CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

June 26, 2005

PLEASE LIFT UP THE FOLLOWING IN PRAYER:

Our congregation                                                                 Our nation, military and leaders

David, James and Leon in the military                              Various friends, relatives and co-workers

Mel is traveling to Washington D.C.                                Susan at the death of her cousin

Keith coming back from England

SUMMER YOUTH SERIES:

June 27 - Westbury with Jerome Williams                       July 18 - West Houston

July 11 - Watters Road with David Fraze                         July 25 - First Colony

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11, TNIV).

The above text is in the context of the arrival of Paul and Silas to the Greek town of Berea.  As was their custom, they found a Jewish synagogue and began teaching there.  The TNIV really focuses on the Jewish aspect, and in verse 13, when Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul was in Berea, they came and caused trouble.  This was not uncommon at this time in church history.  The Jew-Gentile conflict caused a number of problems, especially for Paul (see Acts 15, 21-26 and Galatians).  Why did this occur? 

Jesus the Messiah was the cause of the conflict.  Reading the gospel accounts clearly shows the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders.  This carried over into the spread of the gospel in the Gentile world.  At first, many would listen to what Paul had to say but when Gentiles began to believe as well, then the Jews became jealousy, and began threatening, and worse, the lives of Jewish believers (see also Acts 5 and 8).  However, in Berea the Jews were considered noble because they were open to the message and searched or examined the scriptures every day to see if what was being said was true. 

We have often claimed to be people of the book.  We have asked for chapter and verse for what we do and believe.  But reality suggests that we are more like the Jews stirring up trouble than the noble Bereans.  We defend traditions as if they were scripture and law.  Any questioning of tradition or interpretations of texts that disagree with the powers that be (whoever they may be), is met with name calling, labels, and anger.  Preachers have been fired, or resigned, because elders have determined that either all has been settled or that they are the only ones who are right.  Members have been ostracized or told to leave because they were trouble makers for asking questions.  What happened to searching the scriptures? 

I think that a number of things have contributed to this.  We have a history of debating, not to learn but to win, to be right.  We have a view that we are under such a strict law system that if we miss one point, we are lost eternally.  This is better known as legalism.  As long as preachers, teachers, or individuals tow the party line, then they are acceptable.  Any questioning of decisions or interpretations of leaders is met with hostility.  Then they will keep their eyes on that individual until they can confirm that such people are not “sound.”

How do we deal with this?  Randy Harris, at a recent elder link and at the Pepperdine Lectures, gave some suggestions that are helpful.  The idea is to develop an atmosphere where questions, opinions, and comments can be made without over reaction to such leading to hostility.  Compare again the differences between the Jews of Berea and Thessalonica.

1. Doctrine matters.  It should reflect the way we live.  Will there be disagreements?  Yes.  How we approach that is important.  One can overreact and leave people hurt and cause some to leave both the church and the Lord.  Doctrine matters but not all doctrine is of equal importance.

2. Clarify the questions.  Often we are not talking about the same things.  We hear words but define them differently.  We need to understand what others are saying rather than talking past them.  Just consider the popular word “liberal” that we often use.  In its classical theological sense, it is one who denies that the Bible is the word of God, that Jesus was the Son of God and that He performed miracles, that the resurrection occurred, and more.  However, some use the word “liberal” to mean one I disagree with hoping that others will apply the classical definition to an individual.  Many who have been called liberal are not, for they search the scriptures they believe in and accept its authority.

3. Note the place of interpretation.  We all interpret.  Disagreeing with me is not the same as disagreeing with God.  Randy was commenting on a text when a brother complained.  “I don’t want to hear your interpretation, just tell me what the Bible says.”  So he read the text and said nothing.  The brother then said, “What is your opinion?”  Randy answered, “So you want my interpretation?”  Since we all interpret, we are all fallible, and need to have the heart of a servant willing to listen to others, which takes work.

4. Be humble.  I might be wrong.  We are a work in progress.  We all think we are right about everything, until we are shown differently.  We need to engage in studying, listening, and willing to learn.  I have said that I do not disagree with God at all.  I often disagree with others, some more, some less.  I even disagree with myself, which of course is an interesting psychological event.

5. Theology is not a list, but concentric circles.  Not everything is equally important.  Jesus complained that the religious leaders ignored the weightier matters for minor things when they should have been concerned about both in their proper order.  We have to determine what is at the center and what is at the edges, what is core and what is not.  It is like throwing a stone in a pond.  The circles are tight where the stone first hits, but spreads out.  For instance, what is the heart of the old law?  To love God and to love neighbor.  That was the core of the law according to Jesus.  The rest was build on those principles.

6. Theology grows out of spirituality.  What happens in our lives?  How does our doctrine effect our way of living?  What  are we doing that will stand the test of eternity?  How do we live if we believe this or that?  Doctrine and life go together; they cannot be separated. 

7. Create an atmosphere that encourages the right kind of discussion.  Can we talk about doubts, questions, points of view that we do not agree on, and yet when all is said and done, leave as one?  Randy mentions that he has students over to his house and opens it up for discussion.  Different ideas and interpretations are expressed, debated, and argued over (in a good sense of this word).  When they finish, they still might not agree, but they leave as one, having drawn closer to the truth.  Is anything wrong with this?  Maybe we fear the truth, though we say we do not, because it might challenge some of our interpretations.  I am thankful that we can discuss, debate, and disagree without fearing being fired or having people leave.  We are searching for truth.

8. Distinguish between salvation and spiritual formation.  What kind of people are we becoming?

9. Be contextually faithful.  Theology will sound different in different contexts.  For instance, Paul was mad when writing Galatians, but not Romans or Philippians.

10. Doctrine must not be separated from our story and life.  We must understand our story with God’s.  Philippians 4:2-3 comes after 2:5-8, reminding them of the humility and service of Jesus.

11. Recognize the final judgment of God.  God will settle all doctrinal disagreements.  We need to be faithful because the future is in God’s hands.  Consider the parable of the wheat and weeds (Matthew 13).

12. Remember, salvation is by grace.  We are not the product of theological perfectionism but of the gift of a gracious Savior.  Grace extends both to our ethical failures (see David) and our theological failures (see 1 Corinthians 15). 

Hopefully this will cause us to understand the difficulties of communicating and will lead to a healthy view of our live in Christ.  It is not easy.  What is really important?  Love God and love one another based on the cross of Jesus should be at the center.  Out of that is how we deal with doctrinal disagreements.  Let me illustrate this by a recent situation I read about on the Grace Centered web site discussion board.

A congregation in California occasionally allowed teens to read scriptures during an Wednesday evening assembly.  A boy was chosen to read a scripture one evening but a thirteen year old girl thought that she was to do it, so she got up and read the scripture at the time selected.  The next Sunday, the elders stood before the congregation and in the process of disagreeing with what happened embarrassed both the girl and her parents, who then left the church. 

How should this have been handled?  Was there a willingness to sit down privately with this family and discuss the situation?  What was accomplished by embarrassing a family?  Why did the leadership react in this way?  Were they defending the institution of the church or were they concerned for the family of believers?  Was it a simple mistake of ignorance or something more sinister?   If the core is to love God and one another, how was love shown in this situation?

There have been many issues in which we have seen, heard of, or experienced where noble study was not done, but where turmoil occurred.  The above suggestions by Randy Harris is a way to work through disagreements without causing divisions.  May we be more like those noble Bereans who searched the scriptures daily.

                                                                                                                                George B. Mearns