It is not through intellectual proofs and sophisticated excavations that a person is evangelized into the Kingdom of Christ, even if one is brought into the Church through these means. Granted, something spiritual can happen while the person is in the Church, of course. But this means that the new believer must unlearn, both mentally and spiritually, any heterodox doctrine/evangelization that brought him into the Church in the first place.
On Good Friday of 2005, I went with a friend to a Christian seminar where author and excavator Bob Cornuke spoke and presented his expedition and findings of Mt. Siani and Paul’s shipwreck (see Acts 27). This was a wonderful event that left me very inspired and excited. But there was a very disturbing part of the seminar. Rather than using the law of God for a call to repentance, Bob Cornuke attempted to use his archaeological findings as reason to “receive Christ.”
We should not be surprised by this style of rhetoric. Within the last two centuries, the Protestant church has intellectualized the gospel to the point of presenting it as a system of belief, rather than a New Covenant (Church and Kingdom). When the gospel is systematized, it becomes a mere rhetoric. But when the gospel is presented as a Covenant, as Christ and the apostles presented it (Luke 22:20; 2 Corinthians 3:6), it becomes an actual movement and spiritual kingdom.
The gospel is a movement of people under the guidance of Christ. It involves a system of doctrine, but the doctrine is not meant to be used on its own, without the authority and nurturing of the Church. The gospel is not a philosophy of culture, but it is a philosophy of Covenant. When doctrine is separated from the authority of the Church, we begin to see this cultural rhetoric arise. This is a very pragmatic way to present Christ. If in fact someone answered a call through a means of evidence, the person would be left in spiritual deprivation with a constant thirst to be quenched from chasing intellectual proofs. If Cornuke’s findings would be presented as a finding of the Church, such findings/teachings would be a great encouragement. But since he refrained from even mentioning what authority he is under, the credit went to himself…but not without the modern retoric at the end, of course.
Has Christ not given the keys of the kingdom to the Church? Did he not say that the gates of hades would not prevail against the Church? And in regards to the actual doctrine the THE CHUCH is to be nurturing and evangelizing people with: Is the gospel a gospel of humility unto power of heart change? Or, is the gospel a gospel of proofs and formulas unto intellect?
Jesus said… “I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Matthew 11:25
Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. Luke 18:17
Revelation Made to Humble…Not to Puff Up
The gospel message is an authoritative announcement that completely humbles a person, as Christ exclaimed, through becoming “childlike.” God gives us the gift of faith through a supernatural and Messianic accomplishment, not through a complex thesis of information - something inconceivable to a “child.”
In order for a person to be humbled to the point of surrendering his intellect to a faith in something that he cannot see, touch, or feel, the person must be brought to a surrender of his autonomy (idolatry). He must come to realize that his worldview and laws for living are without any authority but his own: something that he has been building upon for years - his own relativistic set of laws. His autonomy is revealed as we show him God’s authority in hopes of his surrendering to this authority.
We are brought to eternal salvation through the graces of the Church. This supernatural conversion does not come by any sort of natural revelation such as creation, compelling archeological evidence, science, eschatological hope, or the excitement of miracles. These are all attributes of God (those that are not marred by sin), but they cannot bring someone to salvation in and of themselves. Only the Church can - retreating from one’s idolatry to the authority of Christ.
The teachings of the Church are not always the most intellectually stimulating teachings available. Take a look at 1 Corinthians 1:18-29.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom ; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base of things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Notice how this passage explains that the gospel is not about intellect, but about humility! In the next chapter, Paul says that he did not even come to the people with great speech or knowledge, but he came to them preaching Christ crucified. This passage is completely antithetical to the Seeker-sensitive theology. In verse 18, Paul says that the message of the gospel is “foolishness” to those who are perishing. Then in verse 21, he says that it actually pleased God to present a message of foolishness so that the true elect - the true called - would come forward to eventually fulfill prophecy. In verse 24, he supports this by specifically stating that this message is understood by “those who are called.” Then, in verse 27, Paul says God presented this foolish message so that the “weak” men that were changed by it may put the unbelievers to shame.
The shame that St. Paul is speaking of is the shame that takes place when spiritual dominion and sanctification begins to manifest in the believer’s life. On a grand scale, this is done through the very institution of the Church! The Church, as Christ’s living body of believers, is to manifest his glory while here on earth as well as in heaven above.