Orthodox IV

Continuing to respond to Robs last email…..

Psa 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

I think we will get a lot of mileage on this topic. Its forcing me to think it through. I have scribbled tons of notes the last couple of days but it’s another thing to get it presentable. We also must keep in mind just what this conversation is revolving around.

We both know that most of the modern church doesn’t know what has been the orthodox Christian mindset. (What has been normal Christian thinking or understanding.)

I have already said in my email responding to Rob … You know I agree with you about the Word.

I think the most profitable way is to make multiple bombing runs at this…..Lets start the first run from out of the sun. Now Rob don’t come swooping in your FAC* saying I didn’t do a thorough job. I have already said this is gonna get multiple runs, but by all means feel free to point out if you think Im hitting some school by mistake.

Lets start with us, since we all can relate to that easily enough. Take these loosely but to see a point.

Why is it that after decades of reading the word, I never understood, that it is for the glory of God, that everything exists? No cracks about me riding the short bus. I was reading my Bible. You were reading your's werent you?
If we went through the modern church and polled people to give us the first 3 reasons that they have seen from the word on why God created the universe and everything in it …. How many would hit the answer that Voddie Bacchum’s son has already memorized at 3 yrs old? Now I am referring to Christians who have read the word their whole life, but have never read any of the confessions.

Why is it that we have worked in Church’s, some of us for decades, and we can now see that so much of what was done, with the very best of intentions, and in the name of Jesus was not what God had written in his word for us to be doing?

I can pose questions like this for a long time. My point would be that we don’t have the current situation because no one has been reading their Bibles. We have been reading them. We have also been ascribing meaning to them, that is not there. But convinced that we are standing on the word.

Now you have a new orthodoxy which clashes horribly with the old . But since no one knows what used to be orthodox…..

So why the disconnect between what his word says, and what our mind see's ?

First we have not followed the biblical model, which is that we are called to make disciples of all nations, not get people saved.

And there are these admonishments….

Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

The modern Christian can read his word all day long and not see what is in these verse’s.

The biblical pattern of making monuments to remind future generations of what God has done, which will include the where and the why. The creeds and confessions give the Christian the orientation that has been understood as orthodox.

The current model is rather, we all get sent to dig into the word with whatever worldview it is, that we have had, when we were saved. (what worldview? its neutral isn’t it?) I believe that a new Christian needs to be discipled with the word, with historical back ground, and the confessions ( faith of our fathers) This is the context I never had.

As far as the cracks about Rushdoony, don’t be silly. I would point new believers to Jerome, Augustine, maybe Knox, Luther. Just because I wandered into the dessert buffet by mistake doesn’t mean I would take everyone else there and drive the prices up.

*FAC, would be the forward air controller, giving target information to the attacking units and doing some bomb damage assessments.