So, I know it has been a while since I've written anything, most of that is just because I haven't really felt like writing anything. But, I wanted to share something I was talking about with my father. In reading back through Genesis and considering how I would approach different passages to preach about them, I began to consider Genesis 3:17-19. I thought about the curse that God placed on man, that the ground would only yield to hard labor. And I thought about how that passage should be understood in relation to the Christ event.
While perhaps there is some modification of this passage in Genesis 8 where God says he will no longer curse the ground for man's evil disposition, yet we never see anything that indicates that the curse of work has been done away with. (Here I wish to make some distinction between the curse of work and the blessing of work. What I mean by the curse of work is not just that we must work for our food, man was always supposed to be a creature of work, but the fact that work would be toilsome, would require difficulty, and would be painful. Work itself is a blessing from God, but the hardness of work, the pain that comes with work, these are aspects of the curse.) So, throughout the rest of Scripture we see men who work the land, from planting fields to caring for flocks. Jacob, in his reasons for leaving Laban, discusses the hardships of being a shepherd, and those who have worked the ground for farming or gardening know that while there can be joy in the results, the work is also hard and can be painful. So, while God may not curse the ground (more likely he is discussing cataclysmic judgments like the flood) he has not rescinded the curse of labor.
Man must work for his food, and man only eats his food by the sweat of his brow. So even Paul says that if a man will not work, then he shouldn't eat. 2 Thes. 3:10 Our command remains that we are to work to have something to give to others, and we are to work so we can eat with a clear conscience. Even if we are not working, or cannot work, we are to be willing to work, if able.
But, what are we working for? We work for food, with which we nourish our bodies, satisfy our appetites, and have energy to do more work. We work so that we do not go hungry, so that we can be happy. But all we can nourish with the results of our work is the flesh and blood body that breaks down with age and injury, and will not last long. Beauty fades, strength passes, and health gives way to sickness in time. Death is inevitable.
Yet, while we work for our bodies, consider what we read in Matthew 26, "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.'" (Matt 26:26-29) Here Jesus and his disciples had gathered to partake of a meal, they had gathered to partake of the work of the sweat of their brows, and Jesus invites his disciples to go deeper. Not only does Jesus want his disciples to partake of a meal, he wants them to partake of a meal that he will share with them again in heaven, a meal that celebrates the redemption of sins that he will purchase through his blood. So the eating of bread becomes more than simply the reward for hard work, it becomes symbolic of the redemption that is offered through Jesus.
Here we see a beautiful contrast begin to develop. Where the meal we are invited to partake of reminds us of the curse of work, the meaning of the meal points us to the grace of God. What Paul says to us in Ephesians should be noted here: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) So Jesus invites us to partake of bread, a reminder of the curse of work, but as he does so he changes the interpretation of the event, so that the bread becomes his body, and the wine becomes his blood, bringing to mind the salvation we have received, for which we have not worked. So our labor becomes a reminder of that for which we have not labored.
Here I wish to spell out, in part, a way we might see this contrast: We have worked for our meal, but we have not worked for our salvation. We come, reading in Genesis that by the sweat of our brow we will eat our bread, but finding that Jesus has invited us to a meal that we have not worked for at all. Christ has done the work, being perfect in accordance with the Law of Moses, and now we are invited to eat at his table, where he will celebrate with us one day in Heaven. Though we eat of earthly bread, we are brought to fellowship with heavenly hosts. The contrast could not be more beautiful, or more meaningful: We come sweaty, we come exhausted, we come having labored for our bodies, and we find that Christ has labored for our souls.
While we have fed our bodies with the sweat of our brows, we need spiritual food for our souls. And how can we labor for spiritual food? God fed the Israelites with manna, but even that did not satisfy their souls, as they regularly failed to obey the Word of the Lord. If manna from heaven is not sufficient to satisfy our souls, then what earthly food might we find that will accomplish this task? Christ answers this for us as he reveals that only he is sufficient for our hunger. We who were dead in sin desire the food of life, and his body is that food. Yet we cannot labor for this food, because we can never do enough to deserve to draw near to that which is perfect, being imperfect ourselves, and so we become dependent on him to give us what we could not take for ourselves.
So, Genesis 3:17-19 becomes a passage that leads us to Christ by way of contrast. We see in Genesis 3 why we need Christ. We come from the dirt, and we labor in the dirt. We feed ourselves through our labor, and when we eat our bread we should be reminded of the hardships of life. Yet, earthly bread does not address spiritual concerns, and cannot satisfy the longings of the soul. For this we need spiritual bread, and in Christ alone do we find that bread offered. In Christ alone do we find that we are invited to a meal for which we have not labored, a meal which maybe we never even wanted, but a meal that is more important than any other we will ever eat: a meal prepared for those who have not labored but have found rest in the Son of God.
Showing posts with label Eschatology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eschatology. Show all posts
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
A Perfect Inheritance (part 3)
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."
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."
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
A Promised Inheritance (part 3)
In the last two posts I began typing up a series of posts based off of the sermon I preached on the 12th. This will be the last of those entries. The first part basically examined Number 36:1-4, the second 5-9, this part will examine 10-12. Verse 13 I did not preach on as it is a summation of the whole book, and basically a sermon in and of itself.
In Numbers 36:10-12 we see the results of the complaint of the sons of Manasseh, and Moses response to them. The sons of Manasseh came to Moses to have their needs addressed as it concerned the inheritance of their brother, Zelophehad. Moses then responded according to the word of the Lord, and told them what should be done in this case. The issue developed due to the inheritance of Zelophehad which passed on to his daughters, as he had no sons. The concern was that the inheritance that God had promised to the clan of Manasseh would be lost due to the marriage of their daughters to another tribe. God responded by giving a command to the people of Israel that would ensure the inheritance of every tribe, eternally.
So, we have been challenged to be a people of faith, and a people of hope, what shall we do with this last section of Scripture? What we see here is how a people of faith and love live. Those who have faith in the promises, the victory, and the commands of God must live in accordance with those promises, victories, and commands. And that is what the 5 daughters of Zelophehad do. These are women of faith, just as those who brought the complaint were men of faith.
The obedience of these women is according to the faith they had in the word of God. God had given these women permission to marry anyone they wanted, so long as they married in the clan of their father. Remember, these women had not yet received the land they were anticipating as an inheritance. Just as the men of the clan believed that God would grant this land, so also these women trusted that God would do what he had said. These women were not just obedient due to social pressures, they were obedient because of their faith.
Faith requires obedience. Another way of looking at this would be that obedience is a result of faith. We see this idea discussed explicitly in James as he notes that Abraham was saved by his works and not just his faith. James here seems to be contradicting Paul, but the reality is that Paul and James are in agreement. James notes that Abraham acted in response to what he believed, this was the proof of his faith. Without works, faith is dead, so if we claim to have faith, but have no works, what good is that faith to us?
Just as obedience is a result of faith, obedience also anticipates the result of faith, an inheritance given by God. Consider that this passage does not tell us that the daughters of Zelophehad waited until after they received their inheritance to marry, but rather that they did as they were commanded, and married within their clan. These women anticipated that they would receive the inheritance promised, their faith was active in the fact that they were not passively waiting, but actively anticipating the inheritance to come. Our faith must also lead to an obedience that anticipates the inheritance that is to come.
But, it is also our obedience to the word of God that secures our inheritance. Once again we are brought back to James and we see that he tells us that if we are not living lives in obedience to the word of God, then our faith is dead, and of no use to us. If our faith is dead, if it is of no use to us, then it cannot save us and give us reason to expect the inheritance that has been prepared for us. So, while we cannot earn our salvation by work, we secure it by our works, understanding that our faith is demonstrated in our works. Hence why Paul says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, as this is our spiritual worship.
We walk a fine line here. It is a fine line because some might say that they are saved by their works, meaning what Paul means by salvation. These people think that because they do good works, God will look on them with mercy and allow them into heaven. That position is simply false, and is not condoned in Scripture at all. Rather, what we see is that those who seek to earn their way to salvation are challenged with their imperfections, called hypocrites, and rejected.
However, those who come to God humbly, having faith in Jesus Christ, they are saved. James notes this as he says to us that we must come to God in humility, that we must love God and not the world. Our love of God requires us to have faith in Christ, and thereby we are saved. But, this is also informative for us because we see that if we love the world we are enemies of God. That means that James is reminding us of our inheritance. He is reminding us that we who love God and draw near to him are securing our inheritance through works done as a confirmation of the faith that lives within us.
Obedience is necessary in order to be called the children of God. We are not being obedient to the law though, but to the love of God, and for God, that has been placed within us. Our obedience is not what causes faith, but is in response to the faith we have. Obedience anticipates the inheritance we will have, in that we are always reminded that we are obedient expecting God to reward us who seek him. Our obedience also secures our inheritance though, as we demonstrate our faith and are assured of our salvation by the things we do.
Where have you been disobedient in this last week, day, or even hour? Have you known what is good and right to do, and not done it? Have you resisted the law of love in any way? Have you refused to trust in God, holding on to your own problems and trying to fix things yourself? Consider these things and be challenged today to be more obedient to what you know you should be doing.
For the non-Christian, the act of obedience is simple: believe in Christ. This is what God has commanded for all people. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and was raised again on the third day. Believe in the gospel as it has been handed down faithfully to us.
For the Christian, obedience is equally simple: take up your cross daily and follow Christ. Have this same mind in you as was in Christ, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) To not be ashamed of Christ, and do not despise the discipline of the Lord. Rejoice, anticipate your inheritance that is coming, be obedient and look forward, hopeful because you have faith in Christ, you who are a child of God, who Christ is not ashamed to call his own.
In Numbers 36:10-12 we see the results of the complaint of the sons of Manasseh, and Moses response to them. The sons of Manasseh came to Moses to have their needs addressed as it concerned the inheritance of their brother, Zelophehad. Moses then responded according to the word of the Lord, and told them what should be done in this case. The issue developed due to the inheritance of Zelophehad which passed on to his daughters, as he had no sons. The concern was that the inheritance that God had promised to the clan of Manasseh would be lost due to the marriage of their daughters to another tribe. God responded by giving a command to the people of Israel that would ensure the inheritance of every tribe, eternally.
So, we have been challenged to be a people of faith, and a people of hope, what shall we do with this last section of Scripture? What we see here is how a people of faith and love live. Those who have faith in the promises, the victory, and the commands of God must live in accordance with those promises, victories, and commands. And that is what the 5 daughters of Zelophehad do. These are women of faith, just as those who brought the complaint were men of faith.
The obedience of these women is according to the faith they had in the word of God. God had given these women permission to marry anyone they wanted, so long as they married in the clan of their father. Remember, these women had not yet received the land they were anticipating as an inheritance. Just as the men of the clan believed that God would grant this land, so also these women trusted that God would do what he had said. These women were not just obedient due to social pressures, they were obedient because of their faith.
Faith requires obedience. Another way of looking at this would be that obedience is a result of faith. We see this idea discussed explicitly in James as he notes that Abraham was saved by his works and not just his faith. James here seems to be contradicting Paul, but the reality is that Paul and James are in agreement. James notes that Abraham acted in response to what he believed, this was the proof of his faith. Without works, faith is dead, so if we claim to have faith, but have no works, what good is that faith to us?
Just as obedience is a result of faith, obedience also anticipates the result of faith, an inheritance given by God. Consider that this passage does not tell us that the daughters of Zelophehad waited until after they received their inheritance to marry, but rather that they did as they were commanded, and married within their clan. These women anticipated that they would receive the inheritance promised, their faith was active in the fact that they were not passively waiting, but actively anticipating the inheritance to come. Our faith must also lead to an obedience that anticipates the inheritance that is to come.
But, it is also our obedience to the word of God that secures our inheritance. Once again we are brought back to James and we see that he tells us that if we are not living lives in obedience to the word of God, then our faith is dead, and of no use to us. If our faith is dead, if it is of no use to us, then it cannot save us and give us reason to expect the inheritance that has been prepared for us. So, while we cannot earn our salvation by work, we secure it by our works, understanding that our faith is demonstrated in our works. Hence why Paul says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, as this is our spiritual worship.
We walk a fine line here. It is a fine line because some might say that they are saved by their works, meaning what Paul means by salvation. These people think that because they do good works, God will look on them with mercy and allow them into heaven. That position is simply false, and is not condoned in Scripture at all. Rather, what we see is that those who seek to earn their way to salvation are challenged with their imperfections, called hypocrites, and rejected.
However, those who come to God humbly, having faith in Jesus Christ, they are saved. James notes this as he says to us that we must come to God in humility, that we must love God and not the world. Our love of God requires us to have faith in Christ, and thereby we are saved. But, this is also informative for us because we see that if we love the world we are enemies of God. That means that James is reminding us of our inheritance. He is reminding us that we who love God and draw near to him are securing our inheritance through works done as a confirmation of the faith that lives within us.
Obedience is necessary in order to be called the children of God. We are not being obedient to the law though, but to the love of God, and for God, that has been placed within us. Our obedience is not what causes faith, but is in response to the faith we have. Obedience anticipates the inheritance we will have, in that we are always reminded that we are obedient expecting God to reward us who seek him. Our obedience also secures our inheritance though, as we demonstrate our faith and are assured of our salvation by the things we do.
Where have you been disobedient in this last week, day, or even hour? Have you known what is good and right to do, and not done it? Have you resisted the law of love in any way? Have you refused to trust in God, holding on to your own problems and trying to fix things yourself? Consider these things and be challenged today to be more obedient to what you know you should be doing.
For the non-Christian, the act of obedience is simple: believe in Christ. This is what God has commanded for all people. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and was raised again on the third day. Believe in the gospel as it has been handed down faithfully to us.
For the Christian, obedience is equally simple: take up your cross daily and follow Christ. Have this same mind in you as was in Christ, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) To not be ashamed of Christ, and do not despise the discipline of the Lord. Rejoice, anticipate your inheritance that is coming, be obedient and look forward, hopeful because you have faith in Christ, you who are a child of God, who Christ is not ashamed to call his own.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Why Should I Care?
Recently comments from the lone responder to my posts have grabbed my attention and forced me to re-think my initial position in writing this blog. I started off thinking I could perhaps add to those who wanted to have a reasonable defense for conservative Christian positions of all kinds. For those who are not Christians and who do not want such a defense I thought maybe I could demonstrate that there is a logic and wisdom in the positions for which conservative Christians argue. But, Anonymous got me thinking, perhaps I should have entered this discussion with an introduction. Instead of saying what I think, perhaps it would be better if I state why I care, and thus why those who read this blog should care.
First off, I care because I really do love this country and the many people I have had the opportunity to meet and to know so far. I do not love every action of my country, and I do not love every action taken by the citizens or the leaders of my country, but it is the country I was born in, and it is the culture that God placed me in. I love the rich history of these United States, the drive for liberty and freedom that was present in the average man's mind. There are horror stories that could be told, slavery, violence, oppression, but those horror stories exist in every culture and in every people. At the same time as there are these horror stories though there is the greater reality of a drive for excellence, a desire for a better life, and the goal of somehow being good people.
Because of my faith in Christ I have come to the conclusion that the goals of America cannot be achieved by Americans. What I mean is that we will never have a perfect society. Logic and knowledge will never carry us across the threshold of sinful behavior and immorality. People do not do wrong because they lack opportunity or because they don't know better, they do wrong because it is easy, it is gratifying, and it is what we want to do. But that does not mean that we should stop trying to be a better people, it does not mean that we should stop trying to build a perfect society. For many people, hopefully still the majority of people, our goals are noble, even if we cannot agree on what the ultimate outcome should look like.
However, because of our sin, immorality has crept into our nation. I believe that abortion, the murder of unborn children, and homosexuality are morally wrong. I also believe that a nation that promotes promiscuity and reckless sexual activity in all age groups will always have the problems associated with that behavior, such as unintended pregnancies and disease. Therefore I write to try and encourage Christians to look at culture, to acknowledge the problems of culture and to try to reach out and better that culture. I do not want to address the mere symptoms, but I want to address the underlying diseases, and the system that promotes the rampant immorality of our times.
I'm not a fool though. I do not somehow think America has never had problems with sexual immorality, drug and alcohol abuse, and other problems throughout its history. Of course our parents struggled with many of the same problems we had, but they also had a guiding moral compass. The cultural Christianity that took hold of America in the Great Awakenings acted as a deterrent to many of the behaviors that today are common. I do not want us to return to a cultural Christianity so that the gospel is watered down to mere moral commands, which I know is far too often our easy response.
I want to encourage Christians to be aware of the real power of the gospel. But I want them to be aware that our arguments are based in observable reality. That is, the moral order of God and the commands of Christ are not just good in theory, but they have real consequence in a fallen world. Likewise, as I tried to demonstrate with some of the earliest posts on this blog, the arguments against immorality also stem from logical and philosophically sound positions. We are not constrained to simply say, "Well, if you don't believe the bible I guess I can't prove this is immoral." Christians serve the God who created all things, and therefore the order of our God is woven into the tapestry of reality.
I care because Christianity is real. I do not mean just that there was a man who lived and died some 2000 years ago who became known as the Christ. I do not mean mere historical facts are real. God really is the creator of all things, he really did put things into a wonderful order, and we really can understand that order based on what he has revealed to us. And we really can be free in Christ, we can change the world with the power of the gospel, not because of what we have done, but because the gospel is the power of God to save those who are lost.
I believe that in the last times there will be a falling away, and faith will grow cold. But, why must we resign ourselves to say that those times must be now? God has given us revival before, and God can give us revival again. There is no reason to look and say that our nation or our culture is lost and we cannot make a difference.
Culture is not just some universal entity out side of our ability to control or manipulate. Culture is people. When we right off culture and say that we have given up on trying to reach into a fallen culture to change it, we are giving up on millions of people. In America alone we are giving up on hundreds of millions of people. I know we cannot save them, I know that is the work of God, and I know that the reality is that we will not save everyone, but each person we save, and each person we can get to start walking according to the obedience that comes by faith, is one more part of culture we have snatched from the jaws of Satan.
I am a Christian, I love my nation because I believe that this is a nation that God wants to save. I believe that Christ wants to save every person, and the only way for a man to be saved is if he faithfully accepts the gospel of Christ. That means I have to be able to engage culture. I need to be able to see where culture has gone wrong, and what it should look like. As I can point out to people the things that are wrong, perhaps I can get them to ask, "What can be done to make this right?" And from that question I can point these people to the grace of a loving God, and hopefully some will be saved.
First off, I care because I really do love this country and the many people I have had the opportunity to meet and to know so far. I do not love every action of my country, and I do not love every action taken by the citizens or the leaders of my country, but it is the country I was born in, and it is the culture that God placed me in. I love the rich history of these United States, the drive for liberty and freedom that was present in the average man's mind. There are horror stories that could be told, slavery, violence, oppression, but those horror stories exist in every culture and in every people. At the same time as there are these horror stories though there is the greater reality of a drive for excellence, a desire for a better life, and the goal of somehow being good people.
Because of my faith in Christ I have come to the conclusion that the goals of America cannot be achieved by Americans. What I mean is that we will never have a perfect society. Logic and knowledge will never carry us across the threshold of sinful behavior and immorality. People do not do wrong because they lack opportunity or because they don't know better, they do wrong because it is easy, it is gratifying, and it is what we want to do. But that does not mean that we should stop trying to be a better people, it does not mean that we should stop trying to build a perfect society. For many people, hopefully still the majority of people, our goals are noble, even if we cannot agree on what the ultimate outcome should look like.
However, because of our sin, immorality has crept into our nation. I believe that abortion, the murder of unborn children, and homosexuality are morally wrong. I also believe that a nation that promotes promiscuity and reckless sexual activity in all age groups will always have the problems associated with that behavior, such as unintended pregnancies and disease. Therefore I write to try and encourage Christians to look at culture, to acknowledge the problems of culture and to try to reach out and better that culture. I do not want to address the mere symptoms, but I want to address the underlying diseases, and the system that promotes the rampant immorality of our times.
I'm not a fool though. I do not somehow think America has never had problems with sexual immorality, drug and alcohol abuse, and other problems throughout its history. Of course our parents struggled with many of the same problems we had, but they also had a guiding moral compass. The cultural Christianity that took hold of America in the Great Awakenings acted as a deterrent to many of the behaviors that today are common. I do not want us to return to a cultural Christianity so that the gospel is watered down to mere moral commands, which I know is far too often our easy response.
I want to encourage Christians to be aware of the real power of the gospel. But I want them to be aware that our arguments are based in observable reality. That is, the moral order of God and the commands of Christ are not just good in theory, but they have real consequence in a fallen world. Likewise, as I tried to demonstrate with some of the earliest posts on this blog, the arguments against immorality also stem from logical and philosophically sound positions. We are not constrained to simply say, "Well, if you don't believe the bible I guess I can't prove this is immoral." Christians serve the God who created all things, and therefore the order of our God is woven into the tapestry of reality.
I care because Christianity is real. I do not mean just that there was a man who lived and died some 2000 years ago who became known as the Christ. I do not mean mere historical facts are real. God really is the creator of all things, he really did put things into a wonderful order, and we really can understand that order based on what he has revealed to us. And we really can be free in Christ, we can change the world with the power of the gospel, not because of what we have done, but because the gospel is the power of God to save those who are lost.
I believe that in the last times there will be a falling away, and faith will grow cold. But, why must we resign ourselves to say that those times must be now? God has given us revival before, and God can give us revival again. There is no reason to look and say that our nation or our culture is lost and we cannot make a difference.
Culture is not just some universal entity out side of our ability to control or manipulate. Culture is people. When we right off culture and say that we have given up on trying to reach into a fallen culture to change it, we are giving up on millions of people. In America alone we are giving up on hundreds of millions of people. I know we cannot save them, I know that is the work of God, and I know that the reality is that we will not save everyone, but each person we save, and each person we can get to start walking according to the obedience that comes by faith, is one more part of culture we have snatched from the jaws of Satan.
I am a Christian, I love my nation because I believe that this is a nation that God wants to save. I believe that Christ wants to save every person, and the only way for a man to be saved is if he faithfully accepts the gospel of Christ. That means I have to be able to engage culture. I need to be able to see where culture has gone wrong, and what it should look like. As I can point out to people the things that are wrong, perhaps I can get them to ask, "What can be done to make this right?" And from that question I can point these people to the grace of a loving God, and hopefully some will be saved.
Friday, August 13, 2010
The Necessity of Heaven
Previously I noted that we, as Christians, need to be serious about explaining the reality of sin and its consequences to people. Today, I would like to look at the flip side of that, the reality of heaven, and the amazing grace and love of God. Paul says that Christ died for our sins, and on the third day he was raised from the dead. There is an amazing shorthand going on in that statement, that Christ was raised from the dead, that Paul explains more thoroughly in Ephesians and Romans. Christ has risen, and he has not just risen in the since of physically coming back to life, but he has risen in taking authority over death, so that in him we have life.
Salvation entails two aspects: you have been saved from something, and you have been saved to something. Take, for example, any of the great myths. The hero saves the day, he slays the monster, and he rescues the land. But, what is the outcome? It is not just that someone is saved from the monster, but they are saved to peace, life, and happiness. So also in Christianity, we are saved from our sins, but that means we are saved to being righteous and holy before God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 4:24, Philippians 1:11)
Because we have been saved to righteousness, we now have an expectation of heaven, as opposed to our previous expectation of hell. And just as it is important to point out the reality of hell, so also it is essential that we talk about the reality of heaven. While we often talk about God's love, and we talk about the idea of being in heaven, we do not talk about the reality of heaven. What I mean is, that if you asked the average person what heaven would be like, most people would tell you wonderful dreamy ideas of clouds, and comfort, and being with friends, but they would not be able to describe for you the image that Scripture paints for us of heaven.
If we miss what Scripture says heaven will be like, then we honestly do not know what we are supposed to living for. Our reward in heaven is described for us so that we might know that heaven is not just an ephemeral idea, it is a very real place. So, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 , Paul notes that Christ appeared to Cephas, to the 12, to James, to all the apostles, and then lastly to Paul himself. Paul gives us these details so we would be reminded that the resurrection of Christ is not just a good thought, it is not just some grand idea, it is reality itself.
What then is the reality of heaven? The first reality is that it includes our bodies. We will rise again from the dead, just as Christ rose from the dead. We will have bodies, just as Christ has a body. What our bodies will look like, what they will be like, may be a mystery, but the fact that we will rise and we will have bodies is not a mystery, it is a promise. (Job 19:25-27, 1 Corinthians 15:12-49)
Not only will we have bodies, but we will live on the earth. Revelation states that there will be a new heaven and new earth, and men shall dwell there, and God will dwell in our midst. Thus there will be heaven on earth in a literal sense, as God will dwell fully among men with no separation any more. So our hope is not just for bodies, but for a new earth, a land in which we shall live. (Revelation 21:1-4)
Heaven is real, and it is our goal. Heaven is not simply being with friends and family, it is not seeing our favorite pet or playing our favorite sport for all eternity. Heaven is the worship of God. When we remember the reality of heaven we are encouraged to continue struggling and rejoicing on earth.
When we remember heaven there is one more thing we should be encouraged with, and that is living among the saints today. If heaven is the goal, and in heaven we will worship and rejoice with all those who are called by the name of Christ, then why aren't we doing that now? Some who claim to be Christians neglect worship, they do not want to spend time with those today who they are supposed to want to spend time with eternally. When we are reminded that heaven is a very real place, we are challenged to worship God now in light of the promise that is to come, and there is no better way to worship God than to do it as a family, amongst his people. Live like you believe in heaven: rejoice over what God has done in your life, share your hope and your faith with others, and hold to your brothers and sisters in Christ, for this is what our eternity will be, shouldn't we begin getting prepared for it now?
Salvation entails two aspects: you have been saved from something, and you have been saved to something. Take, for example, any of the great myths. The hero saves the day, he slays the monster, and he rescues the land. But, what is the outcome? It is not just that someone is saved from the monster, but they are saved to peace, life, and happiness. So also in Christianity, we are saved from our sins, but that means we are saved to being righteous and holy before God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 4:24, Philippians 1:11)
Because we have been saved to righteousness, we now have an expectation of heaven, as opposed to our previous expectation of hell. And just as it is important to point out the reality of hell, so also it is essential that we talk about the reality of heaven. While we often talk about God's love, and we talk about the idea of being in heaven, we do not talk about the reality of heaven. What I mean is, that if you asked the average person what heaven would be like, most people would tell you wonderful dreamy ideas of clouds, and comfort, and being with friends, but they would not be able to describe for you the image that Scripture paints for us of heaven.
If we miss what Scripture says heaven will be like, then we honestly do not know what we are supposed to living for. Our reward in heaven is described for us so that we might know that heaven is not just an ephemeral idea, it is a very real place. So, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 , Paul notes that Christ appeared to Cephas, to the 12, to James, to all the apostles, and then lastly to Paul himself. Paul gives us these details so we would be reminded that the resurrection of Christ is not just a good thought, it is not just some grand idea, it is reality itself.
What then is the reality of heaven? The first reality is that it includes our bodies. We will rise again from the dead, just as Christ rose from the dead. We will have bodies, just as Christ has a body. What our bodies will look like, what they will be like, may be a mystery, but the fact that we will rise and we will have bodies is not a mystery, it is a promise. (Job 19:25-27, 1 Corinthians 15:12-49)
Not only will we have bodies, but we will live on the earth. Revelation states that there will be a new heaven and new earth, and men shall dwell there, and God will dwell in our midst. Thus there will be heaven on earth in a literal sense, as God will dwell fully among men with no separation any more. So our hope is not just for bodies, but for a new earth, a land in which we shall live. (Revelation 21:1-4)
Heaven is real, and it is our goal. Heaven is not simply being with friends and family, it is not seeing our favorite pet or playing our favorite sport for all eternity. Heaven is the worship of God. When we remember the reality of heaven we are encouraged to continue struggling and rejoicing on earth.
When we remember heaven there is one more thing we should be encouraged with, and that is living among the saints today. If heaven is the goal, and in heaven we will worship and rejoice with all those who are called by the name of Christ, then why aren't we doing that now? Some who claim to be Christians neglect worship, they do not want to spend time with those today who they are supposed to want to spend time with eternally. When we are reminded that heaven is a very real place, we are challenged to worship God now in light of the promise that is to come, and there is no better way to worship God than to do it as a family, amongst his people. Live like you believe in heaven: rejoice over what God has done in your life, share your hope and your faith with others, and hold to your brothers and sisters in Christ, for this is what our eternity will be, shouldn't we begin getting prepared for it now?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Necessity of Hell
What is the gospel? According to Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, the gospel can be summarized as, "[that] by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you— unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me."
Two things in particular I want to derive from this text: first that the gospel is that by which we are saved, and that Christ died for our sins. I bring this up because I previously stated that the best society a Christian could seek would be one that would promote the sharing of the gospel. I also stated that part of what that would entail would be a society with a strong moral center. Most people do not think of themselves as particularly wicked or evil, instead we rationalize what we do, so that we seem innocent in our own eyes. The problem with people who think they are innocent is that they do not perceive their need for salvation because they do not see that they have anything from which to be saved. People who are innocent of wrong doing do not need the good news that Christ can save them from their sins.
Because most people do not think of themselves as wicked, it is important that Christians need to be reminded of the very real threat of hell. We need to be reminded and we need to bring people's attention to the fact that there is a place of punishment and separation from God. There is a hell that awaits those who do not know Christ. While it ought not be our goal to try to scare someone into salvation, as though it would be sufficient only that men want to escape hell without loving God, we also do no favors if we neglect to mention the reality of hell with those we tell about the gospel of Christ.
I am reminded of a friend of mine who I shared the gospel with who understood the implications and said that she wanted to believe, but at the same time she did not want to believe that so many of the good people she knew were going to hell. For her there was a significant conflict created, because she saw that without Christ there was no salvation, but she also did not want to admit that those she knew and loved would be destined to go to hell. Ultimately I pointed her to the justice of God, that she knowing the reality of hell would not be spared from it any more than them, and that the grace of God was sufficient to save whoever would trust in him, including those she did not want to see in hell. I had the opportunity to pray with her, eventually seeing her come to faith in Christ. Her heart was broken, but she knew that she was saved, and was able to pray to God fervently for others about whom she cared.
Would I have done her any favors if I told her that she did not need to worry, that hell was only a myth? Would I have done her any favors if, over the course of our relationship, I had wept with her about the reality of sin and a coming judgment? It was the fact of judgment that made her serious in seeking to know what she could do to avoid it, but it was the love of God that brought her to Christ. A man may be saved purely through hearing about the love of God, but I wonder what he thinks he is safe from. A man who knows of both the love of God and the awesome justice of God is fully able to appreciate his salvation, and understand the importance of telling others.
We live in a society were sexual immorality is seen as innocent, covetousness is seen as motivation, and idolatry is rampant. Yet, at the same time, some of the largest churches in America do not ever tell people the reality of sin. Pastors talk about the love of God, they tell people how to live good lives in the world today, and they do it all while holding bibles, but the reality is that they are leading people straight to hell. If we have not considered the very serious nature of sin as it effects our world and continues to attempt to gain foothold in our own lives, then we are fools.
If we say we want to share the gospel, but we refuse to tell people of the peril they are in, that they are sinners, and that God will judge them and send them to hell because of their sins, then we do not really want to share the gospel. Men can understand love, we see it all around us. Men can understand justice, for we all know what it is to treated unjustly. What men do not understand is that they are guilty, and that hell is fully just and God is fully righteous. Part of the duty of a Christian who seeks to share the gospel is making that clear to people.
One final reason that we must stare the reality of hell directly in the face: because we do not live like we believe it. The vast majority of Christians in America will never share their faith. They claim to believe in the gospel, but they will never tell anyone else of the good news, they will never attempt to save even one soul from hell. We need to remember hell not only because it is necessary that men should understand what they are saved from, but because we need a constant reminder of why we should care about those who have not heard. If you do not have a passion to share Christ, let me ask you this: Have you really looked at your neighbor? Do you really love your neighbor?
We need to be loving, we need to be compassionate, we need to be merciful and have words that are seasoned with salt, so that men would want to come and speak to us. But, we also need to be honest and we need to be brave. We need people to understand that when they say, "I'm not that bad," they are wrong. When you speak the gospel, can it be said of your hearers: "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" (Acts 2:37)
Two things in particular I want to derive from this text: first that the gospel is that by which we are saved, and that Christ died for our sins. I bring this up because I previously stated that the best society a Christian could seek would be one that would promote the sharing of the gospel. I also stated that part of what that would entail would be a society with a strong moral center. Most people do not think of themselves as particularly wicked or evil, instead we rationalize what we do, so that we seem innocent in our own eyes. The problem with people who think they are innocent is that they do not perceive their need for salvation because they do not see that they have anything from which to be saved. People who are innocent of wrong doing do not need the good news that Christ can save them from their sins.
Because most people do not think of themselves as wicked, it is important that Christians need to be reminded of the very real threat of hell. We need to be reminded and we need to bring people's attention to the fact that there is a place of punishment and separation from God. There is a hell that awaits those who do not know Christ. While it ought not be our goal to try to scare someone into salvation, as though it would be sufficient only that men want to escape hell without loving God, we also do no favors if we neglect to mention the reality of hell with those we tell about the gospel of Christ.
I am reminded of a friend of mine who I shared the gospel with who understood the implications and said that she wanted to believe, but at the same time she did not want to believe that so many of the good people she knew were going to hell. For her there was a significant conflict created, because she saw that without Christ there was no salvation, but she also did not want to admit that those she knew and loved would be destined to go to hell. Ultimately I pointed her to the justice of God, that she knowing the reality of hell would not be spared from it any more than them, and that the grace of God was sufficient to save whoever would trust in him, including those she did not want to see in hell. I had the opportunity to pray with her, eventually seeing her come to faith in Christ. Her heart was broken, but she knew that she was saved, and was able to pray to God fervently for others about whom she cared.
Would I have done her any favors if I told her that she did not need to worry, that hell was only a myth? Would I have done her any favors if, over the course of our relationship, I had wept with her about the reality of sin and a coming judgment? It was the fact of judgment that made her serious in seeking to know what she could do to avoid it, but it was the love of God that brought her to Christ. A man may be saved purely through hearing about the love of God, but I wonder what he thinks he is safe from. A man who knows of both the love of God and the awesome justice of God is fully able to appreciate his salvation, and understand the importance of telling others.
We live in a society were sexual immorality is seen as innocent, covetousness is seen as motivation, and idolatry is rampant. Yet, at the same time, some of the largest churches in America do not ever tell people the reality of sin. Pastors talk about the love of God, they tell people how to live good lives in the world today, and they do it all while holding bibles, but the reality is that they are leading people straight to hell. If we have not considered the very serious nature of sin as it effects our world and continues to attempt to gain foothold in our own lives, then we are fools.
If we say we want to share the gospel, but we refuse to tell people of the peril they are in, that they are sinners, and that God will judge them and send them to hell because of their sins, then we do not really want to share the gospel. Men can understand love, we see it all around us. Men can understand justice, for we all know what it is to treated unjustly. What men do not understand is that they are guilty, and that hell is fully just and God is fully righteous. Part of the duty of a Christian who seeks to share the gospel is making that clear to people.
One final reason that we must stare the reality of hell directly in the face: because we do not live like we believe it. The vast majority of Christians in America will never share their faith. They claim to believe in the gospel, but they will never tell anyone else of the good news, they will never attempt to save even one soul from hell. We need to remember hell not only because it is necessary that men should understand what they are saved from, but because we need a constant reminder of why we should care about those who have not heard. If you do not have a passion to share Christ, let me ask you this: Have you really looked at your neighbor? Do you really love your neighbor?
We need to be loving, we need to be compassionate, we need to be merciful and have words that are seasoned with salt, so that men would want to come and speak to us. But, we also need to be honest and we need to be brave. We need people to understand that when they say, "I'm not that bad," they are wrong. When you speak the gospel, can it be said of your hearers: "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" (Acts 2:37)
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