Increasingly over the last few months I have felt myself being cornered by the Holy Spirit wherein my commitment to, and belief in, the validity of these three documents is being challenged..
Let me just take three examples –one from each document.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2 NIV)
“We will be actively involved, as we are able, in the life, work, worship and witness of the corps, giving as large a proportion of our income as possible to support its ministries and the worldwide work of the Army.” (Articles of War)
“We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.” (Doctrine No.11)
The question I have been asked by God in my personal relationship with him is a simple one “Do you believe what you read?” (indeed - do you adhere to what you have signed?) It seems a straightforward question which demands an equally straightforward answer – “yes of course I do!”.
Now this is where my problem starts!
Consider doctrine no. 11 – ‘Hell’ is considered by many Salvationists today to be nothing more than a metaphor or a myth. The idea of a ‘hell’ doesn’t fit in with their understanding of God and his love. Yet there it is – bang in the middle of our doctrines (and of course throughout the bible too!)
My own opinion is that in order for Christ to have undergone what he experienced at Easter ‘hell’ must be a reality – if there were not a place of severe regret and ‘gnashing teeth’ then why did God go to such extremes to save us? I am quite certain that Jesus did not die to save us from a metaphor! Anyway I shouldn’t have to argue about the existence of hell with Salvationists because it is in our doctrines.
However, if I accept that hell is a real place, and that people suffer there, then it makes it extremely difficult for me to comfortably watch the TV when I could be doing something to reverse there plight, which brings me on to my other two examples…
Paul obviously believed in hell which is why he gave everything he had and was to the cause of propagating salvation. That is also why he expected other Christians to do the same. Those who founded the Salvation Army obviously believed in hell which is why they expected their soldiers to give as much as ‘possible’ and to do as much as ‘able’. I know they were motivated by love and not by their belief in hell – the point I am making is that their simple understanding of man’s eternal lot played a part in pushing them on.
Now, what of me and today?
If I am passionately involved in watching England win the world cup (sorry getting knocked out in the quarter finals by either Germany or Argentina), or, if I am relaxing by listening to classical music, reading a novel, stamp collecting, selling on eBay – whatever – Railton’s endless ‘streaming downwards into hell’ doesn’t stop. If the bible is true (and I think it is) then whilst I ‘lie wrapped in ease and worldly scheming’ the dying continue to ‘gnash’ their teeth and plead – “If only someone had told me!’ – Is it any wonder that good old Catherine wanted to ‘tear their bandages off and make them look!’
Some people see me as an extremist and say to me ‘that may be your ministry Andrew, your calling but it’s not the same for everyone’ as though they were talking about an optional extra. I do not see the constant commitment of everything as either optional or extreme – much rather I see it as the norm, the bare minimum. Indeed the story of the rich young ruler seems to indicate that even lacking ‘just one thing’ when it comes to consecration is a fairly perilous exercise.
Holiness is nothing more or less than the fulfilment of the greatest commandment, in which we love God with everything we have and are. We don’t do this by degrees or now and again but we agree to do it in an instant and then we by his grace we do it forever. Holy people don’t avoid TV, football, novels, crosswords and soduko because such pastimes are ‘sinful’ they avoid them simply because they’re a waste of time and all of their time belongs to God.
My knowledge of the history of revival teaches me that when men and women start to see the surrender of everything to the cause of Christ as the norm and respond by ‘putting all on the altar’ that things like The Salvation Army get raised up.
Am I alone on this front? I am an unreasonable fanatic? A kill joy? A disciple of Finney? A deceptive Christian (delivering evangelism by stealth) - Is this all historical claptrap that just wont work in a post-modern world?
I’d be interested to know what you think – although my course is set, after all if it’s the Holy Spirit cornering you what can you do?
1 comment:
I appreciate this challenge very much - it's a much-needed rebuke to me.
I have no doubt that one of The Salvation Army's great needs is to recover a clear vision of the reality of hell. We're of course motivated by love, but unbelief about hell and judgement accounts for a lot of apathy and liberal missiology such as we have seen debated recently.
Keep pushing it - we have to repent of unbelief and your words will help us do that.
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