Another Perspective on the Core

Recently, I came across some links relating to The Creeds of Orthodox Christianity (The Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, etc.). In my first post about The Core, I mention the creeds as candidates for the Core, but backed away from that proposition in a later post. Keith Drury makes an interesting case for the creeds being the Core. Here are two links to his thoughts on the issue: Why Study the Creeds and an interview with his publisher. What do you think?

More on the Core

I wanted to continue some thoughts on The Core, specifically why relationship is such a good way to define it. When I first decided (somewhat finally) that being in relationship with God is the Core, I immediately began to draw analogies to marriage. This is not meant to exclude singles, divorced folks, or anyone else not in a marriage relationship for whatever reason, but marriage is the ultimate relationship. It's no wonder that throughout Scripture we see our relationship with God compared to marriage. The Church is the Bride of Christ.

I call marriage the ultimate relationship because of all the stuff that comes with it. There are legal ramifications. If you decide to end the relationship permanently, you have to go through all sorts of rigamarole to divide up property, etc. One of the partners may remain financially obligated to other as a result of the relationship. There are certainly physical and emotional ramifications. Even here the legal system has intervened and person can actually sue someone for "alienation of affection" if the spouse is drawn away due to an affair. If you are the person who has been cheated on, the emotional cost is way more than when your best friend doesn't invite you golfing or to the neighborhood cookout.

I think marriage is the ultimate relationship because of all the work that has to go into it. When I signed my marriage certificate, it did not mean that I never had to do anything to keep the marriage alive. It actually meant that I had to begin to actually work harder. I had to learn to live my wife. I had to learn how to be selfless. I had to learn how to change when I was wrong and apologize for it. We didn't just move in together and share the bills. Do I understand my wife better today than I did fourteen years ago? Yes. Will I understand her even better in fourteen more? Yes. Has it always been easy? No. Was it worth it? Definitely.

This sounds like I'm beginning to formulate a belief system, complete with rules and regulations. If I apply this to the Core, then it seems to move beyond just being in relationship with God. Actually it doesn't. If we focus on maintaining our relationship with God, the how-to's will take care of themselves. Here's a word of warning. It can become real easy to follow an already established set of rules and regulations to do so. You could even make up your own involving ritual sacrifices and feasts on chocolate bars.

I will also admit that this line of reasoning could also very easily lead to a universalist orientation that says all religions are a path that leads to God. That's why the relationship aspect is so important. I had to listen to my wife, not just do what I thought needed to be done. When we are in relationship with God, we have to listen to him. He'll talk to us. He'll guide us. The Holy Spirit will point us in the right direction. It's also important to be around other people who are also in relationship with him. Either become part of a brick and mortar church or get together regularly in some fashion with others so you can encourage one another in your relationships.

So how's your relationship? Is it defined by do's and don'ts? Does your relationship really mean anything? Don't live on either of these extremes. Live in the middle. Live in the Core.

Finding the Core

Continuing last week's thoughts sparked by the Curse of Knowledge, let's talk about the Core of being a Christian. If we were to boil down what it means to be a Christian, what would that look like? I had said maybe we should look for the ending point instead of the starting point. I pondered that idea some more while mowing the lawn. I'm not sure that approach is any better. Someone posted some excellent thoughts in response to this dilemma. Be sure to read them.

Anonymous' comments are heading in the same direction that my own thoughts are. As I contemplated what the ending point would be in the pursuit of the Core, I began to think about it terms of a relationship. Many people would say the ending point is heaven itself, where we hope to spend eternity after death and/or the end of the present world, whichever comes first. Heaven is the end destination, but I don't think it's the ending point of the Core.

God is the beginning and end of all things. Therefore, I think being in relationship with him is the beginning AND end of the Core. That's what he wants from us. Deep down, I believe that's what all of us want - we just don't always realize it. It's as simple as that.

For those of you who are burdened by the Curse of Knowledge, you're probably thinking I'm some kind of liberal theologian who believes everyone will be going to heaven, assuming there is one. You're wondering where does sin, the atonement, and Christian living come in? What about the Holy Spirit? Baptism? Those are all important issues, but I don't think they are part of the Core.

The Core is nothing more than God wants to be in relationship with us. When we understand that, we can begin to do just that - live in relationship with him. When we seek to live in relationship with him, we will begin to discover all those other things. We will learn how hard it is without outside help. We will seek that outside help once we discover what it is. The Holy Spirit will reveal to us things like only the selfless sacrifice of Jesus can restore the relationship. We will begin to experience the power of the Holy Spirit as it changes our lives and empowers us to live in that relationship and become more like him.

Realizing the simplicity of the Core will liberate us to live more fully in that relationship with God. When we shed the burden of all the extraneous rules, regulations, and belief systems, there are less barriers between God and us. We can experience true repentance. Click here to read an excellent post by OT professor Brian Russell from Asbury Theological Seminary on what Jesus meant when he said "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near." I think Brian is describing the Core.

Of course, even though relationship is the "end", it doesn't mean "stopping point". More on that later. I pray you can live in the freedom of the Core.