Passing Time
Without knowledge of our past, how are we to relate to the present/future?
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Your denomination (or non-denomination, or interdenomination- you get the point) tends to shape your hermeneutic [your method of interpretation], and of course- exegesis [your actual interpretation] of biblical texts. In addition to this I’ve found (and this is obviously more of a generalization than anything else) that certain denominations will emphasize knowledge of Church history when expounding on that which we call “today”.
Today. As the writer of Ecclesisastes so graciously repeats for those of us hard of hearing, “there is nothing new under the sun.” So why does it seem like the Church at large goes generation after generation believing they’ve experience something that previous generations never have? While of course I’d exhort an individual to read their Bible first, I think as believers we should delve into our past. I can’t imagine how many generations have proclaimed that THIS is the end of the world. Or how about all the metaphors given to the whore of Babylon in Revelation (USSR, anyone?) Obama has got to be the Anti-Christ, or is that Hilary (its gotta be Hilary)? You get the point.
“The same subject-matter is discussed over and over again by the heretics and the philosophers; the same arguments are involved. Whence comes evil? Why is it permitted? What is the origin of man? and in what way does he come?”1
Are these not some of the MOST common reasons given by non-believers as to their objections to God, today?- and yet this was written over about 2,000 years ago by man named Tertullian.
The problem of evil, Evolutionism, etc- history (ladies and gentlemen) repeats itself. Our nation is no more godless than Rome in the time of Tertullian and Augustine. The philosophies of today are NOT more prevalent than those Jesus would have been familiar with in his time.
Can we please stop with this “Christian nation” idealism? Yes, I said it. Thank you Jesus, that in the year two-thousand-and-nine most individuals in the United States have the cultural freedom to choose NOT to go to church instead of remaining as nominal “believers” putting trust in their “church-attendance” as a means of works-based salvation (when the reality is they are as damned as any other). As our culture moves away from being culturally religious I have faith in Christ Jesus my Lord that His plan and purposes (most importantly His sovereignty) will reign. No need to start proclaiming the “end times” just because a Democrat is in office again- what happened to the belief that all things will eventually be “put under [Jesus'] feet?” What glory has God gotten from our “Christian” nation? We blaspheme His name calling the USA a “Christian” nation. Where is our global perspective? What about all those who are being persecuted in Muslim nations? Communist China? Is the church in China not thriving upon the authority’s atheistic dogma? They are a “Christian nation.”
God bless America? With what? What are we asking for when we say that? Our comfort is choking out our faith.
I repent Jesus. Cause me to repent.
[an excerpt from Piper's sermon, "William Tyndale: A Life Transformed by God’s Word"]
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1 The Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. 3, page 246
Sean Brendan
Monica,
your heart and wisdom in this is… an adjective I strain to gather; perhaps wonderful, incredible or simply true.
There is a recently viral video out about Muslim demographics that seems to be a scare tactic to make Christians witness more, produce more children, and exclude Muslims wherever and whenever possible. (Said video: http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=0724ce39138cf07e2d72). In effect, it says “Muslims are everywhere! They will take over the world soon! Whatever shall we do??! WE HAVE TO STOP IT!” But this is so replete of fear and devoid of trust in our God; it is even foolish to suppose that, should there be only one believer left alive in the world, our God will not exact His promises. Our God will not be stopped or hindered by any of this.
You touch upon a breed of this deception; conservative Americans will run and hide behind defensives against modern liberal movements that exclaims, with a crack in their voice, “We are a Christian nation.” If nominally, then yes we are a “Christian nation”; but if in spirit, we are not. What should we say of a president who claims boldly he is a believer in Christ and yet lives in his decision to allow and support abortion? Should not Paul’s repeated words that “such were some of you” resound in our minds as we consider that a man perpetually inhabiting sin against the commandments changes Paul’s words to “such are some of you”? When man, and no longer God, decides what it means to be a Christian, men have made themselves gods and liars.
May 21, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
Paul
I tend to agree with you… Which is why I lean towards being a partial preterist. Good post. You’ve been tweeted.
May 21, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
Seminaries & the Nature of Truth
[...] A seminary should facilitate such thinking and exposure to these tensions involved. Each of us will be more inclined towards one side of a given spectrum than the other. This is why seminaries should fill their halls with professors with different backgrounds, interests, and yes, even diversity in some theological points. Biblical and Systematic Theology departments should always be in tension with another, because they each tend towards opposing sides of the spectrums. An institution should avoid favoring one of those departments above another. Seminaries should assign readings that challenge thought and give assignments that require a student to come up with, articulate, and defend their own opinion – not just learn the “proper” view that the institution may think they hold. Courses should engage with thinkers across the spectrum of ideas – not giving equal weight to all their beliefs, but mere exposure to what they thought and why. A clearly articulated emphasis on Church History lets people see how faithful people have looked at the Bible in the past and have come to very different conclusions (it may also help us be better believers today). [...]
Sep 29, 2009 @ 11:27 pm