The Burden of Reformation - Philippians 2:1-3

Paul's exhortation to the Philippians at the beginning of the second chapter of this epistle makes it clear that the abundance of grace is made evident by its communicability; it cannot be contained and it must be shared! Grace necessarily leads to fellowship and reciprocity, first because it transforms the heart and then the new heart is restless to expand and connect with others to exult in this great work God has done in them all! Grace does not create loners (personality notwithstanding), and it is so very amazing that grace is both the means and impetus for fellowship!

We cannot lose the fact that fellowship is not just friendly conversation. When the grace and power and love of Christ have become for us not just a doctrine to uphold but an experience to enjoy, this grace is perfected in unity, at least this is what Paul calls these Philippian believers toward, and it is with considering the two principles he laid out for them that I would like to initiate this blog.

First Principle: As believers, we should share the same outlook
The fullness of the apostle's joy in the Philippian saints' love-centered like-mindedness is rooted in the realization that real Christian unity is nasty hard. Unity is a triumph of the Spirit, it is the spoils of a great achievement of Christ-abiding that is much more rare than we care to admit. We need to stop disparaging those who fall short of it, but we also can't reduce unity to the level of "nothing special" which is not worthy of the Spirit's indwelling presence or the power of Christ's blood.

As I consider the reformed minded blogosphere, this purpose of the Spirit is often set back by meanspiritedness that tries to pose as a commitment to truth. We can't lose sight of the priority love-guided dialog has in the Spirit's work when we share the gospel and aim to speak apologetically on behalf of him who redeemed us.

No doubt, this blog will sometimes offend...but my prayer is to let that offense be Christ and his word and not my attitude or impatience! Everyone should feel comfortable to share here in the safety of Christian affirmation, but also know that the truth (as revealed in scripture...and interpreted, albeit imperfectly) will be defended with force and grit...lovingly, but unequivocally.

So the outlook we share as believers is not that we come to the same conclusions about biblical matters, but that we are committed to the core purposes of Christ in the larger objective of loving unity...something only achievable by the Spirit.

Second Principle: Mutual Service
Friends, we are posting on this blog to exhort, challenge, and to correct one another in the great mission of gaining clarity of our Lord's great statement about himself. To meditate on his agenda and how it plays out in the church's unique mission in history, for both this age and the age to come. To that end, let's not just aim to make our points but to teach one another patiently. This I believe, is the burden of the modern reformation, i.e. to hold truth and fellowship on an equal mutually-reinforcing footing.

Of course, truth is never sacrificed for unity...but truth properly appropriated and handled well (2 Tim 2:15) should forge unity...over pain-burdened time and through the many inconveniences of the cross-bearing life.

Lastly, no one should take any criticism here as rejection or a lack of affirmation, let's think hard, pray dutifully, and search the word intently...yet preserve the greater cause of Christ's ways being found in us.

Upcoming Posts
1. Considering the social and ecclesiological challenges of multi-cultural ministries that are NOT white-led

2. Rethinking Tithing: Why most of our teaching on financial stewardship is inadequate and how John Wesley can help us with this

3. Book Review Series: John Frame's The Doctrine of God

4. Book Review Series: Schreiner & Caneday's The Race Set Before Us

5. The Banckruptcy of Liberation Theology and How Christ Empowers both Ethno-centricity and Spirit-centricity

6. The Need for a Christian Intelligentsia and why pastors should stop taking cheap and harmful shots at theology and theologians...

Posting Structure
Weekend Posting - Theological, Social, Cultural or Scientific Reflection

Midweek Posting - Devotional, doxological and pastoral focus

Thanks for joining in...

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