What is the litmus test for Christianity? What is your litmus test? Does your church have a litmus test--a bare minimum that declares the new believer is now "really" a "true" Christian? I am not a scientist, but from what I understand, a litmus test for chemicals in a liquid involves dipping litmus paper into the liquid and seeing if the paper turns a certain color. If it does, the liquid has that chemical in it. If it doesn't, then the chemical is missing. So, what do you use to measure the genuineness of a person's Christianity. What are the ingredients that cause your Christian litmus paper to turn into the color of Christian? What is the Bible's litmus test? What is Jesus' litmus test? Does your litmus test involve appropriate behavior? Does your litmus test involve a person's appearance? Does your litmus test involve minimal levels of repentance, or prayer, of commitment? How do you measure those levels?
I believe we all have litmus tests for others whether we admit or not. It is human nature. It is difficult to lose our humanness when measuring others. When I was in the ministry, we were bad about watching to see when people had "finally" made the commitment. We were worse about monitoring people to determine whether they still had it. Sadly, most of our measurements had to do with things we could see. (Of course that is the nature of measuring--you have to be able to "see" progress if you are going to measure it.)When we observed these changes in people's lives then they had finally arrived. It wasn't enough for someone to be "born again." They had to show proof of a changed life--and those changes had to be observed in many areas of their lives. I was even instrumental in developing programs to help people achieve these benchmarks. How we rejoiced when new converts had at last jumped through all the hoops that we had set for them. And if they could continue to demonstrate their commitment through their works and continued proper appearance, then we would laud them for being such good examples of "true" Christianity. Since leaving the ministry, I have found that I still have benchmarks for people. I don't trust the authenticity of their conversion unless I see the earmarks of what I now perceive to be "true" Christianity. By God's grace I am slowly learning to be less judgmental, but it is so difficult. I am just way too human.
What was the litmus test that Jesus used? What was the litmus test for the thief hanging next to him on the cross? What was his litmus test for the Samaritan woman at the well? What was his litmus test for Mary Magdalene? What was his litmus test for the woman caught in adultery? How did he tell his disciples to measure a person's commitment to him? If there is a litmus test in scripture for "true" Christianity, I believe it is our love for one another. I believe that is exactly what Jesus told his disciples. That is also what Paul was getting at in 1 Corinthians 13. Though we speak with tongues and sacrifice everything--even our bodies to be burned--and have not love, our faith is accomplishing nothing. I think it's significant that the main test for discipleship in scripture has to do with something that is difficult--even impossible--to measure.
Sorry for the lengthy blog, but I have one final thought on this. Why do we even have litmus tests? I think it's because we are human, and we like to measure things. As addressed in the previous blog, we like to "know" who is "in" and who is "out." It makes it easier. Of course, Jesus never meant to give us an easy way to determine who is "in" and who is "out." He just calls us to love one another. That is difficult to do when we are measuring each other. Do you have a litmus test? What is it? Tell me what you think about litmus tests for Christianity.
Jesus gave us a litmus test "By this shall all menknow that you are my disciples; that you love one another." I think that's a pretty bevioral test, it just isn't the set of behaviors often chosen to check another person's disciple status.
ReplyDeleteHi, Ken. I agree with your assessment of Jesus' litmus test. And it is behavioral. However, is it measurable? Beyond that, are we the ones to be measuring it? I don't think I expressed myself very clearly in my blog, but the issue as I see it is that we are not the ones to be judging each others' spirituality or "level of Christianity," which is what we are prone to do in our humanness. Of course, as disciples we are called to "love one another," which definitely involves our actions and not just our words. But those actions were to be observed as "proof" of our discipleship by those outside the fold--not as a test that those in the fold to use as evidence of who is in and who is out. At least that's how I see it. Thanks for your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteJon
ReplyDeleteFirst, the outside the fold vs inside the fold thing. I think "all men" means ALL, not just those outside the fold. I think we are supposed to measure; ourselves and others. Scripture says "know those who labor among you" and I think the context is one of a form of measurement. I also think that in reaction against legalism many people abandon appropriate judgment. So, many Christians today seem to blindly accept anyone who claims to be annointed, whether their life "measures up" to Scriptural standards or not. So, we have nationally known Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, and television personalities etc who divorce and continue their "ministries", we have historical heresies masquerading as the latest "revelation", and we have multi-millionaire preachers living lavish lifestyles and all the while we're being told not to judge. Paul did, Peter did, James did, John the Baptist did and Jesus certainly did (whitewashed sepulchers come to mind here). Think of all the examples and commands in the NT that required judgment. Paul castigates the Corinthian church for tolerating immorality. If they weren't supposed to judge, based on Scripturally supported measurement, how could they do anything other than accept any and all behaviors. In fact, Paul goes on to say "I have already passed judgement..." and then a little later writes "what business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you to not judge those inside? God will judge those outside." If there is a single theme to the Epistles, it's warning against false teachers, and to do that requires judgment, and judgment requires measurement against some standard. I think the real question is "are we going to use Scriptural standards or man made standards"?
OK back to what I'm supposed to be doing...
jon!
ReplyDeleteloving the blog!
you're making some great points, and, coming from the same background, i know it's hard to leave the legalism, and to start learning "simplicity" and to unlearn "legalism"... i thank God that some are open to learning. some think that "oh, i had it all learned by the time i was X yrs old" and are afraid to question some of those things.
ken makes a good point. the pendulum can swing far from the legalism to the point of never questioning a brother. i know works can't save, but i've seen some brothers that seem to never do a good work. maybe i should question them on it...?? i know, some good deeds should be done in secret, but,...
waddy'all think?
Ken and Erik. Thanks for your comments. I think you are right, Ken. The question is whether we are using a scriptural measure or some other arbitrary measure. The only problem with even a scriptural measure is how we interpret that. That's the issue that I see. I would disagree that judgment is a theme in the epistles. It may have some treatment and there is definitely some admonition to "judge" or otherwise "measure" the behavior of others. However, too often that admonition is taken as license for ego-driven comparison, or flat out un-Christ-like judgment. Jesus did judge people, but think of who it was that he pronounced judgment on: the religious elite. If there is one lesson to be learned from the parable of the prodigal son, it is that the pharisees (the older brother) had become prideful and judgmental to the point that they could not accept the Father's lavish grace bestowed on their long lost brother. If I am going to err, I want it to be on the side of grace. I am just not that spiritual to be able to judge other people otherwise--although I think I've become pretty sensitive to spiritual elitism. Thanks again for your thoughts. Keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteHey Jon
ReplyDeleteOne last comment here and then on to something new. You nailed it when you said Jesus reserved His judgment for the "religous" elite. We tend to reverse that. Respond to sinners with judgement and tolerate sin among brothers. I'm thinking here of all the uproar in the Christian community about homosexulaity (which is an abomination), but when was the last time you saw scriptural church discipline applied to busybodys and gossips (which are both listed as sins as well)? As you allude to, most sermons I've heard about the Prodigal focus on his repentance, but rarely mention the unrepentant older brother or the gracious response of the father-which I think are the real focus areas of the story.
Ken