Blinded by the Light 18 Elitism - The Trap

There are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are saved and those who are not. This may seem a very obvious thing to say, but there is creeping into the church the idea that, to paraphrase George Orwell, "All Christians are equal, but some are more equal than others."

In some places people are frowned upon because they do not dress smartly to go to church. In others they are laughed at because they wear a suit and tie and everyone else is in jeans. In more formal churches, laughter or applause is considered inappropriate and disrespectful, and many are unhappy about demonstrative worship. On the other hand, those churches where people are demonstrative can be concerned about members who do not wave their hands or dance, but prefer to be quiet before God.

There is also elitism between congregations over these and other things. This is most marked in the area of the Holy Spirit. The charismatic movement has brought a reawakening of the life of the Spirit flowing in the lives of Christians and through their congregations. Faith has been deepened and become more dynamic. Theology is no longer theoretical. People believe that we can claim God's promises today, and are realising that receiving Christ includes receiving the Spirit and his power in order to come into the full riches of God's kingdom living.

Unfortunately this has resulted in an elitism between what are seen as the 'haves' and the 'have nots'.

Claiming to be superior and to have arrived, they are often cruelly condemning in their attitude to others and refuse to take advice from anyone who is not of their own type of spirituality. This often springs not from any particularly vicious spiritual pride, but from false teaching to which they have been introduced on the subject of initiation, seeing it as necessarily a two-stage affair; other Christians may have reached stage one, but they have, through a 'baptism in the Holy Spirit' attained ipso facto to stage two - a mountain ridge from which they are unable to descend whatever they do (for they are Spirit-filled folk; they have arrived), a mountain ridge which relieves them of any further necessity to go on climbing.
(I Believe In The Holy Spirit, Michael Green, p.264)

Previous posts in this series:

Introduction
Legalism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Magic Formulas: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Answers to Everything: The Truth,The Trap, The Solution
Scripture Twisting: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Superstition: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Elitism: The Truth

Further posts to come in this series:
Elitism: The Solution
The Need to See: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Conclusion

Notes on a Personal God

I have been reading an amazing book, called Finding Faith, A Self-Discovery Guide For Your Spiritual Quest by Brian D McLaren. It is an reasoned discussion of how to find faith. He looks at Faith, Knowledge and Doubt, and discusses atheism, theism, and good faith and bad faith. It is ideal for those looking for answers to spiritual questions as well as those who think they have already found their answers but want a reasoned faith or to be able to reason it to others. As a sample, here is his explanation of a personal God, hope you find it helpful:


Many people resist the idea of a personal God, and with good reason. When they think of a person, they think of rather quaint but silly images – such as God as a Santa-esque old man with a long white beard ... or as an immature tyrant prone to throwing temper tantrums ... or as a forgetful manager who needs constant reminders (via prayer) lest he forget important details in his universe ... or as an absentminded professor who naively started this experiment called the universe which since has gone more than slightly out of control.

Our problem in this regard is probably a matter of words – perhaps confusing “personal” with “human”. To illustrate, think of the following items: gravity, helium, water, coal, a fern, a frog, a parrot, a golden retriever, a chimpanzee, a human being. The first three bring us from energy to matter, from gas to solid, and from invisible to visible. When we get to the fern, we move from nonliving to living. From fern to frog, we cross the boundary to animate. I don't know any frogs very well, but with my limited exposure, they seem to have a little, but not much, in the way of personality. Parrots have more, and golden retrievers and chimpanzees more still ... and human beings, more still. Now, with each step up the ladder, we didn't lose the qualities of the previous steps; rather, we added more capabilities, more depth ... while we subtracted previous limitations, going from energy to matter to form to solidity to plant life to animal life to warm-blooded life to mammalian life to primate life to human life.

Let's imagine we inserted a million rungs in our ladder after human beings, each rung suggesting more developed, less limited beings, with personalities as far beyond our own as ours are beyond a bullfrog's – not less developed with each ascending rung, but more. And we could insert another million, and another, and we'd be getting some idea of the way in which we can speak of God being personal.

So, we're not saying that God is personal to the same small degree and with the same limitations we are. Rather, we're saying that God is personal not in a way less than us, but more. And we're saying that the fact that we share this quality called personality means that there is a bridge, a connecting point, a common language, a medium of communication. It means that both we and God come equipped with a telephone or modem so we can interface. Obviously, one party's potentials dwarf the other party's, but nevertheless, connectivity is possible. That's a pretty wonderful thought.

Blinded by the Light 17 Elitism - The Truth

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal.3:26-28)

There is a great diversity in Christianity: different styles of worship, formal and less formal services, different emphases on the gifts and equipping of the Holy Spirit. In this we should rejoice. God does not require us all to fit into one mould. The famous passage in 1 Cor.12 reminds us that the body has many parts which all function differently and are all essential. We are all given the opportunity to find the place which God has for us: the congregation where we feel most comfortable and the work within that congregation that he wants us to fulfil.

Previous posts in this series:

Introduction
Legalism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Magic Formulas: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Answers to Everything: The Truth,The Trap, The Solution
Scripture Twisting: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Superstition: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution

Further posts to come in this series:
Elitism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
The Need to See: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Conclusion

Blinded by the Light 16 Superstition - The Solution

It is good to show respect for our place of worship, and to show respect for God in the way we dress and act. But since we can do nothing to make God love us any more than he does already, these things must not be given special merit. We have already seen that God looks on our hearts, not on the outward appearance (1 Sam.16:7). Love and tolerance in the beginning can help visitors come to know God and his love for them through you. As they and other new Christians grow in relationship with him they will desire to behave and dress more appropriately.

Those rituals and observances which help to focus our minds on God or help us in our obedience or our worship must not be elevated to the position of somehow essential to our salvation. Here we stray once again into legalism. We become upset and guilty if a ritual is omitted or disrupted. For example, a daily quiet time is a discipline which can be a great blessing to us, and one we should do our best to follow. The problem comes when we are unavoidably unable to have our quiet time one day, or for several days, and feel guilty or insecure in our standing before God. Or when we become harsh with children or others who disrupt us for good reason, because we feel the day is spoiled without it.

Many of us are not even aware of the whole range of superstitions which have grown up in our own lives or in our congregations. The next time you are faced with something which seems inappropriate or disrespectful to God, stop and ask yourself, in the light of God's unconditional love and care for his people, if it really matters.

Previous posts in this series:

Introduction
Legalism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Magic Formulas: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Answers to Everything: The Truth,The Trap, The Solution
Scripture Twisting: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Superstition: The Truth, The Trap

Further posts to come in this series:
Elitism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
The Need to See: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Conclusion

Blinded by the Light 15 Superstition - The Trap

We condemn those who worship idols, and sacred places, yet we have constructed a whole set of rules about what we should wear and what we should do when we meet together. We are superstitious about our church buildings as 'The Lord's House'. God no longer needs a house, since he dwells in our hearts (1 Cor.3:16).

There are many unwritten rules about dress and behaviour, which the visitor or new Christian can cross unknowingly. Criticism and disapproval can put someone off and drive them away. The important thing is that they come to church to learn the gospel and worship God, not how they dress. Young children can be unwelcome in services because they can be noisy and disruptive. This precludes their parents as well, thus preventing more people from coming to God.

Such superstitious behaviour has caused problems, for example, with those who come seeking Christ from unsavoury backgrounds. The tramp, the drug addict, the hooligan with no manners, are all turned away by our disapproval of their 'inappropriate' dress and behaviour in meetings. Jackie Pullinger, when she began to convert the drug addicts in Hong Kong, found them unwelcome in the local Christian churches, and was forced to start a church of her own - something she was against doing. And closer to home, those working with Teen Challenge in our own streets, find great difficulty in finding churches who will welcome the young people they reach.

The Sabbath day was ordained for man to rest, not as the special day on which to worship God. We are supposed to "pray continually" (1 Thes.5:17), not just on Sundays.

There is nothing wrong in the wearing of a cross or sign of the fish, except when it is attributed with special powers to make the wearer feel safe or comforted. Being superstitious about this jewellery is akin to idol worship.

Previous posts in this series:
Introduction
Legalism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Magic Formulas: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Answers to Everything: The Truth,The Trap, The Solution
Scripture Twisting: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Superstition: The Truth

Further posts to come in this series:
Superstition: The Solution
Elitism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
The Need to See: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Conclusion

Blinded by the Light 14 Superstition - The Truth

The early Christians met together in the temple courts and in their homes (Acts 2:46-47). They held on to the promise that wherever two or three are gathered, Jesus would be there (Matt.18:20). They did not need to have a special building in which to meet. They had no special ceremonies apart from baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. (Col.2:16-17)

In the centuries since then, Christians have built their own places of worship, into which has gone much loving care, as a token of their love for God. Rituals have developed with the intention of glorifying God and assisting us to worship him. We like to have pictures and items with Christian symbols to remind and encourage us, and in those countries where Christians are not persecuted, are proud to wear a cross or other symbol as a sign to others of our faith.

But all these things are only embellishments, and are not an essential part of our relationship with God. They remind, inspire, assist us, but we must not become dependent upon them.

Should we behave differently in certain places? Or should we be "in Christ' at all times and in all places?" (Gal.2:20). Are certain places, times or objects endowed with special spiritual powers? Or can we be used by God and in touch with God anywhere? Cannot God see us everywhere and whatever we do?

Previous posts in this series:
Introduction
Legalism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Magic Formulas: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Answers to Everything: The Truth,The Trap, The Solution
Scripture Twisting: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Further posts to come in this series:
Superstition: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Elitism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
The Need to See: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Conclusion

Blinded by the Light 13 Scripture Twisting - The Solution

It is vital that we use sound principles in our attempts to understand the Bible.

• Look at each scripture, not only in the context of the immediate surrounding verses, but of the book from which it comes, and the teaching of the Bible as a whole. For example, James 2:14-26 appears to teach salvation by works. However, this does not fit with the rest of the New Testament, which clearly teaches "not by works, so that no-one can boast" (Eph.2:9). In the past it was suggested that James and Paul disagreed with one another, and that the book of James should not even be in the Bible! However, a closer reading of the passage shows that James is asking "Can such faith save him?" As shown earlier, James is saying that the works are produced by the kind of faith which saves.

• Consider whether this is a piece of advice for a specific situation or time, or whether it can be applied in a wider context and is still relevant today. For example, Paul's advice to slaves and masters (Eph.6:5-9, Col.3:22-4:1). Such teaching does not condone slavery, but was given by God as practical ways of dealing with the realities of the day.

• Consider the original audience for the scripture. Sometimes we have to view scripture through the culture of its time, for example the passage in 1 Cor.11:5-6 about women covering their hair and not shaving their heads. In the culture of the time, uncovered hair was a sign of loose morals in a woman, and a woman's head was shaved because she had either been publicly disgraced or was in rebellion against her husband. These things do not apply today in our culture, although the underlying ideas about modesty and marriage do.

We need to be familiar with scripture and the truths of the gospel which it teaches. This will enable us to be alert to teaching which is suspect, and to be able to check out anything which does not ring true.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Tim.2:15)

Previous posts in this series:

Introduction
Legalism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Magic Formulas: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Answers to Everything: The Truth,The Trap, The Solution
Scripture Twisting: The Truth, The Trap
Further posts to come in this series:
Superstition: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Elitism: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
The Need to See: The Truth, The Trap, The Solution
Conclusion