I’m finally going to post what I’ve been saying to Mark all along about all this Federal Vision and New Perspective on Paul stuff.
We’ve been dealing with these issues in our personal lives for about the last 3 years. What are these issues? Well, to be honest, even though Mark talks about the stuff all the time, and I’ve read a lot about it, I can’t even begin to explain the issues at hand. What I can do is say that I don’t think it matters all that much to the people in the pew.
The people who sit in the pews of the churches where someone is sympathetic to the FV or NPP are not being taught heresy every week. They are not being taught that works gets them into heaven. They are not being taught that baptism saves them. They are being taught that Jesus loves them. They are being taught to raise their children to love Jesus. They are being taught that Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead to save them.
I imagine that the churches with pastors who are unsympathetic to FV and NPP can agree with the last three sentences I wrote.
So, what’s the big deal? Yes. I think pastors who study the Word of God for a living need to discuss the intricacies of theology. Yes. I think they need to learn from one another. And, I don’t think that the people in the pews need to just accept all that their pastors say. But I don’t think that the people in the pews on either side have to wrap their minds around these theological issues in order to receive the gift of God’s salvation through Jesus.
Jenn-
So true and being a bear of very small brain I am glad I don’t have to wrap it around as I am using it for everyday activities. I am glad my salvation doesn’t depend on my understanding of issues brainpower and time don’t afford me (”
Denise
I totally agree. All this dissent seems to me to be a symptom of pridefulness. I’m happy to have a humble theological intellect! There are, as you say, essentials of Christian faith of which we should be sure and willing to defend. Then there are less fundamental issues which I perhaps should have an opinion on, but don’t. Why should I take a stance on something which much better educated/ smarter/ more mature Christians can’t agree upon? There may be a reason, but I feel like it wouldn’t be good stewardship of my time to get involved in all that (which doesn’t stop me from wasting time in other ways, to be sure!)
Maybe I’m just too Lutheran 😉
Yes. When stuff like FV comes around in the conversation I just glaze over and start thinking about what I’m going to fix for dinner because my children need to be fed. 🙂
Thanks for the comments, girls.
Thanks Jennifer for this particular blog. I wasn’t quite sure what the deal was with FV or Paul’s whatever. Even when someone tries to explain things, I agree with April except I probably am thinking how do I look like I know what they are talking about and retreat quickly as I scratch my head or whatever. Joanie