Allegiance - Phillip Vo
“That all Christian men are brethren of Christ and brethren of one another, and shall create no father (for themselves) on earth. Under this condemnation fall orders, sects, brotherhoods, etc.”
In this week’s reading, there are a lot of points for disagreement and debate. In our class we have protestants and catholics, calvinists and arminians, and a whole host of other things that make us very different from one another. One of the unifying things among us is Christ. The debate between different ideas about minor principles of faith has created many denominations and divided many people, and caused them to be hostile towards other brothers and sisters of the faith. It needs to stop.
We talk big ideas in honors. We read literary giants. We delve into philosophy, art, politics, science, religion, history, opera, worship, and whatever else you could think of. The inevitability of throwing so many different people and ideas into a room together is some collision and disagreement. Where we err is if we allow our ideas to create in our minds a grounds for treating an image bearer of God with less respect and dignity. Zwingli found it important to state that Christians are brethren of Christ AND of one another, highlighting that once we join the family of God we are given a new primary allegiance.
We don’t have to agree on ideas. We don’t even have to accept other people’s ideas. But you do have to hear them out and break them down with logic and compare them to your own convictions, and promptly ask yourself, “What should I think about this?” before you immediately decide to write off anything that doesn’t “feel” good to you.
If you feel strongly enough about the wrongness of something like Calvin or Zwingli, stand up against it, with strength and dignity.
But, no matter what ideas you decide to accept or reject, don’t allow yourself to become a calvinist OR an arminian, a catholic or a baptist, a democrat or a republican, or anything else before you are a Christian.
Commented on Sydney's and Zane's.
Wow this is amazing. You talked about how one of the unifying things in our class is Christ. I immediately thought about any christian artist concert where you have thousands of people from all over and different backgrounds and beliefs but they are all praising the Father as one voice, unified together. Such a wonderful picture on how I feel God created it to be. Sure, we will have our differences and opinions, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to loving Christ and having a relationship with Him.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. So many times we get caught up in the 'subtitles' of Christianity that we forget the main point of it all. Jesus Christ died for us. A healthy debate or asking questions is alright, but I agree that arguing over everything without and kind of logic or reason is pointless.
ReplyDeletePhillip, I commet now as I am grading this blog, and I just wanted to say thank you. I could not agree anymore, and I think you did an amazing job saying what needed to be said.
ReplyDelete