Hey friends! Hope you had a great week. Here are this week’s questions:
Chapter 4: Fixing What Isn’t Broken
*In this chapter, Alisa lays out several reasons that can lead to a person questioning his/her faith:
- abuse
- doubt
- moral demands
- trouble with the Bible
- new philosophies (ex: critical theory)
- hyperfundamentalism (legalism)
- suffering
Have any of these listed affected your faith? Are there other reasons why a person may begin to question faith?
*“Jesus requires everything of everyone” (pg. 54). What does this statement mean to you and how does this idea affect your faith?
Chapter 5: A Different Kind of Christianity
*“As I’ve learned, progressive Christianity is not simply a shift in the Christian view of social issues. It’s not simply permission to embrace the messiness and authenticity in Christian life. It’s not simply a response to doubt, legalism, abuse, or hypocrisy. It’s an entirely different religion- with another Jesus-and another gospel” (pg. 76). The author lays out the basic beliefs progressive Christians share regarding the Bible, the cross, and the gospel. Do you agree with her conclusion that this is another gospel? Is it shocking to discover this belief within the Christian church?
*Contrast the rule of faith (summarization of the early essential Christian belief that is laid out on page 91) with the progressive version of the gospel (pg. 92). What is most striking to you about their differences?
Chapter 6: Nothing New Under the Sun
*The author lists various heresies that have existed since the church began. Does it comfort you to know that there has been heretical views from the beginning? Or in your opinion, is that more frightening? Why or why not?
*Why is it so important that nothing be added to or subtracted from Jesus? Do you feel that current church culture is adding or subtracting? Does this have anything to do with the current times we live in (i.e. social justice, thoughts on homosexuality, etc.)?
Scripture of the Week
Matthew 7:15-16
Prayer of the Week
Father God, Thank You for Your truth. We are sheep and it is a comfort to know that You are aware of the wolves that are out there. Would you help us to discern what Your truth is and to be diligent to seek truth? Help us to be watchful and not to add or subtract anything from Jesus. Help us to stand firm on Your Word and not be swept up in cultural ideas that take us away from You. Thank You for Your faithfulness to us. We love You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
For Next Week
*Read Chapters 7-9
Have a great weekend, friends!
Wow – this book is blowing my mind! 😆 There is so much information to process; the author is doing an amazing job dissecting real Christianity and providing practical examples of what it is not.
One of the “aha!” moments for me in Chapter 4 was when I read about unbelief and doubt: “But biblical faith is not a blind leap; it involves knowledge – that God has spoken and is trustworthy…Unbelief is a decision of the will, but doubt tends to bubble up within the context of faith.” (Page 49)
Similar to what the author mentioned, I grew up believing I was supposed to take the biblical teaching at face value and accept it only by a blind faith – doubting was not an option.
But doubt is something that can affect faith, as it has mine, and there have been a number of times suffering has come, influencing my doubt which in turn has influenced my faith.
Only God knows everything, and He only reveals what He decides to reveal to us (collectively or individually). Proverbs 3:5-6 makes it clear that we are not to lean on our own understanding (because, most importantly, God knows best 😉, but also because 1) we either will understand in light of our own perception, which is flawed almost 100% of the time 😆 or 2) we just won’t/can’t understand period).
With that being said, complete understanding is simply not possible all the time, and therefore, being unsure is – should be – normal and not discouraged.
However, that doesn’t mean we are to stay in doubt…we are to seek and find the answers based on the real Truth.
I love the quote on page 54: “If someone thinks the gospel has somehow slotted into their life quite easily, without causing any major adjustments to their lifestyle or aspirations, it is likely that they have not really started following Jesus at all.”
On the one hand, if I accept it all at face value and never question anything, am I even following Christ because He makes us new creatures?! On the other hand, if I have doubt and dismiss it, essentially I dismiss Jesus as well – I am saying I know better and don’t want to work out or work through any discomfort. Ignorance may be bliss, but it only works in one’s favor for so long.
We can fight ourselves and God for awhile, and until we realize the truth of what He requires: that it is for our good, we will continue fighting.
Ironically, what we require of ourselves we usually don’t achieve even though it’s our own standard we’re measured against. God’s standard is perfection, which we can’t achieve on our own either, but He’s made a way: Jesus. 🤗
It’s crazy to stop and think how we make it extremely difficult on ourselves when we create other gospels, like progressive Christianity, because the Truth is already here, and yet, we try to reinvent the wheel! 🤪
It is comforting to know there were heretical views at the beginning of Christianity because it shows how much we want control. When we add or subtract from Jesus, it shows our control issues. We need to daily take a step back from ourselves and see Jesus for who He really is: the answer to ALL our questions, ALL our needs. We don’t need to create different versions of Him; we need to allow Him to create different versions of us!
I agree with you and definitely think that we need to have room for doubt. It seems as I’ve gone deeper in faith it’s almost always been after a crisis of faith, a time of doubting, and then a deeper affirmation that He is truth. I think you made a good point too that we shouldn’t dismiss doubt because we should continue to wrestle with it so we don’t dismiss Jesus in it. It can be uncomfortable and really difficult but it’s worth it. I think that’s where progressive Christianity finds people- in the midst of that wrestling and it gives them a pat answer, or an answer that allows them to just pick and choose what they like and throw away what they don’t. But it looks like this sort of thing has been happening since the Church began! That actually brings me comfort too because attacks on Christianity have always happened and we don’t have to be surprised or taken aback by it. It’s sad and difficult, but it’s nothing new. I love how you ended with needing to allow Him to create different versions of ourselves. We’re the ones who need to change, not Him! If we could just remember that and hold onto His character, I think we’d work it out and progress in our faith and not out of it.