In these brief opening passages of first Corinthians, Paul brings us a problem that has remained with us throughout Christendom. Conflict. Right from the beginning it appears that people had trouble concerning the things that were about God as opposed to the things that were about man. Wasn't that the struggle the Jews were having when Christ encountered them? He chastised the Pharisees because "they tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." Matt. 23:4 Jesus cautioned those in the hierarchy of Judaism about what God had ordained in contrast to the rules that men had made which burdened that faith and made it impossible.
Yet, early on we see that human nature leads us to quarrel over even what we seemingly have agreed about: That Jesus was the Son of God, who had laid down his life for us and was raised on the third day as proof that he indeed was the Son of Man as he had proclaimed.
Christendom flourished only to be divided, first within itself as the schism of the church was formed between western Catholicism and eastern orthodoxy and then with the Protestant Reformation. We maybe would like to think that it stopped with that major upheaval, but that has not been the case.
In fact, we are clearly seeing an upheaval in our Christendom now in these times. There are several things that we are witness to besides that reemergence of Israel and the middle east as a center to faiths that are coming into conflict. With in Christendom, ever since the 1960's when Time Magazine asked if "God Was Dead", we have been a witness to the emergence of the evangelical movement in protestant churches. Where has this come from? It has come from God. In one way it began with the Catholic church. The church that was built on Peter began a reform with Pope John the 23rd who moved the church in ways that no one would have predicted. The ecumenical process Pope John began, opened many doors for Catholics and also for a reconciliation to the protestant church.
Within Protestantism we have seen the growth of what is often termed "mega churches" but these are not the same old churches that were around in the late 1960's. These churches, for the most part, have buried themselves in scripture and in proclaiming the truth of Christ. Unlike many mainline churches that are losing their congregations because they have lost their focus on Jesus and have become much more a part of the secular humanist world, the evangelical churches that are focusing on Christ have began a dialogue about having a personal relationship with Christ. Most remarkable, this is happening not only in evangelical protestant churches, but it is also occurring in the Catholic church where a similar awakening has taken place.
Where has praise singing come from? Indeed, how has the entire Christian music movement developed, except out of the spirit that God has sent into this movement. And we have seen it right in our own church. Much of the stilted worship that I was so used to, where prayers were written out, often gleaned from a ministerial magazine or litanies were possibly plucked from "pastor helper" material, we now see the words coming from the heart of the ones who stand before us guiding us in worship. We hear the words of knowledge but more important faith! People are encouraged to bring their Bible to church and more importantly to read it, have a quiet time, study in small groups or large Bible studies or make comments on a blog such as this. Worship has emerged as not duty but as something that connects us with God directly and with the presence of Christ in our lives. Worship is now an active role for individuals instead of the passive role that I remember so well.
Why do I bring this up? Because it goes with what Paul is talking to the Corinthians here in this opening remarks. He remarks to the Corinthians upon discovering that there is conflict amongst them :One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
This is the point he makes for all Christendom. It appears that often when we are asked, "What is your religion?," people will answer with what church they attend (" I am Presbyterian, I am a Lutheran, I am a Catholic…etc.") What happened to Christ? Christ is who you are following. That is your faith. In the end do we really think that it will matter to God whether we sat in the pew that said Catholic, or Lutheran or will it matter if we have asked His Son into our lives and surrendered ourselves to Him?
Laurie Erdman
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2 comments:
I thought that the subject of your blog was a good one for any church - yes, even Bethesda. No church body ever *thinks* they have stopped focusing on Christ, and they certainly don't do it intentionally. But somehow in the middle of committee meetings, stewardship drives and worry about attendance,the focus gets a bit blurry. And little by little, blurrier still.
Is this happening at our church? Only those in leadership probably know the answer to that question. But it is something for EVERYONE TO PRAY ABOUT.
Are we discipling new believers? Are we more concerned about programs or people? If we have a concern about something within our church, do we feel comfortable bringing it up with someone in authority?
Satan WANTS us to lose focus - individually and as a church body. Since he cannot win our souls, he will try to keep us occupied with busy work - anything that keeps us away from winning souls.
Every body of believers must be on guard - even ours. Pray for our pastors and staff. Now.
I usually do not comment on what I have already written but I thought I might here. In writing this piece and speaking about past church services that I attended that seemed more passive then active, I need to clarify something. I was not raised in BLB or even Lutheran. I was in another denomination for 46 years of my life. I always spoke of being a Christian even when most who I knew identified themselves by their church. At least I had that part right. But in the last 10 years I have been a 'new' Christian (at BLB-learning & growing in Christ) who has discovered the difference between my former church and its ways and BLB and what it offers. It is a world apart and that has made all the difference.
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