My Radical New Stand in Defense of Traditional Christianity
This blog is written in response to my roommate’s recent blog post, “My Radical New Stand Against Modern Christianity”. I’ll start off with a few clarifications before I begin.
First of all, this is in no way saying I am right, my roommate is wrong, and he’s not allowed to have a difference of opinion from me. There’s nothing wrong with Shawn having his own viewpoint, as it’s healthy to question things. That is one thing that I do generally agree with. In 1 Thessalonians 5:21, the Bible says to “Test all things; hold fast to what is good.” That’s what Shawn is doing, and I respect that. I will not say I am spiritually wiser than he, only God can judge that, but this is an opportunity for me to explain both how I believe, and why I believe so.
Secondly, you’ll notice that my defense is of “Traditional” Christianity, where Shawn’s is against “General” Christianity. This was not a typo, this is intentional. I see a stark contrast between how the early church did things in comparison to how a lot of the modern churches do things, and I want to be clear that my defense is more traditional than modern. I’ve been to enough churches in my lifetime and seen things that, as a church, should not happen but do. Churches that “talk a good game”, but really are doing nothing for the cause of Christ, and are essentially a “social club” to help someone feel good about themselves. This, in my opinion, is what Christianity should NOT be.
Finally, in keeping with the spirit of 1 Thessalonians 5:21, feel free to debate this. I’m not claiming to be some all-knowing spiritual authority, I’m simply writing as I felt led. I’m not necessarily right, I’m just testing things, much like Shawn is just testing things.
1) The Feed-Eat Factor
To an extent, I think Shawn does have a point. We are commanded in scripture to “test all things”, and with a lot of the “fluffy” pastors out there who are too aftraid of hurting their church attendance numbers than to take a stand for what God’s commanded of us, even if it’s not popular, then there are a lot of places you won’t find true answers. What bothers me most is that a lot of pastors nowadays don’t even preach about sin because it might make someone feel bad about themselves. Human beings, since the fall of man, are inherently sinners. Not one of us is born better than the other. It’s for this reason that Christ came and died on the cross. Then we eliminate “sin” because it might make someone feel bad? Can you imagine trying to witness to someone with that mentality?
“You know, 2000 years ago Jesus Christ died on a cross for you.”
“Why?”
“Uhhh… just because.”
The truth is God’s grace is amazing, to save someone so wretched as myself. It’s because of the fact that I’m a sinner, I’ve had impure thoughts, if you want to go so far, according to Christ’s words in Matthew 5:22, I’ve even commited murder in my heart once or twice. None of us are perfect, and we should be aware of this fact.
As a counter-point on the feed-eat issue, however, I’m reminded of something from my early days as a journalism major. You see, one thing that all of the students in my journalism classes complained about was “media bias”, how the media was so biased one direction, and they praised small-press publications that were supposedly the model of unbiased media. Upon reading those, however, you’d come to find out that they’re just as biased as the other stuff, their bias just agrees more with the person who’s praising its personal bias. Essentially, they were complaining that the general population was being fed something and never probed it, while they were doing the exact same thing with a different brand of dog food. Did they have a point? Sure, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that. But they were doing the exact same thing as they were calling out against. They weren’t actually probing what they were being told, they just liked the taste better. Ultimately, we’re going to get our truth from somewhere; the question is, will we be getting our truth from God, or from men?
2) The Traditions of Men
Well, this will consumate most of the blog entry, I’m sure, as there’s a lot to say here. I’ll probably tackle the topics and issues in a slightly scattered order from how Shawn initially phrased them. Here goes:
“Jesus came to tear down the organized religion of men and build something stronger, something that did not change with the times.”
Two things;
First, Christ did not strike at religion so much as the corrupt religious leaders. The priests were making themselves “Holier-than-thou”, their office in the new testament came with a certain amount of power that they abused more than helped with, and they turned the temple into a marketplace. This is why Christ cleansed the temple (twice)! They thrashed people for not following commandments given that they themselves hypocritically did not follow. Hence him calling them (not religion) a “brood of vipers”.
Secondly, he himself spoke of religious practice. In Matthew 5:23, he says if you bring your gift to the altar and have anger towards your brother in your heart, you are to leave the gift at the altar and reconcile with your brother before you sacrafice. Granted, we no longer practice the sacrafices of the old testament, but the principle is still the same. One of the comanded ordinances in the bible by Christ is communion, at the last supper, as a rememberance of what Christ did for us. There are still practices we are to keep, even today. He even preformed religious ceremonies himself in Luke 4:15-19
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
“I am not under a law. All things are permissable for me, although some things are dumb and stupid for me to do.”
Alrighty, going back to Matthew 5:17-18
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”
There are still things that are dumb for us to do as Christians, I think a NOTW sticker we carry at work says it best: “10 Commandments, not 10 Suggestions”. Christ died for the sins we’ve commited, and even for those we’ve yet to commit. That doesn’t mean we should go out and sin willy-nilly. I think this is essentially what Shawn was getting it, but the phrasing kind of threw me. The best response is the Apostle Paul in Romans 6:1-2:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
Following along the same line of thought, where did “church” come from in the first place?
Matthew 16:18
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
The church in the early history was started by Peter at Pentecost, when he began preaching the Gospel of Christ when the spirit of the Lord came upon him. It evolved from there, I’m already running long-winded, but several churches emerged as Peter and Paul preached the Gospel throughout the Roman empire. The church at Colosse, the church in Galatia, the church in Corinth, just to name a few. They also, as it would happen, dealt with a lot of issues that churches today are still dealing with, and sadly most of them don’t see it.
Corinthians – Serious issues with carnality, touting they had grace whilst continuing to sin.
Galatians – Legalistic, said in order to be saved by the law of Moses, when all one had to do is trust Christ.
Colossians – Church was relativistic, clung to their own ideas while inserting the parts they liked from Christianity.
All of these, I’m sure, you can find at any number of Churches throughout the country. Legalism, carnality, relativism. All modern day issues faced by ancient churches.
All this to say, I’d be first to admit that the church system isn’t perfect. There’s books on “marketing” your church, which is honestly disturbing to me, because when you get to the point where you don’t leave the marketing to God, you’re just trying to increase the numbers (He parted the Red Sea, I think he can handle your church’s marketing campaigns). Sending out postcards with a play on Desprate Housewives in an attempt to draw a crowd is pushing things, in my humble opinion. I won’t go into my personal problems with a lot of church practices I’ve seen, though. C.S. Lewis probably stated it best when he said (though considerably more eloquently than I) that Christianity is a hallway, out from which are many doors. Do not judge the door by the paint on the outside, but probe it; pray to God and ask “Is truth here?” And do not scorn those who have chosen a door different from you, if they are in the wrong, they require your prayers, and if they be your enemy, you’re still under command to love them.
That wasn’t particularly Lewis-esque, but you get the point.
“Jesus didn’t stay in the synogogues with an occasional trip to the city! JESUS HUNG OUT WITH THE GANGSTAS AND THE PLAYAS”
Two things stand out here.
1) Jesus didn’t STAY in the synagouges, but it’s important to note that he didn’t exactly avoid them, either. In fact, he was possionate about reaching people there. Luke 4:14-15 says:
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
And lest we forget the temple… John 2:14-17
And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
2) Shawn’s got a point about who Jesus hung out with,as well. Christ came to save them, though, not to simply “hang out”. We are called to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Christ didn’t just “hang out”, he taught. He preached the gospel, and enlisted the apostles to do likewise.
The passion of the founder of NOTW clothing is one thing that I have to say inspires me in this sense. It’s his passion to see souls saved because, Christ was clear, all who do not believe will be condemned. He said “Never assume someone knows Jesus, because you never really know.” He read a letter that I sadly cannot find anywhere, but it went similar to a poem I recently read:
I stand in Judgment now, and feel that you’re to blame somehow.
On earth, I walked with you day by day, and never did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory, but never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim; you could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together on the earth, you never told me of the second birth,
and now I stand this day condemned, because you failed to mention Him.
You taught me many things, that’s true, I called you “friend” and trusted you.
But now I’ve learned that it’s too late, you could have kept me from this awful fate.
We walked by day and talked by night, and yet you showed me not the Light.
You let me live, and love, and die, you knew I’d never live on high.
Yes, I called you a “friend” in life, and trusted you through joy and strife.
And yet on coming to the end, I cannot, now, call you “My Friend.”
There’s a suffering world out there, and yet we hold the cure. Are we going to do anything with it, or will we just keep it to ourselves?
3) What I don’t consider “traditional Christianity”
Okay, now we get to the entirely original part of the post: What I am NOT out to defend.
1) Church as a social club – I don’t see any problem with getting together with other Christians, in fact we are commanded to do so in Romans 10:25:
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
However, going to church just to “hang out” with other like minded individuals I see as a problem. I’ve seen a lot of “clique-ish” churches that remind me of high school girls in their little groups, and that sickens me. If you’re not going to do something for the cause of Christ, go home.
2) Church as a means to get to heaven – That’s legalism. Church isn’t the way to get to heaven, church is the way to grow spiritually. Jesus Christ is the only way to get to heaven.
3) Church as a means of exhibitionism – The “look at me, look at me, I’m at church” attitude where the sole purpose is to make everyone marvel at what a good person you are. That’s what the pharisees and saducees did, that IS what Christ came to tear down.
4) Church as a center for relativism – We shouldn’t be using God’s grace as a means to justify our sins or to ease our guilty conscience. We also should be vigilant to letting elements that aren’t Christ-centered slip in to our theology (by elements, the ideas behind taking the good from buddism and combining it with the good from Christianity).
As I said, it’s more a conversation than simply “I’m right, he’s wrong”. I’m not out to trash Shawn’s viewpoints, I’m just adding to the conversation. God has spoken, everything else is just commentary. :-)