Theoligical Individualism and the Doctrine of Personal Choice

Again, how does the “Ways of the Lord” or to “walk in the ways of the Lord” harmonize or contrast with what would be perceived as normal Christian behavior? Said another way, does whatever a Christian set himself to do with the best of intentions, become “Gods ways” by virtue of his having good intentions or being born again? How about if there is a whole bunch of other Christians doing it too, does that make it “walking in the ways of the Lord?”

The standard has to be Gods word, and not us, because…

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Prov 14:12 and God also said “For my thought are not your thoughts, nor are my ways your ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth. So are my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 58:8,9

God did specifically command us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” I do think a person can assume that this just happens, that being born again accomplishes the same thing. That if your born again, Prov14:12, just couldn’t be talking about us. The letter to the Corinthians and the Galatians and much of the New Testament shows that being born again, doesn’t all of a sudden elevate our thoughts up to his thoughts or make us comfortable with his ways. The record shows, and if we just stop to think about it, that Christians are full of “ways that seem right to a man”.

Like Doug Phillips asking, “does a fish know he’s wet?” Brad Heath joins so many others as he points out that we don’t realize the size, type and kinds of the impression that the culture has put on us. Being born again doesn’t inoculate us from the culture or undue how our minds have been trained to think.

God never even hints that ,“now that your saved”, you are fully equipped for every good work. Rather the fact that we must be “equipped” says that it’s not standard issue, but like 2timothy3:10-17 said, he had to learn them.

Botkin used the term, Americanized Christian faith.

As Americans, it is taken for granted that, no one can tell us what to do and no one should tell us what to think. What does that do to Eph4:11,12 He himself gave…apostles..prophets, pastors, teachers for the equipping of the saints…

Swanson put it this way “…As one church- goer told me recently, “I just don’t like to be told what to do”. Or in the words of another evangelical preacher in the little chat he had with his congregation, “ I just want to make a few suggestions for you today. I don’t ever want to tell you what to do” pg115 The Second Mayflower

But that is exactly what Jesus wants to do. He wants to let us know not only how to think, but also what to think, and do. Now if it was any name but Jesus the first thought would be, “Who does he think he is?”

We give our hearts to Jesus but who gets our minds? You don’t hear it mentioned much , we are called to love God with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength. How do you love God with your mind? How does that fit in?

I have pressed into another chapter of Brad Heath’s Millstones and Stumbling Blocks. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book for the insight he gives. He spends a chapter looking at this weekness of evangelicals, our minds , and how we think or don’t think, and points out that Pietism reigns...”Pietism is another impediment to loving God with all our minds. It is the abuse of piety, the wrong use of a right thing… when the devotion of our hearts is severed from the devotion of our minds, the result is an escapist mentality, leading to self righteous pietism...“ He continues...“ Pietism draws us into a self centered sphere of introverted personal experience where Christianity is reduced to a privatized (often Gnostic) faith. Jesus becomes one-dimensional in pietism-reduced to a ooey, gooey, sickly sweet sentimental experience. (David says: perfect for Oprah) Syrupy pietism, makes many evangelicals embark on an endless quest to change their personalities and temperaments with the dubious goal of becoming sweeter than Jesus. We find this engaging, but those around us find it irrelevant.”

Boy does that resonate for most of my Christian experience!

Heath tries to drive home a point about govt schools, but realize that you can put a couple of thousand different topics in its place and most Christians would respond the same way. As you read the following section, think, does the way he portray how Christians respond, which I believe is accurate, come about from their studying Gods word? Or is it the spirit of Americana, our culture, manifesting and asserting itself ? Protecting its turf.

From pg64 of Millstones…

"Our political, religious, and educational ideas are forged in the fires of free will and tempered by personal choice. In America, the right to choose trumps everything including the right of to life itself ."

"We live in an individualistic culture enveloped in an autonomous age, fertile soil for the evangelical doctrines of “soul competency” and the priesthood of the believer (singular). The very idea of absolutes applicable to all believers is regularly discounted in light of the final accountability we owe to God individually. American evangelicals are comfortable with this autonomy; they are not comfortable with uncompromising biblical standards or with admonitions for failing to adhere to them. The evangelical concept of “just me and my Bible” has become so pervasive we rarely unite around creeds, confessions, or even common commitments. To have anyone (including ecclesiastical authority) call us to a biblical standard of Christian education . . . .Well, bless your heart, brother; we would rather not talk about it."

"How do we approach these things having been taught to fear intolerance, not error? How do we appeal to biblical standards when our Christians brothers differ with us, demanding that all ideas be accepted as equally valid? How do we call believers to universal biblical truths when they recognize no universal biblical truths and they recognize no universal biblical authority? Such theological individualism makes it easy to get along, but reduces Christianity to a least common denominator, letting everyone believe anything if they have Jesus in their hearts. And this, for evangelicals, is yet another personal choice. No matter what arguments are presented for Christian education, they can always be dismissed with the wave of an autonomous hand: “oh, it’s nice Christian education works for you, but we chose public schools.” Period. End of debate. Discussion closed. Personal choice trumps all. Preference is king" .

David again: I think you pick any topic and this is how it can be treated by us. I think he nails it, this is the default position of most of evangelicals. These expressed attitudes would conflict with New Testament exhortations of, “not my will but thy will”… or… “you are not your own you have been bought with a price”….and…”Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death”…phil2:5-9

That we might be found thinking Gods thought after him.