Is It Just for the Ivory Tower?

26Apr07

John Piper has said, “when doctrine goes bad, so do hearts.” I have heard it asked many times, “why can’t we just all love Jesus?” And while there may be some good intention involved in asking such a question it completely ignores the question, “which Jesus?” Is He the Christ of the Scriptures or some man-made image of a false Christ? It is a great thing that we all desire all people to love God, but again, the true God or a god of our own making? Doctrine does matter – not just for the theologian, not just for the pastor – but should matter to all of us who have been called to follow Christ. All theology is practical; what we believe affects that way we live. In an earlier post mention was made of Jerry Falwell’s comments in regards to limited atonement, or what many call particular redemption. Does such a deep and grand doctrine such as limited atonement really affect us in our daily walk with Christ? I would say, “yes.” Shouldn’t such a grand doctrine such as this be reserved for theological discussions or is there something very comforting, pastoral, relevant, and practical to this doctrine that so often is viewed as narrow and wooden? Wade Burleson in his post that we have on this blog says in regards to Jerry Falwell’s comments, “This ‘heresy’ labeling is attached to even disagreements on secondary and tertiary doctrines, like that of ‘the extent of the atonement.’” I would say that the “extent of the atonement” is not only of pastoral concern but one that is primary in its importance. Jude tells us that there is doctrine worth contending for. In fact, he uses a word from where we get our English word, “agonize.” There is doctrine over which we should agonize; over which we should labor; over which we should make a strenuous effort. In our relativistic culture to struggle over truth may seem foolish to the world; to die for it, downright absurd. And yet many, throughout history, have done just that. I wonder, how many of us in the church today can honestly sing the words to the old hymn, “Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death”?

So how could this doctrine of “limited atonement” be relevant both in the tower of theology and in everyday life? Let me tell you a parable, a story if you will (our culture seems to be all about stories these days). Keep in mind, illustrations are just that; they illustrate a point. It is not meant to convey all the theological nuances of that which it illustrates so I am sure it breaks down at certain points.

A man was sent on a mission to save a group of missionaries who were being held captive by a tyrant. They were in bondage, locked up in cells, and treated poorly. This man sneaked into camp, found the bound missionaries, cut a hole through the bars where they could get out and said to the missionaries, “you are free if you choose to be.” He then turned around and left, leaving the prisoners to themselves and returned to his base. Upon returning, his commanding officer said, “where are those missionaries I told you to save?” The man replied, “I cut open the gate, told them they were free and then I returned home.” Several days went by and they began to receive news that all the missionaries had been caught and either killed or returned to bondage. The commanding officer called the man back in and said, “none of those who you went to rescue made it out. One didn’t want to leave, two had broken legs and couldn’t walk on their own, three were weak from malnutrition, and one, the strongest and smartest of the group, almost made it, but he was killed. None of them were able to meet the requirements needed to get out themselves.” The man replied, “but they didn’t have to, I went to save them.” But the commanding officer replied, “Then where are they? Did you go to save them or did you simply make it possible for them to save themselves?”

The Apostle Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:15, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Jesus Christ came to save sinners! He came not to make it a possibility but to make it a reality! Revelation 5:9 says, “For you were slain and did purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” Christ bought us with a price. He redeemed us – fully, completely. We have great comfort and confidence in our Christ. If it were left up to me, or to you, we wouldn’t have made it “out of the camp.” But praise God His Son Jesus Christ came to save sinners like you and me. And what He came to do He accomplished. Here’s the question, “was Jesus Christ successful in His mission?” In His mission to save sinners? The answer to that is a resounding “yes”. Jesus says in John 10, “I am the good Shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep….My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

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