Humble Orthodoxy

inally, we in NewDemonstration have determined to write a topical series of posts. In the past months/year, there is a topic that always had my interest. It was an article that I stumbled upon in the past year down in Pyromaniacs, an article written by Frank Turk on his regular Wednesday post. It was about Humble Orthodoxy. For those of you who aren't familiar or much exposed in the blogosphere, it is a title, correct me if I am wrong, that was coined over at NewAttitude, the original Humble Orthodoxy guys. Having read their articles, I thought to myself, "We must write something like this! People must hear/read this message!" So months came by, the blog growing older, Mike and the guys joining in, we have finally decided to write about it, our own version of humble orthodoxy. Mike has previously written one in the past week, and due to some very "undesirable circumstances" I have failed to follow up, which is what I am making up for in today's Monday Post (which will be my official post date from now on. - it is technically still monday in other timezones right?).

To start let us define what Humble Orthodoxy means. Humble, of course also forms the word humility, a sense of the absence of pride, a low sight of self. Orthodoxy on the other hand is derived from two Greek words, "ortho", meaning "right" or "correct", and "doxa", meaning "thought", "teaching", or "belief". In this case, as related to the Christian practice, orthodoxy means "correct beliefs".

In modern Christian culture today, there is very little importance given on orthodoxy. Very few Christians would consider themselves orthodox for that matter. Most of us would call ourselves "Born Again", "Jesus freak", "church guy", or whatever. To us, the word orthodox has a sort of strong connotation, an unattractive one. To most people it describes a legalistic form of belief, boring and arrogant. A "do this and don't do that" sort of mentality is imposed when orthodox comes to mind.

Keep in mind all these are merely presumptions, isn't it interesting that such orthodoxy is commanded by the very Word of God?

KJV 1 Timothy 4:6-7 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

Why orthodoxy then? In what way is it "humble"?

Realize that orthodoxy and humility are intertwined within each other in and around the Christian faith. If one is truly humble, he is not one humbled by men. A person who is truly humble is not humble with respect to others, the environment or the situation at hand. Ah, but for a Christian, he is one who is humbled for He has caught a glimpse of the Glory of the Sovereign God! He is one who has caught a heavenly glimpse of the Awesomeness of the Almighty, Omnipotent, Holy, Sovereign and Righteous! Like the prophet Isaiah, he cannot help but to confess the utter unworthiness of his being, for he has seen the Holiness of God, the embodiment of the Lord's Glory, and in light of that He has seen the curroption of his own soul, the defiance of his nature against a Just and Holy God!

KJV Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

For a Christian, I find it impossible to not love orthodoxy. I find it impossible to not strive for sound doctrine. I find it impossible to deny the desire to know God and the fullness of the accomplishments of the Atonement fulfilled by Christ as expressed in Holy Writ.

As humility would lead to orthodoxy, in the same way orthodoxy would lead to humility. For a person having caught a knowledge of the Holy, of God, His justice and the wisdom of His requirements, he cannot help but be cast down. Like Daniel, when a vision came to him:

ESV Daniel 10:7-12 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground. 10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

If one has truly grasped a knowledge of who God is, His attributes, the eternal worthiness of the God of all creation, I am fully persuaded that pride nor arrogance would not come about in such an experience, but a kind if humility that comes from the Lord of Glory Himself, for when we know who God is, we will surely know how it is to tremble before Him and His glory.

How else can we face Him?

How is it that men claim to have met God, "dwelling in the anointing", "operating in the Glory", but never had an idea even of how it is to bow down in the dust in fear and trembling in the sight of the Lord? How is it that such people claims to have had visions of Angels and of Christ would immediately feel joy but never fear? Ah, how doubtful our generation is.

If one has truly grasped what it means to grab that which the Word of God teaches, sound doctrine, orthodoxy, an expression of correct beliefs, humility personified, I completely believe that such a condition would as well lead to a correct practice of one's Christian life. That it wouldn't so much be stuck as idle thinking, or simply a great idea, but it would be the very thing that compels us to live rightly before God! How else shall we live? How else shall we speak? How else shall we serve the Living God?

Humility leads to Orthodoxy as Orthodoxy leads to Humility, both lead to Orthopraxy. Orthopraxy being the expression of correct practice of one's Christian Life.