During the recent swirl of controversy surrounding John MacArthurs Strange Fire conference and book release, I noticed a strange phenomenon. Many who were, just months ago, arguing over hyper grace, found common ground in their dislike of MacArthurs opinions, and, instead of picking at each other, joined hands and funneled their aggression towards cessationism instead. While many may look at this as being proof that we can and should set aside our differences, and work together for a common cause, I see nearly the exact opposite. What I see is that we are still operating out of the knowledge of good and evil, and seeing things through the fallen lenses of Adam. You see, the fallen mind always needs a scapegoat. It always needs a problem that it can point the finger at. People who were at each others throats, arguing over whose grace was too greasy, and whose wasnt greasy enough, found a common enemy in MacArthur, and their hatred for the message he peddles caused their own disagreements to cease for a while. But make no mistake, they will arise again, once this current controversy calms down (which it already is). When we operate out of the knowledge of good and evil, we have nothing to say and nothing to do unless their is a scapegoat to blame for the world and the Churchs problems. We have to have an enemy, or we dont know what to do with ourselves. We can only recognize good when we have evil to compare it with, and vice versa. Paul, upon beholding the beauty of Gods grace, however, emerged with a different view of things. He concluded that since one died for all, all died! In light of this revelation, he could know no man according to the flesh. (2 Corinthians 5) He no longer needed evil in order to enable him to see the good, he simply saw good through the light of what Christ had done for all men. When we exchange the knowledge of good and evil for the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, we no longer need scapegoats to bring us together. We see Jesus in all, and we therefore no longer need a common enemy to bring us together, for we have a common Christ, who has saved and redeemed us all. Beware the trap of laying aside difference in the name of throwing stones at another. This doesnt solve any problems, but merely masks them. Start seeing all, even those with whom you sharply disagree, as being in Christ, and suddenly everything changes. Selah.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 18:18:43 +0000
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