The "us" and "them" mentality troubles me.
We have got to come to grips with
the relational implications of being "in the world, but not of it."
To be friends with sinners yet not sin was exemplified in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. What it means to be a friend is as significant to faithful doctrine as anything else in theology; we are foolish to think we understand the word "fellowship" if we fail to comprehend "friendship."
I wonder if the "holiness" movement suffered from this sociological flaw, being so intent on teaching separation from sin that it sowed seeds detrimental to healthy society. The proper pursuit of holiness challenges us to consider personal relationship with God AND others - we are to love the One God in Heaven AND the many others God has created to be in the world with us.
One result is that we, who may participate in some faulty concept of holiness, group ourselves together apart from "worldly" society, then are faced with the human task of ordering the society of our separated group. We may speak about the Spirit moving us to order ourselves to God, but the politics involved in our particular polity sure seem similar to how politics play out in the world. I am sickened by this apparently inevitable process that has played itself out throughout Church history.
Will we never learn? I do not want to play by the rules of this world, but we must figure out a better way to participate in the political ordering of our society. It is not "us" versus "them" but all of us before God who loved the world in coming among us to live, die, and be resurrected to new life so that we can be with Him to live without death determining our destiny.
My brother quipped:
"How far did Jesus chase that rich young man?"
My reply:
Cute, Nick. However, consider how Jesus behaved while the young man was with Him.
Why must every human encounter be viewed from the perspective of what happens after people leave? Should we not rather study what is going on while people are together? Society is not made up of a group of strangers because any number of persons stop being strangers once they encounter one another. This encounter then begins the relationship of which society is the consequence.
We fail to keep a coherent society because we operate from a position of estranged enmity rather than friendly fellowship. This is not good.
1 comment:
For Christ's sake, consider grace and truth. Life as lived is what matters. Our words and actions must be graciously truthful, truthfully gracious. Every word, every act must meet the exacting standard of love set by the Lord Himself.
We are called to judge wisely in order to judge well. Our judgment is so often naught but folly because our "wisdom" is worldly. When we judge, we must judge as we will be judged by the Loving One who is full of grace and truth. Until such fulfillment is complete in us, we must be VERY careful in how we relate judgmentally with others.
Just make sure you see clearly. Having the right perspective is crucial to judging correctly - viewing the world from the point of view of Christ on the cross presents quite a different way of seeing others. Hanging there He prayed, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing." Keeping that in mind, seeing with the eyes of Christ, let's figure out how forgiveness should temper judgment.
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