I didn’t want to sing wrong
So I didn’t sing at all
I didn’t want to dance wrong
So I didn’t dance at all
I didn’t want to respond wrong
So I didn’t respond at all.
When the game was over
They added up all the points;
And though I was careful not to lose any
I found I still had none.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
On Homeschool Philosophy
Our homeschool group has a little debate going on about whether we should use state provided homeschool programs. This is a portion of my response to that debate:
I don't believe we will retain the long term right to homeschool our kids. That isn't the direction our culture is moving. Does the age of the Beast sound friendly to homeschooling? I don't think so. We can debate whether we might see that age or not, but it seems clear that before the end, freedom will be pretty squashed. Americans are consistently giving up their personal responsibility (and freedom) in favor of being taken care of. Is using school services just another fruit of this mindset? That's a question I have to put to my own heart.
I don't intend to sound overly pessimistic, but the reality is that our culture is NOT becoming more Christian and Jesus isn't likely to be elected president any time soon. Parts of the homeschool culture have projected a vision of a progressive take over of America/the World by making more moral laws and electing Christian officials. It is good to elect wise and good people to office, and it is good to make godly laws. Wearing clothes from the 1800s and making our own food is fun. But the Bible does not teach that the world will be slowly and subtly transformed in this way. Revelation indicates things will get really repressive before Jesus returns to set up a just and perfect Kingdom. Let's make the best of our times (because they are pretty good times), but have our eyes on THAT age, when Jesus radically revolutionizes the world --makes it a New World.
It's a nice place we have, but it isn't home. I think HSLDA's perspective tips a bit too much toward thinking we can vote a righteous governement into place--that this world is salvageable. By all means, lets preserve freedom as long as we can. But let's not be shocked when we find it a losing battle, nor lose hope: our world needs rescuing, and it will be rescued.
I don't believe we will retain the long term right to homeschool our kids. That isn't the direction our culture is moving. Does the age of the Beast sound friendly to homeschooling? I don't think so. We can debate whether we might see that age or not, but it seems clear that before the end, freedom will be pretty squashed. Americans are consistently giving up their personal responsibility (and freedom) in favor of being taken care of. Is using school services just another fruit of this mindset? That's a question I have to put to my own heart.
I don't intend to sound overly pessimistic, but the reality is that our culture is NOT becoming more Christian and Jesus isn't likely to be elected president any time soon. Parts of the homeschool culture have projected a vision of a progressive take over of America/the World by making more moral laws and electing Christian officials. It is good to elect wise and good people to office, and it is good to make godly laws. Wearing clothes from the 1800s and making our own food is fun. But the Bible does not teach that the world will be slowly and subtly transformed in this way. Revelation indicates things will get really repressive before Jesus returns to set up a just and perfect Kingdom. Let's make the best of our times (because they are pretty good times), but have our eyes on THAT age, when Jesus radically revolutionizes the world --makes it a New World.
It's a nice place we have, but it isn't home. I think HSLDA's perspective tips a bit too much toward thinking we can vote a righteous governement into place--that this world is salvageable. By all means, lets preserve freedom as long as we can. But let's not be shocked when we find it a losing battle, nor lose hope: our world needs rescuing, and it will be rescued.
Monday, August 18, 2008
It's all Bad.
The world is controlled by theives. People are really, really messed up. The sun is colder than it should be. The oil is running out. Economic collapse and chaos are inevidible. The democrats are going to win the election. Iran is probably going to bomb us anyway. Then God is going to drop a "mountain of fire" in our ocean. THEN the angels say, "Woe to the earth for what is ABOUT to happen..."
My only comfort is that I have enough fat on my body to ward off starvation for months.
(There. If that doesn't get at least Gib to comment, I don't know what will.)
My only comfort is that I have enough fat on my body to ward off starvation for months.
(There. If that doesn't get at least Gib to comment, I don't know what will.)
Wow. Double Digit Inflation.
I just read an article that was so pessimistic as to suggest double digit inflation as soon as 2009. The author went on to explain that oil, wheat, corn, coal, and copper have increased an average of 300% in the last few years while consumer prices have only increased some 3%. Apparently China is not going to support us forever and will be focusing more on supplying its own population, having eliminated tax incentives for exporting. I'm not so good at math, but isn't 100% per year more than "double digit" inflation? How is that our basic commodities could go up 300 fold and we only experience a 3% retail price increase?
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Emily Dickinson Goes to Her Class Reunion
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us--don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us--don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Thankful for Mercy
This weekend was my twenty year highschool class reunion. What a wave of emotions and memories!
"Stephen, how are you!" Steve's nickname was "beachball" from fifth grade. He remained overweight and often marginalized throughout school, though less so in highschool. A pretty decent guy, though. "Oh..." he's obviously thinking while he's drinking..."I guess I'm okay. Just okay." He tells me about his life, he drives delivery truck and enjoys the freedom of not being a cubicle. I want to hear more about it, and come to know this person I spent 8 years with and never discovered. But someone else comes by, and Steve's attention turns to them, and I move on.
Brian is talking to Marie. I wonder if Brian is still struggling with drugs and alcohol. He was fairly bright in school and good at drama, but there was some trouble at home and his life got pretty crazy after graduation, I heard. Marie was very bright, but silly and flitty. She is moving on after a recent divorce, trying out a new church when her old friends didn't know how to deal with her divorced state. She asks Brian, "So, what do you do?" He is giving her evasive answers--seems to think his job is too complicated for her to understand. She finally convinces him of her interest and he exclaims, "Why Marie, when did you become so literary!" Marie is annoyed: "I'm not just Moe's little sister! I did learn how to read, you know!" I pass by.
I settled with my plate at a table with Lisa. She's looking very pretty with a hair color I don't remember and a dress that definately isn't 80's. "I don't remember reading your bio on the website, " I begin. She says, "Oh, I didn't want to post my litany of relational failures." She's witty and open about two divorces and being a single mom. I throw out a name of a boy from our french class that we both flirted with and teased. She says, "Oh, I lost my virginity to him! I was 14. That was the beginning of the downhill slide." She seems flippant, yet with pain, and I feel like I've been punched. My daughter is 13.
Kim joins us, and I groan inwardly. Kim is a bankruptcy and divorce lawyer. She is extremely bright--I competed with her constantly in school, and I think I mostly came in second to her first in just about everything. She is energetic to the point of frenetic now, and aware enough of others to ask questions but not to listen to the answers. She is a terrible gossip, and always cutting. She, too is divorced, and is ready to throw wood on the pyre of the ex-husband roast. I get up to find some food. Kim is welcome to win this round--and any other round, I don't want to play that game any more.
Cindy is laughing too loud. She finally got away from the abusive older guy that she dated all through highschool, and married Jon, if you can believe that. She looks beautiful, and is telling the same story of giving birth "naturally!" that she was telling at the 10 year reunion. I avoid her.
Finally, I get a chance to settle down with several classmates who are discussing education. Trixie sat next to me in band. I remember her as down to earth, laid back, with a warm sense of humor. Tonight, she is emphatically recounting the struggles with the school district that she has waged to get her children what they need. She's wearing make-up, which she never used to do, and her hair is no longer soft and free. She is strong and articulate, but she says, "I'm tired."
Time changes us. And we can't go back to the time when we didn't carry so much. And so many of these people have been carrying much too much for far too long.
It isn't all a mosaic of pain, of course--some of my classmates have successful international businesses, happy marriages, or lives of service helping people in meaningful ways. But there are so many that seem to be limping along. And I was like them at 16, I was going down the same road as Lisa or Cindy or any of them. That could have been me with the abusive husband or raising my kids alone or hooking up with guy number 26. But God in his huge mercy decided to reach down and fish me out, even though I misunderstood and didn't "do it right" and still after 22 years I'm trying to grasp his love! I feel like I've had a glimpse of my life then--the twisting pangs to belong, but being awkward in my own skin. And I've had a glimpse of where I was going when God interrupted me, and I'm so thankful. I'm not worthy of what I've received, but I'm so thankful.
"Stephen, how are you!" Steve's nickname was "beachball" from fifth grade. He remained overweight and often marginalized throughout school, though less so in highschool. A pretty decent guy, though. "Oh..." he's obviously thinking while he's drinking..."I guess I'm okay. Just okay." He tells me about his life, he drives delivery truck and enjoys the freedom of not being a cubicle. I want to hear more about it, and come to know this person I spent 8 years with and never discovered. But someone else comes by, and Steve's attention turns to them, and I move on.
Brian is talking to Marie. I wonder if Brian is still struggling with drugs and alcohol. He was fairly bright in school and good at drama, but there was some trouble at home and his life got pretty crazy after graduation, I heard. Marie was very bright, but silly and flitty. She is moving on after a recent divorce, trying out a new church when her old friends didn't know how to deal with her divorced state. She asks Brian, "So, what do you do?" He is giving her evasive answers--seems to think his job is too complicated for her to understand. She finally convinces him of her interest and he exclaims, "Why Marie, when did you become so literary!" Marie is annoyed: "I'm not just Moe's little sister! I did learn how to read, you know!" I pass by.
I settled with my plate at a table with Lisa. She's looking very pretty with a hair color I don't remember and a dress that definately isn't 80's. "I don't remember reading your bio on the website, " I begin. She says, "Oh, I didn't want to post my litany of relational failures." She's witty and open about two divorces and being a single mom. I throw out a name of a boy from our french class that we both flirted with and teased. She says, "Oh, I lost my virginity to him! I was 14. That was the beginning of the downhill slide." She seems flippant, yet with pain, and I feel like I've been punched. My daughter is 13.
Kim joins us, and I groan inwardly. Kim is a bankruptcy and divorce lawyer. She is extremely bright--I competed with her constantly in school, and I think I mostly came in second to her first in just about everything. She is energetic to the point of frenetic now, and aware enough of others to ask questions but not to listen to the answers. She is a terrible gossip, and always cutting. She, too is divorced, and is ready to throw wood on the pyre of the ex-husband roast. I get up to find some food. Kim is welcome to win this round--and any other round, I don't want to play that game any more.
Cindy is laughing too loud. She finally got away from the abusive older guy that she dated all through highschool, and married Jon, if you can believe that. She looks beautiful, and is telling the same story of giving birth "naturally!" that she was telling at the 10 year reunion. I avoid her.
Finally, I get a chance to settle down with several classmates who are discussing education. Trixie sat next to me in band. I remember her as down to earth, laid back, with a warm sense of humor. Tonight, she is emphatically recounting the struggles with the school district that she has waged to get her children what they need. She's wearing make-up, which she never used to do, and her hair is no longer soft and free. She is strong and articulate, but she says, "I'm tired."
Time changes us. And we can't go back to the time when we didn't carry so much. And so many of these people have been carrying much too much for far too long.
It isn't all a mosaic of pain, of course--some of my classmates have successful international businesses, happy marriages, or lives of service helping people in meaningful ways. But there are so many that seem to be limping along. And I was like them at 16, I was going down the same road as Lisa or Cindy or any of them. That could have been me with the abusive husband or raising my kids alone or hooking up with guy number 26. But God in his huge mercy decided to reach down and fish me out, even though I misunderstood and didn't "do it right" and still after 22 years I'm trying to grasp his love! I feel like I've had a glimpse of my life then--the twisting pangs to belong, but being awkward in my own skin. And I've had a glimpse of where I was going when God interrupted me, and I'm so thankful. I'm not worthy of what I've received, but I'm so thankful.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Follow the Money
Once upon a time, our currency was backed with gold. You could take a $20 gold piece to the bank and trade it for paper money valued $20, or vice versa. Then in 1933, our president sent out an order that Americans were to turn in all their gold and be paid for it in paper money. An ounce of gold would no longer be $20, but would move with the market. However, other governments could still trade in their dollars for gold, and did. America became very prosperous, and imported many foreign items, and paid for them in dollars. The foreign governments took advantage of the ability to trade these dollars for American gold, until the 1970s when our government began to fear that American gold reserves would be depleted and told them they could not trade dollars for gold. Which was a good thing because America imports much more than they export.
So why did other countries continue to use dollars when the value of them fluctuated against the value of gold? In short, other countries had to have dollars because all oil on the planet is bought and sold in U.S. dollars. Only a fraction of U.S. dollars in print are physically in the U.S. right now. Many billions of dollars are abroad, participating in foreign trade.
But the U.S. financial position is weakening. The oil trade will ultimately move away from using dollars exclusively. And when those dollars come home to roost, guess what that will do to prices in the U.S.? Have you ever seen pictures of post WWI Germany with the people carrying wheelbarrows of cash to go buy bread? Or wallpapering their bathroom with money because it was cheaper than wallpaper?
So why did other countries continue to use dollars when the value of them fluctuated against the value of gold? In short, other countries had to have dollars because all oil on the planet is bought and sold in U.S. dollars. Only a fraction of U.S. dollars in print are physically in the U.S. right now. Many billions of dollars are abroad, participating in foreign trade.
But the U.S. financial position is weakening. The oil trade will ultimately move away from using dollars exclusively. And when those dollars come home to roost, guess what that will do to prices in the U.S.? Have you ever seen pictures of post WWI Germany with the people carrying wheelbarrows of cash to go buy bread? Or wallpapering their bathroom with money because it was cheaper than wallpaper?
Inflation
Inflation comes from an excess of money. Imagine an island with five people living on it. They have 100 gold pieces. If one person kills a wild boar, a share of the boar is one gold piece. If someone helps you build your hut, you pay them one gold piece per day. But then, someone discovers gold on the island. Suddenly, there is 1000 gold pieces on the island, not just 100. That same piece of boar's meat is now going to be 1/100 of the new money supply, or 11 gold pieces. Of course, if the weather is terrible, you might be willing to pay a greater portion of available funds for shelter, and if you just filled up on fruit you might be unwilling to pay for meat. But all things being equal, you will pay a certain portion of what you have for your needs, and if the people have more money they will spend more money and prices will go up.
But we aren't on an island, and we don't keep discovering more gold. Our money comes from the government controlled banking system. This central banking system loans money to banks at a set interest rate. The banks mark up that interest rate so they can make a profit, and make loans to businesses and individuals who, in turn, buy things with it or invest it. If the central bank lowers interest rates, money seems cheap to borrow and people respond by taking out loans and putting money to work in our economy. However, this increases the amount of money in circulation and drives up prices.
Question: why would our government take actions like, say, sending free money to everyone, when it will drive up prices? Answer: because America is wretchedly in debt. If we took everything everyone on the planet produced for two years, we might be able to just pay off what we owe. Do you think the whole planet would mind donating their productivity? No? Well, then, let's make our money as worthless as possible. Inflation means that we can pay back our debts with dollars that are worth less than the dollars we borrowed.
Let's say I borrow $1000 to buy a cow and that cows cost $1000. Then, let's print more money so that the value of the cow is now $1500 (the value of cows being one billionth of the total money supply). I can now sell that cow and give you back your $1000 and pay you back--with 3% interest--and you still won't have enough to buy a cow any more. Inflating your currency is a way of getting out of returning borrowed value. Stealing, in a word.
But we aren't on an island, and we don't keep discovering more gold. Our money comes from the government controlled banking system. This central banking system loans money to banks at a set interest rate. The banks mark up that interest rate so they can make a profit, and make loans to businesses and individuals who, in turn, buy things with it or invest it. If the central bank lowers interest rates, money seems cheap to borrow and people respond by taking out loans and putting money to work in our economy. However, this increases the amount of money in circulation and drives up prices.
Question: why would our government take actions like, say, sending free money to everyone, when it will drive up prices? Answer: because America is wretchedly in debt. If we took everything everyone on the planet produced for two years, we might be able to just pay off what we owe. Do you think the whole planet would mind donating their productivity? No? Well, then, let's make our money as worthless as possible. Inflation means that we can pay back our debts with dollars that are worth less than the dollars we borrowed.
Let's say I borrow $1000 to buy a cow and that cows cost $1000. Then, let's print more money so that the value of the cow is now $1500 (the value of cows being one billionth of the total money supply). I can now sell that cow and give you back your $1000 and pay you back--with 3% interest--and you still won't have enough to buy a cow any more. Inflating your currency is a way of getting out of returning borrowed value. Stealing, in a word.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
What Difference Does it Make?
A friend recently expressed that she felt that studying the nature of the Kingdom of God and researching the apostolic faith was pointless and that it lead to division. After all, we all believe Jesus died for our sins and are trusting him to save us, right?
That is fundamentally true. Baptists, Catholics, Pentecostals, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Lutherans, and many stripes of religious people will affirm that Jesus died for their sins. However, I think most within those sects will loudly protest at being lumped together. JW's don't believe Jesus was God! Catholics pray to Mary! Baptists don't embrace speaking in tongues! Pentecostals say tongues are necessary for salvation! So, apparently we do agree that a line of orthodoxy exists beyond just trusting Jesus for salvation. But can we know what is true? Is there any point to reading the Bible to find out what it really teaches when so many have done so and came to wildly different conclusions?
I believe there is. I believe that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth and that the coherent message of the Bible is perceivable and effective. Truth will set us free, and is the basis of our love and fellowship and hope. To close our eyes to the unfolding revelation of truth is a terrible waste. We can know what we are hoping for, and we can see it in the Bible and enjoy our heritage. The process of discovery can be a quest we engage in together, if we have the humility to listen to each other and the perseverence to work at discovering what the Word really says, even if it runs counter to our traditions. I am not talking about trying to get every tiny point right, I am talking about understanding the very basic things like who God is, why Jesus came, and what following Christ is all about. If we have a solid biblical core, the little things will tend to fall into place. If our core understanding of God is off, there will likewise be a cascade of error and pain. The Bible may have some little translation errors or pieces that aren't perfect, but the core message is intact and lights up throughout. We can know why Jesus came. We can know the way of righteousness.
That is fundamentally true. Baptists, Catholics, Pentecostals, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Lutherans, and many stripes of religious people will affirm that Jesus died for their sins. However, I think most within those sects will loudly protest at being lumped together. JW's don't believe Jesus was God! Catholics pray to Mary! Baptists don't embrace speaking in tongues! Pentecostals say tongues are necessary for salvation! So, apparently we do agree that a line of orthodoxy exists beyond just trusting Jesus for salvation. But can we know what is true? Is there any point to reading the Bible to find out what it really teaches when so many have done so and came to wildly different conclusions?
I believe there is. I believe that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth and that the coherent message of the Bible is perceivable and effective. Truth will set us free, and is the basis of our love and fellowship and hope. To close our eyes to the unfolding revelation of truth is a terrible waste. We can know what we are hoping for, and we can see it in the Bible and enjoy our heritage. The process of discovery can be a quest we engage in together, if we have the humility to listen to each other and the perseverence to work at discovering what the Word really says, even if it runs counter to our traditions. I am not talking about trying to get every tiny point right, I am talking about understanding the very basic things like who God is, why Jesus came, and what following Christ is all about. If we have a solid biblical core, the little things will tend to fall into place. If our core understanding of God is off, there will likewise be a cascade of error and pain. The Bible may have some little translation errors or pieces that aren't perfect, but the core message is intact and lights up throughout. We can know why Jesus came. We can know the way of righteousness.
PreTrib Rapture
I just finished listening to John MacArthur's latest sermon, describing the dreadful events of the book of Revelation. He holds out the hope that the wrath poured on the earth is for unrepentent sinners and that believers will not suffer it--they will be removed first. And I can't argue that it is biblical to say that "God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, but I wonder how he reconciles the teachings of Christ with a pre-trib rapture. Look at the scripture, for example:
Matt 13:24-30"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
28 "'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
29 "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'" (from New International Version)
Are the servants told to pull the wheat out first? No. First weeds get burned, then wheat comes into his barn. If the saints get sucked out of the world before the burning starts, wouldn't he have told them to bring in the wheat and then destroy the weeds?
Matt 13:24-30"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
28 "'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
29 "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'" (from New International Version)
Are the servants told to pull the wheat out first? No. First weeds get burned, then wheat comes into his barn. If the saints get sucked out of the world before the burning starts, wouldn't he have told them to bring in the wheat and then destroy the weeds?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Three Days in the Grave
Question of the day: what happened to Jesus when he died?
Did he go to hell, as certain creeds affirm based on 1 Peter 3:18-20: 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built." The scriptural evidence for Jesus visiting the place of the damned is very weak and counts on fairly bizarre reading of the passages. The verse in Peter appears to mean that the spirit of Christ bore witness to the disobedient people at the time of Noah.
Did he go to "paradise", as one could conclude from his remark to the theif dying next to him, in Luke 23:43, Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." If he was in heaven (i.e. where God lives), why does he tell Mary in John 20:17 "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father." Perhaps it would be more accurate to render the quote, "I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise," moving the word 'today' from modifying when they would be in paradise to when Jesus was talking.
Did he cease to "be", disappear like a cloud?
Ps 6:55 No one remembers you when he is dead.Who praises you from the grave?
Job 7:8-98 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more. 9 As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to the grave does not return.
Ps 104:29-30
9 When you hide your face, they are terrified;
when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.
Can you create something that already exists?
Job 34:14-15
14 If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, 15 all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust.
Mark 15:33-37
33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ….37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
Did God withdraw his breath from Jesus so that he returned to the dust? Was the nature of the death of Christ like our death or unlike it?
Did he go to hell, as certain creeds affirm based on 1 Peter 3:18-20: 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built." The scriptural evidence for Jesus visiting the place of the damned is very weak and counts on fairly bizarre reading of the passages. The verse in Peter appears to mean that the spirit of Christ bore witness to the disobedient people at the time of Noah.
Did he go to "paradise", as one could conclude from his remark to the theif dying next to him, in Luke 23:43, Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." If he was in heaven (i.e. where God lives), why does he tell Mary in John 20:17 "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father." Perhaps it would be more accurate to render the quote, "I tell you the truth today, you will be with me in paradise," moving the word 'today' from modifying when they would be in paradise to when Jesus was talking.
Did he cease to "be", disappear like a cloud?
Ps 6:55 No one remembers you when he is dead.Who praises you from the grave?
Job 7:8-98 The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more. 9 As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to the grave does not return.
Ps 104:29-30
9 When you hide your face, they are terrified;
when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
30 When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.
Can you create something that already exists?
Job 34:14-15
14 If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, 15 all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust.
Mark 15:33-37
33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ….37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
Did God withdraw his breath from Jesus so that he returned to the dust? Was the nature of the death of Christ like our death or unlike it?
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Restoring the Image
An apple cast
shattered the mirror
We reflect now
Your image in fragments
We fumble with bloody fingers
helpless to restore
And straining to see
Taking the pieces for the whole
Restore your image, Lord
We want to see you clearly
Make us the reflection once again
Make new the looking glass once shattered
Through a glass darkly
We long for the day
When the Perfect One comes
and the imperfect will pass away
You are greater than
our fractured lens can see
You are more magnificent
Than our dim light illumes
Restore your image, Lord
We want to see you clearly
Make us the reflection once again
Make new the looking glass once shattered.
shattered the mirror
We reflect now
Your image in fragments
We fumble with bloody fingers
helpless to restore
And straining to see
Taking the pieces for the whole
Restore your image, Lord
We want to see you clearly
Make us the reflection once again
Make new the looking glass once shattered
Through a glass darkly
We long for the day
When the Perfect One comes
and the imperfect will pass away
You are greater than
our fractured lens can see
You are more magnificent
Than our dim light illumes
Restore your image, Lord
We want to see you clearly
Make us the reflection once again
Make new the looking glass once shattered.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Nothing Will be Impossible
I went to church today. There's a close knit body of believers that gathers in a local movie theater, and I thought some air conditioning and quiet meditative time with other believers would be refreshing. And I am refreshed! The speaker used lots of scripture in his talk, and you know what? The Bible is stuffed full of hope in the coming Kingdom of God!
The sermon was from Matthew 17, the section on the demoniac that the disciples couldn't heal. Jesus tells them that if their faith is small as a mustard seed they will tell a mountain to move and it will. Unfortunately, the preacher chose to dwell exclusively on 17:21, which isn't in all manuscripts, and probably wasn't part of the original. He used it to springboard his content on prayer. His point was, "Prayer is hard because God is distant, but it is important for you to do it anyway." He said that he didn't understand a lot of the things that Jesus said, and I think that is because he doesn't really understand the Kingdom of God. That's something I want to understand better, because I think it lights up the words of Christ.
I am really encouraged by the text:
Matt 17:14-20
14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."
17 "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can [shall] say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.(from New International Version)
His disciples came to him, confused and frustrated (and maybe embarassed) by their lack of effective ministry. And Jesus basically tells them not to worry. They have baby faith, but when it is full grown it will have the power to do anything. The words "little faith" are rendered in some translations as "unbelief," but that is not accurate. The greek word there appears only this passage, no where else. It is from the words that mean "puny" and "faith." The next sentence he says that if they have faith like a seed of mustard (a puny but powerful thing), they will ultimately have effectiveness. Isn't that encouraging? Even if our faith today is small and confused and babyish, one day we will be full grown participatants in the administration of Christ's love, justice and restoration.
1 Cor 13:8-128 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (from New International Version)
This section on being a child is sometimes used to exhort us to come to maturity. However, it seems to me that we will not be what we are becoming until Christ returns:
1 John 3:2-32 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
Does your faith seem childishly puny? Mine does. But this is great encouragment! Jesus didn't expect us to have mighty, full grown power--we just have the teaser. We are *children* of God. What we will be has not yet been made known. But we will be like Jesus in his resurrected form when he comes back!
Let us not begin to think (or continue thinking) that this is what we'll be when we are mature. We will not have real maturity until Christ returns--until then, we are just children--dearly loved and accepted, but having not come into our inheritence yet. Our appropriate response is joyful expectation and humility.
The sermon was from Matthew 17, the section on the demoniac that the disciples couldn't heal. Jesus tells them that if their faith is small as a mustard seed they will tell a mountain to move and it will. Unfortunately, the preacher chose to dwell exclusively on 17:21, which isn't in all manuscripts, and probably wasn't part of the original. He used it to springboard his content on prayer. His point was, "Prayer is hard because God is distant, but it is important for you to do it anyway." He said that he didn't understand a lot of the things that Jesus said, and I think that is because he doesn't really understand the Kingdom of God. That's something I want to understand better, because I think it lights up the words of Christ.
I am really encouraged by the text:
Matt 17:14-20
14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."
17 "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can [shall] say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.(from New International Version)
His disciples came to him, confused and frustrated (and maybe embarassed) by their lack of effective ministry. And Jesus basically tells them not to worry. They have baby faith, but when it is full grown it will have the power to do anything. The words "little faith" are rendered in some translations as "unbelief," but that is not accurate. The greek word there appears only this passage, no where else. It is from the words that mean "puny" and "faith." The next sentence he says that if they have faith like a seed of mustard (a puny but powerful thing), they will ultimately have effectiveness. Isn't that encouraging? Even if our faith today is small and confused and babyish, one day we will be full grown participatants in the administration of Christ's love, justice and restoration.
1 Cor 13:8-128 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (from New International Version)
This section on being a child is sometimes used to exhort us to come to maturity. However, it seems to me that we will not be what we are becoming until Christ returns:
1 John 3:2-32 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
Does your faith seem childishly puny? Mine does. But this is great encouragment! Jesus didn't expect us to have mighty, full grown power--we just have the teaser. We are *children* of God. What we will be has not yet been made known. But we will be like Jesus in his resurrected form when he comes back!
Let us not begin to think (or continue thinking) that this is what we'll be when we are mature. We will not have real maturity until Christ returns--until then, we are just children--dearly loved and accepted, but having not come into our inheritence yet. Our appropriate response is joyful expectation and humility.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Stone and Shadow
Our Christian hope is more like this stone that it is the shadow. Very often, we feel our hope in Christ is more wishful thinking or "spiritual reality than something we could stand on. I know people don't say outright that it is just intangible reality--a shadow, but it comes out that way. They look at scriptures like "Ask whatever you want in my name and it will be given you," and they take it for now, and then they have to bend it and soften it to make it true. They put conditions on it--you didn't ask right, you didn't believe right. But taken at face value, that is a pretty card blanche guarantee. What if Jesus was being serious? He does appear to be offereing something solid like a stone, not shifty like a shadow. A day will come when we will have whatever we ask for. And our requests will truly be righteous.
Here's a scripture that is also taken figuratively or spiritually:
Isa 40:3131 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. NKJV
"Waiting" as I have understood it means to meditate and sit still before the Lord. However, we can rip off the Christian face, and just "wait on the Lord" the way everyone else waits. That is, patiently observe the passing of time. If we wait, we will "mount up with wings like eagles," literally:
1 Thess 4:16-1816 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
We rob ourselves of a real hope when we take just the shadow of reality that we have right now to be the full substance. Yes, we have the Holy Spirit and the promise that Jesus will be with us always. However, that tenuous and subjective reality is temporary. If we wait for the end of this age of faith, we will have the substance of these outrageous promises. We will mount up on wings like eagles. We will have a physical body that will rise up in the air, that air will rush past our physical ears and "with our eyes we will see God". Right now, if we are honest, we do grow tired and we do faint and our bodies get worn out and we fall. However, this will not always be so:
1 Cor 15:51-5351 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
And how will we be changed? We will no longer be subject to the weakness of the body, it's mortal nature:
1 Cor 15:53-5453 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
I've heard so many sermons on our victory in Christ and walking in it. But how hollow these scriptures are when we take them for now. These are promises of His Kingdom--when King Jesus takes his rightful place to rule the world, with the saints he redeemed, transformed and resurrected. Yes, we can rejoice that our sins are taken care of. But the implications of that--that we will now have Life--that remains to be seen. We make a terrible mistake to believe we have anything but the scarcest taste of the promise today.
I encourage you to read the scriptures with me and find the nuggets of hope in the resurrection. Our hope is yet to come, and it isn't figurative or immaterial or subjective. It is overwhelmingly powerful, tangible, and starkly real. It was enough to give the apostles boldness. And they were guys that were bumping along living the life of subjective faith that we live with too. Paul wanted to go to Asia, but the spirit prevented him. Why did he want to go there if he was supposed to be lead by the spirit? Peter was going around acting like a jew when the jews were around and compromising the gospel to placate men. The apostles didn't have the fullness of the kingdom. They suffered confusion, conflict, frustration. They didn't get whatever they asked for. Instead of running and not growing weary, they got persecuted and killed. But they weren't bothered because they knew that the Kingdom would come, and all the promises would be made good, as evidenced by the resurrection of Christ. When they saw Christ raised, it was the outline of the shadow of the full deal: a redeemed earth with physically raised saints. Let's not settle for less.
Here's a scripture that is also taken figuratively or spiritually:
Isa 40:3131 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. NKJV
"Waiting" as I have understood it means to meditate and sit still before the Lord. However, we can rip off the Christian face, and just "wait on the Lord" the way everyone else waits. That is, patiently observe the passing of time. If we wait, we will "mount up with wings like eagles," literally:
1 Thess 4:16-1816 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
We rob ourselves of a real hope when we take just the shadow of reality that we have right now to be the full substance. Yes, we have the Holy Spirit and the promise that Jesus will be with us always. However, that tenuous and subjective reality is temporary. If we wait for the end of this age of faith, we will have the substance of these outrageous promises. We will mount up on wings like eagles. We will have a physical body that will rise up in the air, that air will rush past our physical ears and "with our eyes we will see God". Right now, if we are honest, we do grow tired and we do faint and our bodies get worn out and we fall. However, this will not always be so:
1 Cor 15:51-5351 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
And how will we be changed? We will no longer be subject to the weakness of the body, it's mortal nature:
1 Cor 15:53-5453 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
I've heard so many sermons on our victory in Christ and walking in it. But how hollow these scriptures are when we take them for now. These are promises of His Kingdom--when King Jesus takes his rightful place to rule the world, with the saints he redeemed, transformed and resurrected. Yes, we can rejoice that our sins are taken care of. But the implications of that--that we will now have Life--that remains to be seen. We make a terrible mistake to believe we have anything but the scarcest taste of the promise today.
I encourage you to read the scriptures with me and find the nuggets of hope in the resurrection. Our hope is yet to come, and it isn't figurative or immaterial or subjective. It is overwhelmingly powerful, tangible, and starkly real. It was enough to give the apostles boldness. And they were guys that were bumping along living the life of subjective faith that we live with too. Paul wanted to go to Asia, but the spirit prevented him. Why did he want to go there if he was supposed to be lead by the spirit? Peter was going around acting like a jew when the jews were around and compromising the gospel to placate men. The apostles didn't have the fullness of the kingdom. They suffered confusion, conflict, frustration. They didn't get whatever they asked for. Instead of running and not growing weary, they got persecuted and killed. But they weren't bothered because they knew that the Kingdom would come, and all the promises would be made good, as evidenced by the resurrection of Christ. When they saw Christ raised, it was the outline of the shadow of the full deal: a redeemed earth with physically raised saints. Let's not settle for less.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Putting Church in Order
I just read a section in 1 Corinthians about gatherings of the saints. You know, in church or Bible Study, we usually take a bite of scripture and look at it closely. And that has value. But sometimes, looking at a long section--the whole book at once, or at least everything that writer has to say on that subject at the time--sometimes that gives a better understanding. The section I read is Paul addressing the way the members of the body are interacting and how they are missing the point.
In 1 Cor 11:17, Paul begins by expressing his opinion that the Corinthian church's meetings did more harm than good. As a church detractor, part of me goes, "Ha! See, just getting together isn't necessarily better than not getting together!" But I quickly come back to earth. He says that the Corinthians are not being considerate of those among them that have nothing--that they are being cliqueish and exclusive, and not making sure that those with nothing are cared for at their potlucks. He says in 11:29 "Anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." It seems clear to me that the oft-quoted "eating and drinking in an unworthy way" doesn't refer to having unconfessed sin, but rather to selfish or self-exalting exclusiveness. The body of the Lord refers not only to the broken body that paid our debt, but also to our corporate identity in which there is no distinction, but "Christ is all and is in all." Notice that the punchline of this discussion doesn't have to do with confessing sin, but about simply waiting for one another to eat.
The Corinthians seem to have an ambition problem here. The whole section is addressing self-promotion. Paul goes back to square one and says, yes, you know that you have spiritual gifts. Then he emphasizes that they are given for the common good, and that each part needs the other, and that presentable parts don't need special care, but unpresentable ones are given special care so that equal concern is given for each part.
I have heard the end of that part read as "Eagerly desire the greater gifts." But the NIV has a footnote with an alternate reading that may be more apropo to the greater theme of the section. That's this: "But YOU eagerly desire the greater gifts." As if people had too much ambition to climb the ladder of importance in the church, perhaps. He says, "Now I will show you the most excellent way." And goes on to talk about love.
This is a famous and oft read section. However, I haven't often read it in the larger context of Paul trying to bring the Corinthians back from their tangent. They have gone off on self ambition, and he wants to bring them back to an interaction based on egalitarian interdependence, mutual submission, and appreciation. He goes down the list of spiritual gifts and says they are useless without love. Furthermore, they are temporary--they serve only on the earth in this age, and will not be in play when Christ returns, when we will see him and be full grown. But, he encourages them to pursue spiritual gifts, in love, and gives guidelines as to what a couple of the gifts are good for.
Then comes something that is astonishing. Apparently, their meetings were crazy because everyone came with something to say. Paul says that they should put this in order--listen to each other and stop talking while someone else is speaking, think about what is prophesized and weigh it, and don't let more than six or so people talk. Imagine having meetings in which the problems was *everyone* over participating! Imagine if there was time to consider what was spoken and discuss it! Imagine if everyone was welcome to bring something! Well, of course, not everyone, because Paul said women should be quiet and ask their husbands at home.
As I consider my young daughters, I wonder at this. Was it because women were less educated and didn't have worthwhile questions to add to the discussion due to their ignorance? I hope to encourage my young ones to listen more than they speak and so gain wisdom rather than displaying their ignorance.
Anyway, that's my thoughts on the section. I'm including the whole section below, in case you'd like to catch the whole jist of it yourself.
1 Cor 11:17-14:40
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not! 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. 34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.
1 Corinthians 12
12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
1 Corinthians 13
13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 14
14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. 3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified. 6 Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord. 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" 26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. 39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. (from New International Version)
In 1 Cor 11:17, Paul begins by expressing his opinion that the Corinthian church's meetings did more harm than good. As a church detractor, part of me goes, "Ha! See, just getting together isn't necessarily better than not getting together!" But I quickly come back to earth. He says that the Corinthians are not being considerate of those among them that have nothing--that they are being cliqueish and exclusive, and not making sure that those with nothing are cared for at their potlucks. He says in 11:29 "Anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." It seems clear to me that the oft-quoted "eating and drinking in an unworthy way" doesn't refer to having unconfessed sin, but rather to selfish or self-exalting exclusiveness. The body of the Lord refers not only to the broken body that paid our debt, but also to our corporate identity in which there is no distinction, but "Christ is all and is in all." Notice that the punchline of this discussion doesn't have to do with confessing sin, but about simply waiting for one another to eat.
The Corinthians seem to have an ambition problem here. The whole section is addressing self-promotion. Paul goes back to square one and says, yes, you know that you have spiritual gifts. Then he emphasizes that they are given for the common good, and that each part needs the other, and that presentable parts don't need special care, but unpresentable ones are given special care so that equal concern is given for each part.
I have heard the end of that part read as "Eagerly desire the greater gifts." But the NIV has a footnote with an alternate reading that may be more apropo to the greater theme of the section. That's this: "But YOU eagerly desire the greater gifts." As if people had too much ambition to climb the ladder of importance in the church, perhaps. He says, "Now I will show you the most excellent way." And goes on to talk about love.
This is a famous and oft read section. However, I haven't often read it in the larger context of Paul trying to bring the Corinthians back from their tangent. They have gone off on self ambition, and he wants to bring them back to an interaction based on egalitarian interdependence, mutual submission, and appreciation. He goes down the list of spiritual gifts and says they are useless without love. Furthermore, they are temporary--they serve only on the earth in this age, and will not be in play when Christ returns, when we will see him and be full grown. But, he encourages them to pursue spiritual gifts, in love, and gives guidelines as to what a couple of the gifts are good for.
Then comes something that is astonishing. Apparently, their meetings were crazy because everyone came with something to say. Paul says that they should put this in order--listen to each other and stop talking while someone else is speaking, think about what is prophesized and weigh it, and don't let more than six or so people talk. Imagine having meetings in which the problems was *everyone* over participating! Imagine if there was time to consider what was spoken and discuss it! Imagine if everyone was welcome to bring something! Well, of course, not everyone, because Paul said women should be quiet and ask their husbands at home.
As I consider my young daughters, I wonder at this. Was it because women were less educated and didn't have worthwhile questions to add to the discussion due to their ignorance? I hope to encourage my young ones to listen more than they speak and so gain wisdom rather than displaying their ignorance.
Anyway, that's my thoughts on the section. I'm including the whole section below, in case you'd like to catch the whole jist of it yourself.
1 Cor 11:17-14:40
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not! 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. 34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.
1 Corinthians 12
12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
1 Corinthians 13
13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 14
14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. 3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified. 6 Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord. 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" 26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. 39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. (from New International Version)
Love and Honesty
My husband doesn’t want our children to say “Excuse me,” when what they mean is “Get out of my way.” He says it’s dishonest to paint a polite face on a selfish request and would rather that they not pretend to be considerate. I, on the other hand, would rather that they not have a selfish heart that puts themselves first—I would rather that they bring their heart in line with their words, rather than their words in line with their heart. I suppose, in the meantime, it is better that they be honest with themselves about the condition of their hearts. I would sometimes rather not be honest with myself about the condition of their hearts!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Defining Worship
When they spoke of worshipping God in the old testament, the word they used carried the meaning of physically lowering yourself in reverence or submission to another. It implied that you were in service to that Lord, ready to carry out his command.
In the New Testament, the greek word translated worship means "to kiss towards" and indicates a similar respect and submission.
I can't find any trace of our notion that singing and worshipping are related in any way. Worship is the laying down of oneself, in reverence. In this way, many other activities of the body could more aptly be called worship--listening to one another, helping someone move, giving a hug, etc.
I can't find any trace of exhortation to pursue an altered state of consciousness to increase faith. I looked up verses about meditation, since what we do as worship seems to be more meditative. Even that appears to be a left brain experience: in context it means to think through something, and is translated as "be diligent" here:
1 Tim 4:15-16 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
This really frustrates me. I find that singing seems to be equally about each other as it is towards God:
Eph 5:18-21
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Who do we lower ourselves toward? Both God and our fellow believers. When I consider the deep state I've entered thinking that it was worship, I have a hard time thinking that it cultivates much toward other people. I mean, it does make me feel glowy and benevolent, but I have a terribly hard time doing it while connecting in the most basic ways of caring for my children.
In the New Testament, the greek word translated worship means "to kiss towards" and indicates a similar respect and submission.
I can't find any trace of our notion that singing and worshipping are related in any way. Worship is the laying down of oneself, in reverence. In this way, many other activities of the body could more aptly be called worship--listening to one another, helping someone move, giving a hug, etc.
I can't find any trace of exhortation to pursue an altered state of consciousness to increase faith. I looked up verses about meditation, since what we do as worship seems to be more meditative. Even that appears to be a left brain experience: in context it means to think through something, and is translated as "be diligent" here:
1 Tim 4:15-16 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
This really frustrates me. I find that singing seems to be equally about each other as it is towards God:
Eph 5:18-21
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Who do we lower ourselves toward? Both God and our fellow believers. When I consider the deep state I've entered thinking that it was worship, I have a hard time thinking that it cultivates much toward other people. I mean, it does make me feel glowy and benevolent, but I have a terribly hard time doing it while connecting in the most basic ways of caring for my children.
These themes of submission called to mind the words of Christ:
Matt 22:37-39
37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
Jesus calls us to a full orbed love and submission to God, and the cerebral aspect of it is mandatorily called to govern and guard over good doctrine. Also, submission with holy reverence to God echoes through every human relationship as well.
Col 3:16-2116 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
I can't find a case for pursuing worship as I used to, as a way to find the spirit to convince me of what I doubted. When I look at the scripture, it is the mind that is convinced and persuaded by reason rather than experience.
Friday, April 25, 2008
I'd Buy it Back
I’d buy it back, if I could find it,
That old rocker where my babies slept
I tossed it out in a steeled moment,
Braced against the longing to hold on
For one more night snuggled close with a book
I’d like to rock them each again
But I can’t hold their tiny faces
Their hugging arms reach all around now
And I don’t rock them
Even the small ones
Who get less small every day.
I’d buy them back, those lost days
When I looked the other way and missed it
I should have held my breath
And held you each and all
Why didn’t I see the treasure in the moment?
Each night when you were sleeping, I could feel the wealth I had
But when tummies were hungry
And phones were ringing
I lost it
I wandered off and couldn’t make myself stay.
I’d buy it all back,
That rocking chair and all those chances
I’d hold your gaze in my smile
And keep your hand in mine.
But where would I put those moments if I could take them back?
My hands are small and can only grab one chance at a time--
And another chance is here at hand.
Free for the asking.
I'll take it.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Fowl Lessons
The tiny chick didn't wake up. I put it under the heat lamp, hoping that the warmth would soak in and revive it, but there was no flame of life to fan. Becca, who watched broody Lacy daily and reported on how the setting was going, pinned her hopes for poultry parenthood on this egg. The chick tried to hatch out some time last night, but when I found it this morning checking the hen, there was no sign of life.
"If God is so big, why did the chick die, Mom?" Becca asks. All the nice Sunday school answers don't seem like enough.
"That's a hard question, Becca." I move her on to the next order of business, because I don't have a better response. Why should the earth go on turning and the suffering go and on? Why should evil be allowed to increase and humankind be let believe all manner of nonsense and practice every wicked thing? God is good, why doesn't he step in? I know somehow it fits with his nature to hold off, but just how does that work?
I was surprised to find 2 Peter 3 going over this very question. God has promised to "do something" about evil, and yet he is taking forever to do it. What gives? "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance..Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation." The payment made by Christ is enough for every human to be redeemed and God is giving each of us every chance possible to embrace Christ. Judgement will fall, but God will draw as many as possible to the cross first.
Why did the chick die? Because the creation is broken with sin. Why doesn't God fix it? He will...when he's reached as many as he can with his mercy, and destroyed the broken creation with fire, all things will be made new.
"If God is so big, why did the chick die, Mom?" Becca asks. All the nice Sunday school answers don't seem like enough.
"That's a hard question, Becca." I move her on to the next order of business, because I don't have a better response. Why should the earth go on turning and the suffering go and on? Why should evil be allowed to increase and humankind be let believe all manner of nonsense and practice every wicked thing? God is good, why doesn't he step in? I know somehow it fits with his nature to hold off, but just how does that work?
I was surprised to find 2 Peter 3 going over this very question. God has promised to "do something" about evil, and yet he is taking forever to do it. What gives? "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance..Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation." The payment made by Christ is enough for every human to be redeemed and God is giving each of us every chance possible to embrace Christ. Judgement will fall, but God will draw as many as possible to the cross first.
Why did the chick die? Because the creation is broken with sin. Why doesn't God fix it? He will...when he's reached as many as he can with his mercy, and destroyed the broken creation with fire, all things will be made new.
Photos from Flickr, raizn4 and donewiththetaxman
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sin and Losing your Salvation
Could you address Hebrews 10:26...If you were to accept Jesus and truly know that murder was wrong and do it anyway that is not God moving from you, but you moving from God and that you can lose your everlasting life.
Let's take a step back and look at the larger context of Hebrews 10. The author is laying out the difference between the law and the new covenant. He describes the law as a shadow, not substance, unable to make one perfect, a reminder of sin. In other places it speaks of the law stirring up sin, and causing it to spring to life. No one was ever made righteous by the law, but only by faith. The law is a deal you make with God that says "Be Good and I'll bless you, disobey and suffer." Because of our flesh, this doesn't work on us--we can't be good. Just saying "Be good" makes us be bad.
Hebrews 10:26-27 says "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." If we understand that God is good, accepts us, has paid for us, and called us to be his eternal children, the nobility of the universe...and instead of acting in line with that reality act out our disbelief--behave like we must manage our own comfort and security and make our own way, we are not remaining in Christ.
To be saved, we must confess with our mouth AND believe in our heart. What we believe in our heart is demonstrated with our lives. The "work" we are to do in Christ is to believe. Not avoid murdering or stealing, but to believe that God is for us, that he's given his Holy Spirit and that he relates to us as the Bible says he does. That belief plays out in a righteous quality of action. If a person has everything they need, they don't steal. If you are contentedly loved, you don't play the harlot. If you have an awesome future and everything you need right now, it is only logical that you will want to give and love. Out this wealth and secure identity, righteousness flows naturally. If you are living out of something that says that God has not given you this wealth and identity, you are not abiding in Christ.
Let's take a step back and look at the larger context of Hebrews 10. The author is laying out the difference between the law and the new covenant. He describes the law as a shadow, not substance, unable to make one perfect, a reminder of sin. In other places it speaks of the law stirring up sin, and causing it to spring to life. No one was ever made righteous by the law, but only by faith. The law is a deal you make with God that says "Be Good and I'll bless you, disobey and suffer." Because of our flesh, this doesn't work on us--we can't be good. Just saying "Be good" makes us be bad.
Hebrews 10:26-27 says "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." If we understand that God is good, accepts us, has paid for us, and called us to be his eternal children, the nobility of the universe...and instead of acting in line with that reality act out our disbelief--behave like we must manage our own comfort and security and make our own way, we are not remaining in Christ.
To be saved, we must confess with our mouth AND believe in our heart. What we believe in our heart is demonstrated with our lives. The "work" we are to do in Christ is to believe. Not avoid murdering or stealing, but to believe that God is for us, that he's given his Holy Spirit and that he relates to us as the Bible says he does. That belief plays out in a righteous quality of action. If a person has everything they need, they don't steal. If you are contentedly loved, you don't play the harlot. If you have an awesome future and everything you need right now, it is only logical that you will want to give and love. Out this wealth and secure identity, righteousness flows naturally. If you are living out of something that says that God has not given you this wealth and identity, you are not abiding in Christ.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness: How Forgiven are You?
The wages of sin is death. If your sins are not forgiven, you are dead. There is no other halfway mark given in scripture--if God is counting your sin against you, you're dead. If God is not counting your sin against you, then you are alive and forgiven--your sin is removed as far as the east is from the west. How do you get to this state? You believe him when he says he paid the price for you. If you ask God to forgive you for something he said he already forgave, you are not believing what he said--you may be sad and sorry, but you are not believing God and so not acting in faith.
There is a difference between confessing your sins one to another, repentence, and asking for forgiveness from God. Confession is good for bringing sin to light so that the devil can't accuse you in the dark about it. When you admit the truth of your wrong doing to other people, you agree with God that it is wrong and take a big step in the process of repentance and the embracing of forgiveness. It's humbling and honest. It is easy to tell yourself lies inside, but when you bring your inner discussion to the community, truth bears down on you.
Let's say you sin, let's pick one: you believe that your boss is underpaying you, that he's unfair and won't pay you what you are worth so you take matters into your own hands and steal from the company. Please note that stealing is the fruit of what you believe. At the bottom of this evil act, there is a blasphemous belief that God isn't good--he won't bring you justice or provide for you so you must do it yourself. But you are a believer, trusting in Christ. When Christ died, all your sins were still in the future. He paid the full price for all of them, once and for all. When you accepted Christ as your savior, you applied that payment to your account, once and for all. No more payment will be demanded as long as you are in Christ.
So, this sin does not bring you death, it is forgiven. What does it do? Does it hamper your relationship with God? To the extent that you are falsely accusing God and not resting in the reality of his nature and care for you, yes, you are hampered. But it is not because God has something against you, it is because you are not walking in the truth. If you would be free, you don't need to make it up to God, or clean up your act. If you would be free, you must repent--bring your heart to the truth. "God loves you and will care for you." That doesn't mean you are going to suddenly feel warm and fuzzy about God taking care of you, it means you are going to act as if what is true, IS true. If God is good and going to care for you, then you can open your hand and give back what you've taken and face your consequences. It doesn't really matter how you feel about that act, it is in line with the truth, and is the essence of Faith. All the sorry sobbing in the world will not substitute for believing (acting as if its true) that God loves you and calls you His Own--and that he has fully forgiven you when you asked the first time, just as he promised he would. And that does awaken great thankfulness for the forgiveness that he gave, because we realize more and more how little we deserve.
When you come to God and pray to be his child, you ask for your sins to be forgiven. At that raw moment, you don't even know what you're asking. As we mature in Christ, we become increasingly aware of how corrupt our motives have been, how mixed we are and how desperate we are for grace. Every day we walk with God, we come more into the light and see more of what has been there all along in the shadows of our souls. And when we die, we will not have seen every recess and corner. There is no hope of enumerating our sins to God or anyone else. We are like a rotting stump, shot through with the tendrils of the mushrooms of sin--the fruit pops out here and there, but inside, the web of its roots is pervasive. If God didn't save us from this body of death, we would be without hope. We are unable to even properly ask for forgiveness--to admit each wrong attitude or action. And where would we be if we made an attempt at this? In continual self-examination, always finding new reason for self-flagulation. We are not told to spend our lives looking inward in this manner.
We are told to fix our eyes on Christ. In short, watch where you're going! Do you want to walk closer to the sin in your heart? Then focus on it. Do you want to become more like Christ? Then trust that he is creating you, has forgiven you, and keep your eyes on his holiness, love and grace. His payment was completely adequate and your work is this: believe it.
Rom 6:22-23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ps 130:3If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,O Lord, who could stand?
Rom 10:9-119 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
James 5:1616 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
Rom 14:23 everything that does not come from faith is sin.
1 Peter 3:188 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
Heb 9:27-28 just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Rom 8:1-21 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
John 8:31-32 Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 6:29
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
The wages of sin is death. If your sins are not forgiven, you are dead. There is no other halfway mark given in scripture--if God is counting your sin against you, you're dead. If God is not counting your sin against you, then you are alive and forgiven--your sin is removed as far as the east is from the west. How do you get to this state? You believe him when he says he paid the price for you. If you ask God to forgive you for something he said he already forgave, you are not believing what he said--you may be sad and sorry, but you are not believing God and so not acting in faith.
There is a difference between confessing your sins one to another, repentence, and asking for forgiveness from God. Confession is good for bringing sin to light so that the devil can't accuse you in the dark about it. When you admit the truth of your wrong doing to other people, you agree with God that it is wrong and take a big step in the process of repentance and the embracing of forgiveness. It's humbling and honest. It is easy to tell yourself lies inside, but when you bring your inner discussion to the community, truth bears down on you.
Let's say you sin, let's pick one: you believe that your boss is underpaying you, that he's unfair and won't pay you what you are worth so you take matters into your own hands and steal from the company. Please note that stealing is the fruit of what you believe. At the bottom of this evil act, there is a blasphemous belief that God isn't good--he won't bring you justice or provide for you so you must do it yourself. But you are a believer, trusting in Christ. When Christ died, all your sins were still in the future. He paid the full price for all of them, once and for all. When you accepted Christ as your savior, you applied that payment to your account, once and for all. No more payment will be demanded as long as you are in Christ.
So, this sin does not bring you death, it is forgiven. What does it do? Does it hamper your relationship with God? To the extent that you are falsely accusing God and not resting in the reality of his nature and care for you, yes, you are hampered. But it is not because God has something against you, it is because you are not walking in the truth. If you would be free, you don't need to make it up to God, or clean up your act. If you would be free, you must repent--bring your heart to the truth. "God loves you and will care for you." That doesn't mean you are going to suddenly feel warm and fuzzy about God taking care of you, it means you are going to act as if what is true, IS true. If God is good and going to care for you, then you can open your hand and give back what you've taken and face your consequences. It doesn't really matter how you feel about that act, it is in line with the truth, and is the essence of Faith. All the sorry sobbing in the world will not substitute for believing (acting as if its true) that God loves you and calls you His Own--and that he has fully forgiven you when you asked the first time, just as he promised he would. And that does awaken great thankfulness for the forgiveness that he gave, because we realize more and more how little we deserve.
When you come to God and pray to be his child, you ask for your sins to be forgiven. At that raw moment, you don't even know what you're asking. As we mature in Christ, we become increasingly aware of how corrupt our motives have been, how mixed we are and how desperate we are for grace. Every day we walk with God, we come more into the light and see more of what has been there all along in the shadows of our souls. And when we die, we will not have seen every recess and corner. There is no hope of enumerating our sins to God or anyone else. We are like a rotting stump, shot through with the tendrils of the mushrooms of sin--the fruit pops out here and there, but inside, the web of its roots is pervasive. If God didn't save us from this body of death, we would be without hope. We are unable to even properly ask for forgiveness--to admit each wrong attitude or action. And where would we be if we made an attempt at this? In continual self-examination, always finding new reason for self-flagulation. We are not told to spend our lives looking inward in this manner.
We are told to fix our eyes on Christ. In short, watch where you're going! Do you want to walk closer to the sin in your heart? Then focus on it. Do you want to become more like Christ? Then trust that he is creating you, has forgiven you, and keep your eyes on his holiness, love and grace. His payment was completely adequate and your work is this: believe it.
Rom 6:22-23 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ps 130:3If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,O Lord, who could stand?
Rom 10:9-119 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
James 5:1616 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
Rom 14:23 everything that does not come from faith is sin.
1 Peter 3:188 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
Heb 9:27-28 just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Rom 8:1-21 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
John 8:31-32 Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
John 6:29
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Monday, February 11, 2008
Nasty Nice
I think I discovered today something that is one of my biggest hot buttons: nasty-nice people. Perhaps you have had a nasty-nice encounter? That's where the person you are dealing with makes a face that is meant to look like a smile, and says words that are meant to be polite, but everything else in their manner suggests that they really hate your guts?
My children were babysat in a mob today, where their care provider changed midway through. I picked them up from Nasty-Nice. Their comment? "Boy, mom, the FIRST babysitter was really nice!" The woman's words could only have been described as polite, but everything about her said, "You aren't okay with me." The kids recognized it--they just felt it, though they commented that the second lady said things with polite words.
You know, I think my impression of her first went awry when I called my children out and she came and spoke to them, not me, to tell them to come back in so I could fill out a form that I'd forgotten when I arrived. That annoys me. A lot. Why does that annoy me so much? It strikes me as insincere and dishonest and it makes me want to hurt somebody, to rip the mask off. I'm touchy about being accused of...well, anything, actually, but especially of poor parenting. And anyone who pastes on a mask to pretend to be loving my kids when they are really bugged by them, provokes me. I'd rather someone just say what's on their mind, in love. If you really reject me and my kids, then you can go jump in a lake. But don't pretend that you aren't rejecting them. I hate that. It doesn't equal love, its a farcical imitation--worse than hate, because genuine hate is at least genuine.
We went to the dentist a few months ago. My kids told him that they brushed their teeth like once a week. (I think that was an underestimation, we are a humble lot.) In my defense, my children are told twice a day to brush their teeth. I'm often bad on following up, but I have taken a stab at it! The child that had perfect dental health was stonily lectured by the dentist that she really must brush more or her teeth would turn green, hurt, fall out, and that it was up to her to be responsible for her health, etc. The child that had a cavity, bore it bravely. The dentist just told us she'd have to come back in to have it fixed. I wanted her to be prepared for the procedure and be reassured about what was going to happen to her so I asked the man to explain it to her. He made it sound as clinical and painful as possible, adding that if she didn't brush more she could expect more of the same. I sent the kids out, and had a talk with the dentist.
I told him that I didn't have to bring my kids to the dentist and we could have lied on his form and given the answers that he wanted. We could have avoided the embarassment of taking care of our teeth. I tearfully told him that while I'm no Mary Poppins, I do have my strengths and forced-teeth brushing isn't one of them, but I'm trying, and I'd thank him not to judge my family. I don't know what all I said or why I felt I needed to.
I had a similar conversation with a carpet cleaning guy that commented on how gross my rugs were, hoping to sell me more carpet cleaning services. Why do I have to do this? Why can't I just crawl under a rock and be embarassed quietly? Why do I have to hold my head up and refuse to hide my ugliness? I seem to need to declare, "This is my life, yes, I suck at it, but it's my life, so shut up!"
So I guess I'm especially vulnerable to people who can put on a face. They love law, and can carry it off--their carpets smell rosy, they brush their teeth and floss, and have clean, quiet children who can find both their (clean) shoes, and never say awkward things that pierce the veil of intimacy. I see that all that is good. It doesn't make me able to do it, though. It's my pride. And shame. And some flavor of faithlessness, I'm sure. I can't seem to be anything but a transparent mess, but heaven help you if treat me like one!
So that's the raw emotional content. There is theology behind this, too, though. Nasty-nice people think they are obeying God because they are mouthing what they think is the right words and doing what they think is right. But they are dangerous pits, not to be trusted. They have their faith in doing the right thing, and they pose their bodies in the shape of righteousness. They are physically faithful to their spouse, they are in church every single week no matter what, they don't smoke, they give to missionaries, they weed out questionable videos from their collections. They emphasize to their children that they must learn God's ways, and never lie, or be rude. God expects obedience and rewards it, disobedience causes suffering.
But they are like thin ice. They believe that they have obeyed because they have made the shape. But inside, lives something that says, "You, spouse, aren't living up to the standard. You, children, aren't living up to the standard. Poor me, I go to all the trouble to make my face a smile shape, but you just scowl at me for no reason. Poor me, I work and work at church and all those other loafers are slack in their duty!" They say "Welcome to my home!" but what they really mean is, "Don't you dare break anything! Must you be so loud?" Yes, we are loud, and we might break something. Why can't you just say, "AHHHHHH! don't break that! You're driving me nuts, why don't you go outside?!" Instead, Nasty-Nice keeps those feelings, makes a smile. Until the day when the internal dialogue reaches a scream and they lose it in violence. And it becomes clear that sure enough, that wasn't the fruit of the spirit, but just some wax imitation.
So, I don't trust them. And I won't play the game. And I'll never survive in church...
My children were babysat in a mob today, where their care provider changed midway through. I picked them up from Nasty-Nice. Their comment? "Boy, mom, the FIRST babysitter was really nice!" The woman's words could only have been described as polite, but everything about her said, "You aren't okay with me." The kids recognized it--they just felt it, though they commented that the second lady said things with polite words.
You know, I think my impression of her first went awry when I called my children out and she came and spoke to them, not me, to tell them to come back in so I could fill out a form that I'd forgotten when I arrived. That annoys me. A lot. Why does that annoy me so much? It strikes me as insincere and dishonest and it makes me want to hurt somebody, to rip the mask off. I'm touchy about being accused of...well, anything, actually, but especially of poor parenting. And anyone who pastes on a mask to pretend to be loving my kids when they are really bugged by them, provokes me. I'd rather someone just say what's on their mind, in love. If you really reject me and my kids, then you can go jump in a lake. But don't pretend that you aren't rejecting them. I hate that. It doesn't equal love, its a farcical imitation--worse than hate, because genuine hate is at least genuine.
We went to the dentist a few months ago. My kids told him that they brushed their teeth like once a week. (I think that was an underestimation, we are a humble lot.) In my defense, my children are told twice a day to brush their teeth. I'm often bad on following up, but I have taken a stab at it! The child that had perfect dental health was stonily lectured by the dentist that she really must brush more or her teeth would turn green, hurt, fall out, and that it was up to her to be responsible for her health, etc. The child that had a cavity, bore it bravely. The dentist just told us she'd have to come back in to have it fixed. I wanted her to be prepared for the procedure and be reassured about what was going to happen to her so I asked the man to explain it to her. He made it sound as clinical and painful as possible, adding that if she didn't brush more she could expect more of the same. I sent the kids out, and had a talk with the dentist.
I told him that I didn't have to bring my kids to the dentist and we could have lied on his form and given the answers that he wanted. We could have avoided the embarassment of taking care of our teeth. I tearfully told him that while I'm no Mary Poppins, I do have my strengths and forced-teeth brushing isn't one of them, but I'm trying, and I'd thank him not to judge my family. I don't know what all I said or why I felt I needed to.
I had a similar conversation with a carpet cleaning guy that commented on how gross my rugs were, hoping to sell me more carpet cleaning services. Why do I have to do this? Why can't I just crawl under a rock and be embarassed quietly? Why do I have to hold my head up and refuse to hide my ugliness? I seem to need to declare, "This is my life, yes, I suck at it, but it's my life, so shut up!"
So I guess I'm especially vulnerable to people who can put on a face. They love law, and can carry it off--their carpets smell rosy, they brush their teeth and floss, and have clean, quiet children who can find both their (clean) shoes, and never say awkward things that pierce the veil of intimacy. I see that all that is good. It doesn't make me able to do it, though. It's my pride. And shame. And some flavor of faithlessness, I'm sure. I can't seem to be anything but a transparent mess, but heaven help you if treat me like one!
So that's the raw emotional content. There is theology behind this, too, though. Nasty-nice people think they are obeying God because they are mouthing what they think is the right words and doing what they think is right. But they are dangerous pits, not to be trusted. They have their faith in doing the right thing, and they pose their bodies in the shape of righteousness. They are physically faithful to their spouse, they are in church every single week no matter what, they don't smoke, they give to missionaries, they weed out questionable videos from their collections. They emphasize to their children that they must learn God's ways, and never lie, or be rude. God expects obedience and rewards it, disobedience causes suffering.
But they are like thin ice. They believe that they have obeyed because they have made the shape. But inside, lives something that says, "You, spouse, aren't living up to the standard. You, children, aren't living up to the standard. Poor me, I go to all the trouble to make my face a smile shape, but you just scowl at me for no reason. Poor me, I work and work at church and all those other loafers are slack in their duty!" They say "Welcome to my home!" but what they really mean is, "Don't you dare break anything! Must you be so loud?" Yes, we are loud, and we might break something. Why can't you just say, "AHHHHHH! don't break that! You're driving me nuts, why don't you go outside?!" Instead, Nasty-Nice keeps those feelings, makes a smile. Until the day when the internal dialogue reaches a scream and they lose it in violence. And it becomes clear that sure enough, that wasn't the fruit of the spirit, but just some wax imitation.
So, I don't trust them. And I won't play the game. And I'll never survive in church...
Monday, February 4, 2008
Response to Fragipane on Unity
The following is a response to Fracis Frangipane's article, "The Credibility Factor," at http://www.frangipane.org/
Frangipane confused me a bit in the early part of this essay by stating that godly men created denominations to protect and lift up truth in a dark age--one like he claims ours is. (And I'd agree.) Yet he demotes these convictions to "traditions" and says that they aren't worth fighting for any more. He makes this appeal for a line between who to be one with and who not to: "Please remember, I am not suggesting we should strive for unity with churches that do not believe in Christ or God's word or the Holy Spirit or the virgin birth or the second coming."
The definitions of these terms matters very much. I believe in Christ. So do demons. Mormons believe in the Bible, and they believe if they are good they may be given the Holy Spirit. Jehovah Witnesses believe something about each of those things too--they think Jesus' second coming was quite a while ago. Most of my readers may not be in those sects, but each of us undoubtedly has misconceptions about some aspects of True Faith (pretty sure I do, anyway...). Obviously, just believing in some definition of those words does not embody orthodoxy and the line between who's in and who's out is not so easily drawn. But what we mean by "believe in Christ" matters, as I believe Frangipane would agree since he felt the denominational reformers were right in their early declarations.
The different aspects of truth that were lifted up at the reformation, and by others over time are worth preserving. But something else has happened as we bought one brand of Christianity and clung to it--we froze the pursuit of what these words mean to the Author of them. Imagine an ordained denominational pastor pursuing truth and finding that some of the definitions of those words that his denomination clings to are not biblical. Is he free to grow closer to truth? No, he's bought a brand and a set of beliefs and he may not preach and follow the new discoveries he's made. It would be like his congregation walking into a McDonald's and finding they no longer serve hamburgers!
And yet it is not effective to ask the various denominations to toss out truth and say, "Oh, well, it doesn't really matter WHAT you preach about Christ, so long as you use the word, we are brothers." Such an embracing of any old thing would bring about unity, but we couldn't call it Christian unity.
Unity will be developed when we stop thinking of "church" as a religious club that holds events where a guy speaks and we sing and we have monthly potlucks and try to be good together, and restore the meaning of the words that were translated as "church" in our Bibles: eklesia, the called out ones. The assembly of the saints. The household of God. The things that we call churches contain a mix of those are truly believers and those who are merely religious. There is no way around that, and it is probably as it should be (wheat and tares, and all that.) But the called out ones are the called out ones, and must love one another, where ever they are on Sunday morning.
Does love let your friend go on in destructive error? While pride and selfish ambition are sometimes expressed in arguing, a disagreement and discussion does not mean two parties are not being humble and receptive. We must pursue truth together without battling about "who's right" so much as what's true, and be free to embrace truth as we find it in the Word, without denominational constraints.
Our denominational organizations can be useful: they give us structure and a framework to in which to work. They bring order, both social and functional so that we can be with the same people week to week and do more than we could as separate believers. But if our denominations begin to say that it doesn't matter how we use the words that Frangipane lists, we need to use caution. God does mean something by what He says, and we need to understand Him with increasing accuracy, both as individuals and as congregations. Realizing the benefit of walking with other believers of every stripe in this process of Spirit powered growth is (super) natural unity.
Frangipane confused me a bit in the early part of this essay by stating that godly men created denominations to protect and lift up truth in a dark age--one like he claims ours is. (And I'd agree.) Yet he demotes these convictions to "traditions" and says that they aren't worth fighting for any more. He makes this appeal for a line between who to be one with and who not to: "Please remember, I am not suggesting we should strive for unity with churches that do not believe in Christ or God's word or the Holy Spirit or the virgin birth or the second coming."
The definitions of these terms matters very much. I believe in Christ. So do demons. Mormons believe in the Bible, and they believe if they are good they may be given the Holy Spirit. Jehovah Witnesses believe something about each of those things too--they think Jesus' second coming was quite a while ago. Most of my readers may not be in those sects, but each of us undoubtedly has misconceptions about some aspects of True Faith (pretty sure I do, anyway...). Obviously, just believing in some definition of those words does not embody orthodoxy and the line between who's in and who's out is not so easily drawn. But what we mean by "believe in Christ" matters, as I believe Frangipane would agree since he felt the denominational reformers were right in their early declarations.
The different aspects of truth that were lifted up at the reformation, and by others over time are worth preserving. But something else has happened as we bought one brand of Christianity and clung to it--we froze the pursuit of what these words mean to the Author of them. Imagine an ordained denominational pastor pursuing truth and finding that some of the definitions of those words that his denomination clings to are not biblical. Is he free to grow closer to truth? No, he's bought a brand and a set of beliefs and he may not preach and follow the new discoveries he's made. It would be like his congregation walking into a McDonald's and finding they no longer serve hamburgers!
And yet it is not effective to ask the various denominations to toss out truth and say, "Oh, well, it doesn't really matter WHAT you preach about Christ, so long as you use the word, we are brothers." Such an embracing of any old thing would bring about unity, but we couldn't call it Christian unity.
Unity will be developed when we stop thinking of "church" as a religious club that holds events where a guy speaks and we sing and we have monthly potlucks and try to be good together, and restore the meaning of the words that were translated as "church" in our Bibles: eklesia, the called out ones. The assembly of the saints. The household of God. The things that we call churches contain a mix of those are truly believers and those who are merely religious. There is no way around that, and it is probably as it should be (wheat and tares, and all that.) But the called out ones are the called out ones, and must love one another, where ever they are on Sunday morning.
Does love let your friend go on in destructive error? While pride and selfish ambition are sometimes expressed in arguing, a disagreement and discussion does not mean two parties are not being humble and receptive. We must pursue truth together without battling about "who's right" so much as what's true, and be free to embrace truth as we find it in the Word, without denominational constraints.
Our denominational organizations can be useful: they give us structure and a framework to in which to work. They bring order, both social and functional so that we can be with the same people week to week and do more than we could as separate believers. But if our denominations begin to say that it doesn't matter how we use the words that Frangipane lists, we need to use caution. God does mean something by what He says, and we need to understand Him with increasing accuracy, both as individuals and as congregations. Realizing the benefit of walking with other believers of every stripe in this process of Spirit powered growth is (super) natural unity.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Good Enough?
I initiated a discussion with my kids over dinner tonight, about the sermon at the Grand Prix. (See previous post.) My oldest started by saying that she liked it a lot. So I asked them what they thought the main point was. They agreed that it was that God wants us to confess our sins and loves us even when we mess up. They could accurately recount the stories he told to support his point. Then I asked them what was similar between the allegory and the reality of Christ, and they gave good, true, and perceptive answers. They were able to see some differences between what the story king did and what the real king Jesus did.
They had been listening. What they learned was predominately true and good. And it gave us a chance to talk about things.
I wish that this kind of discussion was not treason. Why is it that we must fully agree with every word and not poke and test things? I want my kids to have these discussions, in their heads, and at home. But I try to warn them strongly against trying it in church. My oldest asked me not long ago how old you had to be to argue with the teacher in church. I told her it would never be okay. That makes me sad.
I also wonder how accurate teaching needs to be to be good enough. There is a line there somewhere. I am not talking about judging others and deciding who's in and who's out of the kingdom. I'm talking about choosing one's company, one's traveling companions. I'm willing to accept that a lot of folks I think are very wrong about some things are indeed part of God's family. How much does right belief matter, anyway? This preacher kid had the main point correct: God loves us and wants us to come to him, dirty or not. If he had other parts of it mixed up, how uptight should we be about that? What he taught may put a stumbling block in front of someone. Does God take false things and teach truth through them? Surely true teachings have been taken and used to teach falsehood.
When my kids are learning to write, I do not at first insist that they spell everything right. I do not at first insist that they put spaces between their words. But as time goes on, I show them the right way to punctuate, and spell, and use language. As they grow, I expect them to move closer to "correct writing." I wonder if God does this with our theology.
But if I kept on saying, "write whatever you want, don't worry about rules or right," then my kids wouldn't move towards writing well. If correct theology isn't honored and lifted up, will we move toward orthodoxy? Or will we believe--and live--in a way that is the equivalent to gibberish and hen scratch?
And what is orthodoxy, anyway. The Holy Spirit is supposed to lead us into all truth, and yet it is possible to find a church that teaches and practices almost anything, even among those that share the same Confession. That's annoying.
They had been listening. What they learned was predominately true and good. And it gave us a chance to talk about things.
I wish that this kind of discussion was not treason. Why is it that we must fully agree with every word and not poke and test things? I want my kids to have these discussions, in their heads, and at home. But I try to warn them strongly against trying it in church. My oldest asked me not long ago how old you had to be to argue with the teacher in church. I told her it would never be okay. That makes me sad.
I also wonder how accurate teaching needs to be to be good enough. There is a line there somewhere. I am not talking about judging others and deciding who's in and who's out of the kingdom. I'm talking about choosing one's company, one's traveling companions. I'm willing to accept that a lot of folks I think are very wrong about some things are indeed part of God's family. How much does right belief matter, anyway? This preacher kid had the main point correct: God loves us and wants us to come to him, dirty or not. If he had other parts of it mixed up, how uptight should we be about that? What he taught may put a stumbling block in front of someone. Does God take false things and teach truth through them? Surely true teachings have been taken and used to teach falsehood.
When my kids are learning to write, I do not at first insist that they spell everything right. I do not at first insist that they put spaces between their words. But as time goes on, I show them the right way to punctuate, and spell, and use language. As they grow, I expect them to move closer to "correct writing." I wonder if God does this with our theology.
But if I kept on saying, "write whatever you want, don't worry about rules or right," then my kids wouldn't move towards writing well. If correct theology isn't honored and lifted up, will we move toward orthodoxy? Or will we believe--and live--in a way that is the equivalent to gibberish and hen scratch?
And what is orthodoxy, anyway. The Holy Spirit is supposed to lead us into all truth, and yet it is possible to find a church that teaches and practices almost anything, even among those that share the same Confession. That's annoying.
Congratulations, Now You Can BE GOOD! (aren't you happy?)
I've complained a lot about the charismatic church we sometimes attend. I'm not going to do that today. Today, I'm going to complain about the Baptist church.
Our kids attend AWANA at the Baptist Church where I first came to God. It has been, by and large, a blessing. We've bounced around a lot in the last five years, attending two home churches, two large churches, and visiting many others, but most of the time just skipping it. But the kids have been at AWANA every Sunday come hell or high water.
Why would a person, such as myself, who hates all that is religious, choose to put her kids in a program that is hugely religious? Well, first of all because the kids are memorizing scripture. And, while I do not always agree with how it is used at AWANA, the kids are banking it away, and it often pops out of their mouths as we explain spiritual principles to them. Secondly, it has provided stability in their "church" sector when we couldn't. They have several close relatives at the Baptist church. Since we homeschool, I felt like it was important to keep something like this going in their lives.
So, I preface my complaints with the utimate conclusion that the overall experience is a benefit to us. Some claim that the kids have been a blessing to others in the program, too, but I have a hard time buying that.
Today was the annual AWANA Grand Prix, a pine box car race wherein the dads compete to see who can most artistically fulfill their children's dreams of speed and victory. And being a religious activity, the program is arranged such that you cannot receive your trophy without sitting through a sermon. This year's edition was delivered by the church's youth pastor, who was about 20. This frustrated me to start with—don't teens deserve someone with some maturity and experience and wisdom? Not that he wasn't a nice 20 year old, maybe a good Bible student. But what did any of us know at 20? I don't think I know much at 38.
In any case, they gave the floor to this young man, so that he could share the wisdom of his years. Which isn't a kind thing to do to someone who is 20. (Or even maybe 38!)
The content of this young man's speech made my heart sink. His main point was that you could tell God when you mess up because he loves you. Which is a good and valid point. But his support for it revealed a very faulty foundation for his understanding. He illustrated his thesis with a couple personal stories, wherein he struggled to admit he had done something wrong. In both cases, his guilt was not very certain since they were accidents, and in both cases, the person to whom he confessed did not respond with grace. Not exactly a home-run in illustrating repentance and confession, but that wasn't the worst of it.
The worst was the allegorical story that he told that related the story of salvation:
A king had a lovely and happy kingdom that he ruled with wisdom and kindness. But one of his cities went renegade on him and stopped obeying him and didn't want him to be their king. They started to be rude and cruel to one another. And their city got worse and worse. The king had to do something. He couldn't just let them go on destoying one another because he loved them. He couldn't destoy them out of hand, because he cared too much for them. So, of course, he went and lived among them and showed them love and kindness, and they learned the error of their ways and started being nice again. But they were afraid to come back to the king, because maybe he wouldn't want them any more since they had been so bad. Then he showed his ring—I am the King! I am not mad! I still want you! Group hug, happily ever after.
There is so much wrong with this. Let's start with the nature of God. God has, in the past, gone right ahead and obliterated towns and peoples because he would not tolerate their faithlessness. He is not all that nice. And he will, ultimately, condemn most of the people he has made. They will suffer because of their rejection of him. It isn't safe to ignore him. We are his creations, and his rightful “property”, in the crassest sense. And while he is apparently letting some kind of story run its course, every sin will be paid for, one way or another.
Ex 34:6-7 "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.”
If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then we cannot neglect this element of his character, even with our tender children.
Another problematic element of the story is the mistaken hope that being a Christian means Now I Get to Be Good! Jesus was not primarily a moral teacher. Yes, he did come and model a perfect life. What was the essence of this perfect life? This is so, so important. Jesus perfect life was NOT NOT NOT the fulfillment of a list of right behaviours. It was a life lived in perfect step with everything the Father directed. The book of John is FULL of this. Here are a few snips:
John 5:19-20
"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Note: SEES, active and happening at that instant, not something he once saw, but the current action of the Father.
John 8:28-29
I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
John 12:49
For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.
John 14:10-11
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.
Jesus was full of God. And through faith in him, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in us also. Think on that for a moment. Because Jesus died and was raised, he could send the Holy Spirit to live in us, if we will. We are offered what he had—a live connection to God, to empower and direct us in living a pleasing life, no longer stupidly wallowing without power or wisdom.
Read this section of John with that in mind:
John 14:19-24
Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. That can be a command or a statement of something that happens. If I let go of this brick, it will fall to the ground. God first loves us, we respond by loving him, and the natural fruit is obedience. Note that love comes first, the relationship comes first. In the story, the people did not love first. They figured out that living clean is good for you. This is not repentance, it's just common sense. Nice, but purely carnal. It has nothing to do with being saved or indwelt by God. In the end, they will still be destroyed because they refused to be owned.
What Jesus offered was Life. He was alive because the Father was IN him. We have that same chance, to be IN Christ, and to be alive in the same sense that Jesus was. What Jesus offered was emphatically NOT a pattern to copy, beyond his relationship to God.
So, I was disappointed that the church leadership inflicted this sermon on this kid, and on us. Why would a year or two of Bible School equip someone who is so young to shepherd teens? And how did he go to Bible School that long without, apparently, hearing the Gospel? If the role of leaders is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, why aren't there a large crop of older men to fulfill this role?
Apostasy, I tell you! ;-)
Our kids attend AWANA at the Baptist Church where I first came to God. It has been, by and large, a blessing. We've bounced around a lot in the last five years, attending two home churches, two large churches, and visiting many others, but most of the time just skipping it. But the kids have been at AWANA every Sunday come hell or high water.
Why would a person, such as myself, who hates all that is religious, choose to put her kids in a program that is hugely religious? Well, first of all because the kids are memorizing scripture. And, while I do not always agree with how it is used at AWANA, the kids are banking it away, and it often pops out of their mouths as we explain spiritual principles to them. Secondly, it has provided stability in their "church" sector when we couldn't. They have several close relatives at the Baptist church. Since we homeschool, I felt like it was important to keep something like this going in their lives.
So, I preface my complaints with the utimate conclusion that the overall experience is a benefit to us. Some claim that the kids have been a blessing to others in the program, too, but I have a hard time buying that.
Today was the annual AWANA Grand Prix, a pine box car race wherein the dads compete to see who can most artistically fulfill their children's dreams of speed and victory. And being a religious activity, the program is arranged such that you cannot receive your trophy without sitting through a sermon. This year's edition was delivered by the church's youth pastor, who was about 20. This frustrated me to start with—don't teens deserve someone with some maturity and experience and wisdom? Not that he wasn't a nice 20 year old, maybe a good Bible student. But what did any of us know at 20? I don't think I know much at 38.
In any case, they gave the floor to this young man, so that he could share the wisdom of his years. Which isn't a kind thing to do to someone who is 20. (Or even maybe 38!)
The content of this young man's speech made my heart sink. His main point was that you could tell God when you mess up because he loves you. Which is a good and valid point. But his support for it revealed a very faulty foundation for his understanding. He illustrated his thesis with a couple personal stories, wherein he struggled to admit he had done something wrong. In both cases, his guilt was not very certain since they were accidents, and in both cases, the person to whom he confessed did not respond with grace. Not exactly a home-run in illustrating repentance and confession, but that wasn't the worst of it.
The worst was the allegorical story that he told that related the story of salvation:
A king had a lovely and happy kingdom that he ruled with wisdom and kindness. But one of his cities went renegade on him and stopped obeying him and didn't want him to be their king. They started to be rude and cruel to one another. And their city got worse and worse. The king had to do something. He couldn't just let them go on destoying one another because he loved them. He couldn't destoy them out of hand, because he cared too much for them. So, of course, he went and lived among them and showed them love and kindness, and they learned the error of their ways and started being nice again. But they were afraid to come back to the king, because maybe he wouldn't want them any more since they had been so bad. Then he showed his ring—I am the King! I am not mad! I still want you! Group hug, happily ever after.
There is so much wrong with this. Let's start with the nature of God. God has, in the past, gone right ahead and obliterated towns and peoples because he would not tolerate their faithlessness. He is not all that nice. And he will, ultimately, condemn most of the people he has made. They will suffer because of their rejection of him. It isn't safe to ignore him. We are his creations, and his rightful “property”, in the crassest sense. And while he is apparently letting some kind of story run its course, every sin will be paid for, one way or another.
Ex 34:6-7 "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.”
If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then we cannot neglect this element of his character, even with our tender children.
Another problematic element of the story is the mistaken hope that being a Christian means Now I Get to Be Good! Jesus was not primarily a moral teacher. Yes, he did come and model a perfect life. What was the essence of this perfect life? This is so, so important. Jesus perfect life was NOT NOT NOT the fulfillment of a list of right behaviours. It was a life lived in perfect step with everything the Father directed. The book of John is FULL of this. Here are a few snips:
John 5:19-20
"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Note: SEES, active and happening at that instant, not something he once saw, but the current action of the Father.
John 8:28-29
I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
John 12:49
For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.
John 14:10-11
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.
Jesus was full of God. And through faith in him, all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in us also. Think on that for a moment. Because Jesus died and was raised, he could send the Holy Spirit to live in us, if we will. We are offered what he had—a live connection to God, to empower and direct us in living a pleasing life, no longer stupidly wallowing without power or wisdom.
Read this section of John with that in mind:
John 14:19-24
Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. That can be a command or a statement of something that happens. If I let go of this brick, it will fall to the ground. God first loves us, we respond by loving him, and the natural fruit is obedience. Note that love comes first, the relationship comes first. In the story, the people did not love first. They figured out that living clean is good for you. This is not repentance, it's just common sense. Nice, but purely carnal. It has nothing to do with being saved or indwelt by God. In the end, they will still be destroyed because they refused to be owned.
What Jesus offered was Life. He was alive because the Father was IN him. We have that same chance, to be IN Christ, and to be alive in the same sense that Jesus was. What Jesus offered was emphatically NOT a pattern to copy, beyond his relationship to God.
So, I was disappointed that the church leadership inflicted this sermon on this kid, and on us. Why would a year or two of Bible School equip someone who is so young to shepherd teens? And how did he go to Bible School that long without, apparently, hearing the Gospel? If the role of leaders is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, why aren't there a large crop of older men to fulfill this role?
Apostasy, I tell you! ;-)
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Stalemate
Eph 6:13
3 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
I played a game of chess with my husband today, and God spoke to me in it. I’m not very good at chess. As the game progressed, I made my plans to capture the enemy king. I got him pinned on two sides, but couldn’t seem to close his escape. It is like my life—I can manage my home, but I drop school. I can engage with my kids, but I drop cleaning. I can meal plan and provide good nutrition, but I drop the ball on living full of grace. And my pieces keep getting taken.
It reminds me of how so many lives go. We don’t take care of our bodies, and we become sick, doing some of things that we might have becomes hard. We lose our rook. We don’t take care of our thoughts, and the ability to think clearly and take our thoughts captive diminishes. We lose our queen. It looks like the game is over, might as well tip our king and be done with it.
That was how the chess game was going for me. It’s annoying to lose; playing is tedious, humiliating. But, for learning sake, we played it to the bitter end, though it seemed obvious to me that with one pon and my king, it was hopeless. I ran for a corner, hoping against hope to turn that pon into a queen. Sure enough, the pon was taken as soon as it arrived.
By then, I was pinned. My king was not in check, but couldn’t move without going into check. A stalemate—my opponent had failed to conquer.
It occurred to me that this is all God is asking me to do, in some circumstances. Victorious living can be just playing to the end and refusing to be taken. I may make foolish choices that seem to strip me of my weapons. But I know that I cannot be taken, Christ assures this. My call is to stand. I find great comfort in the Lord’s words to the church of Philadelphia:
Rev 3:8-12
I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
3 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
I played a game of chess with my husband today, and God spoke to me in it. I’m not very good at chess. As the game progressed, I made my plans to capture the enemy king. I got him pinned on two sides, but couldn’t seem to close his escape. It is like my life—I can manage my home, but I drop school. I can engage with my kids, but I drop cleaning. I can meal plan and provide good nutrition, but I drop the ball on living full of grace. And my pieces keep getting taken.
It reminds me of how so many lives go. We don’t take care of our bodies, and we become sick, doing some of things that we might have becomes hard. We lose our rook. We don’t take care of our thoughts, and the ability to think clearly and take our thoughts captive diminishes. We lose our queen. It looks like the game is over, might as well tip our king and be done with it.
That was how the chess game was going for me. It’s annoying to lose; playing is tedious, humiliating. But, for learning sake, we played it to the bitter end, though it seemed obvious to me that with one pon and my king, it was hopeless. I ran for a corner, hoping against hope to turn that pon into a queen. Sure enough, the pon was taken as soon as it arrived.
By then, I was pinned. My king was not in check, but couldn’t move without going into check. A stalemate—my opponent had failed to conquer.
It occurred to me that this is all God is asking me to do, in some circumstances. Victorious living can be just playing to the end and refusing to be taken. I may make foolish choices that seem to strip me of my weapons. But I know that I cannot be taken, Christ assures this. My call is to stand. I find great comfort in the Lord’s words to the church of Philadelphia:
Rev 3:8-12
I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Updates and Service
I'm flunking home maintenance. I fell off the wagon in early December more or less, and thoroughly lost it around Christmas. My goal is to get things under control and running well by February 1. I hate stepping over junk and working around the mess. It's wound down so much that the laundry is mixed and people can't find their socks and underwear. Inconvenient.
So what? This is what God says: get up and engage with your life. So that's the way of faith for me. I've strayed from it, and I'm going to be paying the piper for a while. The truth: God loves me and is with me and I can do all things through Christ, and his ways are good.
It is time to examine our family activities for the coming season. I need to think about what we need and not over commit. I will probably do mini school with our homeschool group--something relating to legos.
The biggest thing I would like to see our family grow in this season is Giving and Helping. Starting with me.
I really don't "get" serving. Our lack of church attendence has provoked accusations from relatives that we aren't "serving." That puzzles me. If I went to church, I'd need to pull my weight by assisting with childcare. That doesn't really strike me as serving: I'm bringing five out of fifty kids, if I do 10% of the childcare, that's giving? I don't think so. Why is that better than just lowering the workload by five kids? I could sing on the worship team--is that serving? I love to sing, that would be like a hobby. My prayer would be that my lack of skill wouldn't detract from worship. That doesn't seem like serving to me. I could help direct traffic. I could teach a class, but I don't see how that would ever happen--can't think of a pastor in his right mind that would let me. And if I did, I don't see how it would be service--I love teaching. It oozes out of me unbidden. Doesn't require me "dying to myself", it's what my "self" does. When it comes to church, I have no idea how traditional ideas about serving fit.
At home, however, service makes a vast amount of sense. There are endless and constant chances to lay down my life and serve in invisible ways. I'm missing at least six at this very moment, in fact.
So what? This is what God says: get up and engage with your life. So that's the way of faith for me. I've strayed from it, and I'm going to be paying the piper for a while. The truth: God loves me and is with me and I can do all things through Christ, and his ways are good.
It is time to examine our family activities for the coming season. I need to think about what we need and not over commit. I will probably do mini school with our homeschool group--something relating to legos.
The biggest thing I would like to see our family grow in this season is Giving and Helping. Starting with me.
I really don't "get" serving. Our lack of church attendence has provoked accusations from relatives that we aren't "serving." That puzzles me. If I went to church, I'd need to pull my weight by assisting with childcare. That doesn't really strike me as serving: I'm bringing five out of fifty kids, if I do 10% of the childcare, that's giving? I don't think so. Why is that better than just lowering the workload by five kids? I could sing on the worship team--is that serving? I love to sing, that would be like a hobby. My prayer would be that my lack of skill wouldn't detract from worship. That doesn't seem like serving to me. I could help direct traffic. I could teach a class, but I don't see how that would ever happen--can't think of a pastor in his right mind that would let me. And if I did, I don't see how it would be service--I love teaching. It oozes out of me unbidden. Doesn't require me "dying to myself", it's what my "self" does. When it comes to church, I have no idea how traditional ideas about serving fit.
At home, however, service makes a vast amount of sense. There are endless and constant chances to lay down my life and serve in invisible ways. I'm missing at least six at this very moment, in fact.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Humility
A good portion of the sermon on Sunday was about humility this week. There were some great illustrations: humility is like allowing God to take what you believe to be the finished portrait of your life and return it to blank canvas. That's a wonderous picture of brokenness, isn't it. To me, it's like God saying, "I know you think that what you've made or what I've made in you is neat, but that's nothing, I have more for you, but you have to let go of this." And then there are times when we wish that we *could* be a blank canvas again, but it seems like way too much to ask.
A definition of humility: "Lowly thinking, the quality of esteeming ourselves as small, but at the same time recognizing the power of God in us." How difficult it is to hang on to both of those things! I was explaining just how huge the universe is to my son the other day. In his seven year old wisdom, he took it in stride---yeah, yeah, a million earths fit in our sun, nearest star so many light years away, pretty far, but I can take it in... But we are small beyond all reckoning in this universe made by a frightfully huge God. A childish mind refuses to recognize this.
Here's a sermon quote that I jotted down to ponder: "Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." The idea that thinking and talking and ideas are of limited value is a perspective that is pretty pervasive in this body--the word "theology" is a dirty word, used to express ideas that have no connection to spirituality, Pharisees were in to it. Maybe it's more a denomination-wide conviction, because the last Foursquare pastor preached for a very long time on "The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but a matter of Power."
"Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." I think this is a statement to be handled with care. Trust in *any* of our faculties above the goodness of God is a road to destruction. But is thinking itself suspect? I wish I could understand better this danger the pastor saw. Maybe it goes like this: "I can understand everything, God really isn't that mighty, and I don't really need him to save me, per se." Or maybe thinking one is dumb is equivilent to humility? I can't buy that. Our little pea brains have very little capacity to grasp the created, let along the uncreated, and yet we were made to apprehend God, and to have faith, which is an adherence to an *idea* which lives in our pea brains. He's given us capacity that we are expected to use to pursue him. (Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.)
It seems to me that there is an undeniably cerebral aspect to our walk with God. We have the life of God in our Spirit, and as we submit to it with each bit of our soul, we take on the flavor of that reality. Our brain is part of our soul, and it is indeed the portion of us that, as it is renewed, allows us to perceive the will of God: Rom 12:22 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. " From that, it seems really obvious that the activities of our intellect--thoughts, ideas, words, concepts and beliefs--are a key aspect to bring into line with the Spirit. So, I have to trust that God will do that in me, trust that He is acting in process of renewing my mind to bring my intellect into line. That doesn't amount to trusting in my ability to think better than God, it just means that I recognize that God desires my mind to be conformed to the truth.
If anyone has more thoughts on how trusting our intellect could keep us from trusting God, I invite you to comment.
A definition of humility: "Lowly thinking, the quality of esteeming ourselves as small, but at the same time recognizing the power of God in us." How difficult it is to hang on to both of those things! I was explaining just how huge the universe is to my son the other day. In his seven year old wisdom, he took it in stride---yeah, yeah, a million earths fit in our sun, nearest star so many light years away, pretty far, but I can take it in... But we are small beyond all reckoning in this universe made by a frightfully huge God. A childish mind refuses to recognize this.
Here's a sermon quote that I jotted down to ponder: "Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." The idea that thinking and talking and ideas are of limited value is a perspective that is pretty pervasive in this body--the word "theology" is a dirty word, used to express ideas that have no connection to spirituality, Pharisees were in to it. Maybe it's more a denomination-wide conviction, because the last Foursquare pastor preached for a very long time on "The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but a matter of Power."
"Our trust in our intellect prevents us from experiencing true humility." I think this is a statement to be handled with care. Trust in *any* of our faculties above the goodness of God is a road to destruction. But is thinking itself suspect? I wish I could understand better this danger the pastor saw. Maybe it goes like this: "I can understand everything, God really isn't that mighty, and I don't really need him to save me, per se." Or maybe thinking one is dumb is equivilent to humility? I can't buy that. Our little pea brains have very little capacity to grasp the created, let along the uncreated, and yet we were made to apprehend God, and to have faith, which is an adherence to an *idea* which lives in our pea brains. He's given us capacity that we are expected to use to pursue him. (Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.)
It seems to me that there is an undeniably cerebral aspect to our walk with God. We have the life of God in our Spirit, and as we submit to it with each bit of our soul, we take on the flavor of that reality. Our brain is part of our soul, and it is indeed the portion of us that, as it is renewed, allows us to perceive the will of God: Rom 12:22 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. " From that, it seems really obvious that the activities of our intellect--thoughts, ideas, words, concepts and beliefs--are a key aspect to bring into line with the Spirit. So, I have to trust that God will do that in me, trust that He is acting in process of renewing my mind to bring my intellect into line. That doesn't amount to trusting in my ability to think better than God, it just means that I recognize that God desires my mind to be conformed to the truth.
If anyone has more thoughts on how trusting our intellect could keep us from trusting God, I invite you to comment.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Healing
I picked up a brochure at church on Sunday titled “Healing of the Body, Mind and Emotions.” The instructions on the inside page read, in part, “God’s Holy Word, anointed by His Spirit, spoken out in faith will bring deliverance and health…Speak these scriptures out loud every day, proclaiming that these words are true of you…Speak these words out more often during times of trouble. It is important to say them out loud and not just read them silently. ‘Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.’ Don’t give up on bodily healing. We have been promised wholeness and healing through the shed blood of Jesus.”
Then it has several pages of excerpts from the Bible, some of which are declarations about how good and powerful are the words of God, others are quotes like “I will live and not die” or “As I have believed, so let it be done for me” or “I know that I will prosper in all things and be in health, just as my soul prospers” or “Lord, you heal all those who have need of healing.”
I think I need healing now, because this makes me violently ill. Where did they get the idea that speaking Bible quotes would bring deliverance and health? Show me the faithful Pentecostal that failed to get sick and ultimately die because they chanted these verses enough. I am not saying that PMA (positive mental attitude) isn’t effective—I believe in the power of focusing on good things bringing good things. That’s true just as a human principle. I also believe that God moves with compassion on his people. But to suggest that by speaking these magic words and brainwashing oneself to believe things that AREN’T TRUE (your body remains subject to illness and death), to lead folks into thinking they are not at the mercy of suffering, good grief, words fail me.
I do find this sad and offensive. Offensive, because it is a baldfaced lie—the people muttering these verses that weren’t spoken to them, will continue to age, rust, decline, get sick, get in accidents until which time Jesus returns or they die. They are laying claim to something that is not yet theirs—an eternal, resurrection body. It cheapens their hope to pretend it is currently in their hand. What kind of witness is it for someone dying of whatever to go about declaring the life of Christ is healing them? When their body dies, what is the world to conclude but that God failed them? Blind denial declares that one isn’t aging and winding down physically. This is not an appropriate confession for a people claiming to walk in truth.
The Biblical, Christian response to our broken bodies and aching souls is to be very unlike this. We don’t need to chant our way out of it, rejecting the pain, pushing back and denying reality. 1 Peter 4:12-14 says this: 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” A day will come when the suffering is ended, and our joy will be more than full because of the reality of it—unconjured, undeniable. Meanwhile, our suffering gives us reason to rejoice. Why?
Rom 5:3-5 We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” There is something to be gained in the suffering—jewel-like qualities that will be rewarded by God. Our suffering gives us an opportunity to be weaned away from what the world offers, to put all our hope in what is so much more certain and solid: the eternal love of God. If we are busy repeating declarations that NOW is the time for that reward, we are picking very green fruit.
How should we endure hardship? Financial reversals, accidents, illnesses, etc? Should we shove them back and declare that they are of the devil, cast them away from us? Hebrews 12:7-9 counsels us otherwise: 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.”
If we endure hardship with an eye towards God, believing Him to be the good father who filters EVERYTHING that comes to us, we respond to HIM in trial, not to the enemy who may have other plans for our suffering. We look to our Father and learn from him how we can drink more deeply from His bottomless well of life, so that on the other side of it, we are less flappable, less vulnerable to standing on the sand of our money or health or friends. But if we reject our pain as bad, we miss the goodness of God IN it. This brochure is a roadmap to missing that.
How do I not freak out about that? I care about people there, people that are obediently getting up in the morning and confessing that the millenium is now, that the benefits of the resurrection are theirs now, embracing their responsibility to believe the impossible is true. Will they take this to the next logical step and brow beat one another when the doctor's report comes back worse not better? "Did you recite your verses just 10 times when I told you to do it twenty? tsk, tsk, this is what you get..." May it never be. May no heart suffer that abuse.
Then it has several pages of excerpts from the Bible, some of which are declarations about how good and powerful are the words of God, others are quotes like “I will live and not die” or “As I have believed, so let it be done for me” or “I know that I will prosper in all things and be in health, just as my soul prospers” or “Lord, you heal all those who have need of healing.”
I think I need healing now, because this makes me violently ill. Where did they get the idea that speaking Bible quotes would bring deliverance and health? Show me the faithful Pentecostal that failed to get sick and ultimately die because they chanted these verses enough. I am not saying that PMA (positive mental attitude) isn’t effective—I believe in the power of focusing on good things bringing good things. That’s true just as a human principle. I also believe that God moves with compassion on his people. But to suggest that by speaking these magic words and brainwashing oneself to believe things that AREN’T TRUE (your body remains subject to illness and death), to lead folks into thinking they are not at the mercy of suffering, good grief, words fail me.
I do find this sad and offensive. Offensive, because it is a baldfaced lie—the people muttering these verses that weren’t spoken to them, will continue to age, rust, decline, get sick, get in accidents until which time Jesus returns or they die. They are laying claim to something that is not yet theirs—an eternal, resurrection body. It cheapens their hope to pretend it is currently in their hand. What kind of witness is it for someone dying of whatever to go about declaring the life of Christ is healing them? When their body dies, what is the world to conclude but that God failed them? Blind denial declares that one isn’t aging and winding down physically. This is not an appropriate confession for a people claiming to walk in truth.
The Biblical, Christian response to our broken bodies and aching souls is to be very unlike this. We don’t need to chant our way out of it, rejecting the pain, pushing back and denying reality. 1 Peter 4:12-14 says this: 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” A day will come when the suffering is ended, and our joy will be more than full because of the reality of it—unconjured, undeniable. Meanwhile, our suffering gives us reason to rejoice. Why?
Rom 5:3-5 We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” There is something to be gained in the suffering—jewel-like qualities that will be rewarded by God. Our suffering gives us an opportunity to be weaned away from what the world offers, to put all our hope in what is so much more certain and solid: the eternal love of God. If we are busy repeating declarations that NOW is the time for that reward, we are picking very green fruit.
How should we endure hardship? Financial reversals, accidents, illnesses, etc? Should we shove them back and declare that they are of the devil, cast them away from us? Hebrews 12:7-9 counsels us otherwise: 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.”
If we endure hardship with an eye towards God, believing Him to be the good father who filters EVERYTHING that comes to us, we respond to HIM in trial, not to the enemy who may have other plans for our suffering. We look to our Father and learn from him how we can drink more deeply from His bottomless well of life, so that on the other side of it, we are less flappable, less vulnerable to standing on the sand of our money or health or friends. But if we reject our pain as bad, we miss the goodness of God IN it. This brochure is a roadmap to missing that.
How do I not freak out about that? I care about people there, people that are obediently getting up in the morning and confessing that the millenium is now, that the benefits of the resurrection are theirs now, embracing their responsibility to believe the impossible is true. Will they take this to the next logical step and brow beat one another when the doctor's report comes back worse not better? "Did you recite your verses just 10 times when I told you to do it twenty? tsk, tsk, this is what you get..." May it never be. May no heart suffer that abuse.
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