Unity and Diversity

[Me Died Blue]

I just wanted to pause and take note of some of the wonderful, key, foundational truths by which we are all united in Christ, and which we all celebrate as the common truth of God. But I also want to note some of the greatest areas of divergence in thought in this community, as we continually seek to sharpen and be sharpened by each other like iron.

Some of the key agreements:

-The ecumenical doctrines of the Christian faith as expressed in the historic Creeds
-The authority and inerrancy of Scripture
-The five Solas of the Reformation
-The doctrines of grace
-God's sovereignty in all events of life
-The centrality of the Cross to preaching and living the Christian life
-The Church as God's primary ordained means of ministering to the saved and lost
-Worship as properly defined only by God
-The Old Testament's great relevance to the Christian life

Some of the key disagreements:

-The proper objects and meaning of baptism
-The proper objects of communion
-The sacraments as true means of grace
-Eschatology
-Ecclesiology
-Cessationism
-Theonomy
-Exclusive Psalmody
-Apologetical method
-Definition of "orthodox"
-Definition of "Reformed"
-Proper required extent of confessional subscription among churches

While remembering that it is ultimately our status in Christ by which we are perfectly united, let us also rejoice in the great doctrinal body of agreement by which we are all united, and thank one another for caring enough to take each other to task on matters of disagreement. Soli Deo Gloria!

 

[Anton Bruckner]

sometimes you just can't help getting red with anger with a fellow brother on disagreements of secondary issues.

I remember before the election, one of the elders in our church prayed for Bush to win. Well some of the young college age students in the church were not supporters of Bush. You should have seen red faces after wards. :bigsmile:

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Aint God good. He even tolerates people like us.

 

[Larry Hughes]

Great reminder Christ!

 

[Me Died Blue]

Originally posted by Larry Hughes
Great reminder Christ!

 

[ReformedWretch]

LOL!

I have made that typo before but have always caught it as far as I know.

 

[Larry Hughes]

Whoops, I just seen that.

Well at least He's on my subconscience mind and typing fingers!

Too funny.

 

[JohnV]

Chris:

Well done. I like the way you put that. It gives us opportunity to reflect on our own contributions to this Board, and perhaps ask ourselves what we have in mind with being members here.

On things like eschatology or apologetic method it is good to note that what underlies our so-called disagreements is our own uncertainty about them. For example, I would be called an Amillennialist, and some would call me a pessimistic Amillennialist. But I don't consider myself that at all. I agree with that view more than the other views, but I have to admit that there are some things about other views that seem true; and if they are true, then they need to be taken into account. So that's my interest in that. The same for differences in apologetics, although that is fading fast right now.

On other issues I think I have a few things to say, because I think I see something others do not, given my experience in the Reformed faith, and my background in it. So I want to help out.

Some things are personal struggles. And these usually dominate my own posts. So it has been good for me on a disciplinary level to work out these struggles, as well as to see the struggles others display in their posts. Trying to get at the root of things for myself helps me to see what's at the root of things for others as well. This has also been the most complex part of membership for me.

But this list reminds me of the wonderful (something full of wonder) part of this unity and diversity thing. I doesn't cease to amaze me that sometimes the differences cut into the commonalities, but they really don't. Instead, in the heat of things, the unity is really more underlined, if only we step back a minute and look at it with perspective. Here we are, batting at one another, standing our ground, and all we have to do is look at the ground we're standing on, the whole ground; all of a sudden things fall into perspective again. The disagreement remains, but the place of it is clearer. I always marvel at the fact that the simpler minds who do not understand some of these deeper things are just as saved as I am, because they are in Christ just like I am. And in some respects I am the simple one in their eyes. So it is always humbling to see a list like this.

Thanks Chris. I needed that.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Originally posted by JohnV
Chris:

For example, I would be called an Amillennialist, and some would call me a pessimistic Amillennialist.

I am an optomistic Amillennialist. I am positive I am correct. ha ha ha ha. he he eh

 

[Ianterrell]

Pretty funny Randy.