I saw this and thought of the "Truth Wars" and thought...
If we are saved by Grace through Faith can one Christian be a "better" Christian than another?
It seems that scirpture teaches all are now equal first that all men sin and will die... and be judged. Then that if you be in Christ that there is no longer Jew of Gentile (which was a form of elitism in the scirpture as some Jews thought a person need convert to Judaism to be truly saved) and no male or female...
Yet, some think their Grace is of higher purity than others... I am not sure how they come to this heretical thought, but if one thinks they have all the truth... they seem to no longer have need for Jesus Who is Truth.
Truth is taught as an "absolute" it is taught as an "unchanging object". Truth is taught to be a higher reality as if there are two worlds... (dualism as taught by Plato) We are taught that we need to live by "principles" and that Truth is "propositional".
Yet, the bible elevates truth beyond these things... Truth is no longer an "object" but a Person... Truth is no longer an impersonal abstract absolute or an unchanging principle, as Truth became a man and dwelt amongst us.
The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Truth... and from Him all truth comes. It flows from Jesus as streams of living water. Yet, many hold to the idea that Truth is less than that and deny the revelation that Truth is now a Person and is now relational.
If truth is a higher reality, then we miss this personal aspect.
The bible teaches that the festivals and traditions of the Old Testament were truths in abstract and shadow form... and the reality is the Person of Jesus Christ. (Colossians 2:17) Even the principles and truth of the Law was only a shadow of what is to come... and not the reality. (Hebrews 10:1) Again this reality is now the Person of Jesus Christ.
We are to move from mental assent (simple belief) to a deeper belief called faith. Faith is the acknowledgment that is relational. When a spouse is faithful, they are staying true to their marriage vows... yet even more are staying true to their relationship with their husband or wife. So, as we experience the faithfulness of God in our salvation, we live by faith and interact in a Personal relationship.
As we walk and learn from Jesus, we come to realize that He is Truth and we learn to listen and follow His voice... that take trust. We are designed for relationship with God through Jesus.
Again, Jesus does teach truth (be it propositional) yet we must not reduce Jesus to a mere proposition or principal. In Christ we have life. We are to live by His Life... in that the truths we learn of and from Jesus, becomes our life and our New Reality... For now we are New Creations and in us God starts the beginnings of the New Creation.
Blessings,
iggy
2 comments:
http://judahslion.blogspot.com/2007/08/to-be-like-jesus-i-jn.html
Rick,
I made you link so that it can be clicked on.
To Be Like Jesus
The idea to me is that reconciliation means relationship.
everyone without Jesus (and with Jesus) is in need of reconciliation. A gay couple need be reconciled as well as the hetero couple. Do we condone the sin... no more than if someone murdered another... be it as a past act of angry passion, or during wartime where someone is just doing as ordered... then need forgiveness and reconciliation.
All this must flow from love, but not OUR love... It must be God's love in and through us as we become the conduits of God's gracious love and mercy. As we share by the power of God's love, kindness, I see people in some way see God. At that point then they must choose.
Words most often just fall to the ground if there is no relationship.
I have a friend who goes to the church I attend who is as conservative as can be... their neighbor is as i am to a bit wild and very much an atheist. They asked God how to reach this person... and all they heard was "Be kind." so that is what they did... Over the course of time he has stated that he is interested in "going to church" as he sees they are different from other Christians he has encountered and from what he believed Christians were like.
It is that God by His Grace gives us Faith, which is that very conduit of relationship. As we see all our "lostness" that leads to death we find we need the mercy that comes form God and beseech Him for it... we begin to talk to God... acknowledge Him for all He is from our own limited perspective... and God gives us faith (a trust relationship) and from that we start on our journey of being a New Creation.
Blessings,
iggy
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