In some of my recent reading, I came across these words from Gregory Boyd:
"If love is above every other consideration, and if everything without love is devoid of Kingdom value, as the New Testament teaches, then it seems we should regard the command to love to be the ultimate test of orthodoxy. To fail to love like Jesus is the worst form of heresy, regardless of how true one's beliefs are." (The Myth of a Christian Religion, p. 60)
Pretty interesting thought.
You don't have to read too many of the "discernment" blogs and websites that crowd the internet to become convinced that there are a lot of folks in the church that are pretty fond of the words heresy and heretic. They seem to delight in dropping the "h" bomb on those with whom they disagree. Yet somehow, in the midst of their battle for truth as they see it, they excuse and justify the use of slander, insult, and distortion.
If you have been a part of a church for any length of time, you have come to realize that a lot of people have some very definite ideas on how church is supposed to be done. There's nothing wrong with that; if fact, it is a good and necessary part of the community of faith. Sometimes, though, it seems we can become so convinced that our way is the right way that we view every other opinion or approach to ministry as some sort of falling away. Matters of style, preference, or methodology can quickly become, in the minds of some, a battle for orthodoxy. And too often, that battlefield mentality leads us to rationalize and accept behavior that is divisive and destructive.
Jesus made it clear that the greatest commands are to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others the way we want to be loved. God's kingdom is marked and shaped by love. To act in violation of love, then, is to act in opposition to His kingdom. Understanding that, could it be that the greatest heresy is one that is deeper than ideas or doctrine? Is it possible that the greatest of all heretics is the one who refuses to love?
Is there something to this line of thought, or am I just a heretic?
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6 comments:
What a great point, Doug! When Christ said that "all the law and the prophets hang on this" I really believe he was making a similar point.
When Paul goes on for several verses in 1 Corinthians about if I ______ but don't have love...it's worthless (paraphrase of course)...he was making the same point.
This reminder is great for all of us too. I know I can certainly begin lacking a loving response when I'm reading someone's attacks, distortions, tyrades, etc...all in the name of preserving some perceived standard of truth.
Good stuff...
So, I hear you saying Christlike love is more important than knowledge of right theology...yelp, you are a heretic and that means Phineas Bresee, John Wesley and the Apostle Paul were, too. Thanks, Doug! This is very helpful and I will be using that quote.
Doug stated:
"Matters of style, preference, or methodology can quickly become, in the minds of some, a battle for orthodoxy. And too often, that battlefield mentality leads us to rationalize and accept behavior that is divisive and destructive."
It is very convenient to label those who contend for the faith as divisive and destructive when scripture clearly warns that there would be those without and within the church who would introduce destructive doctrines leading many people astray.
Scripture clearly sets the example, and commands those who see such false teaching entering in to expose it and shine the light of scripture on it.
Interesting how true God's Word is; He even warned that those doing the warning would be scoffed at and marginalized.
No, it is not an unloving act to warn, it is an imperative command. It is unloving not to warn.
Doug, why are you promoting the likes of Greg Boyd? He is a leading open theist and believer in purgatory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRM_Kn2PQsU
I hear Doug saying not that Christlike love is more important than but in fact IS "right theology." Right on.
Of course, now they're on to you, so yeah, as Chad says, you are probably going to be branded a heretic now. Don't worry: you're not alone! (I was "publicly rebuked" on facebook recently.)
Peace to you.
Doug,
Keep "promoting the likes of Greg Boyd."
He is a great voice of truth in the church...
Wow...that last paragraph is really a great thought.
Correct theology and loving attitudes/behavior are two sides of the same coin IMO. My theology...my thoughts about God...are the most important thing about me because my behavior is depended on who I think God is. So I don't want to put down right theology...but if my thoughts about God are right then my attitudes will be loving. If my attitudes and behavior are not loving then I obviously have wrong ideas about God.
Here's something a wise ole Nazarene once told me..."right in deed and wrong in attitude is WRONG." I think I could amend that to say..."right in theology and wrong in attitude is WRONG."
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