Four Stances, Part 2

Shawn McCraney discusses the limitations and criticisms of the doctrines of Orthodoxy, Protestantism, and Restorationism, explaining that their perceived authority and claims of apostolic succession are flawed and unsupported by biblical evidence. He suggests that Jesus has already returned and taken his church-bride, challenging traditional beliefs about the church's permanence and highlighting the need for spiritual liberation from institutional constraints.

Shawn explains that early church teachings indicate Jesus' prophesied return was fulfilled through a form of judgment in AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem, challenging traditional views on His final coming and encouraging a reassessment of how sin and the apostolic role were addressed in context of Jesus' mandate. This perspective suggests that church traditions and biblical interpretations might overlook the historical and spiritual significance of the apostolic period's events regarding sin, emphasizing the role of Apostles in safeguarding and uniting the church against external threats.

Shawn argues that apostle Paul's instructions for women to be silent in church were culturally specific to his time to maintain unity and not impose additional burdens on the early Christian community, as indicated by his acknowledgment elsewhere that all are equal in Christ. He critiques Protestant and Orthodox stances for either selectively following scripture or perpetuating outdated practices, advocating for an interpretation of scripture that embraces equality and recognizes the emancipation provided by faith.

Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions both emphasize the importance of confession, viewing it as essential for spiritual healing, with Orthodox Christianity believing confession is directly to God in the presence of a priest, whereas Catholics see priests as intermediaries for absolving mortal and venal sins. While Roman Catholicism categorizes sin into mortal, potentially leading to hell, and venal, possibly causing a temporary stay in purgatory, Orthodoxy views unrepented sin as mortal and stresses a continuous tradition rooted in authority and apostolic succession.

Shawn teaches that sin, defined as "missing the mark," is a human condition understood differently across various Christian denominations, with Protestant groups often focusing on sins of the flesh rather than sins of the heart, and emphasizing the role of Jesus in overcoming sin. He critiques the inconsistency in how religions handle sin, highlighting the necessity for Christians to comprehend the implications of Jesus's role in addressing sin for everyone.

Shawn teaches that prior to Jesus Christ, humanity was spiritually separated from God due to being born in sin because of Adam, but Christ's sacrificial death paid for all the world's sins and reconciled humanity with God. Consequently, people are no longer born dead in sin but are considered "dead in Him," meaning that God no longer views humans as sinful, having already accounted for their sins through Christ's substitutionary death.

The teaching emphasizes that Jesus' death reconciled humanity universally, removing sin without conditions, ensuring all will be resurrected, not to be seen as universalism but as a testament to Christ's completed work overcoming sin and death. The reconciliation through Christ excludes the notion that belief is necessary for sins to be forgiven and stresses a distinction in afterlife experiences based on the principle of sowing and reaping rather than sin, presenting a perspective distinct from traditional religious views.

Justice is the principle of holding individuals accountable for their actions, and it necessitates consequences for wrongdoing to ensure fairness and order, both in everyday life and in larger contexts like legal systems and spiritual beliefs. This teaching emphasizes the interconnectedness of justice and consequences, illustrating how they operate in homes, within societal structures like the police and courts, and in religious perspectives on moral responsibility.