Sometimes, I feel that I'm too rebellious for my good. I'm too outspoken, too rash, too idealistic, too stubborn.
Some of the Agape youths know, I don't have too positive an impression of some of the adults in my church. My Christian walk since I gave my life to Christ at the age of 14 has been one of ideological battle and pride. Before, I was not afraid to correct my church elders in matters of doctrine and Bible interpretation. But over the years, I've simmered down in terms of my attitude.
But it was today that I found out, although externally I've become more polite to them, more cordial in my remarks, more submissive to authority and seniority, the fire in me hasn't died down. Instead, it continues to burn like a roaring flame.
Let this blog be my only ranting ground. Nowhere else must my dissatisfaction be made known, lest it creates factions within my church and I be confronted of the grievous sin of rebellion.
I disagree with what my Vicar said today during sermon. It's not the first time, nor is this likely to be the last time.
Vicar's interpretation of the Good Samaritan is what most people deem to be "conservative". I, on the other hand, would label it as "diluted". I do understand that he's in the job of appealing to people's conscience, but in no way should the Word be diluted in any manner.
Quoting the dialogue between Jesus and the expert of the law (Luke 10:25-37), Vicar started off by claiming that it was clear that the expert of the law was arrogant because he "tested" Jesus. Firstly, an expert of the law may or may not be a Pharisee, and even then, there were good Pharisees like Nicodemus. "Testing" Jesus was, and should still be, a protocol move for any religious leader to determine if what is spoken by an unproven teacher or prophet is the truth. An assumption of arrogance, I believe, would be too quick a judgment to make. Secondly, the question he asked was, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Understanding the context, the concept of "eternal life" was a pretty much a foreign one, and no one knew the answer, although some religious leaders might think they have a clue or two. In addition to that, the "rich young ruler" also asked Jesus the same question, and I doubt anyone would say that he was arrogant, so why should the expert of the law be deemed as arrogant?
Vicar continued on to say that although Jesus gave the example of the Priest and the Levite, we must be careful not to judge them as negative examples. He went on to say that we should not be too quick to judge people, since God is the final judge. True, the final part. But if the Priest and the Levite were not negative examples, then the story of the Good Samaritan would have lost its meaning! As far as we should not judge, God has also given us knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. The key of this story is justice and mercy, and to show us that God values justice and mercy over ritualistic behavior aimed at cleanliness and avoiding defilement.
It became even more diluted when Vicar continued by saying that the story of the Good Samaritan was an invitation to do good works. Doing good works was NEVER an invitation. A statement like that appeals to the ears of those who sit in the pews Sunday after Sunday without sensing God's heart and urge to reach out to the lost. I know, because I spent most of my life as one of them, so I dare say that there are those who think like this in the church. The call to do good works was and still is a command. "Love your neighbor as yourself" is a commandment, is it not? It is the fundamental of living the Christian life, a life of evangelism! We can always reject an invitation, but if it was simply an invitation, then God would not use it to determine who is a sheep and who is a goat at the Final Judgment (Matthew 25). Our salvation thus hinges on the way we live in respond to the free gift of His blood!
Finally, Vicar ended off by saying that the crux of the Good Samaritan is for us to put ourselves in the shoes of the injured man on the road. He went on to link it to the way it represented Jesus' love for us when we were sinners and still lost. My argument is that if so, then it does not answer the question of the expert of the law! The expert of the law wanted to know who Jesus defines our neighbors to be, and therefore the parable can only be understood as Jesus telling us not to be like the Priest or the Levite, but like the Samaritan. The one who was supposed to be an enemy, of a lower class and economic status. We are to love our neighbors, defined as anyone we come into contact with on the journey of our lives! We are to love them despite the dangers of being robbed like him, conned of our kindness, or taken for granted by a more arrogant group of people.
Despite all these issues I have, they are simply doctrinal and/or ideological. My response now must be simply to submit to authority. To even consider rebellion as an option would be to sin. I would be doing no one, not even myself, a service to leave the church because of the shame and slightly negative reputation I have garnered for myself.
I must not be part of another denominational split, or another dissatisfied Christian-turned-atheist, especially when my dissatisfaction with the church goes on so many levels. To do so would be unbiblical, would be to sin. There are reasons for why I've been placed in this church, and I will stay to serve humbly unless told directly that my services are not wanted. And even then, I must and will still submit to authority.
Forgive me Lord, for commenting on the speck in my brother's eye; no, worse, the eye of a man God has put in authority over me.
Convict instead, my heart, of the plank in my own.
This statement, I will not withdraw, that unless the church recognizes that our God prioritizes justice and mercy over religious ceremonies and fellowship, revival will not come. However, just because the church has not gone in that direction does not mean that the few of us who feel God's heart cannot pioneer the way. -Valentino Casanova
How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? -Jesus (Matthew 7:4)
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