The Doctrine of Christian Simplicity
“Faith working through Love”.
*I made this picture for this post*
Addressing the Basics
The Christian faith should have stayed on this foundation of life, but instead Christianity went into many arbitrary and even secondary topics. The church bases their discernment on a fundamental approach of the Bible, but this has resulted in many problems. Firstly, the church confuses moral discernment for moral legalism and secondly, the church hinders or neglects genuine intimacy with God. Christianity has wandered into Zionism, Patriarchy, Ritualism, and other doctrines that lack any importance. Why has the church wandered to many impractical situations? Because they have lost fixation of Jesus’ simple commands and have lost the relational aspect of the faith. If we practice mercy and justice on others, then God’s love inspires us. If we commune with God, then God’s revelations renew our mind.
Christian Fundamentalism
This has become a strong barrier to the doctrine of Christian simplicity. Instead of following the most practical things inspired by God, they follow commands that aren’t breathed by God, and they follow mindsets that aren’t even in the biblical context. One is an issue of discernment and another is an issue of interpretation (or extrapolation).
The absolute truth approach to the Bible is flawed because Proverbs (and other passages/verses) are mainly conditional, partial, and/or circumstantial truths. Without the appropriate philosophy to interpret the Christian scriptures, you’ll end up making grievous errors. Jesus is even known to use partial/conditional truths on calling someone a fool (Matthew 5:22; 23:17). So the absolute truth approach fails the test of interpretation and discernment.
The excessive literal approach to the Bible also fails the test of practical interpretation. Some texts of the Bible should not be taken from a literal perspective, because it either leads to nonsense or confusion. If Jesus said to cut off your hands from your body lest you sin and be thrown to Gehenna, would you take that as literal or rhetorical?
The personal approach to the Bible is also risky to the welfare of others and yourself. Some take Paul’s command to Timothy to be applicable to us, but this leads to hostility, inequality, egoism, and ecclesiastical poverty (not in the sense of finances). Ecclesiastical poverty is the lack of ministers because of gender restriction, and it leads to unresolved prejudice to women. It also makes the situation for the church to be limited and impractical if more women are present than men, or if there are no men available or equipped. And certain verses taken out-of-context leads to misguided efforts.
Finally, the infallible approach to the Bible being the source of all this confusion and malpractice. Some will argue, “How do you discern truth from error in the scriptures?” Even if the Bible were wholly true, you still have to draw the right interpretation out of many. The apostle Peter stated that some of Paul’s writings are difficult to fathom, which are prone to be distorted with ease (2 Peter 3:16). If you take the Bible as merely the words of God, then you will confuse man’s ideals with God’s ideals (e.g. Job’s friends, subjective narratives, and Paul’s quote of his audience/opponents). In biblical context, the word of God either means Jesus, the gospel, direct revelations of God, or a divine promise. But it never conveys a written sense of biblical infallibility. As for scripture, it simply means “writings” in the Greek. In fact, God-breathed writings is the best translation of 2 Timothy 3:16 which conveys not a fixed number of writings but an unlimited application to diverse writings.
Theopneustic Interpretation
The Bible should be read from its original context, but it should be absorbed from a theopneustic or practical mindset (the link for its definition). The believer of simplicity is inspired by God’s manifested wisdom and direct revelations. This should be the norm for average believers, but unfortunately, the church has limited this possibility to ancient writings. This does not assume that we become infallible because only God embodies this quality. Just as God breathed Adam without “perfection” so God breathed the scriptures and His church in similar manner. The lack of infallibility should humble us and motivate us to need one another in Christ.
The fundamental believer is eager to know how to interpret and/or discern the scriptures. This is a legitimate concern for every believer or person. The best manner to interpret or discern the scriptures is to take the basis commands of Jesus as stated, “Love others as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
Now, we should also read the scriptures by reason of wisdom. And wisdom appeals to divine merit, and intimacy with practical well-being. For example, loving others is more practical and relational than offering sacrifices to God. Why? Because God has no need of them, but He benefits by blessing others instead of burdening us. Notice how these basic principles intersect. God doesn’t need offerings because they don’t benefit Him (practical welfare) while being self-sufficient (divine merit). But He benefits and proves merit by blessing others in intimacy. Another example, God tempts a king to sin against Israel, but this portrayal of God contradicts with His merit of goodness and the standard of practical intimacy. If one principle falls, then they are all negated as a result. Though Jesus seemed impractical by dying on a cross, it wasn’t vain because He exposed His nature and will for mankind’s benefit. This deed was rooted in divine merit, genuine intimacy, and benevolent welfare.
While Jesus revealed God’s ideal will, Paul also exposed the same logic of Christian simplicity. By his words, he said, “But all that counts is love working through faith” (Galatians 5:6). Because love and faith are rooted in right relationships, then this is the basis for having them. God promotes morality (love your neighbor) for the sake of right intimacy with men, and promotes mysticism (know your God) for the sake of right intimacy with God. Jesus said to those who were bound by superficial issues, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13). The prophet Micah gave the words of simplicity, “You mortals, the Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is just, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We love others with mercy and justice; meanwhile, we cloth ourselves with humility in our intimacy with God. This is the logic of Christian simplicity. Are the statements in the Bible considered practical for welfare in relationships, or are they worthy of God’s image? The passage must present rightly intimacy with God and men? God is the God of right relationships, because God prompts faith working through love. What does love and faith have in common? They’re based on proper intimacy.
Revelatory Guide
The Spirit of Christ also has the potential to teach and lead the believer into all truth (1 John 2:27). But despite our errors, the Spirit can rescue us back into truth and correction. For many, they simply do not know how to discern the voice of the Spirit, so I’ll present some guidance for now. When revelation appears, it must be tested by the rule of ethics, by the truth of Christ, and by the consistency of witnesses (1 John 4:1–3; 2 Corinthians 13:1; Galatians 5:22, 23). The witnesses don’t have to be personal agents, but simply as confirmations (e.g. Gideon’s fleece, another revelation, or manifested prediction). Spiritual discernment depends on this given knowledge, humility, and training. But God is gracious to make it known and possible for you.
Gospel of the Kingdom
Christ made it His mission for the whole world to not only know about this Kingdom, but for them to also see it. The Kingdom is much more than an exterior dimension; it is a higher government that provides blessing and counters lack in the world. But in order for the celestial government to have heavy influence in our midst, we must abide by the Son of God in pure friendship and fruitful obedience. And Jesus made this claim more so than any matter that man deems important. This Kingdom fully responds to love working through faith. Knowing God and loving others is a twofold cord, which does not require any other subject. It is impossible for daily communion with God to lead to apostasy, or a series of extreme and willful abuses. Join the doctrine of Christian simplicity.
