Incarnational Pattern

I’m beginning to pray that we can eradicate our propensity to categorize people or put them into appropriate “camps”. Labeling has become such an insipid form of placing people into our perceptual boxes, no wonder they and we actually start to reside in those spaces. As often as I attempt to avoid using a label for a person, administration, movement, etc..; I can’t help but to find myself falling back into the very thing I am running from. So I hesitate, mumble under my breath and use those words that have become so empty, words like “conservative”, “traditional”, “liberal”, “progressive” and better yet attach a fitting prefix such as “Neo-” or “Ultra-”. It just doesn’t do the person or my sense of understanding any justice [see Luke 6:37], in fact, it actually hinders my own comprehension of that person’s character. This is probably most prevalent in regards to theological, social and political contexts. It is true though, we eventually start to live up to our labels (if we agree with them). And those labels never do so much harm as they do in the midst of our congregations. This is why I believe that Myron Augsburger’s article best identifies with this Third Way that should be present in our faith journeys; even though I don’t necessarily agree with his labels. I, considering myself to be a lib... (dammit I’m doing it again)! Oh never mind! Here is my response to his first issue: New Birth.

Where in scripture is there an emphasis that our salvation is a sign-sealed-delivered one-time experience? Is not our journey of faith a daily surrender and transformation to the image and identity of Jesus? When did it become such an emotional and one-time event as so prevalent the thought in today’s church? I read once that the term “born again” was a phrase that was not used hardly if ever before the 19th century, it became a prominent “catchphrase” in the American South starting around that time. It seems that for the modern church and it’s understanding of “rebirth” should in some form parallel our physical birth, full of blood, sweat, pain and tears. Is this the only “authentic” conversion experience? Does it get any more emotional than to be in the delivery room at the moment a child is born? Maybe not, then again I wouldn’t know, since I have not yet experienced this joy and grace as a father. Why are people who are raised in the church, who don’t have a conversion moment (even though most would probably say that there were a series of moments) viewed with some skepticism? I wholeheartedly believe that our conversion and transformation into the image of Christ is something that happens initially once (or better said when we become aware of it) and then is a regeneration process for the rest of our lives. If we ever believe that we have truly attained our salvation then maybe that is precisely when we are in danger of losing it (Luke 5:31-32). For truly Paul understood it when he said that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). Not just once, but for our whole lives!