I am officially announcing the death of the so-called "emerging" church.
When you have people so influenced and embedded in the world, it's impossible for them to do anything that Jesus Christ could partake in with them.
That's the case with Tony Jones, alleged "church" leader amongst this nebulous confederation of dunces.
Just so those reading don't misunderstand where I'm coming from, I've been outside the institutional church system since 1976, and I've pursued an organic expression of Christ within His people since that time.
So this isn't a rant based upon a secret agenda trying to bring down those outside the particular forms of organized, institutional Christianity.
Rather, it's a rant on those infiltrating those of us who have worked for decades - and many before our time - and pretending to be part of something new that Christ is doing in His people.
There is no honest lover of Christ who could say He doesn't condemn homosexuality explicitly. There's no unsurety in the Old or New Testament concerning these actions.
But according to Jones, "... I now believe that GLBTQ ("gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and queer") can live lives in accord with biblical Christianity (at least as much as any of us can!) and that their monogamy can and should be sanctioned and blessed by church and state."
While I, and many others outside the organized church have never identified themselves with what is called the "emerging" church, those that do now have an obligation to censure and challenge this nut job for his attack upon Christ.
To say that the church should bless homosexuals in any way is a break with Christ and His people, and needs to be responded to in that way. To allow this type of wicked comment to go unchallenged and this guy to be embraced in the name of "tolerance" is unacceptable.
This is nothing other than what are called politically: "progressives," who are attempting to infiltrate our society and turn it into their own image, which is completely secular. One of the targets of their attacks is the unfounded young people who are always seeking for something different at a young age, and so are susceptible to this type of silly, idiotic rhetoric.
Wrapping the name of Christ around such a hideous assertion is to totally misrepresent who Christ is and what He's said.
Jesus Christ is after a bride, not a groom, and the idea that those of us who are the counterpart of Christ as His bride, should now "bless" this abhorrent lifestyle and opposite of what God wants, is an abomination to even present as viable.
If this man isn't disciplined, those who are in that position are sanctioning his assertions and so are sinning with him.
There are a lot of things those of us outside the institutional church want changed. Turning against Christ and saying the sin of homosexuality should be literally "blessed" in the words of Jones, isn't one of them.
It does make you wonder if he's a closet homosexual operating under the guise of neutrality.
This is so opposite of who Christ is, the Scriptures, and the practice of believers since the beginning of the revelation of God to man, that it can't even be taken seriously by true believers in Christ.
What people like this Jones do is ride the newest idol of "tolerance," and use it to offer up their bizarre and ungodly doctrines in the name of that tolerance, in order to push their ideas into the minds of those silly and unlearned people.
Of course, as we've seen over and over again, once the tolerant gain what they think of as the upper hand, all tolerance is thrown out the window, and those that disagree with them are warned that they better not contradict what they say and how they live.
It's an old game, and Jones is playing it all out again. If those in the so-called emerging church want to have a chance to really make a difference for Christ, they need to stop these screwballs from using their platforms to spew their poison.
Even at this time the chances of these types of churches surviving as something for Christ is just about nill. To add this type of garbage to it will only hasten their demise. If this is the way they're choosing to go, may it happen quickly.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
There continues to be a large number of Christians who think if they cozy up to, and agree with, many things the world asserts, they will be considered more passionate and the world will then listen to them. This is a fallacy.
It won't matter what you do or say, the world will always hate those who truly follow Christ, because they in reality: hate Christ. It's something we as believers should never forget.
A significant number of Christians are becoming pragmatists.
In this post, when I speak of pragmatism, think of it in this way: concerned with practical consequences rather than theory. Just exchange the word theory with the phrase "eternal purpose," or "what's important to Christ," and you'll get where I'm going with this.
In the early years of my Christian life, I discovered how easy it is to be a people gatherer. You could display your gifts; be a great orator; speak to what they want to hear; among a number of similar things.
This is important, because when we serve God's eternal purpose, which He has deposited in His son Jesus Christ, being pragmatic isn't the way we will reach the purpose God created us for.
Unfortunately, in those who are now moving outside of traditional Christianity, this is becoming the norm. When you hear things like environmentalism; homosexuals are born that way; feminism; you know people are being pragmatic.
No matter how you spin it, there is no way this things are of any interest to God's purpose in Christ. You won't win people to Christ or what He's after by going to bed with the world. It never works!
That's why the scriptures teach that we aren't to love the world.
So if we want to become pragmatic in reference to responding to what's on the heart of the Father, we will become like the world, not like Christ.
Pragmatism could be worked out by embracing whatever the current fad in the world is, and then accept it in order to draw more people to whatever it is we're trying to build. This never works, because what inevitably always happens is the world ends up winning you to it, rather than the other way around.
Follow the narrow path. Being pragmatic or practical, in the sense of becoming like the world or addressing what it's interested in doesn't ever work. Don't compromise the eternal purpose of God to gain numbers. You may get the numbers, but what you'll be won't be built by God.
This doesn't mean we aren't to grow in numbers, but it must be done in the Lord, and not by watering things down so much that it makes the gospel of none effect.
Like Abraham, we're looking for a city who's builder and maker is God; a city that's a light on the hill. Becoming a city built on the premise and interests of the world isn't the way to achieve that goal.
Quit trying to please the world. Quit trying to be accepted by the world. Quit trying to impress the world. The world is dead, already judged by God. The only way out of it is through Jesus Christ. That's what the Greek word used for church meant: the called out ones, or being called out.
It referred to being called out of the world which was under the power and influence of Satan. Why would any of us want to stay there if we truly believe in Christ?
It won't matter what you do or say, the world will always hate those who truly follow Christ, because they in reality: hate Christ. It's something we as believers should never forget.
A significant number of Christians are becoming pragmatists.
In this post, when I speak of pragmatism, think of it in this way: concerned with practical consequences rather than theory. Just exchange the word theory with the phrase "eternal purpose," or "what's important to Christ," and you'll get where I'm going with this.
In the early years of my Christian life, I discovered how easy it is to be a people gatherer. You could display your gifts; be a great orator; speak to what they want to hear; among a number of similar things.
This is important, because when we serve God's eternal purpose, which He has deposited in His son Jesus Christ, being pragmatic isn't the way we will reach the purpose God created us for.
Unfortunately, in those who are now moving outside of traditional Christianity, this is becoming the norm. When you hear things like environmentalism; homosexuals are born that way; feminism; you know people are being pragmatic.
No matter how you spin it, there is no way this things are of any interest to God's purpose in Christ. You won't win people to Christ or what He's after by going to bed with the world. It never works!
That's why the scriptures teach that we aren't to love the world.
So if we want to become pragmatic in reference to responding to what's on the heart of the Father, we will become like the world, not like Christ.
Pragmatism could be worked out by embracing whatever the current fad in the world is, and then accept it in order to draw more people to whatever it is we're trying to build. This never works, because what inevitably always happens is the world ends up winning you to it, rather than the other way around.
Follow the narrow path. Being pragmatic or practical, in the sense of becoming like the world or addressing what it's interested in doesn't ever work. Don't compromise the eternal purpose of God to gain numbers. You may get the numbers, but what you'll be won't be built by God.
This doesn't mean we aren't to grow in numbers, but it must be done in the Lord, and not by watering things down so much that it makes the gospel of none effect.
Like Abraham, we're looking for a city who's builder and maker is God; a city that's a light on the hill. Becoming a city built on the premise and interests of the world isn't the way to achieve that goal.
Quit trying to please the world. Quit trying to be accepted by the world. Quit trying to impress the world. The world is dead, already judged by God. The only way out of it is through Jesus Christ. That's what the Greek word used for church meant: the called out ones, or being called out.
It referred to being called out of the world which was under the power and influence of Satan. Why would any of us want to stay there if we truly believe in Christ?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Zombie Christians! Zombie Churches!
I want to mention briefly what happens when Christ within us isn't the focus of our lives.
What one of the great tragedies of Christian history has been, is the creating of structures to endure, regardless of whether the life of Christ is active within His people. This is the purpose of these structures: to endure no matter what happens.
An amazing part of this tragedy is the effect it produces. Now you have something claiming to represent Christ which is in fact dead. The horror is that even though it has no life, it walks and talks as if it does. That's what I call zombie churches and Christians.
A number of people even think this is a good development; existing and going on whether the life of Christ is there or not. This is the evil of organization and institutionalism as it relates to the people of God.
To this day the confusion and effect springing out of this zombie existence is a heavy taint on the person of Christ.
This is why whenever we look to see Christ glorified on the earth, it never lasts and eventually people turn it into an organization or stop pursuing Him altogether.
To be "organic" as the people of God, is not a testimony to a certain methodology, but to the fact that there is a current and ongoing, intimate fellowship with Christ within in a corporate manner. Anything else will simply be a horrid zombie; either individually or corporately, that names the name of Christ, but has long been out of intimate fellowship with Him.
By this I'm not saying that any type of denominational or setting in a building is good if the life of Christ is there, what I'm saying is we can throw all that away and still not have anything. We can meet in homes, live in neighborhoods together and enjoy a lot of freedom. But if that isn't coming forth from Christ within, it has no meaning other than changing a physical location or hanging out together.
Being truly organic means nothing less than sharing the fellowship of the Godhead together: both individually and corporately. Anything less is simply doing things as the "walking dead."
In the end, everything in Christ must be experiential. Anything less than that is going through motions that are completely devoid of life, and living off of something that you once or never had.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
I want to mention briefly what happens when Christ within us isn't the focus of our lives.
What one of the great tragedies of Christian history has been, is the creating of structures to endure, regardless of whether the life of Christ is active within His people. This is the purpose of these structures: to endure no matter what happens.
An amazing part of this tragedy is the effect it produces. Now you have something claiming to represent Christ which is in fact dead. The horror is that even though it has no life, it walks and talks as if it does. That's what I call zombie churches and Christians.
A number of people even think this is a good development; existing and going on whether the life of Christ is there or not. This is the evil of organization and institutionalism as it relates to the people of God.
To this day the confusion and effect springing out of this zombie existence is a heavy taint on the person of Christ.
This is why whenever we look to see Christ glorified on the earth, it never lasts and eventually people turn it into an organization or stop pursuing Him altogether.
To be "organic" as the people of God, is not a testimony to a certain methodology, but to the fact that there is a current and ongoing, intimate fellowship with Christ within in a corporate manner. Anything else will simply be a horrid zombie; either individually or corporately, that names the name of Christ, but has long been out of intimate fellowship with Him.
By this I'm not saying that any type of denominational or setting in a building is good if the life of Christ is there, what I'm saying is we can throw all that away and still not have anything. We can meet in homes, live in neighborhoods together and enjoy a lot of freedom. But if that isn't coming forth from Christ within, it has no meaning other than changing a physical location or hanging out together.
Being truly organic means nothing less than sharing the fellowship of the Godhead together: both individually and corporately. Anything less is simply doing things as the "walking dead."
In the end, everything in Christ must be experiential. Anything less than that is going through motions that are completely devoid of life, and living off of something that you once or never had.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
When we talk of Christ in you, it of course goes beyond personally alone (although it definitely includes it) to experiencing Him corporately in His people.
There is no other place to start in reference to the purpose of God than to have a fellowship with the Godhead within a people together. Of course it has to be in each person, but from there it is meant to be shared and expressed among a people together. That's how Christ is to be seen on this earth: through a visible people with His life in them.
This obviously goes beyond just some type of general presence that feels good, just like any person we get close to will end up changing and challenging our lives just by spending time with them. It's the same with Christ in His people.
Through the ages we always get people talking of the desire to see things restored in the church, but if Christ within isn't the place we start, there's no hope that it can end up in the right place.
Christ in us is the hope of glory, and that glory can never be expressed and lived unless we give Him permission to live His live there, and we do so as a people.
Having said this, the element missing in most of this is the willingness to endure the cross over our lifetimes in order to make room for Christ. The work of the cross weakens and devastates our old man in order that Christ can be seen.
I know that our old man has been buried with Christ, but he does like to try to act like he's alive. The work of the cross ensures that we keep him dead and buried.
There is really no other place to start than this. If this isn't done, it really doesn't matter what follows, it will be off center very quickly, and will not survive long; at least as a testimony to who the Lord really is.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
There is no other place to start in reference to the purpose of God than to have a fellowship with the Godhead within a people together. Of course it has to be in each person, but from there it is meant to be shared and expressed among a people together. That's how Christ is to be seen on this earth: through a visible people with His life in them.
This obviously goes beyond just some type of general presence that feels good, just like any person we get close to will end up changing and challenging our lives just by spending time with them. It's the same with Christ in His people.
Through the ages we always get people talking of the desire to see things restored in the church, but if Christ within isn't the place we start, there's no hope that it can end up in the right place.
Christ in us is the hope of glory, and that glory can never be expressed and lived unless we give Him permission to live His live there, and we do so as a people.
Having said this, the element missing in most of this is the willingness to endure the cross over our lifetimes in order to make room for Christ. The work of the cross weakens and devastates our old man in order that Christ can be seen.
I know that our old man has been buried with Christ, but he does like to try to act like he's alive. The work of the cross ensures that we keep him dead and buried.
There is really no other place to start than this. If this isn't done, it really doesn't matter what follows, it will be off center very quickly, and will not survive long; at least as a testimony to who the Lord really is.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
This post we'll go a little deeper into understanding what it was that has so moved God's heart throughout eternity.
When God created, it came from something within Him that couldn't be denied: His love. There was no way that there could ever not be a creation, because the love of God demanded He share it beyond the Godhead. That is the impetus behind the creation.
So when Adam and Eve arrived on the scene, even though they literally saw and interacted with God, they never received the most important thing they could have: the life of Christ within. Most believers don't understand that it was the motivating purpose behind everything God meant for mankind, and specifically for those who believe in Him.
What's amazing about the time of the disciples when walking with Jesus on earth, was even after all that time, and even when He was resurrected and appeared and talked to them for a period of time, they still didn't have what Christ was fully after.
What was it? The spirit of God living within them. That's why Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit to come into them.
See, just like Adam and Eve, it wasn't enough to walk with God where you would even see Him with your physical eyes. That's never enough, and as Jesus pointed out, neither was it for those who physically saw Him on earth.
That's the importance of John, who beyond all others, saw that there was a life in Jesus that defied anything on earth (Paul saw this clearly too, but I'm referring to original disciples). It's why when you read his account of Jesus, it's goes beyond the simply earthly Jesus to the intimate union between the Father and Son, with the life of the Father living in Jesus.
John saw that life and expressed it so uniquely in the gospel he wrote.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
When God created, it came from something within Him that couldn't be denied: His love. There was no way that there could ever not be a creation, because the love of God demanded He share it beyond the Godhead. That is the impetus behind the creation.
So when Adam and Eve arrived on the scene, even though they literally saw and interacted with God, they never received the most important thing they could have: the life of Christ within. Most believers don't understand that it was the motivating purpose behind everything God meant for mankind, and specifically for those who believe in Him.
What's amazing about the time of the disciples when walking with Jesus on earth, was even after all that time, and even when He was resurrected and appeared and talked to them for a period of time, they still didn't have what Christ was fully after.
What was it? The spirit of God living within them. That's why Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit to come into them.
See, just like Adam and Eve, it wasn't enough to walk with God where you would even see Him with your physical eyes. That's never enough, and as Jesus pointed out, neither was it for those who physically saw Him on earth.
That's the importance of John, who beyond all others, saw that there was a life in Jesus that defied anything on earth (Paul saw this clearly too, but I'm referring to original disciples). It's why when you read his account of Jesus, it's goes beyond the simply earthly Jesus to the intimate union between the Father and Son, with the life of the Father living in Jesus.
John saw that life and expressed it so uniquely in the gospel he wrote.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
A lot of people ask the rhetorical question of what would have happened if Adam and Eve hadn't eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Most the time they're thinking of some type of environmental "eden," which is the wrong place to focus, and largely irrelevant.
What's more important is what was to happen when they ate of the tree of life, which was Jesus.
The Lord is actually very clear on what was supposed to happen. When they ate of the tree of life, they would have reproduced as commanded by the Lord, and from there spread across the earth, filling it with the glory and presence of God in them.
When their children started arriving, they probably would have been born righteous, in the same way we're born into sin today: we're the wrong "mankind" at birth in the eyes of God. Those children would have been born as the "new" man, just as true believers are today.
We have to understand that eating of the tree of Life was simply another way of saying Christ was to be in us; we were to internalize Him in an intimate fellowship.
So when Jesus came to earth and said they must eat His flesh and drink His blood, in reality He was offering Himself as the tree of Life again. Again, He was widely rejected by Israel, and even His closest followers, other than the 12 apostles.
Everything in what is called Christianity today depends upon the practical and very real outworking of that fellowship Christ has offered us.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
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