Theological Musings

long time ago (in blog terms), I started talking about John 17 and unity (here and here). It seems that the subject of unity has popped up on a number of blogs that I read, and I wanted to share some more thoughts on that topic.

This post started as a response on a post over at The Pursuit, but I decided to just write it here instead. In one of Lew’s “Question of the Week” posts, he asked:

Why do the things that cause us to separate ourselves by denomination have little to do with what God’s Word tells us to separate ourselves from?

Recently, in response to that, a commenter wrote:

…the union of people who have conflicting ideas is really no unity at all.

I think this is 1) a red herring, and 2) a false dichotomy, and 3) an excuse for the utter lack of attempts at unity in the body of Christ.

There can be a lot of “conflicting ideas” in a unified group. The unity is not always a simple function of unity in thought (or better yet, a unity in knowledge), but rather a unity in identification.

I find my identity in Christ. Who I am is found in Christ. Anyone else who finds their identity in Christ is my brother, and I should be able to be unified with them without any problem.

What if we disagree on methods of evangelism? So what?

What if we disagree on the use of certain spiritual gifts? So what?

What if we disagree on exactly how God created the heavens and the earth? So what?

What if we disagree on exactly what/when the millenial kingdom of Christ is? So what?

What if we disagree on exactly how God has “chosen” us? So what??

That need not divide us. Unless we twist any of those things, or a million other “issues” like them, into issues of true fellowship, they are not reasons for division. And if those things divide us, we should ask ourselves: From what do we get our identity?

For example, take a look at some of the leaders of large denominations who say that they can’t “cooperate” in the work of the Gospel with those who have not been baptized by someone in their denomination. Are they really seeking unity? In my opinion, no. They are seeking to defend their particular belief system as the only true and correct belief system.

That is not of Christ. It never has been, and never will be. And it is not those outside of that denomination who are the heretics. It is the one causing division who is the heretic.

Let’s quit coming up with excuses for our division and start really accepting and loving those who confess Christ, and seeking unity with them.

Conflicting ideas? Sure. Ability to fellowship and work together despite those differences? Absolutely — because it is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one Spirit that unites us.

Until next time,

steve

n the spirit of that great theologian, Jeff Foxworthy, I present to you some rambling thoughts in my head, all completed by the phrase “you might be misrepresenting God”…

• If your message is not filled with hope, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you tell people that they need to come to you to understand the message of scripture, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that “being real” means talking more about the wind and waves in your life than about the One who calms the storm, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that people who don’t attend a Sunday morning meeting are outside of God’s covering and protection, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that sickness, financial problems, hurricanes, broken bones, auto accidents, and terrorist attacks are all tools of God “to teach you something”, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that a person can’t live above their circumstances and walk in peace and victory, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that someone is not being real unless they tell you they’re struggling with some huge temptation, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that the only legitimate types of prayer for a Christian are prayers of lament, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you tell someone who is experiencing the peace and joy of the Lord to “hang on, your turn is coming”, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you believe that only “properly authorized leaders” are capable of serving communion or baptizing others, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you believe that Christianity is best represented by a set of propositional statements and/or a systematic theology, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If your message does not lead to freedom, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that the Father doesn’t speak to his children in various ways, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that America is “God’s chosen country” and that everything America’s foreign policy represents is ordained by God, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that the Republican party is “God’s party, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that religion and Christianity are compatible, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that you can only “cooperate” in ministry and missions with people who have been baptized by a pastor in your same denomination, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that true Christianity is only represented by a particular denomination or systematic theology, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If your belief in Christ does not manifest itself in living the life that Christ commanded us to live, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that you are more capable of articulating what someone else believes than that very person is capable of doing, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you believe that sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, freedom to the captives, and walking to the lame were only for first-century “verification of the message”, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that the only legitimate way to articulate one’s belief in God is found in a 4th-century statement, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that our main responsibility in relationship to God is to study the Bible, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that “everyone needs to have a pastor”, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you believe that leaving the institutional church is what the writer of Hebrews meant when he wrote, “Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together”, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that a relationship with God means that you will accept or reject certain styles of music, certain hairstyles, certain beverages, or hanging out with certain people, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you think that Jesus turned water into mere grape juice, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you believe that a particular translation of the bible is the only inspired version, you might be misrepresenting God.
• If you believe that one’s beliefs about baptism, bible translation, rapture timing, tongues, or a particular interpretation of Genesis 1-2 are absolute essentials to salvation and/or fellowship, you might be misrepresenting God.

or those of you interested in following our adoption possibilities, you will want to read my latest post on Love Each Child.  We are rejoicing at the work God is doing.  And as you will see by that post, the news is even better than what we thought the best outcome could be!

We anxiously await the next step in the process…

o, I’m not talking about getting laryngitis. I’m just referring to the lack of motivation I have had to post on this blog lately.

I’m not entirely sure what it is. It’s not really apathy. It’s not because I don’t want to provide reading material for my faithful readers. It’s not even because I am disinterested in any topics that I might write about.

It’s just that I’m struggling right now to figure out what exactly I want to focus on in my writing. I find something of a “blogger’s block” on this particular blog.

I’ve written several posts on our foster/adoption blog about the current events in that part of our life. I find that I want to write about that! And writing those posts seems very easy for me right now. Like I used to feel here.

So, this blog sits. Collecting dust. Is it dying? Honestly, I don’t know. It’s been a part of my life for over two years now. So part of me doesn’t want to let it go. And yet, I wonder…

I think what it really boils down to is that I’m starting to outgrow the phase of my journey that birthed this blog. The phase of my journey where I began asking a lot of questions. Began challenging a lot of things. Began exploring various topics related to church and theology that played into all the changes taking place in my experience.

But lately, I’m finding that I’m enjoying just resting in Christ. Just enjoying my relationship with him. I’ve asked a ton of questions, and I’ve explored a lot of different topics. And I feel like those questions are dying down now. At least for the time being.

So what does that mean? Well, I’m not sure. I think it just means that I’m putting my attention elsewhere for right now.

I have an interview at Barter Theatre in Abingdon, VA (the interview I’ve been waiting for for months now) on Tuesday, November 27. I’m excited about that. They have changed the start date on the job. It was originally slated to start mid-January, but now is mid-March. I’m pleased with that change, and if I get the job, it will be nice to know that I have two extra months here in Boone with the people with whom we fellowship.

And our foster/adoptive situation is quite exciting right now. We’re eagerly awaiting word as to whether or not we will have the chance to adopt a particular little one that we are quite fond of, despite the fact that we’ve only had one weekend with her, and that was several weeks ago.

Those two things are what are mostly on my mind lately. Well, those things plus a couple of theological thoughts that I always feel are too controversial to put on a blog. You know, the kind of things that I’ve talked about in the past that somehow mysteriously get people thinking that I don’t value the Bible or some other such nonsense. And controversy just isn’t my thing right now.

I guess there are a lot of things I would love to talk about, but just can’t find the voice with which to do it. So, after spending all these words to say, “I have nothing to say right now,” I’ll leave you to return to your regular reading elsewhere.

Feel free to check back here whenever you want. Better yet, just add me (or keep me) in your feed reader, and you’ll know if I post again! This phase may not last long. But I figured I’d at least just be honest about it and let you know why my posting is so sporadic here.

God bless you all, and I hope to continue to dialogue with many of you on your own blogs, if not here.

Until next time,

steve

his is a serious question being posed in this post, and is not meant to imply any attempt to stir anything up. I’m asking sincerely because I honestly have no clue what the answer is. I hope somebody can shed light on this.

First some background. As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, we have been reading through the Bible as a family. We’re not on any particular schedule or “reading plan”, but just reading a few chapters at a time. We’re just going in printed order (i.e., Genesis to Revelation, cover-to-cover).

Tonight, we finished 2 Chronicles. And as I read the last few chapters aloud, something jumped out at me that has me very baffled.

In 2 Chronicles 30, Hezekiah invites all Israel to the Passover. 2 Chronicles 30:21-26 tell us that the celebration of the Passover was so exciting that after the seven days of the feast, they decided to celebrate seven more days. Verse 26 sums up the amazing feast by saying that there was great joy because nothing like this had been done in Jerusalem since the time of Solomon.

Moving on, after Hezekiah’s death, his son Manasseh becomes king. And then Manasseh’s son Amon becomes king 55 years later. After just a two-year reign, Amon is assassinated, and his son Josiah is made king.

Josiah is Hezekiah’s great-grandson, according to the text. Just 57 years after the death of Hezekiah.

Now here’s where it gets confusing for me.

2 Chronicles 35 details a celebration of the Passover under Josiah’s reign. And 2 Chronicles 35:18 has this to say about it:

There had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

I have added some bold to show what confuses me. If just three generations earlier (and a mere five chapters in our text) we see a grand celebration of the Passover with Hezekiah, why are we now told that none of the kings of Israel ever celebrated the Passover like this? Hezekiah’s is said to be the grandest since the time of Solomon, but the mention of Josiah’s Passover takes it back even before Saul!

Am I missing something very obvious here? Can anyone shed any light on this for me? If you can, please comment below. I’m honestly very puzzled about this oddity.

Until next time,

steve