A bit of a broken record
I know that I seem to post on "fundamentalism" to the point of which seems that I have a anger problem towards the movement, but that is not it. That is not to suggest that I agree with the idea of fundamentalism; I completely do not. However, I do not wish to characterize myself through writing, preaching, ministry philosophy, or any other context of expression to speak of what I am not, rather I would like to present what I am and hope to persevere in by God's grace and for his glory. Now, with that stated I will post what is of major importance regardless of fundamentalism or evangelicalism. The problem is simply in the church as a whole, namely, "Pharisaism" (Matt. 23).
My last reading in my seminary Systematic Theology studies was this by Anthony Hoekema:
Churches that fully accept Paul's teaching on justification by faith may yet exhibit another kind of legalism: the insistance that their members abstain from certain practices that are deemed wrong-though they are really "indifferent things".
With respect to the question of which practices are to be put on the list of "forbidden things" there is great variety. In the United States many evangelical churches, particularly of those of the fundamentalist type, have rules against smoking, drinking, movies, dancing, and card-playing. Many churches in Europe, however, whose members readily drink and smoke, recoil in horror at the idea of Christians wearing blue jeans or chewing gum. Some years ago my wife and I heard a sermon on the Parable of the Good Samaritan in a Protestant church in Interlaken, Switzerland. After describing how the Good Samaritan bandaged the injured man, put him on his donkey, and brought him to the Inn, the Pastor went on to say, "He [the Good Samaritan] gave him a cigarette and a beer, and had a little talk with him". We were greatly amused, and wondered how American fundamentalists might have reacted to this application of present day Swiss hospitality to the man in the Parable!
Hoekema goes on to say, "The danger involved in this type of legalism just described is that abstinence from these "indifferent things" comes to be thought of as the essential mark of a Christian. When this is the case, things that are less important receive greater emphasis than the things that are most important, so that we end up by majoring in minors. When this happens, we are like the Pharisees about whom Jesus said, "You give a tenth of your spices-mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness" (Matt 23:23).
Anthony Hoekema, Created in God's Image, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), 238-239.
My last reading in my seminary Systematic Theology studies was this by Anthony Hoekema:
Churches that fully accept Paul's teaching on justification by faith may yet exhibit another kind of legalism: the insistance that their members abstain from certain practices that are deemed wrong-though they are really "indifferent things".
With respect to the question of which practices are to be put on the list of "forbidden things" there is great variety. In the United States many evangelical churches, particularly of those of the fundamentalist type, have rules against smoking, drinking, movies, dancing, and card-playing. Many churches in Europe, however, whose members readily drink and smoke, recoil in horror at the idea of Christians wearing blue jeans or chewing gum. Some years ago my wife and I heard a sermon on the Parable of the Good Samaritan in a Protestant church in Interlaken, Switzerland. After describing how the Good Samaritan bandaged the injured man, put him on his donkey, and brought him to the Inn, the Pastor went on to say, "He [the Good Samaritan] gave him a cigarette and a beer, and had a little talk with him". We were greatly amused, and wondered how American fundamentalists might have reacted to this application of present day Swiss hospitality to the man in the Parable!
Hoekema goes on to say, "The danger involved in this type of legalism just described is that abstinence from these "indifferent things" comes to be thought of as the essential mark of a Christian. When this is the case, things that are less important receive greater emphasis than the things that are most important, so that we end up by majoring in minors. When this happens, we are like the Pharisees about whom Jesus said, "You give a tenth of your spices-mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness" (Matt 23:23).
Anthony Hoekema, Created in God's Image, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), 238-239.
posted by adam at 5:21 AM
8 Comments:
AT,
I was just reading Romans 14-15 last night, and I think that passage is an arrow in the heart of fundamentalism, who wrongly look at the people who are able to do all those things under good conscience as if they are the weaker brother. However, the weaker brother, according to the apostle Paul, is the one who has to add all these external restrictions upon others. If we stick with the text rather than past experience, tradition, or anything else, we will be fine. Thanks for the encouragement that I am not alone and crazy in my thinking. I appreciate it.
In Christ, free from the demands of the Law and any form of external righteousness,
James
Thought provoking post. just a thought. Wouldn’t the same also be true for the person that is focusing so much on those things that a person thinks he should be able to do. In their case they are also making the minor issues the major ones. Some times it seem as if we as believers spend so much time trying to justify our actions that we forget about the true major issues, ie. Christ, Love, loving our neighbor as our self, as Christ first loved us. If we show a true Love to the brother that may struggle with some of those issues like jeans in church, witnessing in a bar, drinking, smoking, and the list goes on, we may have a better opportunity to show how truly amazing a walk with Christ can be. Although I do agree some of the issues that people harp on are irritating, and discouraging. If we fight back with a Christ like love, we may accomplish a lost more than we would by butting heads. Great thought provoking post.
It seems to me that if a fundamentalist is someone who holds strong to key doctrines of Scripture, they of all people would rightly understand and practice the outcome of the doctrine of justification. This week someone accused me of being a fundamentalist because of my narrow view of justification. I am honored if that is what a fundy is rather than one who harps on smoking and drinking. In our church we have people who do both, but I am far more interested in their comprehension of the doctines of grace.
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Jesse,
In light of what you said, I am wondering how you would say that we are to show love to those who struggle?
Chad,
I agree with you that a "traditional fundamentalist" is someone who holds to the key elements of the faith delievered once for all to the Saints. However, it has changed into someone who doesn't drink, someone who wears a suit to church, and someone who uses the KJV only. So, why would you want to be associated with that? Why call yourself something that has connotations that you are not a part of. I think we need to get rid of the name because of some sense of nostalgia for the good 'ol day and engage our generation instead of wishing they were from the 40s. Keep the doctrine, lose the outdated terms.
In Christ,
James
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James
I am simply saying that we love believers that may struggle with some of these issues as Christ loved the church. If we are walking in a manor worthy of Christ and the Text then there should be no problem. (I hope you can since my tone as being gracious in this next comment) The only place I ever even here of fundamentalism is on your blog and Adams blog. You just have an ax to grind when it comes to fundamentalism, and you take it our on your blog. My contention is that if you would spend more time trying to build relationships with these people rather than attacking their position you may have a better chance to open their eyes to the true graciousness of our Lord and our Liberties in Christ. However, the way I read the text, (again don’t misunderstand the my tone, I am still not strapping on the boxing gloves, just talking out the issues) is sometime I will give up my liberties in order to reach a few( I Cor 9 19-27), because a right understanding of the text is more important than my liberty of drinking a beer or smoking a cigarette, if I am in Europe, that might be wearing a pair of jeans or chewing gum. Time and time again Christ talks about giving up our liberties so that we may reach a few in the full understanding of his name. Rom. 14:13-23 clearly says that nothing in itself is wrong, and I truly believe that, however that is not where it ends. I know that I am not always going to be all things to all men, I am not God. However, I can strive to be that, so when I see some of the more controversial topics I choose to forgo my liberty to wear jeans for the sake of drawing that one closer to Christ. And if the Lord does choose to open the eyes of that weaker brother (and I really only mean weaker in that area) that is awesome, but there will always be someone else. In closing I am not trying to say that you should agree with or say that you are a fundamentalist, but attacking their position in a public setting or private for that matter, is not edifying to them or the body of Christ. I know this is only a semi public location, but if you cant edify other believers in a semi private place how are you going to go out in the public and have a true Christ like love for the person that struggles with non-biblical issues as a basis for their salvation.
Again I am not, or have ever been malicious in my tone as I have responded in this post, this is merely a passion of mine, and I realize not all will share my same enthusiasm. That does not make me right and someone else wrong; it just means we all have different passions. That is one of the thousand of reasons why our God Is so GREAT, because He has designed us in a way that we can come together as a body of Christ and praise His name.
Well James, I know you have something to say, so I will get off my soap box and let you start your rebuttal.
Jesse,
I agree. Let's love everyone in a way that Christ would approve, be all things to all men in order to save some, live missionally by contending for the faith and by contextualizing the Gospel to meet the needs of the hearer. Thanks for answering my question. I understand your position better, and I respectfully disagree with it.
In Christ,
James
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