This one's for my cell group session for Saturday.
The study begins describing a bridge built 2000 years ago, linking the gap between us and God.
The question, it asks, however, is how do we, as 21st century Christians, follow Christ? Are we to wear sandals, speak Aramaic, and visit houses two by two, shaking the dust of our feet if we are rejected? Which parts of the Bible are objective, and which are subjective?
The book takes 2 extreme stands.
Objectivism is labelled as the extensive focus on factual knowledge of Christianity. Christianity becomes about "knowing". On an extreme view, it becomes almost unimportant that the heart of Christianity is the relationship between the Trinity, and the relationship to man.
Subjectivism, on the opposite side, is based more on the "experience" with God, the relationship. On an extreme view, it becomes almost unimportant how Christ has died for this relationship to exist.
Objectivism does happen to trend toward following the steps of the disciples to the letter - with all the sandals and Aramaic. Subjectivism would more likely trend toward present day charismatic churches, slaying by the spirit, Gospel metal... Both of which, in my opinion, are closer to warped occultic practices than the true Gospel message of Christ.
Of course, we need to balance both very carefully.
What is this true Gospel message of Christ?
"Repent and believe" - the repeated words of Jesus Christ when He lived on this world.
Jesus only calls for two things, that have a good mix of both objectivism and subjectivism.
Believe, first.
Belief is the objective part of Jesus' message. He calls us to believe in the full message of the Gospel - that God has created and we have sinned by rebelling against Him. He offered us salvation through Him, that we could have peace with God through Jesus Christ.
This is the objective part of the Gospel that we cannot give up on.
However, this is not all. Even the demons believe the existence of God, and acknowledge Jesus as Son of God. However, they are not saved. Real Christian belief, which we will often term faith, requires the acknowledgement that we need to act in repentance.
Repentance is the turning oneself away from the present worldly pattern of life and to renounce self-sufficiency and become a dependent on God's grace. It requires the denial of any merit on our part, and the admission that we are saved by Christ alone. Repentance by itself need not be a religious idea, but in the context of belief it becomes as such.
Obviously, the two are very strongly inter-linked. Belief and repentance, together, make it clear that we are fully undeserving of God's grace, yet are gifted it from God not by our own merit. It is important to notice that if our merit would in any way top up to Jesus's sacrifice on the cross, it would be possible for us to attain salvation without Jesus - utter heresy. Only through Christ is reconciliation possible, which is why Christ's death is absolutely necessary.
Gotta get to sleep. Long day at work tomorrow. Will write the rest of the session on Friday morning..
The study begins describing a bridge built 2000 years ago, linking the gap between us and God.
The question, it asks, however, is how do we, as 21st century Christians, follow Christ? Are we to wear sandals, speak Aramaic, and visit houses two by two, shaking the dust of our feet if we are rejected? Which parts of the Bible are objective, and which are subjective?
The book takes 2 extreme stands.
Objectivism is labelled as the extensive focus on factual knowledge of Christianity. Christianity becomes about "knowing". On an extreme view, it becomes almost unimportant that the heart of Christianity is the relationship between the Trinity, and the relationship to man.
Subjectivism, on the opposite side, is based more on the "experience" with God, the relationship. On an extreme view, it becomes almost unimportant how Christ has died for this relationship to exist.
Objectivism does happen to trend toward following the steps of the disciples to the letter - with all the sandals and Aramaic. Subjectivism would more likely trend toward present day charismatic churches, slaying by the spirit, Gospel metal... Both of which, in my opinion, are closer to warped occultic practices than the true Gospel message of Christ.
Of course, we need to balance both very carefully.
What is this true Gospel message of Christ?
"Repent and believe" - the repeated words of Jesus Christ when He lived on this world.
Jesus only calls for two things, that have a good mix of both objectivism and subjectivism.
Believe, first.
Belief is the objective part of Jesus' message. He calls us to believe in the full message of the Gospel - that God has created and we have sinned by rebelling against Him. He offered us salvation through Him, that we could have peace with God through Jesus Christ.
This is the objective part of the Gospel that we cannot give up on.
However, this is not all. Even the demons believe the existence of God, and acknowledge Jesus as Son of God. However, they are not saved. Real Christian belief, which we will often term faith, requires the acknowledgement that we need to act in repentance.
Repentance is the turning oneself away from the present worldly pattern of life and to renounce self-sufficiency and become a dependent on God's grace. It requires the denial of any merit on our part, and the admission that we are saved by Christ alone. Repentance by itself need not be a religious idea, but in the context of belief it becomes as such.
Obviously, the two are very strongly inter-linked. Belief and repentance, together, make it clear that we are fully undeserving of God's grace, yet are gifted it from God not by our own merit. It is important to notice that if our merit would in any way top up to Jesus's sacrifice on the cross, it would be possible for us to attain salvation without Jesus - utter heresy. Only through Christ is reconciliation possible, which is why Christ's death is absolutely necessary.
Gotta get to sleep. Long day at work tomorrow. Will write the rest of the session on Friday morning..
Comments
Post a Comment