ED ROSS
From Ed Ross' Timbrel & Dance Weekly Publication
Experimental Christianity
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly'es in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him Timothy 4:10
There is always a great deal of discussion in Christian circles regarding the role of experience and emotions in salvation, assurance, and in the Christian life. The issue may be framed by a single question: Is salvation based solely upon a personal action of the will to rest one's spiritual hope in the correct set of purely objective religious tenets? In other words, is the only real difference between a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or Jew, the particular religious dogma each has chosen to embrace? Are Christians saved solely because they happen to have embraced ("believed in") the right set of religious "truths", which center in Christ? Further, is evangelism merely getting others to believe in these truths about Christ?
I believe any objective approach to the New Testament scriptures demands a resounding "NO!" There are experimental realities associated with Christian salvation and life. Experimental Christianity was a continual focus of the classic Puritans. By this was meant that there is an experiential reality that flows from a living relationship and walk with God, without which, one s profession is suspect. The way the Puritans framed all of this theologically may, at certain points, have been unfortunate - perhaps even to the obscuring of many great New Covenant blessings - yet they participated in, and truly experienced New Covenant realities (as do all true Christians, however they frame it theologically).
The effectual work of the Holy Spirit assures us that our hope rests, not in the wisdom and cleverness of men's words, but in the power of God (1Corinth 2:1-5). Is it even reasonable to think that one can meet the living Lord Jesus, can be regenerated spiritually, can be indwelt by the very Spirit of God, can have the love of God shed abroad in one's hearts, can have a new desire to glorify God in one's life…, and not be experientially cognizant of such fundamental changes? No. Union with Christ must have its experiential realities, whether we choose to call it puritan experimentalism, Christian mysticism, or simply walking with Jesus.
Each one's personal emotional response and feelings in the process of salvation may be as different as fingerprints. At the revelation of Christ to the heart, we may come with initial fear, with laughter, with tears, or with a quiet assurance in the warm glow of the first faint embers of faith. So, while we must never try to insist that our salvation experience is the standard by which all must come, yet all who do come to Christ will experientially know certain realities involved in becoming a new creation; they will attest to the fact that "the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" (Rom 8:16; 8:8; 8:14; 1John 3:4; 4:13).
I am afraid I have met numerous individuals over the years who are zealous for biblical truth - they can quote many great Christian theologians, and they eat and breath systematic theology - but there is no evidence of the indwelling living Christ. The witness of the Spirit seems absent. I do not judge their sincerity, or their integrity. Only God knows their hearts. But I fear, lest they have received the grace of God in vain, professing with their lips what their hearts do not know (2Cor6:1; Matt 15:8).
Now, let me quickly insist that our ongoing experiences and emotions must be firmly grounded in, and flow out of, objective biblical truth. But that truth can only be truly realized and embraced as the indwelling Holy Spirit discerns and clarifies the indwelling Word of Christ, by skillfully utilizing the inspired scriptures. The flesh is not yet redeemed. This is paramount for us to grasp, if we are to understand the Christian's relationship to the written Bible. The Voice of the indwelling Shepherd must be discerned amidst the remaining corruption and deceptions of the flesh, the incessant din of the world, and the treachery of seducing spirits (1Tim 4:1). Do not be deceived. The Spirit will always utilize the inspired scriptures to assist us in hearing the Voice of the Shepherd; but we make a fatal mistake when we replace the Voice of the Shepherd with the black and white (and sometimes red) letter of scripture. Objective scriptural truth without the living witness of the Spirit is the letter that kills (2Cor 3). We must come into the presence of God by the new and living way (Heb 19-20); we must walk with Him and serve Him in newness of the Spirit (Rom 7:6); we are buried with Him and raised up that we might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).
Having said all this, it is also, however, extremely important for us to know that, because of this remaining corruption of the flesh, and the accompanying lure of the world, and seduction of lying spirits, our cognizant experiential reality of communion with God in Christ will ebb and flow. It is common for good Christians to have times of "flatness", of doubt, even of dark valleys of depression. It is in these times that the Holy Spirit wrought conviction of the veracity of God's Word is most important. Faith in the objective truths of scripture, undergirded by our trust in the faithfulness of God, carries us through the sloughs and valleys. Faith itself is strengthened and deepened in these valleys; and as light returns, and our souls are revived, even these dark times themselves add to our catalog of experience of the goodness and faithfulness of God, giving us even greater hope for the future (Rom 5:3-4 KJV).
As Christians, we (like all humans) have many experiences and emotions. We must never seek to derive objective truth from subjective feelings. The Bible, enlightened and confirmed by the Holy Spirit, must be our touchstone - the assayer of our gold. But a profession of faith in Christ without the accompanying experiential realities (i.e. a Christianity that is not experimental) is very suspect.
God challenges us to examine ourselves, whether we are in the faith (2Cor 13:5); to make our calling and election sure (2Pet 1:10). This is not just about checking our theology. It is about seeking to verify by the Spirit and the Word that we have an authentic Christian experience. More next week. -ejr3
________________________
Tis by the Faith of Joys to Come Isaac Watts
1 Tis by the faith of joys to come
We walk through deserts dark as night;
Till we arrive at heaven our home,
Faith is our guide, and faith our light.
2 The want of sight she well supplies;
She makes the pearly gates appear;
Far into distant worlds she pries,
And brings eternal glories near.
3 Cheerful we tread the desert through,
While faith inspires a heavenly ray,
Though lions roar, and tempests blow,
And rocks and dangers fill the way.
4 So Abram, by divine command,
Left his own house to walk with God;
His faith beheld the promised land,
And fired his zeal along the road.
-t&dw
________________________
Quote of the Week.
"...I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. Jesus, Acts 26:17-18
________________________
Walking with Jesus... a devotional minute.
Always Engaged, Never Entangled.
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. John 17:15-18
As Christians we have been sent into the world. We are not to be "holed up" behind the walls of our churches, or separated in our exclusively "Christian" haunts, hoping to lure in some sinners to "get them saved." We are to engage the world on its own terms and in all aspects of life. As the saying goes, the salt has to get out of the salt shaker. We have not been sent on a defensive mission, trying to "protect" the faith. As gentle warriors, speaking the truth in love, we are to press the offensive to very the gates of hell.
But we are never to allow ourselves to become entangled in the world (2 Tim 2:4). In fact we are to hate life in this world (John 12:25) as its constant wickedness grieves the heart that is set upon God. Our hearts must be sanctified by truth, kept pure, and kept in the love of God. This may require periodic retreats, as we come aside and rest in the Lord s green pastures and still waters. Then we must reengage, led in paths of righteousness for His name s sake. -ejr3
_________________________________
The Timbrel & Dance Weekly
October 01, 2010
Vol. 1 No. 19
The Timbrel & Dance Weekly is published by
Pastor Ed Ross, Springwood Chapel,
2360 Springwood Road, York, Pennsylvania 17402.
Phone: 717-741-3616
Email: pastored@springwoodchapel.com
Visit us at SpringwoodChapel.com
Also available at ChristMyCovenant.com
Unaltered non-commercial republication of any content permitted.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly'es in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him Timothy 4:10
There is always a great deal of discussion in Christian circles regarding the role of experience and emotions in salvation, assurance, and in the Christian life. The issue may be framed by a single question: Is salvation based solely upon a personal action of the will to rest one's spiritual hope in the correct set of purely objective religious tenets? In other words, is the only real difference between a Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or Jew, the particular religious dogma each has chosen to embrace? Are Christians saved solely because they happen to have embraced ("believed in") the right set of religious "truths", which center in Christ? Further, is evangelism merely getting others to believe in these truths about Christ?
I believe any objective approach to the New Testament scriptures demands a resounding "NO!" There are experimental realities associated with Christian salvation and life. Experimental Christianity was a continual focus of the classic Puritans. By this was meant that there is an experiential reality that flows from a living relationship and walk with God, without which, one s profession is suspect. The way the Puritans framed all of this theologically may, at certain points, have been unfortunate - perhaps even to the obscuring of many great New Covenant blessings - yet they participated in, and truly experienced New Covenant realities (as do all true Christians, however they frame it theologically).
The effectual work of the Holy Spirit assures us that our hope rests, not in the wisdom and cleverness of men's words, but in the power of God (1Corinth 2:1-5). Is it even reasonable to think that one can meet the living Lord Jesus, can be regenerated spiritually, can be indwelt by the very Spirit of God, can have the love of God shed abroad in one's hearts, can have a new desire to glorify God in one's life…, and not be experientially cognizant of such fundamental changes? No. Union with Christ must have its experiential realities, whether we choose to call it puritan experimentalism, Christian mysticism, or simply walking with Jesus.
Each one's personal emotional response and feelings in the process of salvation may be as different as fingerprints. At the revelation of Christ to the heart, we may come with initial fear, with laughter, with tears, or with a quiet assurance in the warm glow of the first faint embers of faith. So, while we must never try to insist that our salvation experience is the standard by which all must come, yet all who do come to Christ will experientially know certain realities involved in becoming a new creation; they will attest to the fact that "the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God" (Rom 8:16; 8:8; 8:14; 1John 3:4; 4:13).
I am afraid I have met numerous individuals over the years who are zealous for biblical truth - they can quote many great Christian theologians, and they eat and breath systematic theology - but there is no evidence of the indwelling living Christ. The witness of the Spirit seems absent. I do not judge their sincerity, or their integrity. Only God knows their hearts. But I fear, lest they have received the grace of God in vain, professing with their lips what their hearts do not know (2Cor6:1; Matt 15:8).
Now, let me quickly insist that our ongoing experiences and emotions must be firmly grounded in, and flow out of, objective biblical truth. But that truth can only be truly realized and embraced as the indwelling Holy Spirit discerns and clarifies the indwelling Word of Christ, by skillfully utilizing the inspired scriptures. The flesh is not yet redeemed. This is paramount for us to grasp, if we are to understand the Christian's relationship to the written Bible. The Voice of the indwelling Shepherd must be discerned amidst the remaining corruption and deceptions of the flesh, the incessant din of the world, and the treachery of seducing spirits (1Tim 4:1). Do not be deceived. The Spirit will always utilize the inspired scriptures to assist us in hearing the Voice of the Shepherd; but we make a fatal mistake when we replace the Voice of the Shepherd with the black and white (and sometimes red) letter of scripture. Objective scriptural truth without the living witness of the Spirit is the letter that kills (2Cor 3). We must come into the presence of God by the new and living way (Heb 19-20); we must walk with Him and serve Him in newness of the Spirit (Rom 7:6); we are buried with Him and raised up that we might walk in newness of life (Rom 6:4).
Having said all this, it is also, however, extremely important for us to know that, because of this remaining corruption of the flesh, and the accompanying lure of the world, and seduction of lying spirits, our cognizant experiential reality of communion with God in Christ will ebb and flow. It is common for good Christians to have times of "flatness", of doubt, even of dark valleys of depression. It is in these times that the Holy Spirit wrought conviction of the veracity of God's Word is most important. Faith in the objective truths of scripture, undergirded by our trust in the faithfulness of God, carries us through the sloughs and valleys. Faith itself is strengthened and deepened in these valleys; and as light returns, and our souls are revived, even these dark times themselves add to our catalog of experience of the goodness and faithfulness of God, giving us even greater hope for the future (Rom 5:3-4 KJV).
As Christians, we (like all humans) have many experiences and emotions. We must never seek to derive objective truth from subjective feelings. The Bible, enlightened and confirmed by the Holy Spirit, must be our touchstone - the assayer of our gold. But a profession of faith in Christ without the accompanying experiential realities (i.e. a Christianity that is not experimental) is very suspect.
God challenges us to examine ourselves, whether we are in the faith (2Cor 13:5); to make our calling and election sure (2Pet 1:10). This is not just about checking our theology. It is about seeking to verify by the Spirit and the Word that we have an authentic Christian experience. More next week. -ejr3
________________________
Tis by the Faith of Joys to Come Isaac Watts
1 Tis by the faith of joys to come
We walk through deserts dark as night;
Till we arrive at heaven our home,
Faith is our guide, and faith our light.
2 The want of sight she well supplies;
She makes the pearly gates appear;
Far into distant worlds she pries,
And brings eternal glories near.
3 Cheerful we tread the desert through,
While faith inspires a heavenly ray,
Though lions roar, and tempests blow,
And rocks and dangers fill the way.
4 So Abram, by divine command,
Left his own house to walk with God;
His faith beheld the promised land,
And fired his zeal along the road.
-t&dw
________________________
Quote of the Week.
"...I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. Jesus, Acts 26:17-18
________________________
Walking with Jesus... a devotional minute.
Always Engaged, Never Entangled.
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. John 17:15-18
As Christians we have been sent into the world. We are not to be "holed up" behind the walls of our churches, or separated in our exclusively "Christian" haunts, hoping to lure in some sinners to "get them saved." We are to engage the world on its own terms and in all aspects of life. As the saying goes, the salt has to get out of the salt shaker. We have not been sent on a defensive mission, trying to "protect" the faith. As gentle warriors, speaking the truth in love, we are to press the offensive to very the gates of hell.
But we are never to allow ourselves to become entangled in the world (2 Tim 2:4). In fact we are to hate life in this world (John 12:25) as its constant wickedness grieves the heart that is set upon God. Our hearts must be sanctified by truth, kept pure, and kept in the love of God. This may require periodic retreats, as we come aside and rest in the Lord s green pastures and still waters. Then we must reengage, led in paths of righteousness for His name s sake. -ejr3
_________________________________
The Timbrel & Dance Weekly
October 01, 2010
Vol. 1 No. 19
The Timbrel & Dance Weekly is published by
Pastor Ed Ross, Springwood Chapel,
2360 Springwood Road, York, Pennsylvania 17402.
Phone: 717-741-3616
Email: pastored@springwoodchapel.com
Visit us at SpringwoodChapel.com
Also available at ChristMyCovenant.com
Unaltered non-commercial republication of any content permitted.