A Move Toward Unity; A Right Way and A Wrong.

Can we agree that the Judeo-Christian community is anything but living out the unity to which we were called to live?  What has led to the disharmony we see today?  Is Christ really that hard to miss in the prophecies of the Old Testament?  Was God really creating an entirely new religion?  How have we become what we have become?  And what are our chances of becoming what we were called to be?

If we would look back and see that the “reformation” movement had major theological flaws, what could be done at this point to set the Protestant faiths back onto a proper course?  Would Catholicism open up its heart to embrace the correction?  Is there a course that God could use in a more powerful way as He attempts to lead the Jewish people into embracing Jesus as the promised Messiah?  Has the protestant reformation made the concept of such a theologically driven correction impossible?  Are Judaism, Catholicism, and Christianity too far apart to ever be reconciled?  Is the unity that Jesus prayed for an impossible dream?

You see, there are two directions we can go in our quest to answer these questions.  We can either move more toward the world, or further from it.  Right now the Judeo-Christian communities are in the midst of an identity crisis.  Who do we want to be?  Do we want to be like the world, living like the world, and feeling secure in our relationship with God through our good works and demonstration of love through a coexistent agenda?  Or, do we want to look as different from the world as possible, feeling secure in our relationship with God based on our faith in Him and His ways?

Are we capable of seeing how it is possible to show love, extend love, and meet people where they are, while still not embracing what they embrace?  We must see that there are two opposing forces that are attempting to draw us to the unity discussed in this blog.  The first is Satan as he is attempting to lead us to what would appear to be the easy way.  The second is God who is trying to lead us in the direction that appears to be impossible.

We are in the midst of another great transition in God’s plan for redeeming this world from the death of sin.  He is in the process of bringing us back into the unity for which we were called to live and the world is pushing us to live in unity with how they want to live.  God’s people will become divided as the battle between these opposing forces wages on.  Fortunately, this is not the first time this has happened.  Through the historical record we are given confirmation and understanding as to which side we must choose to stand.

In 331 BC Alexander the Great began his campaign to conquer the areas of the Middle East from Persia.  As he gained control of areas his political mentality would be to “encourage” the people to embrace the Greek-Macedonian philosophy of life.  Scholars have named this process “Hellenism”.   After Alexander’s death, Israel came under the control of Syria-Mesopotamia for the next 200 years.  This system of governance used financial and political incentives to negotiate cooperation with the elite members of the conquered lands.  As such, those that were willing to become sufficiently Hellenized had great potential for political gain.  As time progressed, more and more of the religious identity was lost under the influence of the Hellenistic agenda.  In 167 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes along with the Hellenized ruling elite moved to convert the Temple into a pagan shrine and eradicate distinct Jewish practices.  As recorded in 1Maccabee 1:41-50, anyone who was not willing to “make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances” would be put to death.  Fortunately, a priest by the name of Mattathias and his five sons led a guerilla-style revolt against the Syrian forces.  With God’s help, they were victorious and were able to purify and rededicate the Temple.  This victory is what the festival of Chanukah is all about.

As I watch what is happening in the church I can’t help seeing these same patters playing out today.  Based on history I already know where it will lead us.  Every day the Judeo-Christian populace is becoming more and more Hellenized to the world around us.  We are being pressured into moving away from our identity in God, His ways, and His Truths.  Just like before, God is waiting for His remnant to stand up, come together, and drop our own attachments to the world and come together in the form for which we were called to be.

Earlier in this blog I said that there are two ways to go about bringing unity to God’s people.  The first is to move closer to the ways of the world.  This is appears to be the easy way.  It lacks courage, and denies our identity as His people.  The second takes courage.  It holds onto our identity in Him, and it is willing to risk everything for the purpose of showing His true face to the very people that are attacking us for not becoming like them.

This second group is the true elites of God.  They have been the ones who have carried His flag through the great transformations in His redemptive plan for this world.  They are the ones who have trusted Him, trusted in His ways, and have been willing to fight for the right to live in harmony with the way of life that He calls His Word.  The early disciples were these kinds of people as they fought intense persecution as the opposing religious leaders attempted to lead them into the same political agendas for which they participated.

The church is going to be torn in half over this issue.  The wheat will choose God’s ways and the tares will chose the worlds.  It really is that simple.  The time of being lukewarm is over.  God is forcing our hand.  So given the choice what will you choose?  Do you have the courage to stand up and fight for your right to live God’s ways, to hold onto His Word, and to embrace His identity over the ways of the world?  I pray that you do and that you allow the story of Mattathias and his five sons to give you the faith to know that when we are on God’s side, anything is possible.

I pray that this blog has been inspirational, eye opening, and has challenged you to see life in a new way.  I pray that you have a blessed week and that God blesses the work of your hands.  Amen.