We've heard the term, of course. It's often used as a euphemism for God or some other "entity" (real or imagined) that protects and/or provides. (I put "entity" in quotes because there is sometimes a distinction between "Providence" and "divine Providence," where the latter refers, obviously, to God while the former is more at "luck" or some other force.) The term was in common use a century or more ago and few batted an eye. Today, of course, not only does our secular society object, but so do Christians, indirectly if not directly. You see, the concept of Providence is premised on a Sovereign (with a capital "S") God, and Christians aren't so sure anymore about that. I mean, doesn't our Free Will take precedence over God? When Bryant Gumbel asked Anne Graham Lotz why God didn't protect us from 9/11, she told him that America kept forcing God out of the public square, so "God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life." Not so Sovereign after all.
Scripture disagrees. God "works all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph 1:11). "He does whatever He pleases" (Psa 115:3). He "does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, 'What have you done?'" (Dan 4:35). And so many more (e.g., Prov 21:1; Isa 46:10; Prov 19:21; Psa 135:6; Job 42:2; Rom 9:18; 1 Tim 6:15; Isa 43:13 ... need I go on?) And we cringe a little because ... well ... we like to think that we have a say in God's plans. It should, however, be a comfort to know that God protects and provides regardless of our agreement, shouldn't it? It should give us no end of peace to know that He "is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us" (Eph 3:20). We should rejoice to know that God "will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Php 4:19). Ah! There it is again. Providence!
Scripture says that everything was made "from Him and through Him and to Him" (Rom 11:36). That is, everything is from, for, and about Him in the end. So any time we prefer to think of things as from, through, and to us, we err ... and fall short of His glory. We ought to embrace His Sovereignty in general and His Providence in particular ... for His glory and for our peace of mind. The diminishing of self in favor of the glorification of Him in all things can only be to our benefit.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Don't Worry
We've been told for as long as I can remember that it's a sin to worry. Why?
The word itself is translated so differently because it's not straightforward. The word is μεριμνάω -- merimnaō. It means most literally the idea of "divided." The idea is more at "distracted." If you take our concept of "anxious" or "worried" and hold it up against "distracted," I think you can see how it works. But that would put a nuance on "worry," wouldn't it? I mean, if I can care about something (as opposed to "careful for nothing") without letting it distract me, is that worrying? It is, then, a matter of how distracting your worrying is. So how can we avoid being distracted by the cares of our lives? Well, Paul doesn't leave us to guess. Pray. Don't just pray; ask. What's the difference? Well, prayer is a conversation with God. We can pray without asking. "Lord, this is what I'm feeling. This is what's going on. These are my concerns." And that's good. Supplication, on the other hand, is when we place petitions before the Father. We ask Him to do something. We talk to God and we ask Him to do something. There is, however, a third aspect: thanksgiving. Interesting, isn't it? While we're bringing our concerns to Him, we're also thanking Him. That helps us to focus our attention on the God who is faithful and who is goodness personified and always does what is best. The result is peace. Not merely peace, though. It is the peace of God, a peace that passes comprehension. It isn't a logical version; it's supernatural. And that peace guards your hearts and minds.
Now, I'm sure you've seen that text before and knew most or all of that. We often miss, however, that it's not left at that. Verse 7, as it turns out, is followed by verse 8.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:6-7)There it is in black and white. We're told not to worry about anything, so it's a sin ... right? The Bible in Basic English says "Have no cares." The Contemporary English Version says, "Don't worry about anything." The King James says, "Be careful for nothing" (in the sense, I'm sure, of being "full of cares" rather than "cautious"). All similar ... all slightly different. Why? Because the word doesn't really translate directly (and the changing nature of the English language only makes it worse, as evidenced by the King James "careful" choice of translation). So, are we allowed to worry, or aren't we? Given the current atmosphere and culture and direction things are going on top of all the rest of life that has always been (deaths, illnesses, job loss, on and on), it might seem impossible not to worry ... or even wise not to worry.
The word itself is translated so differently because it's not straightforward. The word is μεριμνάω -- merimnaō. It means most literally the idea of "divided." The idea is more at "distracted." If you take our concept of "anxious" or "worried" and hold it up against "distracted," I think you can see how it works. But that would put a nuance on "worry," wouldn't it? I mean, if I can care about something (as opposed to "careful for nothing") without letting it distract me, is that worrying? It is, then, a matter of how distracting your worrying is. So how can we avoid being distracted by the cares of our lives? Well, Paul doesn't leave us to guess. Pray. Don't just pray; ask. What's the difference? Well, prayer is a conversation with God. We can pray without asking. "Lord, this is what I'm feeling. This is what's going on. These are my concerns." And that's good. Supplication, on the other hand, is when we place petitions before the Father. We ask Him to do something. We talk to God and we ask Him to do something. There is, however, a third aspect: thanksgiving. Interesting, isn't it? While we're bringing our concerns to Him, we're also thanking Him. That helps us to focus our attention on the God who is faithful and who is goodness personified and always does what is best. The result is peace. Not merely peace, though. It is the peace of God, a peace that passes comprehension. It isn't a logical version; it's supernatural. And that peace guards your hearts and minds.
Now, I'm sure you've seen that text before and knew most or all of that. We often miss, however, that it's not left at that. Verse 7, as it turns out, is followed by verse 8.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Php 4:8)That "finally" is in conclusion to what was just said in the previous verses -- how to deal with distracting cares. Don't get distracted. Instead, pray, ask, and thank God. Then change your thought patterns. Change how you think. Change where your mind dwells. Think about what is true and honorable, just and pure, lovely and commendable. Think about things other than your cares, things that are good and positive and godly. And we get it, right? I mean, if I were to tell you, "Don't think about giraffes. Don't picture their colors, imagine their long necks, visualize them eating in their habitat from trees", you would be unable to think about anything else. So, there are valid reasons for concern. Just don't be distracted by them. Take them to God in dialog and request, filled with thanksgiving, and then change your thoughts to the good. It's a God-given formula to keep us from being distracted by the things we care about but can't fix. And we all have a lot of those, don't we?
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
The First Request
Most of us know the Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:9-13) by heart. Even unbelievers have heard it. As an aside, I think "The Lord's Prayer" is probably not the best title for it. That would be found in John 17. This one is a structure Jesus offered His disciples when they asked Him to "Teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1). So how should we pray? I would bet that the first words out of His mouth teaching them to pray was a shock to the disciples: "Our Father, who is in heaven." You see, Jews didn't think of God as "Father." That was too familiar, too personal. They didn't even like to use His name. So Matthew, for instance, was much more comfortable using "the kingdom of heaven" than "the kingdom of God." Referring to God as "Our Father" must have been a jolt.
Oddly enough, most Christians don't recognize the very first request that Jesus suggested to His disciples. They typically think it's "Your kingdom come ..." It's not. It's the line before that. "Hallowed be Your name." Most people think He was simply stating that the Father's name was holy. But if that was His intent, He would have said, "Hallowed is Your name." He literally said, "May Your name be regarded as holy." As a first request in a prayer intended as a pattern for His disciples to use when they pray, I would think that might be important.
Twice in Scripture God is referred to as not just "holy" or even "holy, holy," but "holy, holy, holy" (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8). Repetition was the Hebraic way of underlining, italicizing, and bold-print for emphasis. There is none like God. He is, in the literal meaning of the word, "other." When God executed Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, for offering "strange fire" in the tabernacle, Moses told Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored'" (Lev 10:3), and Aaron had nothing more to say. Because God must be regarded as holy ... above all else. So, too, should we. We tend to think of Him in more personal terms, more "friendly" terms, but if Jesus's first request was that we would regard the Father as holy, perhaps we might want to spend more time and effort on doing just that in our hearts and minds and lives.
Oddly enough, most Christians don't recognize the very first request that Jesus suggested to His disciples. They typically think it's "Your kingdom come ..." It's not. It's the line before that. "Hallowed be Your name." Most people think He was simply stating that the Father's name was holy. But if that was His intent, He would have said, "Hallowed is Your name." He literally said, "May Your name be regarded as holy." As a first request in a prayer intended as a pattern for His disciples to use when they pray, I would think that might be important.
Twice in Scripture God is referred to as not just "holy" or even "holy, holy," but "holy, holy, holy" (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8). Repetition was the Hebraic way of underlining, italicizing, and bold-print for emphasis. There is none like God. He is, in the literal meaning of the word, "other." When God executed Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, for offering "strange fire" in the tabernacle, Moses told Aaron, "It is what the LORD spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored'" (Lev 10:3), and Aaron had nothing more to say. Because God must be regarded as holy ... above all else. So, too, should we. We tend to think of Him in more personal terms, more "friendly" terms, but if Jesus's first request was that we would regard the Father as holy, perhaps we might want to spend more time and effort on doing just that in our hearts and minds and lives.
Monday, August 28, 2023
Load Bearing
Right after Paul urged the Thessalonian Christians to "esteem highly" those who labored among them (1 Thess 5:12-13), he wrote this. "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone" (1 Thess 5:14). Now, that's a packed sentence. He "urged" them, it says. That's not a command but neither is it a suggestion. The word used, in fact, is parakaleō, signifying coming alongside. "I'm begging you to do this and I'm right here with you." So, what did Paul want them to do?
There are three types of people in view here: 1) the "unruly," 2) the "fainthearted," and the "weak." Well, that's clear ... right? The "unruly" may refer to the undisciplined, the insubordinate, the "disarranged" (the literal translation of the word). So some translate it the "idle." In a very real sense these are people in the church who are getting out of hand. What are we to do with these people? Paul said to "admonish" them. It is to caution them, to warn them, to reprove them. Now, I know, we're not in favor of this kind of thing in our churches. "Just let them be; maybe they'll go away. Correct them? Oh, no, not us." But that's what he says. "So," someone might think, "what kind of mayhem do you want us to wreak on the fainthearted?" The "fainthearted" refers literally to the "small in spirit." The King James goes with "feebleminded," but that doesn't really seem right. These are people in the church who have seen loss, who have taken a beating, who are down and almost out. We don't "admonish" these; we "encourage" them. We comfort them. We relate to them and console them. Not the same thing as "admonish," is it? And how about the "weak"? The word refers to those without strength. They neither need admonishment nor consolation. They need ... help. In fact, the word translated "help" here means literally to "hold fast" to them. Hold them, support them, bear them up.
There is no "one size fits all" in our relationships with fellow believers. There is room for admonishment to those who are out of hand, for comfort for those who are fainting, for support for those who lack strength. So it's very interesting how Paul sums it up. "Be patient with everyone." The word, patient, refers literally to "a long burn." The image is to stand with them in the fire, remaining with them, bearing their burdens. If you look back, then, this is the idea in every case. To bear the burdens of the unruly, you need to correct them. To bear the burdens of the fainthearted, you need to encourage them. To bear the burdens of the weak, you need to help them. Patient with everyone. It appears, then, that we need to know what types of people we're dealing with and then deal with them with patience. Or, to put it another way, as Jesus said, "Love one another, even as I have loved you" (John 13:34).
There are three types of people in view here: 1) the "unruly," 2) the "fainthearted," and the "weak." Well, that's clear ... right? The "unruly" may refer to the undisciplined, the insubordinate, the "disarranged" (the literal translation of the word). So some translate it the "idle." In a very real sense these are people in the church who are getting out of hand. What are we to do with these people? Paul said to "admonish" them. It is to caution them, to warn them, to reprove them. Now, I know, we're not in favor of this kind of thing in our churches. "Just let them be; maybe they'll go away. Correct them? Oh, no, not us." But that's what he says. "So," someone might think, "what kind of mayhem do you want us to wreak on the fainthearted?" The "fainthearted" refers literally to the "small in spirit." The King James goes with "feebleminded," but that doesn't really seem right. These are people in the church who have seen loss, who have taken a beating, who are down and almost out. We don't "admonish" these; we "encourage" them. We comfort them. We relate to them and console them. Not the same thing as "admonish," is it? And how about the "weak"? The word refers to those without strength. They neither need admonishment nor consolation. They need ... help. In fact, the word translated "help" here means literally to "hold fast" to them. Hold them, support them, bear them up.
There is no "one size fits all" in our relationships with fellow believers. There is room for admonishment to those who are out of hand, for comfort for those who are fainting, for support for those who lack strength. So it's very interesting how Paul sums it up. "Be patient with everyone." The word, patient, refers literally to "a long burn." The image is to stand with them in the fire, remaining with them, bearing their burdens. If you look back, then, this is the idea in every case. To bear the burdens of the unruly, you need to correct them. To bear the burdens of the fainthearted, you need to encourage them. To bear the burdens of the weak, you need to help them. Patient with everyone. It appears, then, that we need to know what types of people we're dealing with and then deal with them with patience. Or, to put it another way, as Jesus said, "Love one another, even as I have loved you" (John 13:34).
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Saturday, August 26, 2023
News Weakly - 8/26/23
Cry Wolf
The story is that "serious COVID cases" are "on the rise." Really? The story actually says, "They've seen a slight uptick." Still, they're considering restarting mask mandates? So, maybe I'm just a skeptic, or maybe I'm gun-shy, but just last week I read that authorities "are recommending" a new round of COVID and RSV vaccinations. This story, then, sounds like a scare tactic to get people to comply. Especially considering the apparent ineffectiveness of the first vaccinations that allowed recipients to still get the virus, spread the virus, and even die from the virus (if not the vaccine itself). Is it just me, or does this sound like Big Pharma crying wolf?
Values Clarification
A man left kittens in closed plastic bins outside a veterinary clinic and he's facing charges. Killing babies is a right women fight for, but killing kittens is a criminal offense. We get it. Kittens: Yes. Babies: Not so much.
Mindless
A 28-year-old woman randomly shoved an 87-year-old Broadway singing coach onto a Manhattan sidewalk. The coach died five days later and the young woman is now facing 8 years for manslaughter. We (rightly) deplore gun violence, but does anyone notice this odd rise in mindless violence, even in women? Like the scooter thieves who killed the father. Mindless. It's not guns; it's the increase in violent people that disturbs me.
Yawn
There was a Republican presidential debate this week. Oh, and Trump surrendered. The end.
Apology for Science
Carlos Santana felt the need to apologize for what was characterized as an "anti-trans speech" in a concert. What did he say? People are born male or female. "A woman is a woman and a man is a man." The jerk. The creep. The scientifically accurate musician. The fact that he followed it with "Whatever you wanna do in the closet, that's your business. I'm okay with that" doesn't help at all. Whatever you do, don't transgress the trans community. It's not safe. It's scientifically sound, but not safe. Transphobic science.
Golgotha Gang?
An Idaho school district has implemented a dress code that is aimed at "gang-related attire," and the ACLU is upset. It violates Latino's "freedom of expression" among other things. At first look I think, "You ACLU folk will grasp at anything," but then I read that it includes things like "Catholic rosaries." And all of the sudden it makes sense. Those dastardly Catholic gangs are roaming the schools looking for victims. Sorry. Makes no sense at all. From any angle.
Too Funny 2 Bee True
Classic. The headline: "California Drought Undeniable Evidence Of Climate Change - UPDATE: California Rain Undeniable Evidence Of Climate Change." The Bee mocks it and others simply embrace it. Of course, in the wake of Hurrican Hilary, they had to go with the story for fun, pointing out the name, like "Deaths caused by Hurricane Hilary will be labeled as suicides" and "Hilary makes landfall, destroying over 30,000 emails" -- or taunting California, like "Californians hoping Hilary will wash all the poop off the sidewalks" followed by "California's homeless begin the hard work of re-pooping the sidewalks" (which was sort of a disingenuous story after their "Check out these devastating pictures of Hilary's aftermath" story, I have to say). (And in the interest of fairness, some desert communities saw some serious damage.) Still, some funny stuff.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
The story is that "serious COVID cases" are "on the rise." Really? The story actually says, "They've seen a slight uptick." Still, they're considering restarting mask mandates? So, maybe I'm just a skeptic, or maybe I'm gun-shy, but just last week I read that authorities "are recommending" a new round of COVID and RSV vaccinations. This story, then, sounds like a scare tactic to get people to comply. Especially considering the apparent ineffectiveness of the first vaccinations that allowed recipients to still get the virus, spread the virus, and even die from the virus (if not the vaccine itself). Is it just me, or does this sound like Big Pharma crying wolf?
Values Clarification
A man left kittens in closed plastic bins outside a veterinary clinic and he's facing charges. Killing babies is a right women fight for, but killing kittens is a criminal offense. We get it. Kittens: Yes. Babies: Not so much.
Mindless
A 28-year-old woman randomly shoved an 87-year-old Broadway singing coach onto a Manhattan sidewalk. The coach died five days later and the young woman is now facing 8 years for manslaughter. We (rightly) deplore gun violence, but does anyone notice this odd rise in mindless violence, even in women? Like the scooter thieves who killed the father. Mindless. It's not guns; it's the increase in violent people that disturbs me.
Yawn
There was a Republican presidential debate this week. Oh, and Trump surrendered. The end.
Apology for Science
Carlos Santana felt the need to apologize for what was characterized as an "anti-trans speech" in a concert. What did he say? People are born male or female. "A woman is a woman and a man is a man." The jerk. The creep. The scientifically accurate musician. The fact that he followed it with "Whatever you wanna do in the closet, that's your business. I'm okay with that" doesn't help at all. Whatever you do, don't transgress the trans community. It's not safe. It's scientifically sound, but not safe. Transphobic science.
Golgotha Gang?
An Idaho school district has implemented a dress code that is aimed at "gang-related attire," and the ACLU is upset. It violates Latino's "freedom of expression" among other things. At first look I think, "You ACLU folk will grasp at anything," but then I read that it includes things like "Catholic rosaries." And all of the sudden it makes sense. Those dastardly Catholic gangs are roaming the schools looking for victims. Sorry. Makes no sense at all. From any angle.
Too Funny 2 Bee True
Classic. The headline: "California Drought Undeniable Evidence Of Climate Change - UPDATE: California Rain Undeniable Evidence Of Climate Change." The Bee mocks it and others simply embrace it. Of course, in the wake of Hurrican Hilary, they had to go with the story for fun, pointing out the name, like "Deaths caused by Hurricane Hilary will be labeled as suicides" and "Hilary makes landfall, destroying over 30,000 emails" -- or taunting California, like "Californians hoping Hilary will wash all the poop off the sidewalks" followed by "California's homeless begin the hard work of re-pooping the sidewalks" (which was sort of a disingenuous story after their "Check out these devastating pictures of Hilary's aftermath" story, I have to say). (And in the interest of fairness, some desert communities saw some serious damage.) Still, some funny stuff.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Friday, August 25, 2023
Fellowship of His Sufferings
Paul said he counted all things as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ (Php 3:8) Exactly what was he referring to in "knowing Christ"? He doesn't leave us to guess.
Most of us would like to know Christ. We'd like to know that "laughing Jesus." We'd like to know that humble Christ. We'd really like to know that "friend of sinners," seeing that we are just that. We love to know the "He who is without sin cast the first stone" Jesus. Apparently Paul had a different version in mind. Well, perhaps not different as much as ... more. Paul wanted to know the power of His resurrection, and I can certainly understand that. I can use that resurrection power in my life. But Paul also wanted to know the fellowship of His sufferings. Now, I have to be honest; that's not high on my list. I don't long to know what it's like to be beaten, scorned, abused, crucified, hated, abandoned by friends ... for starters. But Paul did. And so should we. And, of course, that "being conformed to His death" sticks in most of our throats. Face it. Most of us have not arrived at "To live is Christ and to die is gain" (Php 1:21). Oh, we can quote it, but most of us are a long way from grasping it with both hands. Not Paul. He wanted to be conformed to His death. Of course, there is a very real sense in which we are. Believers become saved by being baptized into Christ (not the symbol of baptism, but immersion into) and, therefore, are baptized into His death (Rom 6:3). The Christian life is death. Death to self. Death to sin. Death to the world. But the Christian life is not just death. Paul wanted to know Christ in this way so that He could attain the resurrection from the dead. Paul believed that the closer he conformed to Christ in death, the closer he got to resurrection. Like Christ.
Sometimes the Christian worldview seems turned on its head. If you want to be served, become the servant of all. If you want to save your life, lose it. If you suffer, rejoice. If you want to know new life, die to self. But if you think about it, it makes sense. The world in which we live is at odds with God -- hostile to God (Rom 8:7; Php 3:18). As such, it would stand to reason that the world's perspectives would be in direct opposition to God's version. So, really, you have to ask yourself. Which one will you pursue? God's death to self that leads to life, or the world's "live for yourself" that leads to death? It is your choice.
...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Php 3:10-11)Wow! Didn't see that coming, did you?
Most of us would like to know Christ. We'd like to know that "laughing Jesus." We'd like to know that humble Christ. We'd really like to know that "friend of sinners," seeing that we are just that. We love to know the "He who is without sin cast the first stone" Jesus. Apparently Paul had a different version in mind. Well, perhaps not different as much as ... more. Paul wanted to know the power of His resurrection, and I can certainly understand that. I can use that resurrection power in my life. But Paul also wanted to know the fellowship of His sufferings. Now, I have to be honest; that's not high on my list. I don't long to know what it's like to be beaten, scorned, abused, crucified, hated, abandoned by friends ... for starters. But Paul did. And so should we. And, of course, that "being conformed to His death" sticks in most of our throats. Face it. Most of us have not arrived at "To live is Christ and to die is gain" (Php 1:21). Oh, we can quote it, but most of us are a long way from grasping it with both hands. Not Paul. He wanted to be conformed to His death. Of course, there is a very real sense in which we are. Believers become saved by being baptized into Christ (not the symbol of baptism, but immersion into) and, therefore, are baptized into His death (Rom 6:3). The Christian life is death. Death to self. Death to sin. Death to the world. But the Christian life is not just death. Paul wanted to know Christ in this way so that He could attain the resurrection from the dead. Paul believed that the closer he conformed to Christ in death, the closer he got to resurrection. Like Christ.
Sometimes the Christian worldview seems turned on its head. If you want to be served, become the servant of all. If you want to save your life, lose it. If you suffer, rejoice. If you want to know new life, die to self. But if you think about it, it makes sense. The world in which we live is at odds with God -- hostile to God (Rom 8:7; Php 3:18). As such, it would stand to reason that the world's perspectives would be in direct opposition to God's version. So, really, you have to ask yourself. Which one will you pursue? God's death to self that leads to life, or the world's "live for yourself" that leads to death? It is your choice.
Thursday, August 24, 2023
Surpassing Value
You're probably aware of Paul's famous, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Php 3:8). That's an astounding statement to us in a comfort-driven, pleasure-seeking, self-centered society. "'All things', Paul? Really??" In the text he lays down everything about him that most people would classify as "good" (Php 3:4-6) -- his proper religion, his birth right, his heritage, his right doctrine, his devotion, his zeal, his right living. He had it all, but counted it all as loss. Compared to what? Simply knowing Christ. Quite a statement considering how many of us say, "Yes, I know Jesus" and proceed to demonstrate that it's had exactly no effect on who we are.
It's easy, in all of Paul's wordiness, to miss the "and." He says, "I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ" (Php 3:8) followed by "and may be found in Him" (Php 3:9). Oh, so it's a two-part thing -- gain Christ and be found in Him. In what sense? What does he mean? He tells us. He doesn't have his own righteousness (Remember, he just said he lost it all), so he counts on a righteousness "which is through faith in Christ," a righteousness "which come from God on the basis of faith" (Php 3:9). Why is that important? If we are counting on our own good works, our own efforts, our own lifelong struggle to be good enough, we can expect failure ... at best. But if we have the mandatory righteousness that is not our own, but is God's righteousness, we cannot fail. We can't fail because it's not ours.
Paul's longing, then, is to toss everything out in favor of gaining a righteousness beyond his own meager efforts. How? By knowing Christ. By faith in Christ. Remember, God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). It's the only way. It's the only hope we have. And as it is not a product of our own efforts, it is foolproof. Since it's not our own, we can't mess it up. Instead, "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Php 1:6). And now "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus" makes a whole lot of sense.
It's easy, in all of Paul's wordiness, to miss the "and." He says, "I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ" (Php 3:8) followed by "and may be found in Him" (Php 3:9). Oh, so it's a two-part thing -- gain Christ and be found in Him. In what sense? What does he mean? He tells us. He doesn't have his own righteousness (Remember, he just said he lost it all), so he counts on a righteousness "which is through faith in Christ," a righteousness "which come from God on the basis of faith" (Php 3:9). Why is that important? If we are counting on our own good works, our own efforts, our own lifelong struggle to be good enough, we can expect failure ... at best. But if we have the mandatory righteousness that is not our own, but is God's righteousness, we cannot fail. We can't fail because it's not ours.
Paul's longing, then, is to toss everything out in favor of gaining a righteousness beyond his own meager efforts. How? By knowing Christ. By faith in Christ. Remember, God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). It's the only way. It's the only hope we have. And as it is not a product of our own efforts, it is foolproof. Since it's not our own, we can't mess it up. Instead, "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Php 1:6). And now "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus" makes a whole lot of sense.
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Good Question
On Sunday I wrote about the purpose of church and how we should be not merely attending, but involved. Church is not for attendance; it is for participation, exercising gifts, ministering, loving our fellow believers. Commenter David said, "I don't think it helps that services are set up to encourage attendance and not participation." Good point.
Our modern church services are not built for participation. Not really. Oh, sure, we are asked to stand and sit, to sing or to sometimes even participate in the reading of Scripture, but we are not called on to fellowship. We are not asked to actually minister. Not during the service. Sometimes they tell us to "greet one another" which is a cursory, mass "hello" that ends quickly and without any real ministering going on. At best, an acknowledgment of your existence. No, in order to minister as Scripture says we should minister, it requires involvement. It requires involvement way beyond Sunday morning (or Saturday evening if you're so inclined). Most churches have dropped the Sunday evening services and the Wednesday night prayer meetings because of poor attendance. And, as I'm pointing out, services like this can only go so far in involving individuals in service to one another.
I know a new pastor whose laudable goal was to connect the older generation with the younger generation to allow the sharing of experience and wisdom. So he cut out the "traditional" service to put them all in one service. As you can imagine, the majority of older generation went elsewhere to find ministry to them. The new pastor inadvertently set up an atmosphere of "younger" as preferred. In the same way, most of us only have the option of a Sunday service (or so) without any real stimulation to participate or opportunity to involve ourselves with others. All we see is an atmosphere of "attend" and little push to participate. That requires additional effort. that requires work. It seems to me that services could be structured to at least point to ministry and involvement. And certainly personal involvement beyond a Sunday meeting should be encouraged at all times. But I still think that it is a biblical mandate, so perhaps "encouraged" is an incomplete concept, because if we are commanded to love one another and all we get is, "Well, maybe you should consider it," it seems as if we're doing our fellow believers at church a disservice.
________
Postscript: Please note that this is a generalization. I know there are exceptions out there. I don't mean to suggest that there are not. Don't take this as an attack on your church, but an opportunity to think through how we might be doing this better.
Our modern church services are not built for participation. Not really. Oh, sure, we are asked to stand and sit, to sing or to sometimes even participate in the reading of Scripture, but we are not called on to fellowship. We are not asked to actually minister. Not during the service. Sometimes they tell us to "greet one another" which is a cursory, mass "hello" that ends quickly and without any real ministering going on. At best, an acknowledgment of your existence. No, in order to minister as Scripture says we should minister, it requires involvement. It requires involvement way beyond Sunday morning (or Saturday evening if you're so inclined). Most churches have dropped the Sunday evening services and the Wednesday night prayer meetings because of poor attendance. And, as I'm pointing out, services like this can only go so far in involving individuals in service to one another.
I know a new pastor whose laudable goal was to connect the older generation with the younger generation to allow the sharing of experience and wisdom. So he cut out the "traditional" service to put them all in one service. As you can imagine, the majority of older generation went elsewhere to find ministry to them. The new pastor inadvertently set up an atmosphere of "younger" as preferred. In the same way, most of us only have the option of a Sunday service (or so) without any real stimulation to participate or opportunity to involve ourselves with others. All we see is an atmosphere of "attend" and little push to participate. That requires additional effort. that requires work. It seems to me that services could be structured to at least point to ministry and involvement. And certainly personal involvement beyond a Sunday meeting should be encouraged at all times. But I still think that it is a biblical mandate, so perhaps "encouraged" is an incomplete concept, because if we are commanded to love one another and all we get is, "Well, maybe you should consider it," it seems as if we're doing our fellow believers at church a disservice.
________
Postscript: Please note that this is a generalization. I know there are exceptions out there. I don't mean to suggest that there are not. Don't take this as an attack on your church, but an opportunity to think through how we might be doing this better.
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Love Radically
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, you all know what He said. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment" (Matt 22:37-38). He went on to say, "And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:39). Okay, that's #1 and #2. Interestingly, He concluded, "On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (Matt 22:40). Scripture says similar things elsewhere. Paul wrote, "When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, you all know what He said. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment" (Matt 22:37-38). He went on to say, "And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:39). Okay, that's #1 and #2. Interestingly, He concluded, "On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (Matt 22:40). Scripture says similar things elsewhere. Paul wrote, "The one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (Rom 13:8). How? "Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Rom 13:10). Elsewhere he wrote, "The whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, 'You must love your neighbor as yourself'" (Gal 5:14). God's moral order, then, rests on love. But in today's world it's important to ask, "What is love?" because we're not too clear on that anymore.
John wrote, "We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down His life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians" (1 John 3:16). (Isn't it interesting that John's Gospel says that "God loved the world in this way; He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life," and that is found in John 3:16. Very similar.) You can see right away, then, that we're not talking about "in love," about romance or warm and cuddly feelings. We're not talking about affection. None of those are precluded from love, of course, but those kinds of love are not in view when Scripture says that love fulfills the law. What kind is? "Jesus laid down His life for us." The obvious conclusion? "Thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians." Jesus told His disciples, "I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34). The "new commandment" wasn't "love one another." That was old. The new part was "as I have loved you." The new part was "emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant" (Php 2:7). The new part was "laid down His life for us."
Now that is a radical love. That is not normal. That is not usual. That is not ... human -- not in a natural human sense. It defies human nature. That's why it requires divine influence. It requires God at work in us. It requires constantly dying to self. It requires a longer look, where we can see that surrender is victory and death is life and selflessness is a treasure in the end. Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). By what? Love. But what love? That love He described the verse before -- "as I have loved you." That kind of love is sacrificial and shines in a dark world that lives on "looking out for #1." We each should examine ourselves (often) to see if we're loving radically.
John wrote, "We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down His life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians" (1 John 3:16). (Isn't it interesting that John's Gospel says that "God loved the world in this way; He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life," and that is found in John 3:16. Very similar.) You can see right away, then, that we're not talking about "in love," about romance or warm and cuddly feelings. We're not talking about affection. None of those are precluded from love, of course, but those kinds of love are not in view when Scripture says that love fulfills the law. What kind is? "Jesus laid down His life for us." The obvious conclusion? "Thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians." Jesus told His disciples, "I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34). The "new commandment" wasn't "love one another." That was old. The new part was "as I have loved you." The new part was "emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant" (Php 2:7). The new part was "laid down His life for us."
Now that is a radical love. That is not normal. That is not usual. That is not ... human -- not in a natural human sense. It defies human nature. That's why it requires divine influence. It requires God at work in us. It requires constantly dying to self. It requires a longer look, where we can see that surrender is victory and death is life and selflessness is a treasure in the end. Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). By what? Love. But what love? That love He described the verse before -- "as I have loved you." That kind of love is sacrificial and shines in a dark world that lives on "looking out for #1." We each should examine ourselves (often) to see if we're loving radically.
Monday, August 21, 2023
A Relationship, Not a Religion
Christianity stands alone in the claim that "it's a relationship, not a religion." Christianity alone claims that God the Father sent God the Son to die for sinners in order to adopt said sinners and make them His own. Other religions have gods and such, but none has God the Spirit residing in the believer's heart. This is one of the things that is unique to Christianity. However, it's not quite true that it's not a religion. So, in order to be clear, let's look at that.
As is the case with a lot of English words, "religion" has multiple uses and meanings. It can mean "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices." Christianity is neither. Oh, we've built that version -- the Roman Catholics, Baptists, Evangelicals, Charismatics ... on and on. But Christianity is not defined by these things. They're all assigned, "personal," "institutions." Biblically a Christian is defined as one who has placed his or her faith in Christ for their salvation, has subsequently been born again, and now is part of the "Church" which is actually none of those institutions, but rather the whole of those who are Christians. In that sense, then, of religion as an institution, it is true that Christianity is not a religion. We've built it into one, but that's just us. Instead, Scripture says, "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1:26-27). There is, then, false or "worthless" religion and there is "pure and undefiled" religion. God's opinion, not mine. Biblical religion is the observance of worship. And, interestingly enough, the dictionary also defines religion as "the service and worship of God or the supernatural." And that is an apt description of Christianity, insofar as the service and worship of God correlates to the truth.
It's easy to understand why so many have soured on "religion." So many false religions building false institutions and false belief systems. Harmful systems. But James didn't mind contrasting "worthless" religion versus "pure and undefiled" religion. If Scripture does it, so should we. Yes, absolutely, Christianity is a relationship with God that no other religion on the planet includes. But Scripture assures us that there is a pure and undefiled religion and that's a good thing. Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water.
As is the case with a lot of English words, "religion" has multiple uses and meanings. It can mean "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices." Christianity is neither. Oh, we've built that version -- the Roman Catholics, Baptists, Evangelicals, Charismatics ... on and on. But Christianity is not defined by these things. They're all assigned, "personal," "institutions." Biblically a Christian is defined as one who has placed his or her faith in Christ for their salvation, has subsequently been born again, and now is part of the "Church" which is actually none of those institutions, but rather the whole of those who are Christians. In that sense, then, of religion as an institution, it is true that Christianity is not a religion. We've built it into one, but that's just us. Instead, Scripture says, "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1:26-27). There is, then, false or "worthless" religion and there is "pure and undefiled" religion. God's opinion, not mine. Biblical religion is the observance of worship. And, interestingly enough, the dictionary also defines religion as "the service and worship of God or the supernatural." And that is an apt description of Christianity, insofar as the service and worship of God correlates to the truth.
It's easy to understand why so many have soured on "religion." So many false religions building false institutions and false belief systems. Harmful systems. But James didn't mind contrasting "worthless" religion versus "pure and undefiled" religion. If Scripture does it, so should we. Yes, absolutely, Christianity is a relationship with God that no other religion on the planet includes. But Scripture assures us that there is a pure and undefiled religion and that's a good thing. Let's not throw out the baby with the bath water.
Sunday, August 20, 2023
What Are We Doing Here?
It's Sunday, the first day of the week, the day that Scripture refers to as "the Lord's Day." Traditionally it is the day we all head off to church together ... or, rather to gather. Of course, that's tradition and we're long past that. Attendance is down. Church membership is down. There are lots of Christians who don't attend church and even more that aren't a part of a church. There are large numbers of Christians who attend a church, perhaps even regularly, but only attend and don't immerse themselves in church. They don't involve themselves, don't closley connect with anyone, don't actually exercise any gifts or minister. In other words, a large section of Christendom in the 21st century is comprised of largely Lone Rangers. And that shouldn't be. Why? Because that's not what Christ or church is about. What is?
Ephesians says that the church is about the building up of the saints, about making mature believers (Eph 4:11-13). It's about taking "baby" Christians and making them into mature "adult" Christians. Now, that may involve some evangelism -- you don't get "baby" Christians without it -- but that's not the primary function of the church. Instead, it is about holding fast to a shared confession (Heb 10:23), stimulating one another to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24), gathering for fellowship for encouraging one another (Heb 10:25). Ultimately, of course, it is about Christ. Paul called on us to have a common mind (Php 2:2). That's not "You all need to think alike." It's "You all need to head in the same direction." What direction? Love, humility, a lifestyle in which we consider others as more important than ourselves and pursue the interest of others even over our own (Php 2:3-4). It is the emptying of self for the purpose of service that Jesus boldly and grandly demonstrated for us (Php 2:5-8). Church, then, is the gathering of believers to give us a pool of "one anothers" to love, to serve, to bear burdens with, to humble ourselves before ... you get the idea.
Many will go to church today. Good. Some will even be involved with others, especially for the purpose of ministering to them. Excellent. The fact that 20% of Christians who go to church do 80% of the work is not a positive statement for believers aiming to be like Christ. Our aim is to be concerned first and foremost with the interests of Christ (Php 2:21), not our own entertainment, comfort, or "a good, short sermon." He came to serve, not to be served. That's what we are to do. With emphasis on believers. And Sunday morning is a small but obvious opportunity to immerse ourselves in that. A good start. Let's not miss it.
Ephesians says that the church is about the building up of the saints, about making mature believers (Eph 4:11-13). It's about taking "baby" Christians and making them into mature "adult" Christians. Now, that may involve some evangelism -- you don't get "baby" Christians without it -- but that's not the primary function of the church. Instead, it is about holding fast to a shared confession (Heb 10:23), stimulating one another to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24), gathering for fellowship for encouraging one another (Heb 10:25). Ultimately, of course, it is about Christ. Paul called on us to have a common mind (Php 2:2). That's not "You all need to think alike." It's "You all need to head in the same direction." What direction? Love, humility, a lifestyle in which we consider others as more important than ourselves and pursue the interest of others even over our own (Php 2:3-4). It is the emptying of self for the purpose of service that Jesus boldly and grandly demonstrated for us (Php 2:5-8). Church, then, is the gathering of believers to give us a pool of "one anothers" to love, to serve, to bear burdens with, to humble ourselves before ... you get the idea.
Many will go to church today. Good. Some will even be involved with others, especially for the purpose of ministering to them. Excellent. The fact that 20% of Christians who go to church do 80% of the work is not a positive statement for believers aiming to be like Christ. Our aim is to be concerned first and foremost with the interests of Christ (Php 2:21), not our own entertainment, comfort, or "a good, short sermon." He came to serve, not to be served. That's what we are to do. With emphasis on believers. And Sunday morning is a small but obvious opportunity to immerse ourselves in that. A good start. Let's not miss it.
Saturday, August 19, 2023
News Weekly - 8/19/23
Strange Inclusivity
The pope told the World Youth Day crowd that LGBT folk are welcome in the Catholic church. He included, however, that, while "gay" is not -- should not be -- a criminal act, it is still a sin. And the crowd went wild. "If it's still a sin, we're not welcome here." I disagree with the pope on a lot of things, but, come on, people, is that really how you want to play this? "If you don't fully embrace and support me and my ideas, then you are excluding me." Really? Because I'm fairly certain that by that standard no one is included anywhere because everyone has ideas and values that others disagree with. It's like saying, "If you don't let your kids play with matches, you aren't being inclusive." No, you're being a loving parent seeking their best ... and that is inclusive.
Unclear on the Concept
This may be a revolutionary thought to some, but it appears that the desert is hot in the summer. No, I'm not kidding! It seems that Arizona Governor Hobbs wasn't aware of that. She has issued a "heat state of emergency" for Arizona ... a day after saying it wasn't necessary ... and weeks after the record-breaking 110° run of days abated. Dear Governor Hobbs, yes, we are in the desert, and, yes, it gets hot in the desert. If this constitutes a "heat state of emergency," then you simply need to make that the normal declaration every summer. (And now maybe you understand a little better how Hobbs is 3rd from last in approval rating.)
Guilty and More Guilty
Trump has his 4th indictment now. He believed that the election was rigged, so he sought to address that, which makes him a criminal. Interestingly there's hardly a person in the country that believes that Trump is innocent until proven guilty. Which only goes to show that American justice is a dying notion in America. Most troubling is the weaponization of the judicial system for political purposes. Deny it if you want, but it's not really hard to see.
About Time
Well, someone had to do it. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has issued subpoenas to the FBI and the DOJ to look into the collusion between Big Tech, the FBI, the DOJ, and, of course, their Democrat overlords in silencing unpopular speech. Now, I have little confidence in government to either do the right thing or to have the right thing be allowed to be done, so I'm not particularly optimistic, but, still, it's about time.
Waiting for the Other Shoe
A teacher in Georgia was fired for reading a children's book on "gender fluidity" to her 5th grade class against policy. The question isn't about gender fluidity. The question is about whether an individual teacher can decide to teach whatever he or she wishes without regard to school cirriculum, policies, or parental concerns. This was a "No." I don't expect that to last. Parents are becoming obsolete in our country today.
Pony Up No Longer
Addressing an egregious problem that has been eons in existence, Paris is banning pony rides for children. Activists argued that the animals weren't treated well, but "Treat those animals better" wasn't sufficient, so, apparently children are too much for the ponies to bear. I'm sure the unemployed ponies are heaving a sigh of relief. I would guess that some meat factories are interested as well.
What Do You Want To Bee?
In a less-than-funny entry from the Bee we read where a mom remembers a simpler time when she didn't have to evaluate which of her children's teachers would secretly try to gender transition her child. California has achieved the impossible by reaching a zero crime rate ... by legalizing all crime. Genius! A new study found spikes in global warming that appear to occur every year between June and September. Science is baffled. Finally, a new Christian dating app simply has a screen that says "Go to church and meet a godly spouse. Too obvious?
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
The pope told the World Youth Day crowd that LGBT folk are welcome in the Catholic church. He included, however, that, while "gay" is not -- should not be -- a criminal act, it is still a sin. And the crowd went wild. "If it's still a sin, we're not welcome here." I disagree with the pope on a lot of things, but, come on, people, is that really how you want to play this? "If you don't fully embrace and support me and my ideas, then you are excluding me." Really? Because I'm fairly certain that by that standard no one is included anywhere because everyone has ideas and values that others disagree with. It's like saying, "If you don't let your kids play with matches, you aren't being inclusive." No, you're being a loving parent seeking their best ... and that is inclusive.
Unclear on the Concept
This may be a revolutionary thought to some, but it appears that the desert is hot in the summer. No, I'm not kidding! It seems that Arizona Governor Hobbs wasn't aware of that. She has issued a "heat state of emergency" for Arizona ... a day after saying it wasn't necessary ... and weeks after the record-breaking 110° run of days abated. Dear Governor Hobbs, yes, we are in the desert, and, yes, it gets hot in the desert. If this constitutes a "heat state of emergency," then you simply need to make that the normal declaration every summer. (And now maybe you understand a little better how Hobbs is 3rd from last in approval rating.)
Guilty and More Guilty
Trump has his 4th indictment now. He believed that the election was rigged, so he sought to address that, which makes him a criminal. Interestingly there's hardly a person in the country that believes that Trump is innocent until proven guilty. Which only goes to show that American justice is a dying notion in America. Most troubling is the weaponization of the judicial system for political purposes. Deny it if you want, but it's not really hard to see.
About Time
Well, someone had to do it. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has issued subpoenas to the FBI and the DOJ to look into the collusion between Big Tech, the FBI, the DOJ, and, of course, their Democrat overlords in silencing unpopular speech. Now, I have little confidence in government to either do the right thing or to have the right thing be allowed to be done, so I'm not particularly optimistic, but, still, it's about time.
Waiting for the Other Shoe
A teacher in Georgia was fired for reading a children's book on "gender fluidity" to her 5th grade class against policy. The question isn't about gender fluidity. The question is about whether an individual teacher can decide to teach whatever he or she wishes without regard to school cirriculum, policies, or parental concerns. This was a "No." I don't expect that to last. Parents are becoming obsolete in our country today.
Pony Up No Longer
Addressing an egregious problem that has been eons in existence, Paris is banning pony rides for children. Activists argued that the animals weren't treated well, but "Treat those animals better" wasn't sufficient, so, apparently children are too much for the ponies to bear. I'm sure the unemployed ponies are heaving a sigh of relief. I would guess that some meat factories are interested as well.
What Do You Want To Bee?
In a less-than-funny entry from the Bee we read where a mom remembers a simpler time when she didn't have to evaluate which of her children's teachers would secretly try to gender transition her child. California has achieved the impossible by reaching a zero crime rate ... by legalizing all crime. Genius! A new study found spikes in global warming that appear to occur every year between June and September. Science is baffled. Finally, a new Christian dating app simply has a screen that says "Go to church and meet a godly spouse. Too obvious?
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Friday, August 18, 2023
Another Hard Saying
You can find lists of "hard sayings" from Scripture. You know. Things like "sell all your possessions" or "give to one who asks" or a lot of that stuff about women in church. Difficult stuff. I came across this one, and I think it should be in that list.
It's particularly pointed, however, since the text comes after, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves" (Php 2:3) and that whole thing about being humble like Jesus was -- "emptied Himself" (Php 2:5-8). And it immediately follows "work out your salvation" and "it is God who is at work in you ..." (Php 2:12-13). I've often considered "work out your salvation" a tough line and am so grateful for the assurance that "it is God who is at work in you to will and to work His good pleasure," so I suppose the same thing should apply for "Do all things without grumbling or disputing." Especially considering that doing so in a crooked and perverse world will make us out as lights in the world that dearly needs light. So I suppose we really ought to do it, "holding fast to the word of life." Seems like the best option for anyone who calls themself a Christian.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. (Php 2:14-16)"Do all things without grumbling or disputing"? That's not just the American way; it's the human way. We consider it a badge of honor to grumble about the stuff we don't like. I've heard it said that American's favorite pasttime is no longer baseball; it's litigation. Because we're grumbling. We're not happy about the government or the neighbors or the corporations or the church or the government. (Yeah, I know, I said that one twice. I thought it deserved it.) We don't like the Left or we don't like the Right or we don't like the people that disagree with us. And we will tell someone about it. We will complain ad nauseam. Because it's what we do. And Paul, silly Apostle that he was, is telling us we shouldn't?
It's particularly pointed, however, since the text comes after, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves" (Php 2:3) and that whole thing about being humble like Jesus was -- "emptied Himself" (Php 2:5-8). And it immediately follows "work out your salvation" and "it is God who is at work in you ..." (Php 2:12-13). I've often considered "work out your salvation" a tough line and am so grateful for the assurance that "it is God who is at work in you to will and to work His good pleasure," so I suppose the same thing should apply for "Do all things without grumbling or disputing." Especially considering that doing so in a crooked and perverse world will make us out as lights in the world that dearly needs light. So I suppose we really ought to do it, "holding fast to the word of life." Seems like the best option for anyone who calls themself a Christian.
Thursday, August 17, 2023
Halls of Faith Revival Meeting
I actually wrote this years ago, but I like to trot it out again from time to time as a reminder (and because, frankly, I doubt if any of my current readers remember it).
________________
From Hebrews 11, “the Halls of Faith”, this special Revival Meeting is held in an imaginary tent meeting to hear the testimonials and praise the Lord ...
**********
“Welcome tonight to your Hall of Faith Revival Meeting,” the preacher says. “Tonight we have something special for you. I won’t be preaching tonight. Instead, we’ve invited people throughout time to testify of God’s faithful care for them.”
The congregation offers a polite applause, with a few “Praise Jesus!” calls barely audible mixed in.
“To start us off, we have Abel, the brother of Cain. Abel?”
Abel stands up. “I was a shepherd, and I offered a sacrifice in faith. God called me righteous!”
The congregation applauds, with a “Hallelujah!” and more calls of “Praise Jesus”.
“Over here we have Enoch,” the preacher says. “Enoch, can I get a testimony?”
Enoch stands up. “I put my faith in God, and he prevented me from dying.”
“From dying?”
“Yes, preacher ... from ever dying. One day He just took me into His presence.”
“Praise God! He is so good! Thank you, Enoch. Now we have Noah. Noah, tell us what God has done for you.”
“I trusted God, and He saved my family and I from a flood that killed the entire world.”
“Hallelujah! Praise God! He is marvelous! Thank you, Noah. Over here we have two people you will remember – Abraham and Sarah. Don’t they make a cute couple? Tell us what God has done for you.”
Abraham stands with his wife. “God told me to leave my home and go to a place he would show me. I did, and He took me to the Promised Land. Then, my wife was barren for nearly 100 years, but God promised us a son, and He delivered!”
The congregation applauds. Several people stand with hands raised. Some shout “Hallelujah!” and “Praise Jesus” and “Praise the Lord!”
Abraham gestures for quiet. “There’s more. When that son was older, God told me to go sacrifice him – to kill him.”
A gasp and sudden hush falls on the congregation.
“I did what He said because I believed God could raise him from the dead. But when I put him on the altar and prepared to kill him, God stopped me and provided a ram to sacrifice in his place.”
The congregation applauds. People leap to their feet and shout “Praise God!” Some are waving their hands. More shout “Praise Jesus” and “Praise the Lord!” The preacher waits for the noise to abate, then speaks again.
“Let’s skip on over to Moses, now. How about it, Moses? Tell us what God did for you.”
A man who looks nothing at all like Charlton Heston stands and speaks. “I grew up in the palace of the Pharaoh, but I knew that I couldn’t place my confidence in man. I trusted God and left the riches of the palace. Although I went to the desert, I knew God had something better for me than the wealth of Egypt.”
The congregation listens with rapt attention. Their faces betray a mixture of puzzlement and anticipation.
Moses continues. “But God used me to free His people. I celebrated that first Passover with the people and we headed out of slavery! And when we got to the Red Sea, and ol’ Pharaoh was bearing down on us, God Himself opened up that water and we walked through on dry land!”
The congregation goes wild. People are standing, shouting, stomping their feet, applauding. They are glorifying God for His greatness and faithfulness. Again, the preacher waits for the noise to subside, then speaks again.
“Now, some of you may not be as familiar with this next guest, and may I say, shame on you.” His smile diminishes the sting. “She was a prostitute in Jericho when God found her. Her name is Rahab.”
“Yes, God found me when I was deep in sin. I lived in Jericho when the people of God sent spies. I recognized them as God’s people and protected them from the people of my city. Because of my faith in God, when the walls fell and Jericho was destroyed, God saved me.”
And as the congregation begins to respond, the preacher adds, “Some of you don’t know this, but God so thoroughly saved this woman that she is in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ!”
The congregation applauds. People leap to their feet and shout “Praise the Lord!” Some are waving their hands. More shout “Praise Jesus” and “Praise God!”.
A few other quick testimonies are given.
“Hi! I’m Joshua, and God used me to capture the entire Promised Land for Israel.”
“My name is Daniel, and I sat in a lion’s den all night, but God shut their mouths and I was saved.”
“We are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, but you probably remember us as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We trusted God, and he delivered us from the fire.”
A lone woman stands up. “You don’t know me, but my baby died suddenly. We prayed, and God raised my baby back to life!”
The congregation goes wild again. Almost everyone is on their feet shouting and applauding. They are praising God at the top of their lungs.
Another lone woman stands up. “You don’t know me, either, but I was arrested for being a Christian. They offered to release me if I rejected Christ ...”
An anticipatory hush falls on the crowd.
“... but I refused, and they left me in prison for the rest of my life.”
The congregation is quiet, stunned.
Someone else stands up. “Yes! I was arrested and beaten and chained.”
Another chimes in. “Me, too! But when they were done, they stoned me to death!”
With a rising fervor completely unmatched by the deathly silent congregation, more stand and shout their praises to God.
“I was fed to the lions for the sake of Christ!”
“I was cut in half with a saw!”
“I was stabbed to death with a sword!”
“We had nothing to eat, no decent clothing, and nowhere to live but caves in the desert!”
“I lived in a hole in the ground until I died!”
“I never received what was promised!”
Despite the jubilant-sounding tone of these last testimonies, the congregations sits soundless, bewildered.
* * * * * * *
Is it sufficient that God has provided something better, or do we require that God do “nice things” for us, that God bless us according to our narrow definition? What would it take for us to consider it worthwhile to not receive what we ask for or expect or even see as promised?
________________
From Hebrews 11, “the Halls of Faith”, this special Revival Meeting is held in an imaginary tent meeting to hear the testimonials and praise the Lord ...
**********
“Welcome tonight to your Hall of Faith Revival Meeting,” the preacher says. “Tonight we have something special for you. I won’t be preaching tonight. Instead, we’ve invited people throughout time to testify of God’s faithful care for them.”
The congregation offers a polite applause, with a few “Praise Jesus!” calls barely audible mixed in.
“To start us off, we have Abel, the brother of Cain. Abel?”
Abel stands up. “I was a shepherd, and I offered a sacrifice in faith. God called me righteous!”
The congregation applauds, with a “Hallelujah!” and more calls of “Praise Jesus”.
“Over here we have Enoch,” the preacher says. “Enoch, can I get a testimony?”
Enoch stands up. “I put my faith in God, and he prevented me from dying.”
“From dying?”
“Yes, preacher ... from ever dying. One day He just took me into His presence.”
“Praise God! He is so good! Thank you, Enoch. Now we have Noah. Noah, tell us what God has done for you.”
“I trusted God, and He saved my family and I from a flood that killed the entire world.”
“Hallelujah! Praise God! He is marvelous! Thank you, Noah. Over here we have two people you will remember – Abraham and Sarah. Don’t they make a cute couple? Tell us what God has done for you.”
Abraham stands with his wife. “God told me to leave my home and go to a place he would show me. I did, and He took me to the Promised Land. Then, my wife was barren for nearly 100 years, but God promised us a son, and He delivered!”
The congregation applauds. Several people stand with hands raised. Some shout “Hallelujah!” and “Praise Jesus” and “Praise the Lord!”
Abraham gestures for quiet. “There’s more. When that son was older, God told me to go sacrifice him – to kill him.”
A gasp and sudden hush falls on the congregation.
“I did what He said because I believed God could raise him from the dead. But when I put him on the altar and prepared to kill him, God stopped me and provided a ram to sacrifice in his place.”
The congregation applauds. People leap to their feet and shout “Praise God!” Some are waving their hands. More shout “Praise Jesus” and “Praise the Lord!” The preacher waits for the noise to abate, then speaks again.
“Let’s skip on over to Moses, now. How about it, Moses? Tell us what God did for you.”
A man who looks nothing at all like Charlton Heston stands and speaks. “I grew up in the palace of the Pharaoh, but I knew that I couldn’t place my confidence in man. I trusted God and left the riches of the palace. Although I went to the desert, I knew God had something better for me than the wealth of Egypt.”
The congregation listens with rapt attention. Their faces betray a mixture of puzzlement and anticipation.
Moses continues. “But God used me to free His people. I celebrated that first Passover with the people and we headed out of slavery! And when we got to the Red Sea, and ol’ Pharaoh was bearing down on us, God Himself opened up that water and we walked through on dry land!”
The congregation goes wild. People are standing, shouting, stomping their feet, applauding. They are glorifying God for His greatness and faithfulness. Again, the preacher waits for the noise to subside, then speaks again.
“Now, some of you may not be as familiar with this next guest, and may I say, shame on you.” His smile diminishes the sting. “She was a prostitute in Jericho when God found her. Her name is Rahab.”
“Yes, God found me when I was deep in sin. I lived in Jericho when the people of God sent spies. I recognized them as God’s people and protected them from the people of my city. Because of my faith in God, when the walls fell and Jericho was destroyed, God saved me.”
And as the congregation begins to respond, the preacher adds, “Some of you don’t know this, but God so thoroughly saved this woman that she is in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ!”
The congregation applauds. People leap to their feet and shout “Praise the Lord!” Some are waving their hands. More shout “Praise Jesus” and “Praise God!”.
A few other quick testimonies are given.
“Hi! I’m Joshua, and God used me to capture the entire Promised Land for Israel.”
“My name is Daniel, and I sat in a lion’s den all night, but God shut their mouths and I was saved.”
“We are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, but you probably remember us as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We trusted God, and he delivered us from the fire.”
A lone woman stands up. “You don’t know me, but my baby died suddenly. We prayed, and God raised my baby back to life!”
The congregation goes wild again. Almost everyone is on their feet shouting and applauding. They are praising God at the top of their lungs.
Another lone woman stands up. “You don’t know me, either, but I was arrested for being a Christian. They offered to release me if I rejected Christ ...”
An anticipatory hush falls on the crowd.
“... but I refused, and they left me in prison for the rest of my life.”
The congregation is quiet, stunned.
Someone else stands up. “Yes! I was arrested and beaten and chained.”
Another chimes in. “Me, too! But when they were done, they stoned me to death!”
With a rising fervor completely unmatched by the deathly silent congregation, more stand and shout their praises to God.
“I was fed to the lions for the sake of Christ!”
“I was cut in half with a saw!”
“I was stabbed to death with a sword!”
“We had nothing to eat, no decent clothing, and nowhere to live but caves in the desert!”
“I lived in a hole in the ground until I died!”
“I never received what was promised!”
Despite the jubilant-sounding tone of these last testimonies, the congregations sits soundless, bewildered.
* * * * * * *
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (Heb. 11:32-40)
Is it sufficient that God has provided something better, or do we require that God do “nice things” for us, that God bless us according to our narrow definition? What would it take for us to consider it worthwhile to not receive what we ask for or expect or even see as promised?
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Self-Denial
The secret of the Christian life isn't an actual secret. Christian living is found in ... you know ... following Christ. But that always seems a bit vague. So, how about an absolutely clear statement from Scripture?
It looks like the Christian life, then, is one of self-denial. "Nothing about me; all about you." And you might be forgiven for thinking such. Many avid followers have. But that would be a mistake. Notice, in that last text, it says, "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests." Now, that "merely" isn't in the original, but the reason they put it there is because of the "also" in the next phrase, which is in the original. That's a hint. We don't completely deny our personal interests. But maybe Jesus said it more plainly. "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matt 16:24-25). Do you see it there? Yes, there is this whole "take his cross" business and "deny himself," but look at the outcome. If we do that -- deny self and take up the cross -- we will find our lives. Now, hang on a second. Isn't that a win? Isn't that a good thing? Isn't that in my best interest? Yes! Yes, it is.
Genuine followers of Christ are required precisely to deny themselves. It is fundamental to Christian living. But, that's not the end of the story. That's not the final outcome. First, "deny self" is simply a launching point in which believers shoot off in another direction. From there, we are empowered by God (Php 2:13) to participate in the work of Christ (Php 2:30). We love God and we love others. We concern ourselves with the interests of Christ (Php 2:21). It is a far better thing. And, in the end, we receive the prize. We obtain the blessing. If we pursued our own plans and desires, we would lose our lives, but if we surrender them, we win! So, as it turns out, this "self-denial" is actually in our own best interest, a better way to live. Of course, that all depends on how much you'll trust Christ, doesn't it?
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Php 2:5-8)There, see? Not vague at all. Not acceptable, of course, to most people, including Christians, but certainly not vague. Here we read that we are suppposed to mimic Christ by having the same attitude as Christ. What attitude? "Emptied Himself." The earlier verses make this abundantly clear. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others" (Php 2:3-4). That's the idea. Regard others as more important than you are. And, again, not vague at all. Jesus took that to an extreme. He refused to grasp the glory He shared with His Father and became a bond-servant. All the way to death ... on a cross. Have that attitude. "There, fellow Christians," the text is saying, "be like that."
It looks like the Christian life, then, is one of self-denial. "Nothing about me; all about you." And you might be forgiven for thinking such. Many avid followers have. But that would be a mistake. Notice, in that last text, it says, "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests." Now, that "merely" isn't in the original, but the reason they put it there is because of the "also" in the next phrase, which is in the original. That's a hint. We don't completely deny our personal interests. But maybe Jesus said it more plainly. "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matt 16:24-25). Do you see it there? Yes, there is this whole "take his cross" business and "deny himself," but look at the outcome. If we do that -- deny self and take up the cross -- we will find our lives. Now, hang on a second. Isn't that a win? Isn't that a good thing? Isn't that in my best interest? Yes! Yes, it is.
Genuine followers of Christ are required precisely to deny themselves. It is fundamental to Christian living. But, that's not the end of the story. That's not the final outcome. First, "deny self" is simply a launching point in which believers shoot off in another direction. From there, we are empowered by God (Php 2:13) to participate in the work of Christ (Php 2:30). We love God and we love others. We concern ourselves with the interests of Christ (Php 2:21). It is a far better thing. And, in the end, we receive the prize. We obtain the blessing. If we pursued our own plans and desires, we would lose our lives, but if we surrender them, we win! So, as it turns out, this "self-denial" is actually in our own best interest, a better way to live. Of course, that all depends on how much you'll trust Christ, doesn't it?
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Salvation by Works
Every (or, at least, nearly every) religion on the planet has a "works-based" method for getting to heaven (whatever that entails). Do enough good and you'll be fine. Well, at least be better than some. At least one, I suppose. ("Well, I'm not as bad as Hitler, so I'll be okay.") The problem in the New Testament period was the notion that you could be saved by obeying the Law. Same concept. The only problem, of course, was that it was plainly impossible.
The concept of "saved by works" is ludricrous in biblical thinking. The standard in the Old Testament was "Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them" (Deut 27:26). (Compare with Gal 3:10.) Perfect obedience. The New Testament doesn't get better. Jesus said, "You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48). Perfect obedience. So let's think this through. What would it take to be saved by works? Well, the standard is perfect obedience, so, obviously, it would take perfect obedience. But if someone was to achieve perfect obedience, what would they need to be saved from? They wouldn't be under the wrath of God. No problem; no salvation needed. On the other hand, if someone broke one -- just one -- law, what would it take to remedy that? Extra obedience? Can't happen. 100% is 100%. You can't be more obedient than perfectly obedient. That's why Paul declares clearly and concisely, "By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified" (Gal 2:16). The Law wasn't given for that purpose. It was simply laid down to document the standard we have to meet ... or, rather, the standard we fail to meet.
Still, Satan keeps peddling his lie. "Be good enough and you can go to heaven." It is, in fact, true. It just leaves out the fact that no one, with the singular exception of the Son of God, can manage it. And foolish humans (Rom 1:22) keep buying Satan's goods. "I can do it. I can be good enough. God wouldn't keep me out of heaven just for some infractions, for some minor things" (where "minor things" can involve all manner of sin). We deceive ourselves (Jer 17:9) and think we're okay. We need a Savior, so God, in order to be both just and justifier, provided One (Rom 3:24-26). And our only hope is to trust God's provision. Thanks be to God!
The concept of "saved by works" is ludricrous in biblical thinking. The standard in the Old Testament was "Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them" (Deut 27:26). (Compare with Gal 3:10.) Perfect obedience. The New Testament doesn't get better. Jesus said, "You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48). Perfect obedience. So let's think this through. What would it take to be saved by works? Well, the standard is perfect obedience, so, obviously, it would take perfect obedience. But if someone was to achieve perfect obedience, what would they need to be saved from? They wouldn't be under the wrath of God. No problem; no salvation needed. On the other hand, if someone broke one -- just one -- law, what would it take to remedy that? Extra obedience? Can't happen. 100% is 100%. You can't be more obedient than perfectly obedient. That's why Paul declares clearly and concisely, "By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified" (Gal 2:16). The Law wasn't given for that purpose. It was simply laid down to document the standard we have to meet ... or, rather, the standard we fail to meet.
Still, Satan keeps peddling his lie. "Be good enough and you can go to heaven." It is, in fact, true. It just leaves out the fact that no one, with the singular exception of the Son of God, can manage it. And foolish humans (Rom 1:22) keep buying Satan's goods. "I can do it. I can be good enough. God wouldn't keep me out of heaven just for some infractions, for some minor things" (where "minor things" can involve all manner of sin). We deceive ourselves (Jer 17:9) and think we're okay. We need a Savior, so God, in order to be both just and justifier, provided One (Rom 3:24-26). And our only hope is to trust God's provision. Thanks be to God!
Monday, August 14, 2023
The Truth That Sets Us Free
Jesus famously said, "If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). Even many in the world know that "the truth will set you free" line. Oddly enough, many self-professed Christians seem to fail to see that "the truth will set you free" is part of a prior thought. "You will know the truth," Jesus had said, and that truth will set you free. What truth? Not just any truth. Not "2 + 2 = 4." It's true, of course, but that's not the truth that, knowing it, sets you free. What truth? "If you abide in My word ..." That truth. Knowing that truth includes defining where you live, where you "abide." And it includes the Word. Not the red letters of the Bible. All of it. Because, after all, Jesus Himself "was the Word" (John 1:1). So our Bibles, breathed out by God (2 Tim 3:16-17), are the expression of God and, thus, are the truth that Jesus refers to as "My word." Jesus said, "Your word is truth" (John 17:17).
It seems quite clear. It doesn't seem vague, ambiguous, or relative. If you abide in the word, it is a mark of a genuine disciple of Christ. A true disciple is an actual follower of Christ. I think when we put it that way, it's obvious. If you are to be a follower of Christ, you have to be His disciple, and if you are to be His disciple, you have to follow what He says. Not controversial at all. "If you abide in My word," He said. Notice that He did not say, "My words." It was, therefore, the sum total of what He taught, not just the things He was saying. Jesus, as the expression of God, gave us all of the Word. All of it. And the requirement is to "abide" there. It's where we live. It shapes our worldview, alters our thinking and living, defines our values, directs our choices and lifestyles, empowers our convictions. Abiding in His word means to continuously live according to His word.
It is somewhat important, then, to look at the unstated flip side. What if you do not abide in His word? What if you shape your own thoughts, define your own values, take or leave what His word says depending on your own perceptions and preferences? What if you are not able to be described as abiding in His word? That would say, then, that you do not have the truth. You know ... the truth that sets you free. Worse, that would say that you may not be His disciple. Both are terrifying places to be.
It seems quite clear. It doesn't seem vague, ambiguous, or relative. If you abide in the word, it is a mark of a genuine disciple of Christ. A true disciple is an actual follower of Christ. I think when we put it that way, it's obvious. If you are to be a follower of Christ, you have to be His disciple, and if you are to be His disciple, you have to follow what He says. Not controversial at all. "If you abide in My word," He said. Notice that He did not say, "My words." It was, therefore, the sum total of what He taught, not just the things He was saying. Jesus, as the expression of God, gave us all of the Word. All of it. And the requirement is to "abide" there. It's where we live. It shapes our worldview, alters our thinking and living, defines our values, directs our choices and lifestyles, empowers our convictions. Abiding in His word means to continuously live according to His word.
It is somewhat important, then, to look at the unstated flip side. What if you do not abide in His word? What if you shape your own thoughts, define your own values, take or leave what His word says depending on your own perceptions and preferences? What if you are not able to be described as abiding in His word? That would say, then, that you do not have the truth. You know ... the truth that sets you free. Worse, that would say that you may not be His disciple. Both are terrifying places to be.
Sunday, August 13, 2023
Resisting the Obvious
The Bible is clear on a whole lot of things. There is a God. He made everything that exists. He has been active and involved throughout history. Humans are sinners. There is a substantial list. I'm not talking about the vague, the marginal, the unclear. What exactly is the Revelation talking about? We're all a bit murky there. Who did Cain marry? No help there. No, I'm talking about the clear stuff. Now, it's no surprise that those who reject the Bible would reject the truths it offers, clear or otherwise. What amazes me are the Christians -- nominal or thoroughly genuine -- who consciously choose to resist clear Scripture at some point or another.
Take, for instance, Creation. Genesis is not vague. It is written in standard historical narrative format and declares over the first two chapters that God created everything. This was so abundantly clear that Jews and Christians never questioned it ... until the 19th century when "modern science" decided that there were natural explanations for how everything that exists came from nothing at all. Never mind the obvious irrationality of the claim. It still shakes up Christians today. Never mind that the science is not as clear or uncontroversial as you are told. Bible-believing Christians will reject plain Scripture in this case in favor of ... some sort of substitute. Take, for instance, the clear instruction that women are not allowed to teach or exercise authority over men (1 Tim 2:12-15). So many Christians today have decided that it doesn't mean what it clearly says. "It's there because women weren't educated back then." No, it's there because Adam was made first and Eve was deceived (1 Tim 2:13-14). It is rooted in Genesis 1-3, not 1st century educational conditions. But modern Christians will not take this text at face value. So we'll ordain women pastors or smuggle in women to take leadership over or teach men. And defend it angrily. Take, for instance, the mutual submission of Ephesians 5. Paul writes, "Submit to one another in the fear of Christ" (Eph 5:21), and it is not ambiguous. He tells how wives are to submit (Eph 5:22-24) and husbands are to submit (Eph 5:25-30) and how children and fathers are to submit (Eph 6:1-4) and how slaves and masters are to submit (Eph 6:5-9). It is not ambiguous. But that whole "Wives, submit to your husbands" thing is right out these days. Hardly even visible in the Church today. And the "Husbands, love your wives" thing -- giving self up -- that's certainly not going to happen either. We're modern Christians and we know better. Just a few examples.
Like I said, that unbelievers would resist this stuff is no surprise. That self-professed believers would is baffling. We appear to substitute, almost randomly, modern thinking for Scripture whenever it suits our fancy. "Science has shown us a better way." Except it hasn't. "Female submission is a patriarchal error." Except it isn't; it's a biblical statement. "No one can expect husbands to give self up." No one, perhaps, but God who breathed this stuff into the writers. And while we congratulate ourselves for having the truth about God and the gospel and such, we embarrass ourselves by selectively ignoring God's word ... which Jesus said is truth (John 17:17). Brothers and sisters, these things ought not be.
Take, for instance, Creation. Genesis is not vague. It is written in standard historical narrative format and declares over the first two chapters that God created everything. This was so abundantly clear that Jews and Christians never questioned it ... until the 19th century when "modern science" decided that there were natural explanations for how everything that exists came from nothing at all. Never mind the obvious irrationality of the claim. It still shakes up Christians today. Never mind that the science is not as clear or uncontroversial as you are told. Bible-believing Christians will reject plain Scripture in this case in favor of ... some sort of substitute. Take, for instance, the clear instruction that women are not allowed to teach or exercise authority over men (1 Tim 2:12-15). So many Christians today have decided that it doesn't mean what it clearly says. "It's there because women weren't educated back then." No, it's there because Adam was made first and Eve was deceived (1 Tim 2:13-14). It is rooted in Genesis 1-3, not 1st century educational conditions. But modern Christians will not take this text at face value. So we'll ordain women pastors or smuggle in women to take leadership over or teach men. And defend it angrily. Take, for instance, the mutual submission of Ephesians 5. Paul writes, "Submit to one another in the fear of Christ" (Eph 5:21), and it is not ambiguous. He tells how wives are to submit (Eph 5:22-24) and husbands are to submit (Eph 5:25-30) and how children and fathers are to submit (Eph 6:1-4) and how slaves and masters are to submit (Eph 6:5-9). It is not ambiguous. But that whole "Wives, submit to your husbands" thing is right out these days. Hardly even visible in the Church today. And the "Husbands, love your wives" thing -- giving self up -- that's certainly not going to happen either. We're modern Christians and we know better. Just a few examples.
Like I said, that unbelievers would resist this stuff is no surprise. That self-professed believers would is baffling. We appear to substitute, almost randomly, modern thinking for Scripture whenever it suits our fancy. "Science has shown us a better way." Except it hasn't. "Female submission is a patriarchal error." Except it isn't; it's a biblical statement. "No one can expect husbands to give self up." No one, perhaps, but God who breathed this stuff into the writers. And while we congratulate ourselves for having the truth about God and the gospel and such, we embarrass ourselves by selectively ignoring God's word ... which Jesus said is truth (John 17:17). Brothers and sisters, these things ought not be.
Saturday, August 12, 2023
News Weakly - 8/12/23
Unclear on the Concept
A protest by an environmental campaign group disrupted the UCI Cycling World Championships because, well, as everyone knows, cycling is harmful to the environment. Oh ... no. Yeah, like so many of these things, makes no sense.
Reimagine Hate
J.K. Rowling has been evicted from the Museum of Pop Culture for, among other things, "the lack of LGBTQIA+ representation" in her books as well as her pro-science view that women, not men, are people who menstruate. "Hateful" and "transphobic" remarks. The message of Pop Culture is a loud and clear, "Do not believe the science!"
Delusional?
Biden is hoping to take some of the light off the Trump stuff in order to rev up his campaign by touting his wonderful "Biden economics". Really? AP reports that 34% of Americans approve of Biden's handling of the economy. I know my dollar doesn't go as far as it did, say, two years ago ... not even close. I know that everything is more expensive, that the economy is struggling, that we're on the edge of a recession that we hope to avoid. I know my taxes are up. Yes, Mr. President, you go with that. And don't forget things like your fine handling of Afghanistan and the whole Hunter Biden thing. All winning points for your campaign.
Strike Out
They are rescheduling the Emmy Awards due to the ongoing writers' strike. Oh, you hadn't noticed they were on strike? Yeah, that says a lot, doesn't it?
Loud and Clear
Mike Pence was being ridiculed because of an ad he put out. He is at the gas pump with his pick-up talking about Biden's energy policies that have driven up prices and he wants to fix it. Was he inaccurate? No. He's being ridiculed because he wasn't actually pumping gas. Clearly not fact-based ridicule; it's hate-based ridicule. And I hate to say it, Mr. Pence, but that level of hate should give you pause in choosing to run.
Have to See it to Beelieve it
Chicago's mayor is asking that people stop using the word "Chicago" due to its negative connotations. The Bee suggests that Trump has been indicted for questioning election results while not being a Democrat. Maybe they have a point? (As a point of fact, in the 21st century, prior to Trump's debacle, 3 other challenges to the certification of the results were brought, all by the Democrats.) And going with the story about Biden's economic success, the Bee has a story about how he has been so successful that everyone has twice as many jobs as they used. Look they have to to survive, don't they?
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
A protest by an environmental campaign group disrupted the UCI Cycling World Championships because, well, as everyone knows, cycling is harmful to the environment. Oh ... no. Yeah, like so many of these things, makes no sense.
Reimagine Hate
J.K. Rowling has been evicted from the Museum of Pop Culture for, among other things, "the lack of LGBTQIA+ representation" in her books as well as her pro-science view that women, not men, are people who menstruate. "Hateful" and "transphobic" remarks. The message of Pop Culture is a loud and clear, "Do not believe the science!"
Delusional?
Biden is hoping to take some of the light off the Trump stuff in order to rev up his campaign by touting his wonderful "Biden economics". Really? AP reports that 34% of Americans approve of Biden's handling of the economy. I know my dollar doesn't go as far as it did, say, two years ago ... not even close. I know that everything is more expensive, that the economy is struggling, that we're on the edge of a recession that we hope to avoid. I know my taxes are up. Yes, Mr. President, you go with that. And don't forget things like your fine handling of Afghanistan and the whole Hunter Biden thing. All winning points for your campaign.
Strike Out
They are rescheduling the Emmy Awards due to the ongoing writers' strike. Oh, you hadn't noticed they were on strike? Yeah, that says a lot, doesn't it?
Loud and Clear
Mike Pence was being ridiculed because of an ad he put out. He is at the gas pump with his pick-up talking about Biden's energy policies that have driven up prices and he wants to fix it. Was he inaccurate? No. He's being ridiculed because he wasn't actually pumping gas. Clearly not fact-based ridicule; it's hate-based ridicule. And I hate to say it, Mr. Pence, but that level of hate should give you pause in choosing to run.
Have to See it to Beelieve it
Chicago's mayor is asking that people stop using the word "Chicago" due to its negative connotations. The Bee suggests that Trump has been indicted for questioning election results while not being a Democrat. Maybe they have a point? (As a point of fact, in the 21st century, prior to Trump's debacle, 3 other challenges to the certification of the results were brought, all by the Democrats.) And going with the story about Biden's economic success, the Bee has a story about how he has been so successful that everyone has twice as many jobs as they used. Look they have to to survive, don't they?
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Friday, August 11, 2023
Jesus on Penal Substitutionary Atonement
During His time here on Earth, Jesus said a lot of things about His purpose in coming. He told His parents early on that He had to be in His Father's house (Luke 2:40-52). He came to do His Father's will (John 6:38). He came to be a servant (Matt 10:28). We know these things. Jesus also told us that He came to die (John 2:19-21). He came to lay His life down for His sheep (John 10:11). He clearly stated, that He came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
It shouldn't be a surprise. Isaiah famously wrote about the Messiah as a suffering servant. "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way. But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him" (Isa 53:4-6). Isaiah's Messiah took our punishment for our sin on Himself -- smitten by God -- and died "for our transgressions" -- in our place. His death served as a substitution for the punishment we so richly earned. He "gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed" (Titus 2:14).
Jesus said He came to give His life as a ransom for many. He came to pay the redemptive price that we owed. (That's the meaning of the term, "ransom".) He gave Himself as a substitution in our place and took our sin and our punishment. Jesus said, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins" (Matt 26:28). Dance around it if you like, but you do so in direct opposition to Jesus's own words and to the rest of Scripture (John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 3:18; Rom 6:23; Matt 20:28; John 10:18; Rom 3:25-26; etc.). One has to wonder, then, why there are those who oppose this clearly biblical principle, even in the face of Christ?
It shouldn't be a surprise. Isaiah famously wrote about the Messiah as a suffering servant. "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way. But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him" (Isa 53:4-6). Isaiah's Messiah took our punishment for our sin on Himself -- smitten by God -- and died "for our transgressions" -- in our place. His death served as a substitution for the punishment we so richly earned. He "gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed" (Titus 2:14).
Jesus said He came to give His life as a ransom for many. He came to pay the redemptive price that we owed. (That's the meaning of the term, "ransom".) He gave Himself as a substitution in our place and took our sin and our punishment. Jesus said, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins" (Matt 26:28). Dance around it if you like, but you do so in direct opposition to Jesus's own words and to the rest of Scripture (John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 3:18; Rom 6:23; Matt 20:28; John 10:18; Rom 3:25-26; etc.). One has to wonder, then, why there are those who oppose this clearly biblical principle, even in the face of Christ?
Thursday, August 10, 2023
The Gospel According to Isaiah
There is a famous passage in Isaiah where the prophet talks about "good news."
There is a problem. People are sinners. The mind set on the flesh is hostile to God (Rom 8:7). We are not naturally wired to embrace God. So there's a big problem. But Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Ah! See? A solution. A way to make things right. And Paul said that the gospel at its core was "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor 15:1-4). He said He came to give Himself as a ransom, and He did.
The gospel, then, is that God reigns. It's as easy as that. It started in Genesis 1:1 -- "In the beginning, God ..." When Jesus arrived, He taught that God's reign was at hand. It was imminent. But here's the problem: that's not a good thing to sinners. It's not good news to those who are enemies of God. It only becomes good if there is a solution to the problem of sin. So Christ came to give Himself as a ransom for many. And He succeeded. The good news, then, is that God reigns, and those who are His can rejoice.
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Isa 52:7)The good news was "salvation," and that salvation was, "Your God reigns!" When Jesus arrived on the scene, He started out almost immediately proclaiming the gospel. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15). "The time is fulfilled." For what? For that "salvation" to arrive, for that "good news" Isaiah wrote about, for "Your God reigns!" Jesus said, "The kingdom is at hand."
There is a problem. People are sinners. The mind set on the flesh is hostile to God (Rom 8:7). We are not naturally wired to embrace God. So there's a big problem. But Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Ah! See? A solution. A way to make things right. And Paul said that the gospel at its core was "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor 15:1-4). He said He came to give Himself as a ransom, and He did.
The gospel, then, is that God reigns. It's as easy as that. It started in Genesis 1:1 -- "In the beginning, God ..." When Jesus arrived, He taught that God's reign was at hand. It was imminent. But here's the problem: that's not a good thing to sinners. It's not good news to those who are enemies of God. It only becomes good if there is a solution to the problem of sin. So Christ came to give Himself as a ransom for many. And He succeeded. The good news, then, is that God reigns, and those who are His can rejoice.
Wednesday, August 09, 2023
What Do You Want?
It's said that everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die to get there. Maybe. But I have to ask. Why do you want to go to heaven?
Our normal, first priority is our own comfort. Now, Christians are supposed to get past that, but I would guess that many of us still look at heaven as "I will finally be ... comfortable. No more tears. No more sadness. Just happy all the time." I recently heard a song about heaven in which they kept joyously repeating, "I'll have a new body." Good, yes, but is that what we're looking for in heaven? Some people don't want to go to heaven because they think it will be boring. "Hanging around clouds, playing harps. Boring!" Either of these two options -- a place of personal comfort or a boring place -- are premised on the same thing ... me. Is that what we need to consider in going to heaven? I once heard a fellow telling his "died and went to heaven" experience. He said, "I saw Jesus and the first thing I asked Him was, 'Please watch over my wife.'" Really? Are these our primary concerns for heaven?
Someone asked me once, "If you knew that you would go to heaven and be happy -- no more tears -- but Jesus wouldn't be there, would you want to go?" A pointed question. Most of us are looking for a unique "happy place." The real question to me is can you be happy where Jesus is not? Or, put the other way around, is Jesus your primary joy or is it something else? Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). Is your treasure in Christ or in your own personal comfort? If it is not Christ, I would suggest you could never be happy in heaven because ... your heart just wouldn't be in it.
Our normal, first priority is our own comfort. Now, Christians are supposed to get past that, but I would guess that many of us still look at heaven as "I will finally be ... comfortable. No more tears. No more sadness. Just happy all the time." I recently heard a song about heaven in which they kept joyously repeating, "I'll have a new body." Good, yes, but is that what we're looking for in heaven? Some people don't want to go to heaven because they think it will be boring. "Hanging around clouds, playing harps. Boring!" Either of these two options -- a place of personal comfort or a boring place -- are premised on the same thing ... me. Is that what we need to consider in going to heaven? I once heard a fellow telling his "died and went to heaven" experience. He said, "I saw Jesus and the first thing I asked Him was, 'Please watch over my wife.'" Really? Are these our primary concerns for heaven?
Someone asked me once, "If you knew that you would go to heaven and be happy -- no more tears -- but Jesus wouldn't be there, would you want to go?" A pointed question. Most of us are looking for a unique "happy place." The real question to me is can you be happy where Jesus is not? Or, put the other way around, is Jesus your primary joy or is it something else? Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). Is your treasure in Christ or in your own personal comfort? If it is not Christ, I would suggest you could never be happy in heaven because ... your heart just wouldn't be in it.
Tuesday, August 08, 2023
WWJD
It was a popular acronym at one point. WWJD -- What would Jesus do? It was, however, typically thrown up in the face of Christianity, pushing things like "tolerance" (that wouldn't tolerate) and "nonjudgmentalism" (which proved very judgmental) and inclusion (that is enforced by exclusion). "Jesus wouldn't do those things." Except ... He did. So we rarely looked at the question much. What would Jesus do? I think the answer might be surprising.
In John 13 the writer begins the story of the Last Supper. Jesus met with His disciples and "loved them to the end" (John 13:1). So He got up from supper, took off His outer garment, and washed their feet. Washed their feet! That wasn't the job of a Master, a Rabbi. Ironically, Peter responded, "Lord" (Do you see the irony?) "do You wash my feet?" (John 13:6). What would Jesus do? He would serve. He said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Jesus came to serve. He also came to "give His life a ransom for many." Paul wrote, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:8). He went on to describe us as "enemies" (Rom 5:10). Christ came to die, and not to die for friends. He came to die for sinners and enemies. What would Jesus do? He would die for His enemies. In Philippians we read an overview, as it were.
Jesus did a lot we know about. He fed the hungry. He healed the sick. He comforted sinners. Lots of things we know we should be doing. But if we are being "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29) as the ultimate good God is doing (Rom 8:28), then we should be modeling ourselves more and more after Him. That includes doing good to people. That includes seeking to please God. That includes helping needy people. But that also includes loving God's people sacrificially, making being a servant a way of life, loving our enemies, and giving up self. Some of you are probably a lot closer to that than I am. I have a ways to go.
In John 13 the writer begins the story of the Last Supper. Jesus met with His disciples and "loved them to the end" (John 13:1). So He got up from supper, took off His outer garment, and washed their feet. Washed their feet! That wasn't the job of a Master, a Rabbi. Ironically, Peter responded, "Lord" (Do you see the irony?) "do You wash my feet?" (John 13:6). What would Jesus do? He would serve. He said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). Jesus came to serve. He also came to "give His life a ransom for many." Paul wrote, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom 5:8). He went on to describe us as "enemies" (Rom 5:10). Christ came to die, and not to die for friends. He came to die for sinners and enemies. What would Jesus do? He would die for His enemies. In Philippians we read an overview, as it were.
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Php 2:5-8)What would Jesus do? He would empty Himself. He would model humility.
Jesus did a lot we know about. He fed the hungry. He healed the sick. He comforted sinners. Lots of things we know we should be doing. But if we are being "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29) as the ultimate good God is doing (Rom 8:28), then we should be modeling ourselves more and more after Him. That includes doing good to people. That includes seeking to please God. That includes helping needy people. But that also includes loving God's people sacrificially, making being a servant a way of life, loving our enemies, and giving up self. Some of you are probably a lot closer to that than I am. I have a ways to go.
Monday, August 07, 2023
Love and Power
You've heard, I'm sure, of the classical "problem of evil." There is evil in the world. If there is evil in the world and there is a God, why hasn't He stopped it? Well, they come up with two possibilities (which doesn't preclude both are true). Either 1) God can't stop it -- not omnipotent -- or 2) God doesn't care -- not all-loving. Ergo, no God. Now, there are several ways to approach that challenge, and I've even done it before, but that's not what is currently of interest to me.
Turn in your Bible with me, if you will, to Psalm 59. The psalm was written by David. This one specifies the occasion of the writing. It was "when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him." The story is told in 1 Sam 19:1 and following. You get the picture. David is being hunted by the king and it's too dangerous to go home. This is David's prayer in a difficult time. So he begins, obviously, with "Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me" (Psa 59:1). You can read it. They're not hunting him for anything bad he's done (Psa 59:3-4). They're out to get him (Psa 59:6). "But You, O YHWH," he says, "laugh at them" (Psa 59:8). Nice! "O my Strength, I will watch for You, for You, O God, are my fortress. My God in His steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies" (Psa 59:9-10).
Now isn't that interesting. David bases his confidence in God in the worst of times on the very two things on which skeptics challenge God -- omnipotence and love. "I will sing of Your strength," David declares. "I will sing aloud of Your steadfast love in the morning. For You have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to You, for You, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love" (Psa 59:16-17). Where naysayers challenge God, believers find their greatest comfort. And, of course, if you begin with belief in God, His omnipotence, His love, and the certainty that He can do what's best for you, then the whole "question of evil" becomes moot. His love and power are evident. We have experienced both. Look somewhere else for someplace to attack God.
Turn in your Bible with me, if you will, to Psalm 59. The psalm was written by David. This one specifies the occasion of the writing. It was "when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him." The story is told in 1 Sam 19:1 and following. You get the picture. David is being hunted by the king and it's too dangerous to go home. This is David's prayer in a difficult time. So he begins, obviously, with "Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me" (Psa 59:1). You can read it. They're not hunting him for anything bad he's done (Psa 59:3-4). They're out to get him (Psa 59:6). "But You, O YHWH," he says, "laugh at them" (Psa 59:8). Nice! "O my Strength, I will watch for You, for You, O God, are my fortress. My God in His steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies" (Psa 59:9-10).
Now isn't that interesting. David bases his confidence in God in the worst of times on the very two things on which skeptics challenge God -- omnipotence and love. "I will sing of Your strength," David declares. "I will sing aloud of Your steadfast love in the morning. For You have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to You, for You, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love" (Psa 59:16-17). Where naysayers challenge God, believers find their greatest comfort. And, of course, if you begin with belief in God, His omnipotence, His love, and the certainty that He can do what's best for you, then the whole "question of evil" becomes moot. His love and power are evident. We have experienced both. Look somewhere else for someplace to attack God.
Sunday, August 06, 2023
The Crucifixion We Hate
Christians are all about the Crucifixion, right? I mean they wear crosses to remind them of Jesus's death and resurrection. They make signs of the cross and put crosses on their cars to identify themselves as Christians. We know that the cross represents our salvation (1 Cor 15:3-5) and we treasure it. Sort of. We treasure what Christ's cross meant to us, but I'm not so sure we are very keen on the ramifications.
Baptism, Paul tells us, is a symbol of dying ... with Christ (Rom 6:3). Baptism immerses us into His death (Rom 6:4). Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). And while most of us nod our heads and agree ... we agree in principle. Not practice so much. We're fine with the idea that we are to identify with Christ's death, but actually living a crucified life is really not a pleasant notion to most of us.
It's not rational, you know. We like the "raised to newness of life" thing (Rom 6:4), just not the dying part. But you can't be raised to new life if you don't die. And it is this fundamental truth that makes Christianity what it is. When we balk at putting the flesh to death (Rom 8:13; Col 3:5), it simply cuts us off from "the life which I now live I live by faith in the Son of God" (Gal 2:20). We cut ourselves off from the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23 as opposed to Gal 5:19-21). The old self has to die if we are to enjoy a life lived in the Spirit. I'm afraid that's a crucifixion we don't much like.
Baptism, Paul tells us, is a symbol of dying ... with Christ (Rom 6:3). Baptism immerses us into His death (Rom 6:4). Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). And while most of us nod our heads and agree ... we agree in principle. Not practice so much. We're fine with the idea that we are to identify with Christ's death, but actually living a crucified life is really not a pleasant notion to most of us.
It's not rational, you know. We like the "raised to newness of life" thing (Rom 6:4), just not the dying part. But you can't be raised to new life if you don't die. And it is this fundamental truth that makes Christianity what it is. When we balk at putting the flesh to death (Rom 8:13; Col 3:5), it simply cuts us off from "the life which I now live I live by faith in the Son of God" (Gal 2:20). We cut ourselves off from the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23 as opposed to Gal 5:19-21). The old self has to die if we are to enjoy a life lived in the Spirit. I'm afraid that's a crucifixion we don't much like.
Saturday, August 05, 2023
News Weakly - 8/5/23
No News is ... No News
Canada's women's national soccer team is allowing a transgender to compete in the Women's World Cup. Except "transgender" itself has devolved in meaning. Quinn is a biological female who identifies as "nonbinary" and is, therefore, "transgender" ... except she's still a woman and the only news here is the convoluted thinking people are going through these days.
Indicted
Trump has been indicted a third time, this time for trying to overturn the 2020 election. The scheme includes "fake electors" and "deceiving supporters." (Do they actually think that Trump did not believe the election was illegally stolen?) A high-ranking Justice Department official is named as a co-conspirator. Oddly, none of the lists of those accused of working against Trump in the 2020 election inside of the FBI and other government agencies are facing any questions for the same sort of thing. I don't think there's any question that the aim of this indictment (and, likely, the others) is simply to get him off the election market. It would be unreasonable to expect 1) a fair and impartial judgment or 2) a quick resolution. I think this is more of an indictment of the opposition for playing dirty pool.
Four Fingers Pointing Back
Fitch downgraded the U.S. credit rating, and the White House was quick to blame it on the Republicans. After all, it was their policies that allowed for a lackluster recovery from an historic pandemic and their policies that brought on the biggest inflation we've seen in 50 years (and while the media keeps reporting that inflation is down, the Fed isn't impressed) and their policies that caused U.S. weekly jobless claims to go up this month, right? Oh, yeah, no. That wasn't them.
Assault Weapons Ban
In South Korea a man drove his car onto a sidewalk, then got out and started stabbing people. Thirteen people were injured by the car and the knifing. Seoul is seeking to ban cars and knives as assault weapons. Oh, no?
Postpartum Abortion is Still Not Legal?
A mother who dumped her newborn baby into the ocean five years ago was sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter. Apparently it was just bad timing. She said she didn't know she was pregnant until she gave birth and dropped the baby in the water the next day. Apparently "mother doesn't want the baby" does not define "not human"? It's some magical birth canal transition?
Things That Come to Bee
With Trump's third indictment, the Dems are assuring us that no one is above the law ... that they selectively enforce. After Neil deGrasse Tyson declared gender is a spectrum -- that science is insufficient to explain genders -- the Bee reported that a pretend scientist announced belief in pretend genders. And the Bee offers a helpful article on how to tell if you're in a nursing home or the U.S. Senate chamber. Thanks, Bee.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Canada's women's national soccer team is allowing a transgender to compete in the Women's World Cup. Except "transgender" itself has devolved in meaning. Quinn is a biological female who identifies as "nonbinary" and is, therefore, "transgender" ... except she's still a woman and the only news here is the convoluted thinking people are going through these days.
Indicted
Trump has been indicted a third time, this time for trying to overturn the 2020 election. The scheme includes "fake electors" and "deceiving supporters." (Do they actually think that Trump did not believe the election was illegally stolen?) A high-ranking Justice Department official is named as a co-conspirator. Oddly, none of the lists of those accused of working against Trump in the 2020 election inside of the FBI and other government agencies are facing any questions for the same sort of thing. I don't think there's any question that the aim of this indictment (and, likely, the others) is simply to get him off the election market. It would be unreasonable to expect 1) a fair and impartial judgment or 2) a quick resolution. I think this is more of an indictment of the opposition for playing dirty pool.
Four Fingers Pointing Back
Fitch downgraded the U.S. credit rating, and the White House was quick to blame it on the Republicans. After all, it was their policies that allowed for a lackluster recovery from an historic pandemic and their policies that brought on the biggest inflation we've seen in 50 years (and while the media keeps reporting that inflation is down, the Fed isn't impressed) and their policies that caused U.S. weekly jobless claims to go up this month, right? Oh, yeah, no. That wasn't them.
Assault Weapons Ban
In South Korea a man drove his car onto a sidewalk, then got out and started stabbing people. Thirteen people were injured by the car and the knifing. Seoul is seeking to ban cars and knives as assault weapons. Oh, no?
Postpartum Abortion is Still Not Legal?
A mother who dumped her newborn baby into the ocean five years ago was sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter. Apparently it was just bad timing. She said she didn't know she was pregnant until she gave birth and dropped the baby in the water the next day. Apparently "mother doesn't want the baby" does not define "not human"? It's some magical birth canal transition?
Things That Come to Bee
With Trump's third indictment, the Dems are assuring us that no one is above the law ... that they selectively enforce. After Neil deGrasse Tyson declared gender is a spectrum -- that science is insufficient to explain genders -- the Bee reported that a pretend scientist announced belief in pretend genders. And the Bee offers a helpful article on how to tell if you're in a nursing home or the U.S. Senate chamber. Thanks, Bee.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Friday, August 04, 2023
What Does He Know?
We often describe God with some "omni's." You know ... omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient ... that sort of thing. All-powerful, present everywhere and always, knows all things. Now, hang on a minute. Do we really believe that God knows all things? Open theists will tell you that, no, He doesn't. He can't, for instance, know the choices you haven't made yet. He only makes very good guesses. Some people point to Scripture that says, "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins" (Isa 43:25). So clearly God doesn't know your forgiven sins. Then He's not omniscient ... right?
What made us think He was omniscient in the first place? Well, quite clearly, John wrote, "God is greater than our heart and knows all things" (1 John 3:20). David wrote, "Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all" (Psa 139:4). He went on to say, "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them" (Psa 139:16). Jesus said your very hairs were numbered (Matt 10:30). The author of Hebrews said, "There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (Heb 4:13). In Isaiah 46 God claims to declare the end from the beginning (Isa 46:9-10). I don't know ... it looks a lot like God actually knows everything. John said just that. Scripture says He sees everything (Prov 15:3), knows every word we will speak before we speak it, knows every day of our lives before they exist, and knows the end before it happens. It seems as if Scripture does declare Him omniscient.
So what about the open theists? They draw their view primarily from a prior conviction that God knowing everything means that humans can have no free will, so it isn't Scripture at the root, but philosophy. As for the statement that God won't remember our sins, we should interpret that in light of the rest of Scripture. Surely it cannot be that we know things God doesn't? Do we remember sins that He has forgotten? In fact, there is no reason to assume that the Isaiah 43 text says God forgets our sin. It says He doesn't remember them. To forget means to lose the memory of something, but to remember means to call something up from memory. "Remember" means "to be mindful of again" (from "re", meaning "again" and "memory"). What God says is that He won't be calling up your forgiven sins again. He won't be putting them in front of you or using them in His considerations of you. You know how we throw past transgressions in others' faces? He won't do that. Because God is omniscient -- He doesn't forget the sins that you still remember -- but He is also gracious and forgiving. It might be a little frightening to know we have a God who knows everything, but in the end it really turns out to be a good thing.
What made us think He was omniscient in the first place? Well, quite clearly, John wrote, "God is greater than our heart and knows all things" (1 John 3:20). David wrote, "Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all" (Psa 139:4). He went on to say, "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them" (Psa 139:16). Jesus said your very hairs were numbered (Matt 10:30). The author of Hebrews said, "There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (Heb 4:13). In Isaiah 46 God claims to declare the end from the beginning (Isa 46:9-10). I don't know ... it looks a lot like God actually knows everything. John said just that. Scripture says He sees everything (Prov 15:3), knows every word we will speak before we speak it, knows every day of our lives before they exist, and knows the end before it happens. It seems as if Scripture does declare Him omniscient.
So what about the open theists? They draw their view primarily from a prior conviction that God knowing everything means that humans can have no free will, so it isn't Scripture at the root, but philosophy. As for the statement that God won't remember our sins, we should interpret that in light of the rest of Scripture. Surely it cannot be that we know things God doesn't? Do we remember sins that He has forgotten? In fact, there is no reason to assume that the Isaiah 43 text says God forgets our sin. It says He doesn't remember them. To forget means to lose the memory of something, but to remember means to call something up from memory. "Remember" means "to be mindful of again" (from "re", meaning "again" and "memory"). What God says is that He won't be calling up your forgiven sins again. He won't be putting them in front of you or using them in His considerations of you. You know how we throw past transgressions in others' faces? He won't do that. Because God is omniscient -- He doesn't forget the sins that you still remember -- but He is also gracious and forgiving. It might be a little frightening to know we have a God who knows everything, but in the end it really turns out to be a good thing.
Thursday, August 03, 2023
How Good?
We Christians share a common belief that God is good. How good? Really good. We have that little ritual we do sometimes where someone says, "God is good" and the rest respond, "all the time." Now, when Scripture says, "God is love," that doesn't mean that God and love are equivalent. It means that God defines love. In the same way, the phrase, "God is good," indicates that good is defined by God. James wrote, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:17). In Genesis, Abraham asked, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Gen 18:25). A rhetorical question, obviously. In the same way, we can be sure that our God who is good will always do what is good. But I have to ask. Just how good is your God?
Jeremiah, quoting God, wrote, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope'." (Jer 29:11). Now, either Jeremiah misquoted God or God failed, because Jeremiah's job was to tell Israel that their doom was at hand if they didn't repent. And they wouldn't. And they were hauled away into captivity. Does that mean that God's plans failed? Depends on how good your God is. We routinely get angry at God when He fails to come through as we wanted. He doesn't heal a loved one, doesn't get you that job you hoped for, doesn't meet your felt needs, whatever it might be. "Why would God do that?" is our common cry at that point. Depends on how good your God is. Jesus, at Gethsemane, prayed, "Let this cup pass from Me" (Matt 26:39). God didn't. Did He fail to do what was best? Depends on how good your God is. If "Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases" (Psa 115:3), does He? Depends on how good your God is. Ask yourself. Is this the best of all possible worlds? Depends on how good your God is.
Paul wrote, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom 8:28). Do we? Do we know that? "All things," he says. Joseph was slated to be killed by his brothers but barely escaped death by being sold into slavery where he was enslaved, wrongfully accused, jailed unjustly for years, and finally brought to his ultimate place. He told his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Gen 50:20). How good is your God? If you can declare that all God does is good -- "even this" -- you have a good God. If you're second guessing Him, you might not know the God of the Bible. Because it really is true that God is good ... all the time.
Jeremiah, quoting God, wrote, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope'." (Jer 29:11). Now, either Jeremiah misquoted God or God failed, because Jeremiah's job was to tell Israel that their doom was at hand if they didn't repent. And they wouldn't. And they were hauled away into captivity. Does that mean that God's plans failed? Depends on how good your God is. We routinely get angry at God when He fails to come through as we wanted. He doesn't heal a loved one, doesn't get you that job you hoped for, doesn't meet your felt needs, whatever it might be. "Why would God do that?" is our common cry at that point. Depends on how good your God is. Jesus, at Gethsemane, prayed, "Let this cup pass from Me" (Matt 26:39). God didn't. Did He fail to do what was best? Depends on how good your God is. If "Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases" (Psa 115:3), does He? Depends on how good your God is. Ask yourself. Is this the best of all possible worlds? Depends on how good your God is.
Paul wrote, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom 8:28). Do we? Do we know that? "All things," he says. Joseph was slated to be killed by his brothers but barely escaped death by being sold into slavery where he was enslaved, wrongfully accused, jailed unjustly for years, and finally brought to his ultimate place. He told his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Gen 50:20). How good is your God? If you can declare that all God does is good -- "even this" -- you have a good God. If you're second guessing Him, you might not know the God of the Bible. Because it really is true that God is good ... all the time.
Wednesday, August 02, 2023
Nothing But New
Our world operates on the basis of materialism, the perception that everything is physical. We have a sense that there is something else -- the spiritual -- but we can't measure it and we can't explain it, so a lot just ignore it. Some these days, when it comes to emotions, also chalk that up to the material. Chemicals in the brain ... that sort of thing. So we have flesh. We have fleshly desires and fleshly resources and fleshly pursuits. The problem with that, of course, is that it isn't accurate. It isn't true. This is not all there is. So we pursue things that exist, perhaps, but not that are of as much value that we perceive them to be.
In Paul's letter to the churches of Galatia he takes the party of the circumcision to task. They are false teachers, "anathema" (Gal 1:8-9), not of God (Gal 5:8) and pending judgment (Gal 5:10). Their goal, Paul says, is to "make a good showing in the flesh" (Gal 6:12). That is, if they can get believers to succumb to their lies, that will show people they're right and Paul (and anyone who believes the gospel) is wrong. It will eliminate the persecution that the cross of Christ brings. Wait ... what? What persecution does the cross bring? According to Paul, the cross stands as a "stumbling block" (Gal 5:11) to those who teach salvation by Law because it eliminates any room for boasting. "Yes, I am saved by faith, but I helped! Lord, Lord, look at what I've done for You!" In this confused world, religious people think that our efforts to do stuff earns favor with God in direct opposition to grace -- unmerited favor. It doesn't work, and trying to get ahead by keeping the rules simply means you have to keep them all (Gal 5:3). Good luck with that.
Paul offers an alternative. In chapter 2 he said, "I am crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). His alternative is death with Christ. In that, he says, "the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal 6:14). What then? "Neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation" (Gal 6:15). What's important? Being a new creation. This new creation is "faith working through love" (Gal 5:6). This new creation operates by faith, walking in the Spirit rather than operating in the flesh. The only thing that matters is the new creation. But that, of course, will put us outside the normal world perspective. Which, I would think, is a good thing.
In Paul's letter to the churches of Galatia he takes the party of the circumcision to task. They are false teachers, "anathema" (Gal 1:8-9), not of God (Gal 5:8) and pending judgment (Gal 5:10). Their goal, Paul says, is to "make a good showing in the flesh" (Gal 6:12). That is, if they can get believers to succumb to their lies, that will show people they're right and Paul (and anyone who believes the gospel) is wrong. It will eliminate the persecution that the cross of Christ brings. Wait ... what? What persecution does the cross bring? According to Paul, the cross stands as a "stumbling block" (Gal 5:11) to those who teach salvation by Law because it eliminates any room for boasting. "Yes, I am saved by faith, but I helped! Lord, Lord, look at what I've done for You!" In this confused world, religious people think that our efforts to do stuff earns favor with God in direct opposition to grace -- unmerited favor. It doesn't work, and trying to get ahead by keeping the rules simply means you have to keep them all (Gal 5:3). Good luck with that.
Paul offers an alternative. In chapter 2 he said, "I am crucified with Christ" (Gal 2:20). His alternative is death with Christ. In that, he says, "the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Gal 6:14). What then? "Neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation" (Gal 6:15). What's important? Being a new creation. This new creation is "faith working through love" (Gal 5:6). This new creation operates by faith, walking in the Spirit rather than operating in the flesh. The only thing that matters is the new creation. But that, of course, will put us outside the normal world perspective. Which, I would think, is a good thing.
Tuesday, August 01, 2023
Therapeutic
Dr. Larry Crabb was a clinical psychologist who specialized in Christian counseling. So it was interesting to read a book by a psychologist who said that our -- Christians -- current view of the world is, mistakenly, therapeutic. We think with the right pills or the right mindset or the right counseling we can manage this life. He said it was nonsense.
Many Christians have bought the lie that we can manage things here. Scripture disagrees.
The flesh, the enemy within, dons a friendly uniform, one that a Christian might wear, and suggests reasonable directions. We welcome him into our ranks. When he causes trouble, we try to whip him into shape, get him to cooperate with the program and stop interfering with our efforts to do things right. Or we work hard to figure him out. What makes him tick? Why does he demand gratification that way? Maybe a journey into the past will uncover the source of these crazy tendencies and enable us to reason more effectively with him.I think he's got something there.We need to die. Die to this world. Die to our lusts and passions. Die to self. We don't get to "make it better." It has to go.
What we need to do, of course, is shoot him ... And if he doesn’t stay dead, we must shoot him again, then beat him, then tie him down in the sand under a hot desert sun, turn loose an army of red ants on his body, and walk away without sympathy. And then we must do it again and again, 'til we're home. An overdone metaphor? Not when we see the enemy for who he is, for what he wants to do. We are at war. The enemy within is the flesh, and he wants to ruin our relationships and thwart God's plan.
What am I to kill? The answer, of course, is the flesh, that nature within me inclined to sin. But what is it? How do I recognize it? As a start, think of it this way: sin is any effort to make life work without absolute dependence on God. It is giving higher priority to my satisfaction than to God’s pleasure. It involves a follow-up commitment to find joy for my soul outside of God, a commitment rooted in the belief that there is something truly good that God does not provide. It boils down to self-dependence and self-preoccupation and self-centeredness, attitudes that look to other people and things for the satisfaction we were designed to enjoy. (From Connecting by Larry Crabb)
Many Christians have bought the lie that we can manage things here. Scripture disagrees.
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