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Elton Trueblood, the Quaker scholar, once compared evangelism to fire. Evangelism occurs, he said, when Christians are so ignited by their contact with Christ that they in turn set other fires. It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as fire that does not burn is a contradiction.
Christian Theology in Plain Language, 162
Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with them. They ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. They do not want you to be better or worse. When you are with them, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, as long as it is genuinely you. Friends understand those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With them you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities, and in opening them up to friends, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of their loyalty. They understand. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse them, neglect them, tolerate them. Best of all, you can keep still with them. It makes no matter. They like you. They are like fire that purges to the bone. They understand. You can weep with them, sing with them, laugh with them, pray with them. Through it all-and underneath-they see, know, and love you. A friend? What is a friend? Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself.
C. Raymond Beran, in Bits and Pieces, September 19, 1991, pp. 3-4
[Christian Contradictions, Citation: Joseph Roy, Leadership, Vol. 5, no. 4.]
A true Christian is a sign of contradiction--a living symbol of the Cross.
He or she is a person who believes the unbelievable, bears the unbearable, forgives the unforgivable, loves the unlovable, is perfectly happy not to be perfect, is willing to give up his or her will, becomes weak to be strong ... and finds love be giving it away.
IS IT BURNING?
It is easy to determine when something is aflame. It ignites other material. Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out. A church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as a fire that does not burn is a con...
During his days as guest lecturer at Calvin Seminary, R.B.Kuiper once used the following illustration of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility:
I liken them to two ropes going through two holes in the ceiling and over a pulley above. If I wish to support myself by them, I must cling to them both. If I cling only to one and not the other, I go down. I read the many teachings of the Bible regarding God’s election, predestination, his chosen, and so on. I read also the many teachings regarding ’whosoever will may come’ and urging people to exercise their responsibility as human beings. These seeming contradictions cannot be reconciled by the puny human mind. With childlike faith, I cling to both ropes, fully confident that in eternity I will see that both strands of truth are, after all, of one piece.
John Morren.
Mark Noll, noted theologian and author once wrote…
“Over the long course of Christian history, the most depressing thing—because it is repeated so often—has been how tragically far short of Christian ideals we ordinary Christians so regularly fall.
Over the long course of Christian history, the most remarkable thing—because it is such a miracle of grace—is how often believers have acted against the pride of life to honor Christ.
Of all such “signs of contradiction,” the most completely Christlike have been those occasions when believers who are strong—because of wealth, education, political power, superior culture, or favored location—have reached out to the despised, the forsaken, the abandoned, the lost, the insignificant, or the powerless.”
[Mark Noll, quoted in The Case for Faith (Strobel) p. 220.]
Generations Differ Researcher George Barna cites varied generational response to authority (older Americans accept it, Boomers want to control it, Busters ignore it), handling contradictions (elder citizens ignore them, Boomers strive to solve them, Busters appreciate them), and life fears (uselessness worries Seniors; Boomers fear being out of control and powerless; while Busters are troubled by emotional abandonment). (Boiling Point, Barna, Regal, 2001)
It is good to learn early enough that suffering and God are not a contradiction but rather a unity, for the idea that God himself is suffering is one that has always been one of the most convincing teachings of Christianity. I think God is nearer to suffering than to happiness, and to find God in this way gives peace and rest and a strong and courage...
Generations Differ: Researcher George Barna cites varied generational response to authority (older Americans accept it, Boomers want to control it, Busters ignore it), handling contradictions (elder citizens ignore them, Boomers strive to solve them, Busters appreciate them), and life fears (uselessness worries Seniors; Boomers fear being out of control and powerless; while Busters are troubled by emotional abandonment). (Boiling Point, Barna, Regal, 2001)
A Look Into The Future: Barna Research Group has labeled the newest generation of teens Mosaics and predicts they will baffle their elders by exhibiting comfort with contradictions related to spirituality, family, career development, morality, and politics. This generation will also energetically pursue spiritual insights, although they are less likely than the previous generation to feel constrained by traditional theological parameters. Mosaics will continue the Buster tradition of prioritizing personal relationships, although they will not place as high a premium on those relationships. Barna Research studies found that one element common to almost all teens, whether they fall within the tail end of the Buster generation or the front end of the Mosaics, is both curiosity and concern regarding their future. 9 out of 10 think about their future every week. However, only 3 out of 10 feel they are very well prepared for that future. (Barna Research Online 10/8/01)
