

The problem is not that children like to play. This is what they are supposed to do. Play and games creates an environment where children learn hard work, teamwork, and sacrifice. The problem is that this love of play has moved into adulthood. The normalization and prevalence of it on social media has made play seem like “this is what life is supposed to be like”.

If you aren’t beautiful, laughing, and having fun, then you must be a failure. This has been a slow decline into immaturity. We need to learn how to be adults.

The Problem of Perspective

 

So many of our problems come from our shortsightedness. We only look at the moment and forget about the omnipotence of God, the love of God, and the big picture. 

We forget about resilience, and the short-term impact of emotion. We need to learn to step back, acknowledge the temporary nature of the current situation, and remember that every situation changes, either by our efforts or by the flow of everything around us.

Spirituality as an Objective Goal?

 

I am currently reading a collection of essays/lectures on suffering, pain and resilience written by those in the psychology field. One of the papers is exploring the idea that American culture has turned spirituality into a marketable field. The idea is that appealing to one's spiritual needs is really no different than appealing to one's physical needs/wants.

While that may be how religion is commonly viewed in our culture, but this is not how Christianity is. The Christian faith is about one's relationship with God. It's not about feelings, or about things to do to avoid going to hell nor is it about appealing to God as a Santa Claus to get what one wants.

The final goal of spirituality is not an object to be gained but about loving and being loved by the one God in three persons. This is similar to thinking that marriage is for financial reasons rather than love and relationship. 

https://www.amazon.com/Suffering-Resilience-Orthodox-Christian-Perspectives/dp/1936773481

The Problem of Authority

 

The problem of authority. Rebellion is always about pushing back against authority. But it is likely the case that the way that the West has established and enforced authority has been wrong. Proper authority is not about control but about preparation. Authority is in place to prepare the immature for making decisions for themselves when they become mature. Sometimes errors should be allowed with the subsequent negative consequences, not from punishment but from natural results.

Idols for Lost Souls

 

In the past, the world was immersed in idolatry, in many different forms. Some were so crass as to make statues of wood and stone, images of their perceived gods. Others used already made objects such as silver, gold, or sex as items to exalt as the center of their lives.

God addressed this in the Mosaic law, when he told the people of Israel to not make any image that was meant to be a representation of him. Because he is the uncreated Creator, there is nothing in creation that accurately represents him. This was the law for mankind until the incarnation. With the appearance of the Godman, God himself fulfilled the perfect representation of himself, Jesus Christ.

Because Jesus is fully God and fully man, man is now the image of God, as he progresses in his theosis. With the fulfillment and subsequent fading away of the Old Covenant, the New Covenant has taken its place with no prohibition of images. Since the first century, the Church has used and understood icons not as art, but as theology in picture. Those recognized as saints by believers are seen in icons as alive, as perfected, and acting as intercessors for those still in physical form.

But still, there are those who build statues of wood and stone, as representatives of their gods and there are still those who idolize gold, silver, and sex as the center and goal of their lives. These are idols for lost souls. Whatever the object may be, even ideas or concepts, it is still idolatry. Man was made in the image and likeness of God his creator. It is with the incarnation that this path is now open. Man is called to God-like with Jesus Christ as his model.

We worship God alone and are called to take dominion over the rest of creation, loving all men as made in the image of God and understanding that death is no longer to be feared, for with our physical death we move from this world into eternity, but only for a time, awaiting the final resurrection and final judgment. Death has no power over us, and we are surrounded by billions of faithful believers, both physically alive and alive in eternity. There is one Church, there is one God, and there is one command, to love, both God and one’s neighbor.

The Environment, Our Responsibility, and the Sovereignty of God

 

It is a mistake to think that mankind, at any point in history would be able to destroy the Earth. God created the world for man to live in and take care of. Even with the fall into sin by Adam and Eve, the world was not destroyed. The great flood eradicated all but Noah and his family, but God restarted his covenantal relationship with man, and restating man’s responsibility to take dominion over the earth. 

With the incarnation, Jesus fulfilled all that Adam was given to do and now that Jesus is the king over all creation, it is only a matter of time before mankind fully matures and takes dominion over all of creation. The world will never be destroyed. While it may be misused and abused, eventually it will be brought back to its right relationship with its Creator.

Profit

 

Jesus said in Mark 8:36, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Usually, this passage is understood only in the financial sense. The idea being that if someone pursues wealth instead of holiness, he is choosing the temporary comfort and distraction of money instead of a life of love and holiness. That which we love now will shape us for eternity.

But we shouldn’t limit this to just money. Someone can exchange a love for God and his Church for just about anything. Someone can exchange it for comfort, for fame, for romance, or for friendship. But the point remains the same. While these things may be nice or make us feel good, none of them are even remotely close to the value of holiness. Anything that moves us away from God is to be avoided.

Mankind was created to be in communion with God and to love others. If we allow anything to replace that lifestyle of holiness, we have failed. There is nothing in this world that we should be willing to exchange for our pursuit of our love for God, our love of others, and our holiness. 

Like the man feasting on fast food and donuts who is not thinking long term. The best part of God’s love for us is the opportunity to always start again, no matter where we are. As long as we are breathing, repentance is a path one can start on.

Unforeseen Consequences

 

The life choices we made always have consequences. Both positive and negative results come into our lives and the lives of those with whom we interact, depending on the things we say and do. Contrary to the popular phrase, no man is an island. Everything we do impacts those around us.

This is especially true regarding sin. The consequences of a sinful act can manifest like a car crash, an immediate response to what we do or fail to do. Or the consequences may become evident after a long period of time, like a lifelong bad diet. One piece of cake won’t kill you, but a lifestyle of donuts, soda, and Cheetos will eventually and probably bring death sooner than normal. 

In the same way that one cannot look at the back of his own head, we oftentimes cannot see the negative impact of the sins we somehow justify.

Beauty, Subjectivity and Preference

 

Beauty is not objective. Beauty is a label applied to that which is excellent. Someone may prefer one object over another, but something is either beautiful or it is not. One cannot call something beautiful simply because one “likes” it.  There is art and music that I appreciate but is not beautiful.

Someone cannot call themselves beautiful simply because they like the way they look. That is not beauty, that is preference. Being morbidly overweight is not beautiful, it is a deviation from what is good and healthy. Being novel is not beauty, it is a creative expression of simply trying to be different. 

The music of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Vivaldi is beautiful, but the music of The Sex Pistols is not. Oftentimes music is created simply as an emotional expression of one’s state of mind and heart and if that heart has been traumatized, the result will be an expression of trauma.

Self Made

 

Since the time of the Reformation, and to a much lesser degree in the centuries before, there has come into existence a great number of churches not in communion with the historic Christian faith. Of the literal thousands of Protestant/Evangelical denominations that exist, each one has been made in the image of its founder. That which defines Protestantism/Evangelicalism are the concepts of private interpretation and individualism.

Protestant/Evangelical churches exist because someone, somewhere decided that the churches that currently existed were lacking or faulty in some manner and therefore a new church needed to be formed. This formation and codification came into shape based on what one individual or group of likeminded individuals decided was the “correct” interpretation of Holy Scripture.

Summarily stated, each new denomination and/or congregation is made in the image of its founder. And this in itself should be troubling. The source of this problem is a foundational one. The belief that each individual has the right or responsibility to interpret the Bible as he sees fit creates a theological landscape of autonomy. But the body of Christ is one and not a scattered group of individuals. There is one, holy, apostolic Church.

Jesus taught his disciples exactly what they needed to know and understand and then, in the giving of the Holy Spirit, assured the Church that he would never leave them alone. He also promised them that evil would never overcome or destroy the Church. These two truths have been in place since the formation of the first century Church. The apostolic faith has then been handed down from one generation to the next and has no need of being reformed, corrected, updated, or modernized. That which the Church has always believed and taught is still believed and taught today.

One could argue that at the foundational level, all “Christian” churches believe the same things. But this claim needs to be followed up with the question of, “Why then are there literally thousands of denominations and independent church that are not in communion with one another?” Why were all these groups started in the first place? Why seek to redefine the Christian faith when that which Jesus taught the disciples is perfect and has been handed down to each generation.

If one starts at the beginning and works forward in time on the belief that Jesus’ teaching has been handed down, led by the Holy Spirit, and protected by Christ as the head, one needs to question the existence of multiple thousands of disconnected churches.

About Being an Adult

 

If you’ve ever been visiting a friend with children and while speaking with the adults, you watch the child playing on the floor, flopping around and being silly, you don’t give it a second thought. That is how children are supposed to behave.

But if you saw that same child, now as an older teen behaving the same way, you would rightly be concerned. There is an expectation of maturity and change in interests and behavior as one ages. So, the question is, “Why do so many adults insist on living as children in their free time? Playing sports, playing video games, or even playing in general?” 

Do we as adults really have nothing better to do than to entertain ourselves with childhood silliness? Learn to structure your use of time and money in a way that exemplifies maturity and responsibility.

Thoughts About Eternity

 

You are who you are because of the millions of decisions you make each day, because of the childhood you experienced and because of the influences upon you since birth. If you have no interest in God, in church, in religion, or in anything of a spiritual nature, why do you think that you would have any interest in being in heaven/the presence of God. 

The next question should be, “From what source have you fabricated your definition of heaven?”

The Source of Our Motivation

 

We should not "do" or "not do" things in our lives based on what others may think. We need to remember that God is always with us and sees our thoughts and actions. What others think is only important as it impacts how they interpret what it means to be a Christian.

If those around us define us as anything other than a kind and loving person, we are doing something wrong. Just as God is defined as love, so too should we. But again, that definition must be based on how love is truly defined, not by how the world defines love.

Words and Their Meaning

 

When someone says, “I’m a Christian”, you need to understand what they mean by that statement, you need to understand what that statement means to you and what that statement has historically meant. These may be three radically different definitions. 

This is not about judging someone else or questioning their faith. It’s about understanding what someone means. Far too often, the words that people use do not communicate what exactly they mean.

The Foundation of Error

 

The reason for any concept/theology/religion that is contrary to the historic Christian faith is the presence of a change in doctrine. Working backwards within a system of belief will eventually expose where that belief system differs from Christianity. It is with this realization that clarity must be sought. What is the difference and how did this difference become believed?

The next step is to analyze and understand how the error can be corrected.

From Childhood to Adulting

 

Why do so many adults insist on spending their money and energy on playing? As the apostle Paul says, “When I was a child, I did the things of a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.” While it is arguable that Paul was referring to literal childish play in this passage, the message is a simple one. In whatever state we are in, there is always the opportunity for and the responsibility of, growth and maturation.

It is irrelevant that someone happens to enjoy childish things. The responsibility of the adult should be that of growing, of maturing, of improving, and of being productive. It is when we learn to put away childish distractions, when we learn to love God and when we learn to love our neighbor, that we are moving in the right direction.

Life is not meant for distraction and comfort but for preparation for an eternity in the presence of God.

Time, Energy and Money

 

We can spend our time, our energy and our money on things that entertain us and make us feel good but ultimately the question of how these things impact the health of our soul is the most important question to ask. Someone may be beautiful, rich, and talented but if they harden their soul in the process, it is all for naught. A parent, at the same time, must ask himself if he is raising his children with a godly sense of priorities.

This is a difficult truth to communicate in the modern American culture, when these three things are elevated to the top of “that which is most important”.

The End Goal

 

What is the end result of the man who only eats processed food and junk food?

What is the end result of the man who only reads comic books and watches “fail” and “cat” videos?

What is the end result of the man who looks only to be comfortable?

Are we striving for excellence or are we content with what is easy and distracting?

Stories and Metaphors

 

Don’t mistake the use of a particular metaphor or illustration for the truth that underlies it. When saints of the past use any particular metaphor, don’t make the mistake of understanding that literally or thinking that the imagery is the point of the story. The saints use any particular imagery to communicate the truth of consequences for one’s life choices. We need to understand the truth they were communicating and modify the imagery for our own day, to reach the people of our time and culture.

Viewing Others and Viewing Ourselves

 

Why is it when we see someone whose particular sin is repulsive to us, we automatically think, “That person is messed up”, or “That person needs serious help” but when we look upon ourselves with our own sins, we give ourselves such grace and understanding. Everyone struggles with sins and none of them are acceptable.

Sin is one thing, but crime is another. That which negatively impacts society at large needs to be addressed but addressed with mercy and understanding. Condemnation and judgment have no place when dealing with sin. Help needs to be given not hatred or violence. When we see someone else and are tempted to judge them for their sins, we need to instead focus on ourselves and our own sins.

It is then that we will understand the value of mercy and forgiveness.

Proximity to God

 

What does it all mean? I read the description of the ideal life from the monastic perspective and its methodology is radically different from the priestly/spiritual father description given to the common layperson. Which at the same time is radically different from the average American way of living. What is the balance between living as a layperson while seeking after holiness and addressing the practical needs of everyday life? Where does social interaction, needs/wants, and biochemistry fit in?

If the state of eternal life is one of gradation with the holy being closer to God and the unholy being further from God, how would each of these describe their own personal state? If the unholy person has ignored/rejected God his entire life, would not an eternity as far away from God be that which they desire? But at the same time, if man was created to be holy and to live in a relationship with God, the unholy person would be miserable at the same time, for he could not bear being in the presence of holiness. And what does proximity to holiness even mean?

And what does all of this mean for the Protestant/evangelical/Roman believer or for anyone who has self-defined holiness?

If the goal of the Christian life is simply “love God and love your neighbor”, how does personal holiness fit into that and how is personal holiness even defined?

When Jesus spoke of the law as being summarized as “love God and love neighbor”, he was speaking to Jews who were defined by the Old Covenant law.  Any time that the “law of God” is spoken of in the NT must be understood not as the Mosaic law but Jesus’ summary.

The Place of Content within Tradition

 

A critique against the Orthodox church is their valuation of tradition. Tradition does not overrule or replace Holy Scripture. Instead, Holy Scripture needs to be understood within the context of tradition. “That which the Church has always believed and practiced” is the definition of tradition. Tradition is not about man made rules or practices but is the truth handed down by the apostles to subsequent generations, it is unwritten belief and practice.

While tradition is a necessary and unavoidable foundation for historic Christianity, this does not mean that the method of teaching doesn’t change. The worldview and language in which the Church was born is vastly different than the world in which we live today. Because culture and knowledge has radically changed over the past 2000 years, so too much our approach and methodology but not the content.

The way we talk must change but what we teach cannot.

Generational Authority

 

Generational authority is a historic reality. A king will be in power and will pass his kingship onto his eldest child. The kingdom may be vast and powerful but the child, being young, inexperienced, and immature, will not understand the incredible opportunity he has been given. As the child grows and matures, he will begin to grow into his role and advance the kingdom forward.

This is the nature of our reality as the Church. With the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, we began our role as small children inheriting a vast kingdom. It is now our responsibility to take dominion over the earth. That role of dominion will continue to expand into the entire universe. We do not understand the huge responsibility and incredible opportunity that we have been given.

It is only when we continue to mature that we will know how to rightly make use of everything in the known universe. And this will take eons to even begin to accomplish.

Expenses as a priority

 

I would argue that 90% of what we see or read in the media is distraction. Human suffering, deprivation, and moral depravity are real problems that need to be addressed. Suffering will always be an issue because people will often make foolish decisions that negatively impact themselves and others. But do we really need to be spending multiple billions of dollars on space exploration, military budgets, and political manipulation when there is so much good that could be done instead?

Caring for those in need and creating a better world ought to take precedence over personal comfort and hobbies.

Art and Culture

 

Artistic endeavors are circular. The culture in which one grows up will impact the boundaries of one’s artistic creations. The moral code of one’s culture will determine how one approaches art. When a culture loses its moral compass, art becomes more of an effort to push the boundaries and be novel, rather than to create beauty and excellence.

When one undergoes suffering or abuse, the pain from those experiences will come out in one’s art will brings about the idea of art as emotional release rather than a pursuit of beauty. This response will then impact the art of future generations, as art is then redefined.

In Remembrance

 

No one will remember us. The more time that passes after our death, the less we will be remembered until eventually our names will be forgotten, and all proof of our existence will cease to be. We can make an impact right now by positively influencing those around us but for nearly all men, the only legacy we will leave behind will be our offspring. No one will remember how rich we were, how beautiful we were or how successful we were in business or politics. What will be remembered, at least for a generation or two, is our acts of kindness and love toward others.

At the same time, even though we will pass from the memories of mankind, we will continue to live forever in the state that we formed our souls into during our lifetime. What then is the logical response? When your house is burning down around you, what will you rescue as you escape the flames?

The Big Picture in the Moment

 

We live in a paradox. We need to live in the moment and focus on being holy, right now, dealing with the struggles and sins that plague us right now. But at the same time, we need to look at the big picture and not be distracted by the pleasure and comfort of the moment. We should work hard to be holy so as to be prepared for eternity.

Like an athlete who pushes himself with aching muscles and exhaustion, with the goal of finishing the upcoming marathon. If the athlete only looked to the moment, he would not regularly exercise each day. The goal of being in shape is always one step ahead of him. If he stops for a time, he will not maintain his physical state, but he will begin to decline and lose the progress he has made. 

If the Christian approached his spiritual life as the athlete approached his physical strength and endurance, holiness would be achieved.

Of a Person

 

People should be who they are. If they are sweet and understanding, that is good and fine. If they are introspective, quiet, angry, aggressive, thoughtful or pensive, this too is good and fine. But there should never be judgment against someone else who is different than they. Any emotional/psychological manifestation is part of what makes us human as long as it is directed and controlled in a healthy manner.

Regardless of one’s state of mind, one should understand who they are and why they are what they are. Everyone is made up of responses to a million variables in their lives and one never knows what sort of struggles and troubles someone else may have endured.

Faith Unavoidable

 

Practicing a faith is unavoidable. Whatever that faith may be is irrelevant, for everyone believes something or in someone, even if that someone is self. The question is, “Will you give it concerted effort and thought, or will you simply embrace what you were taught, what your culture practices, or will you be lazy and take the path of comfort and ease?

Everyone believes something about what happens after death and everyone has a source from which they define morality. But upon what are those beliefs based?

Labels

 

It is sad how many people hate Christianity because of abuses they suffered as children. The characteristics of hypocrisy and ignorance have become the default presumption when the label ‘Christian’ is used. The western, secular world equates Christianity with modern US evangelicalism, while the historic church remains, for the most part, an obscure, unknown category.

The label Christian should not be associated with pedophilia, wealth, or hypocrisy.

Normalization

 

If you went out to eat dinner and upon receiving your salad, you found a small slug on one of the leaves. You would complain and get a new salad.

If you went again, the next weekend and ordering again, found a fingernail in your soup, you would complain and either get a different side dish or possibly leave.

If someone actually convinced you to go a third time, on the following weekend and upon receiving your main dish, you find several curly black hairs, most likely you would never return again to that restaurant.

At what point do we stop interacting with the world/social media/news? With the previous metaphor in mind, at what point does the corruption, perversion and depravity of these things drive us away as “it’s no longer worth it”?

In the distant past, the practice of monasticism became the place the godly went to get away from the influence of the world. While becoming a monk is not better or necessary than being a regular person, running away from the influence of evil is necessary.

I fear we may be slowly losing our passion for holiness. We are allowing ourselves to become conditioned to the normalization of sin.

Oppression as Fruit

 

 It could be the case that some ecological disaster, plague, or war decimates the majority of the global population in the near future. This does not mean that the world is coming to an end but that the fruit of sin is being reaped. This sort of suffering is not punishment from God but the consequences of not living as truly human. Mankind was designed to love and to be loved and anything else will only lead to suffering. When you plant carrot seeds, carrots will grow. 

The world could fall under the oppression of Islam, of Chinese communism, or global technocratic socialism. But regardless of the suffering that follows the Church will never cease to be. The Church does not need comfort and ease, it does not need technology and it does not need the support of any government agency. The Church will continue to be until and throughout the kingship of Jesus Christ is manifested across all of creation.

Speaking with Authority

 

From the point that the gospels and the epistles began being circulated, the followers of Christ had the authority of the apostles upon which to base their beliefs. As the first generation of Christians died, false gospels and writings that claimed apostolic authority began to be circulated, so the church needed to make an official declaration of “this is what the church has always believed,” and did so by identifying which documents were in agreement with historic Christianity.

In essence, the church drew the boundaries for what would be considered authentic Christianity. The identification of the gospels and the epistles was not intended to be an exhaustive declaration of Christian doctrine, it was more of a statement about what was not in agreement with the apostolic faith.

Ultimately, they were saying, these documents (what we call the Bible) are in agreement with what the church has always believed and taught and “those” other documents are not. The forthcoming seven ecumenical councils were a continuation of that thought. They were further declarations of “what the church has always believed and taught.”

Language, History and Accuracy

 

    One big problem is that we do not know how much time passed from creation to the invention of Sumerian cuneiform writing. The creation of a written language is reflective of the worldview that created it. How far did men deviate from their view of God at the time of Adam to the religion of ancient Mesopotamia?

Did men not write prior to the Sumerians? Or has it simply been lost?

    History, prior to the time of the Sumerians, was like a giant telephone game. Historical and religious stories were passed down from generation to generation with the inevitable errors being introduced. With the arrival of Moses into the Egyptian empire and his writing of the first five books of the Old Testament came the key for interpreting and filtering known history. The stories that were told were eventually written down but Moses with access to the libraries of Egypt corrected historic-religious history.

First World Comforts

 

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

And also in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” These are phrases with which something must be done. How do we as wealthy, comfortable US citizens justify our pampered existences in light of these passages?

Typically, there are one of two approaches taken to these. Either no thought is given as to their applicability, or some sort of verbal gymnastics takes place to redefine the meaning of the words and how we are not guilty of them.

While there is a level of necessity for the layman to engage in employment and finances, it can be argued quite simply that the lifestyle chosen by most in the comfort of first world America is far beyond one of simple necessity. A few examples will suffice to stimulate consideration. Does a family of two or four need a 3000 square foot home? Does this same family need a $50,000 vehicle or two for that matter? Is it mere necessity that moves this family to annually vacation in expensive, tropical places? Are the expenses of internet, streaming services, and cell phones categorically necessity?

We are all guilty of this to some degree so it is a matter worth considering.

Freedom and Responsibility

 

Life is only a series of best guesses. We can look at the actions we take and hope that the outcome will be good. The things we choose to do may positively impact us in our lifetime, but they also may not. The impact of our choices may not see the intended fruit for multiple generations. But this we can never know.

All we can do is pursue holiness and learn to love our neighbor. We will frequently fail and negatively impact and influence others but overall, most things are not in our power. But those things that are, we need to acknowledge and act upon. We need to take the responsibility that is before us and do what is right.

The Rise and Fall of Nations

 

People want to see the socio-political events of their day as a sign of the end times. But, as history has become a boring subject and no one can see beyond their own lifetime, they do not seem to understand that the fall of an empire only means the fall of that empire.

Nations have been rising and fall for millennia. When the cities of Babylon fell, others stepped in, took over and rose to prominence. The same can be said for Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, and the UK. America is just another empire in that line.

The historic Christian church is not going anywhere. The world may try to destroy us, but it will not succeed. Jesus is the king of all creation, and he will never leave that throne. Times may become difficult and the suffering may be great, but the church will never ultimately fall.

Unsolicited Advice

 

If someone is suffering and asking for help, why are we afraid to tell them the truth, even if it will make them uncomfortable? Sometimes people make bad choices and start down a path that eventually becomes comfortable and even feels natural. But people are often blind to reality because of this. Sometimes the truth is uncomfortable and requires radical change. 

And at the same time, if someone is not asking for our input, we need to keep our comments to ourselves.

The Practical Side of the Christian Faith

 

Academics tend to fall into the trap of critiquing situations based on theory and presumed underlying presumptions. While I am not one to argue for “the ends justify the means”, there is a certain level of practicality to the fruit of one’s actions. With the recent Russian military action in Ukraine, a large number of voices have risen criticizing President Putin’s use of the Orthodox faith to promote his own agenda. But the question that comes to my mind is that of fruit. Does it really matter the reason for Putin’s “use” of Orthodoxy? If he is actively promoting the Orthodox faith and has continued to portray it as the faith of the Russian people, how is that a bad thing?

The same can be said of Constantine. Regardless of motives, Constantine did make Christianity the official religion of his empire. In doing so, he moved it out of the shadows and into a position of authority and recognition. Regardless of the errant ways that the faith is seen or used, the church will always be extant. Christianity will never die out or cease to be the faith once delivered. Whether Christianity is seen as an illegal aberration or is the official faith of an entire nation, what it teaches is true.

It does not matter what Putin’s motives are for promoting the Orthodox faith. The fact is, Orthodoxy is the historic Christian faith and will continue to grow regardless of what man says or does. The Orthodox church passed through terrible suffering during the time of Soviet Russia, but it was never destroyed. When communism fell, the church was still there and came back to its rightful place as the faith of the nation. 

It is a good thing that the Orthodox faith is the foundation and heart of the nation of Russia (and others). Whether Putin’s motives are good, or evil is irrelevant. The church will continue to flourish, and it is our responsibility to love God and love our neighbor.

Self-Control

 

There is a lot of talk about pleasure and the passions in the world of Christendom, usually when it comes to the subject of sex. Everyone is very quick to condemn sexual pleasure but what about culinary pleasure? Why do we see so many overweight Christians and no one seems to say anything about it?

The condemnation of sexual pleasure is a given. There seems to be no question about it. The topic is touched upon in sermons, but one never hears about eating too much. Yes, the church promotes fasting but fasting as a temporary act of self-control of certain food types. It usually happens that all self-control is foregone once the fast is over, thus the issue of being overweight.

It can be easy to see the sin of gluttony and a lack of self-control when it comes to food, but it is not necessarily easy to see a lack of self-control when it comes to sexual pleasure. It is especially odd as girls and women are encouraged to be attractive. Head coverings in church? Yes, this is very common in the Orthodox world but what good is a head covering when one is wearing a short skirt, low-cut top, tight clothing and coated in makeup?

As with everything, it is about balance and moderation. When it comes to appearance, one should strive to not draw attention to oneself. The middle ground will allow one to blend in and not draw attention. There is no need to wear a burlap sack or a burka. There is nothing wrong with these, but these can be problematic on the opposite end of the scale.

The Bible gives no direction on how to dress but it does talk about moderation in all things and about loving one’s neighbor. If one’s appearance is leading others to sin or is causing pride in oneself, then it is a problem.

Foundationally, this is all about self-control in all aspects of life. As someone once said, “there are some sins that are acceptable and others that are not.”  It should not be this way.

Loving Others

 

It is easy to become distracted by the narrow vision of our own experience. We see and have a sliver of understanding of our own discomfort and suffering yet our view of the whole of known history is nearly null. There are currently about eight billion people on the planet. There may have been more in the distant past. Prior to the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia, we know nearly nothing of man’s existence.

Contrasting our own narrow view with that of the multiple billions of people that have ever lived, we should respond with a change in our thoughts and behavior. One could feel completely insignificant and worthless but that would be a mistake. Every person that ever lived or ever will live is a genuine, valuable and distinct person. They are someone who wants and needs to be loved and we have the responsibility as fellow human beings to love everyone with whom we come into contact.

If our words and actions can make life better for someone, even if in some small way, we should. At the same time, we need to recognize that there are many different types of people out there. Some come across as unfriendly and unhappy. We don’t know anyone’s whole life story and should never assume the worst of someone simply because they seem disagreeable.

Loving someone else means giving them what they need if we can and helping them toward holiness. Because man was created in the likeness and image of God, he is naturally built for holiness. All should fight against the tendency to sin because sin is an unnatural response to life.

In short, people need to be loved. To love someone doesn’t mean doing for them what we like but doing what they need. If nothing else, we can at least pray for them and respond with kindness. We don’t have to be everyone’s friend but we can be no one’s enemy.

Becoming Christian

If you were intent on learning a foreign language, to whom would you turn for instruction? Common sense would dictate that you go to a native speaker who is well educated and mature. You would not, for instance, go to a young speaker who has only recently acquired the language as a second language. The native speaker will literally think in the language and will be directed by the grammar and culture in which the language originated.

Anyone, regardless of years of experience will always be a secondary learner that will, for the most part, still think in their own native language.

This model stands true for religion as well. When an American becomes Orthodox, he will inevitably carry with him an erroneous mindset and worldview that is foreign to the historic Christian faith. His former belief system will definitely impact and somewhat control how he thinks about his faith. If someone wants to understand the Orthodox faith, he needs to be directed by those who are Orthodox by birth and by culture, else he will be influenced by beliefs and worldviews that are foreign to the faith.

Orthodoxy is just becoming known in the United States, and it will be many generations before it becomes native in the West. Until that time, the new Orthodox believer needs to direct the formation of his thinking and practice from those of a deep and historic understanding of the faith.

This will be a difficult journey as there are many in the United States who have set themselves up as teachers. There is a level of value to these men and women but ultimately the formation of our thoughts and practice needs to be historic and untainted by American evangelicalism.

Time, Money and the Reality of Eternity

 

To answer the question, “what is the point?” for oneself, one only needs to look at how one’s time and money is spent. In life, there are necessities and there are luxuries. Depending on the lifestyle you choose, these categories will appear different. The unmarried, the married and the monastic will all have different necessities and luxuries. There seems to be an unquestioned presumption that if you are not a monastic, you can spend your time and money however you prefer as long as it is not immoral or illegal.

One easy answer is to argue that ultimately 99.999% of all people are irrelevant, for in the grand scheme of things, our thoughts and actions will have no lasting impact on reality as a whole. But this is the easy way out. Yes, it is true that most of us will have little impact in the big picture, but we can have an impact on ourselves and on others right now. If we know someone who is hungry and we indulge ourselves on some triviality, what do these actions communicate? If we know someone is struggling and lonely, yet we burn up our time in entertainment and distraction, we are we saying to that person?

We should never impose our interpretation of someone else’s life or choices upon them. Assessment needs to be self-assessment. Can you justify your use of time and money in the framework of “Love God and love your neighbor”? From the Christian perspective, our life on earth is a time to prepare for eternity and the state of our soul when we die will determine our eternal state. If you have spent the majority of your time and money on comfort and entertainment, your eternity will not be pleasant, for you will be in the presence of holiness and it will seem foreign to you.

If you have spent your time and efforts on being holy, on loving God, and on loving your neighbor, your soul will be that much closer to holiness and your eternal state will that much more glorious. Knowing your destination will allow you to better prepare for your own eternal state and, more importantly, others’ eternal state. If we can move someone else toward holiness, we then too are thinking and acting right.

Some thoughts on prayer

 

The practice of prayer has been with man from the beginning. Choosing Judaism as a starting point, man and God have always been interacting, sometimes through divine revelation, sometimes by angelic visitation and ultimately, in the incarnation. Since the resurrection and ascension, Jesus Christ gave the church the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance.

But what does all of this have to do with prayer? Since the Protestant reformation and its strong emphasis on private interpretation and individualism, a wide variety of ideas have been promoted and have introduced a great deal of confusion about the relationship between God and man. There is no debate on whether or not man should pray, but what does it mean to pray?

First, God is not a cosmic Santa Claus from whom we request and receive whatever we want. Second, God is not a stingy, cold judge punishing men for their sins and torturing them for eternity after their physical death. Third, God is a God of love and directs all of creation toward holiness and restoration.

The whole point of creation and the incarnation was for God and man to be in a lovingly reciprocal relationship. God has always been perfect and never in need of anything. Prior to creation, the Trinity existed in perfect love and relationship. God created men to expand on that manifestation of love by giving men freewill and the opportunity to freely love God in return.

When men pray, it is a response to the love of God, it is a normal response to someone who loves you and it is an opportunity to live a truly human life that is more than just the comforts of the here and now. Prayer is a way to reach out to God and communicate our thankfulness for the work of restoration that he has done in Jesus Christ. It is an opportunity to request help in our struggles against sin and it is a conversation with our creator.

Prayer is not an avenue for getting stuff. We are far too foolish to be even remotely close to knowing what is best for us.

The Pursuit of Comfort

 

Living in America is easy. Christians face no real persecution. Anyone is allowed to worship freely. We can buy anything we want and have it shipped to our door, usually within one or two days. Food is abundant in grocery stores and restaurants. Medicine and medical treatments are readily available.

In fact, it is easy to label oneself a Christian while living a comfortable life being nice. It is when one takes on a lifestyle of self-sacrifice and the pursuit of holiness that life becomes difficult. We are constantly bombarded by the worldview of modern evangelicalism where fitting into society is easy and as long as you are a nice person, there are no problems.

When Scripture tells us that Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light, this is not a description of modern-day America. It is telling us that what Jesus requires of us is not a grueling burden that will crush us under its requirements. The gospel is simple, we are to love God and love neighbor. As we strive after holiness, we will be fighting against sin.

When we are fighting against sin, we will find ourselves at odds with the majority. We will not fit in, we will not be supported by the world around us, and we will be seen as odd at best and possibly as an enemy of culture.

Personal Responsibility

 

If you live a life of inactivity and fast food and then die from a heart attack at 35, there is no one to blame but yourself. If you are given a Ferrari and then use it as a farm vehicle to pull a plow, are you going to complain to the manufacturer that it does work? If you buy a box of lightbulbs and try to use them to pound in nails, will you sue the manufacturer for selling an inferior product?

These are all metaphors for our life. God created us to love him, to love one another and to wisely tend to the world around us. If we instead opt for a life contrary to these, who is to blame when life goes wrong? Sin is nothing more than life choices that are contrary to our well-being. We need to stop thinking of sin as a list of naughty things, instead sin needs to be seen as those things that are physically, psychologically and spiritually bad for us.

Tending the Land

 

Again, a false dichotomy has made itself apparent. We are not limited to the two choices of “capitalistic, suck everything you can out of nature and the environment” versus “live at harmony with the world around you and leave no footprint that mankind has even been here”.

We have been commanded to function in the middle ground between these two extremes. When God created man and placed him in the Garden, he gave us the command to take dominion over the earth. We immediately faltered and became enslaved to sin, which led to many wrong choices and negatives impacts on our world. But since the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, we have been brought back to a place where we can begin to fulfill that command. This means that we are in charge of this world but at the same time, we need to take care of it and not irreparably destroy it.

Just because we can do something does not mean that we should do something. We shouldn’t create products that will ruin the land, water, or air. We need to be intelligent and wise enough to learn to say no to some things.