Friends, Today we address George’s 5^th, 6th, and 7^th warnings to the Coptic Church, which are also good reminders for all of us today. Blessings, Bob

--- --- ---

Spirituality Column #869

July 11, 2023

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

‘Whoever Says …’ Part 3

By Bob Walters

“The Spirit who raised Christ will give life to your mortal bodies as well.” Romans 8:11.

We are into Part 3 of examining George Bebawi’s 12 warnings to the Coptic Church that he penned – in Arabic – in 2012.  We explained the exercise in Part 1 (HERE), and today we’re looking at warnings five, six, and seven. George was from Egypt, and the Coptics – “Copt” is the “language of the Pharaohs” – are the Christian Orthodox Church of Egypt founded by Mark (yes, THAT Mark) in the first century.

George wasn’t one to mince words. The modern Coptic offenses he discerned are not always clear in this recently discovered English translation, but his basic theology of the body of Christ and the nature of the Spirit’s work in humanity is stunning.  It is not our task or aim to engage with the Copts, but we take an opportunity to marvel at George’s fruitful mind at work. George’s “warnings” are followed by my comments.

“Fifth: Whoever denies the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, upon the believers, and teaches the lie that this is the descent of grace only; then he has divided his participation with the Trinity and has lost his eternal inheritance, and even his resurrection from the dead (Romans 8:11).”

In his lesson notes on Romans 8:5-11 (Oct. 8, 2008), George wrote: “Paul does not speak of two human elements which are at war in us, the human flesh and the human spirit. Paul is speaking of the human life and its war against the Spirit, that is, God.” First, understand this life spirit is the Holy Spirit, not a human spirit.  Two, “descent of grace only” isolates “salvation” – our “get out of jail free” card – from the Lordship of Jesus. Everyone wants a savior; many are less enthusiastic about obeying a Lord. Our journey into eternity is only complete with both Savior and Lord.

“Sixth: Whoever teaches that the Mysteries are from the clergy and that they are its source rather than its servant only, then he has denied the priesthood of the Lord Jesus, and he has lost the power and work of the one Mediator and one Lord, Jesus Christ, who alone offers us to the service of the Mysteries that he distributes by himself.”

George here is telling priests and clergy to stay in their lane.  They are teachers, servants, and shepherds, not sources of grace or power nor mediators between our faith and Jesus. “Mysteries” are how George refers to God’s love, life, and truth, our redemption in Jesus’s sacrifice, and the Spirit’s presence in humanity.  God does all that; it is not the clergy’s job to declare or rescind salvation.  Jesus is our priest, period.

“Seventh: Whoever thinks that the holiness of a person is rooted in the episcopate or priesthood, or that the holiness of the bishop or the priest is the reason for him remaining holy, then he has denied his baptism and the chrism, and his participation in the one, holy, and catholic body of the Church.”

“Episcopate” means bishops, and “chrism” is the “oil of anointing” used in various Christian rites of consecration or “dedication to God” which, I think, is perhaps the best definition of the word “holy”: something dedicated to God.  George likely perceived that the Coptic leadership saw itself and its church too much as the purveyor of holiness while not assigning proper and full credit for holiness to the Father, Son, and Spirit.  We are drawn together as the Body of Christ, the Church, by the Holy Spirit, not by man.

Any Christian and any clergy in any denomination does well to maintain proper humility within their servant station.  It’s good advice, and George shared it abundantly.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) recommends “georgebebawi.com” for a deep dive, and offers thanks again to Stan Naraine for curating the site..