I've never been a real big fan of Paul. I prefer to read the gospels. My image of Paul always included an overbearing personality that was unsympathetic with the struggles every Christian has. Last week I took a Philippians/Philemon May-mester class. I was reminded of how much more is in Paul especially when we remember his situation. Two verses in particular struck me.
Phil 3:15
15Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. NRSV
Wow is that a different attitude than that of most modern day scholars. I think it would be great if at the annual ETS convention, after someone had just gotten finished presenting a controversial idea, instead of persecuting them with harmful remarks, leaders of the Evangelical community just commented..."You know you ought to let that one go, but I'm not real worried because in due time, God will reveal the truth to you." Often we get the feeling that we need to defend our western orthodoxy. It seems to me that Paul isn't real worried about those who don't have the right attitude or if they disagree because he knows God will take care of it. Now there is a high view of providence...(clears throat...elbows John Piper...gives Wayne Grudem a stern look).
and
Philemon 14
14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. NRSV
Here Paul is talking about keeping Onesimus as a partner in the gospel and not sending him back to Philemon. This strikes me as something that can be corroborated from experience. How much better is it when people do something of their own free will and without compulsion? I think this is one area in which or church shines...well in so far as I can tell. Anytime Ben or Singleton ask for help there seems to be a dozen sets of helping hands. I really enjoy that about UBC.
11 comments:
Paul Rodriguez, the comedian?
That's not the case everywhere (the "volunteerism" if you will). The conversation around the staff table at my church is alwasy about how we're short-handed here or in this area...
I think "life fragmentation" combats this is in my context. Our church is largely made up of "soccer mom's" etc. When they've got to decide between little league, small group, bridge team, skeet shooting, etc... too many times I think the easiest answer is to say no to everything.
Unfortunately, the knee-jerk reaction is to make service a commodity too. Put bells & whistles on it and all that... which "solves" the immediate need (bodies) but makes the real problem worse ("feed me" spirituality)
Paul is quite stern to some. But I think he is also the biggest idealist the church ever had outside of Christ himself. I think it is because he knew what the church and Christians were capaible of if they had real faith and were genuinely born again inside and out. Makes him stand out and probably why God used him to write so much of the Bible.
I think sometimes in our 'realism' of Christianity we forget that the early Chrsitains fought and indeed died for an ideal -- an ideal Christ gave them -- they did contend for the faith in the gospel very strongly but they also let some things go. In my beleif they were 'practical' open theists. They knew God was doing a lot, but they also realized their need to keep up their end too -- maybe better than we do today. Just some random thoughts from the eccentric theologian.
ifoundbobbyfisher,
I feel your pain brother. I wonder if the church in the good old USA was thrust back into the 1st Century how well we would do? I think it was more about purity of faith and relationship with God and each other in the times of Paul. Now it is so much about professionalism and needs I don't think we would get along too well with 1st century Chrsitianity.
Blessings.
By the way, we've never been introduced... I found your blog in a direct line from Singleton's and I thought I'd respond. Sorry for butting in without any introduction. I've enjoyed reading your blog and pondering your thoughts. Hope all is well and stays well.
thanks bob and pastor ed,
I'll pray that your church volunteers are in abundance in the near future.
I should note that we are in a unique position in that though college students don't have a lot of money to give, they often have a good deal of time and can be called on with spontaneity.
Robert,
yes of course I'm talking about Rodriguez. I love his work in Hebrews!!!
One possible reason for the increased incidence of volunteerism may be linked to "jadedness." I think (generally speaking) young people are more inclined to responding to a big huge compelling vision. As people get older (maybe) and more fragmented, perhaps they're less likely to respond to huge possibilities with higher degrees of risk.
Josh,
I think you're probably right about Paul not caring about many of the things that the Philippians community was dealing with. Apparently, when the Gospel is preached, even with wrong motives, Paul rejoiced.
However, I'm not so sure that Paul was as willing to let people teach 'wrong' things at other times, even if still convinced that God would reveal this to them. In 1 Corinthians he's pretty damn certain that they need to be corrected from some of their reductions of the Gospel.
I think the issue comes down to whether or not it comprimises the Gospel for Paul, and here is where the current battle lines have been drawn within ETS. There are those that think that OT threatens the Gospel and the God proclaimed therein. This is why they take the approach of Paul in 1 Corinthians or Galatians. For them its not a matter of maturity, but faithfulness.
Just my attempt at muddying the issue a little bit more.
Hey Erik,
I think you are correct and what you suggest may even be found in the epistle itself. Though we don't know for sure, it would seem that the enemies referred to as "dogs" in chapter 3 are called that for similar reasons. Perhaps some perversion of the gospel.
I look forward to reading your stuff.
Josh,
I've actually been thinking about this post some more. It raises an interesting question, what are those issues today that perhaps we should adopt a similar attitude as Paul's in this case? I think that's a good practical question considering the raging debates in Christian denominations over issues of homosexual marriage, ordination, etc., and issues like abortion and other hot-button political/social issues. There are, of course, a whole host of other issues/questions/topics which fall in this category.
Another practical question emerges though. What do we do when one group of people considers one set of issues as paramount in terms of the Gospel, while another does not? What becomes the standard for adjudicating between these? On the one hand I want to say Scripture, but then many of these issues are reached on the basis of exegesis. While I can easily call into question one's exegesis, that does very little, it seems to me, in persuading someone of the unfaithfulness of their position. I assume most people do exegesis in an intellectually honest way. So, then, what can I appeal to?
The best answer that I have come up with so far, is tradition, but being someone who is not terribly confessional (though becoming more so) that doesn't sit as well with me. So, then I'm put back in the position of the Phil. 3.15 Paul. Maybe I should just do my best to convince someone, fully trusted God to reveal it to them. But, then I think, "Well, I'm not Paul. I'm not an apostle, and I surely did not see Jesus on the road to Damascus." So, then I wonder, perhaps I ought to be the one in the place opposite Paul's statement. Maybe I need to have it revealed to me.
All this to say, I think what you have raised in this post, especially in regards to your first statement about Paul, is a can of worms waiting to be explored more fully. It raises a host of practical questions that merit serious attention. I think I've raised a couple of them, but inevitably there are more.
Sorry for the length.
Best regards from NY! http://www.bedroombondage8.info/Shemales-fuckwomen.html Effects of paxil in early pregnancy vancouver transexual escorts finasteride acne Billing boats bluenose fishing schooner pattern Cartoon bird sex transexual chat http://www.shemale-fucking.info/Biggest_black_shemales.html cigna health insurance rates 200 mg sr wellbutrin
Post a Comment