Growing Thru Truth and Not Culture - Todd McCoy
One would have to be in a non-responsive, comatose state not to see that western culture is divided. America is divided. If anything, the recent midterm elections have shown that the social polarization of our culture is continuing to drive our political and even our religious discourse. The divisions are deep and people are highly emotional and even irrational, gluing themselves to priceless works of art, disrupting daily life, and storming capitol buildings. Some days, it really does seem like things are coming apart at the seams.
Each and every individual feels some sort of pressure to “take sides.” This environment presents both opportunities and dangers for the church. The opportunity to share the gospel, to preach and teach, and to call for repentance is self-evident.
But there is a danger as well. No doubt you have had the experience of folks coming to your church (or to our denomination) because of our positions on various social issues. These folks often are coming from mainline denominations who have fallen in step with the more liberal social agenda and even from some evangelical churches who seem willing to make peace with culture in an effort to be “seeker sensitive.”
As folks express an interest in the ARP Church because of our positions on social issues, we need to remember that even more essential to unity on social and cultural issues is that we be of one mind and spirit when it comes to our theology. We must not fall into the same error as the mainline denominations or “compromising” evangelical congregations, the error of putting anthropology before theology or to shape our theology by our anthropology rather than having our anthropology shaped by our theology. We must not become the “conservative, flip-side of the coin” to the mainline denominations.
The temptation for smaller, struggling congregations and denominations is to try and grow a church based upon agreement on social issues (or on personal preferences) but failing to forge a theological unity among its members. Sometimes folks will want to avoid theological discourse because they believe it is divisive. But if we get our sociology right while getting our theology wrong, we have done people a greater disservice than the denominations they are leaving. In fact, there is no way to have a right sociology without first having a right theology.
I always find myself breaking out with a wry smile when I begin reading Acts 23. No doubt you’ll recall the scene: Paul stands before the Roman tribune and the Jewish Council gathered to bring charges against him. Luke says,
Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?” And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
(Acts 23:6–10, ESV)
Clever Paul! But sadly, this scene plays out not just with respect to Christians proclaiming doctrine to those outside the church, but even by Christians who proclaim doctrine within the church. Division over issues of faith and salvation are all too common within the church. If you find yourself in a room full of Christians from many different denominational backgrounds and you want to have fun, just drop the word “election,” or “predestination,” and watch what happens!
You’ll quickly see some get up, fold their chairs, throw them into the ring and, before you know it, WWE fight-night is on! Everyone begins pronouncing their Shibboleths and Sibboleths (Judges 12:6).
In order to avoid moments of “unpleasantries” and, in what often amounts to good Southern gentility, many have decided simply not to talk about (or even teach) Biblical doctrine (theology) for fear of offending someone or just to avoid a fight. This “solution” is the one that many will most likely be employing when they go home to extended family for Thanksgiving; “let’s avoid talking about politics and religion!”
But that really is no solution at all. When God’s people are starved of God’s Word they become easy prey. As Paul reminds the Ephesian church,
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11–16, ESV)
NOT teaching Biblical doctrine is NOT an option. So, what do we do when, for example, we reach the “L” in TULIP and people begin folding up their chairs and digging in their heels? Well, it’s time to begin speaking the truth in love.
Speaking the truth in love is vitally important; it is absolutely necessary! It isn’t enough just to speak the truth. And it isn’t enough just to speak with love. Truth without love lacks grace and becomes a hammer used to “beat into submission” or a sword used to divide and separate. Likewise, love without truth is a deadly lie; weak, ineffectual, flaccid, requiring no change. This is seen most clearly in the belief that “God made you and loves you just as you are,” which is interpreted to mean that there’s no need to change. Truth and love must go together because people need to be led to the truth that we are sinners and that God alone saves sinners.
Leading people requires not only a good grasp of the truth but also patience, humility, and love. Paul reminds elders, pastors, teachers, and evangelists to “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8 ESV)
And again, to Timothy, Paul writes,
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:2–5ESV)
We must preach and teach the truths of Scripture and the doctrines that summarize these truths that enable us to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Our confessional statements, rather than being instruments that divide us, serve as tools through which, when rightly used, build up believers in faith. In this way, as Paul says, we
walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1–6 ESV)