Don't Be A Grace Pharisee: Choose Inclusion
In the book, Surprised by Grace, Tullian Tchividjian (rhymes with "religion") writes:
"Many younger evangelicals today are reacting to their parents' conservative, buttoned-down, rule-keeping flavor of 'older brother religion' with a type of liberal, untucked, rule-breaking flavor of 'younger brother irreligion.' We become self-righteous against the self-righteous. Personally, I tend to resonate less with the rule keepers and more with the rule breakers--with those who have such a tough time staying on the narrow road. We're the kind who really love the gospel and God's grace because we feel our need so strongly; we know how desperate we are. But it's easy for us to feel a sense of superiority over all those upright-looking church people, whom we assume just don't really get the gospel."
This quote touches on a topic I've been thinking about for months. I've wanted to write about it for quite some time but haven't known exactly how to put my thoughts into words. Not much has changed with my uncertainty, but here it goes anyway...
Reading what I am about to write would have ticked me off, even in my recent years. Before making my point for this post, I must preface by admitting that I am the "pot calling the kettle black," as they say. I have been guilty and still struggle with being a "Grace Pharisee" at times. What is a Grace Pharisee, you might ask? It is basically someone who is arrogant in their supposed superior understanding of the "Grace Gospel," as it has been commonly termed. This, so called, "Grace Gospel" focuses on the New Covenant and dismisses a Christian's association with the Old Covenant Law.
I love the Grace message. Frankly, the teaching of God's unmerited grace and unconditional love has brought more positive change and fruit to my life than any other message. Because I've been involved in this Grace Gospel for several years now, it has become quite apparent to me that one of its main anti-gospel characteristics, which some of its adherents carry like a proud banner, is a sense of pride in having flawless theology. Again, I've been guilty of this, so I'm not blaming a group for something I haven't had a hand in. The only reason I write on this topic is for hopes of ecumenicism. My desire for unity isn't even limited to those who claim to be a part of the Christian Church, but for all humanity. God doesn't see us a Muslims, Christians, Jews, Atheists, Agnostics, etc.; God sees mankind in our most stripped-down form--CHILDREN. I find labels to be quite destructive. Fundamentally speaking, we're all just a bunch of kids running around, playing together on planet Earth.
It is a very basic human experience to gain your value and importance from being "right." I think this is probably the number one cause of pride. If I'm right and you're not, then I'm better than you because I know more than you do. Of course, we should never downplay the importance of education and intelligence; however, when it comes at the cost of a superiority complex, a crucial line has been crossed. Personally, I've learned to hold my theology very loosely, so to speak. The more I mature, the more my doctrines and theology evolve. If your ideas about God and humanity aren't changing, you're essentially saying, I've had this whole thing figured out from day one!" Nope, you haven't. None of us have it 100% correct.
Here's my aim in writing this post to those of you (like myself) who would call yourself a part of the Grace camp--Can we please let go of our need to be right? Can we allow our lives to do most of our preaching for us? Don't throw out preaching, teaching, or writing...just be wise and gentle in your approach to your fellow man. That very same arrogant and legalistic approach which led most of us into the loving arms of Grace is what we have somehow fallen blindly back into, as we now try to convince "everyone else" of their need for "what we have." Let's stop poking fun at our "legalistic buddies." They likely bring as much to the table as you do. Dismissing them is devaluing them.
Jesus Christ has so rightly been the center of our Grace message, but when we turn into a Grace Pharisee, our gospel looks quite anti-Christ. As Paul so often writes in his letters, let Love be your motivator, not your need to be right. As Jesus said, You will know them by their fruit. I encourage us all to stop criticizing theology so much; instead, start criticizing an overall lack of love for humanity a bit more. If someone is doing a good job "loving his neighbor," despite being able to articulate "proper" theology, he is a living and breathing Christ. If love only has one Source, it sure as hell isn't coming from any devil.
So what really am I saying in this short blog-post? Honestly, I'm not totally sure. For me, this is the beginning of a discussion that will probably extend over my lifetime. I definitely don't have all the right answers, but I do know that LOVE, UNITY, and INCLUSION always provide the foundation for those sought-after answers. I'm inviting all of you into this discussion on how we can join together to rid exclusionary mindsets and create more inclusion to those around us.
I leave you with two inclusionary quotes:
My Father's sun shines on the good and the bad, his rain falls on the just and unjust. -Matthew 5:45
Whole people see and create wholeness wherever they go; split people see and create splits in everything and everybody. -Richard Rohr
"Many younger evangelicals today are reacting to their parents' conservative, buttoned-down, rule-keeping flavor of 'older brother religion' with a type of liberal, untucked, rule-breaking flavor of 'younger brother irreligion.' We become self-righteous against the self-righteous. Personally, I tend to resonate less with the rule keepers and more with the rule breakers--with those who have such a tough time staying on the narrow road. We're the kind who really love the gospel and God's grace because we feel our need so strongly; we know how desperate we are. But it's easy for us to feel a sense of superiority over all those upright-looking church people, whom we assume just don't really get the gospel."
This quote touches on a topic I've been thinking about for months. I've wanted to write about it for quite some time but haven't known exactly how to put my thoughts into words. Not much has changed with my uncertainty, but here it goes anyway...
Reading what I am about to write would have ticked me off, even in my recent years. Before making my point for this post, I must preface by admitting that I am the "pot calling the kettle black," as they say. I have been guilty and still struggle with being a "Grace Pharisee" at times. What is a Grace Pharisee, you might ask? It is basically someone who is arrogant in their supposed superior understanding of the "Grace Gospel," as it has been commonly termed. This, so called, "Grace Gospel" focuses on the New Covenant and dismisses a Christian's association with the Old Covenant Law.
I love the Grace message. Frankly, the teaching of God's unmerited grace and unconditional love has brought more positive change and fruit to my life than any other message. Because I've been involved in this Grace Gospel for several years now, it has become quite apparent to me that one of its main anti-gospel characteristics, which some of its adherents carry like a proud banner, is a sense of pride in having flawless theology. Again, I've been guilty of this, so I'm not blaming a group for something I haven't had a hand in. The only reason I write on this topic is for hopes of ecumenicism. My desire for unity isn't even limited to those who claim to be a part of the Christian Church, but for all humanity. God doesn't see us a Muslims, Christians, Jews, Atheists, Agnostics, etc.; God sees mankind in our most stripped-down form--CHILDREN. I find labels to be quite destructive. Fundamentally speaking, we're all just a bunch of kids running around, playing together on planet Earth.
It is a very basic human experience to gain your value and importance from being "right." I think this is probably the number one cause of pride. If I'm right and you're not, then I'm better than you because I know more than you do. Of course, we should never downplay the importance of education and intelligence; however, when it comes at the cost of a superiority complex, a crucial line has been crossed. Personally, I've learned to hold my theology very loosely, so to speak. The more I mature, the more my doctrines and theology evolve. If your ideas about God and humanity aren't changing, you're essentially saying, I've had this whole thing figured out from day one!" Nope, you haven't. None of us have it 100% correct.
Here's my aim in writing this post to those of you (like myself) who would call yourself a part of the Grace camp--Can we please let go of our need to be right? Can we allow our lives to do most of our preaching for us? Don't throw out preaching, teaching, or writing...just be wise and gentle in your approach to your fellow man. That very same arrogant and legalistic approach which led most of us into the loving arms of Grace is what we have somehow fallen blindly back into, as we now try to convince "everyone else" of their need for "what we have." Let's stop poking fun at our "legalistic buddies." They likely bring as much to the table as you do. Dismissing them is devaluing them.
Jesus Christ has so rightly been the center of our Grace message, but when we turn into a Grace Pharisee, our gospel looks quite anti-Christ. As Paul so often writes in his letters, let Love be your motivator, not your need to be right. As Jesus said, You will know them by their fruit. I encourage us all to stop criticizing theology so much; instead, start criticizing an overall lack of love for humanity a bit more. If someone is doing a good job "loving his neighbor," despite being able to articulate "proper" theology, he is a living and breathing Christ. If love only has one Source, it sure as hell isn't coming from any devil.
So what really am I saying in this short blog-post? Honestly, I'm not totally sure. For me, this is the beginning of a discussion that will probably extend over my lifetime. I definitely don't have all the right answers, but I do know that LOVE, UNITY, and INCLUSION always provide the foundation for those sought-after answers. I'm inviting all of you into this discussion on how we can join together to rid exclusionary mindsets and create more inclusion to those around us.
I leave you with two inclusionary quotes:
My Father's sun shines on the good and the bad, his rain falls on the just and unjust. -Matthew 5:45
Whole people see and create wholeness wherever they go; split people see and create splits in everything and everybody. -Richard Rohr
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