The Defining of Terms

 

It seems odd that additional labels need to be added to the term “Christian” when someone identifies themselves as such. “I’m a Baptist, I’m a Calvinist, I’m a Seventh Day Adventist etc., etc. This really is a simple matter. Either one is a Christian or one is not. Jesus taught the disciples and the disciples, in turn, taught those things to the first century Church. That teaching has been handed down to each subsequent generation even to this day.

One either believes the apostolic faith or he does not. The need for additional labels comes from the confusion that has been introduced over the centuries as groups of men tried to redefine the apostolic faith while trying to retain the label Christian for themselves.

The church addressed men such as this in the seven ecumenical councils. In these they minced no words. The church fathers pointedly defined the Christian faith on various points in the first 800 years of church history. They said, “if you do not believe these things, then you are not part of the body of Christ.” Everyone is so concerned about inclusivity and being nice, that they are afraid to use the term anathema or heresy in identifying those who seek to change the apostolic faith.

One either believes and practices what Jesus taught the apostles or one does not.

Money, Romance, and Life

 

Having money may make your life comfortable but it will not bring joy. Having romance may make you life warm and fuzzy, but it will not bring you joy. You can surround yourself with people who make life easy by telling you what you want to hear, but it will not bring you joy.

You can abuse and take advantage of people to “get ahead” and this may work for a time, but it will not bring you joy and there will be negative consequences. The pursuit of holiness will put you at odds within your culture and life will be difficult, but it will be full of joy.

It is easy to follow the culture in which you live, especially when that culture is nice and comfortable but taking that path will not lead you to holiness but only self-deception. When everyone around you tells you that everything is fine, they are not telling you the truth and they are not helping you. The path to holiness is contrary to the culture that surrounds you.

The Closed Heart

 

It is not your responsibility to make sure people think, speak, and act right. Unwanted advice is never beneficial. If someone is not open to change or is not interested in hearing you, there is no value in speaking your mind to them, in correcting them, or in proving them wrong.

People will choose to do wrong, and they will perform the mental or emotional gymnastics to justify it to themselves, even to the point of projecting their wrongs onto others. People will point out those who are “worse than them” in order to minimize their own sins in their own eyes.

Productivity and Distraction

 

We look at an animal, a dog, a cat, a horse, or a cow and we wonder how they can be so content and not bored as they go about their lives in and around our homes. What is it that drives man differently, so as not to be content and to have the need for activity?

On one hand, man is not just another animal, he was formed by God in his image and likeness, whereas animals were merely spoken into existence. Man was created to be productive and to improve and take care of his world. So, in this regard, man should not be content with simply doing nothing, he should be productive.

But on the other hand, so much of our time is spent on silly and worthless distractions that benefit no one and improve nothing. We should not be content, but we should not be merely distracted either. We are called to use our time wisely to pursue holiness, and to care for our neighbor and the world around us.

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.