System of a Down
The word “system” has been hitting me this past week. I tried to ignore it, however it popped up on me again today; twice. So, for whatever reason, I have decided to take a look at it. Since I’m looking at it, you get a brief peek…
While not a biblical word, “system” has biblical connotations. Theologians talk about the Old Testament “sacrificial system”. Theologians try to make sense of the Word of God by a “systematic theology”. We ask, “What is your belief system?” From a rational point of view, these are all valid attempts to make clear the revealed things of God.
The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever, so that we carry out all the words of this law.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+29%3A29&version=EHV>
To me—even though I am the very least of all the saints—was given this grace: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and to enlighten everyone about the administration of this mystery. In past ages this mystery remained hidden in God, who created all things. He did this so that, through the church, the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%203%3A8%2D10&version=EHV>
Is understanding faith by a system a good thing or a bad thing. I suppose it would depend on your system? Martin Luther was not known for putting things into a system; other early reformers were better at that task. The Roman Church is very good in their approach to a system. Even the American evangelicals have systems. Did a New Testament system replace the Old Testament system? Is there something about “system” and faith that doesn’t seem to hold together? Systems are mankind’s attempt to keep God’s Law and secure salvation? What if we deny “system” and replace that word with “relationship”?
While not a biblical word, “relationship” has biblical connotations. Based on a given situation, I become something; if the situation changes, the relationship changes.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A15&version=EHV>
While he was still speaking to the crowd, his mother and his brothers happened to be standing outside, wanting to talk to him. Someone said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to talk to you.”
But he replied to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” He reached out his hand toward his disciples and said, “See, my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+12%3A46-50&version=EHV>
Is there some “middle ground” between system and relationship? If rules and necessary actions lead to system and communication and response lead to relationship, can there be a system of relationship? In an ideal world, yeah probably, but in an ideal world would one need it?
In this fallen world, we mistake our participation in the system, we mistake our participation in relationship. We choose how we interpret the revealed Word: Did God really say? We choose how we want to relate: Am I my brother’s keeper? We try to “game the system” to our advantage. In so doing we try to entice others to join our system. We do not believe what Jesus says about his system:
So then, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Indeed, what the law was unable to do, because it was weakened by the flesh, God did, when he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to deal with sin. God condemned sin in his flesh, so that the righteous decree of the law would be fully satisfied in us who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8&version=EHV>
Read all of Romans 8!
Systems, relationships, and systems of relationships are all useful tools. They will act as a safety net to catch us if we slip, misunderstand, doubt, or worse… We are imperfect creatures exercising our faith through imperfect institutions: forgiven, redeemed; we have life and salvation by the completed Work of Jesus on the Cross. The Old Testament saints were saved by a system. New Testament saints are saved by the same system: The promise of the Messiah, fulfilled in Christ Jesus!
Now, for a peek behind the curtain… The Biblical idea of “system” is quite different than the Western (read that as Greek philosophy) idea of “system”. It is challenging to run with parallel thought processes. I think like a 21st century AD Christian, how do I think like a 13th century BC Hebrew? Add to Greek philosophy the Enlightenment, Modern, Post-modern, and Post-Christian thought: that is a lot of baggage to sort through. Granted the nature of humankind has not changed, the way we look at it has. God has not changed, the way we look at him has. Through Jesus we are new creations, the old has gone, the new has come. (2 Cor 5:17) There is some rich resources out there that help to bridge this gap, while it does not interest everyone, I’d love to share some of the stuff to get you started. As Jesus says in John 5, “You search the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them. They testify about me! And yet you do not want to come to me in order to have life.”
Steve Skiver