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Getting it right: Non-Sacralist Public Discourse
On more than one occasion I've spoken ill of Albert Mohler, not for the soteriology he espouses but because he negates Biblical truth by cavorting with the likes of Dobson and other Americanists. He praises 'our' troops and has grossly confused American values and politics with those taught in the Scriptures.
But today he got it right. He called to account those who have syncretized Yoga with Christianity.
It is indeed the duty of the Church to speak out on issues…pertaining to Christ and the Church. This is the right realm of Ecclesiastical Authority. Amazingly he's receiving quite a bit of flack for this, but this is one issue that can and should be commented on.
He's not calling on the state to prohibit Yoga, he speaking to the Church as is proper. He's not calling on unbelievers to cease and desist from practicing Yoga. Often enough he would over issues like this, but I didn't catch that today.
Of course we think they should desist, but what they really need is to be born again. Compelling people to change their behaviour prior to or apart from Repentance and Belief in Christ is nothing less than a work-righteousness construct. Mohler at least in this instance does not fall into that trap. Convert them to Christ, get them in the Word…then they'll drop the Yoga.
Doing otherwise is putting the cart before the horse.
One point I would raise….
Is the problem with Yoga due to its ancient Eastern origin? Or is it rooted directly in Biblical argument? For many Americanist Christians, things like Yoga ought to be rejected not because they have rejected innovations in the realm of Christian piety, but because it's non-western. This would be an argument rooted in Sacralism rather than Biblical teaching.
The reason we would reject Yoga as a spiritual exercise is because the Bible explicitly speaks on the often demonic nature of man-made spiritual exercises. One type is condemned in 1 Timothy 4, where Paul categorically condemns practices where people believe they're more holy by abstaining from certain foods or practices which God has not condemned. In Colossians 2, Paul speaks of another type of false piety, actually rooted in pride, wherein man innovates and speaks of spiritual experience and growth, when Paul insists they don't know what they are talking about, they bring themselves and others into bondage, and it is merely a self-imposed religion…in the flesh and of no worth.
Pat Robertson even spoke up today and agreed with Mohler. How bizarre that someone like Robertson would have a problem with Yoga, when so much of his theological system is rooted in the same man-made innovative type thought as those who would find spiritual value in breathing exercises, stretching and posture.
Yoga is wrong because it's incompatible with Biblical Spirituality. The same would be true for a man-made tradition like Lent, which teaches we are more spiritual or pleasing to God by abstaining from something for a season. Where does God tell us that we will please him or be more spiritual by cutting out meat for forty days? What gives us the right to declare such? If Lent is okay, so is Yoga. They're the same. I'm not sure Mohler would see it that way, Robertson and the majority of Evangelicals don't see it all. That's why I question the motive. I think it more likely to be rooted in American cultural norms rather than in Biblical doctrine.
Mohler argues that unless you're 'doing' Yoga as a Hindu, you're not really doing it anyway. True enough, but as I said above, if someone thinks they're being more spiritual by these breathing exercises and posture…call it what you will, but Paul calls it the commandments of men and demonic. Christ rejects such worship in Matthew 15, saying in vain do you worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Only God can determine how He is to be worshipped. We have no right to innovate and create new ways to approach him, even if they seem or feel right. In fact more often than not, that's a reason to be concerned.
So I commend Al Mohler today. I'm not sure why this is a news headline, but good for him for standing for the truth on this issue. This is the Church getting it right.
Rather than speaking as an authority about politics and foreign policy to the state, he's commenting on a syncretistic trend overtaking the Church. We can speak about politics and foreign policy, even in the public square to a certain extent. Within the Church itself we ought to be speaking of these things. In fact we had better be paying attention, so we are not deceived, as indeed so many have been.
But it is not the duty of the Church to address the state and command the state to respond a certain way, because the state is reckoned Christian. It's not, and cannot be. The duty of the Church is to bring Christ to the world, proclaiming his person and work, his death and resurrection, and God willing many individuals, perhaps even some in the state will be converted.
Actually I don't see a difficulty in the Church condemning or commending certain state policies, but it must be from the standpoint of the state being common. The minute we confuse that issue, we corrupt the Church, and on a certain level corrupt the state. All states within the City of Man are at different tempos and by various means being transformed in the kingdom of Satan, the pseudo-Kingdom of God. But by pushing the state into a Sacral construct, we speed it on its way. We add fuel to the fire, and the Church is no longer on a clear path. Instead she enters something akin to a house of mirrors and quickly loses her way.
Some might find the distinction to be subtle, but I hope you grasp it. It's critical. The Church does not stick its head in the sand. That's actually what Sacralists do. They join up with a political/cultural movement and then essentially go to sleep...and end up being deceived into all kinds of madness and wickedness.
We should be very aware of what's happening, but as a Church we don't have political, economic, or social solutions to offer. We proclaim Christ and understand that He is the only answer. We can assess the political, economic, and social issues, but we also understand there is no perfect or just solution in a fallen world. Ultimately everyone is looking for what? Justice. They want things set right.
Have we read our Bibles? This can only happen when Christ returns. Our attempts to to build such a 'heavenly' kingdom can only end up being a reproduction, a repetition of the Babel-project.
We proclaim Christ, we speak the truth, we discern, but we don't use our authority to compel the state, nor do we join with the state to promote our mission.