Pluralism Q&A from Christianity.com

A Revival of the Majestic

Returning God’s Majesty to Contemporary Evangelical Dialog

A late 2010 ABC News piece called, “The New Face of American Evangelicalism”

There were 5 panelists - Including Gabe Lyons (Co-author of UnChristian, host of Q-Conference).  One of the questions asked was, “What are the top issues facing the world today?”  The Answers included: Education, Nuclear Proliferation, Child-Sex Trade, Poverty.

The interviewer responds, “Nobody said ‘Gay Marriage’ or ‘Abortion’”.  Gabe Lyons responds, “We’re reframing the context...pro-family, adoption reform, pro-life”

There was a great quote from one of the ladies on the panel, “I’m excited about a church that will “show up, on time” in places of crisis & need.”  I (Chad) agree!  The interview more or less ended with her quote.  It was powerful & passionate.

I liked that these people were articulate about the practical outworking of their faith.  They pointed out how a “cause-/larger-than-life-drive” generation were seeking to be issue driven not only at the polls but in life itself.  I was not surprised that Social Justice took a front seat at a discussion with Millenials in ministry.

We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to serve, to love, to give.  As I thought about the interview for a bit, I watched it again...something was noticeably absent in the New Face of American Evangelicalism (9m+) - there was no mention of the name Jesus Christ or his exclusive claims as God or issues really of an eternal nature.  In fact, the only shout out He got was, “the followers of Jesus ‘ought to make this world a better place to live.”

Jesus, the leader of the cause?  Jesus, the life enhancer?  Now - I’m not suggesting that this is the view held by any of these panelists...it is, however, undisputedly the over published and highly tweeted mark of latter half of Gen X-ers & Y-res, & most Millennials narrative on Christianity in culture today.

But Jesus has to be more than a parenthetical insertion into our humanitarian dialogue.  He’s more than a means to an end; more than an “oh, by the way”...He’s greater than a reason for a season!

For starters, He is the author and the finisher of our faith; The bread of life; Chief cornerstone; Deliverer; He is eternal life; First and the last; God and our great High Priest; Holy & True, the Hope of Glory; I Am, the very image of God, Immanuel...; Judge of the living & the dead; King of Kings; Lord of Lords; Mighty God, Mediator of the New Covenant; New & the Living Way; Only Begotten Son of God; Precious Cornerstone; Resurrection & The Life, the Ruler of God’s Creation; Savior; True Bread, True Light, True Vine, Truth and the only Way to the Father!

Is the Gospel about “making life better”?  Is Jesus leading a revolution to end poverty, and sickness, and suffering, and injustice?  - because those are all temporal things.

If our Gospel only has circumstantial outworkings, if, at it’s core it’s about making life better now then it is humanism @ best.  

The meta-narrative of the Bible is explicit, however, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not even about making eternity better for you.  It is about a high and holy majestic God and King that reveals Himself to His own creation perfectly through the divine intervention of majesty with flesh on.  Geisler defines majesty as consisting of “unsurpassed greatness, highest eminence, unparalleled exaltation, and unmatched glory (Systematic Theology in One Volume, p524).

“Liberal Humanism says, Christianity is about making people happy while they are on earth, evangelical Christian humanism says, the chief end of Christianity is the happiness of people after they die...they both focus on people!”  (-Cat & Dog Theology, Christian Humanism p144)

1 PETER 4:1-11

1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does. 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Notice how the outworkings of the believer’s life here are in keeping with the majesty of God...(see verse 11).

Psalm 8:1 tells us, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”  Revelation 4:11 reads, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

I am increasingly concerned about the absence of eternal issues finding light in modern-day discussions from church leaders.  I am mortified by the (at best - overly casual) (at worst - often irreverent) blatant disregard for the Majesty of our God.  Let’s reinvigorate our earthly dialog with heavenly language...let’s talk about the Lord in the way He both describes Himself and the manner in which He will be referred to for all eternity.

More than a means to a temporary end...how majestic is His name in all the earth!

Witnessing Report 2 from Evangelism Class

...on a recent exchange...

Just this past week I had the privilege to be in London on business.  The last day of my trip a car was hired for my 1 hour and 15 minute ride back to Heathrow Airport from the Buckhurst Hill/Waltham Abbey area where I was staying.

I was in car #35 with a very (not overly) personable and talkative driver named Bill.  A native Pakistani who had lived in Great Britain for more than 40 years.  He was a father of 5 and recently separated from his wife of an arranged marriage.  

Bill broached the subject of religion and spirituality.  It didn’t take long through a series of what I would call worldview indicators in his own conversation to identify that his a muslim - but not in fellowship or in obedience with the teaching of the Qur’an.

Bill was actually more of a pluralist than anything and this was where the Gospel conversation emerged.  

Bill said, “God knew about all these religions...the truth is they’re all the same.”

Me:  “Well, they are similar I suppose in that they are systems of beliefs and worldviews based on teachings...in that they’re of the same kind.  But you’ve impressed me on how much you’ve really researched many of these things; so I know you’re aware of the major distinctions and the problem with Christianity and Jesus.”

Bill: “What do you mean problem with Jesus?”

Me:  “The Bible as a whole and Jesus, specifically on several occasions, disqualify Biblical Christianity from being lumped in with all the other religions.”

Bill: (diversion) “The truth is nobody knows anything; it’s all faith.  If we want to know something we have to look at Science.  There is much scientific evidence and many facts that prove that man has been around for millions and millions of years - all the holy books only say man’s been here for a few thousand years.  None of them address that.”

Me:  “You’re very well read, I can tell.  Science amuses me in a lot of ways.  It was bonafide, credentialed scientists - not the Bible - that stated the fact and bore evidence that the world was flat.  Scientists said the Personal Computer was too cumbersome to ever be deployed and that at most 5-6 households per city may have one by the year 2015.  Science has killed many scores of people with bad medicine only to later disproved itself.  All the while, the Bible hasn’t changed; even the Qur’an, you know has been updated with later writings that undo the earlier writings.”

Bill:  “You know I never thought about how quickly science changes.”

Me:  “The Bible clearly states that the word of the Lord stands forever.  The problem with Jesus and all other religions is that he himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father except through me.”  Either he’s absolutely authoritative in that claim or he is a sinner just like the rest prone to delusions and lies.  WIth all of science’s endeavors to disprove the Bible, they keep changing their conclusions and evidence at a rate that there’s enough to fill up magazines published monthly...that’s how fast scientific evidence is changing...yet, they’ve never undone any - not one - claim of God’s Word, The Bible.”

Bill: “Very interesting.  How do you feel about the illuminati and the one world government thing?  That’s true, right?  Most of the problems of the world are with our leadership...it’s not the people it’s the leaders!”

Me: “I agree that there’s a lot of corruption at a lot of levels today.  But it’s interesting to me we blame the affluent for global troubles because they’re too wealthy.  Yet when a heinous murder is committed, the first thing we want to know is about the troubled/impoverished/difficult childhood.  There’s a prophet in the Bible named Jeremiah who wrote, “The heart of man is deceitful and wicked above all things.  Who can know it?”

I’m more of the mindset that man may want to do good for others, but is ultimately incapable - at his best - at selfless good...Only the Bible addresses that.  God sent Jesus so that we could be free from the curse of sin in our own lives and please God while we love and serve others.”

Bill:  “That’s what it’s about isn’t it.  Loving and serving others!”

Me:  “We just can’t do it right on our own - that’s the problem with Christianity isn’t it?”

(arrived at airport)

Bill:  “I’ve really enjoyed this.  Would you ask for me next time when you come back?  I want to hear more...talk about this some more?”

Me:  You better believe it.

Pray for Bill.  I’m going to send him a book that I think he may enjoy that may whet his scientific intrigue and point him to the God of the Bible.