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Wednesday, November 04, 2009

True Oneness ... Schaeffer

In answer to the false notions of unity discussed in the previous section of Francis Schaeffer’s book, The Mark of the Christian, Schaeffer now seeks to emphasize the core of true unity. (Note: This is the 11th post of my review of this book.)

TRUE ONENESS

True oneness is visible; it is something that can be seen by an outside, watching, and observing world.

Schaeffer adds, however, that the Christian has the double task of being loving, and being holy (p. 21). He explains: “Not his (God’s) holiness without his love: that is only harshness. Not his love without his holiness: that is only compromise.” And this is opposed to the four false notions of love; conversely, it is to be a strong visible love that leaves no doubt about its veracity and motive. That is the love Jesus is calling us to in John 13 and 17.

Key statements from this section (p. 21):


In John 13 and 17, Jesus talks about a real seeable oneness, a practicing oneness, a practical oneness across all lines.

Anything that an individual Christian or Christian group does that fails to show the simultaneous balance of the holiness of God and the love of God presents to a watching world not a demonstration of the God who exists but a caricature of the God who exists.

According to the Scripture and the teaching of Christ, the love that is shown is to be exceedingly strong. It is not just something you mention in words once in a while.

You can read the online edition of the entire book here >>

Blessings
3 John 8
Bill H.

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