Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Our Idols
I have selected three posts from a discussion at Boar's Head Tavern that I thought were interesting. The first concerns Christian idols:
It is often the case at BHT that conversations are multiple and do not intersect, but this one amazed me. We have someone quite rightly pointing out that we often make idols of things that are important in our faith and then there is a discussion about what is most important - which is often how idols are made!
How often does that happen in our lives - how often do we fail to "connect the dots," as it were? How often do good ideas we hear not turn into some sort of reality in our lives?
Here is something to think about, really hard. Christopher Hithens spends a whole lot of time thinking about God and Jesus. He understands our doctrines better than many of us. I know he probably thinks about this stuff more than I do.
And yet, by his own admission, he thinks our faith bunk. He is no Christian. Clearly, thinking about being a Christian does no make one a Christian. Nor does doctrine (thought of God) make a church a church.
This is why I am that thing consider heretical by so many - a "reformed charismatic." The Holy Spirit has such a clear role here. Something makes us Christian besides simply admission to the truth of Christan doctrine. Is it ethics.? No - to much bad ethics in the church for that to be the case.
Can't be anything but God Himself.
Think about it.
Three favourite idols of Christians - Truth, gifts and moralityThe other two discuss whether a church can be "doctrine based."
It is often the case at BHT that conversations are multiple and do not intersect, but this one amazed me. We have someone quite rightly pointing out that we often make idols of things that are important in our faith and then there is a discussion about what is most important - which is often how idols are made!
How often does that happen in our lives - how often do we fail to "connect the dots," as it were? How often do good ideas we hear not turn into some sort of reality in our lives?
Here is something to think about, really hard. Christopher Hithens spends a whole lot of time thinking about God and Jesus. He understands our doctrines better than many of us. I know he probably thinks about this stuff more than I do.
And yet, by his own admission, he thinks our faith bunk. He is no Christian. Clearly, thinking about being a Christian does no make one a Christian. Nor does doctrine (thought of God) make a church a church.
This is why I am that thing consider heretical by so many - a "reformed charismatic." The Holy Spirit has such a clear role here. Something makes us Christian besides simply admission to the truth of Christan doctrine. Is it ethics.? No - to much bad ethics in the church for that to be the case.
Can't be anything but God Himself.
Think about it.
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