This is the last post on the topic of our perfect inheritance, based off of the sermon I preached on Sunday, 9/19/10. In the last two posts I have attempted to demonstrate that Ephesians 1:3-14 calls us to praise God for all he has done, and has called us to recognize that we are adopted as sons of God, and so we should live according to this truth. In this post I want to talk about one final aspect of our perfect inheritance, and that is the work of the Holy Spirit. There is so much more that can be said about Ephesians 1:3-14. The fact is this is an incredibly rich section of Scripture, but lest I tire you too much, or myself, this will be final post on it for now.
This post really is to make two points, those points have to do with what we read in Ephesians 1:13-14. Paul writes, "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." The two points I want to address deal with the fact that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. This is not a future tense promise of sealing, it is a present reality: we have already been sealed.
In the first and second posts I continually made the point that we are saved according to God's will. Our salvation is not dependent on us and our continued work. This final section proves that point concretely. We have been sealed, and that which is sealed, according to what Paul says, is guaranteed. How can that guarantee be violated then unless God himself is a liar about what he has sealed? Basically, either God must be a liar, or he must be weak.
Certainly we would be complete fools to argue that God is a liar. If God were a liar (such a blasphemous idea ought to be repugnant to our thoughts) then there would be no point in believing anything in Scripture. What would be the point of trying to do anything to please God? If God were a liar then everything we know of his character in Scripture and everything he tells us to do as pleasing to him could potentially be a lie. In such a situation we may as well throw the bible away, because it would be useless to us.
But, God is not a liar. Therefore Scripture is trustworthy, because it comes from him. So, if God says we are sealed, then we are sealed. If God says that our salvation is guaranteed, then it is guaranteed, there is no need to doubt that. But, is God strong enough to make good on his guarantee? That is, what if God has guaranteed our salvation, but he can't really secure it against our strength, or the strength of sin or whatever else?
If that were the case then we would be back to the first point, believing that God is a liar. If God has said we have a guarantee of salvation, and we say, "But I could walk away from God! His guarantee could become void!" then we are arguing the idea that God is in fact wrong in saying that our salvation is guaranteed. In such a situation, God is once again a liar. Therefore, because God has said we are sealed, and our salvation is guaranteed, it must be so.
Therefore we are sealed, and there is no disputing this is what Scripture says. We accept this by faith then, and we ask the question, "What does our sealing mean?" It means that we will one day receive our inheritance. All of creation will one day be given over to Christ, and we will reign over it with him. We will have perfect relationship and harmony with God, even as we are already perfect before him. This inheritance will be ours, unquestionably.
But, it also means that one day we will be given to God. The fact is that we are God's possession. 1 Corinthians 6:20 says we were bought with a price. That which is bought is owned by the one who bought it. We are God's and one day God will take full possession of us.
It is hard to explain why this is such a wonderful fact, but I'll endeavor to do so. Because we have been bought by God, we are not slaves to anyone or anything else. According to what Paul commands us in 1 Corinthians 7:23, we are not to become slaves, which means that we are not slaves now. We were redeemed, purchased by God for himself, and that means we were set free from all our sinful limitations that at one time held us down.
We are possessed by God, so we are free to hope, free to rejoice, free to give him the glory for all that he has done. We are promised that he will have us, and that reassures us that we will also receive all that he has promised us. The promises given us belong to us because we belong to God. And because we know that God will assuredly take possession of us, we do not have to fear that somehow we will lose that which he has promised us.
We are sealed to receive and inheritance, and as an inheritance to be received by God. Our God, the maker of the heavens and the earth will not lose that of which he has taken possession. There is nothing stronger than God, nothing that can from his hand that which he has grasped. There is no one who can stand before God or be victorious over God. And that means that we do not have to fear that we will ever lose that which has been given to us, we can praise God in good times and bad, knowing that our hope is sure, because of the awesome might of our God who holds us, even if we should fail to hold to him.
Give God the glory, praise him for his might. Realize that you have been sealed, and what has been promised will be accomplished. Let this sink into your life and change you. Do not be afraid that you are going to go the wrong way, but remember, God will accomplish what he wants for you, because you are his possession. Do this, as Paul says, "to the praise of his glory."
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
A Perfect Inheritance (Part 2)
I noted yesterday that God has provided a perfect inheritance for us in Christ. Today I'd like to develop that a little more. Not only has God provided a perfect inheritance for us, he has provided us with a means to receive that inheritance. God has given us Christ, he has provided us with a perfect savior, redeeming us from the curse of the fall. He has also given us sonship through Christ, providing the means by which we are able to receive that which he has prepared for us from before the foundation of the world.
In Ephesians 1:5 we read, "He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." Our position before God is not dependent on our prayers or our works or our thoughts, they are dependent on God's determination.
Yes, we who are sons will pray to God, because we will want to speak with our Father, and to tell him of our troubles and ask him for his help. Yes, we who are sons will seek to do the will of our Father, not because of our great debt to God, which we can never repay, but because we desire to please our Father and show him our love for him. And yes, our thoughts will be upon the mercy of God, the goodness of God, everything good and noble and worthy of the Lord, because it is only normal and natural to think about that which is most important to us, which ought to be, and will be, God. But, none of these things makes us sons of God through Christ, instead it is the will of God that brings us to himself through Christ that makes us his sons. The Lord is responsible for our position before him, so that we cannot take credit for that which he has done.
But, consider that our position before God, being dependent on God, will never falter if we fail or fall. God has already ordained that we are his sons through Christ, if we are indeed in Christ, so that it does not matter if we stumble and fall, he still calls us sons. This is what Ephesians 1:4 & 7 tells us: "he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him," and, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses." We have this forgiveness now, not that we shall have it, but that already it is done. Already we are holy and blameless before God, and continually so, because God's word does not change. We are not now holy only to be unholy tomorrow, we are not now forgiven so that tomorrow we will be condemned. Our holiness and righteousness is not dependent on us, it is dependent on God alone, because it is what he has proclaimed.
Consider how this works in contrast with the choices of the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 11:26 we read Moses words to the People of Israel that he was setting before them blessing and curse. In Deuteronomy 30 we can read how this blessing and curse would work out. Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us that the blessing and curse can also be called life and death. Moses tells the people to choose life that they and their children might live. But, here, in Ephesians, notice that Paul does not call us to a choice, instead he tells us of the choice that God has made for us.
We are not a people who have to choose blessing or curse, our choice has been made for us. If we are in Christ, if we are those whom God has called to him, predestining us to receive his Son, then blessing has been chosen for us. It is not a matter of our will, so that our positions as sons before God depends on our continuous choosing. God has spoken, he has declared what will be, so that our adoption is sure, our redemption is promised and is ours now, and will be ours eternally. How wonderful it is to know that we can relax, we can trust in God, we can have faith in him, and we can enter into his rest, no longer striving but knowing that God holds us in his hands eternally.
Once we stop striving to save ourselves something more amazing comes into view. We who have been adopted and have been forgiven also have been told what God wants. We who have received the adoption of God through Christ have been told of God's amazing plan, to bring all things together in Christ at the end of all things. This is a wonderful blessing because it means that we don't have to wonder at what God wants of us. We don't have to worry about whether we will choose wrongly, because we know that our goal ought to be God's goal, and God will accomplish his goal, even if it seems we have butchered it.
What I mean is that we who have been redeemed and forgiven do not need to worry that we are not going to accomplish what God wants. We ought not be lazy, because laziness is not pleasing to our Father. We ought not be paralyzed by fear of making the wrong choice, because such a fear betrays a mistrust of the Lord. We ought to be busy doing the work of him who sent us, even as he sent Christ, because it is wonderful and good work, and it is this work which provides us with fulfillment in life. God's purpose for all of creation is to bring all things together under Christ, so what more meaningful lives can we live than lives that seek to bring everything we do under Christ today?
God has given us redemption through his Son, and he has given us purpose through Christ. We know that what we do in this life, done with the purpose of bringing all things, our money, our thoughts, our work, our culture, and our friends and neighbors, all under Christ, will prove of eternal worth. We may never see an ounce of movement, but we do not need to be discouraged, because the work is not ours, it is God's. This is not the plan of men, it is the plan of God, and it will be accomplished. The God we serve made the universe, saved us according to his will, and arranged all of history to his purposes; how then can history not end up where he has directed it, so that Christ is glorified and the Father receives all glory through him?
Because of all this there is one more thing we are able to rejoice in, and that is spoken of throughout this passage: we have an inheritance. If all things will eventually be united in Christ, and we are now in Christ, then eventually all things will be united with us in him as well. That means we who are in Christ will eventually receive all things. I'm not speaking out of line here, I assure you.
Consider the promises made to the churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea. We will be made pillars in the temple of God, in the new Jerusalem. And we will sit down with Christ on his throne, even as he sat down with his Father on his throne. When you consider that there is no temple in the new Jerusalem, for God himself will be our temple, then the promise takes on its full import. We will be joined to God in a way that will be like being pillars in the midst of him, we will never leave from him or go out from him. And we will reign with Christ over all creation.
Paul says that we will judge angels! What is there left that is outside of our authority if we are in Christ then? We will reign with him, we will dwell in the presence of God eternally, and even angels will be under our authority and judgment. We who are in Christ, who stand forgiven and redeemed before God, who know the will of our Father, also have a great and wonderful (consider the real meaning of this word: full of wonder) inheritance in that we shall receive everything through Christ.
What do we have left that we should need then? You do not have a place to rest your head tonight? Don't worry, the whole of creation will be given to you, if you are faithful in Christ. Do you hunger, are you thirsty? Do what you can to eat what you need and drink so that you can be healthy, but remember, the point of life is not fine dining and expensive wine, it is to bring all things together under Christ, so that one day all things will be yours in Christ. Look forward to your inheritance, not for your physical appetites and the satisfying of your lusts, but because God has given you his own presence, he has given you Christ, he has given you a perfect inheritance, and this is your hope.
Live a life worthy of this, seek wisdom now that you will know how to rightly administer the inheritance that is to come. Give God the glory, praise him for all he has done. And share the good news of what you have, so that your rejoicing may cause others to rejoice and add again to your joy in Christ. What do you lack dear Christian? This world is not your home, do not fall in love with it, because you have a better home coming, a better inheritance than you can even imagine.
In Ephesians 1:5 we read, "He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." Our position before God is not dependent on our prayers or our works or our thoughts, they are dependent on God's determination.
Yes, we who are sons will pray to God, because we will want to speak with our Father, and to tell him of our troubles and ask him for his help. Yes, we who are sons will seek to do the will of our Father, not because of our great debt to God, which we can never repay, but because we desire to please our Father and show him our love for him. And yes, our thoughts will be upon the mercy of God, the goodness of God, everything good and noble and worthy of the Lord, because it is only normal and natural to think about that which is most important to us, which ought to be, and will be, God. But, none of these things makes us sons of God through Christ, instead it is the will of God that brings us to himself through Christ that makes us his sons. The Lord is responsible for our position before him, so that we cannot take credit for that which he has done.
But, consider that our position before God, being dependent on God, will never falter if we fail or fall. God has already ordained that we are his sons through Christ, if we are indeed in Christ, so that it does not matter if we stumble and fall, he still calls us sons. This is what Ephesians 1:4 & 7 tells us: "he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him," and, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses." We have this forgiveness now, not that we shall have it, but that already it is done. Already we are holy and blameless before God, and continually so, because God's word does not change. We are not now holy only to be unholy tomorrow, we are not now forgiven so that tomorrow we will be condemned. Our holiness and righteousness is not dependent on us, it is dependent on God alone, because it is what he has proclaimed.
Consider how this works in contrast with the choices of the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 11:26 we read Moses words to the People of Israel that he was setting before them blessing and curse. In Deuteronomy 30 we can read how this blessing and curse would work out. Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us that the blessing and curse can also be called life and death. Moses tells the people to choose life that they and their children might live. But, here, in Ephesians, notice that Paul does not call us to a choice, instead he tells us of the choice that God has made for us.
We are not a people who have to choose blessing or curse, our choice has been made for us. If we are in Christ, if we are those whom God has called to him, predestining us to receive his Son, then blessing has been chosen for us. It is not a matter of our will, so that our positions as sons before God depends on our continuous choosing. God has spoken, he has declared what will be, so that our adoption is sure, our redemption is promised and is ours now, and will be ours eternally. How wonderful it is to know that we can relax, we can trust in God, we can have faith in him, and we can enter into his rest, no longer striving but knowing that God holds us in his hands eternally.
Once we stop striving to save ourselves something more amazing comes into view. We who have been adopted and have been forgiven also have been told what God wants. We who have received the adoption of God through Christ have been told of God's amazing plan, to bring all things together in Christ at the end of all things. This is a wonderful blessing because it means that we don't have to wonder at what God wants of us. We don't have to worry about whether we will choose wrongly, because we know that our goal ought to be God's goal, and God will accomplish his goal, even if it seems we have butchered it.
What I mean is that we who have been redeemed and forgiven do not need to worry that we are not going to accomplish what God wants. We ought not be lazy, because laziness is not pleasing to our Father. We ought not be paralyzed by fear of making the wrong choice, because such a fear betrays a mistrust of the Lord. We ought to be busy doing the work of him who sent us, even as he sent Christ, because it is wonderful and good work, and it is this work which provides us with fulfillment in life. God's purpose for all of creation is to bring all things together under Christ, so what more meaningful lives can we live than lives that seek to bring everything we do under Christ today?
God has given us redemption through his Son, and he has given us purpose through Christ. We know that what we do in this life, done with the purpose of bringing all things, our money, our thoughts, our work, our culture, and our friends and neighbors, all under Christ, will prove of eternal worth. We may never see an ounce of movement, but we do not need to be discouraged, because the work is not ours, it is God's. This is not the plan of men, it is the plan of God, and it will be accomplished. The God we serve made the universe, saved us according to his will, and arranged all of history to his purposes; how then can history not end up where he has directed it, so that Christ is glorified and the Father receives all glory through him?
Because of all this there is one more thing we are able to rejoice in, and that is spoken of throughout this passage: we have an inheritance. If all things will eventually be united in Christ, and we are now in Christ, then eventually all things will be united with us in him as well. That means we who are in Christ will eventually receive all things. I'm not speaking out of line here, I assure you.
Consider the promises made to the churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea. We will be made pillars in the temple of God, in the new Jerusalem. And we will sit down with Christ on his throne, even as he sat down with his Father on his throne. When you consider that there is no temple in the new Jerusalem, for God himself will be our temple, then the promise takes on its full import. We will be joined to God in a way that will be like being pillars in the midst of him, we will never leave from him or go out from him. And we will reign with Christ over all creation.
Paul says that we will judge angels! What is there left that is outside of our authority if we are in Christ then? We will reign with him, we will dwell in the presence of God eternally, and even angels will be under our authority and judgment. We who are in Christ, who stand forgiven and redeemed before God, who know the will of our Father, also have a great and wonderful (consider the real meaning of this word: full of wonder) inheritance in that we shall receive everything through Christ.
What do we have left that we should need then? You do not have a place to rest your head tonight? Don't worry, the whole of creation will be given to you, if you are faithful in Christ. Do you hunger, are you thirsty? Do what you can to eat what you need and drink so that you can be healthy, but remember, the point of life is not fine dining and expensive wine, it is to bring all things together under Christ, so that one day all things will be yours in Christ. Look forward to your inheritance, not for your physical appetites and the satisfying of your lusts, but because God has given you his own presence, he has given you Christ, he has given you a perfect inheritance, and this is your hope.
Live a life worthy of this, seek wisdom now that you will know how to rightly administer the inheritance that is to come. Give God the glory, praise him for all he has done. And share the good news of what you have, so that your rejoicing may cause others to rejoice and add again to your joy in Christ. What do you lack dear Christian? This world is not your home, do not fall in love with it, because you have a better home coming, a better inheritance than you can even imagine.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
A Perfect Inheritance (part 1)
From the time of the fall, as Adam and Eve were learning of their punishment from God, there was also a promise of hope set forth by the Word of the Lord. Of course, this is no new exegesis of Genesis 3. God, in speaking to Eve, told her that he would set enmity between her seed and that of the serpent, and that her seed would crush the head of the serpent and the serpent would bruise his heal. This first promise set forth all the expectations that built throughout Scripture for a messiah, an anointed one who would crush Satan under his heel. But, this promise also became an inheritance, because Eve did not bear the anointed child, instead the promise would be passed on, so that Mary would be the one to actually give birth to the Messiah, fulfilling the promise of God.
Likewise, with every promise of the Old Testament, Christ was the one to which they were pointing. The promise of land, the promise of peace, the promise of fellowship with God, and every other promise that God made was fulfilled in Christ. Not only were the promises fulfilled, they continue to be fulfilled in Christ. This is the beauty of the inheritance that God has provided for us in Christ. God has not only given us a promise of inheritance, he himself has perfected that inheritance by doing in Christ what we had no hope of doing for ourselves.
I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but this is the premise for why I call what we have in Christ our perfect inheritance. It is the basis of our praise for God, the reason for why we bless God and proclaim his glory. Some note that even if we did not have this inheritance, God's glory would not be diminished and we should still give him all the praise we do now, but that isn't a question Scripture addresses. As C.S. Lewis notes so often in the Narnia series, no one is ever told "What if?" what we have is what is, and that is what God has spoken to us about. So, instead of deliberating on theological "What ifs?" let us praise God for what he has done, let us always be reminded of our perfect inheritance.
This is where Paul begins in Ephesians. Ephesians 1:3-10 reads, " 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."
Notice the consistent present and past tense terms used by Paul here. God has blessed us, he chose us, he predestined us, he blessed us. We have redemption and forgiveness. He lavished his grace upon us. He has made known his will to us. Even the plans for the uniting all things in Christ happened in the past tense, so that while all things are not yet joined together, the process has begun, and the fulfillment is guaranteed.
God deserves all praise, and he is worth of our blessings, because he has done great and wondrous things on our behalf. Consider what it means that we have been predestined us for adoption, and that he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. God knew us before the world was formed. The same God who loved Christ before the foundation of the world, according to what John quotes from Jesus' own lips, loved us in Christ. God's love for us is not bound with time and space, but before there was time, as God exists (existed?) outside of time itself, God already (whatever that means in non-temporal conception) loved us in Christ, for his love for Christ is the limit of his love for us.
But, since the creation of the world, God has continued to love us. Even when we were at war with him, God knew there would be a time where we would be in Christ. Somehow, in a way we cannot comprehend, God loved us even while he was at war with us and his wrath remained on us because we had not yet accepted the love and sacrifice of his Son for us. God's amazing choice, his making us holy and blameless is not dependent on present, past, or future actions we have taken, but it is according to his wisdom and insight, for his will. Yes, when we come to Christ we choose God, but it is a choice that was predestined, it was a faith given to us, it was a gift that we might come to Christ and love him as he chose us and loved us while we were yet sinners.
And yet, the love of God goes one step further to really leave us wondering at his grace. Consider this: God chose you in Christ (if you are in Christ) before the foundation of the world. That means that before creation began, God had already willed to save you. But think of what that really means! God created the world and organized all of history so that you would be born, you would live the life you have lived, and you would hear the gospel of Christ. This is perhaps one of the most amazing things to me about the whole matter: God not only balanced all of the world and the whole of creation in his mind, he also arranged all of history so that he could save us who were his enemies!
What are we left to do with this then? Praise God. Live a life that praises God. Worship the God of creation, the God who knows all things and ordained all things according to his will and for his glory. Be found in Christ so that all the blessings that Paul discusses in Ephesians, "every spiritual blessing" can be yours. Long to know God more completely so that you can know the vast and amazing reach of his love, so it can transform your life as you worship him who is worthy of all blessing and gives all blessing.
Your inheritance is perfect. It is completed, not wanting. Be found in Christ so that every promise declared as yours can be enjoyed by you both now and eternally in the future. You know that God has given Christ for us, you know the work that God has done. Why now, with all that God has done on your behalf, would you remain unchanged and unaffected by the glory of him who loves you, and have loved you, since before the world was formed?
Likewise, with every promise of the Old Testament, Christ was the one to which they were pointing. The promise of land, the promise of peace, the promise of fellowship with God, and every other promise that God made was fulfilled in Christ. Not only were the promises fulfilled, they continue to be fulfilled in Christ. This is the beauty of the inheritance that God has provided for us in Christ. God has not only given us a promise of inheritance, he himself has perfected that inheritance by doing in Christ what we had no hope of doing for ourselves.
I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but this is the premise for why I call what we have in Christ our perfect inheritance. It is the basis of our praise for God, the reason for why we bless God and proclaim his glory. Some note that even if we did not have this inheritance, God's glory would not be diminished and we should still give him all the praise we do now, but that isn't a question Scripture addresses. As C.S. Lewis notes so often in the Narnia series, no one is ever told "What if?" what we have is what is, and that is what God has spoken to us about. So, instead of deliberating on theological "What ifs?" let us praise God for what he has done, let us always be reminded of our perfect inheritance.
This is where Paul begins in Ephesians. Ephesians 1:3-10 reads, " 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."
Notice the consistent present and past tense terms used by Paul here. God has blessed us, he chose us, he predestined us, he blessed us. We have redemption and forgiveness. He lavished his grace upon us. He has made known his will to us. Even the plans for the uniting all things in Christ happened in the past tense, so that while all things are not yet joined together, the process has begun, and the fulfillment is guaranteed.
God deserves all praise, and he is worth of our blessings, because he has done great and wondrous things on our behalf. Consider what it means that we have been predestined us for adoption, and that he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. God knew us before the world was formed. The same God who loved Christ before the foundation of the world, according to what John quotes from Jesus' own lips, loved us in Christ. God's love for us is not bound with time and space, but before there was time, as God exists (existed?) outside of time itself, God already (whatever that means in non-temporal conception) loved us in Christ, for his love for Christ is the limit of his love for us.
But, since the creation of the world, God has continued to love us. Even when we were at war with him, God knew there would be a time where we would be in Christ. Somehow, in a way we cannot comprehend, God loved us even while he was at war with us and his wrath remained on us because we had not yet accepted the love and sacrifice of his Son for us. God's amazing choice, his making us holy and blameless is not dependent on present, past, or future actions we have taken, but it is according to his wisdom and insight, for his will. Yes, when we come to Christ we choose God, but it is a choice that was predestined, it was a faith given to us, it was a gift that we might come to Christ and love him as he chose us and loved us while we were yet sinners.
And yet, the love of God goes one step further to really leave us wondering at his grace. Consider this: God chose you in Christ (if you are in Christ) before the foundation of the world. That means that before creation began, God had already willed to save you. But think of what that really means! God created the world and organized all of history so that you would be born, you would live the life you have lived, and you would hear the gospel of Christ. This is perhaps one of the most amazing things to me about the whole matter: God not only balanced all of the world and the whole of creation in his mind, he also arranged all of history so that he could save us who were his enemies!
What are we left to do with this then? Praise God. Live a life that praises God. Worship the God of creation, the God who knows all things and ordained all things according to his will and for his glory. Be found in Christ so that all the blessings that Paul discusses in Ephesians, "every spiritual blessing" can be yours. Long to know God more completely so that you can know the vast and amazing reach of his love, so it can transform your life as you worship him who is worthy of all blessing and gives all blessing.
Your inheritance is perfect. It is completed, not wanting. Be found in Christ so that every promise declared as yours can be enjoyed by you both now and eternally in the future. You know that God has given Christ for us, you know the work that God has done. Why now, with all that God has done on your behalf, would you remain unchanged and unaffected by the glory of him who loves you, and have loved you, since before the world was formed?
Saturday, September 18, 2010
What Really Matters?
One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Job. There is something about the way that Job suffered despite his righteousness that appeals to me. The sovereignty of God, the antagonism of Satan, the desperation of a man attacked by forces he cannot control or understand, the misery of that man as he finds himself forsaken by friends and family, and the confusion of that man as he isn't even sure whether his God still cares for him or not, all wrapped up in the beauty of poetry. The book of Job talks about the events of life that all of us face, just as the other wisdom books in Scripture, Proverbs, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes, but with one major difference. The difference in the wisdom of Job is that it is not just songs or sayings or a thought out dissertation on the importance of wisdom, it is the story of a man's life and the wisdom gleaned from that life as it was lived in history.
One of the lessons I have been thinking about lately from the book of Job comes from an old insight that was brought to my attention. I honestly cannot remember who brought this particular point to my attention. Most likely it was my father. While he did not teach me everything I know about theology and Scripture, he certainly taught me a great deal. The insight was simply this: Job was never told why all of his misfortunes came upon him.
Often people make this point as they seek to illustrate that Scripture does not apologize for what God does. They are right about that, of course. Scripture never seeks to defend God from the charge that he allows evil or does evil. Scripture simply presents the reality that God does what he wants to do and is sovereign over all things. Thus, while the writers of Scripture are certainly aware of the problem of evil, that seemingly wicked things happen to seemingly righteous individuals, their answer is only that God is control of all things. Job definitely agrees with this perspective, as God's final interaction with Job reminds Job that he is but a man, and should not question the sovereign will and authority of the one who made him.
But, this point, that Scripture does not seek to defend God against the charge of evil, and the way that Job's problem is eventually resolved, simply by God's choosing to bless him at the end of the story, brings another point to mind. That point is best addressed by the question, "What really matters?" Was it Job's possessions, his health, his friendships or his family that really mattered at the end of the book? Yes, Job got all of those things back, and in the case of his possessions he received double, but was that the point of the book?
The real point of the book is not Job's suffering. It is not Job's loss or his righteousness. All that Job suffers and endures is but the backdrop for the conversation, which builds to one specific point: the glory of God. What really matters in Job, the crucial point that we must grasp, is that no matter what happens, God is worthy of worship and praise.
Consider why Elihu was angry with Job. Job sought to defend his own righteousness instead of God's. Elihu was not concerned that Job might have sinned in some way, Elihu was not concerned that Job might be accusing God of some wickedness or misbehavior. Elihu was concerned that the righteousness of God was not being proclaimed by a suffering Job.
Think of that. Elihu wanted Job to put aside his own pain and suffering and give God glory for who he is. Elihu waited patiently before saying anything because of the wisdom of his elders, but finally his patience gave way as the older men became silent. Consider how the text introduces Elihu to us: But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. (Job 32:2) Elihu understood that what was really important was not that Job's integrity should be defended, but that God's character should be declared.
What is really important is not that any of us are ever vindicated in this life. We may be persecuted, rightly or wrongly. We may be poor, or we may be rich. We may suffer, or we may seem to pass through life with ease and comfort our consistent friends, but what does any of that matter? Our lives, if we live one hundred years or one thousand years, are still brief, and not worth comparing to the history of the world. What really matters is that we proclaim the goodness of God, the glory of God, and the character of God, so that he may be made known throughout all the world.
We are not seeking to defend God, he is not in need of our weak protestations. We are seeking to justify God in our lives, to give him the glory of his work on our behalf. We seek to vindicate God before those who would question his justice or his integrity, not by mere arguments, but by acknowledging that all that is done is done according to his wisdom. Job failed to do this in his arguments.
Job argued that he was righteous, he argued that if he could bring his argument before God, then maybe he could convince God to let him alone. But that mode of thought fails to realize that God knows full well what he is doing, and does not need to be counseled or advised in any way.
Does God not know our predicament? Is he ignorant of our plight? Is our suffering somehow lost on the God who created us and who acts with all righteousness? Why then would we think that we could bring argument against him to make him change his mind? Instead of thinking we can advise God, we ought to tell everyone of how good God is, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.
Perhaps Job began with some understanding of this reality. When Job lost his children and his possessions he tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshiped God. Even when Job lost his health and his wife turned on him advising him to curse God and die, Job said to her, "Should we accept good from God and not evil?" (Job 2:9) And though Job never sinned against God or accused God of anything improper, in the midst of the accusations from his friends, Job seems to have forgotten the goodness of God and that he is worthy of worship, no matter what happens in our lives.
Is it enough to be righteous? No matter how good we may be, we will never be pure and holy as God is pure and holy. No matter how just and righteous we may be, we will always be filthy compared to the spotless person of our God. Because of this, ought we not give God the glory in every situation? No matter what we suffer, it cannot diminish the wonder of God, so do not be overcome with evil, but overcome every evil situation with good, remembering the God we serve will vindicate us at the coming of Christ, so we do not need to vindicate ourselves, especially not before him.
One of the lessons I have been thinking about lately from the book of Job comes from an old insight that was brought to my attention. I honestly cannot remember who brought this particular point to my attention. Most likely it was my father. While he did not teach me everything I know about theology and Scripture, he certainly taught me a great deal. The insight was simply this: Job was never told why all of his misfortunes came upon him.
Often people make this point as they seek to illustrate that Scripture does not apologize for what God does. They are right about that, of course. Scripture never seeks to defend God from the charge that he allows evil or does evil. Scripture simply presents the reality that God does what he wants to do and is sovereign over all things. Thus, while the writers of Scripture are certainly aware of the problem of evil, that seemingly wicked things happen to seemingly righteous individuals, their answer is only that God is control of all things. Job definitely agrees with this perspective, as God's final interaction with Job reminds Job that he is but a man, and should not question the sovereign will and authority of the one who made him.
But, this point, that Scripture does not seek to defend God against the charge of evil, and the way that Job's problem is eventually resolved, simply by God's choosing to bless him at the end of the story, brings another point to mind. That point is best addressed by the question, "What really matters?" Was it Job's possessions, his health, his friendships or his family that really mattered at the end of the book? Yes, Job got all of those things back, and in the case of his possessions he received double, but was that the point of the book?
The real point of the book is not Job's suffering. It is not Job's loss or his righteousness. All that Job suffers and endures is but the backdrop for the conversation, which builds to one specific point: the glory of God. What really matters in Job, the crucial point that we must grasp, is that no matter what happens, God is worthy of worship and praise.
Consider why Elihu was angry with Job. Job sought to defend his own righteousness instead of God's. Elihu was not concerned that Job might have sinned in some way, Elihu was not concerned that Job might be accusing God of some wickedness or misbehavior. Elihu was concerned that the righteousness of God was not being proclaimed by a suffering Job.
Think of that. Elihu wanted Job to put aside his own pain and suffering and give God glory for who he is. Elihu waited patiently before saying anything because of the wisdom of his elders, but finally his patience gave way as the older men became silent. Consider how the text introduces Elihu to us: But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. (Job 32:2) Elihu understood that what was really important was not that Job's integrity should be defended, but that God's character should be declared.
What is really important is not that any of us are ever vindicated in this life. We may be persecuted, rightly or wrongly. We may be poor, or we may be rich. We may suffer, or we may seem to pass through life with ease and comfort our consistent friends, but what does any of that matter? Our lives, if we live one hundred years or one thousand years, are still brief, and not worth comparing to the history of the world. What really matters is that we proclaim the goodness of God, the glory of God, and the character of God, so that he may be made known throughout all the world.
We are not seeking to defend God, he is not in need of our weak protestations. We are seeking to justify God in our lives, to give him the glory of his work on our behalf. We seek to vindicate God before those who would question his justice or his integrity, not by mere arguments, but by acknowledging that all that is done is done according to his wisdom. Job failed to do this in his arguments.
Job argued that he was righteous, he argued that if he could bring his argument before God, then maybe he could convince God to let him alone. But that mode of thought fails to realize that God knows full well what he is doing, and does not need to be counseled or advised in any way.
Does God not know our predicament? Is he ignorant of our plight? Is our suffering somehow lost on the God who created us and who acts with all righteousness? Why then would we think that we could bring argument against him to make him change his mind? Instead of thinking we can advise God, we ought to tell everyone of how good God is, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.
Perhaps Job began with some understanding of this reality. When Job lost his children and his possessions he tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and worshiped God. Even when Job lost his health and his wife turned on him advising him to curse God and die, Job said to her, "Should we accept good from God and not evil?" (Job 2:9) And though Job never sinned against God or accused God of anything improper, in the midst of the accusations from his friends, Job seems to have forgotten the goodness of God and that he is worthy of worship, no matter what happens in our lives.
Is it enough to be righteous? No matter how good we may be, we will never be pure and holy as God is pure and holy. No matter how just and righteous we may be, we will always be filthy compared to the spotless person of our God. Because of this, ought we not give God the glory in every situation? No matter what we suffer, it cannot diminish the wonder of God, so do not be overcome with evil, but overcome every evil situation with good, remembering the God we serve will vindicate us at the coming of Christ, so we do not need to vindicate ourselves, especially not before him.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Confident Insufficiency
I'm reading through Dr. Bryan Chapell's book Christ Centered Preaching again. I haven't read the book in probably a year or so, since going through seminary. Even in seminary I read the book because I had to for a book review, and while it was good, I have a feeling that I didn't get out of it what I could have, so now I'm going to read it again, so I can be reminded of the great truths that Dr. Chapell has distilled in this wonderful volume. If you haven't read it, and you want to preach, I entreat you, read it.
One of the earliest truths that Dr. Chapell discusses is the fact that preachers are insufficient to the task of preaching. But, it's okay that we be insufficient to the task, because the real task of preaching is the winning of souls to God. The presentation of the Word of God with power to the goal of converting sinners to Christ, and empowering Christians to live their lives, in every way, in deeper relationship with God. What mortal man could be sufficient to this task? All of us are too sinful, too imperfect, too limited to accomplish the goals we should have with every sermon.
But, that's okay. In fact, that's a good thing. Because we are insufficient we are able to do exactly what we need to do. Because we are imperfect, we are able to call upon God, who perfects his power in our weakness, that he might do that which we cannot, and glorify himself through the foolishness of preaching. I told my wife one of the first lines in that book that made me chuckle is that Dr. Chapell notes that Paul commends the foolishness of preaching, but not foolish preaching.
A good preacher, a good pastor, is not called to stand up and be foolish in what he says, but he is called to be wise and give forth the Word of God. This is foolish precisely because we expect somehow that mere words will have effective power to change the lives of those that hear them. But, this is the means by which God has determined that his power should be shared. He works through his Word. The same Word that created the world holds all things together now, it raised Christ from the dead, sent the Spirit into timid fishermen and rejects from society, and even now is working powerfully in the world to accomplish the will of God. This Word no man is worthy to proclaim, but we are called to go forth and do that which we are not worthy of, because God is powerful enough to redeem the fallen.
Isn't this the same thing that applies to all of us? What are you sufficient to do on your own? Banking, physics, driving, shoveling, what is any of that in the eternal scheme of things? Yet, in Christ when we are obedient, those things which are nothing in the eternal scheme become important, because God does amazing things with insufficient people.
None of us is sufficient to fulfill the task to which we were called, because we were called to conform to the image of Christ. I don't know about you, but I have found that no matter how much I may try and force my heart to be more faithful, I don't seem to have a lot of power to change my very nature. I can control my actions, I can choose not to dwell on the sinful thoughts that enter into my mind, but I seem to have a nature that keeps on wanting to go back to sin. I am insufficient to change myself, to conform myself, to the image of Christ. But God is sufficient, and he will do that which I am incapable of doing, I just have to be faithful to him.
Likewise, Christ called upon us to go out into all nations and proclaim the gospel, making disciples of every people, tribe, tongue and nation. We were told to do this not because of the great power that was given unto us, but because all power in heaven and earth has been given unto him. Our commission does not rely upon our sufficiency, but upon the sufficiency of our God. He alone is able to do all things, without him, we can do nothing.
Take comfort in your insufficiency. Be confident that whatever God has called you to do, you are incapable of doing. And that is to his glory, because what you cannot do, he can. Where you are insufficient, God, my God, is more than sufficient. When you are faithful to God, and you work with all the strength which he gives you, then you can do great things, because you are not sufficient to do it on your own.
But, that means that you don't need to worry about whether you will save your best friend. You don't need to worry about whether your life will be perfect enough to stand against those who would test you and examine every aspect of you. You have sinned, and though you have (hopefully) put that sin behind you, you will never attain perfection in this life. You don't need to worry about those things, because the reality is that this is who you are, imperfect, insufficient to achieve the great tasks which God will set before you.
But, because God's Word is sufficient, because his power is able to do all things, when he commands you, if you are faithful to do what he says, then he will accomplish his purposes. Your life will never save anyone, only his word will. You will never have the power to save any man, only Christ can do that. You can take comfort in knowing that God is not relying upon your insufficiency, he is giving you the chance to join with his power to accomplish his purposes. This same God who made all things, who raised Christ from the dead, is able to raise the dead people we speak to, but we are not.
Praise God for our insufficiency, that he may be glorified. I will never save any man with my preaching, and that's perfectly fine with me. I may stumble, I may fall, I may make a fool of myself in the pulpit, and that's okay. As long as God's Word is proclaimed, that is all that matters. I may be a stuttering fool, I may lack all eloquence, I may be monotone and forget my outline, but if I am obedient to what God has called me to do, if I proclaim his Word, then he will be faithful to himself, and he will use his Word to accomplish his purposes. It is God who gives a man ears to hear and a mouth to speak. If he gives me an eloquent tongue, then so much more to his praise, but if not, I do not need to worry, I may be insufficient, but that's just the kind of person God wants me to be.
Have you thanked God for your insufficiency today? Have you praised God that you do not have the burden to accomplish what you cannot accomplish? Have you thanked him that he chose to let you join him in accomplishing his will? Our God is awesome, his power is beyond description. If you do not know this God, please, write me that I can share his Word with you. Seek him while he may still be found, for all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
One of the earliest truths that Dr. Chapell discusses is the fact that preachers are insufficient to the task of preaching. But, it's okay that we be insufficient to the task, because the real task of preaching is the winning of souls to God. The presentation of the Word of God with power to the goal of converting sinners to Christ, and empowering Christians to live their lives, in every way, in deeper relationship with God. What mortal man could be sufficient to this task? All of us are too sinful, too imperfect, too limited to accomplish the goals we should have with every sermon.
But, that's okay. In fact, that's a good thing. Because we are insufficient we are able to do exactly what we need to do. Because we are imperfect, we are able to call upon God, who perfects his power in our weakness, that he might do that which we cannot, and glorify himself through the foolishness of preaching. I told my wife one of the first lines in that book that made me chuckle is that Dr. Chapell notes that Paul commends the foolishness of preaching, but not foolish preaching.
A good preacher, a good pastor, is not called to stand up and be foolish in what he says, but he is called to be wise and give forth the Word of God. This is foolish precisely because we expect somehow that mere words will have effective power to change the lives of those that hear them. But, this is the means by which God has determined that his power should be shared. He works through his Word. The same Word that created the world holds all things together now, it raised Christ from the dead, sent the Spirit into timid fishermen and rejects from society, and even now is working powerfully in the world to accomplish the will of God. This Word no man is worthy to proclaim, but we are called to go forth and do that which we are not worthy of, because God is powerful enough to redeem the fallen.
Isn't this the same thing that applies to all of us? What are you sufficient to do on your own? Banking, physics, driving, shoveling, what is any of that in the eternal scheme of things? Yet, in Christ when we are obedient, those things which are nothing in the eternal scheme become important, because God does amazing things with insufficient people.
None of us is sufficient to fulfill the task to which we were called, because we were called to conform to the image of Christ. I don't know about you, but I have found that no matter how much I may try and force my heart to be more faithful, I don't seem to have a lot of power to change my very nature. I can control my actions, I can choose not to dwell on the sinful thoughts that enter into my mind, but I seem to have a nature that keeps on wanting to go back to sin. I am insufficient to change myself, to conform myself, to the image of Christ. But God is sufficient, and he will do that which I am incapable of doing, I just have to be faithful to him.
Likewise, Christ called upon us to go out into all nations and proclaim the gospel, making disciples of every people, tribe, tongue and nation. We were told to do this not because of the great power that was given unto us, but because all power in heaven and earth has been given unto him. Our commission does not rely upon our sufficiency, but upon the sufficiency of our God. He alone is able to do all things, without him, we can do nothing.
Take comfort in your insufficiency. Be confident that whatever God has called you to do, you are incapable of doing. And that is to his glory, because what you cannot do, he can. Where you are insufficient, God, my God, is more than sufficient. When you are faithful to God, and you work with all the strength which he gives you, then you can do great things, because you are not sufficient to do it on your own.
But, that means that you don't need to worry about whether you will save your best friend. You don't need to worry about whether your life will be perfect enough to stand against those who would test you and examine every aspect of you. You have sinned, and though you have (hopefully) put that sin behind you, you will never attain perfection in this life. You don't need to worry about those things, because the reality is that this is who you are, imperfect, insufficient to achieve the great tasks which God will set before you.
But, because God's Word is sufficient, because his power is able to do all things, when he commands you, if you are faithful to do what he says, then he will accomplish his purposes. Your life will never save anyone, only his word will. You will never have the power to save any man, only Christ can do that. You can take comfort in knowing that God is not relying upon your insufficiency, he is giving you the chance to join with his power to accomplish his purposes. This same God who made all things, who raised Christ from the dead, is able to raise the dead people we speak to, but we are not.
Praise God for our insufficiency, that he may be glorified. I will never save any man with my preaching, and that's perfectly fine with me. I may stumble, I may fall, I may make a fool of myself in the pulpit, and that's okay. As long as God's Word is proclaimed, that is all that matters. I may be a stuttering fool, I may lack all eloquence, I may be monotone and forget my outline, but if I am obedient to what God has called me to do, if I proclaim his Word, then he will be faithful to himself, and he will use his Word to accomplish his purposes. It is God who gives a man ears to hear and a mouth to speak. If he gives me an eloquent tongue, then so much more to his praise, but if not, I do not need to worry, I may be insufficient, but that's just the kind of person God wants me to be.
Have you thanked God for your insufficiency today? Have you praised God that you do not have the burden to accomplish what you cannot accomplish? Have you thanked him that he chose to let you join him in accomplishing his will? Our God is awesome, his power is beyond description. If you do not know this God, please, write me that I can share his Word with you. Seek him while he may still be found, for all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Poison
In my post yesterday I mentioned that I have a poison ivy rash. Today I want to go into more detail on that, and tell you about why I don't hate it quite as much as I did. But, I ask you to bear with me some, as I want to go a little into the details of my particular situation. You see, my exposure is not typical. My exposure has been pretty bad actually.
I went a saw a doctor about my poison ivy rash. Two weeks out from the first exposure the rash seems to be continuing to show up on other parts of my body. Initially I had a minor rash on my right arm, and a few little spots on my left arm where it looked like I touched my arm with my fingers after they came into contact with the plant. A minor rash, at best.
I was exposed on Saturday, August 24th. By Wednesday of the next week, it looked like I described it above. I showed it to some of the people from church as my wife and I went to bible study. Most of them noted that it looked like a minor rash, they even teased me that the little rash I had wasn't sufficient to be called a poison ivy reaction. If only they had been right.
On Sunday I showed them the rashes again. By this point, on my right arm I had a think leathery scab just at my wrist and extending about an inch up my arm. It was mildly annoying and I couldn't bend my wrist very well because of it. My left arm had blossomed into a minor swelling all along my lower under arm. Now I had validation: I had a certified poison ivy rash.
So, by this point I'm in a bit of discomfort. I'm spraying calamine lotion (with pain and itch relievers) on the left arm. On the right arm it wasn't itching too much, the scab was so thick it basically just hurt a little bit. I'm still not worried though. Instead I'm making a point of keeping ice bags on my arms as I can and just trying to avoid scratching it. I'm hoping it will start to heal soon, and Sunday night brought some additional hope to my attention.
An aunt and uncle along with cousins from my wife's side came to visit us. Spencer (my cousin) told me about how he used a product called Zanfel to treat his poison ivy. He told me it could do what no other product claimed to be able to do: it could remove the Urushiol from my arms! That's right, the Urushiol that had bound into my skin could be pulled out, I could stop the spread and get rid of the itching! Excellent!
I got some. $35 without tax for one ounce. If it would do what it claimed though, it would be worth it. I took it home and used it as per the directions. The itching stopped. I thought that was the end of it all, now I could heal. God is only amused at the feeble attempts of mortals to control that which he created to serve his will.
The rash seemed to stop on my arms, but it wasn't healing very fast. Oh, and the scab on my right arm was thicker. It was starting to crack to the point of bleeding lightly. I now could not move my wrist at all without pain, or close my fingers on my right hand because it would pull the skin at the top of my hand, adding a little more pain to the situation. The swelling on the left arm began to lightly scab. And a few new bumps had developed on my right hip and side.
Add to this the general disgust that I was oozing. That's right, the serum that forms scabs was attempting to form little scabs on all the spaces where my skin had broken down a little bit. Imagine holding a rubber ball with tiny little holes in it with a pressurized gel on the inside, so that the gel was continuously forming little bubbles and lightly flowing out of the rubber ball. That's how my left arm looked. Wherever I went I tried to take a napkin or a handkerchief with me to prevent oozing on anything I might rest my arm on.
My right arm was oozing also, but the breaks in the skin were thick enough that instead of forming little scabs that couldn't adhere to anything I had large scabs that caught the hair on my arm. Ah, one more minor inconvenience, feeling the hairs on my arms getting pulled every time I moved my arm. But, at least I wasn't leaving slug spots behind me wherever I rested my right arm.
I want to add one more final annoyance of my particular exposure to poison ivy: pressure. Every time I held my arms down by my side for more than 30 seconds the blood flow in the area would get so intense it would feel like my arms were swelling up. Add to this the irritation of feeling my blood flow. That's right, the little vibrations that travel through your arm from the pumping of your blood would aggravate the sensitive skin and cause minor pain or itching. Constantly. No, no, you don't understand, I mean all the time with out end constant itching and minor pins and needles pain in my left arm, and pressure in my right arm.
But, I finally went to the doctor. Once I realized the rash is still spreading, still is spreading, I figured I have what is known as systemic poison ivy. Basically the poison ivy didn't just adhere to my skin, it got into my blood stream. Now it is traveling around, having a little carnival in my body (whoopee!) and popping up wherever it decides to make a picnic lunch. It should stop now though. I got a steroid shot and some topical steroid cream (Charlton smash!) that should help me heal. And I'm on an antibiotic since I have beautiful open wounds on both arms now.
I told my wife though that it brought a comparison to my mind. Everything I described about my poison ivy is a lot like the sinful situation of all of us. At first, when we are young or do not know much of the glory of God and his holiness, we think we only have a minor exposure. We figure, over time, we'll heal, we'll get better. Finally, after the sin has spread sufficiently in our lives, we hear others talking about how they have fought sin in their own lives, and we do the same things. We hope that by applying a cream to our sinfulness, we can stop the outbreak.
The problem is that the wounds just don't heal, the sin may not be spreading any more, but we are powerless to really heal it. Unknown to us, sin is not just on the surface, it is in our blood, in our very souls. Wherever sin decides to crop up, it will, and we are powerless to fight it. We will always be powerless, and we need someone who can treat the sinfulness within us.
Christ is our great doctor. He alone has the power to give us what we need to be free from the sinful condition of our bodies. Just as I needed a steroid shot, we need an injection of Christ into our lives. And just as I have a cream to apply to my sores to help control the outbreak and heal my skin, so also we have the Holy Spirit who continuously convicts us of sin and helps us to recover from the wounds that persist, even after we have been forgiven. Moreover the power of Christ not only removes our sin, not only forgives us, it also makes us righteous, just as I needed treatment not just for the poison ivy, but also because of the potential of infection.
Not really a new metaphor, but hopefully, Christ as our great physician means a little more to you today, as it does to me.
For those of you who want photos, continue to the bottom of the post! I have included "before" photos, and "after" photos. The first three were taken around 9/5/10, the last group was taken on 9/11/10, when I finally went to the doctor. You can decide for yourself whether you think going to the doctor was really necessary.
WARNING! These pictures are potentially disturbing. If you've ever seen a moderate/severe chemical burn these most closely resemble such. Please, if you have a weak stomach, you probably don't want to look at this. If you have young children you may wish to look at these first and then decide whether it is appropriate for them. The first three look like just cuts or scabs, the last six are more graphic. (They are only shots of my arms, but they are pretty bad.)
Here are the photos from 9/5/10:
And here are the 9/11/10 photos:
I went a saw a doctor about my poison ivy rash. Two weeks out from the first exposure the rash seems to be continuing to show up on other parts of my body. Initially I had a minor rash on my right arm, and a few little spots on my left arm where it looked like I touched my arm with my fingers after they came into contact with the plant. A minor rash, at best.
I was exposed on Saturday, August 24th. By Wednesday of the next week, it looked like I described it above. I showed it to some of the people from church as my wife and I went to bible study. Most of them noted that it looked like a minor rash, they even teased me that the little rash I had wasn't sufficient to be called a poison ivy reaction. If only they had been right.
On Sunday I showed them the rashes again. By this point, on my right arm I had a think leathery scab just at my wrist and extending about an inch up my arm. It was mildly annoying and I couldn't bend my wrist very well because of it. My left arm had blossomed into a minor swelling all along my lower under arm. Now I had validation: I had a certified poison ivy rash.
So, by this point I'm in a bit of discomfort. I'm spraying calamine lotion (with pain and itch relievers) on the left arm. On the right arm it wasn't itching too much, the scab was so thick it basically just hurt a little bit. I'm still not worried though. Instead I'm making a point of keeping ice bags on my arms as I can and just trying to avoid scratching it. I'm hoping it will start to heal soon, and Sunday night brought some additional hope to my attention.
An aunt and uncle along with cousins from my wife's side came to visit us. Spencer (my cousin) told me about how he used a product called Zanfel to treat his poison ivy. He told me it could do what no other product claimed to be able to do: it could remove the Urushiol from my arms! That's right, the Urushiol that had bound into my skin could be pulled out, I could stop the spread and get rid of the itching! Excellent!
I got some. $35 without tax for one ounce. If it would do what it claimed though, it would be worth it. I took it home and used it as per the directions. The itching stopped. I thought that was the end of it all, now I could heal. God is only amused at the feeble attempts of mortals to control that which he created to serve his will.
The rash seemed to stop on my arms, but it wasn't healing very fast. Oh, and the scab on my right arm was thicker. It was starting to crack to the point of bleeding lightly. I now could not move my wrist at all without pain, or close my fingers on my right hand because it would pull the skin at the top of my hand, adding a little more pain to the situation. The swelling on the left arm began to lightly scab. And a few new bumps had developed on my right hip and side.
Add to this the general disgust that I was oozing. That's right, the serum that forms scabs was attempting to form little scabs on all the spaces where my skin had broken down a little bit. Imagine holding a rubber ball with tiny little holes in it with a pressurized gel on the inside, so that the gel was continuously forming little bubbles and lightly flowing out of the rubber ball. That's how my left arm looked. Wherever I went I tried to take a napkin or a handkerchief with me to prevent oozing on anything I might rest my arm on.
My right arm was oozing also, but the breaks in the skin were thick enough that instead of forming little scabs that couldn't adhere to anything I had large scabs that caught the hair on my arm. Ah, one more minor inconvenience, feeling the hairs on my arms getting pulled every time I moved my arm. But, at least I wasn't leaving slug spots behind me wherever I rested my right arm.
I want to add one more final annoyance of my particular exposure to poison ivy: pressure. Every time I held my arms down by my side for more than 30 seconds the blood flow in the area would get so intense it would feel like my arms were swelling up. Add to this the irritation of feeling my blood flow. That's right, the little vibrations that travel through your arm from the pumping of your blood would aggravate the sensitive skin and cause minor pain or itching. Constantly. No, no, you don't understand, I mean all the time with out end constant itching and minor pins and needles pain in my left arm, and pressure in my right arm.
But, I finally went to the doctor. Once I realized the rash is still spreading, still is spreading, I figured I have what is known as systemic poison ivy. Basically the poison ivy didn't just adhere to my skin, it got into my blood stream. Now it is traveling around, having a little carnival in my body (whoopee!) and popping up wherever it decides to make a picnic lunch. It should stop now though. I got a steroid shot and some topical steroid cream (Charlton smash!) that should help me heal. And I'm on an antibiotic since I have beautiful open wounds on both arms now.
I told my wife though that it brought a comparison to my mind. Everything I described about my poison ivy is a lot like the sinful situation of all of us. At first, when we are young or do not know much of the glory of God and his holiness, we think we only have a minor exposure. We figure, over time, we'll heal, we'll get better. Finally, after the sin has spread sufficiently in our lives, we hear others talking about how they have fought sin in their own lives, and we do the same things. We hope that by applying a cream to our sinfulness, we can stop the outbreak.
The problem is that the wounds just don't heal, the sin may not be spreading any more, but we are powerless to really heal it. Unknown to us, sin is not just on the surface, it is in our blood, in our very souls. Wherever sin decides to crop up, it will, and we are powerless to fight it. We will always be powerless, and we need someone who can treat the sinfulness within us.
Christ is our great doctor. He alone has the power to give us what we need to be free from the sinful condition of our bodies. Just as I needed a steroid shot, we need an injection of Christ into our lives. And just as I have a cream to apply to my sores to help control the outbreak and heal my skin, so also we have the Holy Spirit who continuously convicts us of sin and helps us to recover from the wounds that persist, even after we have been forgiven. Moreover the power of Christ not only removes our sin, not only forgives us, it also makes us righteous, just as I needed treatment not just for the poison ivy, but also because of the potential of infection.
Not really a new metaphor, but hopefully, Christ as our great physician means a little more to you today, as it does to me.
For those of you who want photos, continue to the bottom of the post! I have included "before" photos, and "after" photos. The first three were taken around 9/5/10, the last group was taken on 9/11/10, when I finally went to the doctor. You can decide for yourself whether you think going to the doctor was really necessary.
WARNING! These pictures are potentially disturbing. If you've ever seen a moderate/severe chemical burn these most closely resemble such. Please, if you have a weak stomach, you probably don't want to look at this. If you have young children you may wish to look at these first and then decide whether it is appropriate for them. The first three look like just cuts or scabs, the last six are more graphic. (They are only shots of my arms, but they are pretty bad.)
Here are the photos from 9/5/10:
 | |
| Right wrist |
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| Left arm (sorry for the blurry shot) |
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| Both arms. |
And here are the 9/11/10 photos:
 |
| Left arm, note the cracking around the elbow. Couldn't bend it w/o pain. |
 |
| Left fore arm, under, closer look at the elbow and the weepy serum scabs. |
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| Left arm, close look at the worst blisters nearest the wrist. |
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| Right fore arm, upper |
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| Right fore arm, under. |
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| Right wrist |
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Why I Hate the Fall
I get hot easily. I don't mean angry, I mean I bodily get hot, very easily. It could be 70 outside and I would be sweating, not copiously, but sweating none the less. I know this isn't a particularly lovely image, but it is the truth. Because I get hot easily, I prefer cooler temperatures. (There are photos from our honeymoon with my wife wearing two shirts, a jacket with a hood over her head, another jacket on top of that, a scarf, a knit hat over her head, gloves on her hands, standing with her arms crossed while she shivered as we passed through Glacier Bay. I, on the other hand, was wearing a t-shirt. And I was comfortable.)
For someone who gets hot easily and who enjoys cold weather, you would think I would like the fall. And you would be correct. I like the fall, as the leaves change, the weather gets cooler, and the crisp mornings and evenings are wonderful for good long walks.
So, why did I title this, "Why I Hate the Fall"? I used that title because I'm referring to fall of humanity. After we sinned, when we were cast out of the Garden of Eden, we were also cursed. But, it wasn't just humanity that was cursed, it was all of creation. Hence, Paul tells us that all of creation groans, in labor pains, waiting for redemption. This world isn't as it is supposed to be, its broken. (Romans 8:18-27)
The fact of the fallen state of the world was brought to my attention recently as I had a run in with what I believe has to be one of the most obvious reminders of the reality of the Fall that God created. This particular reminder is persistent, I must admit. It isn't a disease, but it lasts for as long as 4 weeks. It also serves as a constant reminder, because as long as it lasts, you will constantly deal with pain and itching, enough so that even sleeping is affected. I speak, of course, of poison ivy.
I have done a lot of research on poison ivy. Allow me to regale you with the information I have come across: The irritant that makes poison ivy so annoying is called urushiol, (You-ROO-she-ohl) it is an oil that is found on and in every part of the plant. Because it is an oil is does not dry up, even if the plant is killed it can linger for as long as a year. Oh, and the properties of an oil are just beginning.
As an oil urushiol suspends in water, so if you wash your hands the oil does not necessarily come off, instead you can transfer it to whatever you use to dry your hands, and then transfer it from that to other parts of your body. (Washing clothes exposed is okay though, the oil suspends in the water and doesn't transfer to other items, it drains out with the water.) It also vaporizes when burned, so if you burn some poison ivy the oil will vaporize with the smoke and cover whatever the smoke comes into contact with, including your lungs. The oil can also last on any object it comes into contact with, again, for up to a year. And, the method used for cleansing the urushiol can leave you even more susceptible if you come back into contact with it within the next few hours. Oh, and to make things even more interesting, the normal method of washing your hands, using hot water and scrubbing for several seconds, can actually cause the oil to sink further into your skin as it opens your pours.
Here's where things get really fun: urushiol cannot be washed out of your skin once it has bound itself into your skin. If you realize you have been exposed you basically have a max of six hours to try and wash the oil out. Washing the oil out can be done with strong soap and hot water (but remember, done wrongly that could only make the resulting rash worse!) but it is most commonly recommended to use rubbing alcohol or something else that can dissolve the oil (oil and water don't mix, basic cooking and chemistry rules). If, for whatever reason, you fail to get your skin cleaned in time (realistically you want to do it within 30 minutes) then the urushiol actually binds with the proteins in your skin. That's right, once it is in you it cannot be removed, it cannot be treated with anti-venoms, and the best you can hope for is a treatment that will make you more comfortable.
And, if you think you're one of those who is immune, be aware: poison ivy gives you at least one free pass. Because of the way poison ivy works you will not break out with a rash after your first exposure. You may think you are totally immune to it. Even on the second, third, etc. exposure, you may have no reaction. 75% of people (estimated) do react though, and just because you didn't react this time doesn't mean you won't react next time. Something about the chemical properties of urushiol cause it to not aggravate people initially, our bodies have to get sensitized to it. You also may not even realize you have urushiol on your hands as you spread it, because the rashes do not break out on your palms (the proteins the urushiol binds with are too think on your palms) but it will break out every where you touch with your palms. (I have a spot on my left arm where I have four pretty definite finger marks from where I apparently put my right hand on my left arm.)
Misery loves company. Hopefully in describing what poison ivy does I have you wincing just a little with me at how annoying it is. If you aren't there yet let me inform you of one more thing: the most common areas for rashes are the face and the groin. Yes, that's right, the two most sensitive areas on any body are the most common areas for the rash to break out, because those are the areas we tend to touch for personal hygiene reasons. Now, if you will, commiserate with me and those many people who are dealing with rashes. (Lest you think I have given you too much information I will be forthcoming: my rashes are just on my right wrist and hand and my left arm where I apparently touched myself, maybe to scratch.)
There is more I could tell you, about weeping wounds, potential for blood disease, infection, boils, blisters, pimples, etc. But, isn't it enough to note that this particular weed is in 48 of the 50 United States? Poison ivy is most common in the east, but it exists in all 48 of the continental United States. Poison oak and sumac, which are just as annoying, and I've been told may be even worse, are a bit rarer. People even imported poison ivy to Europe! (Knowingly, I might add.)
So, poison ivy has become the newest reason I hate the fall. Poison ivy serves as a perfect example, in my opinion, of why anyone who looks at the world should recognize that it isn't as it should be. After all, most animals are unaffected by urushiol (it simply gets on their fir) so it isn't like the plant enjoys any great natural protection from animals, except humans. The seeds of the plant, which also have urushiol, are even used as food by some animals. Poison ivy is only a nuisance to humans, therefore it reminds me that this world is not really my home.
Why would anything in my home be designed particularly as a weapon to be used against me? No, this is not the home for which I long. That home, to be with Christ eternally, will not have poison ivy. Or, if it does, the urushiol will no longer bind with my skin and cause me to break out in a blistering rash. Of this I am convinced: God will not have poison ivy rashes in heaven. It would break his promise that we would never again weep. I'm looking forward to that.
Rejoice, dear Christian, as you think that the Fall which taints everything in this world will one day be reversed. As creation cries out, as though in birth pangs, it will one day deliver. God will bring forth a new heaven and a new earth. If it were not for that promise, why should we bother to endure things like poison ivy, broken bones, or even the common cold? But, the joy that awaits us is such that Paul says our current sufferings aren't even worth comparing to it. Therefore, enduring what we do now for sake of the home we anticipate, all these things will be as nothing, but the time we have may serve to glorify God as are transformed to the image of his Son, and seek to gather more disciples, not to ourselves, but to him, who is all in all. Praise our God, for his promises are great, even in the midst of discomfort and suffering.
For someone who gets hot easily and who enjoys cold weather, you would think I would like the fall. And you would be correct. I like the fall, as the leaves change, the weather gets cooler, and the crisp mornings and evenings are wonderful for good long walks.
So, why did I title this, "Why I Hate the Fall"? I used that title because I'm referring to fall of humanity. After we sinned, when we were cast out of the Garden of Eden, we were also cursed. But, it wasn't just humanity that was cursed, it was all of creation. Hence, Paul tells us that all of creation groans, in labor pains, waiting for redemption. This world isn't as it is supposed to be, its broken. (Romans 8:18-27)
The fact of the fallen state of the world was brought to my attention recently as I had a run in with what I believe has to be one of the most obvious reminders of the reality of the Fall that God created. This particular reminder is persistent, I must admit. It isn't a disease, but it lasts for as long as 4 weeks. It also serves as a constant reminder, because as long as it lasts, you will constantly deal with pain and itching, enough so that even sleeping is affected. I speak, of course, of poison ivy.
I have done a lot of research on poison ivy. Allow me to regale you with the information I have come across: The irritant that makes poison ivy so annoying is called urushiol, (You-ROO-she-ohl) it is an oil that is found on and in every part of the plant. Because it is an oil is does not dry up, even if the plant is killed it can linger for as long as a year. Oh, and the properties of an oil are just beginning.
As an oil urushiol suspends in water, so if you wash your hands the oil does not necessarily come off, instead you can transfer it to whatever you use to dry your hands, and then transfer it from that to other parts of your body. (Washing clothes exposed is okay though, the oil suspends in the water and doesn't transfer to other items, it drains out with the water.) It also vaporizes when burned, so if you burn some poison ivy the oil will vaporize with the smoke and cover whatever the smoke comes into contact with, including your lungs. The oil can also last on any object it comes into contact with, again, for up to a year. And, the method used for cleansing the urushiol can leave you even more susceptible if you come back into contact with it within the next few hours. Oh, and to make things even more interesting, the normal method of washing your hands, using hot water and scrubbing for several seconds, can actually cause the oil to sink further into your skin as it opens your pours.
Here's where things get really fun: urushiol cannot be washed out of your skin once it has bound itself into your skin. If you realize you have been exposed you basically have a max of six hours to try and wash the oil out. Washing the oil out can be done with strong soap and hot water (but remember, done wrongly that could only make the resulting rash worse!) but it is most commonly recommended to use rubbing alcohol or something else that can dissolve the oil (oil and water don't mix, basic cooking and chemistry rules). If, for whatever reason, you fail to get your skin cleaned in time (realistically you want to do it within 30 minutes) then the urushiol actually binds with the proteins in your skin. That's right, once it is in you it cannot be removed, it cannot be treated with anti-venoms, and the best you can hope for is a treatment that will make you more comfortable.
And, if you think you're one of those who is immune, be aware: poison ivy gives you at least one free pass. Because of the way poison ivy works you will not break out with a rash after your first exposure. You may think you are totally immune to it. Even on the second, third, etc. exposure, you may have no reaction. 75% of people (estimated) do react though, and just because you didn't react this time doesn't mean you won't react next time. Something about the chemical properties of urushiol cause it to not aggravate people initially, our bodies have to get sensitized to it. You also may not even realize you have urushiol on your hands as you spread it, because the rashes do not break out on your palms (the proteins the urushiol binds with are too think on your palms) but it will break out every where you touch with your palms. (I have a spot on my left arm where I have four pretty definite finger marks from where I apparently put my right hand on my left arm.)
Misery loves company. Hopefully in describing what poison ivy does I have you wincing just a little with me at how annoying it is. If you aren't there yet let me inform you of one more thing: the most common areas for rashes are the face and the groin. Yes, that's right, the two most sensitive areas on any body are the most common areas for the rash to break out, because those are the areas we tend to touch for personal hygiene reasons. Now, if you will, commiserate with me and those many people who are dealing with rashes. (Lest you think I have given you too much information I will be forthcoming: my rashes are just on my right wrist and hand and my left arm where I apparently touched myself, maybe to scratch.)
There is more I could tell you, about weeping wounds, potential for blood disease, infection, boils, blisters, pimples, etc. But, isn't it enough to note that this particular weed is in 48 of the 50 United States? Poison ivy is most common in the east, but it exists in all 48 of the continental United States. Poison oak and sumac, which are just as annoying, and I've been told may be even worse, are a bit rarer. People even imported poison ivy to Europe! (Knowingly, I might add.)
So, poison ivy has become the newest reason I hate the fall. Poison ivy serves as a perfect example, in my opinion, of why anyone who looks at the world should recognize that it isn't as it should be. After all, most animals are unaffected by urushiol (it simply gets on their fir) so it isn't like the plant enjoys any great natural protection from animals, except humans. The seeds of the plant, which also have urushiol, are even used as food by some animals. Poison ivy is only a nuisance to humans, therefore it reminds me that this world is not really my home.
Why would anything in my home be designed particularly as a weapon to be used against me? No, this is not the home for which I long. That home, to be with Christ eternally, will not have poison ivy. Or, if it does, the urushiol will no longer bind with my skin and cause me to break out in a blistering rash. Of this I am convinced: God will not have poison ivy rashes in heaven. It would break his promise that we would never again weep. I'm looking forward to that.
Rejoice, dear Christian, as you think that the Fall which taints everything in this world will one day be reversed. As creation cries out, as though in birth pangs, it will one day deliver. God will bring forth a new heaven and a new earth. If it were not for that promise, why should we bother to endure things like poison ivy, broken bones, or even the common cold? But, the joy that awaits us is such that Paul says our current sufferings aren't even worth comparing to it. Therefore, enduring what we do now for sake of the home we anticipate, all these things will be as nothing, but the time we have may serve to glorify God as are transformed to the image of his Son, and seek to gather more disciples, not to ourselves, but to him, who is all in all. Praise our God, for his promises are great, even in the midst of discomfort and suffering.
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