How Institutionalism Breeds Division

Every organization requires rules in support of order, discipline, and efficiency—and the church is no different. We, too, have rules that aid in the organization and operation of the church. (There is always some measure of institutionalization required in the church.) In addition, we have established other rules that aid in the understanding and practice of the faith such as creeds, confessions, statements of faith, doctrinal statements, and so on. These are helpful guides to what we believe. What they don’t say is what we don’t believe. These conclusions we may draw by implication.

For example, your local church, tradition, or denomination may subscribe to adult baptism or “believer’s baptism” and this belief may be included in your doctrinal statements. Then you encounter another Christian who subscribes to infant baptism (paedobaptism) and you may assume by implication that their belief is wrong (because it differs from your institutional convictions) and thereby conclude it must be a false interpretation of biblical faith.

Christians have throughout the centuries—and most especially following the Protestant Reformation—arrived at very different understandings about a multitude of issues related to the teaching and practice of the Christian faith. Unfortunately, we tend to form enclaves around these doctrinal understandings, which are eventually institutionalized into denominations, thereby distinguishing us from other Christians. The result is sectarianism, which can create divisions within the body.

No longer is there such a thing as “mere Christianity” to borrow C. S. Lewis’s phrase, but Catholic-Christianity, Protestant-Christianity, Orthodox-Christianity—not to mention the countless Protestant denominations and nondenominational representations of Christianity. Universal fellowship centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ is exchanged for tribal commitments to traditions and various nonessential views.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t have deeply held doctrinal and theological convictions, merely that we should recognize that the Scriptures often leave room for the many varied interpretations of Christian practice. As the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer pointed out, the Bible is true truth—sufficient for salvation—but not exhaustive truth. It’s completely true about everything to which it speaks, but it doesn't speak about everything there is to know (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). Given this condition, which the Lord has determined, it becomes dangerous to speculate through implication on those things that are not essential to salvation and elevate them to essential beliefs that divide.

If we take seriously the Lord’s request of the Father that we “may be brought to complete unity” (John 17:23) then we would be wise to listen to and fellowship with one another in a spirit of love and charity; for according to Christ, this is how the world will believe that the Father has sent the Son (see John 17:21).

© 2013 by S. Michael Craven

Genesis 1:1–2:3

Adam and Eve: A Match Made in Heaven

Genesis 1:1–2:3

Every civilization has a story about how humanity appeared on earth. This story matters, because people understand their own meaning and purpose from how they think human life began. Some cultures have worshiped creation itself; others think human life is nothing more than chemical compounds. God’s Word says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (1:1), and this provides the foundation for how we view the world and ourselves. This month in Today in the Word we’ll look at characters in Genesis and hope to gain greater insight into how we should live in the world today. We must be struck first of all with God’s majesty revealed through His creative power. Many ancient mythologies describe the world arising through conflict between many gods. Here we see one God who speaks, and worlds take form. God’s word subdues all darkness and emptiness (v. 2). He conquers all, and the orderly procession of creation from light to land, from plants to people testifies to His majesty and power. In addition to His majesty God shows His love, as He prepared this procession not only for Himself but also for Adam and Eve. God cares for creation in general, but made His relationship with humanity special (1:27). This opening chapter shows us that in sharing in God’s image, Adam and Eve were meant for a creative and vibrant union, one that helped make creation “very good.” Only as male and female together can humanity reflect Trinitarian reality, both in their union (“God created man”) and in their distinctiveness (“male and female he created them”). As God rested, so could Adam and Eve. Harmony reigned as humanity formed the bridge between God and creation.

We can never understand our true purpose on earth without seeing first God’s goodness in making a world for His children. As we begin a new year, ask the Lord to give you fresh eyes to see His goodness and your purpose in this world. The Lord who created you also delights in your life!

Positivism

Psalm 19 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork" (v. 1).

Metaphysics is the study of that which transcends the physical realm accessed by our five senses. Every worldview has its own answer to the single most important metaphysical question: What principle makes sense of the diversity of creation? Is there something that explains the existence of the universe and demonstrates how the tremendous variety of "things" (dogs, stars, flowers, sand, and so on) all fit together as pieces of the whole?

Christian theology has always said that this unifying principle is the Creator who stands above all things. God is the one who makes sense of everything. Non-Christian philosophers have suggested that an abstract concept, such as reason serves as the unifying principle.

The nineteenth-century French thinker Auguste Comte was dissatisfied with both theological and philosophical views of metaphysics and turned to sociology. He said human society passes through three stages as it matures. In the stage of infancy, religion dominates one's study of the world. Philosophy is the means by which the world is understood in society's adolescence. Adulthood comes when empirical science alone is used to comprehend reality.

A movement called positivism expanded upon these theories. Denying that we could get to a single explanation for all things, positivism tried to understand each of the many particulars in our universe "scientifically." Since nothing brings unity, everything is relative. There is no final standard or ultimate criterion of transcendent truth, so we might as well give up our search.

Logical positivists said a statement has meaning only if it is empirically verifiable. If the senses cannot test it, we can have no knowledge of it. This principle guides most scientists today even if they do not call themselves logical positivists. Yet the idea that a statement has meaning only if it can be empirically verified is self-refuting. This maxim itself cannot be tested empirically; there is no way for the five senses to verify it. It is therefore meaningless according to the guiding idea of logical positivism. Logical positivism fails as a viable worldview if its basic tenet has no meaning according to its own standards.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Many scientists say that a Creator does not exist or that there is no way of knowing if He exists because we cannot see, hear, taste, touch, or smell Him. Today's passage, however, states that there is empirical evidence to support the existence of God. Creation testifies to the reality of God (Ps. 19:1-6; Rom. 1:18-32). Take some time this week to find and make use of a good apologetic resource that discusses the evidence for the Lord's existence.

For further study:

Jeremiah 5:21-22

Pragmatism

Luke 14:25-33 "Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" (v. 28).

While most of the philosophies that have shaped American culture are European in origin, pragmatism is at least one worldview that was born in the United States. Its assumptions lie at the heart of postmodernism, that catch-all term used to describe the views that dominate Western thinking in the first part of the twenty-first century.

Pragmatic philosophers are generally agnostic as to whether ultimate, transcendent truth even exists. Even if objective truth exists, they say, it cannot be known, nor is it even worth pursuing. Truth is therefore radically redefined. Traditionally, truth is regarded as that which corresponds to reality. However, truth in pragmatism is what "works."

This leads to relativism. What "works" for you is not necessarily what "works" for me. Christianity may make me a happier person; thus, it is true for me. Muslims find that Islam makes them happy, and so Islam is true for them since it "works" for them. Rational discussion, or an appeal to a final norm, cannot solve disagreements over what "works"; therefore, the group with the most power wins when pragmatism is wholly embraced. If homosexuality works for me, then I must gain power to silence those who, by convincing others that my behavior is unacceptable, can create cultural impediments that hinder my enjoyment. I will not try to debate those who disagree since there is no universal standard to which we can appeal.

Pragmatism usually looks for immediate solutions without considering whether the answers will work in the long haul. Perhaps the best example of this is the Social Security system in the United States. The problem of people not saving enough for retirement was "solved" by mandating contributions to a government-sponsored savings plan. No one seriously considered whether there would always be enough workers to support these benefits, and now the time is coming when Social Security will be unable to pay out what the government has promised. Jesus opposes this type of short-term thinking, calling us to count the long-term costs of following Him ( Luke 14:25-33).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

The corrupting influences of pragmatism are seen even in the church. "Seeker-sensitive" worship can increase attendance without ever seeing the congregation grow to maturity. Churches targeting specific ages or lifestyles might attract a lot of people from these groups and not minister to those who do not fit certain classifications. Beware of any ministry that emphasizes "what works" and do what you can to help your church avoid slipping into pragmatism.

For further study:

Prov. 19:20; 24:13-14

Secular Humanism

Psalm 144:3-4 "O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow" ( vv. 3-4).

Yesterday we saw that secularism is the broad, overarching system under which many non-Christian worldviews are subsumed. We will start today to examine four of these worldviews in more detail, beginning with humanism.

Because it has appeared throughout history in a variety of forms and with a variety of emphases, humanism can be hard to define. Perhaps the best way to summarize its major tenets is to use the ancient Greek philosopher Protagoras' statementhomo mensura , which means "man the measure." In its secular form, humanism has taught that man is the measure of all things. Man is the ultimate, autonomous norm; that is, he is a law unto himself. His reason, not subservient to divine revelation, is the basis of ethics.

Not every humanist has denied God's existence, but even those religious humanists have said that belief is merely one aspect of our humanity. Removing faith from the center of existence made it easy for humanists in the nineteenth century to question the Bible's validity and define it solely as a record of primitive man's experience of religion. As a result, many seminaries began to deny the supernatural, producing pastors and other leaders who denied the resurrection but tried to keep many of the ethical teachings of Jesus. The consequence of all this was the "Social Gospel," which emphasized feeding the hungry and other works of charity without telling people of their need for salvation from sin. This incomplete Gospel is directly linked to the decline of the so-called "mainline denominations." If we do not need to be saved from sin, there is no reason for us to sit under a preacher and hear platitudes about giving to the poor. Such good works can be done without the trappings of religion.

Beginning in the twentieth century, humanists began to articulate more honestly that subjectivism is the inevitable consequence of making man the final arbiter of what is true. Without an objective, transcendent norm all we have are individual preferences to guide us. We must then ask, whose preferences will guide us? More often than not this has led to some form of statism wherein the preferences of the few are made into laws for the many.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

The naturalism that is taught alongside humanism makes humanity into a cosmic accident with no real value, hence the ease with which we abort children and abandon the elderly. Only the Christian worldview, where God is the measure of all things, can preserve life and liberty. Only those who believe that man is made in God's image have grounds for attributing any kind of worth to humanity. Remember this as you engage other worldviews.

For further study:

Genesis 9:6

Secularism

Psalm 14 "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good"(v. 1).

Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount lays out the basics of the Christian worldview when He calls us to make a wholehearted commitment to His life and teaching (Matt. 6:25-34; 7:13-14,21-27 ). All people have a worldview - a construct that, like eye glasses, is the lens through which we interpret reality and make our everyday decisions. The Christian worldview is defined by the words and deeds of our Savior. Over the next week we will more closely examine the Christian worldview and its response to some of its strongest competitors with the help of Christian Worldview, a teaching series by Dr. R.C. Sproul.

Western society in our day has not been characterized by a single worldview. Various systems of thought influence our thinking, often without us being fully aware of those things that are shaping our minds. These non-Christian worldviews differ from each other on several important points, but those not grounded in a specific religion (Islam, for example) are all forms of what we may more broadly call "secularism."

Historically speaking, God's people have had a biblical view of the secular realm (that sphere not under the church's authority). The sacred and the secular are different spheres, but both are under the Lord's sovereignty, and therefore they are not in opposition. The state is to rule over its people, and the church is to rule over its own matters, each fulfilling the functions unique to its ordained role. Justice and maintaining the civil order is the purview of the state, while the church conducts the ministry of Word and sacrament (Rom. 13:1-7).

Secularism, however, elevates the secular to the point where it is believed that nothing exists beyond that which we can see. Accordingly, secularism says there is nothing beyond this life. It denies the church a voice in society, and even if God is not denied explicitly, the secularized culture operates as if He does not exist. There is nothing transcendent to which the secular is accountable.

The Christian worldview emphatically holds that all of reality centers around the existence of a personal, holy, and transcendent Creator. Only fools deny the Lord's existence (Ps. 14 ), for He holds eternity in His hands.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

The title of Dr. R.C. Sproul's Tabletalk column, "Right Now Counts Forever," is based on the reality of an eternal, good Creator. What we do today counts for tomorrow because the Father has ordained to work through our present decisions, which therefore impacts our eternal destinies. In Christ we are assured of eternal life; yet, even the smallest choices we make impact the degree of our heavenly reward. Is God's will the basis by which you make even the most "minor" decisions?

Building Our Soul Capacity

Imagine ... that every single day we could have our fill of the finest food imaginable, overload on dessert and wash it all down with plenty of wine/beer/cola (delete as applicable). Would that make every day a feast?

No. I imagine that most of us would enjoy Day One to Day Seven. Anytime between Week Two and Week Four, each meal would start to fade into all the others. After a while, we'd barely be able to appreciate any of the luxuries we had. By Month Six, we'd probably be bored, sick or deceased! ...

Here's the principle: For any day to really be a feast, some days can't be a feast. There's a rhythm of life here ... Waiting and enjoying belong together as part of the same picture. If we never experience any delay or lack, our lives are poorer for it ... If we want for nothing, we end up missing what we need most...

Waiting builds our soul capacity. It enables us to carry tension. The problems of life and the ups and downs of human relationships will demand this of us.

That's why the God of the Bible is a waiting God. He knows the pain of patience. He carries the tension of hope for a broken world. He's a spurned lover, a tireless dreamer and a lovelorn parent. It's a costly path, but this is the price of relationship. History shows that he chose this rather than overwhelm us with his purity and justice. One of Peter's New Testament letters reads: "He's restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone the time and space to change." [see 2 Peter 3:9] Because he loves, he waits.

-Consumer Detox: Less Stuff, More Life, by Revd. Mark Powley