There has been a fair amount of pain shared around the Christian Tradosphere lately. It seems that when a blog gets to around a certain size it seems that there is a fair amount of opposition. This harassment has led to some women stopping conversations in significant subjects, taking breaks, or closing their blogs together. As an example, Hestia was driven from not only her blog but commenting last year, and I still miss her wisdom.
In part it is because the family has been politicised. There are feminists and men’s rights activists with hair trigger sensitivity. You will, inevitably, offend them. And some of the more gentle and wise among us don’t like flame wars.
I try to read the lectionary and the post on it every day. Today’s posts are about Jesus.
11Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. 13He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Ignore for a second the language, which is symbolic. No one will debate who Jesus is when he returns. It will be obvious. And he will have tolerance of people who will not accept correction. In his time on earth, however there was a debate. Matthew recorded it:
13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
I’m not going to discuss the keys. Instead I think we need to look at why Jesus gave the reply. Peter said correctly who he was. In the end, the Church is Jesus. We believe that the holy spirit preserves the church from us humans, because we will inevitably fall into serial errors.
Now, it is the duty of the church to correct errors … (No. I am not catholic, I’m reformed. Calvin wanted a consistory around him to prevent him falling into error. We are not alone able to see our own foolishness and biases. That requires a congregation, a church, and accountability). The difference in our time is that the world has fallen to the point where the fools are celebrated and the wise despised.
If you correct in this time, you will offend. But it is not about the culture of today. In the end, the Chuch will be with Christ. It is his. Our duty is to correct with wisdom — not to expect a happy and cheerful agreement from those in error.