Running and Apologetics
Two separate topics combined into one, and neither of these thoughts were written by me. The first is a link to something James wrote yesterday. He writes against what he sees as a devotion to doctrine over love. I have to admit that I’m tired of the same sorts of things. He has a good word way down in the comments thread too: “It is good to seek understanding and pursue correct doctrine, but to hold onto a rabidly entrenched view of secondary concepts just shows a lack of love.”
And on a more encouraging note, the quote below is what Emmet sent to us after we left. These are really good words, especially for anybody who intends to follow God’s call over and above their own comfort or community. They were encouraging to us:
When I was in Africa I was out on a run and some kids started to run along with me. We were smiling at each other and laughing. Eventually they started to drop off a few at a time until I was on my own again. At that moment God told me something cool. He said that we are each on our own run (I’d like to think that we are each running after God), and on that run we sometimes come along side others and we get to run together for a while. As much fun as it is to run with another person or people, it would be wrong to adjust your pace or change you path in order to stick with them. You have to be at peace with your own run and be grateful for the time that you do get to share a path with others that you like or are like. Adam & Cindy, you have your own path, the same as Sean has his and I have mine. I am so happy that our paths connected up the way that they did and for as long as they did. I hope and have prayed that they would link up again in a deeper way and for a longer time. But if they don’t (aside from visits), it’s good to know that we will always be connected.
Adam, Opa taught me an extremely valuable lesson with regard to rabidly pursuing doctrine at the expense of love. Let me pass those words of wisdom on to you. He taught our Sunday School class at FBCLA and when someone tried to shift the train of thought to “secondary issues” he deftly said, “what has that got to do with ushering people into the Kingdom or loving your neighbor as yourself”. I have adopted that in my teaching style. Secondary issues detract from the two most important commandments, (1) love the Lord your God with all your heart, and (2) love your neighbor as yourself.
Good comment. But from all the theological debates that I’ve had, one of the problems stems from the fact that people define ‘primary’ and ’secondary’ differently. How do we know what is primary and what is secondary? (This is an honest question.) How do we determine this?
I was thinking the same thing after I posted this. I think Dad got it exactly right though, primary means (1) love God with everything that you are and (2) love people as you would love yourself. A “rabidly entrenched view of secondary issues” will soon violate one or both of these two principles (the two principles will never violate each other).
Even then there is room for interpretation, which is why I think we must constantly bring each other back to these two principles and we must constantly check ourselves that we are honest and humble before God and man.
I agree, secondary issues get in the way of the spirit too. When we are more convinced of being right w/ correct theology we are often times closed off from what the spirit wants.
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