Chad's spot for various thoughts, musings, poetry, ideas and whatnot

Thursday, December 11, 2003

Differences of Belief

Several of the blogs I routinely visit have been asking the question of what matters and what doesn't in terms of beliefs. The question usually is stated in a "Does this topic really matter?" sort of way. Evolution vs. creation, free will vs. predestination, and the true nature of Christ are all topics that have been hotly debated. As a Christian, the first thing I ask myself is does engaging in the discussion help me to fulfill the one command Jesus gave me better (that command beig "Love each other as I have loved you."). In that light most discussion topics are of limited value. Whether I evolved or was created doesn't really have much bearing on what I'm supposed to be doing now. However I came to be it was through the agency of God somehow and He has called me to Love.

The second question is does the subject and my stand on it fundamentally influence my approach to my faith. Obvious, if I think Christ is merely a reflector of God's light (Baha'i) or was not divine (Jehovah's Witness/Arianism) then I view His sacrifice on the cross and His promise to send the Holy Spirit as different sorts of things. While I'm not going to get into an argument about it, I'm certainly going to think that such beliefs are worth holding fast to. The foundation of my faith is found in the Nicene Creed. If someone disagrees with what is in the Creed then a discussion may ensue that I will find worthwhile to have.

To me the whole predestination/free will thing falls into this catagory. If all is predestined, how can I be responsible for my sins or even have a role in my slavation or relationship with God? If that's the case, I'll just do what I feel like doing because God's already made the call and I have little or nothing to do with that. If I'm in His grace covers my iniquities and if I'm not there's no way I can get myself to where I want to be. The same goes for once saved, always saved. Once someone is in, what's the point of worrying about anything else. Why grow as a person or as a Christian? Why "waste" time mentoring or shepherding someone since there are still unsaved souls that need to get on the right side of the fence. As a free will person, my approach to my own faith and how I live is fundamantally altered. How I approach my relationships with others, both Christians and non-Christains, changes from a "get them saved" mentality to a "help them grow" sort of one. In addition, I believe that this paradigm is, in the long term, more effective in fulfilling the Great Commision and in growing and maintaining the Great Chrurch. Thus, I'll participate in a discussion and present my points for consideration to those who are interested in hearing them.

Finally, I ask myself if the topic better helps me understand my God and my Savior better. Once, when I was engaged in a deep study of Old Testament feasts and festivals, someone said that I was wasting my time because the Old Testament was done away with and that the Jews had been discarded on the rubbish heap of history. I countered with, "If God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, can't we learn a great deal about His character and nature from everything He gave His chosen people. Also, if He is unable to extend grace to this nation that He called out and set apart for His purposes, what does that me for me under a New Covenant when I worship the idols of my life? Am I, too, to be discarded on the trash heaps of humanity?" Such discussions and issues help me to understand how much God loves me and how much He is willing to sacrifice for me. The issue matters because I get a much clearer picture of what I am supposed to become as I grow to be more like Him.

In closing, in evaluating any discussion and its possibility to be worthwhile I ask whenther it will first lift the other person to God and then if it wil lift me to Him. If not, the discussion is not worth having. In my mind, that's the bottom line.

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