Think - Think - and Rethink
I had (actually am having) cereal for breakfast. In case anybody cares.
You know the thing I love about the church of Christ (other than it is the body of Christ - His, etc. Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23), is that we are free. Free to study the Bible for ourselves. There is no denominational headquarters with manuals and books to tell us "if you are going to be a ________, here is what you are to believe"....... or so it would seem. (I'm speaking primarily to those affiliated with the church of Christ, but you are all free to read on).
I love the restoration principle and slogan, "In matters of faith - unity; In matters of opinion - liberty; In all things - charity." That's a liberating slogan don't you think? But, the problem is: Who decides what is faith and what is opinion? If I believe something different than what I am "supposed" to believe - nevermind that I actually read, studied, thought, and prayed about it - I had better be quiet about it or risk.....well....lots of things. Don't get me wrong. I believe the "basics" of salvation (though who decides what those basics include?). But, the more I read and study for myself, the more I see what many in the church of Christ are seeing, and many in denominations are seeing and have been for years. Tradition is not the law. Christ is the freedom from law - at least the laws that man decide, and the law of perfection including the O.T. law. We see churches beginning to "rethink" (the catch phrase) issues such as instrumental music, baptism, open fellowship, and "innovations" in worship (hand clapping, power point, praise songs, and so forth). On the other side (should there be an "other side"?), some are rethinking issues they have held such as how to support orphans homes, and how to serve communion. The Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, and Episcopals are all "rethinking" things as well (at least some of them - I often hear Baptists debating whether or not it is right to have a "band" or must they only have a piano and organ; Some Episcopals have "re-thought" acceptance of homosexuality). Not all are arriving at the correct conclusions. Certainly not all are arriving at what I UNDERSTAND are the correct conclusions. But, at least we are rethinking.
I've been "rethinking" for a long time. I have been studying. Ironically, when I preach those things I have studied FROM THE BIBLE and have re-thought, ....let's just say it doesn't always go over so well. It is usually called "philosophy" by some in my congregation. Lately, I have heard comments such as "You have been studying more, You are preaching Biblical sermons instead of that philosophy stuff." I tell them (sometimes), "No, I have just been preaching what you already believe and not encouraging you to think." Not that I have caved. There are just a few things I have found the Bible did not teach, at least in my opinion. A couple of things were important enough to preach about, but mostly to encourage us all to think, study, and listen to God. Those sermons that are called "philosophy" have actually been more scripturally based than many other issues. It isn't philosophy because it isn't scriptural, but because it is different that what we already thought. We don't like to re-think. It's easier just accept something 'because'. I have tried to be more cautious of what I preach, but I also do not want to preach and live something I do not believe. I keep studying...keep growing.
The things I have re-thought have not turned me against the church of Christ. Quite the contrary. I believe all the "basics" (depending on who defines them). I'll be honest: I don't believe a person is dying and going to hell because they bang on a piano, though neither am I ready to roll one in Sunday for various other reasons. I am even more supportive of the freedom we have to study the Bible and 'think - think- and rethink' for ourselves. I am seeing some congregations who have adopted an "anything goes" approach. I'm not sure they really THOUGHT about that one first. But, I am also seeing more and more congregations who are allowing members the freedom to think. They are allowing them to do things in worship they see as right and good, even though not everyone agrees. Not everyone agrees with doing them or not doing them. Do we always have to agree with each other on everything? Impossible! I am seeing bold and spiritually minded leaders who are making decisions in prayer, study, and different from what we've always done. They are putting off the politics in church and putting on the Spirit of Christ. They are not even doing necessarily what they want, but what they see is best for the Lord and His church. They are listening first to God and secondly to others. They are refusing to hear complaints and rejections that do not have a clear scriptural teaching (not just a passage we can MAKE say what we want). Others, I'm afraid, are still like the Pharisees (and many denominations) - do this because we said so, because we've always done it, or...just because.
We call others to think and study. Put off the man-made doctrines and creeds of their churches. Stop following what man says you must believe, and follow only what God says you must believe. Realize that in matters of faith, we must have unity (though we are all still learning and growing). In matters of opinion, what's wrong with liberty? Christ is liberty. In all things charity. God is love (I John 4:8). We call them to think-think-and rethink.....shouldn't we do the same!
-james
You know the thing I love about the church of Christ (other than it is the body of Christ - His, etc. Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23), is that we are free. Free to study the Bible for ourselves. There is no denominational headquarters with manuals and books to tell us "if you are going to be a ________, here is what you are to believe"....... or so it would seem. (I'm speaking primarily to those affiliated with the church of Christ, but you are all free to read on).
I love the restoration principle and slogan, "In matters of faith - unity; In matters of opinion - liberty; In all things - charity." That's a liberating slogan don't you think? But, the problem is: Who decides what is faith and what is opinion? If I believe something different than what I am "supposed" to believe - nevermind that I actually read, studied, thought, and prayed about it - I had better be quiet about it or risk.....well....lots of things. Don't get me wrong. I believe the "basics" of salvation (though who decides what those basics include?). But, the more I read and study for myself, the more I see what many in the church of Christ are seeing, and many in denominations are seeing and have been for years. Tradition is not the law. Christ is the freedom from law - at least the laws that man decide, and the law of perfection including the O.T. law. We see churches beginning to "rethink" (the catch phrase) issues such as instrumental music, baptism, open fellowship, and "innovations" in worship (hand clapping, power point, praise songs, and so forth). On the other side (should there be an "other side"?), some are rethinking issues they have held such as how to support orphans homes, and how to serve communion. The Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, and Episcopals are all "rethinking" things as well (at least some of them - I often hear Baptists debating whether or not it is right to have a "band" or must they only have a piano and organ; Some Episcopals have "re-thought" acceptance of homosexuality). Not all are arriving at the correct conclusions. Certainly not all are arriving at what I UNDERSTAND are the correct conclusions. But, at least we are rethinking.
I've been "rethinking" for a long time. I have been studying. Ironically, when I preach those things I have studied FROM THE BIBLE and have re-thought, ....let's just say it doesn't always go over so well. It is usually called "philosophy" by some in my congregation. Lately, I have heard comments such as "You have been studying more, You are preaching Biblical sermons instead of that philosophy stuff." I tell them (sometimes), "No, I have just been preaching what you already believe and not encouraging you to think." Not that I have caved. There are just a few things I have found the Bible did not teach, at least in my opinion. A couple of things were important enough to preach about, but mostly to encourage us all to think, study, and listen to God. Those sermons that are called "philosophy" have actually been more scripturally based than many other issues. It isn't philosophy because it isn't scriptural, but because it is different that what we already thought. We don't like to re-think. It's easier just accept something 'because'. I have tried to be more cautious of what I preach, but I also do not want to preach and live something I do not believe. I keep studying...keep growing.
The things I have re-thought have not turned me against the church of Christ. Quite the contrary. I believe all the "basics" (depending on who defines them). I'll be honest: I don't believe a person is dying and going to hell because they bang on a piano, though neither am I ready to roll one in Sunday for various other reasons. I am even more supportive of the freedom we have to study the Bible and 'think - think- and rethink' for ourselves. I am seeing some congregations who have adopted an "anything goes" approach. I'm not sure they really THOUGHT about that one first. But, I am also seeing more and more congregations who are allowing members the freedom to think. They are allowing them to do things in worship they see as right and good, even though not everyone agrees. Not everyone agrees with doing them or not doing them. Do we always have to agree with each other on everything? Impossible! I am seeing bold and spiritually minded leaders who are making decisions in prayer, study, and different from what we've always done. They are putting off the politics in church and putting on the Spirit of Christ. They are not even doing necessarily what they want, but what they see is best for the Lord and His church. They are listening first to God and secondly to others. They are refusing to hear complaints and rejections that do not have a clear scriptural teaching (not just a passage we can MAKE say what we want). Others, I'm afraid, are still like the Pharisees (and many denominations) - do this because we said so, because we've always done it, or...just because.
We call others to think and study. Put off the man-made doctrines and creeds of their churches. Stop following what man says you must believe, and follow only what God says you must believe. Realize that in matters of faith, we must have unity (though we are all still learning and growing). In matters of opinion, what's wrong with liberty? Christ is liberty. In all things charity. God is love (I John 4:8). We call them to think-think-and rethink.....shouldn't we do the same!
-james
posted by James C. Guy @ 8:17 AM
2 Comments:
At 3:48 PM, April 20, 2006,
Danny said…
I like your "rethinking".
Welcome to the blogsphere. I am a veteran of it now for about a month! :)
At 10:40 PM, April 20, 2006,
Candle (C & L) said…
Good blog -- I have been a part of the church of Christ for almost 50 years and I too continue to "re-think" -- in my humble view when we stop thinking - we believe we have it"nailed" -- and that finite list of things we KNOW are the truth becomenobetter than "denominational creeds"
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