Tracks

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Back in my Christian academic education days at Canadian Baptist Seminary/Trinity Western University, with my Master of Theological Studies, course work Masters, I had a very fine Baptist theology professor that is now a Facebook friend. Dr. Earl Radmacher.

Within Theology 1 and Theology 2 which were long several hour sessions he brought us the theological concept of 'Tracks' in other words, from how I understood back in the late 1990's, it was the concept that a Christian may be well-meaning to do something better and greater for God and yet a track or tracks associated with sin or a track or tracks associated with something less than God's perfect will were holding a Christian back in life.

Seems to me he used the example of sexual sin and someone wanting to repent sincerely to God, but habitual sin prevented change.

The person could not change tracks. Not in their own strength.

It can be difficult to move onto a different track or tracks.

I find 'tracks' quite fascinating. Both in Theology and Philosophy.

One may see my Facebook updates and my blog posts and assume that I love the internet or love blogging and do not love other things, because these things are not seen in context.

One may assume this is exactly the life I desire, which is not the case.

But in context, I am on a track with a PhD in Theology/Philosophy and I use Facebook and my blogs to promote myself for potential employment, to work in ministry, and to maintain my skill level and I reason actually to increase it.

The internet is also a social track and some may therefore assume because I use this track so much for work it is also the social track I prefer.

Not the case.

As was noted at church again today, and I have heard this many times over the years, the Metropolitan Vancouver area only has five percent church attendance on a given Sunday.

Therefore, it may not be so simple, or easy for me to change social tracks as I would like.

But of course I try in Christ.

However, sure enough this last week I now have some online tutoring work from South Africa which I signed up for over a year ago, but now there is actual work.

But it does maintain a track of working online.

Others Christians may find they have a very vibrant social life with many friends but are a closet Christian and would like to have more Christian friends and fellowship.

Society and trends are against them.

This would be true in a Western context, or in an Islamic one or in many Eastern nations.

To move from the secular life track, for example, to the Christian life track is likely a difficult move indeed.

Although Christians are called in Christ not be bound together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14).

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

14 Do not be [a]bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with [b]Belial, or [c]what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. 18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.

Permanent associations are meant according to David. J. A. Clines.

Therefore such a move would be Biblically mandated and there would be a price to pay for staying on a secular track.

Even some that are very religious, perhaps very fundamentalistic persons in the Church need to evaluate the track and tracks they are on.

Are they too legalistic?

Do they love enough?

Is their Christianity too much a product of a culture?

All life tracks which are from worldview from the perspective of limited human free will need to be evaluated by those in Christ and some tracks, some trains need to be departed for new ones in order to move closer to God's perfect will as opposed to closer to a permissible will.

CLINES, DAVID J.A. (1986) '2 Corinthians' in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

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