The following is a response to a note I received from a well-meaning person who showed concern when they discovered that I was a fan of Cat Stevens music, pointing out that we Christians have no need for the thoughts of others outside our faith, all else is distraction and devoid of spiritual benefit.
"I whole-heartedly agree with you that as followers of Christ we are to guard our hearts from all impurity, and unrighteousness for we are temples indwelt of the Holy Spirit. All malice, anger, greed, lust, and deceitfulness, have no place in the life of a believer. Conversely we are to focus on things above, whatever is noble, and pure, and right in the eyes of God.
But I think that you and I would differ on what we consider appropriate sources of goodness, purity, and nobility. While I concede that Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) tends to stitch his religious views into the lyrics of his songs (as well as Buddhist and Jewish imagery) does the fact that he is a Muslim negate his ability to speak truth, and beauty? The thought that Christians have nothing to learn of faith and devotion from followers of other religions is spurious at best.
Please don't think me some sort of pluralist for saying that. I do believe that there is but one way to the Father, one road, one truth, one life and that can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ. But doesn't the apostle Paul admonish us in Colossians to "test everything, and hold to the good"? When the Israelites fled from Egypt, didn't they take with them its treasures?
What you call spiritual junk food, I call insight.
In other words, if all truth and beauty belong to the Lord, need we fear from whose lips they proceed?
Consider the lyrics of 'Morning Has Broken'
"Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world
Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from Heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day"
If those lyrics had been written instead by Fernando Ortega and played on Christian radio would any good Christian feel the need to turn the dial in outrage?
Just some food for thought..."
Now dear reader, I welcome your own thoughts and insights. Whether you agree or no, I welcome your input.
Blessings all.
I remember when I came home from college one weekend... We had a sermon at church and it made me think:
ReplyDeleteThe statement was made that was something like this: Convictions are okay until they are forcing themselves onto others. Basically the message made me think about how we are convicted by God about things that are taking us further from Him. However, we must be careful because those same convictions do not ring true with each of our brothers and sisters so we must be careful to be mindful of the convictions of others and also be mindful that we do not push our views on others.
I believe God is a creative God and He uses any avenue to reach the ears of an unbeliever and also can use things that we would consider pagan. Why? Because everything was created to bring Him glory! :]
Just my own perspective, and knowledge take the best and leave the rest. But thank you for sparking thought.
Well said Stefan! It saddens me to find believers who are incapable of realizing that there is Truth outside the Bible and Church, and sometimes that will be shown to us by those who aren't Christians.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a good Biblical example of this would be Paul's quoting of the Greek poet, Aratus (born before Christ) in Acts 17. A clear example that truth can be found in unexpected places.
Paul says in Phil1:18 that "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." The message is what matters, the Truth. Not where it comes from.
ReplyDelete