I constantly seem bombarded by individuals that have questions about what could be labeled as "grey" issues. They are the elementof life that don't appear to have a direct answer in scripture. Now many pastors find themselves trying to take these grey questions and give black or white answers. I on the other hand have really struggled with the grey questions and this is why.
It seems that Christians don't ask grey questions...nonbelievers do and I think I know why. It appears that many nonChristians are trying to clear the descrepancies in order to assess the truth of our faith. But I am not so sure that someone who isn't in a relationship with God is able to assess the grey.
For instance, I once had a conversation with a nonbeliever about the issue of listening to secular music. A very grey area if you ask me. This person states they have had a past experience in which a pastor really emphasized that listening ot nonChristians music was a sin yet this individual is feeling no conviction in the matter. No longer a Christian, this person felt that their faith was not "adding up". They had felt no conviction over listening to such music and couldn't validate in scripture therefore concluding that sicne that teaching was false, so the faith must be.
Now there are two lessons to be learned in the matter of the "grey".
LESSON 1: To all my fellow ministers and believers, be sure to teach truth, not opinion. It is okay to give your opinion and there is nothing wrong with doing so. Not everything has to be so spiritual. Some things can be decisions for the better. If you feel that secular music has a bad influence than voice that opinion and why. I don't think that acknowledging that something is "grey" demeans your spiritual insight. If anything, it will boost it in an age where authenticity is sought.
LESSON 2: To the unbeliever and believer, the grey areas are not the voids in our faith, they are the corner stones. The undisputable Law of God (his commandments) are the foundation our your faith but the time spent seeking the unknown about God is the very essense of faith itself. It is the evidence of things not seen. So not knowing is the first step in knowing more. These grey issues personalize and shape your relationship with God.
Grey areas exist. No one can say with absolute certainty that such issues are sinful. Such a step would be puting words into God's mouth. However, it is important for us to ascertain what is important, wise, and constructive. Sometimes that analysis tells us things are a bad choice without ever having to put our soul up for debate!
Monday, March 26, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Faith?
Since the launch of God Challenge, I have really been in awe of the response. I will say that at first I was extremely offended and hurt by some of the blatant and bitter remarks. Remarks to the effect of Christians are weak minded, opressive, judgemental, hypocrits with an agenda to destroy freedom and intellectual discovery. Or at least that was the way I took it.
The more the discussion unfolded, I began to make very interesting observations.
Observation 1- Some Christians are reinforcing the opinions by nonbelievers. Many were making comments that were bitter and frustrated. That doesn't help the cause. This leads to the next observation.
Observation 2- Many nonbelievers either confessed or suggested negative past experiences with Christians. It became obvious that many of thier opinions were based off the inconsistencies in what Christ teaches (love, prosperity, kindness) and what they expereinced (judgement, rejection, condemnation). Shame on Christians for such. There is none good but the Father.
Observation 3- Everyone appears to be a person of faith. Some have faith in God and others appear to have faith in evidence. What's funny is that both are subjective faiths. For instance, my mother was miraculously healed of cancer which dumbfounded her doctors. They acknowledged that something had happened that they could not explain. "Faith in God" people would say it is evidence of God. Nonbelievers would say that it is a medical anomaly that cannot be explained because we don't have all the knowledge needed in science. Which leads to observation 4.
Observation 4- If people can accept that somethings in science are unexplainable, why is it so far fetched to embrace that there are other areas, including the existence of God, that are unexplainable? It is almost hypcrtical to say that your basis of faith is in evidence because it can be just as unexplainable and subjective.
In sum, I really think that most people are not giving God a fair shake, but with good reason...Christians have pushed them away from the opportunity to see God's best handy work...the change He makes in people for the better. I encourage all unbelievers to consider God despite his fallible followers. See that He really wants to give you your own evidence He exists!
The more the discussion unfolded, I began to make very interesting observations.
Observation 1- Some Christians are reinforcing the opinions by nonbelievers. Many were making comments that were bitter and frustrated. That doesn't help the cause. This leads to the next observation.
Observation 2- Many nonbelievers either confessed or suggested negative past experiences with Christians. It became obvious that many of thier opinions were based off the inconsistencies in what Christ teaches (love, prosperity, kindness) and what they expereinced (judgement, rejection, condemnation). Shame on Christians for such. There is none good but the Father.
Observation 3- Everyone appears to be a person of faith. Some have faith in God and others appear to have faith in evidence. What's funny is that both are subjective faiths. For instance, my mother was miraculously healed of cancer which dumbfounded her doctors. They acknowledged that something had happened that they could not explain. "Faith in God" people would say it is evidence of God. Nonbelievers would say that it is a medical anomaly that cannot be explained because we don't have all the knowledge needed in science. Which leads to observation 4.
Observation 4- If people can accept that somethings in science are unexplainable, why is it so far fetched to embrace that there are other areas, including the existence of God, that are unexplainable? It is almost hypcrtical to say that your basis of faith is in evidence because it can be just as unexplainable and subjective.
In sum, I really think that most people are not giving God a fair shake, but with good reason...Christians have pushed them away from the opportunity to see God's best handy work...the change He makes in people for the better. I encourage all unbelievers to consider God despite his fallible followers. See that He really wants to give you your own evidence He exists!
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