Been thinking about the phrase ‘half-right’ recently. Jenni posted recently on it here. I guess I’m looking at it from the perspective that I’m reading a lot of “emerging church” stuff these days, and I’m aware that I want to have a balanced perspective on it. I’m kind-of coming from the same perpsective as Jenni, in that some of the stuff I’ve been reading is really helping me incredibly to get new perspectives and the likes, and yet some of it I’m not so sure about. As I’ve been thinking about this, the first thing that tends to pop into mind is Jesus’ words in …
“…whoever is not against us is for us….” [Mark 9]
Then my mind wanders back through thoughts I’ve had, similar to Jenni’s, that if I disagree with some of their teaching, how trustworthy is the rest of it? I don’t think we can write off everything good someone says on the basis of one bad thing they say… everyone’s human, right? We all stumble and fall. We have to test everything.
The philosopher Arthur Holmes once said “All truth is God’s truth.”
I love this truth (yes, I believe it’s truth). When Paul is speaking to the people in Athens, he quotes their own poets and philosophers. It’s important to realise the context here – the Athenians were very learned people, who were always debating the latest theories and philosophies, so the emergence of this new, knowable God that these followers of The Way were speaking about would have been intruiging to them. For Paul, anybody is capable of speaking truth. He takes it and claims it for himself, using it to turn people’s hearts and minds to God.
So I guess my conclusion at the minute is that it’s ok to take and claim truth wherever I find it. But I’m still wrestling. Anyone else got thoughts to share?
[I do not guarantee that this will be my final thoughts on the topic either!]
i think just be carefull, i would probably agree with you that truth is from God, and what some people are saying is truth and thats fine, it doenst mean its all good and true, i wouldt write off everything the person says though,
Truth is, it’s ZEE not ZED…I’m kidding. I think it is our duty as christians to question everything we are taught when it relates directly to Jesus or the Bible. Whenever I hear a new person teach or read a new book, I take a lot of notes…I mean a lot. I will go back a recheck everything I just read to make sure the teaching or reading I am doing/receiving is right on with the Bible. So Emma my little buddy, open your Bible whenever you think a teaching might be a little off and see what the Bible says about it.
I reckon if its a *primary issue* that they have wrong DELIBERATELY then you can disregard everything.
(see pauls letters, where he talks about chucking out false teachers, fraudulent apostles, etc)
If its not a primary issue then its covered by Romans 14 and 1 Cor 8 (verse 9 for jist) and thus not worth the hassle unless you’re discipling or apostling.
If its accidental and a primary issue, and the Word told you that, then we can correct them with humility.
I reckon most of the time if it is a primary issue thats we can disregard the teaching and depose the teacher.
however most of the time when we want to do this we just dig our heels in and convince ourselves its a primary teaching when its actually not.
Thanks for the comments guys, appreaciate it! All of you have affirmed my ‘test everything’ comment, so at least we know I’m on the right tracks!