Yet I must confess that, although I am pleased to balance the record, defending the ACLU is not my primary purpose here. I am more concerned about a habit of mind that seems to be growing among my fellow Christians, both political liberals and conservatives. That is, we seem to mimic the secular world's conflation of disagreement with wickedness, as if not sharing my worldview places my critic outside the realm of rational discourse.This immediately got me wondering about the author, Steven Carter: "Where do his beliefs fall on the theological spectrum?" I asked. One click on the link to the article, though, and I had seen enough. This is what I saw:
An ad for a Left Behind book.
What got me wondering in the first place is the pharse "secular world's conflation of disagreement with wickedness." This is a woefully ironic phrase, because the conflation of disagreement with wickedness was perfected by orthodox Christianity. The secular world's version is a pale shadow of the Christian one. Orthodox Christianitiy de jure may teach that people are sent to Hell for saying raca and such, but the de facto teaching is that dissent from orthodoxy is the only crime. Christians go to heaven; infidels are damned. Because mere dissent seems to many insufficient to justify this damnation, the natural impulse of fundamentalists is to begin ascribing all sorts of other crimes to those who disagree with them.
That's why I was so struck by seeing the Left Behind ad. Left Behind is demonization of enemies taken to the max. I wonder if Steven Carter would be willing to speak up against the series.
5 comments:
"Orthodox Christianitiy de jure may teach that people are sent to Hell for saying raca and such, but the de facto teaching is that dissent from orthodoxy is the only crime."
Chris, I would have expected you, of all people, to know the difference between a good argument and a straw man. *sigh*
The Bible plainy teaches that "good trees bear good fruits." Christians who continue to go on sinning are possibly not good trees.
The bible is clear that true christians are not condemned. As for God's judgement on the non-christian world, God will judge each person on a case-by-case basis. Moreover, the bible is clear that it is a dreadfull sin for us christians to usurp God's role as judge. The bible *does not* fully disclose God's method of judgement.
If you want to see how a true christian behaves, read about the life of Christ in the gospels. And when doing so, set asside your dogma and prejudice. Try to read *only* the words on the page.
When confronting Christians you *should* point out to them how they behave or teach things contrary to the teaching of the Bible. If they are true Christians they will confess their sins and ask for both yours and God's forgiveness. (assuming you're right, which you often are.)
Some relevant passages:
0) I Corinthians 5 <--- Paul says christians should not Judge those outside the church, because that is God's job. (use this against judgemental christians)
1) Mathew 7:21-23 <-- Christ (God) is not pleased with many who claim to be his followers. (Keep this in mind when confronting Christians who offend your concience--According to Romans chapters 1 and 2 your concience came from God.)
2) Romans 6:1-5 <--Grace is not cheap, christians should not go on sinning.
3) Romans 2 <-- God's judgement is wiser than that of his followers. Those without god "became a law to themselves," by following their conciences which are God's law written on their hearts the gentiles sometimes pleased God more than his chosen people who had the law.
1 Corinthians 5:11-13 (New International Version)
11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."[a]
Matthew 7:21-23 (New International Version)
1"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Romans 6:1-5 (New International Version)
1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
Romans 2:12-16
12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
"Who soever believeth in him shall not perish, but shall inherit eternal life... whosoever does not believe is condemnded, for they have not believed in the one and only Son of God."
-John 3:16/3:18
I know my Bible very well, thank you very much.
ere is my understanding of the passage that you quote.
God and man are not at peace, beeause man disobeyes his concience wich is God's law written on his heart (Rom 1:15). Christians believe that God was wants to reconcile man to him. (John 3:16) This reconcilation happens through a unique mediator named Christ (a part of God). If you recognize the need for reconcilations (confess your sins) and believe that this is possible through a part of God then God *will* reconcile you (again john 3:16). If you do not believe this or do not want to be reconciled then there is no reconciliation and you stand condemned (john 3:18).
In Romans Paul amplifies this understanding when he states, Romans 14-16. "When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctuvely what the requires, these, though not having the law are a law to themselves. The show what the law requires is written on their hearts to which the own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or peraps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God through Jesus Christ will judge the secret thoughts of all."
There were a large number of typos in my previous post. Here is a corrected version. It should be *much* easier to read. :-) Sorry.
Here is my understanding of the passage that you quote.
God and man are not at peace, beeause man disobeys his concience, which is God's law written on man's heart (Rom 1:15). Christians believe that God was wants to reconcile man to him. (John 3:16) This reconcilation happens through a unique mediator named Christ (a part of God). All who recognize the need for reconcilation (by aknowledging sins) and believe that this is possible *will* be reconciled with God (again john 3:16). Those who choose to not believe or do not want to be reconciled will not be reconciled with God, and will therefore be subject to condemnaation (john 3:18).
In Romans Paul amplifies this understanding when he states, in Romans 2:14-16. "When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctuvely what the requires, these, though not having the law are a law to themselves. They show what the law requires is written on their hearts to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or peraps excuse them on the day when, according to my gospel, God through Jesus Christ will judge the secret thoughts of all."
I don't disagree with your wickedness, but we are both probably damned to hell for it.
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