I've been thinking alot about church structure lately. Structure entails many things: buildings, programs, systems, schedules, and organization. While all of these things occupy my meditations at some time or another recently right now I am mostly thinking about structure as it pertains to the religious system.
Here's my thoughts: In the Old Testament God ordained and commanded that a tabernacle be built in the wilderness, a temple to be built in the promised land, endless animal sacrifices for endless sin, a priesthood, and strict adherence to the laws and ordinances. In the New Testament we are told that all of these things were a shadow of the things to come. A pointing forward to something greater. The greater thing has now come and His name was Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of all these things. They all pointed forward to Him. Now that He has ascended He dwells within us who have placed our faith in Him. We are His body. we are His temple. We are His family. We are His bride.
Now my question: Since Jesus is the fulfillment of all the pointers of the OT and He is now manifested as a corporate body here on earth making us a corporate manifestation that fulfills all of the same foreshadowing...why do we continue to build and hold tight to religious systems that are meant to point us and others to Christ Jesus? Isn't that the same as putting new wine into old wine skins?
Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
ReplyDelete-Alan
great! I could use some edifying feedback on some of my mental ramblings made visible.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you blogging Bobby. Looking forward to see where you go with this.
ReplyDeleteBobby,
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading more of what you are thinking. As per this particular post, I agree completely. I'm not sure why we seem to gravitate back to the O.T.
I Love God ~ not so much as you say the "structure" of church. As we press in to worship God in Spirit & in Truth we will begin to notice allot of things that we have been taught as Christians (in church) conflict with what the word really says. For instance Jesus said in Mathew ~ If you love me, keep my Commandments...The new testament wasn't even written yet! So the only commandments he could have been talking about where the ones in the old testament. He is the same Today, yesterday, and forever! Our Western way of thinking and misunderstanding of scriptures has brought us to a place of complacency with what we have been told is truth ~ and it hasn't always been truth that we've been taught! His ways are so much higher! I do believe we should Honor his laws the best we can as he reveals them to us & Above all be led by the Holy Spirit in love. Why wouldn't we want a chance to be great in the Kingdom? Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. I think stepping out of the Wordly Church system is a huge statement of faith! WTG Follow the ancient Paths and you will find the the many promises of God were intended for the Israelite and the sojourner throughout ALL GENERATIONS! Jesus bore our sin & curses, & made a way for US to become new in him. He has always been the same ~ we just haven't always understood!
ReplyDeleteCrystal
Jeff, Eric: thanks for stopping by. I need some good iron sharpening brothers keeping tabs on me.
ReplyDeleteCrystal: There seems to be somewhat of a remnant that God is calling out as He has in times past. I know this is just the beginning of a much more intimate fellowship with Him.
Bobby,
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question: traditions. Traditions are not all bad. But, the only reason that we do most of the things that we do today is because its what we've been shown and taught to do.
-Alan
Your strawman would be less of a strawman if you actually defined what you're talking about when you say "religious systems" and used Scripture to defend your position.
ReplyDeleteYour neverland and saints that don't want to grow up is an excellent analogy from Peter Pan.
ReplyDeleteI think institutionalized believers are old wine in an old wine skin. Their skin is not bursting. It's held old wine for hundreds of years. It won't hold new wine. God is after new wine. He gave us a "new and living way". He told us that way is dominated by "spurring one another on to love and good works" and "encouraging one another". This how we "hold on to the faith we profess". It's all lined up in Heb. 10.
When believers resist God's dynamic for the "new and living way" that means they are holding on to old wine dynamic. Yes, it's linked to OT assumptions. It's also linked to the flesh rather than the Spirit. It's also linked to the power of tradition, those that "nullify the commands of God for the sake of tradition". It's linked to addiction to non-reproductive, convenience spirituality.
@Alan-I'm seeing tradition as a major part of the problems yet our traditions are all begun for good reasons and that reason is to point to something namely Christ. When we settle for our traditions we begin to leave Christ outside knocking.
ReplyDelete@covenental-maybe my strawman will be less of a strawman as I learn to define these things better for myself. At this point I am meditating on things and asking alot of questions as I submit myself to the sufficiency of God's Word. It's hard to defend a question and I'm sure you are quite capable of finding all the scriptures I referred to in my post. If not then I will be glad to point you in the right direction if you would only ask more specifically.
@Tim & Judy-Thanks for sharing! What you articulate is what I am beginning to realize more and more. Our unity with Christ is much more than more of the same. It is more than knowing great truths about Him, it is to be one with Him, to be filled with Him, to remain in fellowship with Him and to be known by Him.
"...why do we continue to build and hold tight to religious systems that are meant to point us and others to Christ Jesus? Isn't that the same as putting new wine into old wine skins?"
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't think we should "hold tight to religious systems"...we begin to take a new view of the systems as they relate to the second part of your thought..."meant to point us and others to Christ Jesus"...Our church-systems/denominations have many wonderfully festive/joyous traditions that are actually very effective in that regard. When you have the freedom to participate...not the obligation to do so, many of these so called "traditions" spark a closeness with and put you in touch with the very LIFE deposited within you!