Tuesday, May 23, 2006
An Even More Perjorative Term
My buddy Jollyblogger had a great post over the weekend on "moralism"
I type those words and I cannot help but think of some of Christ's.
What really amazes me is that the worst theologists I have found are from what Internet Monk calls the "Truly Reformed." (see FAQ 10). How can anybody that holds the solas that tightly not get that they have nothing whatsoever to do with their salvation in thought, word, or deed.
Maybe if they spent less time criticising other writings, blogs, and such and more time turning those amazing critical facilities on themselves we might find the love that lies at the very base of the gospel.
Related Tags: moralism, theologism, faith, salvation, Truly Reformed
Those of us who use terms like moralist and moralism, use them loosely as a synonym for pharisee or pharisaism. There may not be an exact one to one correlation between the terms but it points us in the right directions. Moralists tend to follow the Pharisaic approach to life and ministry.David's right here, but I think there is an even more perjorative term for pharisiasm that moralist - "theologist." By that term I mean someone who is so sure of their particular theology, whatever it may be that they think they hold TRUTH and anyone else holds only falsehood and only they and their kin hold TRUTH can experience real salvation. Whatever it is that others may hold, it is so wrong they will undoubtedly burn in the fires of eternal damnation. Such people can see someone that holds to the same moral standards that they do, and whose source for that adherence is claimed to be the same Holy Spirit, and yet assume that the other will rot eternally because the other holds a somewhat different view of how that Holy Spirit works.
I type those words and I cannot help but think of some of Christ's.
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.The truth we seek is a person, not an idea or a system of thought. We are not saved by what we think - we are saved by Jesus Christ - He, personally, is the truth that really matters.
John 8:31-32 - Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Prov 3:5-8 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones.Les Newsom over at Common Grounds Online said something very powerful on Monday. First he quotes a student who he has ministered to recently:
I've heard all that before. You don't understand, Les, I know the information. It's getting that information to mean something to me, to really grip me.Then he starts his conclusion this way
New believers often quickly despair when they begin to think about what they have just done in signing on with Jesus. "Was I sincere enough?" they think. "Did I repent properly?" they wonder. "Do I have faith?" they ask. The simple answer to these kinds of questions ought to be, "Absolutely not."Les is so right here, whether the "newbie" he is talking about, or a moralist or a theologist we are all seeking to "contribute something to this transaction of salvation."
But isn't that the point? Truthfully, these questions reveal a stubborn self-righteousness that sincerely wants to contribute something to this transaction of salvation: my sincerity, my heart-felt repentance, my faith. When our coming to Christ ought to be the abandonment of these things for wholehearted focus on Jesus and his merits on my behalf.
What really amazes me is that the worst theologists I have found are from what Internet Monk calls the "Truly Reformed." (see FAQ 10). How can anybody that holds the solas that tightly not get that they have nothing whatsoever to do with their salvation in thought, word, or deed.
Maybe if they spent less time criticising other writings, blogs, and such and more time turning those amazing critical facilities on themselves we might find the love that lies at the very base of the gospel.
Related Tags: moralism, theologism, faith, salvation, Truly Reformed
