I am not saying that doctrine is unimportant, but that it is secondary.
Love is like the feet, very humble, but they're the parts of the body that enable you to follow Jesus, they lead you to Him.Doctrine is like the head, full of itself, often lost in the clouds of speculation, often misguiding the feet, often putting up "mental roadblocks" where the feet know better, where the feet would go if not restrained.
No one has ever walked by using his head as the organ of locomotion. If you don't have feet, then you must use a wheelchair, but you still don't hop along on your head.
The church I belong to is the one where we are all of one mind because we are all of one loving heart.
The mind of Christ is the only mind that is not flawed, the only mind that does not fantasize, lie or lead astray, or prevent the blessed feet from walking after Him.
The church I belong to is really that one, and you and me, brother, and our Lord, Master and Savior is here with us, among us, and within us, "He pitched His tent among us and became man," so that we might pitch our tent in the heavenlies, and there abide forever in the wedding feast of the Lamb.
What does Christ see when He looks upon the Church?
Nothing and no one that He hasn't placed there.
Whatever and whoever is of the world is as invisible to us, as we are to it and to them.
very excellent analogy! :)
ReplyDeleteNot wishing at all to claim I have this faith, but I pray my faith will grow to have this in abundance, I am reminded, in your words here, of St. Tikhon's words:
ReplyDeleteIf someone should say that true faith is the correct holding and confession of correct dogmas, he would be telling the truth, for a believer absolutely needs the Orthodox holding and confession of dogmas. But this knowledge and confession by itself does not make a man a faithful and true Christian. The keeping and confession of Orthodox dogmas is always to be found in true faith in Christ, but the true faith of Christ is not always to be found in the confession of Orthodoxy... The knowledge of correct dogmas is in the mind, and it is often fruitless, arrogant, and proud... The true faith in Christ is in the heart, and it is fruitful, humble, patient, loving, merciful, compassionate, hungering and thirsting for righteousness; it withdraws from worldly lusts and clings to God alone, strives and seeks always for what is heavenly and eternal, struggles against every sin, and constantly seeks and begs help from God for this.
-- St. Tikhon, The Gospel and Faith
Thank you, Eric John, for this excellent rejoinder and confirming word from our father among the saints, Tikhon. This is exactly right, and what I was trying to hand over in my less articulate way.
ReplyDelete