The pastor of a large church in Texas said to a group of us chaplains, "In the 21st Century, there will be only two churches. They will be called the Church of Grace and the Church of the Law, and every Christian will have to choose. I choose the Church of Grace.
The PCUSA has struggled with theological, ecclesiastical and social issues for a generation because Presbyterian Christians see themselves as the Church of Grace and Law. This is not being lukewarm or moderate, it might not even be called balanced. It is living in the tension of the Incarnation. Jesus Christ, human and divine, the Creator God and Suffering Servant. You can find the tension everywhere in scripture.
A church focused entirely on its rules and regulations runs the risk of becoming a club, at best, or a complex institution at worst. The church with no standards has no shape. Boundaries may not exist, nor does purpose, direction nor goals. A church should be a place of love, which demands commitment on the part of its members.
These are my thoughts early this morning as the Hawaiian sun rises over Pearl Harbor.
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