Love in Reform

Let a couple of observations serve as introduction. First, the practice of how we “do church” needs to reform; a more biblically faithful approach must be taken. Second, doing that will necessarily require thought and may prove intensely difficult.

Employing necessary changes (those prescribed by God’s Word) into the local church will require wisdom and patience, stretching one’s mental and emotional fortitude. Those terms may seem slightly harsh at first (to be frank, they still do to me at times), but I’m not convinced they are. I can envision the “theologian” leaving his training and entering a church ready to change that church into his new perceived (or conceived) ideal. Without the aforementioned qualities (wisdom and patience and the like), this situation will hardly turn out directly edifying or glorifying. If the “reformer” does not have the prudence and patience to introduce the more biblical practices at an opportune time in an opportune way, then people (the essence of the body) will be hurt and the church will be further wounded rather than healed. I realize that sometimes a scold is necessary, but I realize this is necessary sometimes. Rebuke for persistent, blatant sin is a biblical concept, but corporately gathering and interacting unbiblically perhaps fueled by nothing more than tradition and lack of information is hardly persistent, blatant (presumptuous) sin.

The point is this: when introducing reforms, truths new or unknown to the local church, into the local church, care must be taken. Yes, truth is important. Doctrine is invaluable. Orthodoxy should irresistibly lead to orthopraxy. But we are to be known as Christ’s by our love. Our interactions with each other, the ways in which we encourage and admonish, speak to who we are. They lead our world in how they perceive our God. I believe they lead those within the church as well. If we cannot work to help the church while encouraging and edifying it also, we should take the time to rethink our own motives and relationships (including with God). God loves His church. We must seek to help her become more like Him, but we must do so humbly, lovingly, and wisely.

I hope everyone in this class is in agreement on this point, and I anticipate you are. But I write this because it has been on my mind as I have attempted to correlate the teachings of this class, the practice of different churches, and the commands of Jesus Christ.