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Risky writing
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The blog statement “Jesus hates religion” is going to get you somewhere with one reader and nowhere with another. (Like the statement “Charles Spurgeon was a world class navel-gazer.”)
So you think about it a minute before hitting “Send.” You consider a fuller, pie-in-the-face-resistant description: “Jesus hates the empty and ritualistic cultic observances falsely called religion.” Even Attila the Hun would be fine with that. But you veto it for its sheer weight.
There is ever the Triangle to keep in mind: the Normative of Scripture truth; the Situational of the reader’s sensibilities; the Existential of one’s conscience.
I recently interviewed a seminary professor and asked how he would define “Reformed” to a five year old. He said, “That it’s God who saves us and not ourselves.” Then he hastened to tack on: “Of course, then I would elaborate.”
I knew what he was doing and I told him so, and he smiled and called me perceptive. Then he confided that one is more liable to have one’s words twisted when exactly quoted than when one is paraphrased, because people will take you out of context.
It’s a risk you always take.
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One more diversion
“Relative things in absolute terms”
That will explain much to many and exasperate the rest.
Thank you Andree. I thought of you when I was in Camp Virginia. The SoKo forces were everywhere on that Kuwait base. Unfortunately, my Korean doesnt go beyond Komm Somm Nee dah. And that I learned from a Korean 7-11 clerk near Ft Hood.
But today I write you all from the safety and comfort of my house in Killeen. Yesterday was a joyous reunion with Cindy and the girls at Cooper Field which is just in front of 1st Cav Div HQ.
What Jesus hated was sin. What he really loathed were leaders in the Jewish community who were hypocrites. One need only see that in the parable found in Luke 18:10-14. What the Lord really desires is humble and contrite heart.
So what would Jesus think of church leaders withholding sacrements to polititions?
Do you think those particular politicians have a humble and contrite heart?
This risk is minimized as we seek to relate to other individuals with personal interaction. We are there to “elaborate” with explanation, tone of voice and facial expression.
As we move from ministering to individuals to the masses what seemed clear in our own head will be taken apart and tinkered with on many a workbench.
Andree,
Living in the Philly area is already riskier than writing words that someone might find target-worthy. I’m sure you are up to it.
RDean #5:
1 John 1:16 “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.”
If a politician, or anyone else, self identifies as a Christian, but the lifestyle they lead does not match up to God’s standards of living righteously (I’m not talking perfection here), then they are not Christians.
Withholding sacraments from them is a non-issue.
But if you consider them as believers, yet their livestyles reflect the list Paul wrote in 1 Cor 5:9-11, then we should not even keep company with them. If that standard were to be enforced, they wouldn’t be around when the sacraments were offered.
If you believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and that Jsus is God, I don’t think He would contradict His written Word.
The line “get you somewhere with one reader” has opened my eyes a bit…
While I enjoy some parables (Mark 4:11), I am so very thankful God chose to elaborate for us! Jesus is the Word made manifest, the living illustration and example of all God had promised. He is the substance/elaboration of what was shadow and of the mystery that was hidden (Col 1:26).