Like Trying to See Your Own Eye Color

To open, a paraphrase of Jeff Foxworthy:

• If you believe that all Christians are guaranteed health and wealth now, you might suffer from an over-realized eschatology.
• If you believe we can bring about the Kingdom if only we have the right social programs, you might suffer from an over-realized eschatology.
• If you believe we can experience Heaven on Earth once we get the right government in place, you might suffer from an over-realized eschatology.

The above doesn’t have much to do with what’s below, but perhaps it will prove helpful in explaining what I mean by the term over-realized eschatology.

Recently I heard a sermon on 1 Corinthians 4:8 – 21 delivered quite ably by Reverend Jon Medlock of Trinity Presbyterian Church in San Luis Obispo, CA. The message was timely in that it poked a place in my brain that’s been poked before, but this time something thankfully broke loose. Please note that I’m expanding on a couple of the points that were made in the sermon and I don’t claim to speak for Reverend Medlock, nor do I want to put words in his mouth—this is me taking hold of what the preacher said and turning it over in my mind until something came out. I pray that what comes out is edifying.

In the passage in 1 Corinthians, Paul rebukes members of the Corinthian Church for living in the “already” as opposed to the “not yet.” Theologians refer to this as having an over-realized eschatology. This can be summed up as believing God’s Kingdom is already wholly realized on earth, or can be brought to full realization if only the correct social policies were in place or the right person was in the White House. Practically, an over-realized eschatology leads to a variety of problems, including a theology of glory, liberalism, or fundamentalism.

Pastor Medlock’s message also warned us to beware of the disconnect between our theology and our practice. He described our “functional theology” as the theology exhibited by how we live (as opposed to what we profess) and challenged us to take a critical look at our own lifestyles, which, he admits, is about as easy as trying to see your own eye color without a mirror.

Regardless of the theology they professed, the Corinthians saw themselves as kings; practically, they were living like the Kingdom was fully realized, when the reality that Paul experienced was that he was “the scum of the world.” Paul is not above sarcasm when he explains this in the following passage.

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
—1 Corinthians 4:8 – 13 (ESV)

By claiming the Kingdom was already a a spiritual reality, the Corinthians were trying to claim the promises of the age to come, while ignoring Biblical commands to care for the downtrodden, to suffer well, and to love one’s enemies. Remember, Paul planted this church only a few years before he wrote this letter (Acts 18), so there were many in the church who “knew the right words,” yet they showed by their actions that they thought other things were more important than advancing the gospel.

The Corinthians’ skewed practical theology led to confusion on all kinds of matters, including participation in paganism, order within the worship service, sexual immorality, social cliques, the bodily resurrection of believers, marriage, and divorce.

This shows us that our practices betray our beliefs, and reminds us our orthodoxy should be integrated with our orthopraxy.

If someone were to interpolate your (or my) belief system by observing your (or my) actions, what would their result be? All too often, it would be said of me that I believe in cheap grace and a “theology of me.” The reality is, of course, that I don’t profess these, but I seem to have no trouble practicing them.

So one point is that our theology should be as sound as we can make it. One doesn’t just “get” sound theology overnight—it is the result of having the gospel preached to you regularly, investing in the lives of others, making mistakes, and through trials and suffering.

Another point is that your theology could be spot-on but if your daily practice does not reflect this, your theology is useless.

These two points work together to strengthen each other into one overarching imperative; practice sound theology.

As a layman, my theology is often unsound. It’s better than it was, and by God’s grace it will be better still. I’m blessed to sit under sound teaching and to have great resources available only a click away. That convenience is also a curse because there is far less solid teaching online than there is heresy and heterodoxy.

Here’s hoping this post doesn’t add to that heap.