Church is Youth Group grown up. We like to have our cliques, we like to have our entertainment, and we like to have our illusion of surprise.
How would the youth feel about having John the Baptizer as their youth leader in all his wilderness intensity, his weird smell, and dirty look, and honey in his beard? (And we recoil: How could this man possibly teach rowdy teenagers?)
We like to have the right amount of humour, the right inflection, the hand gestures, the relevant, the casual and the cool, reflected in any preacher. We actually feel entitled to this or they are not worth our time. Give someone two minutes and if they fail our first impression our brains automatically check out for the rest of it. If we can't opt for Jesus or John leading our youth groups, I think that says more about ourselves and our church than about our youth groups.
Perhaps, people would be more surprised listening to someone who doesn't look like themselves and sound like themselves and actually hear what they have to say. What if they had a super strong personality, or what if it was weak? What would it matter? I sometimes wonder that if people actually took the time to hear someone out without all the trappings of power point and pzazz, could they still decipher the word of God, and would they be able to recognize it even if it bit them in the ass?
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Quote of the Day
"The reason why we are so neurotic is that we worship work, we work at play and we play at worship." Kenneth Korby
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Ascension quote
"Whoever truly believes in Christ has eternal life. Even though he still feels sin, death, and sorrow, he nonetheless possesses righteousness, life, comfort, and joy in heaven through Christ." Martin Luther.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ascension!
So, I had a schedule change at work, and I pretty much have to work Sundays for a month and a half. Inevitably, I missed out on one of my favourite themes in the Church calendar, Ascension Day. It's celebrated (in the Lutheran Church) 40 days after Easter, a week before Pentecost. It's one of my favourites for several reasons:
1. It shows that Christ has been honoured above all names, that God has accepted his victory over death.
2. Jesus glorifies our humanity at the right hand of the Father.
3. Jesus fills all things.
4. It makes us think about what Jesus has accomplished on earth, in his flesh on the cross, how he wishes to be known. (Whereas, we often think and question God, why couldn't Jesus stay here a little longer.)
5. Jesus intercedes for us as our high priest.
6. Predestination.
So that's a few of the things I hope to cover, as I am pressed for time, and am writing of the cuff. I've already been putting this off for a week or so.
It's always good start out with scriptures:
Ephesians 1:3-23; 2:1-9; 4:7-16; Romans 8:29,30,34; I Peter 3:21,22; Hebrews 8:1-7; Colossians 3:1-3; Daniel 7:13,14;
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain." But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
There is so much you can talk about ascension: Jesus, Christology, Soteriology, Eschatology, Predestination, Justification, Pentecost, the cosmos, the right hand of God, Baptism- it doesn't end. And so that is my first impression. We often think of doctrines in isolation like beads on a string, but really it's more like a cake with different layers baked into each other, and if you have just a piece you have the whole. So while we might talk of "doctrines" in the plural there is only "one" doctrine, "Christ" and that is why doctrine is important!
But how does the ascension bring this all out? I do not mean to exhaust everything, because I do not think that is possible. But it starts with Christology. All doctrine starts with Christ.
We usually tend to think of Christ in two ways, his humanity and his divinity. In Reformed christology the "sovereignty" of God is the material principal, the axel of theology through which everything revolves. God is sovereign and that belongs to his divinity alone. The essence of God is sovereignty. In other words, to be sovereign is not to be man. And so you have a hard line, even within Jesus himself, that separates and compartmentalizes sovereignty. This christology somewhat abstracts Jesus into "attributes" which belong to his nature and not necessarily his "person". This teaching lends itself to the Nestorian heresy that views humanity and divinity in Christ like two separate boards glued together as if he were two different persons. To give you a taste of the flavour, some Calvinists will insist that when Christ appeared in the house after his resurrection, he didn't walk through walls as we would be led to think, but he must have sneaked in by picking the locks.
Orthodox christology views Christ receiving all power and dominion according to his humanity, since his divinity already had it. And that is how we view Daniel 7. Jesus ascended before the Ancient of Days and was given all glory and dominion, and now rules all things in his flesh - because of who he is (the Son of God) and what he has done (suffered and died), according to the will of the Father, and has then been seated at the right hand of Majesty.
Secondly, the ascension of Jesus with his humanity, shows that Christ has already accomplished our salvation for us. He has obeyed God's law, humbled himself even under Roman law, embodies all of humanity, takes our humanity into death for us, raises our humanity for us, and brings our humanity to the throne of God, and glorifies our humanity for us - and that is God's plan and purpose for us now in Christ.
So Jesus isn't a little savior who throws out a life jacket to keep us from drowning in 2 feet of water. Our humanity is in complete and utter peril and Jesus does all the major actions for us to save us. He gives us his own judgment received by the Father, and gives us his own glorification at the right hand of the father. Jesus leads the way, and as his disciples, we follow this destiny, his destiny, instead of the fate we otherwise would receive.
Oddly enough, I like to think of Jesus in a similar way as John the Baptizer. John not only prepared the way for Israel, but he also prepared the way for Jesus. John preceded Jesus in his ministry, teaching, and in his death. Now Jesus would follow suit in a new way. But Jesus still prepares the way for us. He is the way. He has done everything for us: He died and rose and lives in power. This is what it means to be predestined! It is not so much looking back into eternity, but us looking forward in Christ into eternity.
What does that mean? There is a now-and-not-yet dimension in our lives. Even as we have this militant struggle against sin in our lives here on earth, we are already seated and glorified in Christ in his flesh. We are forensically declared to be righteous, because we are now not yet righteous in ourselves - we are not only declared to be "right" with God, but we are declared to be "innocent" as if we have never done wrong. Though in heaven we will definitely be righteous in experience, our righteousness will still always come from Christ.
Or think of predestination like a cat. If a cat's head cannot get in, the body will not follow. But if the head squeezes through, the body will follow. Christ is the head of the Church, and the body is already glorified in him and is sure to follow. Consider it already done because you are in Christ and he has already done it all. This is not to say, predestination doesn't come from God's foreknowledge either. However, it gives us hope and assurance, not that God is abstractly sovereign from all eternity past, but that he is actively sovereign in the Son who is at his right hand.
So, why did our Head leave us here in this way? I can only assume Christ has already suffered enough in his flesh. It is not his will to go through his experience on earth all over again with us murderous sinners. Rather he is glorified in heaven, and we know this by faith. God hides his glory to reveal his power in a way that completely mystifies us. He wishes to be remembered and known as our Savior through his opposite sign. Not his strength, but in his true glory, absolute weakness: God becoming man and rescuing us in humble suffering servitude and dying. And he did not leave us here alone, but gives us the Spirit who is our strength in our weakness. Further, because the head suffers, the body will also suffer. And that is why the book of Revelation is written the way it is, and why Paul speaks of Christ (who walked this earth a few years in ministry in Palestine) as this super heroic cosmic Jesus. The Christian life looks like tragic defeat. So the Revelation is for those who cling to this sorry Gospel in adversity, revealing that our weakness is really glory, might, power and the like, and this foolishness of the Gospel must be trusted and believed, placed above all things, and gives us hope in this now-not-yet dimension.
But while we are here, we know Christ's sacrifice has made us atonement, ascending like smoke into heaven, interceding for us at the right hand of God, uniting heaven and earth, and filling all things, awaiting his enemies to be made a footstool; meanwhile, we suffer those enemies, not flesh and blood, but the devil, and even in the midst of that, we are already seated in Christ, at rest, at peace, awaiting his return and the completion of our salvation which we have already attained in Christ, having been baptized into his destiny of death and resurrection, and named with the name of his baptism, as the Beloved, declared innocent and glorified.
1. It shows that Christ has been honoured above all names, that God has accepted his victory over death.
2. Jesus glorifies our humanity at the right hand of the Father.
3. Jesus fills all things.
4. It makes us think about what Jesus has accomplished on earth, in his flesh on the cross, how he wishes to be known. (Whereas, we often think and question God, why couldn't Jesus stay here a little longer.)
5. Jesus intercedes for us as our high priest.
6. Predestination.
So that's a few of the things I hope to cover, as I am pressed for time, and am writing of the cuff. I've already been putting this off for a week or so.
It's always good start out with scriptures:
Ephesians 1:3-23; 2:1-9; 4:7-16; Romans 8:29,30,34; I Peter 3:21,22; Hebrews 8:1-7; Colossians 3:1-3; Daniel 7:13,14;
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain." But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
There is so much you can talk about ascension: Jesus, Christology, Soteriology, Eschatology, Predestination, Justification, Pentecost, the cosmos, the right hand of God, Baptism- it doesn't end. And so that is my first impression. We often think of doctrines in isolation like beads on a string, but really it's more like a cake with different layers baked into each other, and if you have just a piece you have the whole. So while we might talk of "doctrines" in the plural there is only "one" doctrine, "Christ" and that is why doctrine is important!
But how does the ascension bring this all out? I do not mean to exhaust everything, because I do not think that is possible. But it starts with Christology. All doctrine starts with Christ.
We usually tend to think of Christ in two ways, his humanity and his divinity. In Reformed christology the "sovereignty" of God is the material principal, the axel of theology through which everything revolves. God is sovereign and that belongs to his divinity alone. The essence of God is sovereignty. In other words, to be sovereign is not to be man. And so you have a hard line, even within Jesus himself, that separates and compartmentalizes sovereignty. This christology somewhat abstracts Jesus into "attributes" which belong to his nature and not necessarily his "person". This teaching lends itself to the Nestorian heresy that views humanity and divinity in Christ like two separate boards glued together as if he were two different persons. To give you a taste of the flavour, some Calvinists will insist that when Christ appeared in the house after his resurrection, he didn't walk through walls as we would be led to think, but he must have sneaked in by picking the locks.
Orthodox christology views Christ receiving all power and dominion according to his humanity, since his divinity already had it. And that is how we view Daniel 7. Jesus ascended before the Ancient of Days and was given all glory and dominion, and now rules all things in his flesh - because of who he is (the Son of God) and what he has done (suffered and died), according to the will of the Father, and has then been seated at the right hand of Majesty.
Secondly, the ascension of Jesus with his humanity, shows that Christ has already accomplished our salvation for us. He has obeyed God's law, humbled himself even under Roman law, embodies all of humanity, takes our humanity into death for us, raises our humanity for us, and brings our humanity to the throne of God, and glorifies our humanity for us - and that is God's plan and purpose for us now in Christ.
So Jesus isn't a little savior who throws out a life jacket to keep us from drowning in 2 feet of water. Our humanity is in complete and utter peril and Jesus does all the major actions for us to save us. He gives us his own judgment received by the Father, and gives us his own glorification at the right hand of the father. Jesus leads the way, and as his disciples, we follow this destiny, his destiny, instead of the fate we otherwise would receive.
Oddly enough, I like to think of Jesus in a similar way as John the Baptizer. John not only prepared the way for Israel, but he also prepared the way for Jesus. John preceded Jesus in his ministry, teaching, and in his death. Now Jesus would follow suit in a new way. But Jesus still prepares the way for us. He is the way. He has done everything for us: He died and rose and lives in power. This is what it means to be predestined! It is not so much looking back into eternity, but us looking forward in Christ into eternity.
What does that mean? There is a now-and-not-yet dimension in our lives. Even as we have this militant struggle against sin in our lives here on earth, we are already seated and glorified in Christ in his flesh. We are forensically declared to be righteous, because we are now not yet righteous in ourselves - we are not only declared to be "right" with God, but we are declared to be "innocent" as if we have never done wrong. Though in heaven we will definitely be righteous in experience, our righteousness will still always come from Christ.
Or think of predestination like a cat. If a cat's head cannot get in, the body will not follow. But if the head squeezes through, the body will follow. Christ is the head of the Church, and the body is already glorified in him and is sure to follow. Consider it already done because you are in Christ and he has already done it all. This is not to say, predestination doesn't come from God's foreknowledge either. However, it gives us hope and assurance, not that God is abstractly sovereign from all eternity past, but that he is actively sovereign in the Son who is at his right hand.
So, why did our Head leave us here in this way? I can only assume Christ has already suffered enough in his flesh. It is not his will to go through his experience on earth all over again with us murderous sinners. Rather he is glorified in heaven, and we know this by faith. God hides his glory to reveal his power in a way that completely mystifies us. He wishes to be remembered and known as our Savior through his opposite sign. Not his strength, but in his true glory, absolute weakness: God becoming man and rescuing us in humble suffering servitude and dying. And he did not leave us here alone, but gives us the Spirit who is our strength in our weakness. Further, because the head suffers, the body will also suffer. And that is why the book of Revelation is written the way it is, and why Paul speaks of Christ (who walked this earth a few years in ministry in Palestine) as this super heroic cosmic Jesus. The Christian life looks like tragic defeat. So the Revelation is for those who cling to this sorry Gospel in adversity, revealing that our weakness is really glory, might, power and the like, and this foolishness of the Gospel must be trusted and believed, placed above all things, and gives us hope in this now-not-yet dimension.
But while we are here, we know Christ's sacrifice has made us atonement, ascending like smoke into heaven, interceding for us at the right hand of God, uniting heaven and earth, and filling all things, awaiting his enemies to be made a footstool; meanwhile, we suffer those enemies, not flesh and blood, but the devil, and even in the midst of that, we are already seated in Christ, at rest, at peace, awaiting his return and the completion of our salvation which we have already attained in Christ, having been baptized into his destiny of death and resurrection, and named with the name of his baptism, as the Beloved, declared innocent and glorified.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Decision Theology and How I Never Asked Jesus Into My Heart.
This is one of those issues I used to think about, went back and forth on, and then got bored of, and honestly haven't thought about a whole lot since. But I really do love God and his only begotten Son, and I know he is Lord and he lives in me; and this has always been a "given." Yes, I can't even remember a moment in time when I made this incredible decision for God; neither can I remember a time when I haven't loved God. My parents had me baptized into the Triune Name when I was less than a month old, and I still live in that baptism to this day. It has daily significance in my faith toward God, repenting, dying and rising all throughout the rest of my life. And I'm thankful for this gift, just as I am thankful for the Christian discipline they gave me.
I know a lot of Christians will think I was robbed of my "choice" to be baptized and follow God, and yet, I do not feel violated against my will, or that my baptism isn't efficacious or invalid. I know people will think that my faith isn't genuine because it was given to me as a gift, and I didn't have a chance to really please God and make it my own, as if I needed to add more credentials. But still, I do feel as if it is my own, even if I don't remember any change in my life. But as a side note, I don't see Baptists playing the coercion card when their fellow members bring their kids to church to hear the word. If their little ones don't want to go to church are they going to stop disciplining them in the Lord? Or aren't they unwittingly forcing their faith on their kids because they aren't old enough to make a choice? Are they going to stop bringing kids to church and let them starve? I hope not, even if it does make for a boring testimony.
I know a lot of Calvinists and Lutherans scoff at decision theology because of doctrines like predestination and total depravity. That isn't my battle. My beef with American Evangelicalism and decision theology isn't that they make a decision. It's that they don't know how to be given to. They don't see salvation as something to be passively received in faith; but rather they see faith as an active force which in itself pleases God - not because of what they receive in faith, namely Christ and all his benefits, but because of what they do by their own will. Its as if we are saved just by one work. You can't just accept Jesus as your Lord, but you have to really make Jesus your Lord, just hoist him up and then pat yourself on the back.
However, the Gospel isn't: "Make Jesus your Lord." But rather "Jesus is Lord." If we were to equate decision theology in a different context, it would be as if the black slaves had said, "I made the state set me free" after they were emancipated. But they were already declared to be free. Their freedom was something they received and it was this news that brought the freedom. Likewise, the Gospel is an accomplished fact. God has reconciled the world to himself. Even while we were still sinners and enemies Christ died for us. This is good news. In decision theology the Gospel is merely propositional, in Lutheran theology it is proclamation. And if it is proclamation it just needs to be received in faith. Faith is passive. It doesn't mean it is not our own, or that our will was overridden, but rather it means that we didn't have to do anything for it. Faith is a gift even as the word is a gift. After all, how can you have trust without the promise? But like all good gifts even faith can be rejected. The reason scripture says to have faith, is because everything has been done by the Son. Faith pleases God and justifies us not because it is something we do (although that is part of us) but because in faith itself, Christ is present with all his gifts, and he comes to us through our hearing.
As an aside, if I hear some gut wrenching story that were true, about a man wrongfully accused of murder, and then is exonerated by the court because he was framed, I would have these strong feelings and convictions of justice. I would hardly call it fickle emotions or even a decision or choice. There seems to be something deeper than both options. And yet it is still something in me that is a type of synergy. In the same way "Jesus is Lord" has the same weight to it. My faith is a strong conviction that is stirred by the Holy Spirit in a way that doesn't coerce me. But it was still brought about by God's work and proclamation, as his words are spirit and life.
When it comes to convictions of God, I don't see faith as something ruled out from children or even infants. Because I think faith is a trust and dependency on Christ. Christ said, let the children come to me. To these belong the kingdom. I think that is also how I came to Jesus. My parents brought me to Jesus and God worked in me. And I can say with scripture: "You made me trust you at my mother's breasts, on you I was cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God." Psalm 22.
God makes us trust him. This is also a gift.
I think that is why Christ said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" because children know how to be given to. That's all they have is total dependency. I think they have even greater faith than adults. In Lutheran churches we like to joke, "all baptisms here are infant baptisms, and if someone is an adult we teach them back into infancy before they are baptized"
And baptism itself is a gift because it is a promise of the Spirit that gives us a good conscience in Christ's death and resurrection, offers us the forgiveness of sins and we are sealed with God's name. But I can see where this goes against the grain of American Evangelicalism. If baptism is another law God requires of our obedience, and doesn't do anything, not a gift of the Gospel, and certainly not something that benefits you the rest of your life, I can see why it is postponed in many churches.
But at any rate, I don't feel imposed into my heavenly family any more than I felt imposed to live with my earthly family. Even if it seems like I was born into baptism, isn't it almost the same way with all churches where children are born into discipleship? Unless parents these days have stopped teaching their children... and isn't that how we make disciples, baptizing and teaching? Don't children receive these as gifts, or just one and not the other?
But I do feel blessed to have received such a gift of baptism, that I was considered a full member of the community, baptized and washed into the same church as everyone else. I was taught that Jesus is my Lord. And I believed it. I wasn't presented with a propositional Gospel where I needed to ask Jesus into my heart or else I was going to hell. And I never struggled about saying the right prayer or if I really meant it. Rather, the gospel was proclaimed as an accomplished fact for me, and that God really meant it, and I never doubted it. As a disciple I do not follow Jesus merely through the law, but into his death and resurrection.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" It seems to me that grace creates faith, faith doesn't make grace. Perhaps, the way not to frame it is by faith through grace.
I know a lot of Christians will think I was robbed of my "choice" to be baptized and follow God, and yet, I do not feel violated against my will, or that my baptism isn't efficacious or invalid. I know people will think that my faith isn't genuine because it was given to me as a gift, and I didn't have a chance to really please God and make it my own, as if I needed to add more credentials. But still, I do feel as if it is my own, even if I don't remember any change in my life. But as a side note, I don't see Baptists playing the coercion card when their fellow members bring their kids to church to hear the word. If their little ones don't want to go to church are they going to stop disciplining them in the Lord? Or aren't they unwittingly forcing their faith on their kids because they aren't old enough to make a choice? Are they going to stop bringing kids to church and let them starve? I hope not, even if it does make for a boring testimony.
I know a lot of Calvinists and Lutherans scoff at decision theology because of doctrines like predestination and total depravity. That isn't my battle. My beef with American Evangelicalism and decision theology isn't that they make a decision. It's that they don't know how to be given to. They don't see salvation as something to be passively received in faith; but rather they see faith as an active force which in itself pleases God - not because of what they receive in faith, namely Christ and all his benefits, but because of what they do by their own will. Its as if we are saved just by one work. You can't just accept Jesus as your Lord, but you have to really make Jesus your Lord, just hoist him up and then pat yourself on the back.
However, the Gospel isn't: "Make Jesus your Lord." But rather "Jesus is Lord." If we were to equate decision theology in a different context, it would be as if the black slaves had said, "I made the state set me free" after they were emancipated. But they were already declared to be free. Their freedom was something they received and it was this news that brought the freedom. Likewise, the Gospel is an accomplished fact. God has reconciled the world to himself. Even while we were still sinners and enemies Christ died for us. This is good news. In decision theology the Gospel is merely propositional, in Lutheran theology it is proclamation. And if it is proclamation it just needs to be received in faith. Faith is passive. It doesn't mean it is not our own, or that our will was overridden, but rather it means that we didn't have to do anything for it. Faith is a gift even as the word is a gift. After all, how can you have trust without the promise? But like all good gifts even faith can be rejected. The reason scripture says to have faith, is because everything has been done by the Son. Faith pleases God and justifies us not because it is something we do (although that is part of us) but because in faith itself, Christ is present with all his gifts, and he comes to us through our hearing.
As an aside, if I hear some gut wrenching story that were true, about a man wrongfully accused of murder, and then is exonerated by the court because he was framed, I would have these strong feelings and convictions of justice. I would hardly call it fickle emotions or even a decision or choice. There seems to be something deeper than both options. And yet it is still something in me that is a type of synergy. In the same way "Jesus is Lord" has the same weight to it. My faith is a strong conviction that is stirred by the Holy Spirit in a way that doesn't coerce me. But it was still brought about by God's work and proclamation, as his words are spirit and life.
When it comes to convictions of God, I don't see faith as something ruled out from children or even infants. Because I think faith is a trust and dependency on Christ. Christ said, let the children come to me. To these belong the kingdom. I think that is also how I came to Jesus. My parents brought me to Jesus and God worked in me. And I can say with scripture: "You made me trust you at my mother's breasts, on you I was cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God." Psalm 22.
God makes us trust him. This is also a gift.
I think that is why Christ said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" because children know how to be given to. That's all they have is total dependency. I think they have even greater faith than adults. In Lutheran churches we like to joke, "all baptisms here are infant baptisms, and if someone is an adult we teach them back into infancy before they are baptized"
And baptism itself is a gift because it is a promise of the Spirit that gives us a good conscience in Christ's death and resurrection, offers us the forgiveness of sins and we are sealed with God's name. But I can see where this goes against the grain of American Evangelicalism. If baptism is another law God requires of our obedience, and doesn't do anything, not a gift of the Gospel, and certainly not something that benefits you the rest of your life, I can see why it is postponed in many churches.
But at any rate, I don't feel imposed into my heavenly family any more than I felt imposed to live with my earthly family. Even if it seems like I was born into baptism, isn't it almost the same way with all churches where children are born into discipleship? Unless parents these days have stopped teaching their children... and isn't that how we make disciples, baptizing and teaching? Don't children receive these as gifts, or just one and not the other?
But I do feel blessed to have received such a gift of baptism, that I was considered a full member of the community, baptized and washed into the same church as everyone else. I was taught that Jesus is my Lord. And I believed it. I wasn't presented with a propositional Gospel where I needed to ask Jesus into my heart or else I was going to hell. And I never struggled about saying the right prayer or if I really meant it. Rather, the gospel was proclaimed as an accomplished fact for me, and that God really meant it, and I never doubted it. As a disciple I do not follow Jesus merely through the law, but into his death and resurrection.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" It seems to me that grace creates faith, faith doesn't make grace. Perhaps, the way not to frame it is by faith through grace.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Two Kingdoms.
Recently, I heard a liberal theologian (Dr. Robert Price) say that the Christian religion is built on fables, mystery religions, and ultimately born out of syncretism. According to him, a Christ that is born of a virgin, dies and rises, ascends to the right hand of the Father, and saves the cosmos is the most natural thing in the world. He also adds to his argument that novels had been written in the 600BC, and the NT was the pinnacle of these writings.
Specifics aside, (when people say things like this they stretch the evidence way too far), in my experience, syncretism is born out of a compromise for a peace and unity where there is no peace and unity. But Jesus is totally the opposite! In the Gospel, Jesus doesn't come to bring peace, but a sword, to divide people. That doesn't sound like syncretism at all. Furthermore, if it was a syncretistic movement, why a new religion that refuses to worship in the pantheon, undermines Cesar's ultimate authority, suffers intense persecution, and yet gives to Cesar what is Cesar's. It doesn't make any sense. As a Lutheran, this doctrine of the two Kingdoms blows me away. You have this almost-pacifism that doesn't give a crap who Cesar is, and yet suffers at his hands gladly. Christianity never tries to overthrow the state, whether by force or patience. That is the Lord's job at his reappearing. Although, I do find it ironic that Christianity did win the day centuries later. I highly doubt that the early Christians would have foreseen this in any way.
Sure, there are other religions out there who passively suffer for their faith, but I highly suspect any truth to a story about a gaggle of Jews willing to die for a fable to make some greater point in government. Both of these groups, Jews and Gentiles, wanted to make power grabs. Jesus says his kingdom is not of this world. I think people actually believed that and this is the reason for all the martyrdom that has gone on.
But what is also really funny, is that Dr. Price claims much of the New Testament is forgery, and filled with all sorts of interpolations. But this first-last and last-first mindset is permeated in all of the Gospels and Epistles through and through. If you take out all of the so called "interpolations" you have nothing in the Bible left, nothing significant at all, and no reason why anyone would want to be a Christian. It's amazing how much the New Testament itself works as evidence to outsiders. It stands alone as a great independent source, and you don't even have to presuppose divine inspiration/ inerrancy. How great is the strength we have in our weakness!
BTW, I would be curious to investigate what other mystery religions confessed of government. That said, Liberal theology makes absolutely no sense to me.
Specifics aside, (when people say things like this they stretch the evidence way too far), in my experience, syncretism is born out of a compromise for a peace and unity where there is no peace and unity. But Jesus is totally the opposite! In the Gospel, Jesus doesn't come to bring peace, but a sword, to divide people. That doesn't sound like syncretism at all. Furthermore, if it was a syncretistic movement, why a new religion that refuses to worship in the pantheon, undermines Cesar's ultimate authority, suffers intense persecution, and yet gives to Cesar what is Cesar's. It doesn't make any sense. As a Lutheran, this doctrine of the two Kingdoms blows me away. You have this almost-pacifism that doesn't give a crap who Cesar is, and yet suffers at his hands gladly. Christianity never tries to overthrow the state, whether by force or patience. That is the Lord's job at his reappearing. Although, I do find it ironic that Christianity did win the day centuries later. I highly doubt that the early Christians would have foreseen this in any way.
Sure, there are other religions out there who passively suffer for their faith, but I highly suspect any truth to a story about a gaggle of Jews willing to die for a fable to make some greater point in government. Both of these groups, Jews and Gentiles, wanted to make power grabs. Jesus says his kingdom is not of this world. I think people actually believed that and this is the reason for all the martyrdom that has gone on.
But what is also really funny, is that Dr. Price claims much of the New Testament is forgery, and filled with all sorts of interpolations. But this first-last and last-first mindset is permeated in all of the Gospels and Epistles through and through. If you take out all of the so called "interpolations" you have nothing in the Bible left, nothing significant at all, and no reason why anyone would want to be a Christian. It's amazing how much the New Testament itself works as evidence to outsiders. It stands alone as a great independent source, and you don't even have to presuppose divine inspiration/ inerrancy. How great is the strength we have in our weakness!
BTW, I would be curious to investigate what other mystery religions confessed of government. That said, Liberal theology makes absolutely no sense to me.
Monday, April 25, 2011
He is Risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia.
I managed to get a little break from homework this weekend. I went to a mega church, it was actually quite decent. There was strong preaching of Jesus. I was a little bit skeptical how it would be, but it wasn't all that bad. The pastor even reminded us that we are to say "He IS risen" not "he HAS risen" since Christ is still risen.
One of the best parts of celebrating Easter with them, 17 baptisms. What a great way to celebrate the risen Christ and seeing others raised with Christ through the water of baptism. I would also add that in this case, as well, as Luther would say, it is preferred to say, "I AM baptized" rather than "I was baptized."
I managed to get a little break from homework this weekend. I went to a mega church, it was actually quite decent. There was strong preaching of Jesus. I was a little bit skeptical how it would be, but it wasn't all that bad. The pastor even reminded us that we are to say "He IS risen" not "he HAS risen" since Christ is still risen.
One of the best parts of celebrating Easter with them, 17 baptisms. What a great way to celebrate the risen Christ and seeing others raised with Christ through the water of baptism. I would also add that in this case, as well, as Luther would say, it is preferred to say, "I AM baptized" rather than "I was baptized."
Monday, April 11, 2011
Salvation and Scripture
For it ought above all to be settled and established among Christians that the Holy Scriptures are a spiritual light far brighter than the sun itself, especially in things that are necessary to salvation - Martin Luther
A Future Present
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are not "types," not prefigurements or parables. They do indeed point to the future, but it is a future already present with its gifts of grace. - Hermann Sasse
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Infused Herbal Tea, Christian Mission, and Everything Else.
I bought a new box of tea at the grocery store today. Had some lunch. After following the instructions on the box of tea, I read step 5: Contemplate your favourite eternal mysteries. So I did.
I started thinking about the mission of the church and how it seems so individualized these days, and how it hardly has any regard to community and the whole body of Christ. But if we stop and think, you cannot talk about the living body of Christ without saying something about the Church, and you cannot think of the Church without Christ. How is it that people think they can live as a Christian without the Church? The body can still live without the finger, but can the finger live without the body? If you claim to be a member of the invisible Church, you'd be right that the Church has invisible qualities, but it also has visible manifestations too. I think this attitude turns out to be more prideful, and more dangerous, as a super-spiritual gnosticism. And to me, this is one of the mysteries of his kingdom: the height and depth to which Jesus forgives sin, not merely as a mediator between man and God, but also as a mediator between man and man. Jesus forgives my sin so much that he forgives my neighbor's. Therefore, the Church and its mission can exist. That is where mission starts. If I attempt salvation without Christ, it is humanism, an endless toil, lofty goals, and in the end, fruitless. But the power of the gospel produces real effects, here and now, and forever. And that is why the Gospel needs to be central in all Christian conduct. Where some people see peace, love and kindness, as the Gospel, I see it as the cause and effect of the Gospel, but not necessarily the Gospel itself. It isn't about us, but it is about Christ for us, together with him, his gift to us. It all comes through his forgiveness. To be in Christ is to have him in us, to have each other, to be his body. So as the incarnation is a mystical union with God and man, so we also have a mystical union with him and to each other through the Spirit he gave us.
I started thinking about the mission of the church and how it seems so individualized these days, and how it hardly has any regard to community and the whole body of Christ. But if we stop and think, you cannot talk about the living body of Christ without saying something about the Church, and you cannot think of the Church without Christ. How is it that people think they can live as a Christian without the Church? The body can still live without the finger, but can the finger live without the body? If you claim to be a member of the invisible Church, you'd be right that the Church has invisible qualities, but it also has visible manifestations too. I think this attitude turns out to be more prideful, and more dangerous, as a super-spiritual gnosticism. And to me, this is one of the mysteries of his kingdom: the height and depth to which Jesus forgives sin, not merely as a mediator between man and God, but also as a mediator between man and man. Jesus forgives my sin so much that he forgives my neighbor's. Therefore, the Church and its mission can exist. That is where mission starts. If I attempt salvation without Christ, it is humanism, an endless toil, lofty goals, and in the end, fruitless. But the power of the gospel produces real effects, here and now, and forever. And that is why the Gospel needs to be central in all Christian conduct. Where some people see peace, love and kindness, as the Gospel, I see it as the cause and effect of the Gospel, but not necessarily the Gospel itself. It isn't about us, but it is about Christ for us, together with him, his gift to us. It all comes through his forgiveness. To be in Christ is to have him in us, to have each other, to be his body. So as the incarnation is a mystical union with God and man, so we also have a mystical union with him and to each other through the Spirit he gave us.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Deleted: "Rob Bell - You Don't Have to be Born Again?"
I deleted a post regarding Rob Bell and his promo video for his book "Love Wins" It has everyone in an uproar about Christian Universalism. While I do not condone his teaching, I do not condone my own knee jerk reaction. That is not what I am about; neither should this blog reflect that. Further, I like my criticisms to be cohesive, not disconnected sputtering sentences. Over all, I'm disappointed with how Rob Bell is baiting people into conversation, and I'm disappointed with how easily we get sucked in. For the most part his book is veiled by its pending release, and we're all falling prey to marketing strategy. But I am going to re-write, knowing a few more details, and will try a more irenic tone.
The post, probably isn't in hell, but it is at least deleted.
The post, probably isn't in hell, but it is at least deleted.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Picture:
It's kind of hard to see, at least on my laptop, but the picture of the crucifixion in the heading of my blog contains a skull underneath the cross. It represents the skull of the first Adam.
Although it is mostly speculation, traditionally, it is held that Jesus was crucified where Abraham offered Isaac, on the grave of Adam. It is not necessarily true, but it makes for a good picture to focus death and life, law and gospel.
Although it is mostly speculation, traditionally, it is held that Jesus was crucified where Abraham offered Isaac, on the grave of Adam. It is not necessarily true, but it makes for a good picture to focus death and life, law and gospel.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Theology Vectors
So, one of my gripes with theology is that a lot of people rationalize salvation in deductive terms, as if a doctrine can be derived as the result of an equation. Put any two doctrines together and you can produce a third one. The pull with this theology is that you can always have a systematic solution to every "problem". It's attractive for any thinking or conscientious christian. The downside with this approach, God never promises to answer every conundrum we run into, this side of life. His ways are above our ways. Some things are left to mystery.
At the same time, mystery isn't just a cop out to avoid coming to a solid stance on Scripture's teaching. That would be the other side of the ditch. However, true mystery is attractive for a couple reasons. It draws us in, and the further you dive into the mystery the greater the story becomes. And like any mystery movie or story, the more involved you become, the more you understand what is happening. Mysteries don't deal only on subjective clues, but also deals with solid objective facts. But at the same time, the more involved you become, the more, at times, you become confounded by it. But it doesn't leave you completely stranded either way. Once you're in, you're in, but it doesn't leave you where you are.
At the same time, mystery isn't just a cop out to avoid coming to a solid stance on Scripture's teaching. That would be the other side of the ditch. However, true mystery is attractive for a couple reasons. It draws us in, and the further you dive into the mystery the greater the story becomes. And like any mystery movie or story, the more involved you become, the more you understand what is happening. Mysteries don't deal only on subjective clues, but also deals with solid objective facts. But at the same time, the more involved you become, the more, at times, you become confounded by it. But it doesn't leave you completely stranded either way. Once you're in, you're in, but it doesn't leave you where you are.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Assessing Scripture Throughout One's Life Pt 1.
Every once in a while, I think it’s a good thing to test your own beliefs by asking questions, mining the scriptures, and making sure that what you hold to be truth is scriptural, and fitting for God’s people. Nothing is off limits. If you have the truth on your side then you have nothing to fear. Keeping an open mind isn’t about accepting anything and everything, but it is a humble thing to do, if you are willing to grow in your understanding of scripture, or at least come to a fresh understanding of what you already know, and why you believe it. It can also help your discourse with other people, Christians, sects, and maintain respectful engagement over hot button issues. And perhaps, it will help overcome obstacles or road barriers. Certainly, it was through such wrestling with scripture that I came into contact with who God really is, and how he changes me, and continues to change me.
One important thing that I have learned in the growth of my faith is to be patient with myself, with God and with others. It seems whenever someone holds onto a new set of propositions they enter the cage stage and become impatient with everyone else. I imagine them holding their presuppositions like prison bars, and occasionally ringing the cuffs across them to make noise. It’s just creating a stir to get a negative reaction. It makes me wonder if that’s why Jesus told the demons to stop proclaiming him as the Christ, since the people’s expectations still needed to be reformed. And perhaps, there is something to be learned from that. But I find for the most part, people aren’t going to listen right away, and that includes myself.
But it was a fateful night, when one such staunch Calvinist, burst my little Sunday-School-Bible-Stories-Bubble. Predestination? What? I had never even heard of predestination, let alone considered it. Once saved always saved? You’ve got to be kidding me! I soon realized, I hardly read my Bible. Yet at the same time, it completely baffled me how a Christian can come to so many different conclusions than me. And is this really what God is like? I soon realized I hardly, if ever, opened my Bible. But through this experience, I became so tortured by certain scriptures that I came to a place where I started reading the Bible for my own benefit.
From there, it took me four years to really understand what I managed to get myself into. I went from being an Arminian/Lutheran to an Arminian, to being a Lutheran, then to being an Arminian again, to a Calvinist and back to a Lutheran. On that point, I definitely did a lot of “converting.” Sure, I might have flipped and flopped a lot, I was still growing up. But on the positive side, I learned a lot from being on both sides of the spectrum. And I came across a lot of things that I didn’t expect to find in the Bible. I still find that to be true.
One of the things that I learned by going around in circles: the benefits and weakness of both positions. Arminianism makes a solid confession that God wills the salvation of all, and that he is truly love for all humanity. Calvinism, on the other hand, makes a clear confession that God should receive all the glory for our salvation - there is no room for boasting, even in our own choices. And yet on the downside, all the assurance in election is lost in a limited atonement. And Arminianism has a downside too, and leaves the most ultimate choice that there is resting on our own sinful devices - and there have been a lot of crazy things done in the name of growing the church to appeal to the sinful nature, ironically to make converts.
In each instance, I came to both positions through the magisterial use of reason. That is to say, if you find any one of the five points of Calvinism to be true then the rest of the 5 points will be true. Find any one of them to be false, and the rest of the points will be false, and you’ll be an Arminian. It’s that simple really. Or so I thought. But I came back to Lutheranism because I found out that I didn’t have to do this logic chopping with scripture.
Theology doesn’t need to be as intellectually satisfying as much as it needs to be faithful to all of the scriptures. In this way, reason needs to take a ministerial function in theology and serve under scripture; whereas the magisterial use of reason would have itself imposed above scripture, and that I find to be dangerous. I also find it attractive that the Lutheran Confessions foresaw this significant debate, but of both positions upheld some of these unparallel points in polar tension. It is clear that such a position was not in order to compromise or take “the middle” way (like the Anglicans), but rather to affirm what scripture affirms and take the “paradoxical” way.
One important thing that I have learned in the growth of my faith is to be patient with myself, with God and with others. It seems whenever someone holds onto a new set of propositions they enter the cage stage and become impatient with everyone else. I imagine them holding their presuppositions like prison bars, and occasionally ringing the cuffs across them to make noise. It’s just creating a stir to get a negative reaction. It makes me wonder if that’s why Jesus told the demons to stop proclaiming him as the Christ, since the people’s expectations still needed to be reformed. And perhaps, there is something to be learned from that. But I find for the most part, people aren’t going to listen right away, and that includes myself.
But it was a fateful night, when one such staunch Calvinist, burst my little Sunday-School-Bible-Stories-Bubble. Predestination? What? I had never even heard of predestination, let alone considered it. Once saved always saved? You’ve got to be kidding me! I soon realized, I hardly read my Bible. Yet at the same time, it completely baffled me how a Christian can come to so many different conclusions than me. And is this really what God is like? I soon realized I hardly, if ever, opened my Bible. But through this experience, I became so tortured by certain scriptures that I came to a place where I started reading the Bible for my own benefit.
From there, it took me four years to really understand what I managed to get myself into. I went from being an Arminian/Lutheran to an Arminian, to being a Lutheran, then to being an Arminian again, to a Calvinist and back to a Lutheran. On that point, I definitely did a lot of “converting.” Sure, I might have flipped and flopped a lot, I was still growing up. But on the positive side, I learned a lot from being on both sides of the spectrum. And I came across a lot of things that I didn’t expect to find in the Bible. I still find that to be true.
One of the things that I learned by going around in circles: the benefits and weakness of both positions. Arminianism makes a solid confession that God wills the salvation of all, and that he is truly love for all humanity. Calvinism, on the other hand, makes a clear confession that God should receive all the glory for our salvation - there is no room for boasting, even in our own choices. And yet on the downside, all the assurance in election is lost in a limited atonement. And Arminianism has a downside too, and leaves the most ultimate choice that there is resting on our own sinful devices - and there have been a lot of crazy things done in the name of growing the church to appeal to the sinful nature, ironically to make converts.
In each instance, I came to both positions through the magisterial use of reason. That is to say, if you find any one of the five points of Calvinism to be true then the rest of the 5 points will be true. Find any one of them to be false, and the rest of the points will be false, and you’ll be an Arminian. It’s that simple really. Or so I thought. But I came back to Lutheranism because I found out that I didn’t have to do this logic chopping with scripture.
Theology doesn’t need to be as intellectually satisfying as much as it needs to be faithful to all of the scriptures. In this way, reason needs to take a ministerial function in theology and serve under scripture; whereas the magisterial use of reason would have itself imposed above scripture, and that I find to be dangerous. I also find it attractive that the Lutheran Confessions foresaw this significant debate, but of both positions upheld some of these unparallel points in polar tension. It is clear that such a position was not in order to compromise or take “the middle” way (like the Anglicans), but rather to affirm what scripture affirms and take the “paradoxical” way.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Communion Quote:
It is through His human nature that Christ is our Paschal Lamb sacrificed; and therefore, it must be through His human nature that Christ, our Paschal Lamb, is eaten. If it was not through His divinity, separated from His humanity, that He was sacrificed upon the cross, it cannot be that through His divine nature, separate from His humanity, He is given to us at His table. Charles Krauth
Where is Water Baptism in Scripture?
I find it kind of funny when some evangelicals tell me that a certain verse isn't "wet" in scripture in reference to baptism. They make a vast disconnect between the baptism of the spirit and the baptism of water, as if they were meant to be two different things. Sure there are two aspects - water and spirit. But I don't see them as separated. But what strikes me as odd, is the standard for which water must be mentioned. If water isn't mentioned then it must be talking about Spirit baptism, so they say. But if you take all the verses that don't mention water, you find that the Bible doesn't teach anything about water baptism, even the great commission doesn't mention water, and we don't have any command to (water) baptize all nations! Why even do this? But even still when you apply this standard, all you are left with is the water baptism in the book of Acts where it specifically says that it saves you, gives you the gift of the Spirit, and washes away your sin. In Corinthians where it says Paul is glad he didn't baptize anyone, even that doesn't even mention water, yet its used as ammunition against one baptism. It's just another game of playing fast and loose with the scriptures.
I guess the question is: Where do people get their rules from?
And the second question is: Where in the Bible does it say, water baptism is merely a symbol that doesn't do anything but symbolize an outward sign of an inward reality? In other words, that it cannot offer what it signifies? But at the same time, I thought outward signs are what make things inward realities for us, ie the cross. I don't think there's anything specifically magical about that, it's just a reality of the world.
I guess the question is: Where do people get their rules from?
And the second question is: Where in the Bible does it say, water baptism is merely a symbol that doesn't do anything but symbolize an outward sign of an inward reality? In other words, that it cannot offer what it signifies? But at the same time, I thought outward signs are what make things inward realities for us, ie the cross. I don't think there's anything specifically magical about that, it's just a reality of the world.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Upward Over the Mountain
This is a quick, off the cuff, low-fi recording Sharon and I did. Neither did I put much into the graphics.. and just used Google. But Sharon has a great voice, and I just wanted to put something new on youtube :)
Monday, February 7, 2011
Partying in the Parables.
Lost sheep, lost coin, lost son. These are one big parable. Unfortunately, this intentionality sometimes gets lost in our headings, indicating that these three are separate parables. It also loses a bit of continuity when we name the third one the "Prodigal Son." But in context Luke says, "He told them this parable" meaning the three stories he laid down side by side. They all had something in common. Something was lost. Furthermore, when Jesus repeats himself, its always good to listen carefully. He might not be simply doing this to be a good teacher by being repetitive. Perhaps, he is also setting something or someone up. Maybe he is going to tweak our expectations.
The first two parables have a pattern: Something is lost, and someone goes looking to find it, then it is found, and it culminates in a party. They also have a ridiculous angle to them. Why does the shepherd leave 99 sheep to find one? Why does the woman spend her day searching for a coin (doesn't she have more important responsibilities?), and then she throws a party (which likely costs money)? And who really throws a big party because of these things anyways? Perhaps things aren't what they seem...
But when it comes to the third parable (the lost son) it gets way more drawn out and elaborate. The younger son essentially tells his dad to drop dead and cough up the inheritance early. And he leaves quite freely. But keep in mind that Jesus already has this pattern set up: Lost, searching, found, party. But then something unexpected happens - no one searches for the lost son. True the younger son still comes back. But the oldest son does not go out of his way to find him. Why is that? The story still ends the same way... it culminates in a party... However, this time there is an element of tragedy. The older brother is still bitter against the younger and is in danger of missing out on all fun.
The first two stories, therefore, were a set up for Jesus to corner the pharisees. He then pegs them in the third: In comes the older son who would rather have the Father deal with his children according to law and not grace, and then excludes himself from the Father's goodness, the party, and the whole point (sound familiar?) It always has and will always be by grace that anyone receives the Father's blessing. Crazy grace makes the pharisees choked.
Another thing to consider: a lot of people assume that the party in the parables are about when we get to heaven. But Jesus tells this parable specifically because the pharisees muttered about him partying and rejoicing with sinners here on earth. The whole point of the parable is that the pharisees are in danger of missing out on the party here and now! Jesus is drinking, eating and rejoicing over sinners because that is what heaven is doing. "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." And if the pharisees reject the party that is happening now then they will also reject and miss out on what is soon to come.
And notice that the party isn't that lame. There is music and dancing. -- Not to say that our church services need to be about dancing and parties, because I'm sure even in a parable like this things would go back to "normal" after the party. But there certainly should be a bigger notion of rejoicing and partying in our church community and the kingdom that is around and within us when sinners repent. Just think of the rejoicing we would have if Christians hung out with lost sheep and had actual meaningful communication with them. That said, if one of my very own brothers turned back to Jesus, you better believe I'd throw a party! Maybe not so much dancing. But we would certainly have a pint of Guinness and cigars!
Now, I don't think everything is entirely up to us either. If you see the "hole" in the third story you will see that Jesus fills and completes it entirely and literally. He is in fact our older brother who was always with the Father from all eternity, who never disobeyed his Father's orders, and who possesses all that the Father has. And even though he is truly obedient in himself, he is also the one who faithfully goes out to find us like a good shepherd or a crazy woman looking for a coin.
The first two parables have a pattern: Something is lost, and someone goes looking to find it, then it is found, and it culminates in a party. They also have a ridiculous angle to them. Why does the shepherd leave 99 sheep to find one? Why does the woman spend her day searching for a coin (doesn't she have more important responsibilities?), and then she throws a party (which likely costs money)? And who really throws a big party because of these things anyways? Perhaps things aren't what they seem...
But when it comes to the third parable (the lost son) it gets way more drawn out and elaborate. The younger son essentially tells his dad to drop dead and cough up the inheritance early. And he leaves quite freely. But keep in mind that Jesus already has this pattern set up: Lost, searching, found, party. But then something unexpected happens - no one searches for the lost son. True the younger son still comes back. But the oldest son does not go out of his way to find him. Why is that? The story still ends the same way... it culminates in a party... However, this time there is an element of tragedy. The older brother is still bitter against the younger and is in danger of missing out on all fun.
The first two stories, therefore, were a set up for Jesus to corner the pharisees. He then pegs them in the third: In comes the older son who would rather have the Father deal with his children according to law and not grace, and then excludes himself from the Father's goodness, the party, and the whole point (sound familiar?) It always has and will always be by grace that anyone receives the Father's blessing. Crazy grace makes the pharisees choked.
Another thing to consider: a lot of people assume that the party in the parables are about when we get to heaven. But Jesus tells this parable specifically because the pharisees muttered about him partying and rejoicing with sinners here on earth. The whole point of the parable is that the pharisees are in danger of missing out on the party here and now! Jesus is drinking, eating and rejoicing over sinners because that is what heaven is doing. "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." And if the pharisees reject the party that is happening now then they will also reject and miss out on what is soon to come.
And notice that the party isn't that lame. There is music and dancing. -- Not to say that our church services need to be about dancing and parties, because I'm sure even in a parable like this things would go back to "normal" after the party. But there certainly should be a bigger notion of rejoicing and partying in our church community and the kingdom that is around and within us when sinners repent. Just think of the rejoicing we would have if Christians hung out with lost sheep and had actual meaningful communication with them. That said, if one of my very own brothers turned back to Jesus, you better believe I'd throw a party! Maybe not so much dancing. But we would certainly have a pint of Guinness and cigars!
Now, I don't think everything is entirely up to us either. If you see the "hole" in the third story you will see that Jesus fills and completes it entirely and literally. He is in fact our older brother who was always with the Father from all eternity, who never disobeyed his Father's orders, and who possesses all that the Father has. And even though he is truly obedient in himself, he is also the one who faithfully goes out to find us like a good shepherd or a crazy woman looking for a coin.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Thoughts on Abortion
Abortion is a denial of the gift of life. It isn't a just denial of life to a person. It is the denial that all life is a gift from God. God has created all life and gives it freely. It is a gift because it comes from God, and it is the greatest gift of all. When life is going well or when it is going bad, life is still life. Gift is still gift. When people press for abortion because the child will have health issues they are robbing the closest neighbour they have of the only gift they have. And yet such persons will interfere with it because it doesn't meet their own personal standards and presuppositions (which deny that life is a gift). I would even go so far to say that if someone were raped the child would still be worthy of life... even if it were the result of inbreeding. The child is not at fault for rape, it is innocent. The child was conceived in sin and reflects it? Aren't we all conceived in sin, and reflect our sinful parents? Didn't Jesus come in the likeness of fallen and sinful flesh and suffer in this life for us all? And yet it is in his death that we are redeemed. Abortion is an attempt to redeem the life of a child and our own life apart from the one who died and rose again, who redeems us in his own death, and gives us the gift of life and salvation.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Love Begets Love
This is the miracle of conversion by the gracious working of God the Holy Spirit. He creates faith in us through the Gospel, that is, He brings us to our hold on Jesus. Our coming to faith is not an act of our free will. Yet it is not by compulsion; we may resist. Our conversion is the miracle of creative love. God's love in Christ awakens us to responding love. Love cannot be compelled or directed. Love begets love, and there is no greater love than the love of God in Christ. -- Dr. Norman Nagel
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Time Goes Bye
So much to explore and write about, so little time. I'm focusing on school right now, biology and physics. However, a new years resolution, is to spend more time in the gospels. Hopefully, I will get through all four gospels three times this year, equaling a rate of one gospel a month. That is more than quite attainable. I hope to explore the uniqueness of each gospel, it's individual purpose, use, key features, different accents and things like that, but ultimately learning things that assist me in being Christ's disciple submitting to his teaching, hearing his word, abiding in his word, that is the goal. Blogging on the other hand, will happen on occasion, but its falling by the way side. I don't want that to happen, but it's inevitable.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Two Natures, and the Mystical Exchange.
"Just as divine and human things are predicated about Christ because of the personal union of the two natures in Christ, so also through the spiritual union of God and the faithful soul, and Christ and the Church, become one mystical thing, 'one spirit' (1 Cor. 6:17), about which both human and divine things are predicated... Through this mystical exchange, Christ transfers our sins to Himself and grants His righteousness to us through faith. This is not a bare and verbal predication, but a most effective and, so to speak, most real imputation." Johann Gerhard
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Error in the Church
"When error is admitted into the Church, it will be found that the stages of its progress are always three. It begins by asking toleration. Its friends say to the majority: You need not be afraid of us; we are few, and weak; only let us alone; we shall not disturb the faith of others. The church has her standards of doctrine; of course we shall never interfere with them; we ask only for ourselves to be spared interference with our private opinions. Indulged in this for a time, error goes on to assert equal rights. Truth and error are two balancing forces. The Church shall do nothing which looks like deciding between them; that would be partiality. It is bigotry to assert any superior right for the truth. We are to agree to differ, and any favoring of the truth, because it is truth, is partisanship. What the friends of truth and error hold in common is fundamental. Anything on which they differ is ipso facto non-essential. Anybody who makes account of such a thing is a disturber of the peace of the church. Truth and error are two co-ordinate powers and the great secret of church-statesmanship is to preserve the balance between them. From this point error soon goes on to its natural end, which is to assert supremacy. Truth started with tolerating, it comes to be merely tolerated, and that only for a time. Error claims a preference for its judgments on all disputed points. It puts men into positions, not as at first in spite of their departure from the Church’s faith, but in consequence of it. Their recommendation is that they repudiate that faith, and poistion is given them to teach others to repudiate it, and to make them skilful in combating it." Charles P. Krauth
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Is Calvinism Consistent?
2 Peter 2:1 "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
If "denying the Lord that bought them" is a damnable heresy for these false teachers, then I would also strongly caution against a Calvinism which denies that the Lord has even bought these false teachers, as it is a system which limits Christ's purchase, bringing upon itself a swift destruction of its own. (But, I do recognize Calvinists as Christians, and this destruction has more to do with systems and consistency.)
Let me explain. God reveals himself in two ways: Law and Gospel. Under the Law we find ourselves to be at odds with the will of God, and do not obey at every point, and are sinners. In the Gospel we are sinners declared to be righteous, justified by the works of another - Jesus, our brother and saviour. This Gospel declares to the whole world that Jesus embodies all of humanity and has reconciled us to God, freeing us from condemnation of the law, in his own death. The Gospel reveals God's disposition of grace to all humanity and intends for it to be proclaimed to everyone.
Calvinists systematically confuse Law and Gospel. They filter the atonement through a matrix of inscrutable eternal decrees which land on nobody. Try as they might, by explaining away the non-elect, excluding these from the sacrificial atonement, they rob themselves of their own assurance and transfer it to their own inner-being and works which by default are still locked in the chains of sin. After all, if you cannot know God's disposition toward you by looking at the cross (who knows if you are elect?), you start looking inside of yourself for your salvation. Trying to repent and believe without assurance of Christ's all availing sacrifice for you is like trying to be free from sin with God's word of law still condemning you.
To have Christ is to have his assurance of his forgiveness. But this assurance doesn't originate from inside of yourself. This word comes from the outside and works its way in you, creates faith, repentance and delivers forgiveness of sin. It is a word that comes with all the power that it proclaims. "You are forgiven." On the other hand, a word that withholds the direct forgiveness of sin is powerless and creates no genuine faith, because it turns faith inward on itself, rather than outward to Christ and his saving work accomplished at Calvary. Faith must not look to itself for forgiveness (otherwise it would be like plucking out your eyes to look at yourself), but is merely the instrument through which we see Christ as he is truly for us. Direct your assurance from where the forgiveness comes from, a gift of God, the humble form of a servant, a Word that suffers to be rejected.
If "denying the Lord that bought them" is a damnable heresy for these false teachers, then I would also strongly caution against a Calvinism which denies that the Lord has even bought these false teachers, as it is a system which limits Christ's purchase, bringing upon itself a swift destruction of its own. (But, I do recognize Calvinists as Christians, and this destruction has more to do with systems and consistency.)
Let me explain. God reveals himself in two ways: Law and Gospel. Under the Law we find ourselves to be at odds with the will of God, and do not obey at every point, and are sinners. In the Gospel we are sinners declared to be righteous, justified by the works of another - Jesus, our brother and saviour. This Gospel declares to the whole world that Jesus embodies all of humanity and has reconciled us to God, freeing us from condemnation of the law, in his own death. The Gospel reveals God's disposition of grace to all humanity and intends for it to be proclaimed to everyone.
Calvinists systematically confuse Law and Gospel. They filter the atonement through a matrix of inscrutable eternal decrees which land on nobody. Try as they might, by explaining away the non-elect, excluding these from the sacrificial atonement, they rob themselves of their own assurance and transfer it to their own inner-being and works which by default are still locked in the chains of sin. After all, if you cannot know God's disposition toward you by looking at the cross (who knows if you are elect?), you start looking inside of yourself for your salvation. Trying to repent and believe without assurance of Christ's all availing sacrifice for you is like trying to be free from sin with God's word of law still condemning you.
To have Christ is to have his assurance of his forgiveness. But this assurance doesn't originate from inside of yourself. This word comes from the outside and works its way in you, creates faith, repentance and delivers forgiveness of sin. It is a word that comes with all the power that it proclaims. "You are forgiven." On the other hand, a word that withholds the direct forgiveness of sin is powerless and creates no genuine faith, because it turns faith inward on itself, rather than outward to Christ and his saving work accomplished at Calvary. Faith must not look to itself for forgiveness (otherwise it would be like plucking out your eyes to look at yourself), but is merely the instrument through which we see Christ as he is truly for us. Direct your assurance from where the forgiveness comes from, a gift of God, the humble form of a servant, a Word that suffers to be rejected.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Colour?
Yes, here at Losing All, I have a new design for the new year! Being a simple, minimalist, I liked the black and white template design from last year. But really, changing templates is too easy now, and you can upload pictures too, which is pretty cool. What else does the New Year bring? I resolve to have more fun, making fun of Calvinism more often. (It keeps the web statistics up!)
** Colour - the real way to spell. Unfortunately, for the most part, I'm a really picky person, and a really lazy one at that. Therefore, I need to have everything spelled correctly, but I'm also too lazy that I can't change my "checks" to the Canadian. Therefore, I re-spell words I know to be spelled right, solely to get the red squiggly underlines off of my page, I hate them!! I'm afraid much of my spelling has been Americanized. I also hope to recover a truer Canadian identity this year. Or something.
** Colour - the real way to spell. Unfortunately, for the most part, I'm a really picky person, and a really lazy one at that. Therefore, I need to have everything spelled correctly, but I'm also too lazy that I can't change my "checks" to the Canadian. Therefore, I re-spell words I know to be spelled right, solely to get the red squiggly underlines off of my page, I hate them!! I'm afraid much of my spelling has been Americanized. I also hope to recover a truer Canadian identity this year. Or something.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Sermon On Soberness and Moderation
There's a lot of myths about Martin Luther floating around out there, one of them being that he was a drunk. While it is true that he loved to share a drink with his friends and talk theology, he certainly was against drunkenness. Neither was he afraid to use colorful language to prove it:
"It is possible to tolerate a little elevation, when a man takes a drink or two too much after working hard and when he is feeling low. This must be called a frolic. But to sit day and night, pouring it in and pouring it out again, is piggish... all food is a matter of freedom, even a modest drink for one's pleasure. If you do not wish to conduct yourself this way, if you are going to go beyond this and be a born pig and guzzle beer and wine, then, if this cannot be stopped by the rulers, you must know that you cannot be saved. For God will not admit such piggish drinkers into the kingdom of heaven [cf. Gal. 5:19-21]... If you are tired and downhearted, take a drink; but this does not mean being a pig and doing nothing but gorging and swilling... You should be moderate and sober; this means that we should not be drunken, though we may be exhilarated." Martin Luther, May 18th 1539.
"It is possible to tolerate a little elevation, when a man takes a drink or two too much after working hard and when he is feeling low. This must be called a frolic. But to sit day and night, pouring it in and pouring it out again, is piggish... all food is a matter of freedom, even a modest drink for one's pleasure. If you do not wish to conduct yourself this way, if you are going to go beyond this and be a born pig and guzzle beer and wine, then, if this cannot be stopped by the rulers, you must know that you cannot be saved. For God will not admit such piggish drinkers into the kingdom of heaven [cf. Gal. 5:19-21]... If you are tired and downhearted, take a drink; but this does not mean being a pig and doing nothing but gorging and swilling... You should be moderate and sober; this means that we should not be drunken, though we may be exhilarated." Martin Luther, May 18th 1539.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Death
Do you see how again He does not promise them deliverance from death, but permits them to die, granting them more than if He had not allowed them to suffer it? Because deliverance from death is not near so great as persuading men to despise death. - St. John Chrysostom, Homily 34 on Matthew
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