Anyone who banks on having every aspect of their “theology” 100% correct as the measure of their salvation is 100% out of luck. Although this is a widely held assumption that underlies a significant percentage of debate within the church, it is often masked behind clever spiritual language about “defending the truth” –  but unfortunately, it leaves us to face the difficult reality that 99% accuracy is 100% failure.

Now, I love studying the scriptures, and have done so for many decades. For me, this meant reading hundreds of books and articles, digging into historical context, looking at specific words and their nuances in Greek and Hebrew lexicons, etc. I see great value in spending time understanding the trajectory of this multi-vocal collection of books we call the Bible, and the  overarching narrative of Christ that it so brilliantly portrays. There’s a reason why it’s worth exploring the best-selling book of all time!

But look at the wars, violence and conflicts that its defenders have caused over the centuries, and the negative, most likely accurate, impressions (harsh judgmentalism, hypocrisy, exclusion, etc.) that many currently have about the way the church has positioned itself in the world. And internally, there are over 41,000 denominations, all with recorded memberships, all who believe that they have come to the correct understanding on certain aspects of the scriptures.

Perhaps God’s people have lost the plot somewhere along the way, as the World-Encompassing Good News of the Gospel has been hijacked and turned into a contest of who’s right and who’s wrong.

Pastor and author Greg Boyd shared a great story that illustrates this point well, and it struck a chord with me.

He told of a debate he had with an atheist held before a large crowd. He was well prepared, and proceeded to demolish his opponent, winning the contest hands down. Many rushed the stage afterwards to congratulate him, but all he remembers is turning to the other podium and seeing the dejected atheist, rifling through his index cards, wondering where he went so wrong. 

He then told of another similar debate, held months later, with another atheist… only this time, it was Greg who got destroyed. He had anticipated the wrong questions, and his opponent clearly got the better of him. This time, the crowd rushed up to the stage to congratulate his opponent, and it was Greg left looking down at his index cards in defeat. He was feeling the weight of “letting God down.”

After a few minutes, a few in that audience came up to Greg, wanting to talk with him. They said they were struck by his humility and honesty. They said they felt like God was there. They said they wanted to explore a relationship with Christ because of the exchange that evening. 

Greg was floored. And humbled. He saw something deeper than the content of the debate. 

So did I. I used to immerse myself in the study of Christian apologetics, arming myself to the hilt with irrefutable data-bombs and evidence-ammunition to battle against those who held to other belief systems. I didn’t “win” a single person over to Christ using this method, and in fact many likely walked away even more convinced of their own beliefs. What was I even thinking?

God, forgive me. I wanted my ‘certainty’ to serve as the tool that persuaded people that You were True.

God, teach us Your ways!

I’ve come to recognize the weight of this statement: ONLY Jesus is perfect theology, the full and perfect revelation of God, the true and accurate exegesis of His character. No one has seen the Father, except for the Son. I believe it comes down to embracing a childlike trust in the character of God as revealed to us in Christ, as opposed to trusting in our own understanding, or the correctness of our individual beliefs and doctrines. It’s His Life and Love that He freely shares with us that makes all the difference, not the pinpoint accuracy of every doctrinal detail in our spiritual arsenal.

As the old hymn says:

“My hope is built on nothing less

       Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

 I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

       But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

 On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

       All other ground is sinking sand.”

We will ALL find one day that we were gloriously wrong in some key aspect of our doctrines/beliefs. Christ, and the Story He has included us into, will exceed our greatest imagination in every way possible. His love, holiness, mercy, justice, grace, wrath and wisdom will surpass our most eloquent descriptions in ways that drop our collective jaws to the earth. 

I hope we can agree on this.

Certainty doesn’t require faith. But faith and mystery make for excellent Dance Partners.

Also, the ONLY people Jesus threatened severely while here were those that thought they had arrived at the whole truth, rooted in their diligent study and detailed knowledge of their sacred scriptures.  Attitudes of certainty and exclusivity brought down His “wrath,” as the credentialed religious elite quickly realized, to their horror and shame.

 

I take 

Jesus’ words 

as a personal warning

to remain childlike and teachable.

May the Beauty of Christ Change the World.