What hill to die on? 1

I have been thinking of late about the matter of our warfare as Christians.  The theme saturates the Bible from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 20.  My various blogs on charitable judgment and blog slander could be interpreted as wishy washy.  That would be a misapplication.  We are called to contend for the Savior and the Gospel in this world . . . the question is what does that look like?

When I read the NT I see all manner of correction going on.  It is a good thing too -- or we would not have a large amount of the NT!  I have been struck again this week, in the midst of pastoral work, with how patient the apostles were, how realistic their expectations, and how impatient and self-righteous I am.  The example of the apostles is clearly what is being called a humble orthodoxy.  That is quite different than a generous orthodoxy. 

Humble orthodoxy draws a line in doctrine, mindful of being a a redeemed sinner, mindful of limited understanding, mindful that my enemies are those who oppose the Gospel not just those who differ with me, mindful that truth must be clear or people will perish . . . 

Here is where I am helped: Paul did not get white hot with passion until the issue was the Gospel itself.  He knew that as long as the Gospel was clear, he was dealing with intramural issues.  He knew the difference between doubts and questions and advocating a false Gospel. He did not make his friends in Christ into enemies.  Where there was clear Gospel truth and clear evidence of true faith, he was patient to the extreme -- for he knew the long suffering of God to himself.  But let the Gospel be altered and it was warfare to the extreme. 

What do we mean by the Gospel?  The full person and work of Jesus.  If people tamper with the doctrine and character of God in Trinity, the nature of Christ as God-man, his substitutionary work as a sacrifice while on the cross, his bodily resurrection, the nature of humanity in sin -- these issues provoke much more response than others.  But sometimes people had questions . . .

It is of note to me that 1 Corinthians 15 (defending the resurrection) is gracious and clear and it would seem that the Corinthians were having doubts about the bodliy resurrection but were not advocating against it. It is also of note that the Colossian error seems to be one regarding the nature of Jesus -- and it meets with patient instruction.  But the Galatian false teachers were not doubting; they were proclaiming a different Gospel and a different achievement of the cross -- and they met with the apostle's call for condemnation.

Here is what I find in my heart -- the tendency of pride to make every issue a Gospel issue.  The domino theory has its roots in my arrogance not in history.  The slippery slope has its roots in the same perverse motive.   We are all on a slippery slope -- and it is found in our hearts.

I have heard for years that people who deny the premillenial, pretribulational rapture of the church are really denying the truth of Scripture and applying a poor method of interpretation.  They will soon deny inerrancy.  I have heard similar broadsides against infant baptism, unlimited atonement, complementarianism, cessationism, elder-led government, etc.  When we hear ourselves saying, "We alone are consistent" -- that is pride. 

I also find in my heart a tendency to make no issue a Gospel issue.   That is false humility. I certainly do not find that in Jesus, the prophets, or the apostles.

It takes humble orthodoxy -- clear argument for truth, debate and discussion -- let us do so but remember who are real enemies are.

Comments

[DanD]

Thanks for the careful presentation of some different tacts to take when helping others learn. I have long seen the difference between weak and poorly taught sheep and false shepherds.

I have also noted the extreme words against a different Gospel (Galatians 1) and a different Jesus (1 John 4). I had not really noticed the difference between genuine questions such as the resurrection in 1 Cor 15 and obvious false teaching.

The work gets sharper and softer all the time--to proclaim the name and fame of Jesus. May He help us do His work well.