Doctrinal Safety Bumpers

[i]

Monday, April 3, 2017

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.  May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.  Psalm 143:10 ^(NLT)

On vacation Elizabeth and I worship with different churches, often of a denomination different than our own.  We hung out with the Baptists a week ago, and the Lutherans yesterday.  Between our Lutheran fellow Christians’ heavy focus on liturgy, and a diagram a friend posted on Facebook last week, my normal wandering mind drew me to the question I’ve been asked too many times to count:  why all the creeds, confessions of faith and different groups?

The diagram[ii] my friend posted on Facebook may help illustrate why doctrine (from which our confessions and creeds are born), is, and has been, safely transmitted from one generation to the next.

Note how on both sides of the diagram the foundation is The Bible.  All truly Christian groups start with that, the sacred library of 66 books we call Christian Scripture.

Then note on the right side of the diagram how the arrows (representing our life’s pathway) veer either to the left or right.  This demonstrates false doctrine…the believer is led astray; it’s the broad path, not the narrow way Jesus talked about in his Mountain Sermon^{(Matthew 7:14)}.

On the left side of the diagram it is different – the creeds and confessions of faith, drawn from the important truths and doctrines Scripture holds as life-giving musts, act like safety bumpers, keeping us on the narrow way.

Have you ever gone to a bowling alley when young children are playing?  They place safety “bumper” guards over the gutter channels so the unskilled little ones have a chance at knocking down some pins.  The gutter of life is also an open hole of sin into which we humans can slide.  Our doctrinal creeds and confessions, repeated often in church and private devotions become an inner guard against false doctrine.

David prayed that God might teach him to do things God’s way.  He knew that was the only firm footing for his life.  This is the nature of our doctrinal creeds and confessions of faith.  They teach us God’s way.

For You Today

So, the next time you’re asked to stand with your congregation and repeat the creed or confession of faith, or another form of liturgy that your church uses, save the eye-roll or groan…you need to do that!

That’s how we pray like David!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

NOTES

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 ^I Title image: Jay at the English language Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons

[ii] By peteorta.com, via Drew McIntyre on Facebook

Changing Horses

[1]

Monday, February 22, 2016

VIDEO

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  Philippians 1:6^(NLT)

The old expression you never change horses in the middle of a stream is a familiar one because it expresses a great piece of advice about following through, or perseverance.  Politicians are constantly being accused by opponents of contradicting themselves, changing their minds, or taking the easy way out.  People even change their gender orientation these days.

I am often asked:  Why did you change from Baptist to Methodist?  I have come to believe that the question is less-centered on me than on the internal longing of the questioner for a new start.  Change comes about only when the pain of staying the same exceeds the fear of changing.  Asking the question of someone who has made a difficult change is often borne out of an inner desire to overcome the fear of moving ahead.

A second question – which (to me) seems a natural follow-up to the first question is:  And how is that working for you?  I am rarely asked that.  The usual follow-up question is:  And how did you do that?  This confirms my belief that others, discontented or annoyed with their present circumstances, long for change.  But, deep inside, you know there’s a war going on over fear of repercussions if they act on that longing.

My change came about a decade ago, but I’m only now beginning to feel comfortable in my new (Methodist) skin.  Change is hardly something that happens overnight, simply because you change the logo on your business card. 

One of the things I realized along the way was that wanting change is not the same as being changed.  For instance, in meeting people, and getting into the usual “what do you do for a living” question, I sometimes found myself stumbling through an answer.

That all changed last Thursday!

Thursday is Senior discount day at Harris Teeter, so we were doing our grocery shopping.  I was engrossed with staring at the receipt, trying to figure out how we’d gone that much over our budget, so I wasn’t thinking about anything other than making these groceries last two years.  The delightful young man who was bagging our purchases finished, and said as I began to leave:  There ya go, bud, God bless you!  Without thinking or hesitating, I turned to face him, and said:  And with you also!  

My Methodist transformation is completed!

I find myself asked a third question sometimes:  Would you do it again?  That’s another question that has a question behind it:  Do you think I should change?  I find myself side-stepping that question, preferring for people to wrestle in their own mud with that one.  But, when I side-step, it is into the other, more profound and eternal question:  Should I change from thinking about Jesus and commit to following Jesus?

This is the oft-repeated story of how millions changed throughout history:  I once was lost; but now I’m found, ‘twas blind, but now I see. 

And seeing, having the blinders of sin removed, must change the “doing” of our daily lives, or there has not been any genuine change.

Paul expressed confidence that the folks at Philippi were going to experience the transforming work, or change, that God had begun in them.  Paul’s influence and work among the new church start would not die on the vine; the change of hearts that had once been pagan and lost, without God, were being molded, formed into the image of Christ for the glory of God the Father.

For You Today

So, let me ask the question about your change from thinking about Jesus to committing and following Jesus…How’s that working for you?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today…and have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image:  By Dagur Brynjólfsson, via Wikimedia Commons

Dividing-Up Christ - Part 3

Thursday, February 6, 2014

We are continuing with some views on my transition from Baptist to Methodist. 

On Tuesday we shared how Russell put himself in a theological blender, chopping up various doctrinal stances (or rather being chopped-up by various ways of thinking about God).  

Yesterday we looked at baptism, and some of the many similarities there are between what Methodists think, and what my former home, the Baptists think.

In a group of Methodist pastor-friends I met with this week, I was asked why I switched from being Baptist.  Before I could answer a young colleague blurted out:  because he got saved!  I responded, ET tu, meddling preacher?

Today let’s look at one of the other most commonly discussed issues which divide the body of Christ – eternal security of the believer (often referred to, I believe incorrectly, as “once saved, always saved”).  Can a “believer” truly lose his/her salvation?  This is certainly one that comes up every time Baptist and Methodist beliefs are compared.

United Methodist theology follows John Wesley’s doctrinal interpretation which is based upon Jacob Arminius’ teaching that salvation can be “sinned-away”.  In the 17^th century, Arminius’ growing influence was the main reason the Synod of Dort was called.  That meeting reaffirmed John Calvin’s teachings and declared Arminius a heretic.[1]  (He was already dead so they couldn’t burn him at the stake or something worse.)

John Calvin’s teaching (generally accepted by Baptists, Presbyterians and others to varying degrees) is that genuine saints will persevere (be eternally secure to the end).

Generally either Calvinism or Arminian teaching is held today by most of Christendom.  But they are both widely modified and watered-down.  For instance, Calvin’s once saved/always saved generally degenerates to an insurance policy against punishment for sin.  As long as you can point to a time when you said some prayer of contrition and repentance, you’re good; from then on – no harm, no foul – you can live the way you want to, and you will still go to heaven.

In Arminian (Wesleyan) circles, the modified understanding of salvation’s requirement of growing in the faith towards perfection has people so buried under a pile of good works that they’re keeping themselves saved instead of trusting in Christ.

So…which is it, Calvin or Arminias?

Remember, I’ve been on both sides of this argument.  I’ve found we have very little, very little, very little….and very very little to argue about.  

The key word in the phrase “eternal security of the believer” is “believer”.  All of Scripture pointing to God’s grace, faith and salvation affirm that it is those who believe (i.e., those who trust-in, rely-on, cling-to) Christ, who are eternally-secure.

For those who fail to trust, or cease trusting:  

With my Methodist family we call it “sinning-away the grace”.  

In my Baptist family we simply judged the backslider (a more Methodist term by the way) as one whose profession of faith was insincere, because a “genuine believer” would never turn his back on God. 

In either instance – belief, faith, trust in God was trashed, and the unbeliever walked away from God.

Today…for you:

Paul has some really good advice for the Christian concerned about this issue:

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith.  Don’t drift along taking everything for granted.  Give yourselves regular checkups.  You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay that Jesus Christ is in you.  Test it out.  If you fail the test, do something about it.   2 Corinthians 13:5 (TMSG)

I believe Paul’s suggested “test” should include how we treat those who hold a different doctrine.  This will be the main topic tomorrow as we finish up this series – what should be our stand/position when we encounter doctrine that is genuinely different.

For now…there’s a one word answer for what to do when you fail the test – repent!

Title Photo:  http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/01/cardinal-omalleys-methodist.html

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[1] http://wesley.nnu.edu/arminianism/arminius/index.htm

Dividing-Up Christ - Part 2

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

The picture (above) of a United Methodist Ordained elder, a woman, anointing and praying for a Roman Catholic cardinal caused quite a stir amongst the news media.  After all, the Catholic Church has never ordained women.  For a high-ranking official like Cardinal O’Malley to willingly participate is recognition there’s something of a new breeze of ecumenism afoot.

That still doesn’t lower the level of misunderstanding about issues which divide us in the first place.  

One of those issues is baptism. 

In yesterday’s post I wrote rather frivolously that I’d been asked “62 times per day” about the “why” of my change from Baptist to Methodist (it never was more than 57).  The perception behind the question “why” is many-faceted, not the least of which is baptism.  That perception, sometimes stated and sometimes not, is that Methodists and Baptists (among others) think so differently about the meaning and method.

I am not convinced.

For instance – both Methodists and Baptists baptize by full-immersion.  And neither group sees baptism as regenerative (salvation) in the act.  While Methodism’s founder, John Wesley, “…affirmed a regenerative grace of infant baptism, he also insisted upon the necessity of adult conversion for those who have fallen from grace.”[1]

While Baptists would never baptize an infant, they often bring those infants before the church in an act of dedication, with the parents vowing to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” ^{(Ephesians 6:4)}

Having stood before both kinds of congregations, holding Baptist babies and Methodist babies, I can tell you the ones dedicated, as well as the ones sprinkled both have parents who stand there with hearts bursting with joy and anticipation.  You see that anticipation in their wrinkled brow, knowing they feel the weight of their parental responsibility.  They want God to cover their inability to raise that child alone.  

They’re asking for grace! 

Both kinds of babies know nothing of what’s going on.  Both kinds of congregations are feeling a mixture of incredible joy and wondering about the future for those parents, praying they’ll make good decisions.  

They’re counting on grace!

Adult baptism

As for the adults, never before baptized; there is not a shred of difference (other than the amount of water used) between a Methodist and a Baptist who makes the decision to be obedient to our Lord’s command to be baptized.  I’ve never seen a Baptist come up from “under” without a smile reaching from East to West.  

Similarly, Methodists rejoice (and some even whisper a sweet “amen”).  

They’re both trusting fully in God’s grace.  

Don’t tell me there’s not something holy going on in both!

So, What?

What I’ve written here isn’t a treatise on baptism per se.  It’s just a few thoughts on the similarities we have, and how miscommunication often divides us unnecessarily.  It’s merely stuff I had to settle in my heart before I transitioned to Wesleyan Methodism.

Today…for you to settle:

Think about this verse:

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?    1 John 4:20 (NLT)

Those Methodists and Baptists are all over the place; you’ve seen ‘em.  There’s a bunch of other brands too.  

They’re all wondering and need God’s grace.

Put aside the divide – go love like that Catholic Cardinal and Methodist preacher-woman!  Seems they got it right, deciding they had more in common than their “differences” that divided them.

Title Photo:  http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/01/cardinal-omalleys-methodist.html

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[1] Felton, Gayle Carlton, By Water and the Spirit, (Nashville, Discipleship Resources, 1997) p.2

Dividing-Up Christ - Part 1

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Paul follows up the Apollos-Peter-Christ statement with a question: 

I ask you, “Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?  1 Corinthians 1:13a (TMSG)

Paul knew that carving-up Jesus was not a good idea.  

I have first-hand experience in this matter. 

For the next few days I’d love for you to take a little personal journey with me through some past days of Apollos and Peter-following.  Although this might smack of a little “been there, done that,” come with me; it might be worth your time.

I was raised in a Congregational church.  In high school and college years I left that Apollos group, moving-on to the “doubting Thomas” group that was “in” during the 60’s:  agnosticism (nobody knows if there’s a god…and I don’t want to think about it). 

In the 70’s, as a young couple, Elizabeth and I joined a United Methodist Church. Unfortunately, our reason for attending was simply that we had kids, so we figured we should do the right thing and take them.  We developed no roots there; big surprise!     

Drifting from the Methodists, we wandered into a non-denominational church for a while.  This was the “Christ-followers-only” group – no group name, just follow Jesus. 

Migrating south in 1977, we became involved in a Southern Baptist congregation, and this would be our “denominational home” for the next 28 years, including years in seminary and serving as a pastor.

In 2005, after 24 years as an ordained minister, I left the Southern Baptist Convention and began serving a United Methodist Church.  This also began 6 years at Duke Divinity School.  (It takes a good bit of thinking to sort-out what kind of Methodist you’ll be).

Over the past nine years I’ve been asked (at least 62 times per day):  why the switch?  Now, I could give some long, involved, high and holy-sounding tale about visions and spiritual connections that spoke out of the mist:  “METH-o-dist, Russell….ye shall be a METH-o-dist.”

But that would be a lie.

Simply put:  after a number of intense experiences in the Baptist system over the way things are done, I decided I could function better with Methodists. 

But it wasn’t all a walk in the park; there were questions to be answered.  Chief among the questions is:

Was this just my personal carving-up of Jesus?  Did I leave-off following Apollos to follow Peter, and then switch to Jesus-only?  And, now, have I found my “holy-place” in Paul? 

Here’s what I’ve come to understand about this journey:  you never really carve-up Jesus when you hop from group to group, develop factions and sub-groups.  You can’t really do that – He is un-choppable! 

Oh, in all the moving around and switching of loyalty from this group to the next, there was  some chopping-up going on, but it wasn’t Jesus; Russell was the one being sliced like a country ham.  

Think about it:

·        As a Congregationalist we worried about voting for the right things…

·        As non-denominational we fretted over being like the denominational crowd…

·        As a Baptist we worried that everyone was sinning too much…

·        As an agnostic I didn’t worry about anything…

·        And as a Methodist we’re asked to believe that everyone’s alright as long as you don’t rock the boat.  (“I’m OK – You’re OK” warm and fuzzy smile inserted here!)

Can you see a person becoming schizophrenic in this?  Believe this way…no…this is the way…..no, wait….over here.  Aaaargh!  Jesus, where are you in all this?

Now that I’ve described how muddy the water is, our time is up for today.  I hope you will stay-tuned; tomorrow we will look at the damage religious schizophrenia has caused in our culture.  We will also look at how Jesus put “chopped-Russell” back together.  

Granted, this is more like a fireside chat than devotional breakfast, but stick with me.  

We could be onto something here.

Title Photo:  http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/01/cardinal-omalleys-methodist.html