Governments that can afford to subsidize the bad consequences of our irresponsible choices …
Can’t afford to let us enjoy the good consequences of our responsible choices.
Under the New Covenant, worship is not about “entering into God’s presence” …
With weekly church “services” – whether traditional or contemporary – designed to lead us there through manipulated feelings of intensity.
In fact, there are no such concepts regarding church or worship anywhere in the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada …
Just ain’t there.
Rather, the New Testament defines true worship as living holy lives of sacrificial obedience and obeisance to God, 24/7.
Moreover, under the New Covenant we are to be His temple, with His presence now in us …
Each and every one.
This is why the New Testament simply says that when we gather together, we should sing God’s praises to encourage one another.
That’s it – nothing more and nothing less – and the New Testament gives no other reason to sing when we gather as His church.
It also says nothing about gathering to “enter into,” “invoke,” “seek” or be “ushered into” God’s presence.
Until we fully grapple with this distinction, we will never understand why being the church as the New Testament actually shows it …
Looks so much different than church as we’ve otherwise come to know it.
Sola fide?
Yes, of course …
We are saved and live by faith alone.
The problem, however, is we no longer seem to affirm full faith …
As actually taught and understood in Scripture.
Continue readingIn the Kingdom of God, there are no spectators …
Except, of course, on Sunday mornings.
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.
If, after the Cross, you’re still trying to invoke, approach or enter into God’s presence like in the Old Testament …
It ain’t true worship.
Under the New Covenant, we instead are to daily live worthy of – and in obedience to – God’s presence now in us …
Which is true worship.
Ignore this distinction, and you will never understand authentic church or real discipleship in the New Testament.
You can either have self rule based on Godly truth and virtue …
Or be ruled by oppressive “progressives.”
But you can’t have both.
Choose wisely.
Christ’s finished work on the Cross …
Doesn’t mean that His work on the Cross is finished in us.
Staged “church” …
Is very scripted, professional and alluring.
But …
Is it New Testament?
Every church has some who are thinkers …
Some who are feelers …
Some who are doers …
And some who are relaters.
Only as they learn to esteem each other’s gifts above their own, can their own individual gifts fully blossom between them …
For the mutual edification of all.
“Unity” based on anything less, however, leads to strife …
Which helps explain why so many churches are unhealthy instead.
“Christian Nationalists” and “Progressive Christians” are just different sides of the same coin.
That’s because they’re both utopian ideologies – even though at odds with each other – which claim perfectibility in the here and now.
Inevitably, this leads to tyranny as they are reduced to seeking unlimited government power to impose their unrealistic goals on everyone else …
Under the rationale that it’s for our own greater “good.”
Ultimately, they can’t allow opposing views to get in the way of creating their perfect societies where everyone thinks, believes and acts like them …
Through coercion if necessary.
In contrast, civil liberty this side of Heaven is only possible if we acknowledge our frailties and imperfectibility …
And give government only enough power to protect us from evildoers – rather than the unlimited power needed to turn us into somebody else’s notion of “do gooders.”
Only then can we be free to pursue true virtue as God directs and intends …
Rather than live under the false virtue of utopian tyranny.
Don’t fall prey to either form of unbiblical extremism …
Because God’s into plumblines, not swings of the pendulum.
Wisdom requires perspective and balance …
Which is why we must not fall prey to swings of the pendulum.
To preserve civil liberty in a diverse culture, Christians need a clear concept of what that means.
The First Principle of Liberty is the right to live virtuous lives, and enjoy the benefits, without undue government interference.
The Second Principle of Liberty is the right to live otherwise, and suffer the consequences, again without undue government interference …
So long as it does not violate the right of others to pursue the First Principle.
Even God, with His covenantal blessings and curses in the Old Testament, affirmed these principles.
As the New Testament also affirms, the basic role of Government is to forcibly protect the virtuous against evildoers (Rom. 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-15) …
Rather than forcibly compel us to be virtuous.
Both repressive “Progressive Christians” and repressive “Christian Nationalists” would do well to heed these distinctions …
For the good of all.
Repressive “progressives” cry “acceptance”, “tolerance” and “understanding” for all …
Except those with whom they disagree.
It’s not just that they are hypocrites …
But when they gain power, they use it to oppose virtue and oppress liberty.
Freedom demands that we not ignore either their hypocrisy …
Or their agenda of tyranny.
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.
Take away “the Senior Pastor,” his stage, his pews, his “worship” team and his building …
And what’s left?
Perhaps, God willing …
The beginning of “church” as actually taught and shown in the New Testament.
The cross is where we are reconciled to God.
Unfortunately, too many think it’s where God is reconciled to us.
I’ve seen – up close and personal – the devastating reality of the nanny state …
As I’ve gone to minister God’s grace, redemption and discipleship in the woods, in the ‘hood, in the jails, and in other communities of despair where others fear to tread.
It taught me an important lesson.
Being an adult means being responsible for the consequences of our own decisions …
For good or for bad.
Long term, government policies and programs which ignore this principle are doomed to fail …
At great cost to everyone.
Those costs include the rise of burgeoning bureaucracies and the loss of Godly dignity for those being “helped.”
They also include bureaucratic “solutions” that usurp healthy families and local communities …
Thus destroying the relational context needed to actually help the truly needy among us.
Maybe that’s why God doesn’t countenance the idea of a nanny state – by example or precept – anywhere in Scripture.
Nope, not, nada …
Just ain’t there.
Folks have grown weary of books, blogs and sermons telling us “how to” …
By those who don’t do.
We need a lot more saying by doing …
And a lot less just saying, saying, saying.
This is especially true with how we are to be the church …
And then practice our faith outside the church in a troubled world.
The New Testament doesn’t say “church” is where we encounter or are ushered into God’s presence through “worship” or any other means.
There’s not a single verse in the entire New Testament to that effect.
Nope, not, nadda …
Just ain’t there.
Rather, the New Testament says that Christians already have God’s presence in us and when we gather together we’re to minister one to another …
Which includes congregationally singing God’s praises to encourage each other.
Big difference.
Let’s start being the church as God instructs in His Word …
Rather than feeding our own carnality and calling it “church.”
I understand why “church” is often reduced to sitting in impersonal rows to watch a staged, scripted “service” each week by the “senior pastor” and his “worship” team.
Although it has nothing to do with church as the New Testament commands it …
It does eliminate the hard work of actually being the church.
In contrast, the New Testament says we’re to be a functional community which, among other things, gathers together to unassumingly minister one to another …
By strengthening and encouraging each other through the diverse gifts and abilities God distributes among 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.
Mono-church?
When a church or movement organizes around the vision, natural abilities, or spiritual gifts of a particular leader …
It will grow rapidly at first but then stagnate as it eventually bumps up against his limits.
This is not how it should be.
“Church” must never become a platform for one particular person, ministry or mission.
True church in Scripture is the wonderful, dynamic, fluid, multi-gifted and fully participatory Body of Christ …
Where we all minister one to another and to a waiting world, each according to the unique grace and differing gifts God distributes among us.
There is no mono-church in the New Testament!
Plumbline Faith 