2022-11-08 A Meditation on the Bishop

“Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.” (Ac 15:24–27 ESV)

Very good authority is sought, needed, acquainted with the Gospel Church. We speak a call into the lives of those in our midst who know a thing or two about ambiguity and gray areas, about let’s face it, original sin. These are not so much needed because Grace/Gospel is a license to sin, but because we are going farther and deeper and broader.

The teaching that says, Grace is chosen over and against Law, brings all comers to the table in the knowledge that they are more than just nodding, head shaking in affirmation, speakers of the confession of sin, but are also delighted to know a movement beyond that. This is the movement that spells absolution. This is the end of every boast. For, the saint nods in acceptance as other saints speak plainly of their distinctively “Christian” outlays and patterns and thoughts, yet in that nod of agreement probably themselves, the left hand not knowing what the right is doing, forget or fail to appreciate their own sainthood, their unthought-through good deeds, and all those ways that we simply have faith: the Grace edifice will go viral and, in any case, even if it is only held by a small crew, that is preferable to the church that can chalk up some good deeds by way of boasting.

Who can boast, when people naturally and innocently discover goodness in their hearts post-absolution? Who knows but that we need not fuss and worry: will the Grace church stop doing good things for the world? Should we make two types of civic institutions, then: one to exhort and pattern itself after Good Deeds, and the other a little more introspective, proclaiming that Word called Absolution, called New Day, called Life, called Mercy, called simply Gospel?

So we seek and do call Good Authority, as any contention between church members hides a whole world of sin and sinful reactivity one to another. We believe that judgment is occurring here and now, and that we are with the words called “Grace”, called “Gospel”, immediately sending friend request and inducting so many delightful and called souls, yet we fear not as well to be passing immediate judgment via an unintentional but real Bar. Some shall scamper and hasten out of said sanctuary. Some shall misunderstand that we preach Grace, not with safety rails and caution, but out of necessity: necessarily we draw near unto Holy Matters, and Man’s thought: “Hey, there must be some room for a few baby steps”, is met with a stern gaze: we are all-in and already called and already going the distance. We cannot soften our message. We cannot weaken its import, even if it is said, people are falling from our roof in droves. Some hear the Call, and others mock it. So we need good authority.

The drill sergeant looking for some maturity, understands each and every new recruit in this light of needing, deserving (not just tolerating, but necessitating) immediate Call to serve and to submit. If they cannot submit in these basic things, then how will they rightly respond to the Gospel? How will they rightly join a war with uncanny opposition and strange psychological warp, and speed of doubts? They need their own soul to have been worked over. Only then, can we look outward, because we are healed by that Good Authority, that Authority who knew we were floundering, unkempt and proud. So in hindsight it seems a small thing, but at the time we were railing against all good order. Today, we invite such authority in, as a conduit to getting down to the business of Grace. Indeed, until we’ve begun with the Grace message, we will not in love and appreciation and pleasantness seek out church structure and bishops and priests and deacons and servants, generally.