I have just finished reading Elizabeth Eliot's book, Shadow of the Almighty. Ms. Eliot compiles the journals of her husband and chronicles his life and death serving the Lord in South America in the midst of the Auca Indians. Jim Eliot's life was short but rich. He had more maturity at 18 than most men do at death. I was riveted by his seriousness about his faith and joy. My friend Eugene Low has just posted on one of Jim Eliot's colleagues, Nate Saint. His son wrote an article on him in Christianity Today. An excerpt is below...
"My father and his four friends were not given the privilege of watching their children and grandchildren grow up. I've often wished I could have known my dad as an adult, for Mom and Aunt Rachel have often said our thought process and mannerisms are much alike. I have trouble distinguishing what I actually "remember" of him and what I have been told. But I do know that he left me a legacy, and the challenge now is for me to pass it on to my children. Dad strove to find out what life really is. He found identity, purpose, and fulfillment in being obedient to God's call. He tried it, tested it, and committed himself to it. I know that the risk he took, which resulted in his death and consequently his separation from his family, he took not to satisfy his own need for adventure or fame, but in obedience to what he believed was God's directive to him. I suppose he is best known because he died for his faith, but the legacy he left his children was his willingness first to live for his faith.
God took five common young men of uncommon commitment and used them for his own glory. They never had the privilege they so enthusiastically pursued to tell the Huaorani of the God they loved and served. But for every Waorani who today follows God's trail through the efforts of others, there are a thousand cowodi (outsiders, foreigners to the tribe) who follow God's trail more resolutely because of their example. This success, withheld from them in life, God multiplied and continues to multiply as a memorial to their obedience and his faithfulness."
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
The Romney Speech
I have watched the reaction to the Romney speech on his Mormonism with great interest. Will one’s “private beliefs” affect their “public decisions?” Again, I am astonished not only at the answers people give to this question, but also at the stupidity of the question itself. Of course, one’s private beliefs will affect their public decisions. Otherwise they are not beliefs. Let me say from the outset that the major concern I have about Romney becoming President is the legitimacy it will give to the Mormon faith. (I can hear the gasp of shock as I just said one of the most hateful things one can say in American culture.). His beliefs are such that they won't affect the core issues we are together on as Americans such as freedom, religous liberty, economic freedom, etc. Thus, it is important to understand again that it is important for any group (whether a nation or a local church) to understand well what they are together on.
And Once again it becomes clear that the church functions in a different way, for a different purpose than the Kingdom of this world. I was talking with 2 people over the last few days about Mormonism. One said he did not think it was that different, and he knew mormons. They were “nice people who cared for their families.” First, if one thinks that Christianity sets out to create a society merely "of nice people who care for their families," they are compeltely missing the seriousness of the situation with which Christianity sets out to deal. It seems clear that the rich young ruler was a nice man who cared for his family, and, yet, he did not enter the Kingdom of God. Regardless of what one thinks about Romney’s candidacy, he is certainly giving greater credibility to Mormonism in this increasingly pluralistic society. My concern is for weak or nominal Christians who are going to be easily led astray and deceived. They may very well buy into the increasing assault on theology, adherence to sound doctrine, etc.
For the world, a commitment to faith in general will do. For the Kingdom of God, that faith must be specific, and man’s heart is incredible deceitful. The object of one’s faith reveals how one fundamentally understands himself. Christ recognized this and understood He was creating a totally different kind of Kingdom. This kingdom would be entered into and advanced in a wholly different way. Entrance comes from outside on another’s merit. The problem comes from within because of the individual’s own inability. So, it is important for people to understand that what unites us as a nation does not necessarily unite us as believers. What we are together for as a nation does not run parallel to what we are together for as a church.
It seems clear to me that many people who call themselves Christians in this country do NOT have a very good understanding of the distinction between the 2 kingdoms. Supporting the leadership of a person in one kingdom does not always translate to supporting the leadership of the same person in the other. Further, because we agree on issues on the periphery such as the dignity of man, religious liberty, or even an approach to taxes does not mean we agree on issues in the center. And the center is where humanity is found, and life is lived. The center is where worldviews ultimately take shape. The center is what will have driven the life each man has been given. Because at the center, one’s fundamental bent or essence is found. It gives the insight not about the “what” but about the “why.” It does not answer “what did he do?”. It answers, “why did he do it?” A person can do great things for “humanity” or “the good of the world.” A person can pursue a profession that is reputable in the eyes of the world. These are “what’s.” At the same time a person does these things, he could be pursuing it to make a name for himself, enhance his reputation or even pursue his love of money. These are the “why’s.” The why’s are often far more important than the what’s because the why’s reveal truths about us that an entire electorate that votes for us may not ever see.
Guard your heart and your doctrine. Guarding one leads to the guarding of the other.
And Once again it becomes clear that the church functions in a different way, for a different purpose than the Kingdom of this world. I was talking with 2 people over the last few days about Mormonism. One said he did not think it was that different, and he knew mormons. They were “nice people who cared for their families.” First, if one thinks that Christianity sets out to create a society merely "of nice people who care for their families," they are compeltely missing the seriousness of the situation with which Christianity sets out to deal. It seems clear that the rich young ruler was a nice man who cared for his family, and, yet, he did not enter the Kingdom of God. Regardless of what one thinks about Romney’s candidacy, he is certainly giving greater credibility to Mormonism in this increasingly pluralistic society. My concern is for weak or nominal Christians who are going to be easily led astray and deceived. They may very well buy into the increasing assault on theology, adherence to sound doctrine, etc.
For the world, a commitment to faith in general will do. For the Kingdom of God, that faith must be specific, and man’s heart is incredible deceitful. The object of one’s faith reveals how one fundamentally understands himself. Christ recognized this and understood He was creating a totally different kind of Kingdom. This kingdom would be entered into and advanced in a wholly different way. Entrance comes from outside on another’s merit. The problem comes from within because of the individual’s own inability. So, it is important for people to understand that what unites us as a nation does not necessarily unite us as believers. What we are together for as a nation does not run parallel to what we are together for as a church.
It seems clear to me that many people who call themselves Christians in this country do NOT have a very good understanding of the distinction between the 2 kingdoms. Supporting the leadership of a person in one kingdom does not always translate to supporting the leadership of the same person in the other. Further, because we agree on issues on the periphery such as the dignity of man, religious liberty, or even an approach to taxes does not mean we agree on issues in the center. And the center is where humanity is found, and life is lived. The center is where worldviews ultimately take shape. The center is what will have driven the life each man has been given. Because at the center, one’s fundamental bent or essence is found. It gives the insight not about the “what” but about the “why.” It does not answer “what did he do?”. It answers, “why did he do it?” A person can do great things for “humanity” or “the good of the world.” A person can pursue a profession that is reputable in the eyes of the world. These are “what’s.” At the same time a person does these things, he could be pursuing it to make a name for himself, enhance his reputation or even pursue his love of money. These are the “why’s.” The why’s are often far more important than the what’s because the why’s reveal truths about us that an entire electorate that votes for us may not ever see.
Guard your heart and your doctrine. Guarding one leads to the guarding of the other.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
It's the gospel, stupid.
In 1992, Carville came up with the now infamous theme of the Clinton campaign, "It's the economy, stupid." The statement kept the campaign on message and eventually led to Clinton's amazing victory over a sitting President who had just been successful in war. As it is in politics, so it is in Scripture. Message is everything. Does the Bible stay "on message?" Does it stick to right theme?
If you are unfamiliar with the general flow and feel of Scripture, the answer is overwhelmingly, yes! But, rather than sticking with a message that will surely be subjected to the ups and downs of a market economy, the Scriptures reveal the timeless gospel. The one sure hope for all humanity. The only message that will one day bring a lasting peace.
As you read the Bible, whether you are reading the gospels or what you consider to be obscure minor prophets, remember the Bible is going somewhere. It is revealing something, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible never leaves room for us to think we outgrow the gospel, that somehow we enter the Kingdom by the gospel and then move on to other things. The gospel is not something we ever "get past." The gospel is something we grow in and through. The most sanctified saint is still growing in his understanding of the gospel. He is still not only trying to master it, but also to let it master him. The gospel is everything. It is not only revealing who God is, but it is also revealing who you are. Because of this revelation, reconciliation is possible. In the gospel, God not only reconciles us to Himself, but He also gives us grounds by which we can be reconciled to each other. The wealthy businessman comes to the feast on the same grounds as the poor beggar. The king comes on the same grounds as the peasant. The gospel creates a different community, a community that is not built upon the criteria the fallen world chooses to build itself upon. This community is not separated by wealth, race, class, or any other barrier that divides the fallen world. This community is centered on weakness, poverty, humility, and other qualities that so many of us unfortunately outgrow. And, yet much to our surprise, there is not a more joyful, hopeful, and enduring community than the one resulting from the gospel.
Look at the construct of the communities set up naturally around the world. Ask yourself what they are based upon. Then, look at the construct of the community described in John's vision in Revelation. What is it that distinquishes these different communities? It's the message of Scripture, the story of history. It's the gospel, stupid!!
If you are unfamiliar with the general flow and feel of Scripture, the answer is overwhelmingly, yes! But, rather than sticking with a message that will surely be subjected to the ups and downs of a market economy, the Scriptures reveal the timeless gospel. The one sure hope for all humanity. The only message that will one day bring a lasting peace.
As you read the Bible, whether you are reading the gospels or what you consider to be obscure minor prophets, remember the Bible is going somewhere. It is revealing something, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible never leaves room for us to think we outgrow the gospel, that somehow we enter the Kingdom by the gospel and then move on to other things. The gospel is not something we ever "get past." The gospel is something we grow in and through. The most sanctified saint is still growing in his understanding of the gospel. He is still not only trying to master it, but also to let it master him. The gospel is everything. It is not only revealing who God is, but it is also revealing who you are. Because of this revelation, reconciliation is possible. In the gospel, God not only reconciles us to Himself, but He also gives us grounds by which we can be reconciled to each other. The wealthy businessman comes to the feast on the same grounds as the poor beggar. The king comes on the same grounds as the peasant. The gospel creates a different community, a community that is not built upon the criteria the fallen world chooses to build itself upon. This community is not separated by wealth, race, class, or any other barrier that divides the fallen world. This community is centered on weakness, poverty, humility, and other qualities that so many of us unfortunately outgrow. And, yet much to our surprise, there is not a more joyful, hopeful, and enduring community than the one resulting from the gospel.
Look at the construct of the communities set up naturally around the world. Ask yourself what they are based upon. Then, look at the construct of the community described in John's vision in Revelation. What is it that distinquishes these different communities? It's the message of Scripture, the story of history. It's the gospel, stupid!!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Ecclesiastes and Hevel
Yesterday, Brad Wheeler fed our congregation well by expositing the first three chapters of Ecclesiastes. Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, the word Hevel recurs again and again. The Hebrew word means that which is meaningless and fleeting. Ecclesiastes is a jewel in the grand narrative of Scripture as it takes a deep, hard look at reality and reveals the utter despair that life brings apart from the God who gives life.
Solomon is the writer of Ecclesiastes, and he has concerned himself with several themes. First, the repeating cycles of life are evident as he addresses the futility of wisdom, pleasure, wealth and mortality again and again. Secondly, he notes that life is constrained by time and that time is the great enemy of us all. Finally, he repeatedly uses the phrase, "under the sun." Solomon was rare in the ancient world as he truly had everything under the son at his fingertips, and, yet, he looks back in despair as its illusion is revealed at the end of his life. Yet, "under the son" is deeper than simple material things. "Under the son" is the way life must be lived as a result of the curse. In the garden, we cast our lot there when we rejected the rightful and good rule of God over our lives. Living "under the sun" is a hard life. It's a struggle. It offers some temporary relief for some but never permanent rest. Ecclesiastes leaves us in a dilemma. How will we find relief from this life "under the son?" Can we regain life as it was once? Is there a way to live life "above the son?" Ecclesiastes graciously leaves us in despair as we look to ourselves. It forces us to look elsewhere. It forces us to look to Christ.
Christ reigned with the Father from the beginning "above the sun." Yet, our redemption and hope hinged on Him being willing to cast His lot with us "under the sun." Even as he humbled Himself and incarnated in real time and space, he would have to overcome the temptations "under the sun" that Adam and Eve were unable to resist in the garden (he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped). Just as Solomon had everything "under the sun," Christ was offered everything "under the sun" in His temptations in the wilderness. In Adam, humanity wrongfully grabbed for everything "under the sun" in the garden and was banished to the wilderness. Yet, the one who rescued His people rejected the offer of everything under the sun in the wilderness so that we might be able to return to the garden.
Life is more than Hevel. It is more than a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing. All around us a kingdom advances and will soon give life forever to all those who have clung to the one who brings people out of the wilderness. He came to give more than purpose. We need much more than that. He came to give Himself. And, only in Himself, we have life.
Solomon is the writer of Ecclesiastes, and he has concerned himself with several themes. First, the repeating cycles of life are evident as he addresses the futility of wisdom, pleasure, wealth and mortality again and again. Secondly, he notes that life is constrained by time and that time is the great enemy of us all. Finally, he repeatedly uses the phrase, "under the sun." Solomon was rare in the ancient world as he truly had everything under the son at his fingertips, and, yet, he looks back in despair as its illusion is revealed at the end of his life. Yet, "under the son" is deeper than simple material things. "Under the son" is the way life must be lived as a result of the curse. In the garden, we cast our lot there when we rejected the rightful and good rule of God over our lives. Living "under the sun" is a hard life. It's a struggle. It offers some temporary relief for some but never permanent rest. Ecclesiastes leaves us in a dilemma. How will we find relief from this life "under the son?" Can we regain life as it was once? Is there a way to live life "above the son?" Ecclesiastes graciously leaves us in despair as we look to ourselves. It forces us to look elsewhere. It forces us to look to Christ.
Christ reigned with the Father from the beginning "above the sun." Yet, our redemption and hope hinged on Him being willing to cast His lot with us "under the sun." Even as he humbled Himself and incarnated in real time and space, he would have to overcome the temptations "under the sun" that Adam and Eve were unable to resist in the garden (he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped). Just as Solomon had everything "under the sun," Christ was offered everything "under the sun" in His temptations in the wilderness. In Adam, humanity wrongfully grabbed for everything "under the sun" in the garden and was banished to the wilderness. Yet, the one who rescued His people rejected the offer of everything under the sun in the wilderness so that we might be able to return to the garden.
Life is more than Hevel. It is more than a tale told by an idiot full of sound and fury signifying nothing. All around us a kingdom advances and will soon give life forever to all those who have clung to the one who brings people out of the wilderness. He came to give more than purpose. We need much more than that. He came to give Himself. And, only in Himself, we have life.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Baptists!
There is literally no-telling what comes to your mind when you see that word. For my brothers, it might be the annual "teen week" when we were youth and their sincere curiosity about how many invitations I would respond to. For my wife, it might be her time traveling the country with the NOBC youth choir growing up. (It never ceases to amaze me when she tells me about the various places they traveled. It seems they were in high demand in some of the most amazing cities in the nation....every year.) If you have any sense of cultural awareness at all, you must be aware of my people...the Baptists. My catholic friend Charley recently attended a Baptist service and was so perplexed by the invitation system that he almost walked forward himself just to get the full experience. Anyway, I digress.
Baptist life in America truly is a cultural phenomenon in many ways. From baseball leagues at megachurches with full-service restaurants to small churches in rural towns, have you ever wondered how Baptists are so diverse theologically and organizationally? I have certainly been fascinated by this issue and recently read an excellent essay on the history of Baptist polity and practice in this country. Surely, our brethren who have gone before us have much to teach us. We have weakened theologically and become lax in our polity. Set aside 20 minutes and read this essay.
Baptist life in America truly is a cultural phenomenon in many ways. From baseball leagues at megachurches with full-service restaurants to small churches in rural towns, have you ever wondered how Baptists are so diverse theologically and organizationally? I have certainly been fascinated by this issue and recently read an excellent essay on the history of Baptist polity and practice in this country. Surely, our brethren who have gone before us have much to teach us. We have weakened theologically and become lax in our polity. Set aside 20 minutes and read this essay.
Bible Ban
In what should become a public relations nightmare, the Chinese government has prohibited athletes from bringing their Bibles to the 2008 Olympic games. The New York Sun has reported this dirty scheme. Let the games begin.
The Future of Justification
The doctrine of justification has come under assault. John Piper has written a excellent historical and biblical defense of this doctrine. It is available for a really cheap price at WTS Books!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Lord's Day Prayer
Gracious and Merciful Father,
I praise you for your day. I praise you for the rest that you give your people in Christ. Thank you that He is our sabbath, our Jubilee. As your people gather all over the world this day, I pray you would send your Word forth in power. Give your people hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth. For you are spirit, and your people must worship you in spirit and in truth. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see. Make me a captive, Lord. Father, would you attend to the preaching of your perfect and infallible Word by your Spirit? I pray your Kingdom might be built up by the preaching of your Word on Capitol Hill this day. Would you teach me of your mercy. I am grateful that your mercies are new every morning. Help me to increasingly understand myself as one who is in need of mercy. Would you give those who still wander hopelessly in the dominion of darkness ears to hear this very day? Father, I pray you would make dead hearts come alive. For the glory of your name, I pray you would hear and act. For Christ's sake and His Kingdom.
I praise you for your day. I praise you for the rest that you give your people in Christ. Thank you that He is our sabbath, our Jubilee. As your people gather all over the world this day, I pray you would send your Word forth in power. Give your people hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth. For you are spirit, and your people must worship you in spirit and in truth. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see. Make me a captive, Lord. Father, would you attend to the preaching of your perfect and infallible Word by your Spirit? I pray your Kingdom might be built up by the preaching of your Word on Capitol Hill this day. Would you teach me of your mercy. I am grateful that your mercies are new every morning. Help me to increasingly understand myself as one who is in need of mercy. Would you give those who still wander hopelessly in the dominion of darkness ears to hear this very day? Father, I pray you would make dead hearts come alive. For the glory of your name, I pray you would hear and act. For Christ's sake and His Kingdom.
Come Ye Sinners
The church has been blessed with a vast amount of rich hymns that articulate the gospel clearly and are good for the soul. Surely, Christians should be marked as those who have a song in their hearts! "Come Ye Sinners" was written in 1759 by Joseph Hart just two years after his conversion. Hart actually opposed Christianity openly before becoming a Christian. In response to John Wesley's sermon on Romans 8:32, Hart wrote, The Unreasonableness of Religion, Being Remarks and Animadversions on the Rev. John Wesley’s Sermon on Romans 8:32. Hart lived a relatively short life dying at the age of 56. Praise God that Hart's eyes were opened and he was given the only fitness that is required for salvation, to feel your need for Him.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
A Mighty Fortress
Martin Luther, former Augustinian monk, did very much to lead the church away from Rome. Luther's understanding of Romans 1:17, "The just shall live by faith," led him to great feats for the kingdom. He believed correctly that Scripture must be taught and heard in order for the saints to be built up in the faith. Luther also believed that singing the faith (i.e. the Word of God) was crucial to the building up of the believer. Interestingly, music played a very significant role in the spread of the reformation. A Mighty Fortress is our God became the battle hymn of the reformation. Luther actually encouraged his friend Philip Melanchthon (author of The Augsburg Confession) to sing this hymn when all seemed lost. The hymn is a summary of Psalm 46.
As you are able sing this hymn with gusto today and thank God for the work He did for His church and His glory through the lives of men like Martin Luther.
As you are able sing this hymn with gusto today and thank God for the work He did for His church and His glory through the lives of men like Martin Luther.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Liberalism and Chuck Colson
Liberalism continues to rear its ugly head. I am not referring to the grand theories that brought free-market economics but the rebellion that has brought purely subjective readings of Scripture. The kind of reading that allows us to dictate meaning to the text instead of the other way around. Instead of the text exposing myths in us, we attempt to dictate the myths that are in it.
Chuck Colson writes a short piece on the latest display of this here.
Chuck Colson writes a short piece on the latest display of this here.
How much gospel to buy?
From D. A. Carson's Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians:
I would like to buy about three dollars worth of gospel, please.Not too much – just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted.I don’t want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust.I certainly don’t want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture.I want ecstasy, not repentance;I want transcendence, not transformation.I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving, broad-minded people, but I myself don’t want to love those from different races – especially if they smell.I would like enough gospel to make my family secure and my children well behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions redirected or my giving too greatly enlarged.I would like about three dollars worth of the gospel, please. (pp. 12-13)
I would like to buy about three dollars worth of gospel, please.Not too much – just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted.I don’t want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust.I certainly don’t want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture.I want ecstasy, not repentance;I want transcendence, not transformation.I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving, broad-minded people, but I myself don’t want to love those from different races – especially if they smell.I would like enough gospel to make my family secure and my children well behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions redirected or my giving too greatly enlarged.I would like about three dollars worth of the gospel, please. (pp. 12-13)
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Identity
Because my son is almost two weeks old, my wife's and my sleeping schedules are very off at the moment. To compensate, we have been (late at night) making our way through the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Phenomenal. It is laughable that I would add my praise to a series of movies that has received so many awards from the big boys. Yet, these movies are simply incredible.
Tolkien's masterpiece is so rich with meaning that I don't understand how all who watch it aren't instantly turned inward to their own hearts. I have found myself wondering about the folks who made the movie: Did they ever consider the serious truth with which they were playing? It was all around them: every sequel, every movie, every scene, every take. I even asked the manager at Blockbuster if he was aware that Christian theology undergirded this movie. To which he replied he was not looking for that.
The movie presents a powerful theme of man's desire for evil as the ring has destroyed middle earth and is threatening to destroy all of mankind. All who come close to the ring want it. It offers everything our sinful heart could ever want: control, power, etc. Yet, just as every person pursues the ring it destroys them. That which every character thinks will satisfy does nothing more than destroy their very soul. The ring dominates every man's quest for identity. It is only through its destruction that middle earth and man will have life. As we await the finish of the last movie tonight, it is absolutely clear that it will be worth Froto's death to destroy the ring. It his death that will bring life.
As it is in middle earth, so it is on earth. We are looking for identity wherever we can find it. Unfortunately, some of us spend our entire lives pursuing the ring, and we don't even know it. We pursue amazing reputations, money, moralism, safe neighborhoods, "nice" neighbors, good jobs, easy relationships in which conversation never steers toward anything that makes us uncomfortable. In short, we have lost our life and our identity, and we are looking in so many wrong places to find it. When we look at all the amazing things Jesus said in the Gospels, our first inclination is to believe that those words were very good for those people back then, for the pagans in other countries, for the people that live on the bad side of town. So it hit me that the folks who made LOTR are no different than we are. We are constantly around infinite truth and apart from God's grace, we will not see it either. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. (John 10:10). Such a statement implies explicitly that we don't have life. We stand in need of it. Imagine the shock that statement must have been to Jesus' hearers then. How could this eccentric rabbi imply that the sons and daughters of Abraham needed life? How could he say that nice, middle-class Americans need life? He could say it because Jesus saw what we will, apart from his sovereign grace, never see: the utter depravity of our hearts. He didn't come because we weren't nice people. He came because we were dead people. To miss the infinite seriousness of the incarnation is to miss the deep reality of sin. Jesus pursues guilty people, dead people. And once he catches us, our identity is changed.
We go from being outside of Christ to being in Christ. To understand this is to be changed. Thus, no mater what we do: whether we are a high-power CEO, a celebrity, a teacher, or a stay-at-home mom, if we are in Christ, our first identity is as a child of the great King. Because Jesus has given us true and living life, we don't have to look for life in other things: our jobs, our money, our reputations, our things. We have our reputation complete in Him!
There is not a doubt in my mind that once this brief life passes, we will not long for people to think of us in any of the small ways we long for them to think of us now. Instead, we will be fully satisfied to be known by one title: Child of God. By the mercy and grace of the great King, this is our new identity.
Tolkien's masterpiece is so rich with meaning that I don't understand how all who watch it aren't instantly turned inward to their own hearts. I have found myself wondering about the folks who made the movie: Did they ever consider the serious truth with which they were playing? It was all around them: every sequel, every movie, every scene, every take. I even asked the manager at Blockbuster if he was aware that Christian theology undergirded this movie. To which he replied he was not looking for that.
The movie presents a powerful theme of man's desire for evil as the ring has destroyed middle earth and is threatening to destroy all of mankind. All who come close to the ring want it. It offers everything our sinful heart could ever want: control, power, etc. Yet, just as every person pursues the ring it destroys them. That which every character thinks will satisfy does nothing more than destroy their very soul. The ring dominates every man's quest for identity. It is only through its destruction that middle earth and man will have life. As we await the finish of the last movie tonight, it is absolutely clear that it will be worth Froto's death to destroy the ring. It his death that will bring life.
As it is in middle earth, so it is on earth. We are looking for identity wherever we can find it. Unfortunately, some of us spend our entire lives pursuing the ring, and we don't even know it. We pursue amazing reputations, money, moralism, safe neighborhoods, "nice" neighbors, good jobs, easy relationships in which conversation never steers toward anything that makes us uncomfortable. In short, we have lost our life and our identity, and we are looking in so many wrong places to find it. When we look at all the amazing things Jesus said in the Gospels, our first inclination is to believe that those words were very good for those people back then, for the pagans in other countries, for the people that live on the bad side of town. So it hit me that the folks who made LOTR are no different than we are. We are constantly around infinite truth and apart from God's grace, we will not see it either. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. (John 10:10). Such a statement implies explicitly that we don't have life. We stand in need of it. Imagine the shock that statement must have been to Jesus' hearers then. How could this eccentric rabbi imply that the sons and daughters of Abraham needed life? How could he say that nice, middle-class Americans need life? He could say it because Jesus saw what we will, apart from his sovereign grace, never see: the utter depravity of our hearts. He didn't come because we weren't nice people. He came because we were dead people. To miss the infinite seriousness of the incarnation is to miss the deep reality of sin. Jesus pursues guilty people, dead people. And once he catches us, our identity is changed.
We go from being outside of Christ to being in Christ. To understand this is to be changed. Thus, no mater what we do: whether we are a high-power CEO, a celebrity, a teacher, or a stay-at-home mom, if we are in Christ, our first identity is as a child of the great King. Because Jesus has given us true and living life, we don't have to look for life in other things: our jobs, our money, our reputations, our things. We have our reputation complete in Him!
There is not a doubt in my mind that once this brief life passes, we will not long for people to think of us in any of the small ways we long for them to think of us now. Instead, we will be fully satisfied to be known by one title: Child of God. By the mercy and grace of the great King, this is our new identity.
Self-Love
Do you love yourself? It is a strange question, but one that we should not avoid asking. I would argue that according to Scripture the Christian loves himself more than the one who is not a Christian. The more sanctified Christian loves himself more than the less-sanctified Christian. The one with whom the Lord is dealing will love himself more at the end of the Lord's dealings than the one with whom the Lord has never dealt at all. Ready to call me a heretic? Let me explain.
To consider the nature of something, it is always necessary to consider its end. Because we are worshippers by nature, we WILL worship something or someone. In this age, most of us will worship ourselves. Worship is the inevitable expression of that which we love. It is overflow. We were created to love all things for the glory of God. Yet because of sin, what we see and breathe as common in this world is to love ourselves for our own sake. Thus, even as we so often exhibit this kind of love, we are repulsed by others who also love in this same way. Why? Because the end of their love does not comport with the end of our own love. It is our carnal passions and desires that drive us, right down to our relationships. We love ourselves so much that we only pursue relationship with people who are like us, who entertain us, who do not annoy us. Thus, because the end of our love is ourselves and NOT the glory of God, we prove that we don't really love ourselves at all. This is only true if we were created to love the Lord our God only and to serve Him only. Because the Christian's eyes have been opened to this truth, by God's continuing grace, we love the Lord our God above all others, including ourselves. Thus, we love ourselves best when we love God most.
Augustine nailed it when he said in his Confessions, "He loves you less who together with you loves something which he does not love for your sake." When I first read this, I was struck by its brilliance. In one sentence, Augustine opened my eyes to the end of love and helped me better understand that the one who is most sanctified loves himself most.
To consider the nature of something, it is always necessary to consider its end. Because we are worshippers by nature, we WILL worship something or someone. In this age, most of us will worship ourselves. Worship is the inevitable expression of that which we love. It is overflow. We were created to love all things for the glory of God. Yet because of sin, what we see and breathe as common in this world is to love ourselves for our own sake. Thus, even as we so often exhibit this kind of love, we are repulsed by others who also love in this same way. Why? Because the end of their love does not comport with the end of our own love. It is our carnal passions and desires that drive us, right down to our relationships. We love ourselves so much that we only pursue relationship with people who are like us, who entertain us, who do not annoy us. Thus, because the end of our love is ourselves and NOT the glory of God, we prove that we don't really love ourselves at all. This is only true if we were created to love the Lord our God only and to serve Him only. Because the Christian's eyes have been opened to this truth, by God's continuing grace, we love the Lord our God above all others, including ourselves. Thus, we love ourselves best when we love God most.
Augustine nailed it when he said in his Confessions, "He loves you less who together with you loves something which he does not love for your sake." When I first read this, I was struck by its brilliance. In one sentence, Augustine opened my eyes to the end of love and helped me better understand that the one who is most sanctified loves himself most.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Heaven
Tonight, my wife and I watched the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. The film traces the life of Chris Gardner, a down on his "luck" dad who goes to extreme lengths to land a job with a prestigious investment firm to give himself and his son the good life. The movie depicts Gardner's struggles, embarassments, and even pain as he works to care for his son and make ends meet. After a strenuous internship, the movie culminates as the senior partner of the firm informs Gardner that he has been hired. Gardner seems to have reached that blissful state that Thomas Jefferson told all of us Americans we have the right to pursue.
How does Scripture present the pursuit of happiness? Could it be that after all his toil, struggle and pain Gardner did not acquire true happiness? Is it the attainment of some position, job title, success in a career the grand end of human happiness?
The narrative of Scripture reveals to us that we were created happy. (And, this at a time when the exchange markets had yet to be developed.) We were created for God in relationship with him. The whole earth is His and has been created for His glory. In fact, The End for Which God Created the World was his own glory, not human happines. Realizing how offensive that is to modern ears, I will clarify by saying man's pursuit of God's glory is human happiness. And while it is not necessarily safe, it is certainly satisfying. This is the picture Scripture gives us of Heaven on Earth. Blaise Pascal rightfully noted that every human being is constantly working to pursue happiness. This drive exists because we retain a portion of the once perfect witness of the image of God in us. Yet, most of the culture is pursuing happiness in shadows while always missing the true light. We love the creation instead of the creator. We love people more than the one whose image people bear. We love money more than the one who holds all things. Augustine said it well when he said He loves you less who together with you loves something which he does not love for your sake. This is as close as the creature can come to heaven on earth. To love all things for Christ's sake is the revolutionary delight that will drive us closer to the joys that were ours in the garden and will be ours in the eternal kingdom.
Such love will transform your work, your marriage, your very life. To achieve his happiness, Gardner admirably took risks. He risked loss for greater gain. For him who is in Christ, the only loss that is demanded is the putting off of the old self. Is this process painful? It can be unbelievably painful. Yet, it is satisfying, unbelievably so. Its end is God Himself.
How does Scripture present the pursuit of happiness? Could it be that after all his toil, struggle and pain Gardner did not acquire true happiness? Is it the attainment of some position, job title, success in a career the grand end of human happiness?
The narrative of Scripture reveals to us that we were created happy. (And, this at a time when the exchange markets had yet to be developed.) We were created for God in relationship with him. The whole earth is His and has been created for His glory. In fact, The End for Which God Created the World was his own glory, not human happines. Realizing how offensive that is to modern ears, I will clarify by saying man's pursuit of God's glory is human happiness. And while it is not necessarily safe, it is certainly satisfying. This is the picture Scripture gives us of Heaven on Earth. Blaise Pascal rightfully noted that every human being is constantly working to pursue happiness. This drive exists because we retain a portion of the once perfect witness of the image of God in us. Yet, most of the culture is pursuing happiness in shadows while always missing the true light. We love the creation instead of the creator. We love people more than the one whose image people bear. We love money more than the one who holds all things. Augustine said it well when he said He loves you less who together with you loves something which he does not love for your sake. This is as close as the creature can come to heaven on earth. To love all things for Christ's sake is the revolutionary delight that will drive us closer to the joys that were ours in the garden and will be ours in the eternal kingdom.
Such love will transform your work, your marriage, your very life. To achieve his happiness, Gardner admirably took risks. He risked loss for greater gain. For him who is in Christ, the only loss that is demanded is the putting off of the old self. Is this process painful? It can be unbelievably painful. Yet, it is satisfying, unbelievably so. Its end is God Himself.
Hell
I recently ordered and began reading J.C Ryle's Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Ryle is not only a gifted theologian but also a gifted pastor as he draws his reader in and points him to Christ through Biblical texts. Last night, I concluded the Lord's day by reading Ryle's commentary on Luke 13. Christ makes sweeping and direct statements in this chapter as he confronts human tragedy head on. As an aside, It is interesting that Christ has become a sappy, weak figure in modern culture. And yet, he is constantly being threatened with his life or even offending those who oppose God in the gospels. Christ speaks directly to those who ask him about the number who will be saved in Luke 13 and does not mince words. The scope of salvation is wide as it will encompass people from every tribe and every toungue, but the number is few. Christ tells us that the door is narrow. Such a response must have been startling then even as it is certainly startling today. Christ speaks honestly and directly about the fact that many will not finally be in the heavenly kingdom. There end will be in Hell.
These are tough words, and it can be extremely difficult for my fallen eyes to view that colleague, that friend, that family member who quietly lives his life and seems to be decently moral as one who is sitting under the just condemnation of a holy God. Yet, Christ never assumed innocence when addressing people. He viewed his audience as guilty (Repent, or you too will perish) until they were made innocent. Apart from such a work, people not only deserve hell but would never want heaven. Apart from Christ, we live life as if it is our own, as if the money, the comfort, the reputation we have has been merited. Yet, all the while we provoke the one holy, eternal, just God. We have exchanged Him for inferior things and he has been pushed to the peripherary. Such quiet dismissal of Him deserves His wrath instantly, and yet, he forbears. He waits. He allows the sun He created to shine on the righteous and the unrighteous. He even allows the rain to fall on the just and wicked. And yet, we become angry that he demands anything of us. We do not appreciate that He won't just leave us alone. Such action screams of rebellion no matter how quietly it is done. Such rebellion merits nothing but wrath.
Reflecting on Jesus' teaching about hell in Luke 13, J.C. Ryle said it very well:
"Earth is the only place in God's creation where there is infedelity. Hell itself is nothing but truth known too late."
These are tough words, and it can be extremely difficult for my fallen eyes to view that colleague, that friend, that family member who quietly lives his life and seems to be decently moral as one who is sitting under the just condemnation of a holy God. Yet, Christ never assumed innocence when addressing people. He viewed his audience as guilty (Repent, or you too will perish) until they were made innocent. Apart from such a work, people not only deserve hell but would never want heaven. Apart from Christ, we live life as if it is our own, as if the money, the comfort, the reputation we have has been merited. Yet, all the while we provoke the one holy, eternal, just God. We have exchanged Him for inferior things and he has been pushed to the peripherary. Such quiet dismissal of Him deserves His wrath instantly, and yet, he forbears. He waits. He allows the sun He created to shine on the righteous and the unrighteous. He even allows the rain to fall on the just and wicked. And yet, we become angry that he demands anything of us. We do not appreciate that He won't just leave us alone. Such action screams of rebellion no matter how quietly it is done. Such rebellion merits nothing but wrath.
Reflecting on Jesus' teaching about hell in Luke 13, J.C. Ryle said it very well:
"Earth is the only place in God's creation where there is infedelity. Hell itself is nothing but truth known too late."
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
More on the Bridge -- Political Thoughts
Thomas Sewell hits the ball out of the park with this article on the bridge collapse.
Government should fundamentally be about boring things, maintaining order, peace, civility, etc. Yet, government has become about much more. Government is the means to the end of all problem solving. Got poverty? Let government eradicate it. Got problems on the farm? Let government subsidize it. Got sorrow? Let government promise to build a society that will change everything for you. Yet, government does not exist in a vacuum. It is made up of fallen human beings who long for the same glory that those outside of government long for. Folks that make it big in government just often have bigger toys with which to play. Instead of maintaining bridges (which is boring), folks in government promise new ones. Instead of restraining true evil that can tear down the fabric of society (which is divisive), folks in government avoid calling much of anything evil. This is one reason why 9/11 was such a tremendous event in the post-modern world. Something was categorically called evil by so many. But, I digress.
While considered crazy by most, I favor the privatization of bridges and roads. It all boils down to incentives. What incentive would a private investment group have had to build well and maintain the Minneapolis Bridge? The same goes for roads. The return on investment comes through measures such as tolls. Such a measure ensures efficiency as it is pure pay for play and eliminates freeriding. Compulsive taxation is then lowered and more money is available to invest into the economy and new businesses.
Government should fundamentally be about boring things, maintaining order, peace, civility, etc. Yet, government has become about much more. Government is the means to the end of all problem solving. Got poverty? Let government eradicate it. Got problems on the farm? Let government subsidize it. Got sorrow? Let government promise to build a society that will change everything for you. Yet, government does not exist in a vacuum. It is made up of fallen human beings who long for the same glory that those outside of government long for. Folks that make it big in government just often have bigger toys with which to play. Instead of maintaining bridges (which is boring), folks in government promise new ones. Instead of restraining true evil that can tear down the fabric of society (which is divisive), folks in government avoid calling much of anything evil. This is one reason why 9/11 was such a tremendous event in the post-modern world. Something was categorically called evil by so many. But, I digress.
While considered crazy by most, I favor the privatization of bridges and roads. It all boils down to incentives. What incentive would a private investment group have had to build well and maintain the Minneapolis Bridge? The same goes for roads. The return on investment comes through measures such as tolls. Such a measure ensures efficiency as it is pure pay for play and eliminates freeriding. Compulsive taxation is then lowered and more money is available to invest into the economy and new businesses.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Westminster Books
Westminster Bookstore is offering a Best of Biblical Theology sale until August 14. I highly recommend anything by Graeme Goldsworthy. To begin to understand the whole unity and grand storyline of the Bible, Vaughn Roberts, God's Big Picture is well worth your time.
If you are a Christian, it would be good for you to consider how much reading you are doing. You live in a culture that is certainly not reader-friendly. Over the last several years, I came under real conviction as I considered how little I was reading. To love the Lord my God with all my mind means mental effort and work. I had a hard time justifying the hours I would spend each day/night mindlessly watching unimportant "news" on various channels. Although we exist in a specific culture, we do not have to be trapped by culture. While culture offers a zillion channels to choose from and constant entertainment, Christians must be first and foremost skeptical of the culture in which they exist. Be skeptical about the television and what it offers. Realize that for the VERY major part of redemptive history, the television did not exist. How can one affect the culture when he is trapped by it? Read. And don't just read the contemporary writers of today. Read the great writers that have gone before, people who held to the same gospel but were not influenced by our present culture and traditions. Allow them to speak into the assumptions (both explicit and implicit) that are dominating your life. All of life for the believer should increasingly find itself moving to greater worship. So, set aside time at night, in the morning and whenever else to read.
If you are a Christian, it would be good for you to consider how much reading you are doing. You live in a culture that is certainly not reader-friendly. Over the last several years, I came under real conviction as I considered how little I was reading. To love the Lord my God with all my mind means mental effort and work. I had a hard time justifying the hours I would spend each day/night mindlessly watching unimportant "news" on various channels. Although we exist in a specific culture, we do not have to be trapped by culture. While culture offers a zillion channels to choose from and constant entertainment, Christians must be first and foremost skeptical of the culture in which they exist. Be skeptical about the television and what it offers. Realize that for the VERY major part of redemptive history, the television did not exist. How can one affect the culture when he is trapped by it? Read. And don't just read the contemporary writers of today. Read the great writers that have gone before, people who held to the same gospel but were not influenced by our present culture and traditions. Allow them to speak into the assumptions (both explicit and implicit) that are dominating your life. All of life for the believer should increasingly find itself moving to greater worship. So, set aside time at night, in the morning and whenever else to read.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
If only I had...
This article is absolutely striking.
The modern culture allures people to get more and more. Even as more and more is acheived and earned, the costs are astronomical to the soul. As in larger society, so it is in individual lives, there is no center. Life is one meaningless grab after another. Technology has rendered time and space meaningless and has caused us to believe there are no boundaries. Capitalism's myth of progress has infiltrated every sphere of life such that "there is never enough."
Christ incarnated in a culture wholly different yet in ways very much the same as our own. He looked at a crowd and boldy said to them, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) Christ not only offers physical rest which the folks featured in this New York Times article desperately need, but he offers a rest that is much deeper. He offers rest for the soul. Are you tired of chasing money, your neighbor's opinion, the title of relevance, the arbitrary standard of success your culture has put in place? Look to Christ. He offers the riches of heaven. He offers the way to the Father's approval. He has become relevant for you. He has met the only true standard of success we need through his perfect active obedience and atoning death. All riches were his but he became nothing that we might become rich. The folks in silicon valley are not the only ones who need this rest. The reputation-chasing, power-hungry folks on Capitol Hill need it. The comfort-obsessed, self-loving West needs it. The whole of humanity needs this rest. We were created for it. And, apart from God's grace, we will run as hard as we can our entire lives looking for it in some other place.
Although it seems foolish and impossible, look to Christ and find the rest that you have run and even sacrificed very much to find. Take him at His Word. The only fitness he requireth is to feel your need of Him.
The modern culture allures people to get more and more. Even as more and more is acheived and earned, the costs are astronomical to the soul. As in larger society, so it is in individual lives, there is no center. Life is one meaningless grab after another. Technology has rendered time and space meaningless and has caused us to believe there are no boundaries. Capitalism's myth of progress has infiltrated every sphere of life such that "there is never enough."
Christ incarnated in a culture wholly different yet in ways very much the same as our own. He looked at a crowd and boldy said to them, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) Christ not only offers physical rest which the folks featured in this New York Times article desperately need, but he offers a rest that is much deeper. He offers rest for the soul. Are you tired of chasing money, your neighbor's opinion, the title of relevance, the arbitrary standard of success your culture has put in place? Look to Christ. He offers the riches of heaven. He offers the way to the Father's approval. He has become relevant for you. He has met the only true standard of success we need through his perfect active obedience and atoning death. All riches were his but he became nothing that we might become rich. The folks in silicon valley are not the only ones who need this rest. The reputation-chasing, power-hungry folks on Capitol Hill need it. The comfort-obsessed, self-loving West needs it. The whole of humanity needs this rest. We were created for it. And, apart from God's grace, we will run as hard as we can our entire lives looking for it in some other place.
Although it seems foolish and impossible, look to Christ and find the rest that you have run and even sacrificed very much to find. Take him at His Word. The only fitness he requireth is to feel your need of Him.
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