I am, from this day forward, “unaffiliated.” That is my aim. Much to our detriment and dismay, it is no longer sufficient in our religious world to claim we are “undenominational,” but must now also mark our "affiliation" in some way. This is regrettable, but, again, it is my aim to be “unaffiliated.” It should be yours too. Before it can be, however, I guess one needs to understand what it means. Let me try to explain.
One of my life’s passions and greatest interests is Bible Study. I enjoy reading the wonderful stories and lessons that just never grow old. Each and every time I pick up the Bible I am amazed at just how true to life the words are and just how much, through meditation and prayer, I can mine from it to not only change my life, but the world about me. Everything seems clear to me. Everything is pure to me. And yet, I cannot spend my life in the book. I must step beyond its pages to be light and salt. I must move beyond its greatness to be the embodiment of it or at least attempt to be. I must be transformed by it and live. My life must be spent for it.
However, when I move beyond the Word to the religious world about me I am often not so comfortable. Man, as one might expect (Romans 3:23), in his striving for polarity and party, has said much about the Word of my God. My fear is that little of it has much to do with that pure, clean and clear Word, but more about supporting our own “religious” contexts. The fabric of our religious world seems torn by agenda, angling and anger. It is worn by politics, parody and pompousness. It is discolored by impure motives, maliciousness and the malignancy of sin, often paraded as pious. Unity is preached but rarely adopted, but either on the most stringent of man made terms or no terms at all – neither of which make for unity. Making matters worse there is a constant pressure to not just embrace the truth, but embrace the bent of some particular group that claims a corner on that market in infinite detail.
From this is born a child inconsistent in its ways, flawed in its attitudes and attributes. It is a child few will claim, but most have produced. It is, regardless of what is taught or the name written over its door, the Political Church. Make no mistakes about it, while it is not the current topic under discussion, truth (one truth or faith) does exist – that’s God’s Word. The Political Church is concerned with truth, but simply gives firmer embrace to various aspects of it than others, perhaps pushing certain doctrines beyond their logical consequence or necessity and simply ignoring others that seem to work against political agenda. By way of example, some churches will refer to themselves as “sound” churches, but what they mean is something far from the definition of soundness in the Bible. The word soundness simply refers to “health,” and encompasses not just what is taught, but the practice of said body. What many churches have in mind is, “we never let anyone teach from our pulpit or in classes anything different than what the Bible teaches.” There is a concept I hope all fully embrace. The problem is (aside from the fact that “what the Bible teaches” may not be what we teach – perhaps from simple failure to grow in wisdom) that this is but a small portion of what it means to be “sound.” We’ll ignore the fact that we have unscriptural elders. We’ll ignore the fact that this body of believers has not converted a soul in years. We’ll ignore the fact that we are banking our money for “the rainy day,” to the neglect of actually “making friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.” We’ll ignore the fact that we just “keep house” and still call ourselves sound. At the same time we wage war amongst ourselves and call it “contending for the faith,” when we really mean, “supporting our opinions.”
Truth certainly has its part in the Political Church, but seems to play a minor role, taking a backseat to the elocutions of various political pundits who tout “this” and “that” as the definitive marker between what is commonly referred to, though ambiguously so, as “liberal,” “conservative,” “ultra-conservative,” “progressive” and so on. The tenor of current debates among some of us is certainly proof positive of this point.
In the political church what matters most is stasis. Change is feared, though God’s word demands it (Romans 12:1,2; 2 Peter 1:5-9). The idea that everything should stand still often seems to rule supreme to the detriment of teaching and learning. We have reached the end of such and know it all! We, not the Word, have become the marker, despite the example of the noble Bereans. We have made the parties and politics and we have done it by simply refusing to grow in understanding or denying the fact that we do not always have it right.
In the political church pride, though rarely spoke of with regard to our pious numbers, is the one true attainable attribute. By it we remain is stasis. By it we are enabled to continue our charade of pseudo-religious pursuit, though the Word, again, lists it among the things that God himself hates. Odd, we find fault and teach at length against the attitude exhibited by the Pharisee in Luke 18, which says, “thank God I am not like other men…” At the same time we miss the point that, just like the Pharisee, we missed the point. It is our pride that initiate unrighteous, lopsided judgment and lend our minds and spirits toward a "policing the church" mentality.
I recently had a brother tell me that he could no longer have fellowship with a certain religious work because they had a man on a program who was on a program with a man who was on a program with another man who believed in doctrine X and Y, which this brother claim are false. He went on to say how he could not go to many of the churches in his area because they have somehow been “in fellowship” with someone who was in fellowship with someone in his chain of conspiracy. Adding to the difficulty I was having in listening to his rant, he claimed that there were a small group of men in his area who were holding the line and they had started a lecture and other preaching programs to foster their views.
The problem with all of this is that I know for a fact that the brother of which he spoke does not teach doctrines X and Y, though much documentation can be found CLAIMING that he does. Sadder still, neither one of the teaching is going to, according to the Bible; condemn a person, though many pretend every minute detail is a reason for debate and contention. In reality what this brother was talking about was the creation of a new political agenda, to replace the one he had become frustrated with.
This same story can be repeated time and time again, with different faces and names and is all too common in the fabric of our religious tapestry. Again, truth is truth and it is still waiting for us to take it from beneath our political agenda and pre-fabricated policy, to prosper thereby.
It is my firm belief that the only way this will happen is if we abandon politics and party and propose, as many once did (though in different terms), a non-affiliated status. No school, lecture, preacher’s meeting, or various forms of pseudo church government will have control over me. I am free to study, struggle, surmise and succumb to the grand teaching of God’s Word without the aid of someone’s agenda or party line. Just as I will stand in judgment on my own, free of affiliation, so will I stand here, save the affiliation of the God’s ordained body of Christ. I will embrace the good works of men. I will learn from their efforts and endeavors and yet, I will realize they are mere men as I. I will not ask them to BE perfect, but strive and work for it. I will not ask them to join my party, but to simply be a Christian, living in humble subjection, not to me or any other man or organization, but to God.
Next time we will examine the “political church” in light of the scripture, but having introduced this subject, let me close by saying that we will never truly connect with God unless we can set aside this political mentality.
One of my life’s passions and greatest interests is Bible Study. I enjoy reading the wonderful stories and lessons that just never grow old. Each and every time I pick up the Bible I am amazed at just how true to life the words are and just how much, through meditation and prayer, I can mine from it to not only change my life, but the world about me. Everything seems clear to me. Everything is pure to me. And yet, I cannot spend my life in the book. I must step beyond its pages to be light and salt. I must move beyond its greatness to be the embodiment of it or at least attempt to be. I must be transformed by it and live. My life must be spent for it.
However, when I move beyond the Word to the religious world about me I am often not so comfortable. Man, as one might expect (Romans 3:23), in his striving for polarity and party, has said much about the Word of my God. My fear is that little of it has much to do with that pure, clean and clear Word, but more about supporting our own “religious” contexts. The fabric of our religious world seems torn by agenda, angling and anger. It is worn by politics, parody and pompousness. It is discolored by impure motives, maliciousness and the malignancy of sin, often paraded as pious. Unity is preached but rarely adopted, but either on the most stringent of man made terms or no terms at all – neither of which make for unity. Making matters worse there is a constant pressure to not just embrace the truth, but embrace the bent of some particular group that claims a corner on that market in infinite detail.
From this is born a child inconsistent in its ways, flawed in its attitudes and attributes. It is a child few will claim, but most have produced. It is, regardless of what is taught or the name written over its door, the Political Church. Make no mistakes about it, while it is not the current topic under discussion, truth (one truth or faith) does exist – that’s God’s Word. The Political Church is concerned with truth, but simply gives firmer embrace to various aspects of it than others, perhaps pushing certain doctrines beyond their logical consequence or necessity and simply ignoring others that seem to work against political agenda. By way of example, some churches will refer to themselves as “sound” churches, but what they mean is something far from the definition of soundness in the Bible. The word soundness simply refers to “health,” and encompasses not just what is taught, but the practice of said body. What many churches have in mind is, “we never let anyone teach from our pulpit or in classes anything different than what the Bible teaches.” There is a concept I hope all fully embrace. The problem is (aside from the fact that “what the Bible teaches” may not be what we teach – perhaps from simple failure to grow in wisdom) that this is but a small portion of what it means to be “sound.” We’ll ignore the fact that we have unscriptural elders. We’ll ignore the fact that this body of believers has not converted a soul in years. We’ll ignore the fact that we are banking our money for “the rainy day,” to the neglect of actually “making friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.” We’ll ignore the fact that we just “keep house” and still call ourselves sound. At the same time we wage war amongst ourselves and call it “contending for the faith,” when we really mean, “supporting our opinions.”
Truth certainly has its part in the Political Church, but seems to play a minor role, taking a backseat to the elocutions of various political pundits who tout “this” and “that” as the definitive marker between what is commonly referred to, though ambiguously so, as “liberal,” “conservative,” “ultra-conservative,” “progressive” and so on. The tenor of current debates among some of us is certainly proof positive of this point.
In the political church what matters most is stasis. Change is feared, though God’s word demands it (Romans 12:1,2; 2 Peter 1:5-9). The idea that everything should stand still often seems to rule supreme to the detriment of teaching and learning. We have reached the end of such and know it all! We, not the Word, have become the marker, despite the example of the noble Bereans. We have made the parties and politics and we have done it by simply refusing to grow in understanding or denying the fact that we do not always have it right.
In the political church pride, though rarely spoke of with regard to our pious numbers, is the one true attainable attribute. By it we remain is stasis. By it we are enabled to continue our charade of pseudo-religious pursuit, though the Word, again, lists it among the things that God himself hates. Odd, we find fault and teach at length against the attitude exhibited by the Pharisee in Luke 18, which says, “thank God I am not like other men…” At the same time we miss the point that, just like the Pharisee, we missed the point. It is our pride that initiate unrighteous, lopsided judgment and lend our minds and spirits toward a "policing the church" mentality.
I recently had a brother tell me that he could no longer have fellowship with a certain religious work because they had a man on a program who was on a program with a man who was on a program with another man who believed in doctrine X and Y, which this brother claim are false. He went on to say how he could not go to many of the churches in his area because they have somehow been “in fellowship” with someone who was in fellowship with someone in his chain of conspiracy. Adding to the difficulty I was having in listening to his rant, he claimed that there were a small group of men in his area who were holding the line and they had started a lecture and other preaching programs to foster their views.
The problem with all of this is that I know for a fact that the brother of which he spoke does not teach doctrines X and Y, though much documentation can be found CLAIMING that he does. Sadder still, neither one of the teaching is going to, according to the Bible; condemn a person, though many pretend every minute detail is a reason for debate and contention. In reality what this brother was talking about was the creation of a new political agenda, to replace the one he had become frustrated with.
This same story can be repeated time and time again, with different faces and names and is all too common in the fabric of our religious tapestry. Again, truth is truth and it is still waiting for us to take it from beneath our political agenda and pre-fabricated policy, to prosper thereby.
It is my firm belief that the only way this will happen is if we abandon politics and party and propose, as many once did (though in different terms), a non-affiliated status. No school, lecture, preacher’s meeting, or various forms of pseudo church government will have control over me. I am free to study, struggle, surmise and succumb to the grand teaching of God’s Word without the aid of someone’s agenda or party line. Just as I will stand in judgment on my own, free of affiliation, so will I stand here, save the affiliation of the God’s ordained body of Christ. I will embrace the good works of men. I will learn from their efforts and endeavors and yet, I will realize they are mere men as I. I will not ask them to BE perfect, but strive and work for it. I will not ask them to join my party, but to simply be a Christian, living in humble subjection, not to me or any other man or organization, but to God.
Next time we will examine the “political church” in light of the scripture, but having introduced this subject, let me close by saying that we will never truly connect with God unless we can set aside this political mentality.
5 comments:
Edward - I share you view of trying to be just a CHristian - a part of God's church -- and avoiding the "labels" that we use to imply that we have a superior understanding of what ti means to be part of "the church"
I posted a lesson on this topic back in September -- somewhat different approach but same theme
See http://candlw.blogspot.com/2006/09/back-to-basics-lesson-2.html
God Bless
Charlie
This is simply prolific. I am so thankful to have read this this morning. Thank you for being so clear and so right ... and for taking that stand.
And why didn't my friend Charlie tell me about this post!
JD -I don't know -- My memoryis soflawed that I was thinking as I re-read it --I'veseen this before -- and then there wasmy comment -- I think you (JD) had this listed as a NEW blog and I was just browsing--
In any case it Edward -- it was good to read a second time based on JD's referral from Berean Spirit list.
Edward,
You nailed it. I won't even ask where you will attend. It is between you and God. I will ask if you will submit to the guidance of elders in Christ or to other brethren, though, because it seems to me that some form of submission to one another for the edifying and maturing of the Body is enjoined in scripture. Will you?
I ask only because this has also occurred to me and I want to know how you have hashed this all out in your own life. Perhaps I can gain some encouragement from your journey...and later, perhaps, if you are interested, you could learn from mine, too. I do so want to encourage you.
Blessings fellow soldier and brother,
Glenn
Thanks to all of you who have made positive comments about the most recent article. I have labored over the issue for some time and have resolved to assume a positive, non-assuming perspective about the issue. I believe, in many ways, that politics and those who play them are killing the church. Yet, I am certain we can change. We can regain a vision that is more in line with that of the scripture and Christ. As for the authority issue put forth by Glenn, this, in my thinking, is a given for the Word of our God teachers such (1 Tim. 3, Titus 1). Furthermore, there are many others that I sit at the feet of, serve, labor with and so on. I was not discussing a withdrawal from the church or her blessed asembling - not in the least. If I am to be a Christian I must be a valuable and working part of the body that Christ thought enough of to die for. I love that body and the fellowship I have with those of like mind and judgment and precious faith. My concept of unaffiliated is a systemic operation that begins in the heart made soft by the well placed plow of God. More on this will come in future articles on the same subject. I do appreciate the comments!
Post a Comment