All I'm hearing is some New Age, God-is-Love, one-size-fits-all crap!

A scene from ER. As told in Michael Horton's "Christless Christianity"

Lying in his hospital bed while he is dying from cancer, a retired police officer confesses to a Chaplin his long-held guilt over allowing an innocent man to be framed and executed. He asks, "How can I even hope for forgiveness?" and the Chaplin replies, "I think sometimes it's easier to feel guilty than forgiven.

"Which means what?"

"That maybe your guilt over his death has become your reason for living. Maybe you need a new reason to go on."

"I don't want to go on. Can't you see I'm dying? The only thing that is holding me back is that I'm afraid - I'm afraid of what comes next."

"What do you think that is?"

Growing impatient, the man answers, "You tell me. Is atonement possible? What does God want from me?"

"I think it's up to each one of us to interpret for ourselves what God wants from us."

"So people can do anything? They can rape, they can murder, they can steal - all in the name of God and its OK?"

"No, that's not what I am saying."

"Then what are you saying? Because all I'm hearing is some New Age, God-is-love, have-it-your crap!....No, I don't have time for this now."

"You don't understand."

"No, you don't understand!....I want a real Chaplin who believes in a real God and a real hell!"

"I hear that you are frustrated, but you need to ask yourself-"

"No! I don't need to ask myself anything. I need answers and all of your questions and all your uncertainty are only making things worse."

"I know you're upset."

"God, I need someone who will look me in the eye and tell me how to find forgiveness because I am running out of time!"








I saw that last January and it completely floored me. I am not one to watch TV...ever. I actually had the TV on for a friend that was over as he was doing his laundry. He was flipping through the channels trying to find a picture using foil and a broken rabbit ear antenna. We finally had success as this man was screaming at the Chaplin. I looked up from my reading to see a beautifully tragic display of the gospel being aired on national television. The Chaplin then runs out of the room and goes outside for fresh air. A doctor follows her out and they converse about her fears and questions. That too is another great dialogue.

I had forgotten all about this until I read a recount of it in a book I just picked up, "Christless Christianity". Micheal Horton uses this discourse as an example of how we no longer have an answer to the question of guilt that plagues us all. We have watered down the gospel to the place where "sin" and "forgiveness" are no longer in our vocabulary or our doctrine. We have taken the power out of the gospel and replaced it with feel good garbage.

As the above dialogue clearly shows, our new gospel is no gospel at all. It holds no answers. It gives no hope. Lord, forgive us. May we preach you, Jesus! And you crucified! Let us not be ashamed of you, our Lord. You are the only hope of salvation, the only hope for the guilt that is inside all of us. Let us feel that guilt, deeply in our soul. For it may be the catalyst we need to finally drop to our knees and cry out to you. Lord, save the empty Christianity that has pervaded the church here in America. If we have come you learn of you, or rather be known by you through power in spirit, how is it that now we have become so arrogant to think that we can follow you through our own power. What have we to add or bring before you that could possibly grant us favor with you? Lord, I am sorry for offering others a gospel that is lacking in power, one that is empty to save souls and conquer death, one that has you dying in vain. Forgive me. Forgive us.

case study vs. blueprint

I committed to doing a review of "The Church on the Other Side". I am sorry to say that I loaned out the book(as I was busy with exams and didn't have time to read) and now the book is lost. I will have to find another copy and finish that task at some future time. So, I was praying about where God is taking me this year. I believe that I made mention in another blog that I am trying to find where I stand theologically. In that journey, I am doing lots of reading, primarily from the Bible. I want to use this blog to explore my thoughts theologically. I want to get a firm foundation...Christ before I start getting carried away into different streams of thought. I need to go back to the basics.

I was talking tonight about this need to go back to the basics and discovered that I had picked my side on particular issues before I even realized what the issue was. I want to publicly repent for my lack of discernment. I am not saying that I have gotten swept up in false teaching. I am saying I don't know if I have, because I don't have a firm foundation in which to build from. I am sorry for placing secondary teaching first in my life. The gospel needs to be first in my life.

I will say that the one idea from "Church on the Other Side" that is sticking with me is the idea of the NT being a case study. Why is has stuck with me is because of my church history class. We have talked about the NT being a blueprint. Many have seen, and still do see, the NT as the cookie cutter example of what the True Church should look like. My limited understanding of McLaren from only one chapter, and that being at least a month ago, is that he didn't see the NT in that light. He saw it as a story of how one group of Christians, albeit the first generation, tried to live out the commission in their surrounding culture. If I can put words in his mouth from some of the ideas that I have been reading recently, this case study reading of the NT isn't so concerned with form and structure as much as learning from their example. How did the first Christians engage their community for Christ? How did they live out the faith in light of their struggles and hardship?

Ultimately it comes down to looking at the Bible as either a blueprint, in which we are to use it to restore the primitive church, or as a case study of one group living out their faith as best as they could. We either take verbatim the NT church as the model in which we follow.....worship structure, practices, discipline, polity, etc....or we merely glean from their lives what we can viewing their lives not as a strict law in which to follow, but as points of reference in which we can learn from.

I don't know where I personally stand on this issue. I find value in both points of view. If I were to lean one way, I think it would be that of the NT being a case study.

Is unity possible?

So, I am going to a Christian college that is part of the American Restoration movement. I am taking a class on the history of that movement. We are early into the semester and still covering some background material. The reading I did tonight dealt with the influences of Locke and others from the Enlightenment thought. Alexander Campbell one of the founders of the Restoration movement focused greatly on unifying the Church. His method was to reduce religion down to its rational essentials that any Christian could agree on. I greatly agree with his heart, however I am questioning his methods.

Can Christians agree on doctrine, creed, practices, etc.? If we answer that according to history, no. As soon as the Bible was made available for the common person to interpret, there has been as many interpretations as people interpreting. I wish we could agree. However I am skeptical of whether we will this side of Christ's return.

I am under the conviction that there is only one Theology, that being God's. In our limited understanding, we will not be able to clearly understand. With us having the mind of Christ (1 Cor), I do think that it is possible to have a clear understanding. I believe that is what occurred when the apostles and other authors of Scripture wrote. They, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was given a clear understanding and communicated that to others. I believe that their theology agreed as it was from the Holy Spirit.

I very much value unity. I pray for it as Christ did. Others also value unity. So, why can't we agree? Why are there thousands of denominations, some of which believe that they are the only true church? Is Christ divided? Did Luther die for us? Were we baptized into Calvin? Do we partake of Campbell's body and blood when we have communion? My heart aches as I look out across the Church. Where is the one body that Christ died for?

Like I said, I was burdened tonight while reading about a restoration movement that swept America a few hundred years ago. The method they used to unify the church was to reduce the doctrine to as few facts as was necessary. This made sense to them, coming out of the scientific methodology. However, I am wondering if it makes sense today. I am wondering if there is another way in which we could try to unite the church.

I have been birthed (spiritual birth) into what I have come to discover has been called an Ecumenical Movement. I admit that I am a bit ignorant of what has taken place in the recent decades as far as church unity, but I am excited. My understanding of this Ecumenical Movement is that though we have many denominations, we all at least theologically, can somewhat agree that we are one body. The implications of this have really yet to be completely grasped. But there has been great fruit, some that I have been a part of. This fruit that I have seen has been a push to get the various denominations to work together in spite of their differing views.

I am wondering if the church can find unity in what we do rather than what we believe. I dream of a Church that works as one body in a local city, sharing resources, praying for one another, investing in each others ministries for the greater growth of the Kingdom of God. I have the unique privilege of worshiping at a church building that houses 4 separate churches, all different denominations. It is a fairly new adventure for all of us, and even more so for me as I just started attending this church, so I haven't witnessed much of the fruit, though I am interested in seeing the benefits of this adventure in sharing a building. I don't know what this dream looks like practically. And I sure that it will be unique for each area and grouping of Christians.

In light of the holiday earlier this week, I am not wanting to over do the whole "I am a dream" motif, but I do have a dream, a dream of the Church being one if not in doctrine, then one in practice. Lord, give us Your vision for Your bride.

Romans 1:5 - 6

Through Jesus we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith. To put it another way it is by grace that we are saved. We have been given everything we need for life and godliness. It is grace that keeps us from falling. If we walk in the spirit we will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

All of that is truth from the word of God. Truth that I have forgotten. Lord show me your grace. May your grace be real in my life. May I swim in the depths of your grace floating in the love that surrounds me. Keep me Lord. You who are the first and the last. The Holy one. The ancient one. Hold me. Rock me to sleep. Gentle brush of your hand.

Where did I lose you? When did I forget you? When did I walk away and leave you holding the bill? Like it was your responsibility. But you paid it anyway. Thank you.

We not only received grace, but also apostleship. We have been given a purpose, a mission. An apostle is one who is sent by God on a mission. That is what we are, what I am. I have been sent by God to proclaim his truth into this land. And he has given me the power that I need. He is with me step by step. We have been given the unique privilege of declaring the goodness of God to the world.

Romans 1:1 - 3

What does it mean to be set apart for the gospel of God? My own thoughts is that God has called us to live differently from the rest of the world. We are to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:14 - 16). What does this holiness look like? Though there are many things that God clearly lays out for us in scripture, there are also many things that are individual. Whether or not to drink is one example. And for those that may think I say that to justify my own what for a drink, know that I have never even had a sip. For me I feel that it is a sin. Others don't have that conviction and for them it is not. I don't wish to digress into that issue, but was just using it as an example. A clear example of this separation would be in 2 Corinthians 6: 14 - 18. We are called to be set apart for the sake of the gospel, just as Paul was.

Which brings me to a question, who was Paul? I may have jumped over the introductory stuff and into some meat. If I did I am apologize. I am mostly writing this for my own growth so I can't and won't cover everything. There are plenty of amazing resources for that sort of thing. But I digress. Paul in this introductory verse is declaring himself as the author of everything that follows. He is stating his credentials here; the why should we listen to you stuff. He lists three things. One, he is a bond-servant. I could rattle off somethings that I think I know about what that means, but I would rather not. I want this to be God's thoughts and not my own. Note to self, learn what it means by Paul referring to himself as a bond-servant. Secondly, Paul states that he has been called as an apostle. Again, I don't know what this means apart from a loose recollection of a few professors or pastors mentioning it in passing. I too need to gain a clearer understanding of what Paul is saying here. And lastly, Paul is saying that he is set apart for the gospel. That is what I was talking about above. How are we to live our lives as one that is set apart?

Though I still have some questions, I think it is fair to move on to verse two. It says that God, speaking through the prophets in the scriptures, promised this gospel that has now been revealed. This verse reminds me of Hebrews 1:1 - 3. This tells me two things. One God is a God that speaks to his people. He spoke of the gospel through his prophets of old, and He spoke through Jesus and He is speaking today. He is a God that communicates to his people. Secondly, he is a God that stays true to His word. He proclaimed the gospel through the prophets of old and He delivered on that promise.

So, we know that God stayed true to His word, but what was it that he promised. What is the gospel? In one word, Jesus. Verses three and four read, "concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord." In other words, the prophets were declaring the Son which was to come, who rose from the dead conquering death. This is the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Questions to consider:

1. What does it mean to be a bond-servant?
2. What does it mean when Paul says he is an apostle?
3. What is the gospel?
4. Does God speak today? and if so what is he telling me?
5. How does the resurrection declare Jesus as the Son of God?
6. What power is there in the resurrection?
7. Is there anything else we can learn from this passage?
8. What does all this have to do with my life right now?
   

So it's a new year...now what

A new year is upon us. That means a lot of things to a lot of people, but for me I don't know if I really care. 2008 was interesting, full of various life changes, including a roller coaster of emotional turmoil. I guess you could say that I am glad it's over (the year that is), but I am not. That isn't to say I am wishing it were still 2008, just that I am indifferent. Maybe it is because the issues of 2008 have still to run their course. Anyway, I have no feelings toward it being a new year. I have been asked by a few people if I had made any resolutions. Nope. I don't see the point. By February most people have forgotten them anyway.

I am wanting to read the Bible. Not because it is the new year, but because I call myself a follower of God, the God that is laid out in the Bible. Therefore I feel the need to read it. Also because I am a Bible college student that is preparing for ministry and feel very ill equipped in my Bible reading skills. Thirdly, I am also confused on a lot of theological issues and feel the need to smooth those out before stepping into ministry. And lastly, I am wanting to say that I have read the Bible all the way through. Yes I am a man that deals with pride.

I am starting with Romans as Romans is one book that deals with heavy theological stuff which I like. I don't know how long I am going to stay in Romans. I don't have any Bible reading plan or devotional I am following, only being lead by the Spirit who will teach us and lead us into all truth. I am spend all year in Romans, I may spend a week here, though I wish I will to spend more. But like Paul himself in his attempts at visiting Rome, I may be lead else where.

So without further ado..........I give you my Romans study