Sermon Central
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How To Avoid Extremist's Perspectives
Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000 (message contributor)
Summary: It is not uncommon for some well meaning Christians to lose his or her sense of balance in one of two directions: legalistically or traditionally.
It is not uncommon for some well meaning Christians to lose his or her sense of balance in one of two directions: legalistically or traditionally. Being very concerned about their ability to follow the scriptures down to the last letter of its truth, these conservatives insist on a strict interpretation of the Biblical criteria for selecting leaders in the church. Other groups will instead insist upon the upholding of sacred traditions that give their group its distinctiveness. While these ultra conservatives tend to swing back and forth between these two extremes, they bemoan the fact that "liberal" churches swing back and forth between the extremes of humanistic concerns to Spiritistic influences.
The following chart is an example of the four corners of extremism that are areas of conflict. Christ should be our balancing focus.
SPIRITISM (AN OVER EMPHASIS ON SUPERNATURAL FACTORS)
TRADITIONALISM --------------- JESUS CHRIST -----------LEGALISM (AN OVER EMPHASIS (AN OVER EMPHASIS ON HISTORICAL FACTORS) | ON RULES)
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|HUMANISM (AN OVER EMPHASIS ON HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS)
Most people are well served by the great words of the apostle Paul who gave us a great solution for staying balanced and focused on the most important aspect of life. In Colossians 2:2,3, Paul wrote, "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love. So that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, IN WHOM ARE HIDDEN ALL THE TREASURES OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE."