Mike leads a church, Well of Life in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Please don’t hear what I’m NOT saying!
While on the FUNDAMENTALS (which are Heaven and Hell/Death and Destiny issues), this might be true, on many others, God gives us the liberty to hold TRUTH-in-TENSION, and/or to at times, agree to disagree!
I recently read an article by a Dr. Sam Storms, and in it was this statement, and I quote:-
“Please understand that the issues below are not regarded as fundamental in the sense that one must believe them in order to be a Christian. I have not listed such foundational truths as Trinitarianism, the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture, the virgin conception, sinless life, penal substitutionary sacrifice, and bodily resurrection of Christ, or the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
I'm focusing, rather, on issues that differentiate men and women who are all Christians. I am a Calvinistic, charismatic, complementarian, amillennial, baptistic Christian hedonist. But, I trust you understand that I believe someone who is an Arminian-cessationist-egalitarian-dispensational-presbyterian, or some other odd mixture thereof can also be a Christian. I hope those who regard me as an even odder theological mixture will extend the same generosity.”
This has always been a tendency, and Scripture gives a number of accounts as well, which endorse the wisdom of Solomon, that there is NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN!
On the issue of SIN, the disciples were adamant-e.g.- the man born blind- John 9:2 “His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"- What was Jesus response.....3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”
On the issue of APOSTOLIC input and relationship, the Corinthian church had taken their stand- ILLUS- 1 Cor 3:3 “4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task.”- What was Paul’s response- 1 Cor 3:1 “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ.2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?”
On being on JESUS TEAM, the disciple had clearly drawn a line in the sand- ILLUS- Mark 9:38 “38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."-Again, what was Jesus response....39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me,40 for whoever is not against us is for us.41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”
Even in Moses day, in terms of who was on his team and who could minister/prophecy, there were ‘camps’ potentially forming- Num 11:22 “Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again.26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp.27 A young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' aide since youth, spoke up and said, "Moses, my lord, stop them!"- Moses response was not what his leaders expected-ILLUS- ....29 “But Moses replied, "Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"
So what am I saying/getting at?
All over the world, there are these camps forming over the issue of being WORD or EXPERIENCE, EVANGELICAL or CHARISMATIC, FUNDAMENTALIST or REVIVALIST, SOCIAL or SPIRITUAL, GRACE or LAW etc, based Church.
Each has it’s own strengths and weaknesses, appealing to different individuals who prefer either a SAFER or more UNPREDICTABLE approach!
So what am I/we? I believe that we must CONTEND to be BOTH!
Do I embrace the Gospel of God’s GRACE, for sure...in its fullness.
Do I believe we need to take responsibility for our lives, shortcomings, failures.......yes! (Paul did- 2Cor2:6)
Am I a WORD –BASED man, leading a WORD-BASED Church....absolutely!
Do I believe in the GIFTS and want to see the MANIFEST PRESENCE of God....absolutely!
Jesus did/does- Lk 24:13 “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;16 but they were kept from recognizing him.17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" ...."About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
This for me is the Key..... “Mighty in WORD and DEED”!
We need good THEOLOGY which leads to DEMONSTRATION of His PRESENCE and POWER! We cannot afford the luxury of camping in either of the above exclusively! So many ministers and ministries, and denominations for that matter, have erred on this point...why??
Good THEOLOGY (by revelation) must result in PROCLAMATION and DEMONSTRATION!
It is time for us to evaluate our lives, leadership, meetings and Churches to make sure we are not in danger of ‘camping’ on either extreme!
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