Re: Repetition of History

I think it’s time to spell something out.
We’ve come to a time in the formation of the church where we are repeating history, and it’s not a good thing.

Check out Acts 15:1-35
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015:1-35&version=NLT

The Jerusalem council of the first century was convened for a simple purpose, to decide whether or not it was in accordance with the message of the gospel to make gentile converts uphold Jewish tradition in their new faith. The controversy had much to do with circumcision, Sabbath, synagogue attendance, and obeying the Torah and then forming Talmud. The decision? “No”- upholding the Jewish cultural law was not going to become contingent and equal with the gospel of new life in Jesus Christ. They decided that the Gentile believers were just as much included in the blessing of God’s presence by manifestation of the Holy Spirit as the Jewish and Samaritan believers before them. The decision made history- but we have neglected to act in accordance with their wisdom. Instead, we have taken on the pride of these early Jews and decided that if church isn’t done in accordance with our traditions and with our cultural preferences, then it isn’t being done correctly. Some have criticized Western Christianity in this way, claiming moral outrage at such arrogance. Anymore I think the criticism is legitimate.

Do we not realize that we are not called to be a “church” (that is, the connotative definition of an assembly of people professing the same cognitive beliefs) as much as we are reborn to be a nation (that is, a people who by their way of life and adherence to particular original truths find themselves unified though they do not necessarily share space and/or time)? Let me suggest something very simple here- nations are bigger than churches. Christ died to redeem and purify for Himself a people of His very own. They same desire that the Father has expressed since the beginning of His interaction with humanity on this fallen world. But no, instead we reserve the right to decide what people must believe and do in order to be acceptable in our sight rather than look for God’s blessing on their affirmation of His work and love through Christ. When will we repent of this arrogance and stop asking cultures unlike our own to conform to our cultural and linguistic preferences before we accept them as brothers and sisters in faith? The missions movement is a wonderful thing, missions work is a wonderful thing, but let us not mistake the medium for the message. Just because we have experienced the power and truth of the Good News in a particular medium (pulpits, buildings, books, radios, etc) does not mean the power and truth of the message is limited to that medium. When we look at the narrative of Acts, we see that there was a deciding factor that told the council what the reality was. The Holy Spirit had indeed been manifested among the gentiles. This indicated God’s Sovereign presence and blessing on their actions and affirmations, meaning that what the Jews wanted them to do in order to experience that blessing was irrelevant.

Let us follow in their footsteps and remove the yoke of cultural uniformity before we further nullify the true meaning of the Gospel as the good news for the world.

Someday there will be more written on this fragile screen regarding the formation of the people of God. For now I am mulling over this abuse and looking to affirm its correction and remedy.

Press on.