Shadows, Part Deux
When is the church not the people? In once sense, if the people we're talking about are Christians, they are always the church. It's just that, sometimes we aren't the church in the sense we think we are.
What, then, is the church, and what is it not? Luke tells us in Acts that the church is what God adds his people to. It's a God thing, that's important.
I'm going to make some bold statements now—at least they're bold for me—without any of the softening comments that I am tempted to add.
- The church is not a human institution; it is a divine one.
- The church cannot be reformed or restored by humans. In other words, if restoration is needed, it is the humans that need restoring.
- Humans do not determine who is and who is not one of God's children; God does, and while he is just, he is also more gracious and merciful than we tend to be.
- In battle, turning on and attacking members of one's own army is treason.
C.S. Lewis said that we live in a land of shadows; this is not the ultimate reality. We shouldn't fight each other over shadows, but should urge each other on to the light. The church is people who belong to God, and who are leaving the shadows and walking toward the Light.
What, then, is the church, and what is it not? Luke tells us in Acts that the church is what God adds his people to. It's a God thing, that's important.
I'm going to make some bold statements now—at least they're bold for me—without any of the softening comments that I am tempted to add.
- The church is not a human institution; it is a divine one.
- The church cannot be reformed or restored by humans. In other words, if restoration is needed, it is the humans that need restoring.
- Humans do not determine who is and who is not one of God's children; God does, and while he is just, he is also more gracious and merciful than we tend to be.
- In battle, turning on and attacking members of one's own army is treason.
C.S. Lewis said that we live in a land of shadows; this is not the ultimate reality. We shouldn't fight each other over shadows, but should urge each other on to the light. The church is people who belong to God, and who are leaving the shadows and walking toward the Light.
posted by TWD | 21:39
3 Comments:
"...it is the humans that need restoring."
I like that. Good point.
"The church cannot be reformed or restored by humans."
Maybe I'm not fully understanding what you mean, but I don't buy that.
Several of the N.T. writers, including John, Paul, Peter and Jude deal quite a bit with false teachings and practices and cutting these out of the church. If that's not a type of reform or restoring, I don't know what is.
Luke,
Let me clarify, then. Assuredly humans can go astray, even in large groups. Maybe especially in large groups. False teachings and practices are done by humans.
If we believe what Jesus said about the gates of Hades not overcoming the church, then it means that the church, as a divine institution, as the family of God, prevails.
But, if we believe that the humans in the church can mess up, and both the epistles you mentioned as well as personal experience shows that they can and do, what does that mean?
To the extent that we use the word "church" to mean a specific congregation, or even a fellowship of congregations, perhaps we can say that the church, in that sense, can be reformed or restored. But, really, aren't we saying that the humans need to be reformed or restored? Because the church, in the sense of a divine institution, will go on regardless of whether individuals or congregations or fellowships do or not.
I value the heritage of the Restoration Movement, and believe that many of the pioneers of the movement, such as Stone and the Campbells, were given some great insights. I wouldn't remain in Restoration Movement churches is I thought otherwise. But, I believe there is a danger that we can and have become inward focused, trying to restore the church, sometimes in the large sense. That is hubris, and doesn't further the Kingdom.
We should be about sharing the Good News that God is about restoring sinful humans to relationship through what Jesus did.
I'll restate a bit: the church will last; if humans are restored, they will be part of that lasting church.
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