Is Revival Soft or Strong? by Thang San Mung
As long as the phenomena are incidental, actually, there is nothing to worry about whatever form the revival took on. However, at some extreme situation, if there would be an occasion, in which such phenomena represent certain theological/doctrinal value, attention should be given, of course. For this is more than a phenomenon. Therefore, to brief, certain phenomena, though seemed strange and rough sometimes, are not worth be given serious attention. Just let them show their own color at the end. All our concern is more than physical expressions—that is the inward state of the said revival. Therefore, as shepherd of God’s flock, it is our responsibility to put on the meekness and gentleness of the Spirit on ourselves in our spiritual business with so-called end-time revivals so that every inner state of every individual will be challenged by our gentle behavior rather.
2. The Benefit of Change: The Work or Movement of the Spirit is Irresistible
No revival movements had been well received at first! Just to name a few, Montanist revival in the early third and fourth centuries is an instance.[7] In their rigorous response to the negative reaction of the church, it eventually turned even to a heretic tendency at last, sadly! Monastic reform of the fifth and sixth centuries against the luxurious lifestyle of the time is another. It was well accepted only very long after its first appearance.[8] The great Reformation, which was also called as Protestant movement by its early rivals, in the sixteenth century, also was bitterly anathemized by the time. We can read many similar stories in almost every pages of Church History, such as of Anabaptists, Puritans, Moravian brethrens. We can see that almost every revival movements had not been well received at first. The reason is that it is too barbaric to the existing religious culture and institutionalized tradition.
To simply label, however, such revivals barbaric, it might be a great, unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit (cf., Matthew 12:31). In fact, we’ve got here to stay in a dilemma for some time, waiting for what’d be turning out at the end. To be honest, the major reason why the existing cultures could not accept such at their first contact is all a single word “fear”. It is a fear to change by the call of this new movement (cf., Mark 11:31-32; Matthew 26:4-5). This fear had even brought a conclusion to denounce such genuine revivals and to anathemize them. However, if it is truly the work of the Holy Spirit, no one for sure will be able to hinder it. In effect, if resistance continues, there would then be a consequential division, though bitter, in order to outlet the flow of the current to reach the wider community (cf., Matthew 10:34). Therefore, at this stage, as leader of the church, we should not point our fingers out to that timely call of change but to ourselves first and find out what changes need in us and among us.
However, at the same time, there should have a caution too. All of the said revivals would not bring the needed change always. To make simple, for they all are not genuine revival but might be just certain people movements claiming good name of revival. In another words, therefore, we can, and should, know genuine revival by its final result. However, that change to be occurred, we should also acknowledge that God has many different ways, better than ours. There are several ways for the Holy Spirit to follow—may be rough or smooth, wild or gentle, bitter or sweet to us (cf., “sword” vs. “peace”, Matthew 10:34). In another words, this different phenomenal expressions are not actually the problem at all.[9] The final product is what we are eagerly waiting for.
3. The Law of the Spirit: Two Expressions but One Single Attitude
When several Christological debates were broken out in the early Church, a new search on the nature and person of Jesus Christ became a demand that finally formulated the doctrine in such terminology as “hypostatic union” and others.[10] In this light, traditionally, the church claimed the doctrine of two natures—divine and human—in the one single person of Jesus Christ. The same formula can be applied here also. The soft and strong move of the Holy Spirit is the twofold expression of His one single attitude—that is love, a transforming love. In its aggressiveness, love can be soft and strong. Love is both. Proverbs also says that “better is open rebuke (aggressiveness of love) than hidden love” (27:5, NIV).
Category: Church History
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