As Christians, we’ve learned that God is a forgiving God. We’ve learned that God not only exists, but that God’s very nature is love and that there is nothing we could ever do or think which would make God stop loving us, or being willing to forgive us. We call that “the good news,” and it is news that many people desperately want and need to hear.
They need to hear from us, as so many in the gospels heard from Jesus, “Your sins are forgiven.” That’s really the main message Christians have for this world and it’s what we promise to proclaim every time we renew our Baptismal Covenant: “Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?” I will. “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?” I will. “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” I will. That’s our mission ”” the mission of the Church.
I wish I could promise that the Church is a perfect place, that we all just get along, and that you will never find yourself in the middle of a church fight ”“ whether it’s in a parish, a diocese, the national church, or a worldwide Communion. But I can’t promise you that, because the Church is a human, as well as divine, institution and certainly it is made up of very fallible human beings.
What I can promise is that the mission of the Church is the most important thing you can commit your life to, whether as a young person or an older person, whether clergy or lay, no matter where you spend most of your time on a day-by-day basis. Because everywhere you will find people who need to be reconciled to God or to another person, and your job is to help that happen.
It’s the main thing we do as Christians….
What happened to “Go and sin no more”?
I hope they are not launching a charm offensive.
The problem with the article (if you read it in full) is that it implies that serious disagreements are not seriously important, and that on the contrary that we need to just be loving and give everyone space to have their own theological opinion and do their own theological thing.
But Paul Letter to the Galatians (which Epting quotes) is a singularly inapt piece of Scripture to quote in defense of this position. Paul regards the doctrinal disagreement he was having with Peter (over the role of the Law) as absolutely crucial, and absolutely worth confronting him about, and (if necessary) splitting the Church over. The whole letter is markedly polemical and visibly filled with a desire to “unchurch” people who disagreed with Paul here.
And thank God Paul had that attitude. He was right in this case. He was dealing with something really important.
So if Epting wants to make the claim that the many ways TEC has departed from classic Christian doctrine are unimportant, then fine he should go make that case. But what he can’t do is argue that it’s wrong for people to get in heated doctrinal disputes and claim that the other side is betraying the Christian faith. St. Paul is not going to be of help to you there.
[blockquote]As Christians, we’ve learned that God is a forgiving God. We’ve learned that God not only exists, but that God’s very nature is love and that there is nothing we could ever do or think which would make God stop loving us, or being willing to forgive us. We call that “the good news,†and it is news that many people desperately want and need to hear.
They need to hear from us, as so many in the gospels heard from Jesus, “Your sins are forgiven.†That’s really the main message Christians have for this world and it’s what we promise to proclaim every time we renew our Baptismal Covenant: “Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?†I will. “Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?†I will. “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?†I will. That’s our mission — the mission of the Church.[/blockquote]
Theologically, this is false. Without repenting of your sin and accepting Christ as the sole means of salvation, you are condemned. There is Good News in that we have the possibility of redemption through Jesus Christ, and God demonstrates His love for us by his having been willing to sacrifice His Son for our sake, but he is also a Holy God. We deceive ourselves and other people if we ignore that and tell them anything other than what is truly required of us. Without accepting Christ we are under Judgment.
Read Numbers 12. God does forgive, but sometimes judgment and punishment are part of that love. Statements like the one above can lead people to think that sin has no consequences and that forgivness is some sort of entitlement which we can demand from God.
Jim, no 4
I hope it’s not splitting theological hairs, but I think that technically Epting is correct. ALL persons are indeed forgiven by virtue of the comprehensive and perfect death of Jesus. Christ did not only die for those who repent. Neither does he call Christians to forgive their enemies, when he himself does not forgive those who are not repentant. That would be asking a more rigorous holiness from us than he is making himself. Jesus instructed his followers to forgive those who sin against us. Therefore that is what he himself has done in and through the cross.
However, you are correct in implying that all people need to RECEIVE that forgiveness in faith and repentance. If they reject it they are rejecting the life which God planned for them when their sins were dealt with on the cross. Their separation from God (both here and after death) is tragically real.
Therefore the message of our evangelism is NOT ‘Repent and then God will forgive you’ (as if he only forgives those who are sorry), but ‘God HAS forgiven you in Christ and his cross, now receive it and enjoy new life in him – now and for eternity.
The Duke, no 6. I think you and I are falling into the traditional Calvinist vs. Arminianist debate, which I believe has no clear answer. I tend myself to wander back and forth over that theological line, to be frank, and have come to the conclusion the we must simply leave it to God.
I guess my primary concern is that I really have a problem with “cheap grace,” to use the overused phrase, and the old “God is Love” tautology is a big part of that. So much of modern theology assumes that because Christ died for all, we can just go on our merry way in the world, and anything we do is ok with God and he will continue to forgive us no matter what we do. But the fact is that God is also holy; while He knows we will continue to stumble, in the end He still has to consider Who is ruling our hearts.
I guess my feeling is, if you knew Someone took the bullet for you, wouldn’t you be eternally grateful and beholden to that Person, and be willing to live your life in gratitude for that?
Without repentance and amendment of your life, what did the sacrifice mean?