The Problem With Perception...

The problem with perception of almost anything is that when we do perceive something,we erroneously see it  as existing in a static universe. It is never that... All things exist on continuums, that are headed either in a life-giving, or a life-taking trajectory. 

So... when someone says, "All that we want is "C," they often fail to realize that "C" is part of a continuum that will eventually lead to "Z." If "Z" is good, no problem, however, if "Z" is bad, then "C" may not be helpful... The whole of natural and human history supports this... 

When It Can't Be Grace or Truth...

It can't be "Grace"
If it requires that you surrender "Truth."
It can't be "Truth"
If it requires that you can't apply "Grace."

Regardless of their existential poignancy individually...
If either is applied, devoid or unbalanced from the other,
Then what they become most is heresy...

The Morphing of WWJD

In the 1990s, A youth group leader in Holland, Michigan, named Janie Tinklenberg, began a grassroots movement to help the teenagers in her group remember the phrase; it spread nationwide in the 1990s among Christian youth, who wore bracelets bearing the initials W.W. J. D. (Wikipedia)***

Who knew that this iconic phrase and acronym, would eventually become so endemic to the Christian sub-culture, that it would eventually help to launch the most common and divisive effort, for the right biblical interpretation of: "Who Jesus is..." of our time?

There are few things biblically, that contemporary Christians struggle with more, than to be unified around this simple, yet eloquent, question: "What would Jesus do?"

A Lion and/or Sheep

Especially if it is: "The Lion of Judah."

"I am not afraid 

of an army of lions
led by a sheep; 
I am afraid
of an army of sheep
led by a lion."

Alexander the Great

Not Synonymous - Relevant vs. Relative

When I worked as a Youth Minister for 16 years and taught Youth Ministry in Higher Education for 8 years, I always talked about the missiological principle of being "Relevant" in our Post-Christian and now, Post-Modern Culture.

Being "relevant" however is not the same as being "relative."

The unseemly project of Christian ingratiation to the world, in the name of GRACE, has moved many of us from being helpfully relevant to unashamedly "relative," in our exegesis and theology... For the most current example see: "Rob Bell."

Many are quite simply promising the world, far more than the Bible, or our theological historical tradition, can EVER deliver...

Starting Points - Conservative vs. Liberal: "Impasse"

We are at an Impasse...

What some claim to be as compassionate acts of Justice...

Others regard as an insidious grasping for Power...

Others regard some to be gripped with irrational paranoia...

What with some claim to be as repetitious and destructive parallels out of Human History...

What some claim to be grandiose mountains of human freedom and achievement...

Others regard as life altering watersheds designed for duplicitous subjugation and human conquest...

Others regard the origin of humanity to be primitive, however, because of "Enlightenment," humanity is evolving inexorably towards an eventual utopia...

While still others  claim humanity to be created in the imago Dei, but due to the progressive, dis-integrating effects of The Fall," humanity is inexorably devolving, towards an ultimate dystopia...

Parenthetically...

Because of our God-Imagedness (Common Grace)

We can create great things

And increase our capacity

To counter great Evil...

Because of our Fallen Nature (Total Depravity)

We corrupt great things

And exponentially increase our capacity

To do even greater Evil...

Which will win out?

Again...

While some claim to have faith in the "Human Spirit," for the completion of all things...

Others trust in the work of Christ for the "Restoration of all things..."

Note:

One tends towards a high view of humankind, and a limited view for the role of God...

The other tends towards a high view of God's role, with a limited view for humankind...

A-l-m-o-s-t all are sincere, without realizing one can be sincerely wrong...

It's not that there isn't some Truth in both. Rather, it's which Truth should be primary and first, as well as, the content and matter of degree, of the second Truth to include...

And until we do... awkwardly, tragically and painfully, especially with many that we love... Impasse...

HEDONISM

To Demand of the World:

That Everyone Be Held Accountable For Their Behavior

– Real or Imagined...

While Denying Any Personal Responsibly For Their Actions 

– Explicit or Implicit...