7/11/14- Babylon is not the false church

 1After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. 2And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. 3“For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts ofimmorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”

      4I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6“Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds...‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon.(Rev. 18)

Thoughts: This passage has also been used by schismatics to divide the church.  "Babylon" here is identified as a church going astray to which kings commit lewd acts with.  So the second generation of Reformers would identify the Roman Catholic Church as Babylon and the Pope as the Anti-Christ (compare the Scots Confession).  But looking back, we can see the falseness and even evil in such claims.  During the late medieval and early Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church was beset with superstitions that took away from the heart of worship.  Making of false relics, selling of indulgences- trading money for forgiveness, and venerating saints as if they were demi-gods are some examples of the abuse of the day.  Yet, even today there are true believers in the Roman Catholic Church and as the old line Protestant Church rejects its scriptural moorings, some Protestant evangelicals have more in common with faithful Catholics than with straying Protestants.  But this passage is not about the straying church- and should not be used of the Roman Catholic or the Protestant church. 

    For one thing- verse nine identifies "Babylon" as a "city."  Probably the first city is Rome who persecuted the saints as Babylon persecuted and exiled the Jews.  So a more common identification is of a persecuting government than a straying church.  The Church has always waxed and waned through periods of more or less purity and faithfulness.  But God always leaves a remnant- a stump through which the shoot of life may grow.
     On the other hand, a deep truth found here is that to associate with someone who is committing evil may mean that the saints may be placed in harms way.  A church astray reaps what it sews.  So Jesus told the saints to flee Jerusalem when it would be "surrounded with armies"  (Mt. 26).  Some say that this actually saved the church- because the saints left before the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD.  But leaving a city is not the same as disaffiliating with a church.  We are not judged by God for our willingness to love or affiliate sinners or Jesus would not have eaten and drank with the tax collectors as well as the Pharisees.  But saints are always to keep watch with a wary eye, especially during troubled times.  In the case of the oldline Protestant churches of our day, we are not judged by God for our affiliation.  We may in fact be judged for our unwillingness to eat and drink with sinners and causing divisions when we should "make every effort for the cause of peace."  

Prayer: Lord, keep me faithful to you, and preserve me in that faithfulness. Keep me from allowing fear of shrinking, of loss of money, or loss of prestige affect me.  Rather, keep me fearful of you and staying in your love and blessing.  

7/9/14- Separation's False Justification

14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate. (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

Thoughts: The phrase "Come out from them and be separate" is one of the few verses used from scripture by those who try to justify schism or division in the church.
     The problem with using this passage, is that this phrase is taken out of context.  The command is not about one believer separating from another believer over doctrine.  It is about believers not recognizing the difference belief makes.  Idolatry and the worship of the true God should not be syncretized as if there is no difference between the worship of a piece of wood and the worship of the Lord.
     Good theology is in part recognizing nuances, contexts, and not exaggerating a perspective. This passage is not about leaving believers, but leaving idolaters.  Most who have left the PCUSA, though they disagree with the direction and decisions of the church would not say the PCUSA is worshiping idols.
     It is important to use scripture as our standard.  But this is not a command to divide the church over issues, perspectives, or pride.  Once we think we are righteous and the other side is evil, there is no end to dividing.  The Reformation has lost its power not just because the churches who were reformed have strayed away from the idea of (sola scriptura) scripture alone as out standard, but also because we have divided so much to our shame. We show lack of ability to be patient, to be humble, to hold together.  While one side is overly idealistic, the other side is too quick to take their marbles and go home.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to value unity with my fellow believers.  

11/13/12- Learning to Agree

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

² I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4)

(Eudoia and Syntyche disagreed with each other)

Thoughts: In the early church, there were many different opinions.  In the current church there are many different opinions.  It is too easy to skim over this passage and think how silly Euodia and Syntyche were to disagree.  Yet we disagree all the time.  Paul's point was that they need to stand firm, and to realize that both of them have their names in the Book of Life (that is they were both going to heaven- so they may as well learn to be patient, kind, and agreeable now).  There will not be a separate room for EPC, ARP, OPC, BPC, PCA, ECOP, PCUSA, KPC (these presbyterians are called from the outside- "the split Ps").  We could also add the different types of Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist groups.  The sin of schism is still a sin.  It often involves calling names, demonizing/criminalizing the other side, and making a secondary issue a primary issue in order to "preserve the true church," and a ton of egos.   The Presbyterian church is half of what it used to be, and is shrinking rapidly because of a lack of evangelism, a lack of biblical respect, and the sin of schism.  In America's individualistic, entrepreneurial, and consumer-driven culture- if we don't like something or someone, we just go out and start our own.  Paul's plea was for them to agree.  Jesus' prayer was that the church would be one.  Paul would also say, "Do everything to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."  Even today, many church plants die out because people cannot learn to agree to disagree for the good of the church and the glory of God.  It is a human thing- not just a church thing.  Rotary clubs, garden clubs, VFWs split for similar reasons.  The same kind of spirit shows in our epidemic of divorce in America.  There are casualties- kids, the next generation of the church, and people who get disillusioned because of infighting.  Paul pled, Jesus prayed, we should respond with herculean efforts to agree with those whom we disagree. If we want to be biblical about doctrine, we need to listen to these multitude of biblical passages about the church too.  Part of "standing firm" in the Lord is learning to agree with each other. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to be a better, more agreeable person.  Help me to see that love is even more powerful than faith and hope.