Truth, tradition and interpretation.

Most of us confuse truth with what the particular group we belong to, believes. We used to talk a lot about peer pressure, and I don't really know why we still don't, because it is everywhere. I see it in the University, I see it in the church, I see it in the social groups I interact with. I see it in me.

I have mentioned some of these things before, but in terms of academia I keep coming back to a book “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” by Thomas S. Kuhn. Kuhn's basic point is that Scientists are subject to peer pressure just like the rest of us, and that progress in Science is often held up because of the influence of individuals or groups that hold onto theories and opinions long after the evidence points away from them. I blogged earlier that I am not invested in the truth or falsity of the theory of evolution (November 11th 2012). My point is that whatever is true in terms of development is a description of how God does or did things. So my faith is not threatened by the theory of evolution. Nevertheless the more I read, the more convinced I am that macro evolution is incorrect.

The word “evolution” is a useful word (though a red flag to many Christians). The dictionary defines it as any process of formation or growth or development. So for example we can speak of the evolution of the airplane. The idea of natural selection is also useful. I heard an opinion recently that suggests that there is a process of natural selection among biologists. The idea being that if you do not believe in the full fledged theory of evolution you are severely hampered in career and other advances in academia! I have no doubt that there is some truth in this. And of course this then skews the “Scientific” opinion on these matters. And it not just biology, it enters into the social Sciences as the pressure to conform to politically correct doctrines. Again as I have said elsewhere, most of the so called faith Science disputes have to do with interpretation of the facts, rather than the facts themselves.

And this happens within the Faith community too. The basic point here is that we are all people and we are all, at some point, biased. We are all influenced by our environment, culture upbringing and the strongly held opinions of those with whom we have to do. I regard myself as fortunate to have been associated with a (relatively) large cross section of Christian denominations and groups. I say fortunate because the interaction with sincere believers of various stripes has helped me to see both sides of numerous issues, that far too often have divided us. What I am saying is that the same problem that I have observed in academia seems to hold true among Christians. The biggest problem that I see is that we fail to distinguish between what the Bible says, and what our group/denomination/ friends think it says. In other words the biggest differences among those who hold a very high view of Scripture are matters of interpretation.

I have said this before too, but it bears repeating. There are two equal and opposite errors here. The first is to be ever learning and never arriving at the truth of the basics of the faith (2 Timothy 3:7). The basics are identified in Hebrews 6:1,2 as “repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” The other “ditch” we can fall into is thinking that we know it all, that we have arrived. Paul tells us that “if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Corinthians 8:2). And both sides can sling mud the one accusing the other of being wishy washy, the other accusing the other of giving pat and shallow answers to complex questions. Loving God with all of our minds surely involves separating the essentials from the inessentials. I do not need to separate myself from those who disagree on the thorny issue of whether Adam had a navel :-)!

Is it any coincidence that the good Lord gave us two ears and one mouth? I think not! You need a verse for this? Well okay “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). All this speaks of humility, the very opposite of thinking we have arrived. The Word of God is so deep, we will spend eternity studying it and still not exhaust it. When we think we have arrived on every issue, we miss what God is doing in the wider body, and we miss what He wants to do in our lives. When differences bring us into anger, there is surely something wrong. If I have the truth why would I feel threatened by differences? As iron sharpens iron, so man sharpens man. We are meant to learn from each other, and there is so much more than any one of us, or any single group or denomination has. On top of this, if my view is correct, I will not win over the other party by getting angry! Getting angry over sincere differences is likely a sign that we should look more closely at the issue!

If you want to pray: Lord give me the grace, the love and the humility to be all that You call me to be. Help me to treat others as you would, help me to listen to others, especially those who are wrong :-)!

Walk, stand, sit! Not! Resolutions or revolutions?

If you do the 'read the Bible in a year' thing, you will likely have read Psalm 1 in the last couple of days. Verse 1 reads “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;” It's all about not letting the World squeeze you into its mold, about being intentional about what we allow to influence us, about where we spend our time, what we think about, what stands we take, and what comes out of our mouths!

I have not always gone with New Year's resolutions (especially New years revolutions where I promise to change radically for the rest of my life!), but this year, I am aware that I need to change a number of things. In the last day's post I was talking about how easily we drift away, how easily we loose the reality of His presence. Perhaps you have never truly felt it, but most of us can look back on some experience of Him and wish it was like that again, wish that we could have more of the same.

God wants relationship with us. Jesus tells the Father in His high priestly prayer that the essence of eternal (abundant) life is knowing Him (John 17:3). I am probably not saying anything particularly deep when I say that relationships are hard. I have gone to a couple of extremes in trying to make them work for me. In particularly in the past there was too much fighting then, when that left me bleeding an wounded, I went to the other extreme and became a conflict avoider, seeking peace at any price. What I learned from the school of hard knocks in the latter attempt to make things work, is that you cannot make up for what the other person is not willing, or not able, to give to the relationship. God knew this before I did :-).

And He will not make up in His relationship with you or I what we are not willing (or able without His help) to give. Having said this, He is the one who spread wide His arms on the cross essentially saying to you and I and to the World “You will go to hell over my dead body.” He came to heal the broken hearted, He came to set us prisoners free (in particular from our addictions). He came to forgive and paid the price so that a Just and Holy God could welcome the broken, the hurting and the sinful into relationship with Himself. In other words, at incredible cost to Himself, He took the initiative in reaching out to each and every one of us. He pursues us too, but He will not force us. He loves us too much to force us out of the poor choices that we make on an ongoing basis! Our choices are powerful!

So what I am saying is that God is the initiator. He took the initiative in the costly business of making it possible for us to have relationship with Him in the first place, and He takes the initiative in perusing us. But He also waits for us to respond. It's a romance, a Divine romance. Is there anything so sad as unrequited love? He has poured out His love on us. God so loved the world He gave His one and only Son that whosoever turns to Him in trust and total surrender will not perish but will have abundant life in the here and now and life everlasting in the hereafter. So the questions is “What is my response, what is yours?”

Paul in the letter to the Romans (12:1ff) tells us that the only reasonable response to the tender mercies of God, is to present ourselves as living sacrifices, which is our spiritual worship. And when we do, He meets us where we are (as opposed to where we should be!). It is so easy to loose our zeal our passion for Him. When we do, we need to “buy gold from Him refined in the fire,” that we “may be rich...” (Rev. 3:18). Part of this “buying gold,” is to get rid of everything that hinders our relationship with Him. The second verse of the Romans 12 is important, it tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Part of this is to disallow the things that hinder, that is the council and the influence of all that is ungodly. We live in a society that is fixated on pornography and materialism, that is consumed with business, with meaningless entertainment and the like. It not that all of these things are evil in and of themselves (though some of them are). But the real problem is that they crowd out and choke the life we have in God. They leave no room for Him or His Word, for true fellowship with Him and each other.

The Christian life is not primarily about not doing the things that hinder, it is not about rules or regulations, it is about keeping my primary focus on Him. It is about nurturing my relationship with Him. So I need to spend more, and more quality time with Him. I need to hear His voice, I need to feel His presence, I need a practical revelation of how much He loves me. I need His help, His strength, His wisdom and His grace. When we do our part He works in us to do what we cannot do without Him. And then He is the one who brings real change, real revolution. So the good news is that it is not all up to me.

If you want to pray: Father it's not about me, it's about You. Please give me what I need to follow hard after You. Give me what I do not have, so cannot give, in this regard. Fascinate me with Yourself and continue to draw me and bring me into Your presence. Let me find my rest and peace and joy and hope and strength in You. Show me my part in all this, and then help me to play it. In Jesus name Amen.