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Jesus said that we’d be known as his followers by our love (John 13). He also prayed that his followers would be united in love so that the world would see that God loves them as he loves his son, Jesus (John 17). I knew this about Jesus’ words, but as I was reading through Philippians—particularly the second chapter (which I’ve read 100 times over in the past)—Paul’s words jumped off the page. He talks about unity in Christ, comfort from his love, tenderness, compassion, being of the same mind, and then says this: “…Having the same love…”.
He then goes on to explain what this like-minded love looks like, and points to Jesus. That love should be the unifying factor. That self-sacrificing love helps us to be one in spirit and mind. That our like-mindedness is found in the humble, serving and loving mind of Jesus. Not only does love define us—label us, as it were—as a follower of Jesus, but love also unites us. And when the world looks on, witnessing and experiencing our love, they will know they are loved as children of their heavenly daddy.
Like-mindedness (a.k.a. unity) is found in love, expressed through humility.
So let’s take a quick test.
1) What defines us as followers of Jesus? Love.
2) What unites us as followers of Jesus? Love.
3) What draws others into following Jesus? Love.
You mean, the answers to the above isn’t “correct” doctrine? Or ___________ (you fill in the blank)? Or . . .
Perhaps (and I am using “perhaps” very facetiously) love is the greatest of these things.
May we be known and united by our love.
I am often asked, by other Christians, “What church do you go to?” or “Where do you go to church?” This is, with regularity, followed by them saying, “Oh, I go to such-and-such church.” Another common question I get asked usually refers to the quality of the church I just went to, “How was church today?” which often is asking about the preaching, music, etc. Though these are well meaning questions, I think they point a bigger issue that plagues us today.
The bigger issue is one of “mistaken identity”. We see the church as a place we go versus a people who live in the way of Jesus. It is so prevalent that even people who do not go to church know “church” as a place, rather than a people who follow Jesus. But Paul knew better.Paul’s addresses many of his letters (Corinthians, Thessalonians, Ephesians, Revelation) to “the church in…” and names a city or providence. It is to a singular church, not plural churches (though there were many separate gatherings), that he writes to. Imagine Paul writing one letter to the all the various, individual churches in Sacramento and beginning his letter, “To the church in Sacramento”, and you get the picture. Paul used this language because he viewed God’s church as—not a place or a building—a people.
Now, I know we all agree to this in theory or theology, but seldom do we acknowledge it in our Sunday-to-Sunday language or practice. I cannot tell you the number of times that it has been insinuated or I have been directly told that “so-and-so church is better than so-and-so church”, or that “our church is in competition with so-and-so church”, or, “did you hear what happened to so-and-so church?” In Paul’s eyes, the church was in an interdependent relationship with one another as a people of God who followed and claimed the radical name of Jesus. Today, we independently operate separate church buildings and congregations, seldom uniting with or caring what happens to each other. In fact, sometimes we secretly (or not so secretly) applaud the sufferings, losses and mistakes of other congregations. This is because we really do not see them as “the church”––as brothers and sisters, as equals–– but as the other church, as the competition, or even as enemies if their beliefs differ from ours (those Baptists, Charismatics, Catholics).
It seems silly to imagine this self-destructive thinking in Paul’s day considering that the churches met in homes. The church, or the people of Jesus, met in small home gatherings located all through out the Roman Empire (though in Jerusalem they also went to the temple). Though separate, they viewed themselves as and acted like they were one body. I find great encouragement when large, diverse groups of Christians gather by the thousands in large auditoriums to worship and learn together. To me, it is a small slice of heaven. We all agree and act like we are ONE when we gather in such settings. But then something happens that saddens me. We get back to our “Churches” and resume business as usual: independent churches who could care less about each other—especially if the other church belongs to a different denomination. Jesus said that a house that is divided against itself cannot stand. Perhaps this is, in part, what we are seeing today: a divided house that is falling down.
May we reclaim our identity as THE CHURCH. May we stop nodding knowingly about this fact and start behaving how we claim to believe. May we not see ourselves as people who go to a church, but as a people who are the Church of Jesus wherever we go and whatever we do. May we be the church whether we meet in a multimillion-dollar building, or an ancient cathedral, or a living room, or a bar, or a coffee shop, or a park. May we stop competing against, abusing, slandering and destroying the other parts of Jesus’ body just because they are different then we are and because they believe differently then we do. May Jesus be our common head and may we stand in unity.
With this post I wanted to compare and contrast two views, or perceptions, of Christian truth.
Perception one views God’s truth as narrower, with their personal truth and belief lining-up closely with God’s truth; thus “orthodox”. To the varying degrees that everyone else’s beliefs stray from “orthodox” belief, the closer they get to unorthodoxy (heresy) and the further from God they go.
Perception two views God’s truth as wider, so wide in fact that no one human or group can claim absolute “correct” belief. They believe that all Christian beliefs have some things that line up with God’s truth and other things that do not. In a sense, we are all right and wrong in our understanding of God, no one is “orthodox”—and never will be while on earth.
But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So here are 4 sets of diagrams I created (I am a visual person) that compare and contrast these two perceptions. These are overly simplified and cannot represent the entirety of all the perceptions of truth. I just feel these two are rather predominant in today’s modern/postmodern world. Here are the four sets:
A linear example. The perception is that our personal truths and beliefs line up closely with God’s. Everyone else falls within the spectrum of orthodoxy and heresy, depending how far they veer from the truth as we perceive it to be.
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This perception says that all Christian understandings of God are on the same plain and all share correct and incorrect belief about God. Each belief is different, but each still shares truth one degree or another. Here, orthodoxy and heresy are shared by all.
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An elliptical example. Basically the same as the previous, just not a linear model.
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Here, God’s truth is perceived as very big and incomprehensible for humans. All of our Christian understanding is but on the very edges of God’s truth, just scratching the surface. Here again, we all share correct belief and error to varying degrees.
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An organic example. We perceive God’s truth (tree) and our truth/belief as basically the same; they’re different colors, but the same type of tree and overlap. Everyone else’s truth/belief, though they are still trees, are not quite in line with God’s truth. Our tree is truth.
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Here, the perception is we are all apart of the same tree and all represent God’s truth to one degree or another. We are simply different branches of the same tree, not different trees. Each branch is different but are still maintained by, and can in relationship with each other because of, a shared trunk.
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A window example. We all have our particular windows from which we see God. Here, the perception is that God’s truth exists through one window, the one we see God through. Again, the further from our “orthodox” window others view things, the closer they approach heresy.
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Here, the perception is that God’s truth is all encompassing and that each window views a narrow aspect of it. That the view from all the windows combined present a clearer, though not absolute, picture of God’s truth. The whole is indeed greater than the parts.
These sets of diagrams really help me understand the differences in modern and postmodern thought about truth. It helps me understand why a person who views truth through the first perception does not understand someone viewing truth through the second perception, and visa-versa. It helps me see that these two differing perceptions makes communication about truth/God very difficult at times when one person adheres to one perception and one person, another. So these help me. I hope they also help you.
The hospital Chief of Staff’s voice could be heard clearly over the intercom. His question to his staff, interns, and orderlies was shockingly simple. “He called us together to ask us this? Our time is precious and we have work to do…is he mad?” Despite their disputes, his question still lingered in the air of silence, begging for an answer. The tension of the silent room halted momentarily by a cough but returned as quickly as it left. No one responded to his question; as simple as it was, no one responded.
Days, it felt, passed before an answer came. Then one after another they chimed in and the discussion began…
“Well, I would have to say, because of the retirement package. I have researched many hospitals, and this one takes care of their employees after the dreaded day-of-retirement the best. I am set and my future is secure.”
“I don’t agree. I went to years of schooling for this and even after all that, I still am not quite sure I know the Medical Journals and Books as well as I should. There is a whole lot more I need to study and put to memory. I don’t want to be seen fumbling over the book. I mean, what if someone asked me a question I did not know the answer too?”
“Those staff picnics…that’s my answer. Gathering our families together every weekend to hang out, eat, and talk about last weekend’s picnic; what we liked, didn’t like, what WE would do differently if we planned it, though I would never raise my hand for that job. My kids love the jump houses and my wife loves the chance to sit and catch up on all the hospital’s latest news. I would not be here if it were not for those weekend picnics.”
“I, being one of the ambulance drivers, would have to disagree with all of you. Man, when you throw those lights on and the sirens blare, what a rush. All the noise I create. Not to mention the commotion I cause on the streets. Everybody else has to pull over and stop as I wiz by. I even get to go through red lights without stopping. The best part is that everybody knows I am a hospital employee because of my bright uniform and all the writing on the outside of the ambulance. If fact, I try to add more patches to my shirt and stickers to the bumpers every chance I get. Oh, and did I mention I have a bull-horn?”
“Nope, wrong answer. When I feel down, there is nothing like the free ‘pick-me-up’ samples I get from the medicine closet. My role as the pharmacist has its perks, you know.”
“Being the caring person that I am, I must say it is to help heal people…well, certain people. I usually ask a number of clarifying questions before offering assistance. Questions such as, ‘What hospital are you a member of?’ ‘Do you believe in Aleve, Advil, or Tylenol?’ ‘What country are you from?’ If they get any of my questions wrong (by wrong I mean if they do not agree with my answers to my questions), then I do not treat them. Come to think of it, why do we let them in here in the first place?”
“I kind of agree with you…but I don’t waste my time with questions. I only care for and help those who are fellow employees. I love you guys!”
As the responses came, the intercom remained silent until the Chief of Staff interrupted the heated discussion his simple question raised. “Maybe you didn’t hear my question correctly…I asked, ‘Why do we work at the hospital?’ Let me rephrase it this way, “Why did I hire you to work at my hospital?”
The room was silent once more……………….“Um, yea, we heard you correctly,” they all responded and the heated debate resumed.
The Chief of Staff shook his head is disbelief. “No wonder there are so many people outside and in the waiting rooms and on the operation tables and in their homes and work places and schools sick and dying; my staff all have forgotten why they are here.”
– One wonders what our Chief of Staff would say to his church.
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