The old legalism said we must always “act good” …
While the new legalism says everyone else must now make us “feel good.”
Seriously, these things run in cycles …
As adherents of each diss anyone and anything that doesn’t feed their own insecurities.
Unfortunately, those who buy into each extreme – while still in it – seldom see how artificial and shallow it tends to be.
Which is why Jesus and His Word are about plumblines …
Not pendulums.
Christ’s finished work on the Cross …
Doesn’t mean that His work on the Cross is finished in us.
Wisdom requires perspective and balance …
Which is why we must not fall prey to swings of the pendulum.
Without truth, there is no grace …
Because without truth, grace is meaningless.
If your faith never offends, it’s not faith …
But some pseudo-spiritualized comfort zone.
The cross is where we are reconciled to God.
Unfortunately, too many think it’s where God is reconciled to us.
God’s redeeming grace is the means:
He offers His undeserved mercy, truth and forgiveness.
Repentance is the only acceptable response:
I receive, submit and change.
Anything less …
Is a lie.
Lord, raise up true elders – “grown ups” among us …
Who guard your flock by teaching sound doctrine and confronting those who define:
Doubt as faith;
Obedience as optional;
Grace as merit;
Tolerance as love;
Truth as relative;
Perception as reality;
Morality as feelings;
Scripture as subjective;
Diverse gifts as distractions;
Unity as conformity;
Worship as an event; or
Church as a platform.
May we, Lord, understand the times and proclaim with Paul:
“Henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive …” Eph. 4:14
Nearly all heresy starts as truth out of balance.
When someone insists on one unifying “truth” that explains everything …
Watch out!
Even our personal perceptions of Christ Himself fall short …
No matter how otherwise accurate.
In an age of radical autonomy – with individuals fractured from themselves, others and God …
It’s time for Christ’s disciples to bear open witness – through our lives and words – to God’s transcendent truth and immanent grace.
What’s trendy is seldom eternal …
And what’s eternal is seldom trendy.
When “church” and “worship” are about stirring up carnal feelings, God’s not there.
And that thing you feel?
It’s not God, because it’s more about you …
Than Him.
It may be intense, but trust me …
It ain’t Him.
Judge not?
Never have two words been taken so out of context to distort what Jesus actually said …
Which explains the mess we’re facing in our culture, churches and politics.
May God’s people and those of goodwill begin to judge righteously once again.
Apart from God who created us in His likeness and image …
Reason, creativity and virtue lose all meaning.
Which makes the Christian retreat from reason, creativity and virtue …
Rebellion against God Himself.
Those who dismiss the meanings of words as originally intended, or deny that words can even convey tangible meanings …
Will never understand God, His creation or themselves – as to which He chose specific words to convey His specific meanings through Scripture.
Ironically, those who deny authoritative meaning in His written Word …
Do so with words – thus trying to elevate their own meaningless meanings over God’s chosen means.
God created us to be integrated individuals:
Embodied, rational, spiritual and relational …
With logic, emotions, intuition, feelings, creativity and so much more.
All cults and major heresies, however, deny, isolate or over emphasize one or more of those qualities.
When they do this, they distort God’s desire to redeem our full humanity …
Complete and whole.
When we define faith by our own interests or sensibilities, it’s no longer faith …
But narcissism.
Sharing Christ by handing out meals across some impersonal divide to “others” whom we deem “less fortunate” …
May have its place.
But not as a substitute …
For experiencing Christ together, one with another.
Instead, why not consider intentionally sharing life and meals together as “brothers” where you both actually live …
Including your own living room and even their tents in the woods, as you both learn to be the kind of disciples who honor and esteem each other in Christ above yourselves?
Maybe this is why the Kingdom of God advances more through actual community and open hospitality …
Than mere charity.
After all, isn’t this the heart of the Great Commission in action …
And perhaps even the start of ekklesia as the New Testament actually commands it?
Declare or act?
Hear or do?
Profess or know?
Claim or be?
Preach or go?
Sometimes …
Words alone are not enough.
Christians in democratic societies have a choice.
We can either insist that elected officials adopt Godly precepts to earn our favor …
Or we can alter our values to earn their favor.
In the long run, the former usually turns out much better.
Occasionally I come across those who claim – either explicitly or implicitly – that personal “revelation” can equal to even exceed the authority of Scripture.
But does this hold up?
2 Tim 3:16-17 says that all Scripture comes from God Himself and is the standard for correction and reproof – even as against other revelation we think we have received – regarding doctrine, faith and life itself.
Jesus told a story which reinforces this point. In it, a poor servant named Lazarus died and went to Abraham’s bosom, while a rich man died and went to Hell.
The rich man pleads that Lazarus be sent to give a miraculous, personal revelation to his still living brothers to warn them of Hell so they will stop being wicked.
Abraham’s response is very telling: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets [i.e., the Old Testament], neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” Luke 16:31.
Is it any different today?
Why do some insist on personal revelation where God has already clearly spoken in His written Word of Scripture?
Isn’t it arrogant to expect more from God, while discounting His plenary authority of Scripture?
In fact, aren’t they just like the rich man in Jesus’ parable?
God can do what He wants and speak how He wants …
But in this parable Jesus warns us not to normally expect “revelations” from Him where we have not been willing to submit to His existing, authoritative revelation of Scripture.
It sure seems to me that Jesus, in this story, also establishes the clear hierarchy of His written Word over all other revelation …
While certainly not discounting the fact that God can and does speak many ways.
But in all cases, God stands resolute against any “revelation” contrary to His external Word of Scripture.
It’s time to reject the partial use of Scripture to construct one over-arching “Story” or “Narrative” …
To transcend or supersede all the rest of Scripture as God’s authoritative written Word.
In fact, there are many themes – and a rich tapestry of truths and narratives – immanent in Scripture.
Don’t be so easily deceived by these latest waves of ear-tickling “existential” doctrines:
Whether from relatively obscure, minor authors like Frank Viola peddling his ever-shifting “eternal purpose,” “theography,” “deeper life,” or more recent “insurgency” wares;
His buddy Jon Zens’ underlying reconstructed “gospel;” or
Or their fellow existentialist Keith Giles with his post-modern, pick-and-choose “red letter” Jesus.
More popular authors like Rob Bell and the late Rachel Evans also tried the same with their self-referential, existential notions of “love” …
As have major “theologians” like Karl Barth with his distorted, wholly subjective idea of “logos.”
Like all who tried before them, their trans-Biblical “narratives” inevitably end up crashing upon all of Scripture as God’s lasting, comprehensive and authoritative written Word …
While they and the faddish limelight they seek today is gone tomorrow.
Unfortunately, though, the wreckage they bring in other lives and churches survive long after.
God is not amused with their big lies wrapped in half truths.
Plumbline Faith 