The Law of Christ
Despite Paul’s insistence in Galatians that we are not set right with God or spiritually formed by the law, he makes these statements:
“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
A couple helpful insights: the first from Ben Witherington and the second from N. T. Wright.
“The phrase ‘the law of Christ’ first and foremost refers to the cruciform and resurrection pattern of the life of Jesus, which is to be replicated in the lives of Christ’s followers by the work of the Spirit and by imitation.”
“It is not a bare faith, simply giving credence to a set of beliefs. It is a faith that works — but not with ‘the works of the law’. . . . It is faith that works through love. Love is open to all, no matter of what ethnic origin; but, even more, love is precisely the motivating force through which God himself welcomes all believers into his family. That same motivating force is what ought to make all family members welcome one another as well.”
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Want to know what people under 30 think about Christianity? Check this update from Barna.
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Still time to join us for the “Overflow” Zoe Conference next week.
It seems to me that Galatians IS about getting it right–getting love right. And Paul seems rather harsh with those who don’t. I identify with my Galatian brothers and sisters.
One question though: What do we do with Paul’s overt opposition to Peter “because he was clearly in the wrong” (2:11)? How does this fit in with what we’ve said about love?
Ray B,
Not to be too hard on you, but your comment here makes my stomach turn.
For you, “the gospel” and “the cross” equate with 1950s CofC stuff: Non-instrumental music, male elders and preachers, bible study over social justice, and baptism by immersion.
Let’s be frank: That list is NOT the gospel OR the cross. And your willful insistence that they ARE is the root of the problem with the CoC.
Kathy, absolutely! I wrote my post before seeing Dustin’s. But he is exactly right in his observations, sadly. Still, I think the crisis in christendom can bring about some long needed and long-term positive changes in the church. This aint your father’s church any more; it our Father’s Kingdom!
We can teach the gospel , the cross , as well as male leadership , acapella singing , benevolence , and immersion and still be a church of compassion. It does not make any difference as to the decade or what part of the world. Just teach the holy scriptures. Those who are open to the word will respond. Being obedient, insisting on being doctrinally accurate is an expression of love. The fruit of healthy teaching will be mercy and good works. The church is so invovlved all over the world everyday. Praise God for all the wonderful expressions of love to those in need !
Dustin,
Most ministers I have met sacrifice a lot more than money and they do sacrifice a lot of money as well. More and more churches want ministers who have committed themselves to being educated (I might add that even though education is not everything, there is a great value in having a minister who has spent some time studying theology and ministry). Someone has to pay for that education and if that is the minister himself, he needs enough salary to provide for his family as well as pay back his educational loans. I happen to believe that by a church investing money in a good minister, they are investing money in the missional leadership of that church to help its missional cause.
Speaking from a minister’s viewpoint, do you know what one of the hardest things to do in ministry is? To get the majority of the congregation to give of itself more. Though giving may involve some more money at times. Money is usually not the problem. The problem that keeps many churches from being a missional body rather than an institutional body is the growing number of people in the pew who have neither the time or desire to be involved. Part of this stems from the narcissism that is thuroughly infused in our culture, which we approach Christianity with as well. 50-75 years ago when many Churches of Christ were planted outside the traditional Bible-belt, they were done by the “laity” sacrificing much for the sake of the kingdom. When the people in the pew learn to sacrifice like our grandparents generation did, the church will become missional again.
I am saying this because I believe it is an easy cop-out to blame the minister or say the minister needs to set the example. While there may be some ministers who do need to set better examples, the problem is bigger than one person. But, like team sports, it is easier to blame one leader (coach, manager, preacher, etc…) than it is to address the whole team.
Ray B,
To insist that Jesus came to earth and died on the cross so that pianos could be banned from the churches of a religious movement that began in America in the 1800s is sheer madness.
To believe that Jesus had his hands and feet nailed to the cross so that he could forever forbid a woman, bible in hand, from sharing her insights into scripture before the assembly of the aforementioned institution is the height of lunacy.
Your mindset is cult-like, brainwashed, closed, and, well, borderline insane.
No wonder people are leaving the church given the madness in the pews. It’s like talking to aliens.
TDT ,
My submission is not to an American movement. It is to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He died to set us free from sin and His blood purchased His church , the church of Christ. It is within His church that you read from the holy scriptures and how to worship and male leadership , etc. The word is not from us , it is from the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit. Not cultic , not lunacy , or madness but just application to the living and abiding word of God.
Ray B,
Your response is expected. Members of cults are not known for their circumspection.
But the truth is out there Ray, the truth is out there.
Those poor first century Christians didn’t realize it was OK to ise instruments in worship, that’s why it took 500 years to use them. If only they had known! Drat!
What is love?
When I think of the relationship of faith and works, I remember the young men who let their paralyzed friend down through the roof to get to Jesus. Jesus is said to have “seen their faith.” This wasn’t a mystical seeing, though well that could have been possible. He was seeing faith in action, the only kind of faith that can be truly named faith.
Chris,
Your assumption that they didn’t use instruments because didn’t know they could is a little misleading. There was nothing in the Jewish Scriptures to tell them they couldn’t, and in fact many passages that told them that God LIKES being worshipped with instruments. There was nothing in the teachings of Jesus that told them that they couldn’t either, but clearly (in light of thier economic status and the fact that they often needed to worship secretively) there were many non-scriptural reasons for them not to have used instruments in that culture and in that day.
The question is: Does it then follow that we should NOT use instruments (and reject as brothers and sisters in Christ those who do) for the same non-scriptural reasons that they had for not using them? There might be any number of reasons for not using instruments in worship today, but I can’t think of any reason short of clear Biblical command to reject brothers and sisters from our table. Just to be on the “safe side” I think I’ll risk accepting a few people at the Lord’s table who don’t do things exactly like I do rather than risk rejecting EVEN ONE brother or sister who does things differently than I do, but might be found acceptable to God.
I’d rather stand before God of exhibiting too much Grace than too much Judgement. I’ve been commanded to love unconditionally… and commanded NOT to judge.
I think TDT’s point, in spite of TDT’s sarcasm, may be that LOVE, tainted with anything else, isn’t LOVE anymore… it’s just a carrot on a stick dangled to draw others to where WE think they ought to be. How about if we just love, all-out and without restraint, and let God’s Spirit do the moving? If HE wants them to stay away from pianos and guitars, He’ll let them know.
Post script: I think this kind of stuff is what drives the 15 to 30s crazy… they SEE what Jesus was getting at, and it had NOTHING to do with our silly arguments. Watch out… they’ll go to wherever the core of Jesus’ message is at front and center– as they should.
“Watch out… they’ll go to wherever the core of Jesus’ message is at front and center– as they should.”
And sadly, as some are doing even now.
Should have read,
“And sadly for many of our congregations, as some are doing even now.”
And it ain’t just the 15 – to – 30s.
It’s not necessarilly so–I doubt if a lot of them know what Jesus’ message is.
Preach the core of Jesus message. I have said that and preached that for close to 40 years. I have witnessed hundreds respond in obedience to the gospel. And not one has said to me that teaching the whole will of God was offensive. And a great many were in the under 40 age. Teach the life of Jesus but also the great doctrines. Teach about worship , leadership , moral purity , heaven , hell etc. People will listen. No , not everyone. Jesus had those who rejected Him , especailly when He began to speak about the demands of discipleship. Read John 6. They wanted bread and fish not a loyalty to Him as Lord as He defined the kingdom.
There is no reason to apologize for preaching / teaching any of the word of God . All of the sacred scriptures are profitable.
“There is no reason to apologize for preaching / teaching any of the word of God . All of the sacred scriptures are profitable.”
I agree 100% Ray B. However, knowing when and how to apply those scriptures, which are central, which are peripheral, which are contextual, etc. is extremely important. If this weren’t the case, then why would Jesus tell us that the whole law can be summed up in “Love God” and “Love your neighbor”? Why would Paul make the statement Mike began this post with, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love”?
Statements like these seem to imply that there ARE more and less important things. If there are more important things– such as LOVE–then shouldn’t we make all attempts to ONLY go on to less important teachings AFTER the centrality of Christ’s love for us and our love for each other and for the WORLD has been clearly and actively established?
I for one, have gone on to babble my personal pet theologies to people who have yet to have any reason to believe that I do truly love them unconditionally. In fact… I would suggest that my personal pet doctrines probably sound to most of the world like the list of “conditions” I attach to my love–whether I mean to sound like that or not. Can we afford to teach the whole of the “sacred scriptures” prior to establishing without a doubt the depth of our love? I think LOVE is the water in which all those other “living” words must swim and find life.
We may sometimes be trying to sell the world a lot of dead theological fish… Often, their reaction may be to the stink of what we’re selling, NOT a rejection of God.
Scott – I love a lot of people that remain lost. No matter how much I love someone, I can’t save them. They must be made aware of the love that God has for them. The greatest expression of God’s love for them is embodied in a series of trials, insults, and beatings, culminating in the agonizing death of his one and only Son. How can I sugarcoat that as to not offend the lost?
Troy,
The trouble is if a person insists that Jesus was insulted, beaten, and killed because God doesn’t like pianos in church. The gospel is an offense to us and the Age, but equating the gospel with the ecclesial peculiarities of the CoC is offensive for all the wrong reasons.
There is a cruciform offense and then there being offensive because a doctrine cheapens the sacrifice of Jesus.
Let’s not confuse the two.
*,
Even I’m getting a little depressed reading your post. You paint such a grim picture of the Lords’ church. I’m going to stick with my earlier statement that your perception is betraying you.
Troy… I would never want to sugarcoat the gospel, but making the Gospel offensive for all my own reasons is not only offensive to the World, but also to God. If the true offense of the gospel is to be seen and responded to by the world, it will be in the context of love. That’s not sugar coating, that’s contextualizing Jesus’ work of redemption.
Also, remember… “While we were YET SINNERS Christ died for the ungodly…” Counting the cost of Christ’s sacrifice and then shouldering the cross I must bear has more to do with my transformation as a disciple than with my “getting in”. I was forgiven while “yet a sinner” but I conform to that cross as I grow and am transformed by God.
There is the preaching of the cross. It will always be offensive to some. But so will all the rest of the word of God. God gave us His perfect will. The Bible tells us about Jesus and Him crucified for us. The holy scriptures also give us instructions on how to worship, who should lead , moral purity , marriage and home , etc. Everything we teach and how we live should be in the spirit of love. Teaching the love of Chist , the atonement , all doctrines , the practical nature of Christian living and all of His will is to be taught in love. Doctrine does not cause people to be offended just because it is doctrine.
Troy,
You are depressing me. There is such a great and grand vision of God witnessed to in Christ and you are trading it in for ashes.
Ashes.
Ashes.
Ashes.
Ray B,
If you continue to equate instrumental music with the cross of Jesus you will remain the camp of the religious nutters.
I mean, I can just imagine Jesus coming to your church:
You: “Jesus, look! We don’t use pianos! Aren’t you pleased?”
Jesus: “Huh?”
You: “Further, we’ve split churches over this issue! That’s how important we thought this was to you. Instituting non-instrumental music, we figured, was a big part of why you came to earth to die on the cross. So, we knew that the World would flock to our churches because they saw how strong we fought for No Pianos! We are a city set on a hill!”
Jesus: “Where did you get the idea I didn’t like a piano?”
The End
Back to the nutters…
One more thing Ray, just out of curiosity.
God is okay with instruments in the Old Testament, correct? And the bible says God will be worshiped with instruments in heaven (Rev. 5:8), correct?
And yet you’ll insist that this issue is central to the gospel?
Praise God for the gospel which is of first importance. Praise God that He has given us perfect guidance for how to live in such a way as to please Him.
* & Scott,
It appears that you’ve exchanged your doctrine of open-mindedness, inspired by pop culture, for that which is inspired by God. If you insist on judging us according to your own doctrine, we can never agree.
Hey Ray,
I still want to know what you think about the instruments in heaven. Do you believe the bible or not?
Troy,
You’ve lost your marbles. Seriously. I’m judging your ideas not because I’ve sold out to, what, “pop culture.” “Pop culture”? What are you talking about?
The issue before the blog is simply this: Will you equate the cross of Jesus with the 1950s ecclesial blueprint of the CoC?
You, apparently, do. And I’ve said that to do this is trading in Jesus for ashes. That’s not pop culture talking. That is Jesus talking to the Pharisees. Jesus was a bit too “open minded” for them as well. Ironic, huh?
What is spooky about you is that you’ve erected your doctrine as an idol and worship it, calling it “God.” And, in a correlated move, consider others who disagree with YOU to be disagreeing with GOD. See the idolatry there? You = God?
Now, what I would hope you would do is to admit that the CoC is a work of man, full of God, but subject to error and growth. That God was not bottled up in the 50s and stuffed into a tract (to mix a metaphor). That your god may be too small. That God, today in fact, might surprise you.
Kind of like he surprised the Pharisees.
Tootles!
*,
You’re the one handing out grades on open-mindedness. Which is, in fact, the one and only conviction of popular culture. The reality is that being open-minded simply means agreeing with you.
Let me get this straight. I referred you to I Cor. 14:34 and now I’m guilty of idolatry. Give me a break! I think that the chip on your shoulder has caused you to read more into Mike’s post than is actually there.
The last word is yours.
TDT ,
You know what I have written about the gospel being of first importance. Look at the context of Rev.5. The passage is not about the corporate worship of the church. You know that is true. It may be you want to use it as a proof text to incorporate the instrument into worship. Your choice.
Ray,
I’m not using it as a proof text. I’m just asking a simple question: In light of Rev. 5 does it appear that God is offended by instrumental praise? What is your answer? Yes or no?
(Again, I don’t like instrumental worship and avoid churches that have it. So I’m not advocating for it. Far from it. What I am concerned about is your equating a human opinion on this issue, even a well-informed opinion, with the core of the gospel.)
TDT ,
I have answered you about the core gospel. The core is the death burial and resurrection of Christ.Jesus died to save us from our sins.
The only way I know to answer you , is to say that we have a perfect revelation as to how God wants us to live and how to worship ,etc. Do we just accept the passages that teach about his death and them avoid all other teachings ?
I have never preaced or taught someone the gospel and then said , unless they understood everything about Christian living , they could not be saved. But after they obeyed the gospel , then have tried to ground them , or other memebers have , in the whole will of God. Good discussion.
What about electricity in the church service or at home? We have a whole church denomination built around the fact that we shouldn’t have electricity, the Amish? I don’t want to judge them, but just as an example of fighting about silly details of no pianos in the first century, where they didn’t have electricity either.
Troy,
It would be nice if “Pop Culture” had a doctrine of open mindedness– it does not. Pop culture is more cutthroat about what is cool or what is acceptable or what is newsworthy or what is valuable than the staunchest legalist ever thought of being. In actuality, I am choosing to sit beneath the “Tree of Life” rather than the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”.
Ever since that serpent convinced us that we needed to be like God by sitting in the seat of judgement rather than by sitting in the lap of love, we’ve been building our religions around “knowing and defining for everyone else the specifics of good and evil” instead of building them around Christ (who IS love).
I’m swearing off of that fruit. God reserved that tree for himself and no one else.