The American Dream and The American Gospel

Hermeneutics

The study of interpretation of the Bible; the study of the principles of Biblical exegesis

I believe this means, to take all of what the Bible references on a topic and interpret them in a fashion that is consistent with the theme and context of the word and the text. (And if it ain’t there, don’t say it is). The word exegesis means out of, not in to. What do I get “out of” what I read, not what can I read into what I read.

My writings come from a fertile and active mind. The inspiration comes from a variety of conversations, musings, or thought processes. All, to me, have a meaning and purpose in order to clarify a position or standard by which to live and conduct ones life.

Most of my writings will take a course like this; inspiration, thought, prayer, study and prayer. Then, after several days, when I have time, I will sit down at the computer and begin to write. Sometimes, as I write, even more thoughts and perspectives come to me. Sometimes, like now, my computer is doing crazy things and I will save what I have and shut it down and go back to bed. I do most of my writing between 2 and 5 AM. Which explains a lot, right?

All of my writings, as of late, are based on a Biblical doctrine (truth) and a belief that I hold because of study. What “bugs” me most, is the thinking today in the “church” (as a whole) is this “Americanized Gospel”, as if, “If works in America it will work anywhere”. For instance… the prosperity gospel or name it and claim it. Now if I take that topic and try to make it work in the rest of the world, the people in third world countries will be very disappointed in the outcome. Why? Because they have no financial means to start the process. But then, those proclaimers will tell them, “You don’t have enough faith”. Am I making sense or is it just the 3:30 AM blues?

In other words, I take what the Bible says to determine what I believe. I don’t take what I believe and find something in the Bible that sounds like that and make it fit. That’s where I’m going in this writing. Will, what I believe the Bible says; work, no matter where it is preached? Paul and the other Apostles wrote in the first century, we are reading it and living our lives according to it in the twenty-first century. Are we understanding it and living it as the Apostles wrote it? Do we let the Bible speak for itself, Genesis through Revelation, in context as God intended?

If King David had wives and concubines and Solomon did also, then doesn’t it seem right that I can do the same? I’m stretching to make my point. Many people say, “I think there is sufficient evidence to build my case”. I am into “Building the Body” (which is a previous writing) rather than “building my case” (which I am trying to do now). That is really not “my case”, but determining what the Bible really says about a topic.

To my main thesis for this writing….

The American Dream and The American Gospel

My Pastor inspired this part of my writing. How does the
“American Dream" fit into the “church”, or does it? Has the “American Dream” crept into the church and caused the “American Gospel”?

Peace and prosperity have become “by words” in the church today. America has lived in a time and place that supplies that type of “peace and security”. Thus, it only allows the church to slip, slide and relax into a false state of ease and comfort. And, if “you” are not in that place of ease and comfort, then there is something wrong with you.

Do you think “Christianly”? Do you live “Christianly”? Would you live the same way if you were a missionary in Thailand or in the Congo in Africa, or in China? How would your surroundings affect your thinking? Would you be more aware of you lack of food and water, “normal food and clean water”? Where would your “American” thinking be then? What is “normal” anyway?
Does normal depend on location and culture? I think it does. Thus, should the gospel become “normal” to fit the culture? As the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans, “may it never be”.

So then, my question to ponder is this, “Is it Biblical or is it Cultural”? Can you find, in a hermeneutical sense, reasons for why you live the Gospel the way you do? Do not stretch to find a few verses to meet your needs and discard the other verses that oppose your selected viewing area. My next question is this, “What will the “church” allow to come into their midst and take up a place of importance?

My daughter just emailed me a web link from a good Christian organization about “The Emergent Church” and asked what I thought? I’d like you to meet her sometime. She’s a thinker, she’s a studier of the Bible and she loves her dad. Anyway, I told her, The Emergent church is nothing new, it is just “repackaged” for the 21st century, and straight out of hell. If you’re not familiar… it’s a come as you are and we will not judge you, you’re just as good as we are and “I’m OK and so are you”. Yes, Jesus is cool, but we aren’t going to make you follow our beliefs or make you feel uncomfortable.

Back to my point… Is that thinking, “Biblical or Cultural”? From where I sit, it is not Biblical. Then there’s “tolerance”. Well, didn’t Jesus teach tolerance? With statements like, “I Am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by Me”. I say, no, He did not teach tolerance. Why do you think the middle-east has been torn apart for thousands of years? Why don’t the Muslim’s tolerate the Jews? Everyone asks the Jews to tolerate the “Palestinians’” and the Muslims, why does tolerance not work both directions?

Back to the Church….

I have a quiz I like to have people take which asks the question, “Is it Biblical or is it Cultural”? This quiz has about thirty questions. It has some silly questions like, Should the carpet in the sanctuary only be red? Try asking that question in a little village in a remote part of Africa that has dirt floors and a thatched roof. But some of the questions are ones that most Christian should not have trouble with answering, “Biblical”. Yet some miss those questions. Why???

1. They don’t know (read) the Bible to begin with
2. They have never been taught that they are responsible for their own growth.
3. They have been caught up in the rhetoric of easy believe’ism.
4. They have believed that they are Americans and the “bad stuff” is for those other people.
5. They have bought into the “American Dream in the American Church” syndrome.
6. They have never encountered the true Jesus of the Bible. The one who was a bloody mess from the beating. The one who hung on the cross in agony.

The American Dream has crept into the church and has distorted the True Gospel. In II Thessalonians 2:1-3, Paul tells it like this, “Now we request of you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not quickly be shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by spirit or a message or a letter as if from us that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy (falling away) comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction”. The types of things mentioned above are just a few examples of that apostasy and the process by which the gospel has been altered. I could never understand how or why people could “walk away from Jesus”, but now I see more clearly that they never really “knew” Him. And this will remain one of the mysteries of the Bible, one of the things that only God knows; did they or didn’t they… but what if… I think they… they said… they came to church all the time…. But only God knows the heart of a man, and He will judge him rightly.

So then, have you been on the slippery path of the “Americanized Gospel”? Or, are you staying true to the Bible and its true teachings? Does a little buzzer go off in your head when you hear a Pastor or Preacher talk about the best way for you to become prosperous? If you’re sick and you Pastor tells you it’s your fault and if you only had enough faith, you wouldn’t be sick. Do you believe him?

I’m looking for someone to tell me how to become more like Jesus. How about you?

Ron
reskewsquad.blogspot.com
reskew@aol.com