Christianity and Autonomy

A World of Hate

(1 John 3:13, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, October 9, 2016)

Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

Brothers

So far in this walk through 1 John, the verse that has had the biggest impact on me is 1 John 3:3. It reads, “Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure.” What struck me about that verse is the sanctifying power in a person's life of having what the Bible calls “hope.” Ten verses later, John makes a distinction between those he calls “brothers” (the church) and those he refers to as the world (not the [true?] church). Do these groups have different hopes?

The word “brothers” is one of the most common ways that Jesus and the New Testament authors refer to the church. One good way to distinguish between the church and the world is the content of their hope. The church believes that the Sovereign God who created and upholds all things, sent His own very self, the Son of God, to live and die for us, and to win for His children a new resurrection world that is coming in fullness in the return of Christ. This is the hope that we preach. The world does not believe that. The world may have hope of some kind, but it is not based on the promises of God in the Scriptures with Jesus at the center. We do not do surveys to discover this. It is true by definition. A true profession of faith in Christ includes believing in the Christian hope. Growing in that hope leads to greater purity of life as defined by biblical ethics.

The world hates you.

In 1923, J. Gresham Machen, wrote a blockbuster book that shook the Christian world of his day entitled Christianity and Liberalism. Machen carefully made the case that biblical Christianity and liberal Christianity were not two different forms of Christianity. Liberalism, which rejected key Biblical texts and doctrines was a different faith entirely. Machen was hated by many for making that point. Many wanted to be thought of as Christians even if they did not believe in the virgin birth, the miracles of Jesus, and His bodily resurrection from the grave. Machen knew that there was sure hope in real Christianity and none in liberalism. On his deathbed, he sent this telegram to a friend: “So thankful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.”

Today, the word “liberal” is confusing because of its various historic and political meanings. We now need to make the distinction between Christianity and Autonomy. Christianity is the same faith that it has been for centuries, centered in the Scriptural understanding of beliefs, ethics, and habits of fellowship found in historic statements such as the Nicene Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. This is and always will be Christianity. The world has a different faith. Autonomy insists that my heart and choice must be supreme above all and must be celebrated by all. It is the belief in personal autonomy above every other value. Autonomy rejects a God who would deliver to His people doctrinal and ethical absolutes. Autonomy is unmoved by God's instructions concerning how we communicate with Him and worship Him. I will decide that. In short, autonomy places the individual on the throne where God must always be according to historic Christianity. According to autonomy, “I AM.” This is the absolute. What does the man or woman of autonomy say at the moment of death? I will resist quips. Not funny.

Speaking clearly about these matters, however softly or graciously, may very well lead to anger, just as Dr. Machen's distinction between Christianity and Liberalism yielded much discomfort in the twentieth century. The world does not always appreciate this point of distinction. By the way, the leaders of the world will not necessarily bring us clarity on this matter. Even though we are to be respectful of authorities, we do not believe that just the right leader will make the world into the greatest kingdom of God place. Only Jesus will do that when He comes with the fullness of the resurrection age. Until that day, it should not surprise us that Jesus Himself referred to King Herrod as “that fox,” and that he told His disciples that the rulers of this world like to be called “benefactors” when they used their lordship abusively over other people. Leadership in the church should be different than a worldly grasping for power at all costs. Our King came to give His life as “a ransom for many.” We are called to follow Him, and not any impressive leader who destroys reputations and households for his or her own glory. That kind of me-above-all behavior fits the autonomy creed—not ours. The world's leaders must not be our role models.

Luke 13:31-35

[31] At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” [32] And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. [33] Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ [34] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! [35] Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Matthew 20:20-28

[20] Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. [21] And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” [22] Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” [23] He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” [24] And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. [25] But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. [26] It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, [28] even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 22:24-27

[24] A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. [25] And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. [26] But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. [27] For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Do not be surprised.

Therefore, we are warned that we should not be surprised about Haman-like arrogance and hatred in all its many ugly forms. Such leaders will be humbled. God announced “enmity” in Genesis 3 between the seed of the serpent and the seed of woman. Why be knocked off-course in our Christian commitment when we discover personally that the world hates the church?

What is the right relationship between church and world? If we are to love those who persecute us, where can we find strength to persevere? We can live well even in a dark age of animosity between people who hold to differing views. We cannot do this if our motto is, “Overcome evil with evil.” Nor will it work for us to join autonomy part way in the hope that we can overcome evil by pretending that there is no evil. Paul said “overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) What is the particular evil that you are mourning today? Is there something right and good that you can do to overcome that particular evil with some word or action of positive good?

In the meantime, you may be saddened by what you read about, hear, or see in both the world and the church. So be it. Blessed are those who mourn. Remember, they shall be comforted. It is good for false hopes to be exposed, but don't give up on the Christian hope that sets us on a road of gospel purity. Note Machen's encouragement to readers at the end of his book. There is yet a river in the Christian gospel of hope “that will revive the weary world.” (Machen, p.177)

Old Testament Reading—Esther 6 – The Humiliation of Haman

Gospel Reading—Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.