The Apostolic Dialogue With Catholics 2

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Biblical Separation

Like Fundamentalists since the turn of the century, Bishop Smith is fond
of quoting scripture to justify his call for separation and isolation
from other Christians.  "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For
what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship
can light have with darkness?  What harmony is there between Christ and
Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  What
agreement  is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the
temple of the living God.  As God has said, "I will live with them and
walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people". 
Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord" (2 Co
6:14-17).  Does this scripture really justify Bishop Smith's call for
separation and isolation?

Clearly this passage is not addressing the present denominational 
separation of Christians but the drift toward syncretism with pagans in
the first century Church.  Paul's dichotomies between believers and
unbelievers, righteousness and wickedness, light and darkness, Christ
and Belial, and the temple of God and idols, are not referring to the
doctrinal distinctions which divide Christians today but to the sharp
contrast which exist between those who have placed their faith in Christ
and pagans, those who are not following Christ.  In his desire for
separation and isolation Bishop Smith has failed to make this important
distinction.

Is it really credible to define Catholics and other Christians as
"unbelievers"?  This is the tenuous position Bishop Smith and other
Fundamentalists seek to present and defend.  How can these Christians be
called unbelievers if they acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior, seek
to base their faith on Holy Scripture, and are attempting to live a
Christian life?  If they really are unbelievers, then why are Apostolic
bookshelves full of their books, Apostolic stereo's playing their music,
and Apostolic ministers fellowshipping with them?  The answer is that
behind all of the rhetoric Apostolics, however reluctantly,  do
acknowledge the faith of other Christians, even Catholics, and receive
them as Christians.

The Biblical call for separation is not a call for separation from
other  Christians, those who place their faith in Christ, but a call for
a separation from a life outside of Christ.  Christians separation is  a
separation unto Christ to live a Christian life.  This separation does
not isolate Christians from the world but thrusts them back into the
world to proclaim the Gospel.  The people of God, Israel in the Old
Testament and the Church in the New Testament, are  to be witnesses to
the reality of God's salvation in the world.  They are to live for God
in the world and evidence their faith by their lives and testimony. 
Their ministry is not to separate and isolate from the world but to
separate unto Christ and engage the world with the knowledge of God they
have received. 

Paul's sermon in Athens is a good example of Biblical separation (Acts
17: 16-34). Paul's separation onto Christ compelled him to engage the
people of Athens with the Gospel. What is remarkable, from my Apostolic
perspective, is that Paul possesses a knowledge of Greek philosophy and
uses this knowledge as a tool to present the Gospel.  How many Apostolic
sermons have I heard by Apostolics condemning all philosophies, except
their own Common Sense Philosophy, as paganism?  How many warnings
against studying philosophy have been proclaimed from Apostolic pulpits?
Yet Paul had studied philosophy and effectively utilized it in his
presentation of the Gospel!  Furthermore, Paul went to academia with the
Gospel. Once again, Apostolics routinely criticize higher education,
especially theological education.  Paul, however, had the best
theological education of his day and utilized this education in an
effective ministry.  Paul's separation unto Christ did not involve
isolation from his contemporary culture but an engagement with that
culture for the furtherance of the Gospel!

Paul's ministry in Athens follows a pattern which is seldom used by
Apostolics.  Although Paul was "greatly distressed" by the idolatry in
Athens his ministry was not one of condemnation.  Paul "reasoned"  in
the synagogue with the Jews and in the marketplace with the
Philosophers.  Paul believed that the existing faith and belief of the
Athenians could be used as a foundation for the proclamation of the
Gospel.  Paul sought to understand how Christ was already present in
Athens in the nascent faith of the Athenians.  Paul disclosed the
"unknown God", Jesus Christ, the Athenians were already worshipping! 
And Paul quoted the "pagan" philosophy of the Athenians in his
proclamation!

All to often Apostolics follow the  Fundamentalist pattern of
proclaiming how Christ is not present in a culture rather than how He is
present.  They ignore and minimize the faith in God, however small,
already present in the lives of people.  This is not a biblical pattern!

Biblical separation is not a separation from other Christians but a
separation unto Christ for the work of the ministry.  There are, however
important distinctions between Christians.  These distinctions are not
to be minimized in a blind quest for Christian unity.  In my next post I
will address the subject of Christian unity and diversity before
proceeding to offer an example of dialogue.