UNITY IN THE CHURCH (IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY)

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            Modern society appears increasingly divisive and even discriminatory against the church. We should not be surprised by this because Jesus told us as much (John 16:33). In a continuous battle waged between the flesh and the spirit then, how should the church respond? Furthermore, as worshipers of the living God, how is the church to live in unity as she is called to do (Rom 12:18)? Modern culture is seemingly divisive; yet we have been placed here for a time such as this and are called to live in harmony with other believers in an ever-persecuting world. There is not merely a bipolarity of views on various cultural issues, e.g. sexuality, war, music, film, and racism, but there is, in fact, a plurality of cultural views even in the church. How is it possible then to live in unity? To some who profess Christ as Lord and Savior, unity appears to mean giving way to the demands of a sinful world; to some, it seems to mean condemning the world or even other churches who are vastly different; to others, there seems to be a link between political alignment and faith. These examples though, no matter how good the intentions, are flawed, and the Christian faith is never married to one political ideal.

Tertullian would suggest that “the unity of the church of God is a perpetual fact; our task is not to create it, but to exhibit it.”[1] How then are we, as the unified church, to live in the reality of unity in a constantly divisive world pulling individuals believers in every direction? And where is the church to draw the line between foundational unity and dissent? Culture certainly affects the worldview of everyone including individual Christians. Therefore, Christians will individually share disparate approaches to issues; this is good though because it exemplifies a diverse but unified church. The implication then is that the church should live in harmony irrespective of personal convictions. The mistake we often make is a feeble attempt to universalize personal convictions. In a society moving further and further away from truth then, the body of Christ still has a responsibility to live in the reality of unity. I would like to suggest some ways the church should live in unity despite the torment of a confused world, which has surely infiltrated the church.

The Church Should Live in Agreement on Foundational Issues

            First, the church must be unified on foundational issues. Foundational issues are foundational because they are not optional. The body of Christ cannot live in the reality of her new nature unless she agrees on the foundation.

What Constitutes a Foundational Issue?

            Foundational issues are resultant of two aspects: 1) the explicitness of Scripture and 2) the explicitness of church history. We might conclude that Scripture holds more weight than church history, but church history, nonetheless, is a crucial factor to examine. Foundational issues are those which are overtly presented in the text of the Bible. Explicit issues are found to be present throughout church history because of their unambiguous mention in Scripture. As if we need something more than the clarity of Scripture, we should also examine what the great churches and her leaders throughout history have said about various issues. If it has been ever-present throughout history in a normalized fashion, it should be considered a foundational issue. We are typically able to name foundational issues without much thought, e.g. salvation by grace through faith in Christ, the virgin birth, and the authority of the Bible. We don’t have to think much about these issues to believe them because they are so woven into the fabric of our foundation. On these issues then, we should stand firm without wavering. They are foundational because they are explicit in the narrative of Scripture and church history.

The Church Should Live in Grace on Subordinate Issues

            On subordinate issues, there is room for disagreement. If foundational issues are explicit in Scripture and church history, secondary issues are not. The mistake Christians often make is presenting the appearance of explicitness on secondary issues. We could likely think of many secondary issues where various Christians might disagree, e.g. baptism, communion, and the doctrine of election. On these issues, we, the church, must live in grace and allow room for much disagreement.

What Constitutes a Subordinate Issue?

            What constitutes a subordinate issue is the lack of clarity in the Bible and in church history. These are non-salvific issues. For these issues, we normally see a range of views throughout the history of the church; that is the result of Scripture’s opacity. Many people do not like to think of the Bible as ambiguous, but there are certainly paradoxes and areas where issues are unclear, or should I say that there are areas where there is room for theological (and political) difference. The implication then is that it is acceptable Christians to disagree with one another on these issues. We must, in fact, live in Christ’s grace on these issues.

The Church Should Not Expect Holiness from the World

            I’ve discussed how to live in unity with each other thus far. How should we live in unity in an opposing world though? The first thing we should do is not expect holiness from the world. A grave mistake the church often makes is possessing an expectation for a lost world to live a moral lifestyle. If Christians who possess the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit continue to struggle with sin, why should we expect those apart from Christ to live in holiness? I firmly believe that any good that comes of any human is the result of God’s holiness; it is not the result of any amount of good we possess because we are naturally fallen and evil. Living in the reality that the world is evil and in need of a Savior should foster mercy from the church though. It should not be a conduit of hatred. Certainly, we should preach the truth of Scripture, but forcing morality will never work. The government cannot legislate morality, and the church cannot hate or scare people into it. It is imperative that the church realizes the depravity of a fallen world and live in light of mercy, not hatred.

            Recent events in Charlottesville have caused me to ponder if the church has responded correctly in two ways. First, it is likely (although unproveable) that many of the Charlottesville protestors are not believers. I don’t suggest this as a form of judgment, but Scripture is clear that the gate of salvation is small and the road is narrow (Matt 7:14). Largely, among any group of people, there will be few Christians then. As the church, we should respond to the hateful protestors and rhetoric in love while, at the same time, condemning the act itself. Fighting hate with hate has never worked and will never work. The church must be unified in her stance against racism but also respond to racists in love. We cannot expect holiness from those who are not Christians; even Christians fail as well. For reasons of humanity’s imperfection and God’s grace, we should love rather than hate.

Secondly and from a different perspective, we have a responsibility to respond in love not only to the hateful protestors but also to the hateful responses to them. In the wake of the Charlottesville events, many political and church leaders, with good intentions, responded with hate. We should, in no way, negate the horrible reality of racism, but we should also measure our words carefully. There are certainly ways to stand against racism in unequivocal terms while, concurrently, sending a message of love to all people. There is a fine line too because to be unequivocal, ambiguity is not an option; however, calling protestors terms such as “subhuman” and “monsters” does no good. In fact, it is counterproductive to a message of love but rather spreads a message of hate. There is no such thing as a subhuman, for all people are created in God’s image. Yes, even 9/11 terrorists are not subhuman, and there is indeed a capacity within the Lord to love and save them if he so chooses, which is why we, as the church, must pray for the salvation of all.

            As the church, we have the responsibility to preach a message of love, not hate. To do this, we must first live in the reality that the world is not holy and is in direct opposition to the gospel. The church must be unified in her stance against evil but also unified in her stance for grace.

Disassociating with Apostacy Is Not Synonymous with Anonymity

            Because the line between unity and dissent in an ever-opposing world can be fine, there are times when the church must disassociate with those who might try to harm to the gospel. It should already be clear that we should set ourselves apart from the world (which is, in no way, an excuse not to befriend the world), but there are also times when the church must disassociate fellowship with other believers. I believe those times are when individual believers and local churches continuously act in ways contradictory to the explicit commands of Scripture. The blatant attitude of those who cause disunity is what gives the church leverage to disassociate here. When this attitude exists in an unrepentant fashion, the church must disassociate fellowship; this is known as church discipline, of which there is a biblical model to follow when employed (Matt 18:15-20). It is not often that the church discusses discipline, but the Bible is clear that sometimes it is necessary to remove fellowship of apostate believers in some cases (1 Cor 5:13, Matt 18:17). Often, however, believers make the mistake of thinking church discipline is synonymous with anonymity, i.e. throw the person out and have nothing to do with them, showing them vast hatred. This is not the case though. To oust an apostate believer means treating them as one who is not a believer; the insinuation then is that we love that person. We do not exercise church discipline or disassociate with apostacy in the name of hatred but rather in the name of love. The line for disassociation may be thin, but when apostacy is clear, the church is called to disassociate. It does not stop there though because we then love those people and continue to pray for them with the hope of restoration and a changed life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Disassociation then is not the same as anonymity.

The Church Is Perpetually Unified

            Tertullian had it right when he said that the unity of the church is a perpetual fact. We are to merely claim that truth and live in its reality. There is a spiritual war raging around us at every moment. In a world that tugs at us so frequently and in so many directions, the church has a responsibility to continue living in unity. Sadly, many professing churches and believers will become apostate. We certainly must separate ourselves from apostacy, but we must also continue to live in unity as the remnant. Even if the visible church abandons all orthodox teachings,[2] there will still be a remnant. Will we allow an opposing world to infiltrate our sacred walls? Will we allow disunity in the professing church to stir tension? Or will we stand firm upon the foundation of the Bible and church history and, furthermore, be the conduits of God’s mercy and grace? My hope and prayer is the latter. The issues we face in our culture are magnificent indeed, but God’s mercy is far greater than any battle humankind or Satan himself may wage. Let us live in the perpetual truth of unity in all facets and issues.

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[1] Dow Kirkpatrick, ed., The Doctrine of the Church (New York: Abingdon Press, 1964), 187.

[2] The term, “orthodox,” here implies the central beliefs of the Apostles Creed. While many churches do not utilize the Apostles Creed itself in worship practices, the statements of belief mentioned in the text, being a summary of necessary Christian beliefs, are those all churches should hold to first and foremost.

THE ISSUE IS NOT RACISM BUT DEPRAVITY

THE ISSUE IS NOT RACISM BUT HUMAN DEPRAVITY

Much has popped up recently on the racial front in American society. It seems to have happened suddenly too. Racial tensions have flared so much, in fact, that it is becoming increasingly common to tear down historic monuments, rename streets, and even criticize those who disagree with doing so. I would like to come at this from a different and perhaps unpopular perspective.

Often, people want to know what the Christian perspective on an issue is, e.g. war. I submit that issues are not always clear-cut. With war, for example, is there one Christian perspective, or is it possible for those who profess Christ to have disparate opinions on the matter? I think the latter is true. Racial tensions are certainly areas where there are objective standards, i.e. racism is sinful and utterly disgraceful. It should not be elevated above any other sin, but that does not mean it should be minimized; it is completely wrong. Therefore, Christians should be unequivocal in both their stance against and hatred for racism.

What I would like to suggest, nonetheless, is that recent events point to an even deeper reality, namely human depravity. The tearing down of statues and monuments will not solve the issue of racism because racism of a condition of human nature. We can tear down any evidence or racism and even seek to purge our nation of its past, but the human condition will ever remain. Until we cut the root of the issue, any management of it will do little to no good. What we see happening in our culture is often what happens in the church. We try to do this with sin in our own lives, e.g. putting filters and blocks on websites when we struggle with pornography rather than getting to the root of the issue and seeing it for what it is and, thus, hating it because God hates it.

I am not advocating for keeping racist symbols, but we need to think much deeper. Racism is pure evil because it is not in the character of God. The mistake we are making then is seeing humans as good by nature. Scripture is clear that there is not an ounce of good in any human since the fall of Adam; we are all equally dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2). This, in no way, negates our responsibility as humans; God’s sovereignty and our responsibility are compatible. However, if we fail to recognize the depravity of humankind, we further illustrate our own pride and, therefore, our own depravity. Society tends to expect perfection from its leaders because we forget our own evil. I have both criticized and defended past presidents equally including the current one. I think anyone who knows me well can attest to that. The reason I have, however, is because I realize everyone’s great need of grace. If we realize our own evil, we can faithfully execute the mercy and justice of God. Tearing down monuments and renaming streets will only make things look better on the surface, but it will not repair the issue of human depravity. Racism will still run rampant through in our veins until Jesus Christ changes us.

What do we do then? The first and most important thing to do is to pray. It is not that all we can do is pray, but in reality, the best thing we can do is pray. Prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy. The second thing we do is stand for justice. This does not mean to fight hate with hate, which is often what happens, i.e. to counter-protest rallies in violent ways. Rather, it means we espouse justice in a loving, merciful, and peaceful way. It is no coincidence that the people who have been most merciful to me in my life are people who have been through struggles themselves. When we realize our own radical depravity, we are more willing to stand for justice in no equivocal terms but also exude mercy at the same time; justice and mercy are not contradictory but are, in fact, characteristics of God (Mic 6:8). The third thing we do is stop looking for futile surface level solutions and get to the heart of the issue. Racism is not the root issue; depravity is. For that reason, no matter how much we try to manage it, racism will still exist in humankind. As the church then, we need to address the issue of human depravity so that people realize their utter evil. Without that proper realization, we cannot humble ourselves to the point of allowing the Holy Spirit to change us and remove any trace of racism that exists and is derived from Satan himself.

Hints of racism will always exist in our society because the enemy is ever-present. Nevertheless, a radical fight against it begins with the realization that humankind is sinful by nature. We must strive to cut the root of the issue, not futilely make it look better by managing it. Until that happens, no matter how many monuments we tear down, more will be built to replace them because the human condition will still exist. Monuments themselves are not reality but are a symbol of reality. As long as reality is evil, racism will exist. We must realize human depravity and fight, by the power of victory in Jesus Christ, against it. Prayer warriors, Christian soldiers, and conduits of mercy, let’s get to work. We have a long journey ahead of us.

Distraction or Discomfort

Here is a recent article of mine that was published on the Experiencing Worship website. It regards the difference between distraction and discomfort in worship; when experiencing what might seem to be a distraction, it could very well be that God is stretching you.

Mark 6:45-51: Obedience: The Key to the Miraculous

MARK 6:45-51

OBEDIENCE: THE KEY TO THE MIRACULOUS

            The miraculous account of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee appears in the three gospels of not only Mark but Matthew and John as well. It does not appear in Luke, however. Examining a harmony of the gospels can be fascinating (and perhaps might make you think too much). The first three gospels are similar in many aspects, but John is drastically different; that is why the first three are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels. Often, reading the same account in different gospels, we can quickly realize that perspectives were vastly different among the authors. Much of the material in Matthew and Luke was likely borrowed from Mark; the same accounts are often verbatim. There are multiple theories on where the added material in Matthew and Luke came from, one of which is the Q theory, which promotes that the common added material in Matthew and Luke came from a source (or possibly a plurality of sources) called Q. Another theory called the two-source theory suggests that the added material which is not common to both Matthew and Luke came from their own sources, which have been creatively named by scholars as M and L. * Note the sarcasm. * The account we are going to examine here is common to Mark, Matthew, and John. I believe, however, Mark, who was essentially Peter’s scribe, often gets to the heart of the matter in his accounts so I have chosen to utilize his account of this story.

            Jesus performed numerous miracles during his ministry on this earth, many of which have not even been recorded. His miracle of walking on the water in Mark’s gospel imperatives that we must adhere to if we desire to see the miraculous in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. I will never say that miracles do not exist anymore. There are those who believe miracles do not exist anymore, but I believe the same God who walked on the water nearly 2,000 years ago is still capable of the miraculous today; I have also personally seen miracles happen. God is not limited, but we often limit miracles by not believing. In this gospel account, there are four imperatives we need to notice, understand, and live by if we desire to see the miraculous.

Mark 6:45-51 (ESV)

Jesus Walks on the Water

⁴⁵ Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, ⁵⁰ for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” ⁵¹ And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,

The Miraculous Occurs through Christ (v. 45)

            The first imperative is that the miraculous occurs through Christ and only through Christ. It could be easy to glance over verse 45, but we should observe the fact that Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side; he forced them (if you will). John’s gospel presents the scene as Jesus hurrying his disciples because the crowd was going to take him by force. Mark, however, gives more of an authoritative presence to Jesus.[1]  After feeding five-thousand men, Jesus made his disciples go and dismissed the crowd. We need to understand that miracles are never of ourselves. Even biblical figures other than Jesus who performed miracles did so not of themselves. Paul raised a man from the dead not in his own power. The Lord God, Jesus Christ has all authority (Matt 28:18). Why then do we live life as if there is no living God with all authority and make feeble attempts in our own meaningless power.

Jesus displays his authority here and makes his disciples get into the boat, and they obeyed. Had they not obeyed, they would have missed the miracle. Had they tried to do things according to their own plans, they would have missed the miracle. How many miracles have we missed because we selfishly defer to our own plans and desires rather than live in obedience to Jesus Christ? If we do not die to ourselves and live in obedience to Christ, we will never see the miraculous because it only occurs through Jesus.

The Miraculous Occurs through Prayer (v. 46)

            The second imperative is that the miraculous occurs through prayer. How can we be in tune to see Jesus work miracles through us if the miracle of transformation is not already being worked in us, i.e. a crucial part of living life aligned with the miraculous work of Christ is to know him through prayer. Jesus himself, God the Son, went onto the mountain to pray with his Father immediately after performing the miracle of feeding five-thousand men, not counting the women and children; let that sink in. Even after being so aligned with the will of the Father that he was able to feed five-thousand men by multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus himself still needed to pray. There seems to be a disconnect in our churches between prayer and action. We should never act until we have prayed. Often, we strive to satisfy our own goals and desires and then ask God to bless it when he is telling us to pray first and then act upon the leadership of the Holy Spirit. If we do not know God, if we do not commune with him continuously, and if we do not seek his kingdom and righteousness first, we will never see the miraculous.

The Miraculous Can Be Difficult (vv. 47-50a)

            Thirdly, the miraculous can be difficult. It doesn’t just happen. For the disciples to see the miracle happen, they had to first face a storm. Perhaps many of us are facing storms right now. A miracle might or might not happen, but it certainly won’t happen if the storm causes us to lose our faith in the one who controls the wind and rain. There are times when we must toil to see the miraculous. This is not something churches like to discuss. We are not perfect; our faith is not perfect; and our sanctification process often requires work that we do not want to do. Jesus never promised an easy life for Christians. On the contrary, we are guaranteed difficulty.

            Besides the difficulties we may face as the result of being Christians, if we are honest, often, it is also difficult to obey. Jesus commanded the disciples to get into the boat while he went onto the mountain to pray. I think the disciples might have wondered what he was doing when Jesus was not with them and a storm came; they might have wondered why Jesus had given such a command. At that moment, it was probably difficult to obey. Even when they saw the miracle of Jesus walking on the water, they were terrified; they thought it was a ghost because they could not explain it. There are times when God calls us to actions that are difficult and that might not make sense. Consider biblical examples of God’s calling and how often it made sense. Rarely (if ever) did it make sense. If we are not careful, in our Western minds, we can wrongly believe that if an action is God’s will, he will absolutely provide and take care of us (at least according to our standards). What if God calls you to a closed country and his entire purpose is for you to die as a martyr? Did he take care of you? Was it God’s will? Yes and yes. John Piper would say that risk is right. When it is reasoned out, we might take risks to obey (at least in our minds), but God does not take risks. For him to take risks would imply that he is not in control. For that reason then, we should understand our obedience not necessarily as a risk (although we may not know what is ahead) but rather as a commitment. Sometimes we must go through difficulties and difficult decisions before we see the miraculous.

Notice the expectation of Jesus and the surprise of the disciples. Jesus was taking a casual stroll on the water and meant to pass by them (v. 48); the disciples, contrarily, were afraid of what they could not explain. Perhaps we don’t see the miraculous because we don’t expect it. If we truly believe God can do anything and that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why then do we not expect him to do anything? The greatest miracle of all is the salvation of wretched sinners through the mediation of Christ and his atoning sacrifice on the cross; yet, a miracle (such as healing or financial provision when we have no clue where it will come from) is something that utterly shocks us. We must acknowledge God’s sovereign control in all circumstances and act according to his will and the Holy Spirit’s guidance no matter how difficult it may be. Then and only then will we see the miraculous.

The Miraculous Demands Obedience (vv. 50b-51)

            The fourth imperative (and a common theme throughout this scripture) is obedience. The miraculous demands obedience. After the terror the disciples faced, Jesus commands them to take heart and not be afraid. Then they were astounded (v. 51). They had to obey first though. How many miracles do we miss because of our lack of obedience? Obedience is not an option but an obligation if we want to see the miraculous occur. The key then to the miraculous is obedience. Obedience speaks volumes to our love of God, to our commitment to him, and to our understanding of who he is and who we are in him. The miraculous demands obedience because Jesus demands obedience.

What miracle is God working in your life right now? You may not be raising anyone from the dead (although God can still do that), but if God is working in your life, you are an example of a miracle. The fact that you are his child is a miracle so do you see evidence of his work in your life. If not, why? Obedience is the key to the miraculous.

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[1] R. T. France, The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2002), 271.