In the debates between biblical Christians and other Christians, there is a concept offered by the others that suggests that the biblical Christians are being too narrow, too closed. "You draw lines between people, but we draw circles. Jesus drew circles to encompass a large number while you Bible folk cut people out." Something like that. You get the idea. Is that true?
It is true. It is said that doctrine divides, but love unites. And it is true that doctrine (any truth statement at all) divides. That is, "This is true and anything contrary to this is false." As in, "2 + 2 = 4, and any other outcome is wrong." It just is. It is the nature of truth. So when Christians who follow God's Word say, "This is true," it is drawing a line dividing between truth and the lie. On the other hand, the circle illustration fails. Jesus did not draw circles that encompassed more people. Jesus said, "The gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matt 7:14). Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Peter, Jesus's close disciple, said, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Scripture in general and Jesus in particular were exclusive, not inclusive.
Look, this isn't odd. If Medicine X is the only medicine that solves a particular malady, it's not mean-spirited or divisive to urge those with the malady to take Medicine X. And if God says "Y is a sin," it's not extremist or inharmonious to urge people not to do Y. If Jesus, the Word of God (John 1:1), held to exclusive and exclusionary ideas, it is mandatory that His followers should hold to the same ideas. Including people in a circle that Jesus never drew doesn't help those within or those without. And, sometimes, lines are indeed our friends.
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On a sidenote, why is it that those who complain about those who draw lines vs their own better method of drawing circles intentionally exclude those who draw lines from their circles?
2 comments:
As you say, truth is exclusive and selective by definition. I had a Christian friend who insisted, “Doctrine doesn’t make you a Christian.” I replied, “Doctrine is exactly what makes you a Christian, or a Muslim, or a Jew, or a Hindu, etc.” Of course, we know there are further distinctions within the term “Christian,” including varying beliefs (some biblical and some not) among the many denominations. And it is one’s degree of adherence to the doctrines taught in Scripture--including the necessity of placing your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation--that makes one a biblical Christian, in my view. I do think it’s OK to think of true believers as forming a circle--i.e. a restricted group--around Jesus, but that grouping would be much smaller than most people think, and the perimeter of that circle is formed by the dividing line you mention.
In reply to your sidenote (and staying with your “lines & circles” theme): My experience would lead me to say that the “line-drawers” are not welcome in the big “circle of love” because they will use those dividing lines to create “pie wedges” within that circle (Christian denomination, perhaps?) and make the “everything goes” crowd feel judged and confined. The ones in the circle aren’t really all that loving and accepting--they just want the freedom to do exactly as they please with no restrictions; they look like big Christians (“we love everyone”) but are actually barely following Jesus (as opposed to any other leader).
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