It has been said that there is nothing new under the sun. Cultures and sociopolitical atmospheres change from one people to the next as successions of generations are gulfed by changing ideologies, perspectives and worldviews; but this is nothing new. During the past few decades many churches and denominations have undergone major upheavals as parties and factions (both within and without) have struggled to establish or maintain cultural, political and doctrinal positions. Some churches have grown stronger, others have faltered. This climate has accentuated both weaknesses and strengths of evangelical faith and practice in general. This too is nothing new. In various aspects the debates of today are but echoes of the past as the Christian voice has been described many ways, but never theologically monolithic.
Christians are commanded to be united in Christ. They are, in fact and by definition, united in Christ. The local church find’s its ontologically driven purpose only when centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the child of God can engage no laudable pursuit except that it be Christ centered and for God’s own glory.
There is a way to discuss theological differences and remain united in Christ, and there is a way to argue these differences towards the detriment of the Church and the degrading of the Cross. The manner in which a theology is held becomes an outward expression its validity to the one holding it, the determining factor being whether or not it is held in a Christ-centered manner. To put it another way, even correct doctrine incorrectly apprehended and wielded is error and sin.
The only offensive weapon afforded the believer is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God – not the anthropological and extra-biblical dagger of developed theories concerning the mechanics of God’s decisions, thoughts and intent beyond what is stated in Scripture. The usefulness of systematic theologies is plainly obvious in its necessity towards understanding and developing doctrine as well as forming a framework in which to apply God’s Word to our daily lives. But we can never downgrade the gospel of Jesus Christ or the truth of God revealed through Scripture by equating our systemized understandings and theories to the Bible. Scripture is objective. The gospel of Jesus Christ is objective. What our theologies derive of objective truth to form doctrines about what is not directly revealed in Scripture is subjective. While we can (and should) hold and defend our understanding as being true (even when we disagree), we can embrace no systematic theology as wholly objective divine truth and remain within the bounds of biblical warrant, biblically orthodox faith, or on a footing centered on Christ. To do so elevates man as breathing into Perfection the imperfect breath of fallen humanity and calling it divine. It is heresy.
It has become evident to me that there are men more committed to their theology than they are to Christ. I believe that there are men who seek discord over secondary theological disagreement rather than unity in Christ. It is unfortunate that the saying ‘the Christian “army” is the only army that kills it’s wounded ‘often rings true. But we also know that there are men who teach a truth while holding that truth in such a way as to remain unknown of God. So many issues may abound in debating and discussing theological differences. That should not dissuade dialogue, but we need to be cognitive when our center becomes our systematic belief itself rather than Christ.
Christians are commanded to be united in Christ. They are, in fact and by definition, united in Christ. The local church find’s its ontologically driven purpose only when centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the child of God can engage no laudable pursuit except that it be Christ centered and for God’s own glory.
There is a way to discuss theological differences and remain united in Christ, and there is a way to argue these differences towards the detriment of the Church and the degrading of the Cross. The manner in which a theology is held becomes an outward expression its validity to the one holding it, the determining factor being whether or not it is held in a Christ-centered manner. To put it another way, even correct doctrine incorrectly apprehended and wielded is error and sin.
The only offensive weapon afforded the believer is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God – not the anthropological and extra-biblical dagger of developed theories concerning the mechanics of God’s decisions, thoughts and intent beyond what is stated in Scripture. The usefulness of systematic theologies is plainly obvious in its necessity towards understanding and developing doctrine as well as forming a framework in which to apply God’s Word to our daily lives. But we can never downgrade the gospel of Jesus Christ or the truth of God revealed through Scripture by equating our systemized understandings and theories to the Bible. Scripture is objective. The gospel of Jesus Christ is objective. What our theologies derive of objective truth to form doctrines about what is not directly revealed in Scripture is subjective. While we can (and should) hold and defend our understanding as being true (even when we disagree), we can embrace no systematic theology as wholly objective divine truth and remain within the bounds of biblical warrant, biblically orthodox faith, or on a footing centered on Christ. To do so elevates man as breathing into Perfection the imperfect breath of fallen humanity and calling it divine. It is heresy.
It has become evident to me that there are men more committed to their theology than they are to Christ. I believe that there are men who seek discord over secondary theological disagreement rather than unity in Christ. It is unfortunate that the saying ‘the Christian “army” is the only army that kills it’s wounded ‘often rings true. But we also know that there are men who teach a truth while holding that truth in such a way as to remain unknown of God. So many issues may abound in debating and discussing theological differences. That should not dissuade dialogue, but we need to be cognitive when our center becomes our systematic belief itself rather than Christ.