In Our Father Abraham, Marvin Wilson explores the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. One of the things he does is show how, with the hellenization of the early church and its gospel, some very important Jewish ways of thinking and being were lost or at least de-emphasized.
One example is the Greek emphasis on the individual over the corporate body. This translates into the beliefs of the individual becoming more important than group membership. He writes:
Whereas Christians often define their faith primarily as a system of beliefs, Jews see doctrine or belief as only one–and not the most important–of several elements constituting the essence of Judaism. In the words of the Jewish scholar Nicholas De Lange, “To be a Jew means first and foremost to belong to a group, the Jewish people, and the religious beliefs are secondary, in a sense, to this corporate allegiance.”
What if we accepted other Christians as Christians because they belong to the group and not because all of their religious beliefs line up with ours? Which makes me wonder: Do we have any other way to identify fellow Christians other than by quizzing them on their beliefs?
I’m not saying our beliefs are unimportant. I’m asking if our beliefs should be the primary way we determine who’s in and who’s out.
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
Which begs the question…..why do WE feel like WE should be the one sitting in the judgement seat in the first place? But I understand what you are asking, and it is a really good question.
I do think we have had a fixation on “who’s in and who’s out” when we could have spent that energy on BEING and TAKING the Gospel to those we know beyond a doubt are lost, because they don’t know God or Jesus Christ the Savior.
Thanks for your wonderful post!
DU
We sing that they’ll know us by our love – is the converse true? Will we know them by their love? Does it help to know that we’re given the same Spirit? Are we bearing the same kind of fruit? I know I’m shaking the metaphor tree clean.
But doesn’t it make sense that if folks are gathering rather than scattering, they’re with us? and with Him? Okay, now I’m at the simile shrub.
Do they confess the same Lord? Repudiate the same sins? Pray to the same God? Wear the same name – Christian? Bless others in the same name – Christ?
Ain’t what we agree on more important than what we disagree about?
How about a mulitple choice question (people like multiple choice)… Is Jesus Savior and Lord of your life? (a) yes (b)no. Leave the a’s alone and pursue the b’s with passion.
post moderns probably won’t like it because the answer is too definite 🙂
HA! Brad…I’m nearly as postmodern as you get…but that sounds good to me…and so does Wade’s concept of being part of a community instead of picking apart our intellectual positions.
I asked myself the following question in the shower this morning and it seemed to relate. Is there a difference in
1. bringing people to Jesus and/or
2. taking Jesus to people?
My thoughts were that by bringing people to Jesus we are bringing them to our culture and traditions, but by taking Jesus to them, we are meeting them where they are.
This seems to be significant in that if we take Jesus to people and meet them where they are, then it is between God and them as to where they go. In other words, I don’t have to worry if they are in or out. I have done my job. Let God do His job.
Not sure if I made a lot of sense, but it seemed a good thought at the time!?!
Peggy in Texas
Hey! I think you guys are correct… and I can tell from the comments that you are all in Christian dominated areas. One way to cure the “what denomination are you/do you dunk or sprinkle” mindset is to go where Christians are the severe minority. Take, for example, a large northeastern city like Philadelphia or NYC. I have lived in both places, but am currently four blocks from the Liberty Bell in down town Philly. I meet people constantly who say in astonishment, “You are the only person I know who is a Christian.” Or “You are the only person I know who believes the Bible is actually true.” Once, in 24 hours, I met four people who said those words to me. So, when you stumble upon someone who actually believes in Jesus and who actually professes Christianity, you grab them, embrace them, and walk with them through the journey. The specifics of their theological ideas are not even secondary considerations. After having lived in Nashville (yes, I have moved around a bit), this perspective was kind of nice… although living in such spiritual isolation is quite challenging itself.
BTW, the thing about Jews feeling primarily a part of a group is true… But the cool thing about Christianity is that it’s a choice — no one is forced into it and no one can complain about it’s restrictions. If you don’t like what God says about morality, you don’t have to be a Christian. You can opt in or out. BUt it’s much much better in!
Bye everyone. Cool blog.
Blessings!
I have a friend who is Jewish.
She told me recently that Jews who convert to Christianity are no longer Jewish. I found that to be interesting. She has told me I am one of the few Christians that has not condemned her to hell. She often gets door knockers in her neighborhood, and when she tells them she is Jewish, they start in on how bad she is for not believing in Christ.
I have apologized for mindless people who refuse to be relational with others and finger point. The only way anyone who is not in Christ to know Him is to see those of us who believe in Him living our lives as He lived his, NOT JUDGING!
Okay, I feel a lot better now.
“One can no more choose his spiritual brothers than he could select his physical brothers. In both cases brotherhood results from fatherhood and we must welcome those begotten by our father whether we wish to do do so or not.” In HIM, Fred
Sounds like this concept that is apart of the emergent statement: deep ecclesiology: accepting church in all its forms, high and low.
A metaphor that comes to mind is walking through an art gallery of different paintings of Jesus. I should try or seek to find beauty in each portrait even though it probably doesn’t resemble my painting.
Good post today. I too wish we could reestablish a corporate understanding of Christianity, over against the individualistic one that prevails today. I would say, though, that although some of the early Greek Christians has such a individualistic understanding of Christianity (the Desert Fathers tend towards this path), most did not. Greek Christianity was very communal in nature. Greek Fathers such as Clement, Origen, and Gregory of Nyssa centered their understanding of Christian community on the nature of the Trinity. It was the Latin/Western Church that really began to focus on the individual (though this was influenced somewhat by Plato). And many historians today have stopped speaking of the “Hellenization” of Christianity and have instead refered to it as the “Christianization” of Hellenism.
As for the question in your post, I think the best way to identify who is apart of the communion of the Church is by the way they live. Isn’t Christianity really about a way of life, rather than a set of beliefs? Of course, the beliefs inform and shape the way of life, but didn’t Christ say that they will know His disciples by their love?
Travis–good clarification. It’s probably more accurate to label what Wilson is describing as the “Platonization” of Western Christianity rather than the “Hellenazation” of it.
#5 post – taking Jesus to people! Bingo. That seems so much truer to the missional mandate of Matthew 28.
This is not original but applicable: We’ve lived in a democracy so long that we no longer know how to live in a kingdom…
Paul meets “disciples” and “quizzes” them on thier “status”
Q: Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?
A: No, who is the Holy Spirit
Q: Into what then were you baptized?
A: John’s baptism
Once Paul properly assesed thier situation, he was able to teach them (Acts 17:1-9).
Peter’s second sermon – not too harsh, but to the point:
“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.” / “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;”
Acts 3:17, 19
Acts 8:9-24 – Peter strongly rebuked Simon (the former sorcerer) for wanting to purchase the “power of the Holy Spirit”. Simon was a new convert, but Peter let him have it. Simon repented. Maybe a person’s response is more of an indication of the hearer’s heart than the speaker’s presentation.
Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8 – Paul “reasoned with” and “persuaded” the locals
Paul called the Galatians “foolish” (3:1, 3) and admonished the Ephesians not to be “foolish” (5:17)
The Apostle John (the Love Apostle) spoke kindly and gently, but also spoke very frankly:
* “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness”-1 John 3:4
* “the one who practices sin is of the devil;”-1 John 3:8
* “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer;”-1 John 3:15
* “The one who does not love does not know God”-1 John 4:8
* “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar”-1 John 4:20
Acts 18:24-28, Apollos, mighty in Scriptures and instructed in the way of the Lord, still needed a little “tweaking”. Once “tweaked”, he “powerfully refuted” the Jews by use of the Scriptures.
I suppose it’s a lot easier to claim “common beliefs” than to go to the trouble of studying the Scriptures (Acts 17:11) and trying to teach others “more accurately” the way.
One person posted here that, after living in an unchurched area that she simply delights in the fact that a person professes belief in Jesus. Although I cannot, personally, identify with living in an area like that, Paul can and his response was not like this persons’ response. Paul boldy spoke what he had been taught, never compromising the truth and never settling until people either believed him or ran him off. We’ve already noticed how he interrogated the disciples at Ephesus.
As far as someone simply “professing belief”, is that enough? In Acts 10:38 Peter indicated that Cornelius “knew” Jesus, but Cornelius was earlier told by an Angel that he would “be saved” by Peter’s preaching (Acts 11:14). Now, this all came about because Cornelius was a good and righteous man and God noticed his good deeds. Cornelius had a pure heart. But, God’s plan was brought about by teaching and instruction. God could have said “you’re saved”, but then the benefit of understanding and the ability to teach others would not have been realized.
Now, I understand that we must gently approach those in sin to win them back and we must show our love as proof of our discipleship, but never, ever are we told, even remotely, nor is it ever suggested, that we sould compromise the truth for the sake of unity. Traditions and matters of conscience, absolutely we push those to the back of our agenda list. But the Truth, never.
I definitely believe that one is a christian IF they have been obedient to the gospel as Christ has told each of us to be in Matthew 28, last few verses. The great commission is a binding situation IF one is to be a christian. He also said we will know them by their fruits which Galatians 5 points out. Christians will be under a godly church name since your wife isn’t to wear another man’s name who isn’t her husband. You were espoused to her in marriage; christians are espoused to Christ in baptism. This puts us in His group called Christ’s Church…which will be saved. He tells us that pure religion and undefiled is to visit the widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. He says that godliness and contentment is great gain and if we are to live excellently we are to study to be quiet, work with our hands and mind our own business as stated in Thessalonians. We are to visit the sick and those needing help The first century christians partook of communion (the breaking of the bread and the wine) each Sunday. They sang, offered prayers and exhorted one another with the Word. We are to hold out the gospel, yes that 5 step plan that many people in the true church of Christ rarely hear any more….hearing the Word, believing it to be the Truth, repenting of one’s sins (getting out of them if they are in adultery, stopping their homosexual lifestyle, quit being bitter, etc…), confessing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and THEN getting into Christ by being baptized (totally immersed into the water, not being sprinkled or dipped or worse just saying “Christ come into my heart” and leaving it at that)to wash away their sins and to put on the righteousness of Christ. This is God’s plan and He isn’t going to bargin. If He chooses to admend it, it will be His decision at the Judgment. Until then I choose to use the Bible as my guide and hope the people reading this will do the same. There is more in the Bible than is being preached in the pulpit. People wake up! READ the Bible…the New Testament. It’s your final exam! Thank you for posting this.