Over the last few days my Twitter feed has been filled with mocking, quick stabs, name-calling, and all in the name of defending orthodoxy.
This past week Christians have had a lot to debate about. Mars Hill Church is reviewing policies regarding Mark Driscoll, Joel and Victoria Osteen have made the headlines once again, and Christians are still being killed in the Middle East at the hands of ISIS... Just to name a few.
In fact there was even a live debate between four influential pastors over Calvinism. We are drawn to these kinds of things. And I think it's time to remember that winning the debate is not what it is about.
I don't know of anyone who was converted because they were publicly embarrassed or shot down with what they believe (or don't believe) about God.
Orthodoxy matters. I'm not saying it doesn't.
Our mocking voice to theologies, heresies or scholarship we disagree with does not make our orthodoxy more easily accepted... or even more correct.
(And Bill Cosby has been getting a lot of input as well.)
There are many of us who think we are right about things who would be shot down by Church Fathers.
When we make our theology all about being correct, we lose sight of our own journey of faith. Theology isn't about us. It is about God.
And we should find that our voice is found among those mockers around the cross, and that our mockery falls on the shoulders of the crucified Christ instead of our opponents, who are in fact family or potential family.
(And that is really what it is all about isn't it, bringing new people into the family of God? At least it should be.)
"Never sacrifice people on the altar of truth."
- Professor Shane Wood, Ph. D.
And we should then hang our heads in repentance, for we are to be a crucified people, not crucifiers.
Hear me on this, especially Bible college students:
Theological debate, no matter how right you are or how much the opponent is deluded and destructive, is not a bubble where the ethics of Jesus (cross centered ethics) are not still a commandment over your life and under His Lordship.
“The Holy Spirit did not go into such detail about the Pharisees in the New Testament just so we could understand a group unique to the first century. Pharisaism is a poisonous weed that grows in every garden of orthodox religion. Pharisaism is every bit the threat to the orthodox today that it was then.”
-Joshua Harris,
Humble Orthodoxy: Holding the Truth High Without Putting People Down
Theological debate should be the time above all other times that we strive with all we are to submit to the ethics of Jesus... because it is Him who we are trying to point to.
Jesus is still Lord when heresy/bad doctrine is rampant. The truth has lasted and will always last. And he doesn't need you to wield truth as a sword to kill your misguided brothers and sisters with, much less outsiders. Truth is for destroying lies and building up the Church, not puffing up your ego or standing among the Christian pop-culture/blogosphere.
So for the love of God... start loving people like Jesus... and treating them as He would have us treat people.
Sincerely,
Your Brother (who may or may not agree with you)
* For some more reference points to where this discussion came from see my conversation with @CalvinistBatman on Twitter here.
*This post was heavily influenced by my friend Tyler Cohen who has wrestled through this and originally posted on his facebook page. His words are used with permission.
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Nathan Bryant
Christ's Kingdom is bigger than our causes.
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