What is it that makes a christian a christian, part 2
January 24th 2007 01:35
There is an old saying. Ask a silly question……
Mr Blogg’s question though is far from silly. In fact, considering all the things that the answer might entail, it’s a fairly serious one. I’d like to thank everyone that has left a comment or vote on the post before this one. Hopefully the questions that you have that I didn’t answer then I will answer with this post.
The main objections I can see to what I have written are mainly doctrinal ones. Doctrine is an interesting little creature that changes from church to church. Some churches and denominations believe in tithing, not eating meat on Fridays, going to church on Saturday; those kind of things. We Christians do indeed believe in some weird stuff that tends to differ. The interesting thing is that most of it doesn’t matter. Paul was pretty plain in this. Romans, somewhere towards the end. I for example, do not believe that the church can marry homosexuals. I don’t hate them (I don’t hate anyone) and I think that they should receive the same societal benefits that a heterosexual couple should get. That being any kind of tax breaks or legal aid or recognition. And to be as honest as possible, I love them like I love everyone else. As much as I can.
But the things that don’t change between different denominations are the most important. Luke said that the base word for Christians means follower of Christ. What Christians were called before this was “Followers of the Way”. We may all walk the path differently (Tolstoy said that he walked it like a drunk would walk home, trust the Russians to bring alcohol into it) but we are all walking the same Way. This is Dogma, and while I differ in my doctrine to other Christians (all Christians do have small differences, like I said, most of these don’t matter) these are the truths that Christians embrace.
The first, is that Jesus Christ was both completely divine and completely man, as God’s only begotten Son. He was not simply a little of one, or some of the other, or all and nothing. He was all and All. If we say He was not God, then He could have done none of the things that He did. He could not have brought God down to man. If not man, He would not have been able to bring man up to God. By being God and man, He brought the two together.
The second is that God is triune in His existence. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. There is plenty that can be said and has been said by many different preachers about God’s nature from what we know of His existence. That He is a God that creates for the purpose of relationship, that He is love as there is love between the Son and the Father. CS Lewis has given the best words on the Trinity that I have ever read, in his book Mere Christianity. You should go and read it, it’s brilliant as a foundation for thinking.
The third is that Jesus death on the cross and resurrection afterwards is the sole act that has opened the way for man to be reconciled with God. I said quite a bit on this fact in the last post, so I won’t bore you with the details.
This is a fairly basic run down for several very good reasons. Mainly because I don’t want to add anything which is not as close to the truth as possible and writing doctrinally can produce that. The other, and perhaps more important, is because these three things are what clearly define what a Christian should have as their core, not ever changing beliefs. If we are to follow a Way, then we should know the path on which we walk. If we are to follow a man, then we should know who He is. To walk outside of these areas is to change not just details and perhaps philosophy of Christianity, it is to change what it is.
JZ
Mr Blogg’s question though is far from silly. In fact, considering all the things that the answer might entail, it’s a fairly serious one. I’d like to thank everyone that has left a comment or vote on the post before this one. Hopefully the questions that you have that I didn’t answer then I will answer with this post.
The main objections I can see to what I have written are mainly doctrinal ones. Doctrine is an interesting little creature that changes from church to church. Some churches and denominations believe in tithing, not eating meat on Fridays, going to church on Saturday; those kind of things. We Christians do indeed believe in some weird stuff that tends to differ. The interesting thing is that most of it doesn’t matter. Paul was pretty plain in this. Romans, somewhere towards the end. I for example, do not believe that the church can marry homosexuals. I don’t hate them (I don’t hate anyone) and I think that they should receive the same societal benefits that a heterosexual couple should get. That being any kind of tax breaks or legal aid or recognition. And to be as honest as possible, I love them like I love everyone else. As much as I can.
But the things that don’t change between different denominations are the most important. Luke said that the base word for Christians means follower of Christ. What Christians were called before this was “Followers of the Way”. We may all walk the path differently (Tolstoy said that he walked it like a drunk would walk home, trust the Russians to bring alcohol into it) but we are all walking the same Way. This is Dogma, and while I differ in my doctrine to other Christians (all Christians do have small differences, like I said, most of these don’t matter) these are the truths that Christians embrace.
The first, is that Jesus Christ was both completely divine and completely man, as God’s only begotten Son. He was not simply a little of one, or some of the other, or all and nothing. He was all and All. If we say He was not God, then He could have done none of the things that He did. He could not have brought God down to man. If not man, He would not have been able to bring man up to God. By being God and man, He brought the two together.
The second is that God is triune in His existence. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. There is plenty that can be said and has been said by many different preachers about God’s nature from what we know of His existence. That He is a God that creates for the purpose of relationship, that He is love as there is love between the Son and the Father. CS Lewis has given the best words on the Trinity that I have ever read, in his book Mere Christianity. You should go and read it, it’s brilliant as a foundation for thinking.
The third is that Jesus death on the cross and resurrection afterwards is the sole act that has opened the way for man to be reconciled with God. I said quite a bit on this fact in the last post, so I won’t bore you with the details.
This is a fairly basic run down for several very good reasons. Mainly because I don’t want to add anything which is not as close to the truth as possible and writing doctrinally can produce that. The other, and perhaps more important, is because these three things are what clearly define what a Christian should have as their core, not ever changing beliefs. If we are to follow a Way, then we should know the path on which we walk. If we are to follow a man, then we should know who He is. To walk outside of these areas is to change not just details and perhaps philosophy of Christianity, it is to change what it is.
JZ
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Comment by hewhocutsdown
Many people talk of the fatherly/masculine attributes of G-d. Aren't the feminine/motherly aspects, as described in the bible, of equal import? What do you think of that?
Peace
Comment by David Suzuki
What was God thinking when he created that?
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
One problem is this: the Bible is open to interpretation; the Bible is also not always regarded as the main or only source of knowledge. And, even when it is, there are different ways to consistently interpret. No one reads everything as literal, nor everything as figurative...
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
interesting question and very off topic.
I think that at the end of the day the investigation of God's character isn't really down to going through and checking off each attribute as male/female. I AM is simply I AM.
JZ
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
how honoured I am that you dropped by.
More than likely, to show off a bunch of things. Artistry, sense of humour and creativity.
Valuable attributes, me thinks.
JZ
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
There are a couple of things that Christians DO agree on.
We love God, we love people. Doctrinally and theologically speaking, after that it is details. Some are more important than others but it boils down to those first two things.
As far as interpreting the Bible......
Difficult. I read a book by a couple of guys named Philip Yancey and Dr Paul Brand which said that each generation must interpret the will and Word of God anew for it's own generation. There is sometimes a hair width of difference between genius and heretic, and this is thinking that highlights that difference beautifully well.
I don't think that man will ever truly and completely interpret the Word of God right down pat perfectly. But then, I don't think we're supposed to. Just as life as a christian is a daily walk of faith, it is also a walk that forces understanding to grow everyday. There is always something new to learn.
Personally, I take notes and I am careful. I talk things out with people that are smarter and know more than me and I do ALOT of different reading of different kinds of christians. This year I want to read some Aquinas and Augustine, because I know they would have different ideas and perspectives. But they would be worth learning from.
Also wanting to read alot more Ellul. I get the feeling you would like him.
JZ