Have you ever had things that seemed to be unrelated come together? No I am not talking about the “Age of Aquarius” sort of junk. (Bet you have that song in your head now don’t you?). Instead…I am talking about how God puts things in your head and they rattle around in there; you’re not sure why; and then BAM! all of a sudden it comes together! I have had that happen to me today (Monday).
After reading Reborn to Be Wild by Ed Underwood, I felt this stirring in my spirit to change the direction of my preaching. I have always tried to preach biblical messages for sure but have strayed some from expository sermons. I was going more for Topical (you can figure out why they are called that) but still trying to base them in Scripture. Ed’s book was the catalyst God used to get me thinking about going back to preaching more from books. Not verse-by-verse as some do but more chunk-by-chunk. Allowing Scripture to explain Scripture. Going with the natural flow of the passage instead of jumping here, there and everywhere. That is not to say it is wrong to do that but, for me, I felt the tug of the Spirit to refocus. All the while I felt Him drawing me toward the book of Colossians.
To show you how God then pulls things together I have also been reading Chuck Swindoll’s book The Church Awakening. Two recent quotes he included really have stuck in me like a sticker bush and won’t let me go.
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions. G.K.Chesterton
You cannot pick and choose from the Bible what you want to believe is inspired. The Bible does not present itself that way. Even more, the Bible will have no sustaining power for life if you make yourself the arbiter of what you will and will not believe about it. Kent Hughes and Bryan Chapell
If a person does not know what to believe, he will fall for anything. If he knows what he believes and where he stands, then he is considered a person of conviction. The book of Colossians helps us stand. However, if you read Colossians there is absolutely no doubt that Paul says, “Christ is pre-eminent. He is above all.” In that conviction, there is no tolerance, nor should there be. That may sound close-minded to some who read this, I don’t know. For sure that doesn’t “shoot” very well in our day and age but that is the point of the Kent/Chapell quote. We need to have the conviction that what Paul writes in Colossians is true. I simply cannot get rid of the truth or the power of these verses: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him…He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.“ [1:15-16,18b] I don’t know about you but I have a hard time seeing anything out of that verse but the preeminence of Christ.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you see holding to a firm conviction that Jesus is above all and the only One worthy of worship as being…(gasp!)…intolerant? Do you find yourself picking and choosing what to believe/not to believe? This is an open forum and you are allowed to express your thoughts, as long as they are done kindly and thoughtfully (and whether I agree with them or not). If you care to add your thoughts to this discussion please feel free to do so.
Wow, that is an incredible quote from Chesterton. I’ll have to use that one for sure.
I thought so too Tony. Use it well! 🙂
I would like to strongly disagree with the Chesterton quote and very much agree with the Hughes/Chapell quote. If you are a convicted monotheist of the Christian stripe then you have to, by definition, agree with Paul’s writing in Colossians. If you are a convicted monotheist of the Jewish, Muslim or other variation you will not agree with Paul.
Tolerance is understanding we are primates with differing views and not let those differences interfere with getting along with each other.I can be very convicted and very tolerant.
Chesterton was an important and brilliant English writer. He was also a Catholic with some less than tolerant views about Jews. He may not be the best person to look to for lessons on tolerance.
Jeff: while I appreciate your disagreement with G.K. I would respectfully submit that he is actually on the money. Putting aside his Catholicism and views toward the Jews, he states what he believes to be true and something I have stated: a person who has no convictions (doesn’t know what he believes and where he stands) will fall for anything. Right or wrong G.K. stood for his convictions. It is the person who is wishy washy that is “tolerant” of everything that comes down the pike. Now…there is a right way and a wrong way to express those convictions (see Julie below) but that is not the issue here. Am I reading you wrong or Chesterton wrong? Feel free to come back. i also invite others to comment on jeff’s thoughts. Thanks, as always, for your thoughtful comments.
I believe absolutely in the infallible inspired word of God. He is absolutely to have preeimence above all.
And yet..
…I have seen this time and time again. A person who takes a scripture and twists it to fit their man made rule, their sinful lifestyle or their judgemental, pharisaical(Sp?) ways.
I must study to show myself approved or I will sway with whatever wind blows strongest around me. I did this for years. Believed whatever any man of God said as absolute truth. Years later I wonder why I believe what I do and why I do what I do.
I thought Christ had preeminence and really MAN had preeminence.
Thanks for always making me think. Love that about your posts!
Julie: I can certainly understand your thoughts because I used to be one of those who used proof-texts to badger people with my views. You also make a case (in a round about way) for “study to show yourself approved unto God.” I continually tell the folks I preach to not to believe everything I say without checking it out with Scripture. No man knows everything and speaks without error. Allowing Scripture to explain Scripture is so vital, and topical preaching often misses that. Thanks for your comment.
I agree with Tony, that’s a great quote.
Holding to that firm conviction is vital. But it strikes me that the same firm conviction can be expressed in two very different ways.
Do I express my convictions in the form of judgment and condemnation to those who do not share them?
Or do I express my convictions as a loving invitation to non-believers to share in the Good News of God’s grace?
Same convictions, very different approach. I know which I feel more drawn to.
You have a good view here Larry. Knowledge can be done tastefully or it can be done “bludgeonly.” Both have convictions but the approach is different. I think I know which one you prefer and believe I would fall into your camp. 🙂 Thanks for the comment.
i know this wasn’t the main thought of your post today, bill, but i love that you’re leaning more towards expository preaching. and i love the words “allowing scripture to explain scripture.”
i don’t believe topical preaching is wrong — and i think it’s good and appropriate at times. but the bible was for sure written in a certain context and to particular issues and events, so i think it’s wise to try and interpret it in light of this at all times.
beyond preaching from chunks of texts, i stopped using commentaries three years ago and feel i have a greater understanding of the bible now than ever before. more importantly, though, i have a closer relationship with the bible than ever before, as it serves more as a catalyst for obedience than a tool for adding knowledge. i believe the Holy Spirit’s guidance when reading is commentary enough for me. [not that i oppose all uses of commentaries, and i occasionally do look up greek/hebrew words. but i’m afraid many of us have grown dependent on the words of other men.]
Brett: Thanks for your wise words. We make a big mistake when 1) we interpret Scripture separate from its culture and 2) when we allow the words of men to have precedence over the inspiration of the Spirit working in the student’s life. I admit that I do use commentaries but I do try to find the meaning and “story” of the Scripture before I use them. I also do want to go on record as saying that I don’t believe topical preaching is wrong per se but it should never be preached devoid of its historical context either. It is good to hear from you. Thanks.
I was not questioning his conviction. He was most certainly convicted in his beliefs. I was only disagreeing with his view and a rather snidish view that if I consider Tolerance to be a virtue then I must be less than convicted to my beliefs. That may have played well in Europe in his time as regardes his Jewish Tolerance. If you put aside Hitler’s coddling of the Catholics and visa versa and his views on Jews he looks a lot better too.
Tolerance of others should be, in my humble opinion, a sign of a Christians conviction. It is about love of those that agree or disagree with. Intolerance is a sign of bigotry.
I focus my attention on Expository Preaching along the way because that is how I preach the whole counsel of God’s Word. I do however mix in topical messages and series.
Every thing needs to be put through the filter of the Scripture. Sometimes that will appear to be intolerant and sometimes it will look loving.
Good post that has me thinking.
Good focus Jim. The Scripture is the best filter of all. Glad you are thinking. 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
Hi Bill,
Because I am not a Bible school graduate,nor do I have formal training, I have to approach this idea of ‘tolerance’ from what I see in Scripture examples.
For example, God was not ongoingly tolerant of those gentiles who were worshipping Molech and Baal. A time came when he destroyed them and gave their possession over to the Israelites coming out of Egypt. God is certainly not tolerant of idolatry in his own people. He hates it. It will eventually cause us great harm.
As Christians we can be tolerant of many things, but not about who Jesus is and that he is the only God, there are no other gods.
Without Jesus, there is no salvation of man from his sins. The Bible teaches that there is only one way to God.
Christians will likely experience problems with the thinking and beliefs of the world by these convictions about God. The Bible says live peacefully with all men if possible. The World is tolerant of many things but it is not very tolerant of Christians. I think this is going to be more noticable in the days to come.
Linda: I agree that as Christians we can be tolerant of many things but not about who jesus is. Your whole second paragraph stands alone. Thanks.
I don’t have a lot to add today, but I appreciate the conversation. If believing Jesus is pre-eminent, just as Paul describes Him, is intolerant, then yes, I am he.
Thanks and I look forward to jumping back into the conversation when I’m not jet-lagging so badly. 🙂
Thanks Bill.
Jet-lag? Someone as young as you? Hope you get to feeling better and get some good sleep. Thanks for taking the time to come by anyway. 🙂
Holding a belief in no way makes a person intolerant. No matter what the belief is. If that belief, however, results in interferance with someone of a different belief, and that interferance manifests itself in discrimination, belittling, name calling, or in anyway impedes their right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness or any other injustice then it is intolerant. Fortunately our forefathers foresaw that possibility and built this country on the principals of freedom of Religion which is also freedom from a religion that any American chooses not to believe.
Believe whatever you want and allow everyone else to believe what they want. You are free to live by what you believe and so is everyone else that disagrees with you.
I won’t argue with you on your first statements jeff. never should a held belief result in discrimination, etc. On that we definitely agree. thanks for continuing in the conversation.
I completely believe that anyone who picks and chooses whatever they feel like has not truly allowed himself to love God. And anyone who does not love God (and does not have an understanding of the immense love God has for us) will not obey His commandments. Funny enough, I read this as I studied 1 John 4 & 5 yesterday. They talk about how it’s our love for God that drives us to obey His word.
jaycee: the Bible is pretty firm in its stand on the essentials. No question our love for God should drive us to obedience. Thanks for taking some time out of “time out” to comment.