Newspapers / Montreat College Student Newspaper / April 8, 2005, edition 1 / Page 3
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thoughts ^ ponderings A n tin omianism Spirit-Centered Antinomianism (Part 4) Sacra by Tyler Greene ‘5) o If you would like a response in the next issue, please o o sz send me an E-mail at greenebt@montreat. edu. 1- Limit to approx. 100 words. In the last article we looked at Spirit-centered antinomian ism, which leads people to only follow God’s law when they feel prompted by the Holy Spirit. We showed this was unbiblical, because often our feelings do not lead us to follow God’s law because the result of sin. We need the Bible to be objective standard by which we judge our actions* Similarly, this ariicle will look at situational antinomian ism. Situational iitiliuomiiunsm argues that Christians under the New Testament do not need to follow the law of God. They only need to follow the law of love as their ethical guide. Christians can disregard the details of the law as long as love is the motive of their heart. There has been a lol of talk around campus about apathetic attitude. No one seems to care about what is going on with the school, with the world, or even their || own futures. It seems that many students become so focused on short-term goals, like school work and writing papers that it can become too overwhelming. How do we go about fighting the apathetic atmo sphere that a college can create? Trying to Care •Cassie Pavone Dear Trying, Apathy is an interesting phenomenon. Understanding where it comes from is an important factor in knowing how to overcome it—or even embrace it. Apathy can be a defense mechanism to protect ourselves from either being involved in more than we can deal with at a partic ular time or to protect ourselves from the anger, hurt, disappointment that results from our being ignored. We may avoid information about a situation or deny the importance of that information so that we can justify not taking action—-whether tliat is temporarily or for the long run—for what we identify as our own survival. If we have received information about a situation and have voiced an opinion or taken a stand that has been ignored, then we may begin to question whether that is a good use of our time and energy. This may create an illusion of apathy. Often I write in this column about taking responsibility. I ask you to ask yourself: just who is creating the apathetic atmosphere? Is it truly the college or arc we creating this for ourselves? (I have a very difficult time getting my head around “imposed apathy.”) Once we accept the responsibility that is ours, then, and only then can we decide what we are going to do to change it. For more information on this or other mental/emotional health topics, contact Cassie Pavone or Keri Boer at The Counseling Center at Montreal College, ext. 3S38,, Box 807, cpavone@montreat.etiu or kboer@monlreat.edu. They try to support their view by such passages as Romans 13: 8-10, which says, “Owe no one anything, except to love each v, other, for fihe one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery. You shall not murder. You shall not steal. You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed’up ..in this.word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as-yourself.’ Love does . no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the, fulfilling of the law,’.?^ The problem' with this view is that there is an aspect to the law of God that is not motivated by love. If someone can say that it is all right to not keep the details of the law as long as your motive is love, then that is the same as saying that the details of God’s law do not necessarily have love as their motive. Those who hold to this view misunderstand Paul’s words in Romans 13:8-10. He is not making a contrast between keeping the law and loving your neighbor, if he were saying that you can keep the commandments or simply love your neighbor. Instead, he is saying that if you want to love your neighbor you do so by keeping the command ments. When Jesus is asked by the'' rich young raler-which command ments he should keep, Jesus tells him in Matthew 19:18-19, “You shall not murder, \ou sluill not commit adultery, you shall not' steal, you shall notsbear false wit ness, honor your fatlier and mother and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ' Notice tlie command to ‘love your neighbor as yourself is added to the lisf along with the others. If love your neighbor as yourself was the only law that Christians need to keep, why did Jesus mention the others as if they were still valid? The commandments of God were given as a revelation of God’s will for his people. When he gave them they were moti vated by love, God’s love, even to the smallest detail. God did not give the law to be a killjoy, he gave it as the rules of love. God tells us what it means to love him, as well as what it means to love one’s neighbor. When we are tempted to dis regard the law of God because it seems too detailed, we must question whether we are truly approaching the situation with a motive of love. If the law of God is a true revelation of God’s will and rule of love, and we find ourselves in disagreement with it, we must sincerely look at the motives of our heart. Because, at the very moment we decide to follow another law than the one God has commanded, we can assure ourselves that our motive is not love, but disdain for God and his law. At that point it is simply disobedience. May God grant us tlie assurance to rest in his law as the law of love in every situation of our lives. ^ongprsiful^tlons I QqIIGCIG/ Community Theatre Congratulations to Nicole Rabon, winner of the Apple iPod mini. She picked up the prized Pepsi bottle in the Belk vending machines. open early and late 7 days a week coffeehouse , > free high-speed vtfireless internet access > espresso beverages > fair-trade coffees > smoothies > homemade pastries \bted*Best Coffeehouse inWNQ* 221 west state street > black mountain > 828.669.0999 Continued From Page 1 has been so enthusiastic we had to move into a larger space mid-season. I can’t wait till they come to the one acts where we are offering quality theatre that’s been created right here.” Performances of An Eve ning of One Acts Friday and Saturday, April 22-23 at 7:30 pm in Gaither Chapel on the Montreat Col lege campus. Admission is free with a suggested $5 donation at the door. For more information call 669-8011 ext. 2278. April 8,2005, Page 3 The Whetstone
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