Friday, July 25, 2008

Church Unity and Other Stuff

I want to respond to a comment made a few days ago. It regarded church unity, doctrine, communion, and some other issues. See comment on blog for more info.

The church unity issue is one that constantly weights on my heart. I have particular theological convictions which are good. But, I am amazed how some of these convictions can become an issue for others. They don't want to pray with me, or worship with me, and these are Christians. Jesus prayed in John 17:3, that we would be one, and I would argue that is one of the unanswered prayers of Jesus.

It is interesting that many Christians, including pastors, have very bad biblical understanding of doctrine and make some interesting leaps. Many Christians can not even defend biblical an understanding of who Jesus is, salvation, what is the church, etc. That worries me...

I think it is good that we have certain theological convictions because they are healthy and some convictions I can't buy into at this point. But, if Jesus is front and center, we can be on the same page. We can pray together, serve together, and worship together.

Here is something I have found interesting. When we are too compromising on doctrine or theological convictions it actually causes division. When we don't stand for something we don't stand for anything. Division comes when we let wolves, heretics, and bad theology run rampant. Every church and Christian must make some stands on big doctrines (Jesus, sin, humanity, Trinity, church, heaven, hell, salvation, etc.)

God has pressed my heart to pray with more of our local Christian leaders. Something supernatural happens when we can put aside our differences, which for the most part, are minor, and pray and serve together, and help one another. I never want CCR to be arrogant and prideful and forget that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. A church that is eternal (past, present, and future), local, and universal, and global.

We "get it" and other churches don't if they are older, traditional, etc. These are still brothers and sisters in Christ. Granted, some churches should be shut down, because they are not faithful and don't bear fruit, but that is another issue.

It is funny that non-denominational churches thought they were the answer to division, and it has caused just as much, and bad theology. Churches like Calvary Chapel, claim to be not a denomination, but stand firm on many issues and doctrine. They even have a pope, Chuck Smith:)

Real quick: communion is a symbol of a spiritual reality. If we believe that when we take the bread and wine it really is Jesus, sacrificing himself again that goes against Hebrews 10. The other problem is that God is outside of matter, like bread and wine, this would be pantheism. I have issues with Catholic and Lutheran teaching on the sacraments.

We celebrate Christ by looking at these symbols and remembering in our hearts by the power of the Spirit the death and resurrection of Jesus until he comes again. The physical elements of baptism and LS, point beyond themselves to God, but have no power in and of themselves.

That is all I have for now...