Friday, January 26, 2007

Embracing error...

is a huge part of my past. Maybe that's why as I've grown in truth by God's grace alone, I try to be particularly diligent about error. For too long I lived boldly wrong. I much prefer to live humbly right.

Everyday Mommy posted a terrific piece the other day about a glaring error present in the blasphemous representation by Scientology to make Tom Cruise the next "Jesus". Her assertion in that type of error being obnoxiously loud and offensive to Christians is true. However, she then poses a question daily faced by Christians that has, for some, a more subtle tint--more the whisper of a wrong idea. Read the entire article here.

I was blown away by the comments discussion--mostly blown away by the number of commenters seemingly not too concerned with the highly New Age suggestive language and terms regarding prayer that the author's article encouraged. There was the usual finger-shaking admonitions not to judge lest you be judged, tongue-clucking over how unfortunate that this well-meaning author used terms shared with the false ideations of New Age, and the gentle tolerance of allowing that some people just view things differently than others so let's live and let live.

Of course, there were courageous commenters willing to take on this ridiculous (guess I just gave away what I think about the prayer suggestions) idea with the foundations of scripture supporting their words. Inherent among this second group was the absence of subjectivity and "feelings" replaced instead with the Biblical armor of "facts". Christians are certainly charged to be discerning in their thinking (Prov 17:24), to test and examine every spirit to see if it be false (1 Jn 4:1), and to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Doing these things with integrity and humility do not make one judgmental but do make one obedient to God's Word.

Naturally, no one wants to be labeled as unfeeling towards another's legitimate questions or even as bearing a lack of grace for another's beliefs. I'm not seeking to offend anyone either, but I'd certainly better be prepared and willing to offend with the truth than be offensive to God by embracing error.

Lamentations 3:40 "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. "

8 comments:

  1. Rebekah said...You are so right. Our feelings can be deceiving - we must measure every teaching by God's word. And it can be difficult when an idea sounds good, because there is very subtle error creeping into the church today. And I definitely agree with your last paragraph - I, too, would much rather not offend God by embracing error. It doesn't matter how "well-meaning" we are if we are leading people into error. These things are very important.

    10:19 AM

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  2. CereneOne said...I agree. We as Christians must stand in the gap of wrong "new agey" thoughts and messages. To many people just do not realize the subtleties of how they are being led astray. We must pray that God will take the scabs off their eyes. That they will see the truth. Rely on the Word and God (Trinity) to lead them in the correct manner. Not backing down to the enemy we all face. For if we do not see the deception, we can not fight him. He will not attack the sleeping Christians as they pose not threat but are indeed just where he wants them to be. Breaking up the church and its people.

    Good post!

    11:10 PM

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  3. Rosemary said...Thank you, Elle, for your wise words here and in your comment on my blog. May we humbly and reverently seek to live in Truth through obedience to the Word of God.d

    11:04 AM

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  4. Barbara H. said...Amen!

    9:05 AM

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  5. EverydayMommy said...Hey...wanna' be a guest blogger at Everyday Mommy?

    You captured my every thought on that discussion thread.

    3:57 PM

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  6. Vicki said...Most beautifully stated. Thank you for sharing all this. It grieves my soul how many have embraced error these days. That's why your last paragraph was particularly appropriate. God bless you!

    11:00 AM

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  7. Rabbit said...Beautifully written, Elle. Perhaps when we have been in error ourselves and been delivered from it, we are more able to see how the subtlest of deceit leads down a slippery slope. May we all contend for the faith for His glory.

    10:36 AM

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  8. I read the piece on Everyday Mommy and saw some big red flags: "Gospel meditation provides an opportunity to enter specific moments in Jesus' life and thereby share his experience. Shared experience is the core of any friendship. And Spirit-guided meditation on the life of Jesus provides this possibility." -- Can you say blasphemy?

    We are told in Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." This tells me that no amount of meditation is going to enable me to share the thoughts and experiences of Jesus. We simply aren't living on the same plane.

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