Monday, January 02, 2006

Congruity: What Really Counts

What is congruity? According to Webster’s, it is primarily “the condition, quality, or fact of being congruous; specifically, (a) agreement; harmony; (b) fitness; appropriateness” and, “in geometry, exact coincidence; said of two or more figures.”

Congruity to the Word of God and to the Son of God is, or should be, the goal of every proclaimed biblical fundamentalist. In the study and use of geometry, congruity is both significant and useful. Many truths can be derived about figures, lines, and angles based on their relative congruity. Segment lengths and angle measures can be known, sometimes only by likeness, when statements regarding congruity are made. The side-angle-side axiom is a perfect example of this. It is really quite simple and logically beautiful. Yet this principle can be basically explained thus: if two geometric figures that are exactly the same are laid atop one another, then they are congruent. If they are not the same, then they cannot be congruent.

Of course, the Bible does not use the word “congruity.” However, I believe the idea of congruity fits well with a few biblical principles. One is the idea of conformity. Romans 8:29 states that believers are to be “conformed (similar, made like to) to the image of His Son.” The well-known passage in Romans 12:1-2 tells the saints not to be similar to the world but to be changed by a constant renewing of the mind. This thought is also presented in 2 Corinthians 3:18. Paul writes, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.” It is clear from examining these passages that the Spirit works transformation to the likeness of Christ as we behold the Son in His Word. I think that aiming for congruity to Christ is biblical. What joy it would be to, in the geometric sense, lay my life on Christ’s and have it be exactly the same--congruent.

Therefore, let every fundamentalist “behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Let us focus on the things Jesus focused on, setting aside our own ideas and desires. Let us abide in and love Him by keeping His commandments, setting aside thwarting sin. Let us show the world true discipleship through fervent love for and service to the brethren, laying aside enmity and strife. Let us aim for congruity to Christ.

1 comment:

Kent Brandenburg said...

Hey Ricci,

You would be amazed at how I arrived at this blog site. Without a name like gargoyle, I thought I might seem welcome in a sort of incongruous way. Anyway, a former member who now resides in Minnesota has a very bad blog and someone commented on a recent post of his, who had made the same trek to neo by self-centered trajectory, and I clicked on her name where her blog comments had Heather, who was you two. With all that in mind, have a great day, and keep doing what you are doing with problems like her.