Self and Others

In the meantime, though, we must beware of tying the gospel or our understanding of Scripture to any one intellectual construct. The gospel continues to transcend earth-centered, human-centered, sun-centered, galaxy-centered or culturally-centered schemes, and will always do so. Our interpretations are fragile. God's revelation is not.

-Nancy B. Barcus, Developing a Christian Mind (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1977), 19

Nancy gives a good and valid point; a point Christians have not followed for centuries. Our understanding and translation of the Scriptures is so limited, yet so often Christians push for ‘one intellectual construct’. Anything that falls outside of our limited construct is considered to be of heathens. For example, a pastor would be ‘on thin ice’ if he were to go to a bar and have some drinks with his friends. Maybe he would not become drunk, but other Christians may look down on drinking because of how others have abused it. Of course, ‘heathens’ have abused sex as well, but that does not prevent Christian married couples from getting ‘in the sack’.

As Christians, we seem to have a really closed-mind to a lot of things, whether because it is new, or because it is not introduced by a Christian, etc. Some Christians take it much too far, and (for example) they somehow rationalize that Jesus would not go into a bar to share some drinks with his disciples. These Christians forget that Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding, shared a cup of wine in the Last Supper, and that Jesus hung out with prostitutes, drunkards, tax collectors and other heathens more than he hung out with the religious leaders of the day. While we should always strive to do what the Bible says, we should also keep an open mind by realizing that our interpretations of the Bible are fragile at best.

Even when we realize that God is God and we are not, we see ourselves before God as an individual before an individual. Our faith tends to be a Lone Ranger Christianity… the idea of God relating to one’s family or church is present but secondary.

-James W. Sire, Discipleship of the Mind (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1990), 63

James W. Sire recognizes what I believe to be the largest problem in Christian’s lives today. Rather than allowing God to ‘take the wheel’ in the car of our lives, we put God in the back seat and try to get directions to heaven while we stop or turn away and go to the places we want to. I believe, as Christians. we still enjoy having complete control of our lives. We must learn to put God in charge of our lives.

Sire takes it to a further level than that, however. He claims that we have an idea of God relating to family and church, but that we usually relate ourselves more to church and family than we believe God relates. We count on ourselves to get everything accomplished, and hardly rely on God. It’s easy to see why sometimes we find it hard to give God the glory; we hardly let him into the things we do! If we were to truly allow God to shape and form our family and churches, perhaps we would begin to feel more fulfilled and purposeful. But as long as we live a ‘Lone Ranger Christianity’, we will be left desiring more.

When we approach others in a civil manner, we must listen carefully to them. Even when we strongly disagree with their basic perspectives, we must be open to the possibility that they will help us discern the truth more clearly. Being a civil Christian means being open to God's surprises.

Richard J. Mouw, Uncommon Decency, Christian Civility in an Uncivil World (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1992), 67

Mouw discusses Evangelism, and how Christians have been approaching evangelism in wrong manner. Why should Christians blatantly disagree with everything the secular world says about life? Why can we not listen for a moment, rather than attempt to ‘hog the microphone’ in telling the world what we thing they need to hear about God? We must always be willing to listen rationally and openly. Mouw believes that we may even learn something about God and truth through a non-Christian, which I believe is possible, but not usually likely.

In fact, I’m not sure if listening to non-Christians will help us discern truth anymore than not listening to them. We may learn their stance and belief on issues, and then we may learn how they can overcome their ‘roadblocks’, but to say that we will learn more about truth could possibly be an exaggerated statement. I believe God may surprises us through our conversations with those who do not believe in God, but that does not necessarily mean we will discern the truth more clearly. In any case, I agree with Mouw in that we should listen carefully and lovingly to those who do not believe in God, and only provide answers when they ask for them.

Christians need to be careful about seeing civility as a mere strategy for evangelism. As an evangelical Christian I want to be careful not to be misunderstood as I make this point. I want people to accept the evangel, the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. I place a high priority on the evangelistic task. But this does not mean that Christian civility is simply an evangelistic ploy - being nice to people merely because we want them to become Christians.

Richard J. Mouw, Uncommon Decency, Christian Civility in an Uncivil World (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1992), 28

I have seen this mistake made far too often by Christians, even by pastors! Civility is used as a strategy to ‘convert the heathens to Christianity’. I believe we are called to be evangelical, but not in the sense that we mean today. I believe our largest call is to ‘love our neighbors as ourselves’. Evangelism should only exist as a second priority under that love, rather making evangelism the focus of our lives. If they feel loved, our job is complete; if they accept the good news of salvation, God’s job is complete.

We always seem to take the responsibility of ‘converting’ others, when realistically, Jesus only gave us the responsibility of loving others; Jesus promised his Holy Spirit to work through us and inside others. Practically, we can only accomplish so much on our own. It is only through God’s grace that someone will decide to accept the good news through the message we have given them, despite our inferior knowledge of God and our lack of faith in the workings of the Holy Spirit. We should always take this humble view that we can accomplish nothing but love, and God will work out the rest.