"If it’s not about Jesus, it’s not about anything"
(Motto of the Fountain of Life)
There are many types of theology: liberation theology, feminist theology, the social justice gospel, health and wealth gospel, historical theology and more. The type of theology used guides the content of sermons, bible studies and religious teachings. A theology of the Cross could naturally focus on sin and it’s consequences. A feminist theology could focus on issues of women’s rightful status in religious life. The key word is “focus.” All of these theologies include correct Trinitarian concepts but those concepts are employed to support the position of the preferred theology used.
Very many theologies place a focus on asking what is god, his nature and attributes (ontology) and how are we saved (soterology). Trinitarians also discuss both what god is and how salvation works. However, the overwhelming focus is placed on the who of salvation. Knowing how does not make salvation work. As an example consider that the how may tell me conclusively that the rapture occurs before Christ returns. The how may tell you conclusively that the rapture occurs after Christ returns. The how does not tell either of us if Christ returns for us. The who is the important question. It is Jesus and our relationship with him. The who makes salvation work.
Well over a generation ago, Swiss theologian Karl Barth defined Trinitarian Theology. It took him 35 years, 13 books and 6 million words. Please don’t laugh when I try to define it in a paragraph or two. Trinitarians look upon scripture, it grand themes, doctrines, words etc. and define them through the focus of Jesus Christ.
That focus on Christ includes three important elements.
1. Who is Jesus?
2. What is our relationship with Him?
3. What is His relationship with us? Relationships, participation are very important in Trinitarian thought.
In Christ’s relationship to us He has confessed our sins and paid the total restitution for them. He has reconciled everyone to the Father and He has done everything to accomplish everyone’s salvation. We do not need to do anything to effect our salvation. In fact we are unable to do anything to effect our salvation. It is a free gift of grace. This truth often leads to the accusation that Trinitarians make Salvation too easy. If Christ did it all, critics fear that Trinitarians remove all deterrence from sin and that many will abuse grace and “sin boldly” or as much as they want. Some call this Easy Believism and insist that there be additional safeguards to grace such as legalism, ascetic living, or having the correct doctrine, etc. There is a flaw in this line of reasoning. These critics tacitly assume that they perfectly understand grace and God’s justice. In addition they assume the responsibility to protect God’s justice from manipulation. That assumes that God is incapable of rendering perfect justice to all because perhaps He has boxed Himself into a judicial corner with His grace. Let us examine this further under the focus of relationships.
EASY BELIEVISM?
The man has a defined the friendship and the biological relationship in his head. He receives parenthood and friendship freely, but he treats them cheaply. But he does not feel the meaning in his heart. Do we enter friendships or parenthood to obtain license to behave cheaply?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian. He was executed by Adolph Hitler during WWII. He wrote this: “Grace is free, but it is not cheap.” What this means in reference to relationships is that we enter marriage to unite and be faithful, not as a cheap excuse to live separately and be unfaithful. We join a baseball team to play the game, not as a cheap excuse to bet on the game while lounging at a bar. We join a relationship with Christ to live His life in us and that is not always easy, but it is not a cheap excuse to sin.
In the first blush of marriage we desire very much to please our spouse. It is a initiative to serve. In the first blush of parenthood we desire very much to nurture our child. It is a initiative to serve. With any best friend we want to spend quality time with them because we like them very much. Friendship is the initiative to serve. With those very common relationships as examples, how can anyone say that we enter a relation with Jesus to sin all we want. How can anyone say that unless they do not experience the person of Jesus in their heart? When entering a true relationship with Jesus Christ, there is a desire to serve and a desire to avoid sin.
The Apostle John tells us that we can enter a relationship with Christ and still we will sin. But that unpleasant reality is very different from the focus of those who enter a relationship with Christ and believe the premise that “We can enter into a relationship with Christ and we can sin all we want against Him.” That is not an authentic relationship with Christ. There is a defect in the believer’s belief. Anyone thinking that they can sin with impunity because Christ paid the total price against sin does not see Christ’s sacrifice as the ultimate act of God’s love (a relationship). That person only sees Christ’s sacrifice as a removal of deterrence (a work - a how). That person does not regard Christ’s sacrifice with gratitude; they regard it as an accounting transaction. That person does not see Christ as a person, but as a Salvation event. That person is not interested in pleasing Christ, but in pleasing themselves. That person has a relationship with an idol of Christ not the reality of Christ.
Yes, there are people who believe they are saved and believe they can and do sin with impunity. This point is very important: the cause of this condition is NOT Trinitarian Theology. The cause of this condition is the heart and understanding of those people. It is not my position here to speculate on how Jesus chooses to deal personally with those people who have a delusion regarding sin. It is not important or necessary for me to know. It is my position to point out to them that when we view Jesus’ sacrifice primarily as removing deterrence from sin we focus upon His work. That places us in an accounting or business relationship with Him. That is a limited and degraded relationship from the relationship He desires for us. That limited relationship either sears our conscience against sin, or leaves us with constant fear and anxiety about loosing Christ when we sin again. When we view Jesus’ sacrifice with awe and gratitude and reverence we focus upon His person. That places us in a personal relationship with Him. That is an unlimited and full relationship with Him. That frees us from fear and anxiety. Reverend Todd Crouch of the FOL puts is this way: “A relationship with Christ makes us realize that all of our trials, difficulties or persecutions are only temporary. Knowing that is freedom.”
To paraphrase GCI Theologian Dr. Gary Deddo, “A relationship with Christ takes a very in-depth grasp of who Jesus is. What is His heart, mind, purpose, and ways? As we see who He is, what He has done and is doing in us, we want to be with Him. We see then that obedience is a fellowship with Christ so that when I see the things that He is doing I want to do those things; I want to get involved. The whole of Christian life is our fellowship with Christ; our obedience is getting involved in the things He is doing. If He is concerned with the poor I want to get involved. If he is concerned about preaching the word I want to get involved because that is where He is.”
Brethren, we want to get involved because Jesus is there, not because the bible commands or even teaches it. It might sound like a very subtle difference, but it is profound. It is the difference between relationship and legalism. The purest of legal motives do not supplant or equal the personal relationship with Jesus.
CONCLUSION
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Trinitarians know that everybody is already, right now, in a strong, loving, grateful and joyful relationship with Jesus. That is grace; that is Jesus’ relationship with us. And we earnestly pray and desire that the whole world will realize that fact. Not surprisingly, as Dr. Deddo indicated above, being in a personal relationship with someone whom we recognize as a dear friend, sovereign Lord and loving Savior inspires a desire to serve rather than offering an excuse to sin.
The Scriptures, as literature, impart empirical knowledge of words or themes to the mind of man as does any book. That means there is the possibility for honest and correct empirical theologies. The Scriptures, as lively oracles infused with the Holy Spirit, impart Jesus’ vicarious and spiritually participatory life into the soul of man. Our relationship with Him is simply accepting that participation in Jesus’ life; and it is life changing, not sin inspiring.
Brethren, may the grace of God our Father and the peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus be with you all. Amen.
Rev. George Relic, Asst. Pastor, Fountain of Life Church,
Washington, PA:
A congregation of Grace Communion International
