Print This Post
BOA ACTION: Motion to reject the resolution as already rated “C”.
GCRCC Status: forwarded for April 2011 BOA action
Introduced by: Pam Braman, North Central Conference
Written by: Pam Braman and Marie Rose
Related to Paragraph(s) #: uncertain
Whereas:
-Holiness is not a check list of “do” and “don’t” and
-Too many of our people treat holiness as a checklist
-Too many have left the church because of unrealistic expectations of a new believer
-Our people can begin to believe that living by the rules is the essence of Christian living, rather than living in love with Jesus…
-Rules too often do not give God room to work
Therefore, be it resolved:
That we give people the freedom to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and the teachings of Scripture, and recognize that as their hearts change, behaviors will change.
Does the resolution have a direct relationship to the vision and mission of the Free Methodist Church?
Yes.
How will the proposed change help us accomplish our vision and mission?
Though not particularly well formed, if the FMCNA adopts a radical WESLEYAN world-view, rather than resting in an American holiness movement minset, there may indeed more resistence to legalism.
The Resolutions Committee rates this resolution as:
(C) Rejected – anticipate General Conference rejection
Related posts:
I support the intent of this resolution and don’t understand why it received a “C” from the home conference.
I liked it too.
The NCC strongly believes in the intent of this resolution. It was listed as a C because we could not identify a particular place in the Discipline where such a sentiment would fit. We did want to go on record that this was indeed a direction we felt would be positive for the FMC. It might be fun to discuss or circulate a paper on this matter with Every Means delegates?
That’s a neat idea. The topic will surely come up in Group 3′s discussions.
That sounds good. I look forward to working on it with the group.
I strongly support Resolution 34 — Resist Legalism. I suspect many of our pastors and churches are already doing this very thing.
Holiness-legalism is, in my view, very much like the legalism of many Christians in the early church (see Acts 15). One wonders, if the far right holiness advocates of today, with all their rules and regulations, have ever read and digested the contents of the book of Galatians.
I think the FM Church has made modest progress in recent decades in ridding itself of legalism. Who would ever forget the dramatic General Conference plea of Bishop Elmer E. Parsons for more freedom? However, fearing a split, it stopped short of getting rid of legalism in one grand sweeep.
It may be that the church will yet need a generation or two of “benign neglect” of rules until it fully recognizes in writing salvation by grace through faith, not works, that allows the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide each individual believer with individualized timing on specific personal practices of holiness (i.e.,being gradually conformed to the image of Christ). This is my ongoing prayer and hope for the church.
Thank you, Pam Braman and Marie Rose for your Resolution #34. Never give up!