A Jesus Manifesto

While both Dave and I love to promote other Christian endeavors, we love to promote Christ above all.

So while we have both agreed that Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola's A Jesus Manifesto that is wandering around the net isn't the first thing we would put our names on, not at least without clearing some stuff up anyway, I do want to link to Mark Van Steenwyk's kindly review of it. I think both the work and the review have some very good things to say. Things the Church needs to hear.

For more of thoughts on this subject, see Beloved Bride.

Beloved Bride

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Frank Viola receives a lot of flak; a good deal of it may be deserved, but I think he is onto something. Yes, returning to more "Biblical" church practices and fellowship is necessary, but Viola sometimes says things that sound ... just a little too aggressive. In his recent blog tour of interviews, he at one point chose to not use the word "church" because it carried too much baggage.

Ken Sweers, a very wise brother, has allowed me to post his response here. This is something we all need to remember, the sovereignty and unconditional love of God.

“Husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church.”

Which church? Wait … the word church has too much baggage, so let’s not use that term. Wait … the word wife has too much baggage as well, so let’s redefine marriage altogether.

Why not simply go back to the basics? If the bride is confused, or defiled, or emaciated, or unfaithful, or whatever, the Groom will deal with her. She is still the bride. Marriage vows represent an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person. That’s how Jesus loves His church. The church did not disappear when Constantine empowered her with the state, although she did become defiled and adulteress-like. As in the prophetical analogy of Hosea, God did not let loose of her. He did not forsake her and become a recluse hermit unless or until she cleaned herself up and came crawling back to Him. Unlike Hosea, God was and always is in control, always working all things to good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. There are not two churches – the traditional-institutional and the emerging. There is but one church, and although I believe she is indeed in a transitional state, I do not believe Jesus loves one ’stage’ of the transitional church over the other.

I see this as a very ambivalent time for the church – much like the emotional state of Israel at the end of Ezra 3: the traditional-institutional church weeps and mourns as she remembers her former glory while the emerging church gives great shouts of praise as the new foundations are becoming visible. As there was only one Israel in Ezra’s day of renewal, so there is only one church today. Let us be careful to honor our heritage and take with us the lessons learned as we progress forward in God’s purposes for, in, and through His church..."

As nothing happens that is not either Divinely instigated or permitted, I think it prudent that Viola and those lead towards (yet another) Church reform (and that includes me) need to remember that the whole history of the Church, in all its pomp and splendor, as well as warring and arrogant abjectedness, still falls under the Lord's all powerful hand. What He has purposed us for is beyond measure, but our road there will not always be a peaceful and scenic one. Did God allow the Constantinian era in order to quickly spread the Message, permitting basilica and priest centered practices as a "bridge" to the pagan nations that couldn't image a god in any other way? Once the people were in and enlightened, matured and freed, the Bride emerges, once again in a state of beauty? Bunyan's Christian goes through much till he is brought from the river on the other side and welcomed. But He was welcomed from the very beginning.

I don't know. I don't know much. But one thing I do know is that God knows. And He has His purpose and it will not fail. His Will does not return unaccomplished.

Communitas Collective

F. L. Y. supahfly!
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Miyuki's Questions

Reference to Miyuki's Question on Facebook:

Ah, this can get really deep here. You are asking questions that can be answered easily and naively, or that can be expounded into truths so profound as to change your very being.

1) When you hear "church" what do you think of?

"Church" in the sense that you have put it in quotation marks makes me think you no longer assume it is a "place or building" - but you assume most people do. I read about half of those who answered thought as much as well. Church is "the Body of Christ." The eternal, catholic (ie, universal) and incorruptible community of believers throughout the history of God's people.
That is why Paul refers to us as members of the body. As in a body part, each with his/her own ability and duty and personality, different from others, but of one heart, one head. Christ.
It is also described as the "Bride of Christ." One of the most profound and visual images of the Church. An image that should denote that if our "marriage" to Christ is full, we should see products of our love, "children." More family members.

2) What is your definition of a Christian?

See above. First used by Paul to describe the community of believers. But that is a difficult question. Defining that is presuming to judging others - a fine difference from discerning. That is why it isn't really so tightly laid down in the Bible other than saying "One who professes Christ Jesus with their lips."
But lets say it like Christ Himself said it; "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Matt 12:50) and again, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) that is a Christian. Abiding in Christ - having a living faith in the living God through Jesus Christ.

3) What do you think the role of a Christian is?

Are you asking what are our jobs? Dunno. We each have our own. If you mean in the most basic sense, then we are told right out, "Go, and make disciples of all men!" If God were speak straight out of Heaven, I doubt half the people in the world who are Christians now would even listen. And if He came in undisguised, then no one could even comprehend, but fall on our faces and all of reality would melt away (thats basically what the end of time will be like according to Revelation) but if He comes as man, as someone you can relate to and be with and count on, than He must be limited to a space just like us. If you didn't have the choice to believe, then you wouldn't have the choice to love either. God values your choices. So, he leaves it us, those who believe to spread the love. For it is a relationship He is seeking with you. How else to have a relationship if not to relate to others. Our duty and desire is therefore to "love the Lord, God with all your heart, mind and soul and to love our neighbor as ourself."

4) What is love?

You should read CS Lewis' "Four Loves" - very good reading. The short answer? Love is giving another what you have that they need. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16 emphasis added)
Love is not to be confused with God. God is Love, but love is not God. Just because someone does something in love does not make it "good." Love with out justice, mercy, faithfulness, the laws of nature or humility is a demon that we sometimes call pride, lust or greed. Love of self, love of money, homosexuality, are all horrors that come from not abiding in the fullness of Love.
Affection, Eros, Friendship, Charity. These are the four great loves.

5) What is good?

You like difficult questions don't you? It would be easier to ask what is evil.
Good is the fullness of the Universe, the fullness of God, for only God is good, right?
Evil is simply the lack of good, as darkness is simply the lack of light. Good IS while evil IS NOT. Taken in these terms, everything that God made was pronounced "good" was it not? It is either by taking something apart from the rest or a piece of something broken from the fullness of its purpose that makes it "not-good."
For instance, you asked what love is? Love is good. Marriage is love's great reward. A promise before God, to another person. Friendship, affection, charity and eros, shared with the faithfulness of vows.
Divorce breaks the vows, steals the friendship and disrespects the parties involved.

Doing good can be many things. Sin on the other hand falls in two contexts. Sins of omission, and sins of commission. It can be defined fairly simply:
Taking a thing and twisting it, commission - a truth twisted, a promise broken, a good thing done at the wrong time, or in the wrong way. eg. Eating too much (gluttony), having sex outside of marriage (fornication), taking something that you didn't work for (theft).
OR in not doing it at all, omission - not giving (greed), not caring (pride), not getting out of bed laziness)
Oh man, thats not a great answer. That would require a book of several volumes. (About 66 volumes in fact...)

Quoting Scripture.

At any rate, we also seemed to get off subject a bit. This was never meant to be a debate against brothers, but a study in how to actually use the Bible when defending it.
How does one use the Bible to defend the Bible. Are certain doctrines wrong?
Why is this done the way it is?
Where does one stand on this issue and is there doctrinal proof to back it up?
We must discern. This means letting God's Word do its work. If we are to discuss with anyone, outside, and particularly inside, the church, we must use the Word. As JK pointed out, Psalm 118:8 "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."