This post is a follow-up to my previous post, "Rob Bell's Return." I feel this sequel necessary, not only to clarify my stance and thoughts, but also to add a response to continuing questions, concerns, and blog posts. Again, Rob Bell was never intended to be the focus--the focus of my earlier discussion is on the Truth. And that can be applied to any of us, not just one particular man.
Allow me to state again what my biggest two points were in my preceding commentary. First, as humans, we have disagreements. Disagreements happen, but we can still seek the same goal--and be cordial, respectful, and loving about it. Second, if we are leading someone to find a relationship with the one true Christ, they need to be pointed in the correct direction.
An elaboration on these points:
1. Disagreements.
It won't matter whether we seek the same goal; when there are two sets of eyes on one thing, perceptions and thoughts are extremely likely to vary, even to some small degree. It is not overlooked by this casual blogger that my thoughts--my questions and conclusions--are sometimes different from Rob Bell's. They are also likely different from yours, as are yours different from another reader's, and so on.
But Christianity, or the practice of submission to Christ, is mainly about living a life like Christ. Christ is the focus. Thank goodness that it is, because if we worshipped our fellow Christians and how much disagreement and general imperfection there is, we'd all be hopeless. I cannot emphasize that point enough. I wish that point would be emphasized more for people who are deterred from the faith because of what Christ-followers do. We're just people, all imperfect knuckleheads, and we are no different from any other world religion in terms of our imperfections. We make mistakes. All of us. End of story there.
But we can disagree AND be peaceful and loving about it.
2. The Truth.
When we develop opinions that start to drift from "True North", we are in danger of pointing others to something that isn't the truth. In order to reach that narrow gate, the true author and perfector of our faith should be the one that is followed--and nobody else. Not imitators, not similar characters, only One. There is only one way. Jesus said " I am THE way, THE TRUTH, and THE life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6.
Truth is not a broad concept. It may cover a multitude of subjects, but it is not broad, and it does not vary. It is like the stars that shine at night, constant and reliable, and used by sailors to guide their journey. The Bible compares the way to Heaven as two roads and gates: one is broad and leads to destruction. The other is narrow and leads to eternal life.
So disagreements on the message are not, per se, an act to get worked up about. And disagreements are not, per se, a bad thing either. So here is the extended message of this post: Why have some settled on a misguided perception that truth and love are exclusive concepts?
Why is it that many are shooting arrows at fellow Christians, saying they are "crucifying" Rob Bell, merely for disagreeing with his thoughts? I have yet to see a post whose theme is "Oh crap, it's that Nooma video guy again. I hate that guy. He, as a person, is terrible." However, there are some, maybe plenty, that have disagreed with his conclusions. I personally find it somewhat hypocritical for those who, out of one corner of their mouth, support asking questions and searching for answers--sticking up for Rob Bell because he "asked questions", while out of the other side of that same mouth, hurl insults at others for questioning Rob Bell or reaching a different result. What...what?! No joke; it's happening.
So what exactly is the problem? (And I hope you'll forgive me and bear with me as I take the side with those who chose to reject a conclusion someone offered.)
Is it because there is discord? Surely not. Jesus didn't agree with people...a lot.
- He didn't exactly come to bring peace and agreement among everyone (in fact, He said: "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household." Matthew 10:34-36). He called the religious leaders snakes, hypocrites, burdens to others, blind, and...oh yeah:
- He got angry. And had the time to cool off, but didn't. He saw the temple being used for perverted purposes, so he took the time to fasten a whip, used it to drive out the occupants, flipped their tables and benches, scattered their coins, and defended the temple from those people returning. See Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 19:45-46; John 2:13-17.
- The Bible also praises the Christians in Berea for being studiers of the Word and examining it carefully before quickly and recklessly accepting it. See Acts 17.
So surely we aren't turning the Jesus we claim to worship into someone He wasn't...right? Surely we haven't turned Him into a purple dinosaur who sings that getting along and being happy is more important than anything else. To do so, as previously pointed out, is idolatry.
So I ask again, shouldn't we indeed recognize that we don't have to sacrifice Truth while loving others?
To those who are "crucifying" those who "crucify" Rob Bell, here is my admonition to you:
1. Read Ephesians 4.
Matter of fact, this should apply to all Christians, regardless of where you stand. See how it encourages truth and love to coincide.
- "...bear with one another in love..."
- "There is one body and one Spirit...one faith...one Lord...one God..."
- "... unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God...so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves..."
- "speaking the truth in love"
- and all this is for the building up and unity of Christ's body.
2. Be sure to truly analyze the message, and find awareness as to the topic of discussion. Is it about the person, or is it about the message?
3. If your problem is merely with disagreement among Christians:
(a) Start finding common ground on things to which you may relate to others.
(b) Make every effort to unify yourself with them. Christ's last prayer in the Garden before His crucifixion was for unity.
(c) Respectfully and lovingly, I urge you to drop your milquetoast ideology. Again, if the only basis of your uneasiness is because you don't like seeing disagreement, I assure you, you have no dog in the fight. Realize that, yes, our job is to be loving and to stand out from the rest of the world, but your job is also to defend the truth (see scriptural support from previous post). And one doesn't have to be sacrificed to achieve the other.
4. Be careful as to how you make Christians, as a whole, look to those who have a desire to seek Christ. Your words are not free from consequence.
To those who really are finding it difficult to distinguish the man from the message:
1. Separate the two. Just like Jesus hates the sin but loves the sinner. And also wake up, because you're immersed in a culture full of people who oppose and reject the Truth, some of whom even consider themselves Christians.
2. Defend truth, but speak in love too. Again, they're not exclusive. Never allow your light to be overcast by degradation of another.
3. Use your passion in a winsome manner. I myself have a tendency to get caught up in allowing my heart to burn over certain topics. But don't allow that fire to come pouring out of your mouth--your tongue is still to be bridled. James 3. "The wisdom that comes from heaven is...peace-loving, considerate...".
4. Finally, make sure you're doing your best not to become "that person" who deters another from a desire to seek Christ. Think about the consequences of what follows your words (applicable to all of us). "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God." 1 Peter 2:12.
Here's to unity. And truth rested in love.
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