Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Hello from this beautiful morning, dear ones.
Up about 5am, Becki and I did a walk/jog, then I proposed that we do something irregular and go to breakfast at our little country café in Colton, 3 miles away. Thano came along. I figured we could use the time together to discuss some family plans and strategies. But all we did the whole time was talk to a senior couple sitting next to us that were obviously short on fellowship. Although we didn’t cover our own agenda, I have to say that I quite like small town cafes.
I need to get to work. Have fun with yours.
Love, Dad/Ray
To begin with, I think it could be helpful to our understanding of how God works to point out something that is conspicuous by its absence: There is no evidence of miraculous and supernatural phenomena surrounding this first General Council meeting of the early church at Jerusalem. By deduction I would take that to indicate that God does not intend the supernatural (super-normal) to be natural (normal) in our processing and application of God’s supernatural message (the Gospel) on a permanent ongoing basis. Think about it.
By this observation on my part, you can tell that I’m not a supporter of the notion that Biblical Christian living is meant to be an endless stream of miracles—that everyone, for example, is supposed to be healed of all their physical ailments all the time—and if they are not, it can only be evidence of a lack of faith or failure to say the right words in the right way—or maybe a failure to connect with a super duper faith healer. I see a striking parallel between this form of “Christian magic” and the mindset that we encountered during the course of our missionary exposure to animism in the Pacific islands.
Apart from that, this passage demonstrates the value of balanced organization within the Church. One of the great benefits of church leaders gathering together for the purpose of discussion and sorting out problems and issues in the right spirit is that it allows them to formulate AUTHORIZATION—a set of godly organizational standards, policies, and procedures that represent their best balanced effort at setting forth a sound practical theology. Without this kind of organizational unity, the church too easily becomes a free-for-all of independent “Lone Ranger” operators—pursuing what seems right in their own eyes.
An example of unauthorized independence, and the damage it can cause, is seen in this account where certain believers who still clung to Jewish legalism infiltrated the genuine Gentile revival at Antioch with the dogma that circumcision is an absolute requirement of ALL (male) believers. They apparently claimed to represent the Church at Jerusalem. I’m sure glad Paul and Barnabas didn’t respond with a wimpy, “Whatever.”
Balance is always the key. Too much rigid AUTHORIZATION is just another form of legalism as it tends to view its organizational standards as an END. Balance is most likely when the church body recognizes their organization is simply a MEANS to the END of proclaiming the Gospel to a lost world.
PS: Don’t be deceived into thinking that the Devil does NOT go to church!