becoming

1. Anson

   Thanks Edmund for the reminder. It’s something worthwhile to reflect on.

   However, I have another problem arising.
   Sometimes we hear from these famous people (blackaby, rick warren, bill bright…etc) in their books, asserting some so-called spiritual “truths”. They say it almost as a matter of fact, like laws, governing every single situation. However, I just came to ponder, where are the grounds, and if they are even biblical based? Are these spiritual “truths”? Or are they just merely “inferences”? How do we discern these statements? As I know saying something assertively doesn’t guarantee it is true.

   What do you think?

   Jul 16th, 2006

2. edmund

   I posted this not because I think the above statement is true, but rather I am currently going through the truthfulness of God through this statement.

   At the same time, we also need to know that something we have not experienced (yet) does not guarantee it is false neither.

   Jul 16th, 2006

3. Anson

   Oh I’m sorry if it is misunderstood. I do not have any intent to challenge what you have posted. It has nothing to do with the validity of your post at all (and I’m sure you do have your valid reasons to post something you find meaningful to reflect on).

   Rather, my question is actually a seperate off-tangent topic. I would just like to ask for your advice, of how should I react to some of these spiritual “assertions”, because I lack the discerning power, and this is a problem that has bothered me for so long. These are things that I need to critically think about during this time of studies. I don’t want to sweep them aside and leave it.

   Could you share some of your insights please?

   Jul 16th, 2006

4. edmund

   I understand what you are saying. Please see my next post for a bit of my explanation.

   As for your question, the simple answer is “keep reading the bible”. I think it is only fair to discern what someone said is biblical or not if a person first get a hold on what the bible actually says.

   The “anglican” answer is of course the famous three-legged stool of scripture, tradition and reason. But I think I have already heard your objections……

   Jul 16th, 2006

5. Stephen

   I think the writings of theologians or christian writers, no matter how assertive they are, are only their interpretation of God’s truth. They would not consider those as laws or facts or truth itself.

   Considering God’s truth is a cube in 3-dimension and individual human-beings are all spread out in space. Everybody can see the cube in one specific angle, but nobody can see all the faces: this is man’s limitation. As a body of Christ, each of us should share what we see to let other people know what they can’t see: this is God’s will.

   God’s truth is a living truth that needs to be experienced in the lives of individuals. As in the quoted passage, I read it as some precipitation of life experience the author had. We could get a taste of it and not necessarily a 100% understanding. Yet only a taste could be inspiring.

   How I would take christian writings like this? In scientific terms: an approximation of Truth. In poetic terms: a shadow of Truth.

   Jul 16th, 2006

6. Anson

   Putting the whole thing into context does sound a lot different. I’m glad that your health has recovered and hope you may rest well after all of these things… life of a full time minister really isn’t easy.

   Anyways, thank you and Stephen for the advice. I think I need some time to contemplate on this matter.

   Actually if we start talking about experience, I think I’m even more confused. I have once been “scolded” by a hard-core evangelical pastor/scholar, telling me experience is a very dangerous thing and we absolutely cannot build theology on experience, and that we should always remain skeptical about all our experiences because the heart is so wicked beyond imagination. I’m still in a state of shock and confusion, and this pastor’s scolding did leave some terror in my heart. I really hope I can sort these things out in the coming few years. I must.

   Anyways, let’s leave it for now.

   Jul 17th, 2006

7. edmund

   “They would not consider those as laws or facts or truth itself.” — Stephen, I think you are wrong this time, because I do know some authors who really do think their lens are so transparent and what they say are THE laws/facts/truth.

   But at the same time, in a consumer society like ours, all we need to do is not to buy their books.
   ;-)

   Guys, consider I just recover, please spare me from this potential vigorous debate on Christian experience and theology. All I want to say is that Christian experience must come before theology (notice I say theology, NOT revelation). It is not so to give supremacy to experience, but to remind us that we are, first of all, receiver of the truth, not the giver.

   Only then, can we do theology properly.

   And what is the task of theology? The task of theology is to interpret the revealed.

   Jul 17th, 2006

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