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Point of Reference
by Fred Price
The Xtreme Faith Movement was inaugurated several years ago with Stephen Baldwin and other “cutting edge” celebrities serving as its poster boys. And while I agree that the established church may very well need to be re-thought and shaken up a bit from time to time, there seems to be a certain amount of deep-seated resentment, antagonism and disrespect directed at the church by some movements of this type that is disturbing. As a result, some members of the “established church” feel threatened, disrespected and resentful in return. When we look to Jesus’ example of how to handle this type of conflict, we find that his response to what some would consider similarly “entrenched attitudes” and ideas was indeed to call for a nearly complete break from the old ways to his new teaching. (Matthew 9:16,17) But even as he did so, he never denied the validity of God’s word as preserved by adherents of the Old Way nor its influence on believers in the New. (Matthew 5:17,18) In fact, he taught that the legitimate commands of the Old Testament were to be broken only at risk of grave punishment. (Matthew 5:19) The question then becoming: Do we reinvigorate what he have or reinvent it altogether? (See Matthew 13:52)
One drawback I see to this type of “emerging” church is that its members often recast themselves as outsiders or even renegade warriors who end up attempting to find answers among others who are struggling with the same issues but who have no practical experience in formulating a legitimate answer. In a self-imposed isolation and cliquishness, they deny themselves the opportunity to be instructed by elders in the faith or those more experienced by virtue of their age, which is often a point of contention anyway. At the same time, I believe many in these movements honestly want to make a real and lasting impact on the faith community as well as the world. Being extreme encompassing a whole range of emotions and possibilities that are both good and bad. It may merely represent different points of view, taken to excess in their application; while for others it simply represents unconventional thinking. For some, however, it advocates principles so far removed from one another that they can never be reconciled; fostering frustration, and abandonment.
Faith embraces belief, trust, confidence and loyalty. That’s incredibly important for the One – or ones – being believed in as well as those being asked to be faithful and follow. Having faith in and being faithful to others allows us to band together and accomplish things we could never do on our own; while absolute trust in God and faithfulness to his Word is the essence of our claim to being Christians. Jesus assuring us that, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” Matthew 9:29; while Paul asserts that, “We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 A practice hard to comprehend and harder to explain; scripture coming closest when it proposes, “…faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
Scripture teaches, “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17; indicating an expectation of change, a refraining from sin, an attempt not so much at a perfect life as a holy one. (Rom.6:1,2 - 15,16) We cannot stay as we are, the purpose of the church or community of believers not being to make everyone comfortable in their present condition but to lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and then to teach, rebuke, correct and train them (through the Word) in righteousness so that they can be thoroughly equipped for good works. (2 Timothy 3:16,17)
Ideally, we are to alienate ourselves from this world and its way of doing things, avoiding participation in the things that drive it, thereby living an admirable life that will serve as a witness to others and encourage them to seek forgiveness and redemption as well. (1 Peter 2:11,12 – see also James 5:19,20) If nothing else, the absence of those themes from some alternative faith movements is troubling to say the least. Granted, preaching repentance from real sin and the expectation of change can – and will – turn some people off; a big concern for many churches seeking to enhance or maintain attendance numbers. But the reality of the gospel is that it will be offensive to some; and while we don’t have a right to demand change in people as the cost of admission, we can and should encourage it in the lives of those who stake a claim to God’s saving grace and the benefits association with Him brings. Jesus declared, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” John 3:19-21In fact, He established the procedure of loving confrontation sometimes necessary for those who fall short of their claim to godliness. (See Matthew 18:15-20) Paul later explicitly warning that, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sin is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment…” Hebrews 10:26,27
In fact, he goes so far as to state, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened… (and) who have shared in the Holy Spirit… if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 6:4-6 Peter reinforcing this thought by declaring, “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are once again entangled in it and overcome (Not merely stumbling or even falling – but entangled in sin – deliberately practicing a contrary lifestyle.), they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their back on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” 2 Peter 2:20,21
Check back next week for some specifics on the true nature of a genuinely extreme faith.
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Fred Price - married (50 years), father of two grown children, grandfather of six.
Fred retired earlier this year after 42 years as a factory worker. He has always had a heart for young people and the challenges they face today. Over the years Fred has taught Discipleship Groups for High School and college students.
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