Sunday, July 29, 2007

the accusers versus the edifiers

Here's the deal. I don't know if I'm Emergent, emerging, or whatever it's called. I suspect I'm not. I read a book once that I thought was the definitive book on the Emerging Church and although there was a lot I agreed with and a lot that challenged me, in the end I had to conclude that I was not. More so, if that book was representative, I had to conclude the movement (or conversation) was in error.

So this post is not an attempt at defense of the EC crowd but simply to say if I was to have to choose right now, it's pretty clear who is representing the accuser and who is representing Christ.

Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. - John, Re 12.10

Take a look at the two sets of 'posters' and tell me which represent a Christ-like spirit? Choose wisely. I think one set represents The Kingdom. The other does not "pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding." Ro 14.19

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. - Jude

Update - David Rudd makes a more thorough analysis.

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7 comments:

David Rudd said...

well-done.

the posters and the ensuing "conversation" at the site with which i find myself more theologically aligned was enough to run me off for good.

sad.

ricki said...

David - that is well said and opens up another very interesting series of thoughts. I too find myself more theologically aligned with one side of this tit-for-tat but clearly they are of a different spirit.

This I think reinforces the point, agreeing intellectually is not what Christ was after. That doesn't take away from the importance of knowledge, right doctrine, etc. but there is something much more important at stake here - and it saddens me when I see the number of people out there that do not realize this.

Anonymous said...

Great post here as is David's post. I appreciate you weighing in on this as someone who is not "in" the emerging church camp. That matters. My roots are conservative evangelical (Baptist) but I consider myself "post-denominational" these days. While I am not officially associated with the emerging church movement I do appreciate much of what they bring to the table. Of course there are things I disagree with - but these are brothers and sisters on the same journey I am. Our calling is to love one another - not to publicly castigate and mock one another. This whole campaign has distressed me quite a bit. I enjoy parody and satire - but not when individuals are being singled out for ridicule. And all of this while the world watches in amazement at out divisiveness! Thanks again for sharing your perspective.

David Rudd said...

Rob,

i like the term "post-denominational", particularly in light of mclaren's clarification that post is not "opposite of", it is "after and a result of"...

there is a certain beauty to denominations, but it seems like the church has always struggled to make that kind of unity really work...

"your kingdom come"!!!

FX Turk said...

Oh brother. You must be right: calling people who are demolishing the truth of God "vipers", or "white-washed tombs", or "liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons", and so on -- that's not part of the Kingdom and doesn't point to it.

That's what I get for trying to blog-spot on a Monday morning.

jul said...

I'm probably about where you are. I think the EC is very ecclectic and has a lot of good and bad. Mostly I think they have good questions and some not so good answers but I hated those posters. That is not the heart of Christ but the heart of a Pharisee in my books. I think the EC a response to real and serious problems in the church and we should stop punishing the children for the sins of their fathers. I'm part of the same generation ( I think) and I can relate to some of the feelings. While I love good doctrine, I'm sick and tired of a form of godliness with no power. Let's bring the real Jesus back to church!!!

ricki said...

Cent - I'll avoid the classic TeamPyro response to a comment such as yours. You're a smarter man than this.

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