So what is
“syncretism”?
In terms of
faith, Wikipedia defines the word thus, “Syncretism is the combining (amalgamation) of
different beliefs, while blending practices of various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or
assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for
an inclusive approach to other faiths.”
In essence,
syncretism involves the watering down, adding to and/or deleting from in order to
merge with popular or traditional norms.
Point: Christianity is inclusive in that God the Father, who created all of mankind, loves all of His creation, desires and invites ALL into fellowship with Him and expressed that love through His Son Jesus Christ. Those who declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead enter into exclusive relationship with the exclusive True and Living God.
In a sense, syncretism of any faith effectively defeats it
for what it is or any absolute truths inherent.
To the extent that they find themselves around
non-believers, Christians experience pressure to syncretize at work, in social settings and at
home. When the truth of the Bible encounters the world there is an immediate
enmity and a struggle to maintain the purity of that truth against pressure to dilute,
neutralize and eventually dissipate that truth to nothing. The world seeks to
compromise the truths of Christian faith.
One must remember that the regenerated Christian is a sojourner
in this world. No longer of this world he/she brings the Good News of the
Gospel to the unregenerate. But he/she will always be met with pressure to
dissipate the power and authenticity of that faith. It’s the essence of the
angelic conflict through history and the reason why it is necessary that there
be “Revivals” from time to time.
Throughout history Jewish and then Christian faith has fallen to
the assault of worldly vs. Godly wisdom and influence - syncretism. The battle
is about influence over our hearts and minds for the eternal destiny of our
soul and the souls of others we might expose to the Truth.
In the battle our heart is at stake and we need to fortify
ourselves to protect our heart.
Because of our Adam nature, we are all born as "world-pleasers". We tend to go passive.
Oh, if only Adam had rejected passivity in the
Garden of Eden and spoken up when Eve was tempted with the deceit of the
serpent. We are people pleasers. And so the battle for influence is easily lost
once we begin to give in to the influence of the world and its systems of belief.
Question: Do you influence others for your faith or do they
influence you?
Question: Do you go along to get along or are you willing to
take a stand from time to time about some Biblical absolute and take some blow-back for it?
It is not easy and it is not for the faint of heart. That is
why we band together and encourage one another, take in the Word of God and
submit to the power and help of the Holy Spirit to walk our walk.
Bridges span gaps. We build bridges to connect physically,
emotionally, experientally and figuratively. But bridges are two-way
thoroughfares – unless we make them carefully guarded drawbridges that check
the dark influence of undermining dilution but allow the truth to sally forth
into the darkness that surrounds. That dpen't mean we are always right in our own minds and that we walk around pointing fingers of judgement. That is God's domain. However, we can be listeners, sympathetic and servants of our fellow man without agreeing with their theology. Call it Clear-minded vs. Closed-minded.
I’ve been reading R.C. Sproul’s book titled Willing To
Believe (© 1997, Baker Books, Grand Rapids , MI). In his introduction (page
18) Sproul warns of what Robert Godfrey (the then President of Westminster
Theological Seminary in Escondido, California) called “the myth of influence”. That myth is this; we believe/assume that as we interact with others that the only
influencing force is us and that we can control the influence of others on us. This
is hard if not impossible. The narrow walk is not popular. Wide is the way that
leads to destruction and everyone is on that river of current. It’s so easy to
get swept up and off into it. Our firm stand in the midst of that torrent takes
deep roots of faith to hold.
Must we then isolate ourselves? Of course not. Such a statement is an
accusation and an echo of our former unregenerate man calling us back. The
world will certainly accuse us of asceticism and isolationism and even cult
practice to lure us back. But a certain amount of isolation is in order.
Fellowship
and separation in preparation and emersion in the Word are necessary. What army
trains for battle in actively hostile enemy territory? We should surely guard our hearts with
discernment and the slyness of a fox (Proverbs 4:23) for out of our hearts
spring all the issues of life.
When we lower the drawbridge and sortie out to interact we
should be suited up in our spiritual armor and also be mindful that it is us
who are supposed to be doing the influencing (by our actions and by our words) and not the other way around. The fiery darts will
abound every time we step out of the light into the present darkness of the
earth.
The existential world system wants to count Jesus Christ as simply
a good man, a rabbi perhaps, a deep thinker or a philosopher. They will compare
Jesus, the Son of God to ordinary (albeit exceptional) men like Buddha. We may
nod our head and smile so as not to offend – which is a mistake, a compromise of our faith.
Such is subtle and seemingly in-offensive on the surface. Such
is syncretism. Be not mistaken -such offends the true and living God.
Like so many other mortal men who have gone to their graves
never to return, Buddha had last words that are very telling about his true philosophy.
Depending on the interpretation, Buddha is reported (by his own disciples) to
have said the following just before his death;
"Behold, O monks, this is my advice to you. All
component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard
to gain your own salvation."
OR
“I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with
earnestness.”
OR
“Think not for me. I am gone. Work out
diligently your own salvation. Each one of you is just what I am. I am nothing
but one of you. What I am today is what I made myself. Do your struggle and
make yourselves what I am.”
I boil it down to this: “Strive without
ceasing for your salvation.”
On the other hand … The last words spoken by Jesus Christ before
He died on the cross are found in John 19:30
“It is finished.”
No mention of striving for one’s salvation anywhere to be found.
Is that not GOOD NEWS? Is that not the BEST NEWS we could hope for?
Buddha was a deep thinker, a well-meaning, simple, humble man.
Buddha is dead and remains dead.
Jesus Christ was (and is) God among us.
And we know that Jesus “did” speak again – because He
rose from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. And then He ascended up to
heaven where He now resides (alive) and prepares a place for those who are His
and He will one day return to earth to claim what is His.
And when He returns, all knees “will” bow under the weight of His
undeniable glory and all bridges of syncretism will be smashed.
Blessings,
Bill
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