Luther said that men are like donkeys--we are either being ridden by God or by Satan. How does Satan invade our lives through preaching? When preachers teach that our efforts have some place in our justification or, more likely, our sanctification.
On The Gospel Coalition, one of the bloggers recently postulated: "What do you do when your preacher isn't John Piper?" He went on to make some good points that we should try to support our preachers and be thankful for them if they espouse the Gospel, even if their preaching is lackluster. Yes and amen, he's correct. But I query: "If your preacher is espousing the Gospel, will you find him to be lackluster?" Perhaps the issue isn't with the delivery of the message, but with the content of the message. In fact, having a dynamic preacher may even be detrimental to the Kingdom of God. Dynamic preachers can divert from radical Grace and, given their popularity, they can't be "called" on it.
If you have read earlier posts, you know that one of my new favorite preachers is Tullian Tchividjian. Tullian is a well-spoken dynamic preacher. But he correctly espouses the Gospel. And, importantly, it wasn't always that way. Tullian said that when he first embraced the message of Grace, it radically changed his love for God. He said that he had a similar radical change a couple of years ago when he came to understand that Grace applies to our sanctification as well as to our justification.
There is no place for teaching about the ethical use of the law in Christianity. Other religions yes, Christianity no. Christian ethical conduct arises not from the law, but from Grace. This is one of the things that makes Christianity different. If we really believe that God loves us just the same when we are sinning, then sin begins to lose its grip on us. Then, our thankfulness to God begins to drive the sin from our lives. But, only Grace and thankfulness give us any freedom from sin. Merely telling us to "do better," even if we desire to do so, never wrought a change in a sinner's heart and, therefore, never wrought a change in our actions.
I listened to one of Tullian's sermons from 2008 last week. It was terrible--from a Gospel standpoint. It was good--from a communication standpoint. Tullian is a dynamic speaker. But Tullian was speaking about how Christians need to live holy lives so that we can spread Christianity. He said that the problem with Christianity is how Christians conduct themselves. Of course, this is one of the problems. But Christians are always going to sin. What needs to be done is--the Gospel needs to be preached in all of its radicality--God loves you the same when you are praying to him as when you are yelling at your spouse.
So, Tullian's preaching, when it wasn't the Gospel, was terrible even though he was a good communicator. Now, it is life-giving. Two of my favorite preachers here in Birmingham are viewed by some as lackluster, but they are two of my favorites, because they without apology proclaim the true Gospel. Their preaching has the power to change hearts, not merely to remonstrate us for our shortcomings or to be "better" Christians.
Praise God for His humble mouthpieces, who courageously proclaim radical Grace.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Year's Resolutions about Internet Porn (or anything else)
In a recent sermon, Tullian was addressing the mechanism of change in our lives--radical grace. He had been counseling a man who had a problem with internet porn. The man told Tullian that no matter how much he prayed, no matter how much he resolved to leave it off, he could not kick the habit. (Obviously, if prayer wasn't getting it done, I doubt that a New Years' resolution would have.) He told Tullian that he finally came to have some victory over internet porn when he realized that "God loved him just the same when he was watching internet porn as when he wasn't!" Radical grace, not the law or resolutions, was the change agent!
A couple of years ago, I had a friend who wanted me to write down his parental code for his computer. He was going to make up some incomprehensible code, so that he couldn't remember it. Then, if he ever needed to change the controls, he could call me for the code. As I was contemplating what he was asking, I thought: "Do I believe in radical grace? Do I believe that only grace can change us and not the law?"
I told my friend that I wouldn't do it. I explained that God loved him whether he was watching internet porn or not and that God's grace was big enough to cover any sin, even repeated sins. I explained that focusing on the sin and praying about the sin all of the time wouldn't change anything--it certainly had never changed anything for me. (This type of praying is narcissism at its worst.) I told him how I began to have freedom from anger and lust only when I reflected upon the things that God had done for me through Christ. I told him that Christ died for all of our past, current, and future sins. Christ's work on the Cross was finished. I told my friend that he was already forgiven by God before he even asked. We also discussed his sex life with his wife and how that could change for the better through radical grace (more on that in a later post).
About a month later, my friend called and told me what freedom he had gained from internet porn. I was so thankful to God--I had refused my friend's request and instead had proclaimed what I understood to be the Gospel. It was difficult for me to do so, because radical grace sounds so untrue, so unlikely. But, time after time, radical grace changes lives.
I was discussing this issue with another friend of mine who doesn't have a computer at home because of internet porn. He told me that he still fantasizes about sex quite frequently. So, taking the internet away did not resolve matters for him. I told him what I had told my other friend and what Tullian had said. I pray that grace will grip him and give him victory over this. I also told him to get married. Thankfully, so thankfully, my wife and I have a wonderful love life, but only after allowing God's radical grace to work in it.
Why don't New Years' resolutions about internet porn or anything else work? Luther put it well:
A couple of years ago, I had a friend who wanted me to write down his parental code for his computer. He was going to make up some incomprehensible code, so that he couldn't remember it. Then, if he ever needed to change the controls, he could call me for the code. As I was contemplating what he was asking, I thought: "Do I believe in radical grace? Do I believe that only grace can change us and not the law?"
I told my friend that I wouldn't do it. I explained that God loved him whether he was watching internet porn or not and that God's grace was big enough to cover any sin, even repeated sins. I explained that focusing on the sin and praying about the sin all of the time wouldn't change anything--it certainly had never changed anything for me. (This type of praying is narcissism at its worst.) I told him how I began to have freedom from anger and lust only when I reflected upon the things that God had done for me through Christ. I told him that Christ died for all of our past, current, and future sins. Christ's work on the Cross was finished. I told my friend that he was already forgiven by God before he even asked. We also discussed his sex life with his wife and how that could change for the better through radical grace (more on that in a later post).
About a month later, my friend called and told me what freedom he had gained from internet porn. I was so thankful to God--I had refused my friend's request and instead had proclaimed what I understood to be the Gospel. It was difficult for me to do so, because radical grace sounds so untrue, so unlikely. But, time after time, radical grace changes lives.
I was discussing this issue with another friend of mine who doesn't have a computer at home because of internet porn. He told me that he still fantasizes about sex quite frequently. So, taking the internet away did not resolve matters for him. I told him what I had told my other friend and what Tullian had said. I pray that grace will grip him and give him victory over this. I also told him to get married. Thankfully, so thankfully, my wife and I have a wonderful love life, but only after allowing God's radical grace to work in it.
Why don't New Years' resolutions about internet porn or anything else work? Luther put it well:
The law of God, the most salutary doctrine of life, cannot advance man on his way to righteousness, but rather hinders him.
This is made clear by the Apostle in his letter to the Romans (3:21): »But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law.« St. Augustine interprets this in his book ›The Spirit and the Letter‹ (De Spiritu et Littera): »Without the law, that is, without its support.« In Rom. 5:20 the Apostle states, »Law intervened, to increase the trespass« , and in Rom. 7:9he adds, »But when the commandment came, sin revived.« For this reason he calls the law »a law of death« and »a law of sin« in Rom. 8:2. Indeed, in 2 Cor. 3:6 he says, »the written code kills« , which St. Augustine throughout his book ›The Spirit and the Letter‹ understands as applying to every law, even the holiest law of God.
Christianity is the only religion that says that the law cannot bring about what it commands. The commands of the law are perfect and beautiful, but they are not efficacious in bringing about change. Only the radical grace of Christianity can bring about change.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Christian writers versus non-Christians--who has the courage to speak truly?
CAUTION: SPOILER AS TO "KUNG FU HUSTLE" AND "SIGNS."
True Christianity is the most radical compendium of concepts that exists. It is incredible. It is radical. It is counter-cultural. It attacks our human self-sufficiency. It attacks our view of the world. It attacks our view of God. This is why most Christian writers and other artists don't correctly express Christianity--they know that, if they do, no one will read them. Instead, it is non-Christians, or non-traditional Christians, who correctly express Christianity.
Last nite, I watched one of my favorite movies--"Kung Fu Hustle," by Stephen Chow. It is outrageously violent, comedic, and beautiful. The petty criminal becomes the hero--"strength from weakness." He is essentially resurrected. The hero exhibits grace, after the application of the law, to the "Beast" (the world's No. 1 killer), and the Beast calls him master. Finally, all of the events lead to the reuniting of the hero with a girl from his childhood--sovereignty. These are fundamental concepts of Christianity. Perhaps the Chinese get "it," because they have one of the oldest cultures in the world, and they understand how things work.
Although he doesn't consider himself a Christian, M. Night Shyamalan gets Christianity. He wrote the movie "Signs," which is overtly Christian. In the movie, he captures the Christian themes of "sovereignty," "grace versus law," and "strength in weakness" in all of their profundity. These themes are expressed in peculiar, even dreadful, events which work to save lives from the alien onslaught. "Signs" is filled with humor, grief, suspense, and joy.
One of my favorite scenes from the movie involves Mel and Joaquin sitting on the couch and discussing God. Mel says that there are two types of people in the world: a)those who think that there is someone out there who cares about us and intervenes for us; and b)those who think that, if there is a God, he is at best ambivalent towards us. Joaquin says he is Type A. He recalls a high school party where he was getting ready to kiss a pretty girl. Before he does, he turns away to take his gum out. In that moment, she vomits everywhere. So, yes, he believes in a good God who intervenes on our behalf. "Why, if I had kissed her when she got sick, I might never have kissed a girl again." The rest of the movie deals with situations in which it is much more difficult to find that God is good--such as the death of a spouse.
How do most Christian authors or movie-writers express Christianity? Well, they are antithetical to the themes of "sovereignty," "strength in weakness," and "grace, not law." Most Christian writers don't place God in charge of suffering and difficulties. Shymalan did--he uses the death of Mel's wife for salvific purposes. He has done this in other movies as well. Most Christian writers don't embrace weakness as being the place that God works. Most purport to show how God works through man's strengths. They praise God for health and prosperity, which we should. But, God's glory, His intervention in our world, is most powerfully expressed in the weak parts of our lives, not our strengths. Shyamalan get this. Just note the failings of each of the family members in "Signs" and how these are used to bring salvation and healing. Finally, most Christian writers believe in "tit for tat"--if you are good, God will bless you. Instead, God blesses us even when we are not good, even when our efforts are flawed--this is how we know that it is God at work, and not ourselves. "Signs" is shot through with mercy upon mercy revealed in man's weakness.
The fact that non-Christian artists comprehend Christianity speaks to its universality. The fact that Christian artists don't reflects the abysmal job being done by the church to express Christianity truly. However, if we believe God is sovereign, we can trust that He is at work drawing people to Him. It's just that the people being drawn to Him aren't the "usual suspects."
Isaiah 45:7 "I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things."
True Christianity is the most radical compendium of concepts that exists. It is incredible. It is radical. It is counter-cultural. It attacks our human self-sufficiency. It attacks our view of the world. It attacks our view of God. This is why most Christian writers and other artists don't correctly express Christianity--they know that, if they do, no one will read them. Instead, it is non-Christians, or non-traditional Christians, who correctly express Christianity.
Last nite, I watched one of my favorite movies--"Kung Fu Hustle," by Stephen Chow. It is outrageously violent, comedic, and beautiful. The petty criminal becomes the hero--"strength from weakness." He is essentially resurrected. The hero exhibits grace, after the application of the law, to the "Beast" (the world's No. 1 killer), and the Beast calls him master. Finally, all of the events lead to the reuniting of the hero with a girl from his childhood--sovereignty. These are fundamental concepts of Christianity. Perhaps the Chinese get "it," because they have one of the oldest cultures in the world, and they understand how things work.
Although he doesn't consider himself a Christian, M. Night Shyamalan gets Christianity. He wrote the movie "Signs," which is overtly Christian. In the movie, he captures the Christian themes of "sovereignty," "grace versus law," and "strength in weakness" in all of their profundity. These themes are expressed in peculiar, even dreadful, events which work to save lives from the alien onslaught. "Signs" is filled with humor, grief, suspense, and joy.
One of my favorite scenes from the movie involves Mel and Joaquin sitting on the couch and discussing God. Mel says that there are two types of people in the world: a)those who think that there is someone out there who cares about us and intervenes for us; and b)those who think that, if there is a God, he is at best ambivalent towards us. Joaquin says he is Type A. He recalls a high school party where he was getting ready to kiss a pretty girl. Before he does, he turns away to take his gum out. In that moment, she vomits everywhere. So, yes, he believes in a good God who intervenes on our behalf. "Why, if I had kissed her when she got sick, I might never have kissed a girl again." The rest of the movie deals with situations in which it is much more difficult to find that God is good--such as the death of a spouse.
How do most Christian authors or movie-writers express Christianity? Well, they are antithetical to the themes of "sovereignty," "strength in weakness," and "grace, not law." Most Christian writers don't place God in charge of suffering and difficulties. Shymalan did--he uses the death of Mel's wife for salvific purposes. He has done this in other movies as well. Most Christian writers don't embrace weakness as being the place that God works. Most purport to show how God works through man's strengths. They praise God for health and prosperity, which we should. But, God's glory, His intervention in our world, is most powerfully expressed in the weak parts of our lives, not our strengths. Shyamalan get this. Just note the failings of each of the family members in "Signs" and how these are used to bring salvation and healing. Finally, most Christian writers believe in "tit for tat"--if you are good, God will bless you. Instead, God blesses us even when we are not good, even when our efforts are flawed--this is how we know that it is God at work, and not ourselves. "Signs" is shot through with mercy upon mercy revealed in man's weakness.
The fact that non-Christian artists comprehend Christianity speaks to its universality. The fact that Christian artists don't reflects the abysmal job being done by the church to express Christianity truly. However, if we believe God is sovereign, we can trust that He is at work drawing people to Him. It's just that the people being drawn to Him aren't the "usual suspects."
Isaiah 45:7 "I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things."
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Reflections on Jesus--Christmas Day
"Jesus is multiply displaced, made peripheral to the important places in the world."--Garry Wills, "What Jesus Meant," p. 3.
As recounted by Wills, His displacements include:
1)he comes from a despised city and region--Nazareth;
2)his parents are displaced by "decree of an occupying power;"
3)Joseph has no relatives left in Bethlehem with whom they can stay;
4)there is no inn--even for a woman well-advanced in pregnancy;
5)He is born in a barn and laid in a hay trough.
What an undignified entry into the world for the Creator of the universe. Wills sums it up:
"Not only is he born into an oppressed people, and forced out of his parents' city, and excluded from their common shelter--now the oppressed person, the homeless person, the excluded person must become a fugitive, driven farther away from the familiar; the comfortable, into an exile [in Egypt] that recalls the wandering of the whole Jewish People." Id. at p. 4.
What a blessing Garry Wills is to Christendom! He so aptly captures the other worldliness of Christ.
One Christmas, I was reading one of Luther's Christmas sermons to my children. Mathis, age 7 or 8, said:
"Jesus was born lowly so that all could come to Him. " That well explains Christ' entry into the world. Had he been born in a palace, He would not have been approachable by the common man. Had he been born into luxury, he would not have been approachable by the poor. Had he been born into high social class, he would not have been approachable by the social outcasts. Had he not suffered and died on the Cross, we would not understand that God is empathetic and involved in our pain and suffering.
So, praise God for His radical entry into our world and our lives.
As recounted by Wills, His displacements include:
1)he comes from a despised city and region--Nazareth;
2)his parents are displaced by "decree of an occupying power;"
3)Joseph has no relatives left in Bethlehem with whom they can stay;
4)there is no inn--even for a woman well-advanced in pregnancy;
5)He is born in a barn and laid in a hay trough.
What an undignified entry into the world for the Creator of the universe. Wills sums it up:
"Not only is he born into an oppressed people, and forced out of his parents' city, and excluded from their common shelter--now the oppressed person, the homeless person, the excluded person must become a fugitive, driven farther away from the familiar; the comfortable, into an exile [in Egypt] that recalls the wandering of the whole Jewish People." Id. at p. 4.
What a blessing Garry Wills is to Christendom! He so aptly captures the other worldliness of Christ.
One Christmas, I was reading one of Luther's Christmas sermons to my children. Mathis, age 7 or 8, said:
"Jesus was born lowly so that all could come to Him. " That well explains Christ' entry into the world. Had he been born in a palace, He would not have been approachable by the common man. Had he been born into luxury, he would not have been approachable by the poor. Had he been born into high social class, he would not have been approachable by the social outcasts. Had he not suffered and died on the Cross, we would not understand that God is empathetic and involved in our pain and suffering.
So, praise God for His radical entry into our world and our lives.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Reflections on Jesus--Day 6
Sometimes seemingly innocuous events can have a monumental, lasting effect on your life--for example, a cocktail party. When Paul Zahl was invested as the president of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, a cocktail party was held in his honor, and someone created a cocktail napkin with three notations:
1)Law v. Grace; 2)Free Will? Not; and 3)Strength in Weakness.
That cocktail napkin gave me a framework for reading the Bible. When I read the scriptures through the lens of these three themes, the Bible became alive and it came to have remarkable continuity from Genesis to Revelation. Let me explain.
Law v. Grace
Christianity is the only religion that truly grasps that man cannot keep the law and, therefore, his only hope is grace. In Genesis, there is only one law in the Garden of Eden--"do not eat from the fruit of this tree." We all know that Adam & Eve broke this law--they couldn't keep just one, only one, law. How did God respond? Graciously. God killed the first animal to clothe them with skins, because they were ashamed of their nakedness and the leaves were not a very good covering. So, they couldn't keep the law, and God responded with grace. In fact, driving them from the Garden was also gracious, but I'll leave that for a later date. (Also, I don't believe in the 144 hour creation, so don't get wrought up about the Adam & Eve story. Whether this story is literally true or only allegorically true, it still exhibits a profound understanding of the fallen nature of man and the gracious nature of God.) Then, came the Ten Commandments, which the people couldn't keep--God responded graciously with the sacrificial system. Then, Jesus upped the ante by requiring perfection (not only pure actions, but pure hearts). Obviously, man violates this every minute. So, God responded graciously with the Cross.
Free Will? Not
Do we have free will, or is God sovereign? Theologians and philosophers have debated this forever and will continue to do so. Luther said that man has "free will" to sin, but not "free will" to do good. This arises from Christ's pronouncement that many good actions (those beneficial to mankind) arise not from a true heart of good will towards one's fellow man, but rather from a narcissistic desire to be thought well of by others. For instance, the story of the 40 years in the desert reflects that the Jews were bound to sin--they simply couldn't help it. We are the same way. How many bad habits have you tried to break? I never had any luck with my lust or anger by simply praying for it to be taken away--no matter how hard I prayed. Only when I began to understand the grace and beauty of God did these sins begin to take a back seat to better qualities. Luther's book "The Bondage of the Will" is a remarkable examination of the Biblical support for our bound wills. Knowing that man is "bound to sin" allows us to view our fellow man as fellow strugglers, not as villains or libertines.
Furthermore, even though we are bound to sin, the Bible is rife with stories that exhibit that God is over man's sin--such as the story of Joseph and the birth of Israel, and is most wonderfully expressed in the Cross. So, God's sovereignty trumps our sin. In other words, we can be free to make mistakes. What a wonderful God! One who loves us through our mistakes and even is over them.
Strength in Weakness
Islam and Christianity are two fundamentally different religions. Islam is about God working through our strength; Christianity is about God working through our weakness. The worst times of Christian history, such as the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, etc., all occurred when persons forgot that Christianity is a religion of weakness, not strength. Jesus himself died so that we might come to him. Mohammed converted others to his religion at the point of a sword. I'm not bashing Islam. I'm simply stating the two religions are fundamentally different.
The Biblical stories for weakness triumphing over strength are many--for example, David v. Goliath; Joshua and Jericho; and the Cross. What's more, the entire history of Israel is one of weakness triumphing over strength. When we see that weakness triumphs over strength, we realize that it is God triumphing, not us. This is key. When I win a case due to my legal skills, I can just as easily congratulate myself as thank God. But, when there is triumph in an area of weakness--such as my desire to control situations--then I know without a doubt that it was God and I am thankful. Thankfulness is the emotion which issues forth in love for God and our fellow man--the two most important commandments of Christ--ones which I cannot keep without experiencing the love of God myself.
These three themes allow me to evaluate not only Scripture, but to see Christian themes in art, books, and movies. "Signs" has all three of these themes. In fact, after seeing God's sovereignty and provision vis-a-vis his child, Mel's character returns to faith. Another favorite movie of mine which exhibits these characteristics is "Kung Fu Hustle." Perhaps being the oldest culture on earth allows the Chinese to understand these themes, because this movie is "chock full" of them. My copy of the movie contains an interview with the director, writer, and main actor--Stephen Cho. If you substitute "Holy Spirit" for "Chi Force" in his words, he sounds like a Christian.
As evidenced by "Kung Fu Hustle," these are universal themes, universal truths of how our world works. It's simply that Christianity, in its true form, acknowledges these universal truths, while other religions do not. There may be traces of these themes in other religions, but they are only embraced whole-heartedly in Christianity. In fact, these themes are so radical that they are not embraced by most persons who profess to be Christians. But, in my experience and, more importantly, the reported experiences of Joshua, King David, St. Paul, Augustine, Luther, and C.S. Lewis, they are true.
So, I am extremely thankful to whomever created those cocktail napkins with the three themes. It not only has allowed me to understand Christianity more profoundly, but has allowed me to express the beauty of Christianity to others and, importantly, to understand the views of those who do not embrace Christianity.
1)Law v. Grace; 2)Free Will? Not; and 3)Strength in Weakness.
That cocktail napkin gave me a framework for reading the Bible. When I read the scriptures through the lens of these three themes, the Bible became alive and it came to have remarkable continuity from Genesis to Revelation. Let me explain.
Law v. Grace
Christianity is the only religion that truly grasps that man cannot keep the law and, therefore, his only hope is grace. In Genesis, there is only one law in the Garden of Eden--"do not eat from the fruit of this tree." We all know that Adam & Eve broke this law--they couldn't keep just one, only one, law. How did God respond? Graciously. God killed the first animal to clothe them with skins, because they were ashamed of their nakedness and the leaves were not a very good covering. So, they couldn't keep the law, and God responded with grace. In fact, driving them from the Garden was also gracious, but I'll leave that for a later date. (Also, I don't believe in the 144 hour creation, so don't get wrought up about the Adam & Eve story. Whether this story is literally true or only allegorically true, it still exhibits a profound understanding of the fallen nature of man and the gracious nature of God.) Then, came the Ten Commandments, which the people couldn't keep--God responded graciously with the sacrificial system. Then, Jesus upped the ante by requiring perfection (not only pure actions, but pure hearts). Obviously, man violates this every minute. So, God responded graciously with the Cross.
Free Will? Not
Do we have free will, or is God sovereign? Theologians and philosophers have debated this forever and will continue to do so. Luther said that man has "free will" to sin, but not "free will" to do good. This arises from Christ's pronouncement that many good actions (those beneficial to mankind) arise not from a true heart of good will towards one's fellow man, but rather from a narcissistic desire to be thought well of by others. For instance, the story of the 40 years in the desert reflects that the Jews were bound to sin--they simply couldn't help it. We are the same way. How many bad habits have you tried to break? I never had any luck with my lust or anger by simply praying for it to be taken away--no matter how hard I prayed. Only when I began to understand the grace and beauty of God did these sins begin to take a back seat to better qualities. Luther's book "The Bondage of the Will" is a remarkable examination of the Biblical support for our bound wills. Knowing that man is "bound to sin" allows us to view our fellow man as fellow strugglers, not as villains or libertines.
Strength in Weakness
Islam and Christianity are two fundamentally different religions. Islam is about God working through our strength; Christianity is about God working through our weakness. The worst times of Christian history, such as the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, etc., all occurred when persons forgot that Christianity is a religion of weakness, not strength. Jesus himself died so that we might come to him. Mohammed converted others to his religion at the point of a sword. I'm not bashing Islam. I'm simply stating the two religions are fundamentally different.
The Biblical stories for weakness triumphing over strength are many--for example, David v. Goliath; Joshua and Jericho; and the Cross. What's more, the entire history of Israel is one of weakness triumphing over strength. When we see that weakness triumphs over strength, we realize that it is God triumphing, not us. This is key. When I win a case due to my legal skills, I can just as easily congratulate myself as thank God. But, when there is triumph in an area of weakness--such as my desire to control situations--then I know without a doubt that it was God and I am thankful. Thankfulness is the emotion which issues forth in love for God and our fellow man--the two most important commandments of Christ--ones which I cannot keep without experiencing the love of God myself.
These three themes allow me to evaluate not only Scripture, but to see Christian themes in art, books, and movies. "Signs" has all three of these themes. In fact, after seeing God's sovereignty and provision vis-a-vis his child, Mel's character returns to faith. Another favorite movie of mine which exhibits these characteristics is "Kung Fu Hustle." Perhaps being the oldest culture on earth allows the Chinese to understand these themes, because this movie is "chock full" of them. My copy of the movie contains an interview with the director, writer, and main actor--Stephen Cho. If you substitute "Holy Spirit" for "Chi Force" in his words, he sounds like a Christian.
As evidenced by "Kung Fu Hustle," these are universal themes, universal truths of how our world works. It's simply that Christianity, in its true form, acknowledges these universal truths, while other religions do not. There may be traces of these themes in other religions, but they are only embraced whole-heartedly in Christianity. In fact, these themes are so radical that they are not embraced by most persons who profess to be Christians. But, in my experience and, more importantly, the reported experiences of Joshua, King David, St. Paul, Augustine, Luther, and C.S. Lewis, they are true.
So, I am extremely thankful to whomever created those cocktail napkins with the three themes. It not only has allowed me to understand Christianity more profoundly, but has allowed me to express the beauty of Christianity to others and, importantly, to understand the views of those who do not embrace Christianity.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Reflections on Jesus--Day 5
Let's talk about one of the most confounding stories in the OT--the preclusion of Moses from the Promised Land and his death and burial. What's more, let's discuss this story in light of what we learned from Jesus.
I can't number the people that have said: "But it's not fair. It's not fair for Moses to die for a slight sin and, therefore, not enter the Promised Land." You recall the story. The people needed water, and God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would issue forth. Instead, Moses lost his temper with the people, struck the rock, and because of this, Moses was forbidden by God to enter the Promised Land. Then, Moses died before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. Fair or not fair? When one views this event from only a worldly perspective, it was unfair. However, when one views it from an other-worldly perspective, it's more than fair, it's gracious.
We learn from Jesus that there is a celestial kingdom--a palace with many rooms--that is our destination after death. Jesus says that there will be no more pain, sorrow, or grief in Heaven. In fact, Jesus tells us that there will be no sin of any kind in Heaven. In contrast, what awaited the Israelites in the Promised Land? The Israelites were going to have to fight to win the land. While God had promised the land to them, they were going to lose many people in fighting to obtain the land. So, instead of entering into a land filled with war, Moses entered into a sinless land. Jesus' Second Coming is a promise that, when our earthly existence is married with out eternal existence, everything will be made new, will be set right--all worldly unfairness will be made fair, will be vindicated.
What's more, the death of Moses served a couple of purposes vis-a-vis the Israelites. First, the Israelites virtually worshipped Moses. They thought so highly of him that it is said that God buried Moses' body so that the Israelites would not know its location. In other words, God was protecting the Israelites from the sin of idolatry. I elaborated on this problem--that we all want to elevate men--in a prior blog: "Call No Man Father."
Second, Moses' sin lifted a burden from the Israelites. We understand this once we consider Jesus' teaching about sanctification. Jesus makes it clear that, if we are to attain righteousness before God based upon our actions, then we must be perfect. But we can't be perfect. This causes us to fall on our knees and receive the mercy of God. We learn from Jesus that our righteousness is born out of a relationship with Christ, not out of our good deeds. This frees us from having to keep the law, from trying to keep the law, from having heavy burdens on our shoulders. Since leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses had led an exemplary life. If Moses had not sinned by striking the rock, the Israelites would have been left with a model for righteous living--the Israelites would have been left trying to live like Moses--they would have been bound under the law.
So, Moses' death and preclusion from the Promised Land becomes explicable when considered in light of the wonderful teachings of Christ--that earth is not our true home; and that our righteousness isn't based upon the burden of righteous living, but rather upon the sheer mercy of God. Reflecting upon Christ answers many of the questions that we have about the OT. As we come to know Christ more and more, the grace of God begins to leap forth from the pages of the OT. What once was a conundrum for me has become a wealth of pictures of the boundless grace of God.
One final reflection--the Gospel is alive in America. It has sputtered for many, many years under so-called Christian leaders whom I will leave nameless. There are even some Christians in the public sphere who have good words for us, but still don't capture the Gospel in all of its radically. Today, there is a new breath of true-Christianity issuing forth and receiving attention. Two of the preachers that God is using most are Timothy Keller and Tullian Tchividjian. Thanks to God both are now receiving national attention for their proclamation of the Gospel. So, be in prayer for these men. You can find Keller's sermons at his church's website--www.redeemer.com. You can find Tullian's blog at: www.thegospelcoalition.com. I commend both of them to you. Both will give you a greater love for God.
I can't number the people that have said: "But it's not fair. It's not fair for Moses to die for a slight sin and, therefore, not enter the Promised Land." You recall the story. The people needed water, and God told Moses to speak to the rock and water would issue forth. Instead, Moses lost his temper with the people, struck the rock, and because of this, Moses was forbidden by God to enter the Promised Land. Then, Moses died before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. Fair or not fair? When one views this event from only a worldly perspective, it was unfair. However, when one views it from an other-worldly perspective, it's more than fair, it's gracious.
We learn from Jesus that there is a celestial kingdom--a palace with many rooms--that is our destination after death. Jesus says that there will be no more pain, sorrow, or grief in Heaven. In fact, Jesus tells us that there will be no sin of any kind in Heaven. In contrast, what awaited the Israelites in the Promised Land? The Israelites were going to have to fight to win the land. While God had promised the land to them, they were going to lose many people in fighting to obtain the land. So, instead of entering into a land filled with war, Moses entered into a sinless land. Jesus' Second Coming is a promise that, when our earthly existence is married with out eternal existence, everything will be made new, will be set right--all worldly unfairness will be made fair, will be vindicated.
What's more, the death of Moses served a couple of purposes vis-a-vis the Israelites. First, the Israelites virtually worshipped Moses. They thought so highly of him that it is said that God buried Moses' body so that the Israelites would not know its location. In other words, God was protecting the Israelites from the sin of idolatry. I elaborated on this problem--that we all want to elevate men--in a prior blog: "Call No Man Father."
Second, Moses' sin lifted a burden from the Israelites. We understand this once we consider Jesus' teaching about sanctification. Jesus makes it clear that, if we are to attain righteousness before God based upon our actions, then we must be perfect. But we can't be perfect. This causes us to fall on our knees and receive the mercy of God. We learn from Jesus that our righteousness is born out of a relationship with Christ, not out of our good deeds. This frees us from having to keep the law, from trying to keep the law, from having heavy burdens on our shoulders. Since leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses had led an exemplary life. If Moses had not sinned by striking the rock, the Israelites would have been left with a model for righteous living--the Israelites would have been left trying to live like Moses--they would have been bound under the law.
So, Moses' death and preclusion from the Promised Land becomes explicable when considered in light of the wonderful teachings of Christ--that earth is not our true home; and that our righteousness isn't based upon the burden of righteous living, but rather upon the sheer mercy of God. Reflecting upon Christ answers many of the questions that we have about the OT. As we come to know Christ more and more, the grace of God begins to leap forth from the pages of the OT. What once was a conundrum for me has become a wealth of pictures of the boundless grace of God.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Reflections on Jesus--Day 4
CAUTION: THIS POST IS A SPOILER FOR ANYONE READING STEPHEN KING'S NEW BOOK: "11/23/63."
I owe this post to my good friend Mona. She has been posting about 3s--there is a peculiar phenomenon that things in our world happen in 3s. In fact, the most important year in my life was occasioned by the confluence of three events. But, more on that later. Today, I want to talk about 3s (harmonies) and whether they are evidence of a creator.
Another friend on FB, Luke, posted an article discussing mult-verses. Many scientists now are positing that there are multiple universes. They realize that the probability of life occurring on earth through some cosmic accident is so "de minimis" that only multiple universes--many, many different universes--can explain the random occurrence of life on earth. In other words, there must be many, many universes which are nothing like ours (and which we have never seen) in order for our universe to have life which comports with the probability that life would form on its own. Of course, there is another answer--intelligent design--God.
If there are multiple universes, and ours is simply the result of chance, would you expect to see harmony in our universe, or dis-harmony? In other words, would you expect to see that events are entirely random, or would you expect to see coincidences? In my experience, our world refutes chance and multi-verses.
In his latest book, Stephen King describes harmonies. His main character is a time-traveler bent on stopping the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Presumably, if he can stop the assassination of Kennedy, the present-day world will be a better place. In traveling between the present and 1963, he sees many events which appear to just be coincidences, but they are striking. In fact, he comes to see these coincidences as harmonies. Stephen King even intertwines this book with two of his previous books--harmonies. King captures the beauty of coincidence--those events that point not towards randomness, but towards harmonies--towards an intelligent designer--God. Interestingly, when King's protagonist stops the assassination of Kennedy and then returns to present day, the world is falling apart--there are earthquakes, the U.S. is in disarray politically, and society is crumbling. This man has upset the divine order, and the world is decaying into chaos. He then returns to the past again, allows Kennedy to be killed (in this book, time can be re-set) and when he returns to the present day, things are once again in order. King is right--there is a harmony to life set in place by God, which sinful man tries to destroy--sometimes with the best intentions.
For what it's worth, "11/23/63" is also a beautiful love story. It truly expresses the unselfish love that can exist, although rarely, in our world. The master of horror also captures the existence of God and the beauty of love. Some would say that his stories of horror reflect that the world is under the control of Satan. But virtually all of his books also reflect the light of God which shines into the horrors of this world.
My favorite harmony from the Bible is the birth of the nation of Israel. It all began when Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery. Then, Joseph was wrongly imprisoned due to the lies of Potiphar's wife, where he met the pharaoh's cup-bearer. Due to having met the cup-bearer, Joseph met the pharaoh and interpreted his dream. (Both the baker's and cup-bearer's dreams were of 3s.) The pharaoh exalted Joseph to the number two position in Egypt, which allowed Joseph to make provision for the famine. Due to this, Joseph's family was saved--from whom the twelve tribes were birthed. The Egyptians were saved, and over time the Jews became slaves in Egypt. (The slavery in Egypt allowed the Jews to go from being nomads to having a stable life, which allowed them to multiply. From some 60 men at the time of Joseph, they grew to some 600,000 men at the time of the Exodus--a true nation.) But, as God does, He takes these many actions which were meant for evil and turns them into good. From the slavery and imprisonment of Joseph, to the salvation of his family, to their imprisonment in Egypt, the nation of Israel was birthed some 400 years later. I was telling this story to James when he was 7. James' response: "Oh my gosh, we are God's chess pieces." Kids get it--they understand that God is in charge and that He loves us. That is why Jesus placed such importance on children.
This post itself is the result of a harmony--it results from the confluence of three events: 1)my just having read "11/23/63;" 2)Mona's posts about the triple deaths of terrorists; and 3)Luke's post which discussed multi-verses. In my experience, things do happen in 3s--reflections of the Trinity.
I owe this post to my good friend Mona. She has been posting about 3s--there is a peculiar phenomenon that things in our world happen in 3s. In fact, the most important year in my life was occasioned by the confluence of three events. But, more on that later. Today, I want to talk about 3s (harmonies) and whether they are evidence of a creator.
Another friend on FB, Luke, posted an article discussing mult-verses. Many scientists now are positing that there are multiple universes. They realize that the probability of life occurring on earth through some cosmic accident is so "de minimis" that only multiple universes--many, many different universes--can explain the random occurrence of life on earth. In other words, there must be many, many universes which are nothing like ours (and which we have never seen) in order for our universe to have life which comports with the probability that life would form on its own. Of course, there is another answer--intelligent design--God.
If there are multiple universes, and ours is simply the result of chance, would you expect to see harmony in our universe, or dis-harmony? In other words, would you expect to see that events are entirely random, or would you expect to see coincidences? In my experience, our world refutes chance and multi-verses.
In his latest book, Stephen King describes harmonies. His main character is a time-traveler bent on stopping the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Presumably, if he can stop the assassination of Kennedy, the present-day world will be a better place. In traveling between the present and 1963, he sees many events which appear to just be coincidences, but they are striking. In fact, he comes to see these coincidences as harmonies. Stephen King even intertwines this book with two of his previous books--harmonies. King captures the beauty of coincidence--those events that point not towards randomness, but towards harmonies--towards an intelligent designer--God. Interestingly, when King's protagonist stops the assassination of Kennedy and then returns to present day, the world is falling apart--there are earthquakes, the U.S. is in disarray politically, and society is crumbling. This man has upset the divine order, and the world is decaying into chaos. He then returns to the past again, allows Kennedy to be killed (in this book, time can be re-set) and when he returns to the present day, things are once again in order. King is right--there is a harmony to life set in place by God, which sinful man tries to destroy--sometimes with the best intentions.
For what it's worth, "11/23/63" is also a beautiful love story. It truly expresses the unselfish love that can exist, although rarely, in our world. The master of horror also captures the existence of God and the beauty of love. Some would say that his stories of horror reflect that the world is under the control of Satan. But virtually all of his books also reflect the light of God which shines into the horrors of this world.
My favorite harmony from the Bible is the birth of the nation of Israel. It all began when Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery. Then, Joseph was wrongly imprisoned due to the lies of Potiphar's wife, where he met the pharaoh's cup-bearer. Due to having met the cup-bearer, Joseph met the pharaoh and interpreted his dream. (Both the baker's and cup-bearer's dreams were of 3s.) The pharaoh exalted Joseph to the number two position in Egypt, which allowed Joseph to make provision for the famine. Due to this, Joseph's family was saved--from whom the twelve tribes were birthed. The Egyptians were saved, and over time the Jews became slaves in Egypt. (The slavery in Egypt allowed the Jews to go from being nomads to having a stable life, which allowed them to multiply. From some 60 men at the time of Joseph, they grew to some 600,000 men at the time of the Exodus--a true nation.) But, as God does, He takes these many actions which were meant for evil and turns them into good. From the slavery and imprisonment of Joseph, to the salvation of his family, to their imprisonment in Egypt, the nation of Israel was birthed some 400 years later. I was telling this story to James when he was 7. James' response: "Oh my gosh, we are God's chess pieces." Kids get it--they understand that God is in charge and that He loves us. That is why Jesus placed such importance on children.
This post itself is the result of a harmony--it results from the confluence of three events: 1)my just having read "11/23/63;" 2)Mona's posts about the triple deaths of terrorists; and 3)Luke's post which discussed multi-verses. In my experience, things do happen in 3s--reflections of the Trinity.
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