Thursday, December 08, 2005
The Limits Of Evangelicalism
Many thanks to Between Two Worlds for the link to this CT piece by Chuck Colson. Colson sets up one of the darkest periods of his life -- two kids with cancer, wife with knee surgery, business problems -- and he says:
Scriptures started running through my head:
Alas, I must agree with Colson that it does not. Most Christians I know have hit this "Soul's Dark Night" wall -- and there seems to be only two ways they go. One way is to dive into their faith, to quit questioning how to be God's person and to simply start being God's person. The other way is to compromise their faith somehow -- "Well maybe that commandment isn't that important, I can bend it a little," -- "It's good to go to church on Sunday, but there are limits," -- "Moderation in all things."
Why aren't we there when people hit the wall that is their "soul's dark night?" Why are we so fast to invite them in, but so slow to really live with them? Why when the going get's tough do we sound more like Peter ("I don't know him") than Jesus ("Into The Hands...").
I long for fellowship with souls that have been through the dark night and found the beauty of God on the other side. I long to help people through that night.
It struck me that I don't have to make sense of the agonies I bear or hear a clear answer. God is not a creature of my emotions or senses. God is God, the one who created me and takes responsibility for my children's destiny and mine. I can only cling to the certainty that he is and he has spoken.And then I thought about Challies post last week about evangelism not being our primary purpose as Christians. And Tim's post yesterday about seeker sensitive churches closing on Christmas this year. And I was sad that we don't do a better job of preparing people for what Colson calls "My Soul's Dark Night"
I'm not sure how well the contemporary evangelical world prepares us for this struggle, which I suspect many evangelicals experience but fear to admit because of the expectations we create. At such times, we can turn for strength to older and richer theological traditions probably unfamiliar to many?writings by saints who endured agonies both physical and spiritual.
Scriptures started running through my head:
Heb 6:1a-b - Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity,And then I thought about the ongoing discussion on cessasionism and charimatics. There is a real issue at the heart of that discussion that relates here. Sometimes we just run out of intellect. Sometimes faith makes more sense than understanding. We seek to know God, not about God. I'm willing to bet most cessasionists wish they were charismatics when they get to the place where Colson was. But what Colson is really saying is what about those that never get far enough to have a dog in the cessasion/charisma hunt? Does evangelicalism take them far enough towards maturity for them to even understand what it is they are missing?
Heb 5:13-14 - For everyone who partakes {only} of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
1 Cor 3:2 - I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
1 Cor 14:20a - Brethren, do not be children in your thinking;
Alas, I must agree with Colson that it does not. Most Christians I know have hit this "Soul's Dark Night" wall -- and there seems to be only two ways they go. One way is to dive into their faith, to quit questioning how to be God's person and to simply start being God's person. The other way is to compromise their faith somehow -- "Well maybe that commandment isn't that important, I can bend it a little," -- "It's good to go to church on Sunday, but there are limits," -- "Moderation in all things."
Why aren't we there when people hit the wall that is their "soul's dark night?" Why are we so fast to invite them in, but so slow to really live with them? Why when the going get's tough do we sound more like Peter ("I don't know him") than Jesus ("Into The Hands...").
I long for fellowship with souls that have been through the dark night and found the beauty of God on the other side. I long to help people through that night.
