There is No "I" in Christianity (Part 3)

Do you know why some churches lack unity?  Because they have too many “I’s.”  Yet, there should be no “I” in Christianity.  Paul tells us:

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. (Philippians 2:1-2, New American Standard). 

There is an “us” but there must not be an “I.”  In part 2, we have discovered that we have allowed our own ideas infiltrate our relationship with Christ.  In this particular passage of Scripture, we discover that there is no room for individualism.  In this particular portion of his letter to the Philippian church Paul is encouraging them to unity.  We find words such as “fellowship”, “same mind”, “same love”, “united in spirit”, “intent on one purpose” and each one of these words require a departure from individualism. 

                What one purpose are we to be intent on?  As we refer back to chapter one, we find that Paul writes

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27, NASB).

Conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel? So how do we become intent on that?  That is one of the reasons why I love to read Paul’s letters because in many cases he answers those questions for us, including the aforementioned one.  To conduct ourselves worthy of the Gospel Paul encourages the Philippian church to stand “firm in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel.”  Philippians is not the only place where Paul leaves no room for individualism in the body of Christ. 

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.(Ephesians 4:1-6, NASB). 

                I am not advocating a cookie cutter living among churches.  Within the church circle, there are distinct differences of personality.  I strongly believe that God uses each different personality for His glory.  Too many churches split over individualism because they do not like the color of the carpet that the church voted on.  Individualism focuses on what one wants instead of glorifying the Savior.  After all, is that not what our purpose should be?  Individualism takes the focus away from the matters of the heart.  Basically it establishes the standards.  Individualism says “I’m not at fault, you are.” 

It all comes down to one thing.  Individualism does not look at Christ, it looks at self.  Look it up, there is no “I” in Christianity.  In fact, Jesus teaches that there is no “I” in Christianity.

 

Mat 22:34-40

(34)  But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.

(35)  One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

(36)  "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

(37)  And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

(38)  "This is the great and foremost commandment.

(39)  "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'

(40)  "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

There is No "I" in Christianity (Part 2)

Read part 1 here

No really, there isn’t any “I’s” in Christianity.  One of the first facets of Christianity in which the “I” becomes destructive is Ideas.  A few months ago, I posted an article from another source on Facebook that discussed the drinking of alcohol.  There was nothing in the article that was condemning, it was simply one that I agreed with on why I do not drink, it simply was one of perspective and readily admitted that the Bible was not explicitly clear about the guidelines and was simply based on principles.  Within minutes, I received a response that began with “I think…”  Another argument that has seen a rise within church circles is the acceptance of homosexual marriage.  In support of homosexual marriage, one common defense of it is “I think…”   I wonder how many debates within the church could easily be dissolved if we quit using the words “I think?”

                We have become accustomed to selectivity when it comes to our understanding of the Bible.  Like a kid in the candy store, we pick what we like and leave behind what we don’t.  Yet Paul tells Timothy:

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (II Timothy 3:16, New American Standard).

 Notice that Paul did not say some, he said “ALL.”  Keep in mind the context of the Apostle Paul at the time of this writing.  At the time of this writing, the Scripture in which he refers to is the Old Testament.  Just think how quick so many rule out the Old Testament in their own beliefs. 

                Modern day Christianity has become selective Christianity.  In the very same context of his letter to Timothy concerning the entirety of Scripture, Paul warned Timothy about this:

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (II Timothy 4:4-5, NASB)

                Did you notice how many “I’s were in those two verses?  I could be broken down this way:

                “Wanting to have their ears tickled” – How can I feel good?

                “They will accumulate teachers” – Who I want to hear?

“Their own desires” – What I want to believe?

                It is not a matter of what we want the Bible to say or what we think the Bible should say, it is a matter of “what does the Bible say?”  When establishing what the Bible says, there are two key elements to consider: context and consistency.  The Bereans in Acts 17:11 serve as a prime example of our attitude to the Word of God:

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11, NASB)

The searched the Scriptures daily to make sure that what Paul preached was there.  In recent days I have been following a debate over translations.  During the debate, one particular individual misused Psalms 12:6,7 in support of his King James only stance.  While I applaud those who prefer their steadfast commitment to the King James Version, the particular usage of this passage underlines a greater problem within the church: the abuse of Scripture out of context.  This is the passage

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.. (Psalms 12:6,7, KJV)

                Viewing these verses in the context of Psalms 12, it is important to understand that the phrase “thou shalt preserve them” is not in fact speaking of “The Words of the Lord” but is actually speaking of the peoples mentioned in verse 5.  The misuse of Scripture is commonplace throughout society.  It has been misused in both church circles and secular circles.  Most often, they are used to support one’s idea, but the Bible is not intended to be used in such a way.  It is about God’s truth.  One other aspect about the misuse of Scriptural references is consistency.  Whatever one determines to be God’s truth, it must be consistent with the rest of Scriptures.  The Bible neither refutes itself nor does it contradict itself. 

                We have the tendency to let our own ideas stand in the way of what God really means and desires for us.  In doing so, we basically say, I am not going to follow Christ His way by my way.  That is akin to saying that God’s way is not correct.  It is an attitude of individualism, No really, it is not about us, it is about Him. 

(To be continued)

There is no "I" in Christianity

Now before you go off on a tangent and start sending me messages about the fact that there are two alphabetical “I’s” in Christianity, I want to kindly point out that I am not referring to the alphabetical concept but the concept of the ego.  After all, is that not the concept behind the phrase “There is no I in team?”   One of the powerful preaching truths over the generations is the idea that the follower of Christ is to be different from the world.  The same expectations of God to the children of Israel is the same expectation of God to the follower of Christ.  It is important to note that when one views the laws of the Old Testament, one facet of the law was designed to help the nation of Israel lived as though they were God’s chosen people

Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine. (Leviticus 20:26, New American Standard)

By using this verse, I am not advocating the legalistic attitudes much like that of the Pharisees because we are in the law of grace.  I lean to what Paul says in Romans letter,

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24, King James Version)

What I am advocating is the Biblical concept that there should be a distinct difference between the follower of Christ and the world.  That is where the “I” comes in.  In society, especially in the American society, there is a sense of entitlement and individuality.  From the life of Jesus and the epistles of the New Testament, that is a departure of what it really means to be a follower of Christ.  In fact, during the life of Christ, the attitude of entitlement and individualism was an attitude found in the Pharisees.  When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount which we read in Matthew chapters 5 through 7, the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-11, Jesus leaves no room in His message for entitlement and individualism.   To go even further, Jesus leaves no room for entitlement and individualism. 

It is important for me to suggest that I am not refuting the idea of free will.  The Bible clearly teaches since the Garden of Eden that man has a choice and with that choice comes consequences or rewards, depending on what choice is made.  Found within the Bible is also the concept that choices show our commitment.  As Joshua told the nation of Israel

If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15, New American Standard)

                The choice is yours what one does with one’s life, but as you read the entire context of Joshua 24, there is a consequence of our choices and the choice we make shows our level of commitment.  Obviously, the follower of Christ should make the level of Christlikeness and according to the Apostle Paul who challenges us to have the mind of Christ in our own personal lives shows that the testimony of our life is not one of individualism and entitlement.  Philippians 2 will be the basis of our discussion for this blog over the next several days in addition to other parts of the Scriptures.  Really, check it out, there is no “I” in Christianity.