Witness for the Truth

I believe that the idea that, “each Christian needs to make himself accountable to another”, is the cause of great pain within the church today.

You have heard it said, and perhaps have said it yourself: “As a believer, you need to have someone close to you hold you accountable.”

The general intent of this instruction is to bring about an effect that is to be desired by everyone. That is, each person, being held accountable to another, is protected and kept safe from rushing head-long into sinful behaviors. So, the hope is that through this accountability to another, one will be less likely to engage in sinful action.

It is my intent to show that not only does this not work, but actually produces the opposite effect of what is desired; and that with frightful consequences.

I have already shown that on yhe surface this idea of “being made accountable to another” does indeed appear to be a good thing. But when looked at more closely and through the lense of faith and by observing the consequences of this teaching, it shows itself to be anti-Christian.

We know that as far as the New Testament is concerned the emphasis regarding “accountability” is usually (and perhaps always) spoken of in ways such as: “and the whole world held accountable to God.” Accountability is always stressed between God and man; that man is accountable to God. This is so important in gaining an eternal perspective. It is not about what man thinks, but about what God thinks.

“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Rm 14:4

Remember, your fellow believers are just as riddled with sin as you are. We all judge imperfectly. But to stand before God (as you do whether you acknowledge it or not) one sees himself for what he truely is and his own sinfulness is exposed in the presence of the Holy.

You may be asking yourself at this point: “Just how exactly does this imply that to encourage another to be held accountable to man harmful?”
This is how: When the emphasis is placed on holding one another accountable and not primarily on love, then the spirit among believers shifts from one of encouragement in our struggles to one of judging and condemning each others actions.

There is certainly nothing wrong for bringing an noticed sin in a fellow believers life to his/her attention. That is a good thing. But it is nearly made impossible for one to recieve it because the instruction they’ve been given is to judge. And this produces pride.

The proud person will not and cannot recieve an admonishment. But that is not what we are even dealing with hear. We are dealing with something even more hostile. For the one who confronts the proud person has no understanding of how to admonish or edify another. No, they have been taught to judge. And the proud one is fully aware that he is being met by a spirit of judgement. So he retreats.

Only the Lord can break through the pride of a man. If one desires to be used by the Lord in this regard he must love. He must not judge. For the proud person is never totally unaware of his folly. But love is what breaks down the barrier. Judgement causes the proud man to fortify the wall that seperates himself from God and others. And since these others have been trained to judge, how much better to turn to the One who loves.

If we, who are prone to pride and rebellion, would initially see ourselves as standing before God; then each of us could encourage and edify one another to leave the judging to Him of whom we will give an account.

We know that fundamentally, both the conservative and liberal parties in the United States government have essentially the same goal. That is, they both seek to formulate and arrange the governing powers in a way that best lends itself to giving access and appropriating what we understand to be those “self evident truths”. Mainly, that every human being has an equal God given right to experience a freedom from oppression and the opportunity to thrive in the pursuit of happiness.

This is the strange thing that I have noticed in the affinity the American Christian has with the conservative party: Namely that the Church has nearly adjoined itself as being one in purpose with the conservatives. Why? And what lies at the bottom of it?

It is always tied to morality. Why then would it be dangerous for the Church to affiliate itself with a political party? Because at the core of the conservative party’s ideology is that the highest good is man’s happiness, and the fulfilling of this rests on every individual somehow being able to care for his neighbor while working to attain what is best for him.

Why is that bad? Because its definition of happiness is pagan. The conservative party says that true happiness is found in prosperity. This we know is counter to Christian doctrine. The conservative Christians have their identity rooted in this humanism and not in Christ. Oh, let them say what they will! Let them go on their babbling rant; distorting the difference between Christianity and Capitalism. Always forgetting that the way of God is one of submission and selflessness. Do they not realize that this whole country was founded upon rebellion and self interest? How ironical is it that these are the same people who accredit themselves with being so patriotic and loyal. Sure I suppose that they are patriotic and loyal; but the irony lies in the fact that it is to rebelliousness! So the real cry is this: “Come all of you who are good and moral. Adjoin yourselves to us and pledge us your loyalty. Together we can stand in our unwavering pursuit of satisfying our mutual self-interest individually.”

Instead of trying to wrap-up such an enormous idea on this topic in one post, I believe I will make it a multiple-part discourse. And in staying true to my method and rule of writing, which is: writing by no method at all, I will continue in no certain logical progression from what I have said here! And to let you know, it is helpful when people comment or have questions or arguments about the soundness of my thinking in coming to such conclusions; seeing how it occasions the opportunity for myself to become aware of how I got there, because my ideas are products of the combination of all the means by which a man gains understanding.

In response to a request I want to share a few observations on what humility means in today’s Christian culture, how it is not true humility (Christianly speaking), and how human deviousness has brought this about. But first I would like to thank RC at a href=”http://strangeculture.blogspot.com” for not only being helpful in suggesting a topic to write about, but mostly for encouraging my heart by commenting on a previous post. Thank you.

Now, for the matter at hand. The present treatment by Christians in respect to the virtue of humility, if there be any found at all, is most troubling and leads me to some conclusions that I tremble at even making.

There has been a vast departure from the ways of previous generations of religious men. What I mean is, that throwing off vices and aquiring virtues used to be inseperable from Christianity. But in these days one is thought not mearly to be a fool for desiring to do the same, but even cursed as being one who does not understand grace.

Now we know that in the New Testament the writers of the Epistles gave lists and examples of the virtues that one was to desire as well as describing those vices that one ought to flee from. So there can be no disagreement concerning the fact that we are admonished to be loving, patient, kind, charitable, etc.; and are warned to be aware of selfishness, greed, idolatry, pride, etc.

But this is how the confusion has occured. We can see that those things that we are admonished to, are not natural to our human nature. And the things that we are told to flee from are. But the inner transformation that occures by the work of the Holy Spirit reverses this. That is, in so far as there is now One present within us to whom those virtues are natural and the vices not natural. But since reason has become the foremost discerner of truth, man began to change what previously had been an internal work that produced an external effect into an external work in hopes that it would produce an internal effect.

Now that we have some understanding of modern Christian philosophy, we can take a look more specifically at the effects it has upon humility.

Christian humility is this: To be willing to face ridicule and humiliation from man in one’s sincere and steadfast following and witnessing to the truth of the Gospel; which is that a lowly despised man whom walked upon this earth and testified to the Truth and all that the Father had made known to him, was indeed God.

So what does this humility look like? It looks like what ever external effect is produced from one having that internal willingness. And to protect anyone from just brushing what I have said out of his mind; this “willingness” is indeed a gift from God.

Someone might ask, “Is this not the very thing that all of us Christians are doing right now?”

Heavens no! In fact you could not being doing anything further from this then what you are doing right now! Can’t you see what has occured? Are you not aware of what has been done? By establishing an external verification to an internal reality, it has been made nearly impossible that one could come to know Him who lives within them since He is only represented by Christian teachers in an external sense. Every person is now concerned with meeting the external qualifications that have been established by those who have the responsibility for assisting one in believing what one cannot see. But since reason is only satisfied by the validation that comes from physical observation; that which can only be validated by the arrival of faith in the Unseen is regarded as being really nothing at all.

Humility then becomes doing this action or that action; those actions that have been deemed as humble.

Well. That certainly is convienient. You no longer have to endure the pity that man has upon one who has given up his own desires to be used as his God wishes; and face humiliation day in and day out for believing in such a thing. Today, if one wishes to be given the crown of embodying true humility all you have to do is stoop down to the level of taking someone else’s plate to the kitchen so that they may remain part of the dinner conversation.
What divine humility!

How many times have you heard it said by a ‘Christian’: “Oh, I would never say such a thing. I am far too modest to desire to be an exceptional Christian; a saint. I am content with being the very least; just as the Lord admonished us to be”?

Good heavens! I’m not sure if anyone could make a more audacious statement! And in the Lord’s name! This is infinitely worse than one who says: “I will become great and seek honor for myself. Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?” For in truth they both say the same thing, except one is openly honest with his purposes and the other deceives himself.

To be sure, the Lord was speaking of modesty in the pursuit of earthly honor and attaining riches. True, He speakes of this “being the least” in response to the disciples arguement over which of them would be the greatest. But the Lord responds in this manner; knowing that they are still thinking of glory and honor that is bestowed on one by seeking and attaining that praise which comes from the world. The Lord is concerned with the honor and praise that comes from the one and only God.

Somehow or another(we could go on speculating until the Lord returns) the entire idea of modesty and humility in Christianity has been completely reversed! The Lord’s intention was for us to be modest in our eagerness to win the approval of men and to subdue our desire for worldly treasures; but also to be bold and unshakably determined to be made holy and to bring glory and honor to the Father. Was this not the Lord’s way? He laid down His divine nature, and in humility showed us the way unto salvation; so that by and through Him we might be brought into unity with the Father and Himself, being assisted and directed by His most Holy Spirit. Did He not say of Himself,”I am the Way”? How could it have ever occured to a man to think that the opposite of what the Lord said, was true?

Let me show you just how beneficial(from man’s perspective) it would be if he was able to reverse the pattern revealed by the Lord Jesus; which indeed he has.

Having confused everything with the introduction of complex doctrines, those things that are suitable only for the mature, every person who sets foot in a church (or maybe even in the church’s gymnasium) is told he is a ‘priest’! And not only that, but a ‘priest’ that doesn’t even need to concern himself with holiness! And God forbid anyone entertain the notion that perhaps we’ve got it wrong! So instead, each one encourages the other to seek to be the greatest in this world and give no effort to acquire those things which receive their reward in the world to come.

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”

When the Lord Jesus is spoken of in Sacred Scripture as being both a “stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall” it is a wonderous thing that this same ’stone’ holds the promise from God that “the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame”. Peter tells us that “this stone” serves two purposes. The one being salvation for them that believe. The other being destruction for those who reject it and do not believe.

I think that we can discover some things about this ’stone’ that seems to take on two different natures depending on either the belief or the unbelief of the individual who encounters it. Does the stone somehow change, or does it sometimes cease to be? Or are there two seperate stones? It doesn’t appear that any of these are the case. The stone is the same always; but what a radically different outcome there is for those who believe in it and those who do not! Let us move quickly ahead to consider what the implications are of this metaphor, and consider what this illuminates in understanding how the individual relates to Jesus Christ.

Now I want us look at this within the church, because I believe this is where this thought is most pertinant. For Paul speaks of this ’stone’ as being that which the Jews stumbled over. Paul also shows that this ’stone’ is the faith that they (Jews) failed to recognize as the way to God. And this seems to be occuring within the Church at the present time, because Paul says that they (Jews) pursued righteousness as if they were to attain it by works. And we often hear of the theological debate concerning works and faith.

Perhaps this is when a religious seeker encounters Christ ,the offence, on his journey toward everlasting union with God.

At this point he is struck with doubt. Not knowing if this ‘rock’(Christ) is what it(He) appeares(claims) to be. Since he is faced with this choice, a decision is necessary. Will he believe or will he not?

One says to himself: “It is possible that this stone(Christ) is what it(He) appears(claims) to be. But I cannot be certain in any immediate way. But it is far more reasonable to think that if I should choose to believe I will be found to have made a fool out of myself; and the best thing to do would be to ignore(reject) it’s(His) apparent obtructiveness to the journey and venture forward on my way.” And so he stumbles over it and falls.

Another one says to himself: “It is possible that this stone(Christ) is what it(He) appears(claims) to be. But I cannot be certain in any immediate way. If it(He) is what it appears(claims) to be and I venture forward, it is nearly certain that I shall fall because of it. But if I do trust in it(Him), and it(He) is not what it(He) appears(claims) to be I will be the biggest fool for not having continued on past it. On the otherhand, if it(He) is what it(He) appears(claims) to be and I believe it(Him), it(He) promises that I shall never be put to shame for having trusted in it(Him)”. And so he chooses to believe and trust, and finds that he is on solid ground and that this stone(Jesus) is the very way to reach that place that he had set out to find.

My main point is to show that doubt is the very thing that causes many to stumble; but is also what gives occasion for one to put their trust in God and what He has promised.

It has become popular to encourage ‘community’ by saying: “There can be no ‘lone ranger’ Christians”. This is a terrible way to speak about the individual’s relation to church community.

Now, I am certain that someone is able to make a decent case, defending this claim that no Christian can be a lone ranger. I will also admit that this is true in a certain sense. But it is such an ambiguous statement that I feel it is more likely to do harm than good; for the statement does not clarify if it is referring to an outward reality or an internal commitment.

What could be the possible intent of those who say such things? The ‘they’ we speak of is the Church. And surely the Church dare not say anything without a good reason. The only problem is that, for us Protestants, there is no Church. She cannot speak because She has been bound and gagged and shoved into a closet. So there is a great multitude of men(and women) who cry out: “I will speak for Her; and Her message is such and such.” And then there is another who cries out (perhaps a little louder) and says: “She desires you to do this and that”. And slowly, the only importance becomes that of the church doing that which it has intended to do; saying,”Let us accomplish our mission, and obtain what we have set out to obtain.” But what about the Lord?

And, what does any of this have to do with that ‘lone ranger’? Everything!

If this church that we’re speaking of had to contest with a ‘lone ranger’, its agenda might be shown for what it is and someone (that lone ranger) is liable to find the Bride in the closet and let Her free. How horrible a judgment would those who bound Her have to come under! “But woe to the man who betrays the Son of Man. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

My main concern however, is not for that ‘lone ranger’, but for those who are preparing to throw in their lot with Christ, whatever the cost. But having not yet entered that secure place where they are in community with Jesus, they are suddenly halted by the call: “You surely will not go that way; will you? Now, there is no need to put oneself in such a predicament. See, Jesus died on the cross for us so that we might enjoy a better life. This is a good place and if your conscience ever starts to bother you or you feel that your being called back into that place, that foolish willingness to suffer and be humiliated, and you decide to go. Why, who knows? You might never be able to return to us.”

Dear one, flee from this deceptive beckoning. Throw yourself into His arms. He will not let you go. But they will be intent on making sure that you will not thwart their plans.

But, do not think for an instant that I am saying you ought to physically leave the church. God forbid! What I mean is that you must unite yourself with the Lord first, and then you will be able to be part of His body. Every one must be a lone ranger in this sense: That each one has determined in his/her heart that even if every other person on earth decided to pursue their own purposes, he/she will never abandon that One who has called them. And when the Day comes that they enter into glory, they shall hear their Master say,”Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.”

I have just finished reading an article titled Biblical Rationalism vs. Psycho Assertionism. It confirmed my fear that there is a certain method of argumentation that some philosophers who believe themselves to be Christian use to destroy any assertions made by one who is asserting that God can only be known subjectively and therefore one must have faith in that which cannot be known objectively. I must admit that perhaps the reason that I am commonly attacked in this way is because I normally make assertions based on the presupposition that every Christian knows this. First, I should clarify that my intent is not to prove whether the style of argumentation used by biblical rationalists does or does not follow the rules that govern philosophical argumuent, but only that the one who defends the Bible or God by use of rational arguments and does not believe himself to presuppositionaly make certain assertions needs to awaken and ask himself if he is selling a false God by thinking that one does not neccesarily need to believe that Jesus is the Christ.

Now in order that this post not be destroyed by the attack brought on by such people, who employ those tactics that have their origin from lies that Satan has introduced into the world and used well meaning men to manifest it’s influence and become nearly pervasive in the human mind, I will show you how it works.

-They might begin by asking me: Where is it that you got your information to make the assertion that these men of whom you speak are what you assert them to be?

-And I would answer: The Holy Spirit.
-And they might reply: Well, what is the Holy Spirit to you?And on what basis did you form that opinion?
-And I would answer: The Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit and I do not know how I know I just believe it to be true. This relationship is in agreement to what the Bible says concerning the Holy Spirit and the one in whom He dwells.
-And they might ask: Where in the Bible does it testify to it?
-And I would answer: It is of little use to tell you because you do not believe that there is a Holy Spirit.
-And they might respond: Well, certainly that is not the response of one who has the Holy Spirit.
-And I would respond: Actually it is.
-Then they would ask: Who do you think you are? What makes what you believe true and what we believe false? Who’s to say which one of us is right?
-And I would respond: I am David Swink, a man just like you, except one who believes that what the Bible says is true and not one who only believes that the Bible is true. It is not my belief that makes what I believe,true; it is in that to which the Holy Spirit testifies to be true, that I have chosen to believe. But this belief that you think yourself to have is not belief because that which you claim to believe can be objectively shown to be true. But you are still working from a presupposition that is believed subjectively. And the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who will reveal which one of us is right. But please understand that I have no desire to prove that I am right, because it is impossible to prove something subjective objectively.

Okay, now that that is done, I want to make it clear that if there is any part of that that anyone has a question concerning ,please ask. But if you are simply offended or angered by it and don’t agree that what I assert is true, please don’t use those tactics that I showed above. Instead make your own case that the opposite is true. PLEASE!

This is an exerpt from Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. My prayer is that this might be an encouragement to those that are described in this passage, and rarely ever receive the same kind of affirmation in their walk that many of God’s children enjoy. Praise be to God for His Divine Providence.

-”They who live in God preform countless good works for His glory. But those in whom God lives are often flung into a corner like a useless bit of broken pottery. There they lie, forsaken by everyone, but yet enjoying God’s very real and active love and know that they have to do nothing but stay in His hands and be used as He wishes. Often, they have no idea how they will be used. But He knows. The world thinks them useless and it seems as if they are. Yet it is quite cetain that by various and through hidden channels they pour out spiritual help on people who are often quite unaware of it, and of whom they themselves never think. For those who have surrendered themselves to God, all they do has power. Their lives are sermons. They are apostles. God gives a special force to all they say and do; even through their silence, tranquility, and detatchment. Which quite unknown to them, profoundly influences other people. They themselves are influenced by others . Who by grace, unknowingly benefit them and in turn are used to guide other people who have no direct connection with them. God works through them by unexpected and hidden impulses. In this respect they are like Jesus, who produces a secret healing power. The difference between Him and them is that they are often unaware of this discharge of power and so do not cooperate with it. It is like a hidden scent which gives off it’s sweetness unknowingly, and is quite ignorant of it’s strength…………..Their guidance is in His hands, as the saints have always been, realizing that it is God alone who knows what is right for it. In fact if it relied on human guidance it would inevetably lose it’s way in that unknown land into which God conducts it. It is the Will of God which guides souls along paths which It alone knows. When the wind is shifting one can only be sure of it’s direction from moment to moment. So it is with these souls. They have their course continually altered by the will of God. And His will can be understood only by it’s effects; by what it accomplishes in these souls, either through secret hidden promptings or through the dutys of their station of life. This is all the spiritual knowledge they have. It is the sum total of their visions and revelations; all their wisdom and instruction. They need nothing more. Faith assures them that what they do is good.”

What is a “calling”? Is it not common to hear: “What is your calling” or “find what your calling is”? What is meant by such a statement? Is it not: “Choose for yourself whatever activity or work that is deemed “Christian service” or “spiritual gift” that you fancy is pleasurable”? How illogical and unbelieving is such a notion? I am well aware that there are a great many people who think of “a calling” in such a manner as this. If I did not, why would I even bother saying anything about it? I mention this and give strong warning concerning the matter because the Lord has “called” me to do so.

When someone says: “So then, what is it that you would like to do for God?”; or “what ministry would you like to serve in?”, is this not mere selfishness? Do you not know that men can serve their master for merely selfish motives? I am convinced that this is how it is with a great many well-meaning but misled people:
The leader or pastor of a congregation is always proclaiming that the Lord calls His people to service. But service to what? Or service to whom? What is often times presented as “service to God” is actually “service to us who serve God”. But even more often then that, it is not even presented as a service to God. But this is done in a crafty way. It is like this: “God has called people to serve Him. God has chosen His Church to carry out His work.” Conclusion: If you want to serve God, serve the church.
This is good except when one goes to the church and offers themselves for service they are asked, “Well, I don’t know, what do you want to do?” What an odd predicament. One wants to serve the master, but the master doesn’t have anything in particular for them to do. It seems that the Church has decided: Since most people are selfish in their interests,we should just allow them to choose what they want to do; because if they aren’t given this freedom then surely no one will serve.

Unless I stand completely alone in this matter,I believe people want to serve God and not themselves. I don’t want to be told, “serve God however you choose”. I don’t want to choose. I want God to choose. Just as the author of Hebrews says: “No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was”(Heb 5:4). But taking such a view of things will reap this type of response: “Oh, how adorable. He actually believes that God calls people to certain tasks”. Well of course I do. If He doesn’t then the whole thing is a sham. But praise be to God! The Lord does call!

But here is where it gets interesting. If the one whom they believed was “adorable” holds firm to his belief and does not give it up in order to accept the common consensus, then he becomes a burden to the conscience of others. So then, the individual is faced with this choice: to forget what he had previously become convinced of through the Spirit in order to adopt the group conscienceness, or to risk everything and trust in the calling from the One who called him.

Now this might be a little harsh and what my friends call: one of your over arching statements. But I do believe there to be some validity in it. Is there?

A Contrast Between Pagan Fellowship And Church Fellowship:

The one (pagan) meets together to occasion opportunity to enjoy the given activity under the pretense of being in fellowship with one another. The other (church) meets together to occasion opportunity to enjoy fellowship with one another under the pretense of being interested in God and desiring holiness.

My point is that we should make sure that our fellowship is a result of our shared commitment to following Jesus Christ. One does not come to Jesus Christ by means of joining a fellowship. For don’t you see a potential for disaster here? I do. I see the danger of people being part of a church community that lacks any apparent seriousness in regards to the things of God, become convinced that the fellowship that they are experiencing is Christianity. I believe that this is why so many people are nearly incapable of depending on God alone for their peace. But I can hear someone saying right now, “But God has called us to live in community.” I agree. But don’t become presumptuous in your thinking. Do not think that God owes you the gift of community or fellowship with believers. For there have been and still are those whom God has cut off from human comfort so that they might solely depend on Him. So become more and more convinced that even if you were denied all comforts you would be content with having Him and Him alone.