Acting Out History
Acting Out History
The apostle Paul was a real man, you know. He had his hair cut, considered a sandal and purchased it, and went to the bathroom. It is a tragedy that sometimes Bible characters become nothing more than Sunday School pictures of guys with flowing hair and perfect teeth. In our minds, they can become more imaginary than historical.
Christians must not compromise the fact that the Bible took place in time, space and history. Jesus, as we claim, suffered under Pontius Pilate. When we forget that the Bible is history, we forget that we are a part of that history. Acts is still being written, folks. We read that the early church continued in the apostles' doctrine, breaking bread and in fellowship. It is glorious! God added to their numbers daily. Then Paul goes to Rome ... a few more words ... and ... the church ... dies? Of course not! Wasn't Augustine a member of the church? He heard the gospel through somebody who heard the gospel in Acts. Moving into 800, Charlemagne gives religious tolerance to the church - important stuff - probably would have been in Acts chapter 87. Crusades, Black Death, Great Schism - Acts Chapter 169. What? The earth is round? ANOTHER CONTINENT? The church bulldozes ahead to the New World. Reformation, Deism, Enlightenment, Cromwell, Revolutions, Edwards, Spurgeon ... wait a minute ... these guys are definitely real. They ate, slept and walked, just like Paul. Thus, we arrive at 1999.- the Church and her problems today. Right now we are writing Acts. We are shaping history.
What would a history book say about us? What would an epistle from Paul to the churches in Presbyterianica look like? "O foolish Presbyterians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth?" The church has allowed relativism, hedonism, and Chntonism/O.J.ism to be an unstoppable train. Every day, when somebody propounds idiotic statements, and the Christian fails to respond, we mix the mortar of atheism.
I believe that people will look back at American culture and say, "What was the church thinking?" Well, that is the point: the church has stopped thinking. The scandal of the evangelical mind, as Mark Noll says, is that there is no evangelical mind.
In southwest Virginia, there is a small remnant that is challenging the Church to start thinking again. They don't like the way the history books are being written. R.C. and Laurence have given the state of the communion, and said, "out with the new, and in with the old." One person at a time is pointed to the historical Christ of the Covenants: our mighty, atoning, electing, judging, loving Logos. The students at the Study Center are pointed to the great Christian minds of the past to form their world-views. The church could use a few reformers. You never know, God may love you and have a wonderful plan for your mind. It starts with recognizing that we are a part of history.
Like logic and thermodynamics, history is a built-in law of the universe. History comes from God, the Lord over all of history. Thus, it should be a matter of discussion, as important as science and math. When we repent, we repent at a certain time. When we begin to understand the Bible in its fullness, it happens in history. We can point to a certain year when things happened. The Reformation - 1517. Christopher M. Horton is born - 1976. Evangelicals and Catholics Together - 1994. History is happening all around you, and you will be called to give an account. How easy it is to look at the folly of Rome, or the rebellion of Israel, and think, "If I had lived then, I would have done something about it." If this is what you say, you should look at modern culture, and not let the pagans get away with their nonsense. It should happen this year. It should happen today. Right now.
Reformation is not a magical concept. It happens when the Church repents, and begins to think. God has already promised to bless obedience, but His people remain stiff-necked. Speak up when somebody at the lunch table says, "Why don't you come to the Watchtower Society with me tonight?" Tell this person that they have rejected the one and only Way. If you are trying to be polite, recognize that your politeness may politely guide this person into Hell. Don't let the world stomp on the Church any longer. Gird up the loins of your mind, and prepare for battle. Combat false religion in the newspapers, television, politics, literature and the pulpit. Reform the church.
I have changed my world view through the late night smoking sessions on Laurence's porch. The Highlands Study Center combines real living with real thinking. And the emphasis is on real. My evangelism techniques have changed from the Four Spiritual Laws, to having unbelievers over for a good meal and good conversation. And the same goes for Laurence and R.C. The unbeliever can see that we have the freedom to read Huxley or Cainus, and then critique the daylights out of them, pointing out that Christ is the only Rock that philosophies may be built upon. The unbeliever is mad for a time, but then sees that they cannot live in the house built by relativism. This is what the Study Center is about: real living and real thinking. That is the power of the Gospel in action.
Come and visit with us. See that the BBQ and the match can be a part of the Christian life, and a part of sanctified R & R in the midst of battle. Tomorrow morning prepare with us for battle on your knees. Let's go to work, to college, or to teach our children with courage enough to stand for the truth. If you need your sword sharpened, this is the place. Let's change history, willing to not only be impolite, but to be hung on a cross for our convictions.