No Other Name?
Friday, April 13, 2007 -- Friday in Easter Week
"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.
Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 958)
Psalms 136 (morning) 118 (evening)
Daniel 12:1-4, 13
Acts 4:1-12
John 16:1-15
Today Peter utters one of the most exclusivist claims of the New Testament as he speaks passionately in his witness for Jesus: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." There are two or three other similar passages in our scripture. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
I remember taking great pride and comfort in these claims during a time when it felt important to be right. All of us go thorough a stage of maturation that Thomas Keating calls our "mythic membership" period. My primary sense of identity then was through my association with groups that were bigger than I. Bumper stickers seemed an important way to proclaim my belonging and identity. I was an American; an Episcopalian; an Ole Miss Rebel. The claims of these groups were pretty absolute, as was my loyalty and sense of identity. Sometimes I would earnestly engage in witness as to the superiority of my associations -- America is the greatest country in the world; the Episcopal Church is the best denomination in Christianity; the Rebel's are #1. In a different way, I could say that I had the best Mom in the world, and once I met Kathy, I knew, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
There is a sense in which these claims are all true. But if taken literally, they raise some issues. If the name of Jesus is the only route of salvation, then some gross injustice must ensue. What of the person who never hears of Jesus? What of the person who hears of Jesus, but from an inferior form of witness that is only worthy of censure? What of the good person of strong ethic and holy deportment who lives to the highest vision of that person's inherited culture? I remember when I was a self-centered and unformed little brat, hearing someone tell me that because I was a Christian I was going to heaven, while all of those Hindus and Moslems and Buddhists were going to hell. I wondered about the scandal of luck that I enjoyed having been born in a Christian culture. What if I had been born in India? Wouldn't I be the same person? I would probably adopt the faith of my native culture there just as I have here. Would I be worthy of hell? Why am I qualified for heaven just because I'm here not there? When I read of the holy lives of Gandhi and the Dalai Lama and considered how I would be eternally rewarded while they eternally tortured, the notion made God unjust. Human beings have better morals than that. God is, at least, better than we are. There is nothing in the life of Jesus and his relationships with people of other faiths that would lead us to think God was that way. This was not the God of Jesus.
I don't believe those exclusivist, imperialistic claims any more. I can understand their origins -- when you experience something powerful and meaningful, you tend to universalize your experience; you desire the same good for everyone. I wish everyone could love the Rebels the way I do or have such a good mother.
Happily, in our scriptural tradition there are also other more universal sentiments. "Anyone who is not against me is for me." "I have other sheep who are not of this fold." When we look at Jesus we see that he made no distinction between believer and unbeliever, insider and outsider in his ministry. Part of the early teaching of the Church was that just as in Adam's fall all humans were condemned to die, so in Jesus' resurrection, all will be made alive. I believe that God's triumph will be complete. My own experience of God is so compelling, that it seems impossible to me that any human will can resist such love forever.
I also take comfort in the Doctrine of the Trinity. Wherever God is revealed, it is the work and activity of the eternal Word, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity through who all things were made. Christians name the Second Person, Jesus. Wherever any goodness or truth or beauty has breath, it is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The exclusivist God is too small. God's saving presence is universal. So often when I have talked with mature people of a different faith about their own spiritual experience and practice, it has resonance with my experience of Jesus. Just like when I see how much some of my friends love the Hogs. It's like my love of the Rebels. There is a love of school that transcends the exclusive claims of one school.
The universal presence and saving activity of God transcends just the name of Jesus, though I give that name to the work of God in creation as I have known God in the Trinity and the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus, who carries my absolute love and identity.
Lowell
______________________
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the "
go to our Subscriptions page -- http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html
The
St.
The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.
See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org
Our Rule of Life:
We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.
posted by Lowell @ 8:04 AM
24 comments
24 Comments:
So who goes to hell?
Thanks, Lowell. You just put into words the reasons why I found St. Paul's to be a good fit. When I was young(er), I avoided organized Christianity because of statements like Peter's; I could never resolve these with my own experiences.
Though I certainly understand the question in the first comment (anonymous, above), I suspect that the answer is "no one needs to go to hell, whether they have been educated in Christianity or not".
The question is who goes to hell and remains unanswered
When is the St. Paul's annual garage sale? I guess you need to get rid of those pesky Bibles.
By the way, which ST. PAUL did you name your church after.
"There is a love of school that transcends the exclusive claims of one school." What a wonderful South Eastern Conference analogy. I expect you will hear the usual complaints over your posting, and just think about Gandhi up there with the rest of the Saints! That will sound like heresy to some, but to others it will sound like the Spirit of Truth.
I can see it now, Gandhi sitting at the table with unrepentant killers, child molestors and genocidal dictators having a laugh and remembering the good old days. Of course that would be unjust to think anyone who could possibly be punished.
I can see a fear of defining who and what sin might be worthy of punishment. One last chance for someone to give some type of answer. What person (don't be specific) would be sent to hell?
Is there any sin that God would punish. I am guessing you will not because then God would have a standard.
Amen, right on, that's the way I feel. God is love and that's what I wish to concentrate on. I think we need to respect man/woman's honest search for something greater than himself/herself and leave the rest to God and whatever
name we give to him/her
What is an honest search?
What is the REST?
Honestly, it is what is true. But the people putting this site together don't believe in Truth.
They don't believe the Bible. They could change the name of this site to Morning Reflections on what is wrong with the Bible.
Here is their theory
#1 The Bible is inspired but wrong.
#2 Paul was a neat guy, just wrong on some things.
#3 If you are searching for a higher meaning then we love you.
#4 If you don't understand what we are trying to say, you obviously aren't enlightned and are beneath us. Only a pious religious person would trust the Bible over our advanced revelations.
#5 Besides, reason has no place in church, only feelings count.
I hope to be enlightned since I am obviously wrong.
Forget the last post.
I am not going to convince you of anything. That is the job of the Holy Spirit.
I guess what really bugs me is that you call yourself Christians, you say your church is somewhere between Catholic and protestant yet you outright deny the parts of the Bible you don't agree with.
I really wish you wouldn't associate yourself with me. If you don't need Jesus then just come right out and start your own new religion and get rid of the Bible altogether. You can write your own holy book with the principles of the Bible that you like and leave out the ones that offend your sensibilities. People do it all the time, no one would notice the difference. And think of the the time saved by not having to explain why the Bible is so wrong.
So the answer to the initial question is "It is Us."
This is an interesting conversation.
What is the scriptural reference for "Anyone who is not against me is for me"?
I don't think you are going to hell.
One of my favorite quotes of all time says the following.
"When principles tht run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith" Abraham Kuyper
I am not trying to pick a fight or be judgemental of your soul, that is Jesus' job alone. I don't want specific names, but do you believe that there is a hell and if so who goes there?
Bad dogs are not allowed in the house. They are put in the dog house. The Master created the dog house for that purpose. Would that I can be the good dog and welcome the Master with a wagging tail every time I hear His footstep.
OK, so how do you do that? What has the master taught you?
The Christian faith is not exclusive. Read your bibles. Before Jesus returns the gospel will be preached to all the world. Then, shall Jesus come. We all have free will. Although many leaders of other religions have read the bible and know the truth, they refuse to believe. All have the oppotunity to receive and believe the word of God. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We as christians have been given the great commission to preach the gospel to all the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We all must do our part so that all may know the love and sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus died for the remission of sins. He died to bridge the gap between heaven and earth after the fall of Adam and Eve. Jesus died that all man may live with him for eternity. We must believe that Jesus is the son of God. That is all that is required. Because men love darkness rather than light they chose to continue to sin and rebel against the living God. They chose to worship things created by their own hands, rather than the creator of the universe. They are lovers of self rather than lovers of God. God is waiting with open arms for all who will confess their sins and believe in him. Chose this day whom you will serve: as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.
To Reg:
A faithful hound does it out of nature, training, respect, and love. The challenge is to hear the Master's footstep the people we encounter.
It is sometimes easy to rationalize away within our own self limited understanding the absolute truth that Jesus Christ is the only name under Heaven by which we can be saved, based on what we see and experience via our own life experiences. But that does not change the fact that what Peter said was an absolute, unchangeable and exclusive fact.
The Bible was always meant to be Exclusive. Because Truth can not be otherwise.
Also it demeans God and brings God down to Man's level to equate the idea of His Absoluteness along side your doubts about your previous ideas of absoluteness concerning America being the Greatest Country in the world, or your allegiance to "The Rebels" or your attachment to your Mother or Wife.
What you are doing as well is taking the doubts and insecurities that you have via your incomplete knowledge and assuming that because you have these doubts and others have other similar doubts therefore those doubts must be true concerning the absolute and unchanging fact of who Jesus is and also that his is the only name under Heaven by which we must be saved.
And I say this not via an appeal to Faith. I say it via an appeal to a religious neutral logical argument. Because you see your argument you have made is a both and invalid via the rules of logic.
Man’s history on its own bears witness to the truth of the Bible. You do not need to appeal to the Bible to prove that it does contain the Exclusive and Unchanging Truth from God himself. All you have to do is review the history of man as well as his current history and his conduct and compare that against what the Bible says. When this is done the Exclusive Truth of the Bible reveals itself.
Also as Paul said. If Jesus did not Rise from the Dead and he is not who he said he is, then we all who call ourselves Christians are the most sad of people indeed, because if you throw out the idea of Who Jesus said he was and his own exclusive claims then you have no basis for the Christian Faith as this is what the faith hangs on.
In closing the Bible has very good clarity (or Perspicuity) on the issue of who Jesus is and why he is the only name under heaven by which we must be saved. But there are areas that there can be dispute of the clarity the Bible gives on other things, such as what about all those people who never heard the name of Jesus, and what will happen to them? In these few cases we must have faith and accept that because God is the creator of the universe, because he is all knowing (Omniscient) and he is all powerful (Omnipotent) then those people have not escaped his attention. As Paul said, "For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known."
He wasn’t saying we see in a mirror darkly concerning whom Jesus is and why Jesus is the only name under heaven by which we must be saved. Because Paul proclaimed very definitely who Jesus was and is. He was saying we cannot in our current fallen nature know ALL Things.
Did Jesus die just in case you couldn't save yourself?
This is some of the most ridiculous reasoning I have heard in a long time. What do you do with scriptures like, "We are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." The reasoning hear does not mesh at all with that of the Bible. It is nothing more than the reasonings of a intellectual wolf in sheeps clothing.
Good post Lowell,
My journey is similar. I loved the phrase "mythic membership". I am especially glad to be free of a system that would send 14 year old Jewish girls, in Auswitz to Hell, while welcoming their oppressors who had sound and sincere doctine into Heaven.
A friend recently noted that he carried his theological system around for years like a ball and chain to justify his relationship to God. I suppose those systems, particularly that lead to exclusivity, stem more from our own insecurities than from any shred of universal "truth."
"Salvation is found in NO ONE ELSE, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by which we MUST be saved." Acts 4:12
Something has gone awry with Christianity these days. Many are drinking the tainted kool-aid of the tolerant emergent and purpose driven movements.
"Why can't we just all get along," seems to be the mantra these days.
"I AM THE Way,THE Truth,and THE Life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through ME," (JN 14:6) somehow doesn't mean what Jesus said it means. It really means ...well...whatever you want it to mean.
We are living in dangerous and times. The serpent's slithery hiss can be heard trying to subvert , seduce, and silence the Truth of God's Word.
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." I Tim. 4: 1
Will you also succumb?
Patrick Lane Said:
"My journey is similar. I loved the phrase "mythic membership". I am especially glad to be free of a system that would send 14 year old Jewish girls, in Auswitz to Hell, while welcoming their oppressors who had sound and sincere doctine into Heaven."
It is sad that what you are doing is posting your subjective feelings about Christianity and not what the Bible says.
This is unfortunatley the case with all of the new Scriptural Revisionism going on today.
Post-Modern revisionism is premised upon validating everything by subjective, prejudicial personal feelings which were formulated by a person's own perceived personal hurt and or bitterness caused by the abuse of a truth not by the truth itself. And then using that skewed subjective prejudicial viewpoint to try and create a new generally accepted perception to shoot down that truth using the definition for the abuse of that truth.
Hence Patricks premise is both invalid and illogical, based on universally accepted philisophical academic logic argument structure.
Patrick is truly a lost soul.
The true church never approved of the nazis. Get a clue.I have no insecurities re: the things of God and most certainly I have no fear of man. Your premise, as John stated above, comes from humanism.
As for the original post, where does one begin?
First, I will pray for St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
"Whoever is not against me is with me" comes from Matthew 12:22-32 and Luke 11:14-28.
Two tellings of the pharisees accusations, and their blaspheming of the Holy Spirit.
This statement, as quoted in the post, must be viewed in the literal context of Jesus' words. If you are not against Jesus then you agree that he is sent by the Father, and moves in the power of His Holy Spirit.
"
The sheep not of this fold" comes from John 10:14-16 Jesus is talking about the goyim,i.e. non-jews which are referenced in Romans 11:25. Jesus was not saying that every man on earth will come to saving faith.
As for "free will" Pleeeeeeaaaaase, the only being who has completely free will is God.
If mankind's collective will was not in bondage to a fallen and sinful nature then all men would choose Jesus,i.e. Life.They would be stupid not to.
BTW this is not 5 point Calvinism, this is the Word of God. Our will's are not unshackled until we believe in the one who has the keys of death and hades. Grace, and the adjoining faith come from God,not from our own volition. God reveals Himself to men as He chooses. No man seeks God of His own volition. Most of the "church" do not know what the term free will means.
Romans 9:
14What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 20But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? 22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
The redefining of God,through the casting aside of His Word, is the essence of the golden calf episode.
Jesus(the Son) is the only way to the Father.
So you've essentially taken a black Sharpie pen and struck out Acts 4:12 and John 14:6 from your bible.
I hope Rev 22:18-19 and Deuteronomy 4:2 show up in the daily readings soon.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Rom 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Rom 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Rom 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Rom 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
You preach another gospel, which is no gospel. All have sinned, and have rejected the lights of creation and conscience. Christ came to die because we all deserve Hell. All we like sheep have gone astray (Isa. 53:6).
Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Repent of this false gospel before it's too late.
The Fruits of an Apostate Church:
It Sets Our Childrens Teeth on Edge
http://truediscernment.blogspot.com/2007/04/virginia-tech-students-gather-in-front.html
Post a Comment
<< Home