|
Scripture~John 1.1-5 (NLV)
1 The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 He made all things. Nothing was made without Him making it. 4 Life began by Him. His Life was the Light for men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness. The darkness has never been able to put out the Light.
Wisdom Story
A group of pilgrims arrived at a tall mountain at the top of which they were told was hidden unparalleled riches. Anxious to reach the riches, they sought for a path to climb the mountain. They soon discovered there were many paths.
At the foot of each path they came across, locals all confirmed this particular path was the best. Indeed, they claimed only this path would take a pilgrim to the top of the mountain.
The pilgrims became confused over what group of locals was right? One or two more adventurous and bolder spirits took the nearest path. They walked a little way up. Reaching a plateau, they heard someone call, faintly, from the top of mountain.
These pilgrims rushed back down to the rest of the group to tell the message given them. On reaching the others, they were joyful in telling them that it was all right, they need not be worried; for the message, they said, was, "All the paths lead to the top of the mountain."
The pilgrims were overjoyed and walked round the mountain telling the good news to all the varied groups of locals at the foot of each path. They told each that while they were right about their particular path, the same was true for all the other paths. Of course, they received a mixed reception.
|
|
The group continued to travel round the mountain rejoicing in their new-found knowledge. Of course, some disbelieving locals noticed that the group never actually traveled to the top of the mountain.
Those who had returned from the plateau had not realized something. In the difficult conditions in which they had heard the voice, they had missed hearing part of it. Perhaps it was due to the howling of the wind. And, of course, the voice was faint, coming from a long way.
What was the full message? "All the paths lead up the mountain. So, come up by one of them."
Comments
From the early Church comes teaching that the "seed of Christ" is in other religions and philosophies. However, and rightly, maintaining that the Gospel is true in its singularity of special, specific, and providential manifestation of the Christ Event, through the life, death, and resurrection of the Living Word.
Therefore, most of the Church has committed a sin against the general revelation of Providence. How? We have esteemed all general revelation of God, in truth, and in love, joy, and peace, to those outside our faith as amounting to a total ignorance of the Source Itself. In this, we have sinned against God, the Source of all Good, Good Itself. We have ill-treated those who have been drawn by Christ to know God~thinking we know God better simply because of an avowed confession to the special revelation~apart from the faith called the Christian faith. We have esteemed multitudes of persons, likely many of whom know Christ better than most who claim directly to know Him~but know him in head, and apart from the very qualities of Him~as lost to Christ and, therefore, to a loving, merciful God. This is the same as saying the qualities of Christ in such persons are lost to Christ, for one cannot absent Christ from a person without absenting the qualities of Christ. This is abhorrent teaching, and it is not only nonspiritual and illogical, it is a violation of the Love of Christ.
Continued... |
