Are we members of a cloister club or a congregation. The religious cloister
is a worldly institution that ranges from the grand monasteries of Tibet to
holy shrines in natural settings. The focus is on inward piety and creation of
religious works. A congregation on the other hand is a similar looking
institution or community, however its focus is outward not inward. It hosts
religious affairs and promotes worship, forward toward a service greater than
the sum, or totality of its parts.
The church throughout its history is really about everyone being a member of
a Cloister Club. Does God desire it to be that way? There is no mention of it
in the Bible. Moses didn't go there after he had to leave Egypt. Jesus didn't
go around setting up cloisters in all the towns and villages. Neither did Paul.
But shortly thereafter the cloister became the center of religious learning and
piety. I read some where a long time ago, that the Reformation was brought
about by God taking Luther out of the cloister and putting him in the world.
It is true that the reformers were quick to abolish the abbey and its
life-style from their new-formed churches. Jesus Christ and his redemption on
the cross and a faith that comes by grace alone through Christ alone rapidly
revamped the religious landscape. Even in the reformers lifetimes new
organizations were formed to promote a Godly religion of this new light. But
thank God, they were not the old self contained monasteries, these were new Godly
communities, led by enlightened men of God, or heretics. (Depending upon your
persuasion.) Luther after all was one of those anathemas in the eyes of the
Roman church. From this starting point we quickly see the rise of
denominationalism and lack of communication between different cloister
factions. This continues and is reenacted until this day.
It is refreshing that everyone who reads this believes in Jesus as Lord and
Savior. "Jesus saved me from booze, broads and bragging! I used to be a
vain bigot and now I'm on my rapid assent to religious perfection." So
goes the way of many testimonies. The booze and all, is great, but notice the
subtle change in emphasis. We went from being a personalty that can be used by
God, into a pietistic monk or nun.
Where do we get most of that nonsense? Mostly from the stages and pulpits of
our evangelical churches. Of course we can find it on TV also, but that is
another story. Rare is it indeed where the Pauline gospel of Christ crucified
is preached. "You don't hear that hard doctrinal stuff in this cloister.
We are just a bunch of brothers and sisters who love Jesus, because Jesus loved
us first. He is our first love."
That is fine, but where do you go from there? Without sound doctrine
nowhere! You just dance around in circles, spin your prayer wheels until you
get tired, and then after church you go out for Pepsi and pizza. But if by
chance if you look behind the scenes of all those cloisters of the historical
church, you may discover a richness of Christ you never knew before.
"Jesus is not just for me now, but he was for them, then. And therefore 1
plus 1 is 3. Three being, He will be the Christ forever." The problem is
we are uncomfortable with complex thought, and this is an equation that does
not compute without some homework. Hidden under or veiled beneath all those
religious trappings of the cloister is the Concept of a Christ, "Who for
us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the
Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became man. Crucified also for us under
Pontious Pilante, He suffered and was buried. And on the third day he rose
again according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sat at the
right hand of the Father. And He shall come again in glory to judge the living
and the dead. Whose kingdom shall have no end."
For contrast let us look at the 23rd Psalm the way that David wrote it in
the New King James version, which we all know is what the Apostle Paul used in
his later ministry. And then in the Inductive 21st Century Evangelical Edition.
|
New King James Version |
Inductive 21st Century Evangelical Edition. |
|
The
LORD is my shepherd; Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; |
The
LORD is my shepherd; Yea,
though storms sometimes turn off the electricity I
buy a table banquet to Lord over all of my enemies; |
Sad to say, we should all see way too much of ourselves in the second
rendition and way to little of ourselves in the first. But that is why we must
look to the historical covenant, the church and Israel for the needed
perspective. We should get most of that directly from the Word of God, the
Bible, but we also get it from the study of the church and Jewish history. We
are blessed to live in an age when we can have access to much of that on the
internet, right after we finish our online stock trading. When we begin to
understand that we are them and they are us, we must leave our shallow piety
and walk into deeper understanding of the all encompassing redemptive work of
God in history.
One reason the world is not all that much interested in our Christianity is
that they cannot tell the difference between their own philosophy of self,
their cloisters, and ours. Can we really blame them? The great commission calls
us to make disciples of every nation. Which of these Psalms is the church
really teaching or preaching in this day. Seems as though we have all the
Inductive 21st Century Evangelical Edition, the world needs. What is in short
supply is not that "Jesus saves" but that "Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). If we are not willing
to work to put the depth of the historic biblical Christ into our testimony,
our modern world, with too little time and too much information, is not going
to listen to our message. As I said last week to a certain extent that begins
with our Sunday worship event where the true gospel must be taught and
preached. That is what got (some of) the church out of her cloisters for a
brief period 500 years ago. That short time changed history forever. The church
always lives in a time when she could do it again. The time is right to begin
that restoration!
PRAYER PLANTS
These last couple of weeks have been more than an interesting adventure. The
finances that I had counted on have disappeared, but at the same time I see a
path and a direction ahead that is quite remarkable. If the finances had been
present, I would not have taken the time to make some changes that I believe
were needed and they would have been difficult to change as we progressed
forward. So praise the Lord and pay the bills. One way (the first time I wrote,
"the best way") from my individual perspective to get rid of the
Inductive 21st century version of Psalm 23 is to have it refined out. That is
the only way from God's perspective, but I still like to know what is going on
and at this juncture, I have not one clue, I have exhausted all my leads and
resources. It now rests (and to an extent I have never experienced) with God
alone. This is His ministry and a pastoral pasture sounds good, but I would
sure settle for that stinky old barn.
Rise up, O men of God! Have done with lesser
things;
Give heart and soul and mind and strength To serve the King of Kings.
Rise up, O men of God! His kingdom tarries
long;
Bring in the day of brotherhood, And end the night of wrong.
Rise up, O men of God! The church for you
doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task; Rise up and make her great.
Lift high the Cross of Christ! Tread where
his feet have trod;
As brothers of the Son of Man, Rise up, O men of God!
William Pierson Merrill (1867-1954)