Truth is still imperative as well as important. It has always been so. Truth isn't trendy; it sets the standard. It is the Standard.
I've heard about truth from the very first occasion to study the Bible as an adult. I love it. I hunger for it. I want to develop into the understanding of it.
The word "Truth" has been used by some as a big stick and by others as harshly-toned threat. It fits neither. It is beautiful, decent, impeccable, and freeing; it is Jesus.
Upon being the recipient of many squint-eyed reprimands by Truth-holders over the years, I'm coming to a new conclusion. Truth isn't the main thrust of our leaders. Peace is. There are new things to know about God which comes from His Word; yet it is easier to let such slide if we can maintain peace among us in the meanwhile. Corrections from and by the Bible are needed among us; but if any would rattle the proverbial church cage many leaders give it a wink, a nod, and shrug and keep the new information at bay.
This is killing our people. It isn't that this new generation has gone liberal as some love to contend. It's that many have encountered deaths to their spirits because we as leaders felt the urge to keep peace in church. I'm not as mistakenly nor inappropriately brash as I once was. Nevertheless, I am convicted that roots of error still need an axe; not a toothbrush and Ivory soap.
I'm not for inducing upset. However, I clearly sense many of our good leaders have sold out to keeping the boat from rocking. While this keeps those of us who are past 50 somewhat settled, the younger are opting for something away from us? What's the point? Some key matters the church likes to believe is Truth isn't.
It is really only stuff we like....so we label it Truth.
6 comments:
A really good example of this is the Roman Catholic's stance on Galileo and other scientists of the 17th century. Not until 1992 did Rome recant their position on Galileo being a heretic! Here's a link for this story.
http://www.rferl.org/content/Four_Hundred_Years_Ago_Galileos_Telescope_Changed_The_World/1807134.html
Peace.
Oops, URL did not take for some reason. Here's a condensed one.
http://tinyurl.com/mwcuet
Peace.
"Corrections from and by the Bible are needed among us; but if any would rattle the proverbial church cage many leaders give it a wink, a nod, and shrug and keep the new information at bay."
Terry, can you give an example?
Thanks
Jay
Jay,
I'll run a couple of things by you for consideration.
Refusing to show film clips with instrumental music in the backgrounds.....that was a big issue at Memorial in the days of James Dobson films....having to forward wind so the intro wasn't heard by our ears. And the church keeps such silliness going by jumping these hoops....while smuggly believing we are protecting our people from error.
Another would be refusing to let young men read public scriptures because it isn't professional looking.
Another would be to advise the church "we don't clap" because such is not decent and in order
Another might be to refuse to take communion on any day but Sunday when the Bible/Truth has never restricted such.
One might be that we are not to cooperate with denominations for we are not one.
Anohter would be that we are the true church because we do certain things and don't do others..and therefore we are the true church in its purest form.
Another is our creation of our own hermeneutic which we made up and was never endorsed nor taught by God. We made it up, but speak as if He wrote it down somewhere.
Another one is the truth that the Holy Spirit wrote that He clearly works directly in a believer's life, but because our heritage put that fire out....we simply go with Divine Providence as if that is to satisfy the hungering of the Spirit somehow.
These are just ideas which might address your question. Thanks for asking. Truth is important...still. And, I'm still a willing learner.
Thanks for asking that question Jay, and thanks to Terry for responding.
Growing to understand and accept the freedoms in Christ has been a slow process for me, including excess in these freedoms. I feel so fortunate that our congregation does not revel in what we do right, and what others do wrong. I don't think I could go back to that theme.
I know many congregations have that as an emphasis. And it does cause damage.
Your blog touches many lives..keep it up.
Mr. Rush
Thanks for the clarity and examples of some things you were talking about.
As one who is at sort of a "bridge" age (mid thirties) between the older and younger generations and seeing some of this unrest/conflict played out (the leaving of "our" churches), as well as being parent to two young ones, I agree with you. We've got to get honest and act with more integrity in areas such as these.
You mentioned not bring them up and dealing with them in the body because of potential conflict...it's even harder when the same can be said for your own family!
Thanks for your thoughts
Jay
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