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Renewing the Restoration 06/11/2010

"Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments,

I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen." - Martin Luther, Diet of Worms, 17 April 1521

During my brief time as a Presbyterian I heard the phrase "always reforming" ( ecclesia semper reformanda ) thrown around. This, of course, referred to the idea that the Protestant Reformationwasn't something completed in the past, but rather an ongoing process. Though ground had beengained, much more remained to be done. Later, as I became more involved with the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement churches (Christian Churches/Churches of Christ) I learnedthat the early leaders of this American reformation saw themselves as continuing the work of theProtestant Reformation. Some even believed they were completing it. I would like to suggestwhat really should be obvious. There needs to be a renewal and furtherance of the Restoration.

The Protestant Reformation in Europe challenged the papal domination of all matters spiritual,placing the canonical scriptures back in their rightful place as the source of authority forChristians. The doctrines of grace and faith were rediscovered and much of the Bible was readin light of the struggle against earthly centralized relgious authority that claimed monopoly oversalvation. This re-reading was often quite flawed and tendentious, leading the reformers to makepronouncements citing passages that frequenly had little to do with the subject at hand. In anyevent, ground was gained, despite errors of both moral and theological natures.

In the heady, democratic free air of the United States, where no single version of Christianitywas given official approval, voices began to be raised calling both for an end to sectarianism anda return to the simple nature of the New Testament church. Unity was emphasized along withfidelity to sacred writ. In this process of deepened study and rigorous debate the truth wasuncovered that baptism by immersion is not only a sign of discipleship, but the point at whichremission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit is applied to the life of the believer (Acts 2:28).Over the following decades, stretching out over nearly two centuries, the key hallmarks of this

restoration movement have been the necessity of baptism, weekly communion and local churchleadership by elders. While there have been serious differences over many points of faith andpractice, including these three I just mentioned, they have nevertheless remained prominentcharacteristics of this fellowship.

We are at a point now where I would like to suggest that a renewed restoration is needed, a firmcommitment to the idea of "always reforming." We can't possibly believe that any of usindividually or all of us collectively have arrived at a thorough understanding of all that God hasto tell us in His Word. Without leaving behind the teachings of faith, grace, baptism and biblicalchurch order, it is perhaps even past time for us also to gain an understanding for andappreciation of three inter-related areas of biblical doctrine: justic, resurrection and NewHeavens/New Earth.

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke,

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to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with thehungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them,and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and

your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help,

and he will say, Here I am. If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger,the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday." - Isaiah 58:6-10NRSV

We who concern ourselves so deeply with being correct about how we organize ourselves aschurches have, with some brilliant exceptions, done a rather poor job of taking seriously the callto living justly. God regularly and consistently called his people, Israel, to look out for the poor,the aliens, the widows and orphans. In the New Testament Jesus lived and died with his messageof passive resistence to evil, a third way that neither fights directly nor runs from the oppressor.He had compassion on those around him and healed them. The first century church apparently

kept a list of widows who received assistance. If God's chosen fast is mercy and kindness,setting free the oppressed, how can we consume ourselves with endless morbid debates aboutwords and chasing after faddish gimmicks to achieve "church growth"?

"Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, inthe twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will beraised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put onimperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts onimperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be

fulfilled: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, Odeath, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be toGod, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, besteadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the

Lord your labor is not in vain." - 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 NRSV

If you blinked you might have missed it. Notice how the passage above, from a section of Paul'sfirst letter to the Christians in Corinth that focuses on the resurrection of the dead, comes to aclose. After a long discourse about how our future hope is not a disembodied, ghostly existencein the afterlife but instead a more-real-than-real bodily resurrected condition, the apostle Paulreminds us that our work done in Christ's name is not in vain. There is deep meaning hear thatwe have not yet begun to tap.

"But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, whererighteousness is at home." - 2 Peter 3:13 NRSV

In hymn after hymn and sermon after sermon, all I hear is about dying and going to heaven. Thehope of salvation held out in most Gospel presentations is dying and going to heaven. This is notthe hope we are given in the Scriptures.

From Abraham's promised land to the New Testament's closing description of the New

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Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, the hope of believers has not been an escape fromsupposedly evil physical existence. In fact, it is a gnostic belief, foreign to the teachings of theapostles and prophets, that supposes there is anything wrong with matter. The Bible speaks of God creating the heavens and earth and calling it all "very good." In Jesus, God the Son took truly human form, dying as such and being raised from the dead, and in that same body was

received back into the throne room of God.

The Christian hope is not death, judgment and then heaven. It isn't even death, resurrection, judgment and heaven. The Christian hope is dying (and going to be with Christ), resurrection, judgment and New Heavens/New Earth.

The teachings of justice, resurrection and New Heavens/New Earth must be restored to thechurch. As we commit ourselves to correctly teaching and living out the hope we have receivedin Christ, through faith, repentance and baptism we will find ourselves and the Lord's churchrenewed in power and purpose.

"We are now erelong to part asunder, and the Lord knoweth whether I shall live ever to see your faces more. But whether the Lord hath appointed it or not, I charge you before God and Hisblessed angels to follow me no farther than I have followed Christ. If God should reveal anythingto you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive anytruth of my ministry, for I am very confident the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forthout of His holy word." - Rev. John Robinson, in his farewell message to the Pilgrimsdeparting for the New World, 1620