TheDeSocios.com

So yes after two weeks of insanity where our hopes of buying a home went from definite to very likely, to not looking so hot,it turns out that we are getting a house. Well we haven’t closed yet that will be next Tuesday, but our mortgage which was the last hurdle has been approved. We put a video on here a few weeks ago, and more photos will be coming soon.
We are moving on Saturday, so thats a bit backwards but we got the approval of the seller so its all good.

The times of our life that seems to be the most frustrating and taxing sometimes also seem to be the times of the most growth and sharpening. I feel that I am currently in one of these times of sharpening. Not only am I a graduate student being challenged to do my best work, but I am also being challenged as a student of the Scriptures to not only sharpen my learning but also to sharpen my personal walk with God. I am being challenged to examine my personal habits to see if they match up with the Call of God for me to be set apart to him. Of course this is not a call only given to seminarians. I am finding that much of my time is spent is limbo between different activities. I will put on the TV even though I am not watching anything I care about, stuff like that just kills productivity.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I am in need of a life in focus.

The other day I read an article by Chris Wright, in it he discussed the idea of semper reformanda, always reforming. This idea that came out of the reformation. Wright suggests in his article that we who hold to semper reformanda should be examining the doctrines that separate us, both inter and intra-denominationally. This examination of divisive doctrine is what gives us the ability to reunite with sister denominations. When we are constantly examining these doctrines for biblical basis we have the ability to admit error and to change.

It sounds to me like the idea of semper reformanda will be a pillar of reformed churches of the future. Especially in light of ideas like the emergent church, where rather than seeking unification in the body, diversity to encouraged to the point of a theological tabula rasa. Where new believers are not encouraged in an organized church, but rather many new believers are encouraged to figure out what they should believe, from the ground up. Here is a quote from Emergent supporter Scot McKnight:

“The emergent conversation is being challenged by traditional Christian groups to articulate its theology. What do you believe is a question being asked, and until the emergent conversation and its leaders articulate its theology at some level — this is what we believe, this is what we don’t believe — then the church will not take notice to the degree that it perhaps should, because the church always has articulated its theology”

Wright also talks about the idea of “agreeing to disagree”, which I feel is a excuse for laziness.
I would argue that the progression of a christian life moves from being many living in sin, called to seek unity in the body our Lord Jesus Christ. Or do many see the progression of a changed life starting at the one salvation but leading down many roads, with many ideas of how to worship and how to organize?

“26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29

It seems that unity in christ is to be one of our goals as a christian, not the “lets agree to disagree” mentality that is everywhere in our age.

Semper Reformanda,
Sam