Why Aren't Christians Better At Agreeing on and Following Biblical Principle?

"Jesus said, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). 

When I read these words, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I can remember many times when I have been shown love and support from my Christian brothers and sisters. Even today, I rely on the relationships I have within the Christian community to help guide me, encourage me, and correct me. I think of these individuals as my extended family. And I have seen the organized church do some amazingly, sacrificial things for the world in the form of charity and support. Most charitable organizations are Christian. We are in the world adopting the orphans, feeding the widows, encouraging those in prison, rescuing the captives, freeing the slaves, and welcoming the alien.

On the other hand, I also have been greatly hurt by other Christians. I have witnessed pride and greed and lust and fearmongering and hatefulness and violence. "68 percent of church-going men and over 50 percent of pastors view porn on a regular basis. Of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76 percent actively search for porn" (Reference). And the #churchtoo movement has brought out many stories of priests, pastors, and church leaders grossly misusing their power to abuse those who trust them, and then of the demonic coverups and victim-blaming. (e.g. Protestant Abuse Scandals & Coverups, Catholic Church Abuse Scandals & Coverups)

When I look at these things, my heart hurts. I have to remind myself that Jesus warned us, saying, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15) and He encouraged us to be as "wise as serpents and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).

The part of me that wants to just go to church and trust those in charge to follow Christ authentically and lead well is checked by the reality that positions of power (even within the church) often breed narcissism and abusiveness. And it is commanded by God that I, as a believer, be aware and critically examine all those who would seek to be my spiritual teachers. And Paul gives us the following example to follow: "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).

Unfortunately, Christians who regularly practice and apply critical thinking skills in the church (by asking tough questions or challenging traditional beliefs) are often demonized and labeled difficult, rebellious, having a "Jezebel" spirit, divisive, critical, and/or uncooperative (especially if that person happens to be female). Granted, there is a constructive way and a destructive way to go about challenging the status quo, but institutionalized religion, by its very structure and culture, discourages any and all critical examination. Indeed, the excuse of "protecting the ministry" has been used again and again to cover up terrible abuses, making it necessary for the victims to suffer in silence and, in some cases, carry all the blame. It is little wonder then that so few people are willing to voice opposition to false or dangerous teachings and practices within their churches (preferring just to leave), and why these evils are allowed to remain and worsen.

In this way, modern power structures associated with organized religion often create situations where wolves are bred, thrive unchecked, and destroy the flock. And while many believers think of their local churches as safe places (and perhaps they are) and call their churches "New Testament churches" or "Bible-based churches," the organized church structures we follow today are NOT based on sound biblical principles. 

I will be exploring this startling claim little by little in future posts, but basically: though the principles of loving one another, generosity, supporting one another, and gathering with other believers are Christ-centered, the way we go about practicing these things is often formulaic instead of Spirit-led and based on pagan or worldly organizational paradigms instead of on how Christ and the apostles set up the early church. We don't recognize this reality because we lack culturally and historically accurate translation and interpretation of Scripture, we refuse to do the research on our own or think critically, and we trust and value Christian tradition far more than Holy Spirit led relationship. When we allow what Jesus intended to be a Holy Spirit led relationship with our Creator turn into a religious, formulaic obligation, we completely miss the point, and we allow in evils that have no place in the body of Christ.

These are some of the frustrations I have with organized religion, as it is today (and I suspect why so many people are leaving the church). So I must ask myself:

Why Aren't Christians Better At Agreeing on and Following Biblical Principle?

After much thought and study, I've identified some of the issues that impede our proper understanding and application of biblical principles:

1. Lack of cultural understanding.

We simply do not understand how biblical people lived and interacted with one another. We don't understand the power structures, the unspoken manners and social skills, or the implicit references. Though much more of this information is available for study, the research is intensive and time-consuming, and few Christians take the time to do it, preferring instead to be spoon-fed by others. So the default position is to read the Bible and interpret it based on our modern, Western culture, which has created a great many flawed or blatantly false teachings. 

EXAMPLE: I have heard it claimed that Jesus and His disciple, John, were involved in a homosexual relationship, based on John 13:25 where it describes John "leaning back against Jesus." To the hyper-sexualized modern American observer, that kind of behavior would indeed indicate sexual intimacy. 

However, it was the custom of Jewish people, while celebrating the Passover, to gather with their families and follow a traditional ceremony of sorts. That ceremony included the washing of hands and feet, sitting down to a meal that consisted of some very specific foods, and gathering around the father to hear him tell the old story of God's deliverance. During this last part, the youngest child would sit on his/her father's lap. 

Jesus had designed His group of disciples like a kind of family--an early example of how the body of Christ (the ekklesia) is supposed to function. And at this final Passover meal, Jesus, a man in his 30s, was acting as father of this family. John was the youngest (probably in his late teens/early twenties). So, when John (by his own volition) leaned against Jesus, he was doing so out of filial devotion and affection and respect, not out of sexual desire. He was honoring a long-held tradition and behaving in a culturally acceptable manner for men of their positions and ages. 

Even today, other countries maintain cultural attitudes about acceptable, hetero-sexual male behavior are vastly different from ours. Heterosexual men in India, for example, hold hands while walking along. Italian men aren't afraid to greet one another with a kiss. Russians kiss one another three times on alternate cheeks in greeting. None of these behaviors are understood to be homosexual advances.

2. Lack of historical understanding.

The biblical people who wrote and received the Scriptural texts were part of a historical time period we will simply never experience for ourselves. They followed different religious and governmental structures. They had different lifestyles and responsibilities. They grew up with different stories and values and perspectives. To assume, then, that what they wrote (for one another, mostly) merely needs to be translated into English for us to fully understand it is incredibly short-sighted (especially given the fact that we rarely even read entire books or passages at a time, preferring instead to dip in for a verse or two at a time.)

EXAMPLE: Most modern churches (both Catholic and Protestant) uphold the stance that women should not be allowed to teach or have authority in church or in the home, and they believe it is a biblical teaching meant for all people, in all places, and at all times. They base this view on I Timothy 2:12. The NIV translates this verse: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet." However, the modern interpretation that negates women from leadership positions is mistaken in at least two ways, and both of these mistakes have to do with a lack of historical understanding and the very specific, historically-centered purpose of this particular passage.

The first mistake is the assumption that early believers belonged to organized churches that resemble ours today--complete with hired pastors/clergy, church buildings, 40-minute sermons, tithing, and a regular order of service. They didn't. In fact, the function of pastor wasn't a hired & trained position. Pastoring (meaning shepherding) might be performed by men or women, and it was fluid--something they did for a while and then moved on to another function, like evangelizing or prophesying or sharing a worship song. (More on that in a later post about pastors and clergy.)

The second mistake we make is by mistranslating and misinterpreting the verse by taking out of its historical context. The passage wasn't a prohibition against any and all women speaking or teaching during the gatherings of believers (which would contradict a great many biblical examples of women praised for doing just that), it was most likely directed at a specific person who was abusing her freedom and bringing pagan pre-gnostic teachings into the body of believers. Given the rest of the letter, the historical setting, the religious atmosphere, and the other textual references, this makes the most sense. Here's a great article by Marg Mowczko that explores this further.

3. Lack of literary understanding. 

Many believers simply don't have a good grasp on what the Bible is. We tend to think of it as one book instead of as 66 different writings by 40 or more authors. We think of it as an English text for modern readers instead of an ancient Hebrew, Aramiac, and Greek text directed at very specific audiences. We think of it as literal and instructional when, in fact, most of it is made up of historical record, poetic pros, parables, and letters. We think of it as "having been written for me," when, in fact, only certain parts were intended as direct messages, and those were addressed to specific people or groups. 

Not all of Scripture is directly applicable today or intended for all groups of people in all places and at all times. Though the facts are generally trustworthy* and teachings about how to be godly and Christ-centered are universally applicable and we can learn a great deal about God's character by reading about how He interacted with biblical people, much of Scripture is bound by culture, time, and place. (So, please don't build an ark or storm Jericho or try to find a donkey colt for Jesus. Those words weren't directed at us.)

4. The language barrier. We do not speak the kind of Hebrew or Greek or Aramaic that was used to write the Bible. And due to our lack of historical and cultural understanding, not one of our modern English Bible translations are 100% accurate. They all contain mistranslated and misleading passages. As a bi-lingual person who has served as a translator on numerous occasions, I am fully aware of how easily this can occur. Those individuals who have translated Scripture and/or created commentaries to interpret Scripture are not one of them without flaws, biases, or prejudices. Though I believe those who have taken on this task, on the whole, have intended to honor God's Word, subconscious errors can and have been made.

5. Pride, Bias, and Self-Centered Motives. Though we may not be aware of our biases or self-centered motives, they are a form of pride and have negatively affected the accuracy of our modern translations. Indeed, even overt, purposeful errors have been made in an effort to make the Bible align more closely with what we think it should say, so that our prejudices and greedy desires can find support in Scripture. This has been going on for millennia. Jeremiah records these words: "How can you say, 'We are wise, for we have the law of the Lord,' when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?" (Jer. 8:8)

EXAMPLE: A recent edition of the "unapologetically complementarian" English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV) has actually added the words to "contrary to" to Genesis 3:16, changing the text from, "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you" (NIV). The ESV changed it to "your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you." And they did this to make the passage appear as if it is man's God-given responsibility to master naturally wayward women.

(Crossway has come under a great deal of criticism for the ESV and has changed their minds on keeping this edition permanent, but little has actually been done to fix the problem. As I write this, the ESV online versions still contain this flaw and many more. More on that HERE.)

MORE EXAMPLES: In the 13th century AD, Aegidius, Archbishop of Bourges, Junia's name to Junias (in Romans 16:7), the masculine form of the name. And in the 16th century, Tyndale's Bible and Theodore of Mopsuestia changed Euodia and Syntyche's names (in Philippians 4:3) to the male forms, Euodias and Sintiches.

6. Reading too much in or leaving too much out.

Reading much in is when we assume the text means far more than it actually does, or that certain writings are far more authoritative than they actually are. We may even go so far as to take abstract principles and turn them into concrete, legalistic practices--in the hope that following extra rules will make us better Christians.

EXAMPLE: During the "400 years of silence" between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament, the Jewish religious elite worked feverishly to supply to the people what they thought God would be saying, if He would've been willing to say it. They created what we call the Mishnah, a collection of oral traditions and writings that dictate and prescribe precisely how Jews were to behave in order to accurately follow the Torah and please God. These intensely legalistic rules were accepted as inspired an authoritative. More on that HERE. We have done the same thing today by creating ridiculously restrictive dress codes (especially for women and girls), by dietary restrictions, or by assuming the denomination we attend is God's favorite.

We also tend to leave too much out. The main way we do this is by simply failing to read or apply Scriptural teachings in their appropriate contexts. We also make this mistake when we don't study the Bible and what it shows us about God's character as a whole.

EXAMPLE: Certain congregations believe it's wrong to use musical instruments to worship God, forgetting that this was a common, biblical practice, and that if God appreciated it in Old Testament times, He would probably appreciate it today. They also seem to forget that biblical teachings on worship in both Old and New Testaments focus on the condition of the heart, not on the style of music itself.

7. Loyalty to tradition. Tradition is an extremely powerful force. It connects us with our past, binds us to our families and communities, and helps us function as full members of the society in which we live. Christianity has incorporated many traditions in the last couple thousand years, some of which have biblical roots and some which do not. Though following tradition can be a very positive thing, sometimes tradition can obscure the fact that the Holy Spirit might be calling us to something different, deeper, and more authentic.

Jesus managed to follow some traditions well (like the Passover, although He certainly made it His own), while completely ignoring others. Being so counter-cultural made Him a target for some pretty nasty treatment, and we each intuitively know that the same thing could happen to us--even within the church--if we question long-held Christian traditions and teachings. Often, the first reaction we will encounter is defensiveness and, in extreme cases, a full out attack.

Our loyalty to our traditions can be so strong that we actually value and trust them more than we trust God's Word or the Holy Spirit's leading. And you will find that many times, the responses you get for asking tough questions are rebukes, pat answers, and proof-texted explanations instead of genuine dialog, biblical research, or prayer. Our loyalty to tradition and our own human-centered understandings often create an inability to humbly consider that the Holy Spirit might have more to teach us in that particular area.

8. Lack of critical thinking skills and logic. The human inability to be impartial and objective or apply logic in a charitable, reasonable way is absolutely epidemic. We argue about everything from which essential oil is the best to who has the most right to hate whatever president happens to be in office. Our arguments are emotional, intellectually dishonest, biased, ignorant, and logically flawed. We allow our pride and desire to win usurp God's call to listen well, be compassionate and empathetic, and hold to the truth. The outcome is a mess of confusion, frustration, and hatefulness that solves nothing and keeps us from learning, building healthy relationships, or hearing from God.

So How Can We Make it Better?

These human failures often lead to grossly mistaken understandings of God's purpose and message in the Bible. This is why we have so many different biblical translations and denominations. This is why formula and tradition has been allowed to usurp Holy Spirit led relationships and authenticity. This is why there is so much division in the body of Christ and such a lack of love and compassion for those outside the body of Christ.

However, I have to remind myself that God is capable of using flawed people to accomplish His purposes. There is still good in the world (His name is Jesus) and eventually He will help us see clearly. In the meantime, if I continue to chase after Him, He will keep showing me more of Himself and He might even use me to bless others along the way. One of my favorite passages is I Corinthians 1:26-31: 

^"Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'"

At the same time, though God can use us despite our flaws, we are NOT called to perpetuate or defend those flaws. II Corinthians 10:5 says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." And, Galatians 5:1 reads, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." And, even in the midst of a discussion on the value of submitting to legitimate authorities (such as government law), Peter tells us: "Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves" (I Peter 2:16). 

Some principles I've landed on through studying God's Word are as follows (in no particular order):

1. Recognize that God is ultimately in control and will have the final say.

2. Do not confuse evil or injustice or favoritism for God's will.

3. Though God can use flawed people and flawed organizations, the flaws themselves are not godly and should be identified and corrected. 

4. Study God's Word, its history, its people, its culture, and its languages, don't force it to say what it doesn't, and don't make assumptions based on modern, Western thinking. 

5. Value one another. Don't bicker about things that don't matter, but don't be afraid to discuss and tackle difficult topics in a charitable, honest way.

6. Don't say false things. If you're not sure, don't say it. Just don't.

7. Ask God for wisdom regularly. He'll deliver. (James 1:5)

8. Never sacrifice authentic, Christ-centered biblical principle for tradition.

Got any more? Feel free to comment.

* Some minor inconsistencies can be found in certain biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments. However, these variations follow what is expected when gathering perspectives or recordings of an event by multiple witnesses or researchers. Therefore, these minute differences in detail actually lend credence to the veracity and historicity of the events themselves.