New Theses, New Reformation

Thesis 85 We must be quick to listen.

Movements move, eventually, off the mark. This may be because movements require two dangerous but potent ingredients- single-mindedness and certainty. One does not give birth to a movement while spinning multiple plates. One doesn’t change the collective wisdom of the world from a position of uncertainty. These two ingredients, however, have a rather short shelf-life, inevitably souring into tunnel vision and arrogance.

A reformation is a movement of sorts, but for it to succeed it needs to steer clear of such spoilage. The Bible gives us the antidote in reminding us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19). What though are we to be listening to? First, we are to listen to the Word of God. One of the distinguishing qualities that sets Reformation apart from Revolution is that the latter always wishes to start from scratch, to tear down everything that had come before. The former recognizes that our past, like our present and our future, is a mixed bag. Where the church remains faithful to God’s Word, we are called to agree. We don’t toss it aside to make room for our own ideas.

Second, we are to listen to our fathers. Rome made the mistake of ascribing infallibility to church tradition. The radical reformation made the mistake of tossing the wisdom of our fathers overboard. The magisterial Reformers rightly found a balance. We ought to follow in their footsteps. We ought to honor our fathers, while being careful not to venerate them.

Third, we need to listen to those we are seeking to serve. The very purpose of Reformation, in the end, isn’t the increased health of institutions but the growth into godliness of the people in those institutions. The sheep know the voice of their Great Shepherd. Under-shepherds, on the other hand, must also know the voice of their flocks. This is one way we steer clear of the dangers of movements. Luther led the Reformation not to make a name for himself, but for the sake of the souls under his care. Every moment he devoted translating the Bible into the German vernacular was a moment he didn’t give himself to grandiose abstract disputations. He set aside feeding his ego that he might be used to feed His sheep

Finally, we need to listen to the voice of the Spirit of God. We are commanded to walk in the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit. When He speaks we not only must listen, but must act. He speaks to those sins we must become convicted of. He speaks to the needs of others we must seek to meet. He speaks of the glory of the Son that is our guiding light and our reason for being. He speaks the words that He would have us to speak to the watching world. He speaks the words that assure us of the love of the Father for us. Two ears, one mouth. Good counsel.