The Illusion of Meaning Without Foundation

ChristiAnarchy Today – September 4, 2018

We live in a world where somehow we have allowed each other to exist without foundation. A hero believes they are a hero – and that is that, our culture almost demands that he or she be seen and described as a hero – or else. There are comics who are not funny who just because they think they are funny demand to be seen as such. We have artists without skill, history or a body of work demanding to be seen as artists, and so on and so on. Of course, all we need to do is spend a little time in reality and we readily see how absurd this thinking is.

For instance, no matter how hard I try I cannot be considered a 90-year-old man. Why? I have not lived 90 years – not in this body – so no matter how much I want to be seen as a man in his 90’s, it's impossible for this to be a reality. Likewise, I might like to fancifully introduce myself as the starting quarterback of Michigan Wolverines, but no matter how much I believe this, I have nothing to substantiate this belief as a fact. In this situation, we all know that I am NOT, in reality, the starting Wolverine quarterback – no matter how much I stomp my feet and demand to be seen as such.

Even if in my head there is deep meaning in my fanciful position, even if possessing this identity means EVERYTHING to me, we cannot extract meaningfulness from the means – a concept my youngest daughter Delaney turned me onto recently. Let me break this concept down in another way. What is the meaning, in the end, of an apple tree? We know that apple trees begin from an apple seed, planted in suitable ground, sprouting roots and shoots, and reaching toward the sky. Along the way, the roots have an ability to retain some earth and hold that earth in place, to grow a thicker trunk that can support branches, then limbs, then leaves, and finally apples.

Along the way, apple trees might be used for wood in some manner, and can be used as shade in summer and cover in winter. All these things are part of the Apple Tree and may serve people in these ways but in the end, the real meaning of the Apple Tree is to produce apples, which, bearing seeds, contain the potential to replicate all of the above over and over again.

The Foundation of Christianity

Today, we cannot simply take an apple and consider it meaningful to us in eating, or baking, or in making apple sauce unless we include the means of the Apples meaning – The original seed, the roots, the soil, the water, the trunk, the branches, the leaves and ultimately the fruit itself. Apples do NOT just exist. They have an original source or a means. And so it is with the faith called Christianity. If we really think about it the meaning of the Christian faith, in the end, is love – agape loveSelfless love marked by patience, mercy, and humility—central to living in spiritual liberty., which is the selfless, unconditional love of God exhibited between people.

There are people who try and suggest that they can be truly loving and selfless and self-sacrificial without God and Jesus in their lives (without the means of such Christian love) as a person who looks to the means in faith. I would suggest that this is no more possible than it is for an apple to exist without the tree. The trouble rises when individuals try and separate the meaning from Christianity from the means AND/OR the means from the meaning.

Meaning and Means

Let me explain. There are those in the world who sincerely believe that they can share in all the meaning of Christianity without looking to any of the means. I suggest (and have here suggested) that this is as illogical as suggesting that an apple exists without the means of an apple tree. If you haven’t guessed, the means of Christianity is all that has gone on before by and through the hands of God through Christ by the Spirit as a means to bring the Good News to the World. These means include the establishment of the COI, of the Law and the Prophets, of the New Testament, of the Messiah and the New Testament, of His deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. and resurrection and then His ultimate return. To skip His teachings and commands and believe we can possess the meaning of it all is like a brain surgeon skipping over the parts of her

The Connection Between Meaning and Means in Christianity

Training that describes how to actually open a brain up surgically, but believes she can effectively still call herself a brain surgeon. So, while we know that the meaning of Christianity is love – selfless love, true Christians know that they cannot extract the means of this love – as it is contained in scripture if they choose to exhibit it in their lives. Meaning must have the associated means connected to it and means must produce the associated meanings of the means are worthless.

In other words, if someone was to really throw themselves into the study of the means of Christianity – church history, ancient languages, theology – but fails to embrace the meaning of it all, LOVE, then knowing the means “means” nothing at all.

The Importance of Love in Christianity

This is why Paul says in 1st Corinthians 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Understanding the Means and Words of God

We speak a lot about the unimportance of organized religion in the world today, about the uselessness of studying the means of the faith, and the importance of Love. But don’t take this message wrong – please. I am not saying, don’t seek to know and understand the means and words of God. Don’t think that you can just say you love God and others and that it is possible to turn your back on knowing God by and through His word.

The Inextricable Link Between Means and Meaning

The word, THE MEANS, and the Love it pushes us to have and share (THE MEANING) are inextricably linked meaning you can’t have the one without the other . . . anymore than you can have an apple without the tree. OUT.