A Quote from my favorite Catholic friend...

GK Chesterton, one of the most enjoyable authors I have read, has these wonderful paragraphs at the close of his classic work Othodoxy.

The mass of men have been forced to be gay [happy] about the little things, but sad about the big ones. Nevertheless (I offer my last dogma defiantly) it is not native to man to be so. Man is more himself, man is more manlike, when joy is the fundamental thing in him, and grief the superficial. Melancholy should be an innocent interlude, a tender and fugitive frame of mind; praise should be the permanent pulsation of the soul. Pessimism is at best an emotional half-holiday; joy is the uproarious labour by which all things live. Yet, according to the apparent estate of man as seen by the pagan or the agnostic, this primary need of human nature can never be fulfilled. Joy ought to be expansive; but for the agnostic it must be contracted, it must cling to one comer of the world. Grief ought to be a concentration; but for the agnostic its desolation is spread through an unthinkable eternity. This is what I call being born upside down. The sceptic may truly be said to be topsy-turvy; for his feet are dancing upwards in idle ecstacies,while his brain is in the abyss. To the modern man the heavens are actually below the earth. The explanation is simple; he is standing on his head; which is a very weak pedestal to stand on. But when he has found his feet again he knows it. Christianity satisfies suddenly and perfectly man's ancestral instinct for being the right way up; satisfies it supremely in this; that by its creed joy becomes something gigantic and sadness something special and small. The vault above us is not deaf because the universe is an idiot; the silence is not the heartless silence of an endless and aimless world. Rather the silence around us is a small and pitiful stillness like the prompt stillness in a sick-room. We are perhaps permitted tragedy as a sort of merciful comedy: because the frantic energy of divine things would knock us down like a drunken farce. We can take our own tears more lightly than we could take the tremendous levities of the angels. So we sit perhaps in a starry chamber of silence, while the laughter of the heavens is too loud for us to hear.

Joy, which was the small publicity of the pagan, is the gigantic secret of the Christian...

Orthodoxy turned 100 last year and I did indeed celebrate its birthday. If you have never read this work, you would be most blessed to pick it up...even available FREE on the Amazon Kindle (of course if you have one of those you spent 359 bucks already)

NYT Recession Map

The New York Times has an interesting interactive map online showing the change in unemployment rates across the nation...the breakout is by county. Here is the linkage.

(HT - JR Vassar)

Dawkins and Myth

It is amazing how the most strident critics of theism can believe some pretty amazing things as well. I think if we all stop and look at where we believe we come from you can find all sorts of interesting stories.  For me, I'm a rather simple guy and believe that "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" is pretty good stuff.  Of course, those that disbelieve in a creator (suppress the truth of a creator I might say) have some pretty interesting stories of their own.  Usually disproved ideas like "spontaneous generation" or fun sci-fi stories like "the aliens made us." If you like both of these stories you will love Melanie Phillip's account of Richard Dawkins' views  Enjoy!

For example, I put to him that, since he is prepared to believe that the origin of all matter was an entirely spontaneous event, he therefore believes that something can be created out of nothing -- and that since such a belief runs counter to the very scientific principles of verifiable evidence which he tells us should govern all our thinking, this is itself precisely the kind of irrationality, or ‘magic’, which he scorns. In reply he said that, although he agreed this was a problematic position, he did indeed believe that the first particle arose spontaneously from nothing, because the alternative explanation – God -- was more incredible. Later, he amplified this by saying that physics was coming up with theories to show how matter could spontaneously be created from nothing. But as far as I can see – and as Anthony Flew elaborates – these theories cannot answer the crucial question of how the purpose-carrying codes which gave rise to self–reproduction in life-forms arose out of matter from which any sense of purpose was totally absent. So such a belief, whether adduced by physicists or anyone else, does not rest upon rational foundations.  

Even more jaw-droppingly, Dawkins told me that, rather than believing in God, he was more receptive to the theory that life on earth had indeed been created by a governing intelligence – but one which had resided on another planet. Leave aside the question of where that extra-terrestrial intelligence had itself come from, is it not remarkable that the arch-apostle of reason finds the concept of God more unlikely as an explanation of the universe than the existence and plenipotentiary power of extra-terrestrial little green men?

Touche! Ms. Phillips.  I love the little green men who created me!  Seriously, if you watch any sci-fi (and I confess that I partake quite a bit) you will see that many humans have placed their greatest HOPEs and FEARs in the existence of ET. He will either save us or destroy us...maybe because some believe he made us.  Hmm...as a follower of Jesus I have "placed my hopes in the living God, who is the savior of all people" - I'll just watch movies and TV shows about ET. 

Full story is available at the Spectator.  Is Richard Dawkins Still Evolving?

Hudson River Landing Animated

This has been going around a bit and is quite an amazing look at how the Hudson River plane landing went down.  I believe this is real time audio...pretty amazing how the pilot keeps his cool.  Some up here on the NY local news called it "serendipity" - I call it a kind and gracious providence.

(HT - a bunch of folks)

Free ESV Study Bible Online Access

 

The ESV Study Bible online companion site is giving FREE accounts out during the month of March.  The online site is a companion to that wonderfully chubby study Bible from Crossway.  Highly recommended for students of the Bible and those who find an easy home online.

Here is the link - http://www.esvstudybible.org/online

Revealing Comedy...

Comedian Louis C.K. had some insightful things to say about the spirit of our age on late night with Conan O'Brien. 

(HT - Don't Eat that Fruit  

How to self-destruct...

This guy has a good promo video for helping people write resumes, find jobs etc.

(HT - a link from JR Vassar led me to this)

Palm Pre - Feature Hub...

 

Engadget has launched a new feature on their site called...er, feature hub. Anyway, it is sort of a mega page dedicated to certain tech supernovae.  One of the first out is a "hub" dedicated to the coming Palm Pre. A great place to start for history and latest news on the Pre.

Here is the link

Jacob's Well...Slowly Moving Out...

This past week my friend Travis, resident humorist and photographer at Jacob's Well took some pictures at our house gathering.  I forget to take pictures so I asked him to snap some shots so we could look back at God's faithfulness. Though we have only been gathering our team and equipping for our mission ahead for six months, God's faithfulness is fun to see in pictures.

Pray for our small band of sojourners who are praying for God to do something special in and through us in the years to come...in NJ and beyond.

Our First Gathering in Fall 08

 

November 2008

 

February 2009

Blessings JW peoples, anyone who would like to join us is welcome...

Reid

Debt is Dumb...

I have mentioned this segment of a message Matt Chandler gave at the Desiring God pastor's conference a few weeks ago to some friends.   I find it sad, very funny, strong and very true...here is to keeping the gospel, sound doctrine and thoughtfulness in Christian preaching (you think?)

Link to the full message (audio and video) is here.

(Thanks to Desiring God for excellent video recording of the event)

To Obey, or Not to Obey...That is the Question

In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were given an order to obey a law which demanded all leaders of the Babylonian empire to bow down in worship before a golden image set up by Nebuchadnezzar.  They willfully disobey the order and get themselves into a bit of trouble for doing so.  This brings up an important question for followers of Jesus in every time period.  Is it right to disobey governing authorities?  As Americans, who revel in individualism and whose country was born by throwing off the rule of a European monarch, this is hardly a question.  Yet there is a great tension in the teaching of Scripture and in human society in general. 

Practical Tensions

In order to have a culture that experiences anything less than chaos, there must be some order.  It has been demonstrated time and again that human beings are quite capable of bringing havoc upon the world.  In light of this, government has been necessary.  Yet at the same time, governments are made up of the same human beings who can tyrannically and unjustly oppress those whom they serve.  Hence we have a tension that must be resolved.  First, we need government and we need to follow certain rules or laws in order to have a peaceful and meaningful existence.   Second, it is true that a government can be wicked or ask its people to do unjust tings.  In such cases that government's rules ought to be disobeyed. Or should they?

Biblical Tensions

There is clear teaching in Scripture regarding obeying government and the nature of rebellion.  Many are surprised that the Bible actually commands followers of Jesus to obey governing authorities.  For instance, Romans 13:1-5 gives this strong exhortation:

¹Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ²Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

It also goes on to say we should pay taxes, but that is painful to read being a resident of New Jersey.  The point is that we should follow the laws of our land because the state is appointed by God to  correct and punish wrong doing so a peaceable society can flourish.   Furthermore, to go against right authority appears to be sin in light of God's strong words about rebellion (1 Samuel 15:22, 23) That is one side of the tension.

The other side of the tension arises from some clear biblical examples of people who in fact disobey governing authorities.  The Hebrew midwives disobey Pharaoh's commands to destroy Hebrew babies in Exodus 1.  In Acts 4 the early leaders of Jesus' church disobey a command from the ruling council in Jerusalem.  They are asked by the authorities to no longer preach or teach about Jesus; their response was clear:

Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. 

Equally clear was the response of our guys here in Daniel 3.  Their response to Nebuchadnezzar was strong and resolute:

O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

So it seems we have to reconcile God's commands to obey government and some clear cases where God has displayed his blessing upon the disobedience.  The solution to this problem is actually quite simple, the application of that solution can be quite complex requiring wisdom.  Is it OK to disobey the government? Yes, it seems, when it wants you to sin against God. 

Higher Authority

It is clear from Scripture that we are to listen to God's word above the commands of human beings.  We are to submit to a law that transcend the borders of nations and cultures. As the apostles in Acts 4 show us, we are to live in a manner that pleases God and not blindly obey a sinful law from government.   How we are to live this injunction in a world of complex situations and circumstances must be considered.  Additionally, whether the law of the land should be the law of God is a difficult subject which various Christians approach differently.  To proceed into some of the complexity of this I will take two paths.  First, we will simply look at the relationships of God's law to the laws of the state.  This is necessary if we are to be able to compare the two and if the state is to rule justly.  Finally, we will look at two different camps regarding civil disobedience and close by giving a positive encouragement from Scripture.

Laws, Higher and Lower

Both church and state have been called by God to govern and have authority in the lives of Christians.  The church is a body of believers called out by God together as a covenant people by the gospel.  As such, the highest authority in our lives is the Word of God, the Scriptures.  Yet each church is in a realm of state authority as well so the lines of separation must be discussed.  Historically, the Roman Catholic Church and the magisterial reformers (Luther, Zwingli and Calvin) held to a unification of church/state.  The state was legitimized by God and the church endorsed this legitimacy.  Additionally, the state enforced and permitted the establishment of religious authority and unity in a realm. This view had long standing back into Greek and Roman times.  A state and its gods were one.  However, this was questioned by many reformers and evaluated in light of Scripture.  Did not Jesus teach that the rule of Caesar was different than the rule of God?  Does not a marriage between worldly power and the church have a corrupting influence on both?  Such questions in Western culture led the founders of the American experiment to articulate clearly the relationship between church and state.  It is found in the well known establishment and free exercise clauses of the first amendment of the US Constitution.  Here is how it reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.  The meaning of this statement is quite clear but the implementation has always been a bit fuzzy.  What it means is that there will be no official state religion or church in our country.  Additionally, the government will not prohibit law abiding citizens from freely practices their religion.  It does not make a religion free zone in any portion of society nor does it create a religion of which all citizens must participate.  It means we have freedom of religion - a gracious gift to the people of America.   I take this to be a just solution but it leaves unanswsered how the authority of the church and state are grounded.

The Authority of State - Natural Law

Many thinkers in history, particularly Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas and John Locke have taught that there is a law built into human existence which dictates to conscience basic categories of a just society.  I do not have time here, but I discussed various types of law elsewhere¹.  Natural law would be defined in the Christian tradition as follows: Natural law is the law "written on the heart" (Romans 2:13) - the conscience by which people know good and evil - right from wrong. Sin mars this faculty in man, but it remains none the less. These are things that people "can't not know" which flow from the moral nature of God and presses upon the conscience. People suppress this and hold it down in wickedness, many becoming callous as to be seared against God's witness in conscience (See Romans 1,2). This is shared by both Christian and Non Christian. Some recent works on Natural law would be found in the writings of Princeton scholar Robert George and J. Budzizewski of the University of Texas at Austin.²

The state then governs in accord to the law written on the heart expressed in basic morality found in all cultures.  The so called "second tablet" (commands 5-10) of the Ten Commandments is reflective of such basic moral foundations.  The natural law is an expression of God's authority on all peoples and we disobey this moral law to our own peril.

The Authority of Church - The Word of God

Christians however are called to a higher authority than even the state, the authority of the Word of God.  Scripture is the Supreme Court in all matters of life and teaching for Christian believers.  It is to be obeyed and heeded out of love for Jesus Christ who is revealed in this Word.  It reveals the laws of God which demonstrate to us our sinfulness and need of grace.  It reveals the gospel by which we are saved and restored to right relationship with God.  It reveals the mission of the church in the world as the in-breaking of the ultimate rule and reign of God in the Kingdom of Heaven.  It reveals that we are citizens of two realms...the Kingdoms of earth and the Kingdom of God. Scripture instructs us as to when civil disobedience is warranted while simultaneously calling us to submit to just and reasonable laws.

In this age church and state are separate spheres of authority with Scripture guiding the church.  When Jesus returns he will set up a perfect divine monarchy with himself as King of Kings.  Aristotle once wrote that the best government would be by a perfect and virtuous ruler.  Yet none of this metal is to be found among the sinful throng of humanity.  In the current state of affairs it has been said that democracy is the best of all bad forms of government.   Yet a day will come when authority will be always good, kind and just. 

In summary, the state is called to have just laws and believers are called to follow all such laws.  When the state passes unjust laws we are compelled to obey a higher standard.  The question of the application of this principle has typically found Christians in two camps.  We should disobey a government when it promulgates unjust laws or we should only disobey when it compels us by law to act in a sinful manner.  Let's close by looking at this distinction.³

Promulgation or Compulsion?

The Antipromulgation Position-this position simply states that the law is king and the state is not above the law.  If a government rules contrary to just laws than it is illegitimate or tyrannical, failing in its God given duty to promote and protect the common good.  Such governments that promote and promulgate evil should be resisted by protest and self-defensive force if necessary.  Some advocates of this view have even gone as far to recommend revolution against such tyrannical and unjust governments.

The Anticompulsion Position -  this view holds that a Christian should submit to a government until it actively compels a person to follow an unjust law or disobey God.  In this view the follower of Jesus can submit to the just laws of the state while not participating in the evil behavior the state permits.  A modern example would be a doctor refusing to obey a government which might compel him to perform abortions against her conscience. Typically, non violent⁴ resistance is the path followed by the person resisting  an unjust state in this position.⁵ The following table from Norman L. Geisler illustrates the differing views⁶:

Antipromulgationist	Anticompulsionist
When it permits evil	When it commands evil
When it promulgates evil laws	When it compels evil actions
When it limits freedom	When it negates freedom
When it is politically oppressive	When it is religiously oppressive

In closing, it is my conviction that Christians should be good citizens of any realm in which they are living (See 1 Timothy 2:1-3). We should be seek to be helpful to all who govern justly and even do good to those who treat us badly (Matthew 5:43-47). The only trouble we should be starting is the sanctified kind.  If we get in trouble for proclaiming the love of God towards sinners, the forgiveness of God the repentant and the salvation of God which comes through Jesus Christ alone-bring it on.  If we get in trouble for disobeying an evil law, then throw us in the flames.  But if you suffer for law-breaking and doing stupid things...well, that's on you.

As to the myriad of questions surrounding the use of force in self defense, or for a people to wage a violent rebellion against an unjust state...that will have to be junk left for discussion on another day.  

For Jesus,

Reid S. Monaghan

Notes

¹ See my Christianity and Nation States...Law and a Just Society at http://www.powerofchange.org/2005/5/3/christianity-and-nation-stateslaw-and-a-just-society.html

² See J. Budzizewski Written on the Heart-The Case for Natural Law and What We Can't Not Know-A Guide  and Robert P. George The Clash of Orthodoxies-Law, Religion and Morality in Crisis.

^3. This is a synopsis of the treatment in Norman Geisler's Christian Ethics-Options and Issues (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1989) 241-246.

^4. Note: This is a separate issue from the discussion of just war vs. pacifism. 

^5. For a good treatment on why Christians should not favor the use of violence see John S. Feinberg, Paul D. Feinberg Ethics for a Brave New World (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1996, c1993), 402-405.

^6. Geisler, 243.

My next phone?

I sure hope they don't price this ridiculously high...

Larger version available on Palm's site here

Pluralism(s), Universalism(s) and the Gospel

In Daniel chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar receives a dream and Daniel explains it to him and gives its interpretation.  Relieved to know the mystery that had troubled his psyche, Neb then begins to give props to Daniel and unexpectedly mad props to Daniel's God.  In verse 47 he makes the remarkable statement:

⁴⁷The king answered and said to Daniel, "Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery."

All religious traditions on the earth that are theistic in orientation have always believed in a most high God.¹ Whether it was Zeus of the Greeks, Odin of the Norse, RA of the Egyptians, Baal of the Philistines, the Great Spirit of Native Americans thinking that there is a "God of gods" is quite common in the earth.  The difference between these beliefs and that of Jews, Christians and Muslims is that they are all polytheistic-believing in a myriad of "gods."  However, Daniel is monotheistic and the Babylonians were aware of the Jewish religion and its belief in one, true creator God.  Nebuchadnezzar's exclamation is that Daniel's God is both  preeminent and sovereign.  He is above the other gods and rules above earthly kings.

In every age there has been a plurality of "gods" and I do not imagine this will ever really change.  One Bible teacher during the Protestant reformation declared that the human heart is like an "idol factory" always cranking out little gods for us to worship out of our own imaginations.² So plurality in religions is simply a fact of human experience.  The truth of all of these crafted and created deities is another matter all together.

Pluralism(s) and Universalism(s)

In our day we have moved beyond the belief in the simple fact of plurality in religious ideas, we have embraced a pluralism in their truth.  Each faith tradition believes in various Gods and nobody is to question their existence or reality.  If someone believes in pink bunny rabbits who rule the world, or little white mice for that matter, we should just all smile.

There are actually several flavors of pluralism today, some religious, some very much opposed to religious ideas.  The religious version of pluralism would say that all gods are equally valued expressions of the human attempt to reach the divine or ultimate reality.  This is a friendly bunch and tends to see contradictory ideas about God as a fun little game of no real consequence to our lives.  Important, yes, but not dealing with truth.  The question of God to the religious pluralist is one that is unknowable; so they see all religious talk as ways of groping towards an unknown, ineffable "real."³

A classic illustration of this is the parable of the blind men and an elephant.  The story traces back to an ancient Indian folk tale where several blind men are examining and elephant when the King asks them what they think an elephant is.  One who is holding on to its tail, confidently exclaims "An elephant is like a rope!" Another blind man pushing on the body of the elephant  proclaims with equal confidence "An elephant is like a wall!" Still another holding its trunk snottily weighs in "No, an elephant is like a wet hose!"  The moral of the story is supposed to illustrate the reality of religious pluralism.  Not the fact that different religious ideas teach different things about deities, but rather they are all just talking about the same thing in different ways.⁴ 

The religious pluralist in the west is typically a universalist in that he believes that all people, everywhere will ultimately end up in heaven.  Let's call them optimistic.   All will end up in a blessed state of heaven even if they don't believe in such places at all.  Religious pluralists love to make statements on the behalf of all religious people.  They say things like "All religions teach the same things on the big issues, they just differ on the details."  Of course no Muslim, Hindu, Christian or Buddhist who understands his philosophy would agree to this.  After all, the phenomena is quite the opposite.  We all agree on things like "be nice and good" but we disagree on God, heaven, hell, salvation, our problem as humans and what nice and good really mean.   Religious pluralists are nice people-I think they just want to give the world a coke and a smile.  I like that.  They are just profoundly mistaken and then they seek to impose their beliefs about everyone's faith on everyone else....which maybe isn't so nice and respectful after all.

There is another form of pluralism that is very similar that emerges from our secular minded friends.  While they see a plurality in religious ideas, they think they are somehow immune from such silly talk.  They see no truth in religion and feel it all a big chasing down a metaphysical rabbit hole as it were.  The bold and obnoxious ones revel in telling the big wide religious world that they all are, well... "stupid." Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and their tribe come to mind⁵.   They are universalists too, only of course they think we are all heading for a long dirt nap rather than heaven, paradise or nirvana. We will be ultimately gone from existence once our fragile bodies fade away.  Let's call them pessimistic.  Here is the catch. They are very religious, very dogmatic people when it comes to their own ideas.  They hold to fundamental truths and claim that everyone is blind and that they see the truth about "religions."  They worship their own minds and technological abilities and are not really a fun bunch.  After all, this sort of folk have this life changing message to bring to the world "There probably isn't a god...get over it..."  Cool.  They probably are wrong.

Let us revisit the story of the elephant and the blind men one more time.  There is a fatal problem with the whole story in my mind.  How do we even know we are talking about "an elephant"? Obviously, someone in this story can see very well and not everyone is blind. Behind the reality of the groping men grasping trunk and tail is a King who can see.  There is someone who knows what an elephant is and could tell all the blind men they are not touching rope, hose and wall.   What if the King, the one being spoken about, could tell us  and show us who he really is? What if blind eyes can be opened and elephants could be seen? In simpler terms, what if God chose to actually speak to us?  Furthermore, the problem of pluralism is that we are not all talking about elephants-some religions believe God is one and others think there are millions of Gods.  We need God to define himself for us and this is in fact what Jesus came to do...to reveal to us our creator. 

Jesus' Teaching-Inclusive and Particular

The person of Jesus and his followers had something more interesting to say; something that was both inclusive of all human beings and calls us particularly to the creator God.  The Christian message is clear that God made all things and placed people in time and history so that they might reconnect in relationship with God (See Genesis 1-3; Acts 17). Furthermore, God has kindly given all of us evidence that he exists and has certain attributes.  Psalm 19 of the Hebrew bible (what we call the Old Testament) teaches us that God is speaking to us through creation and that this witness is available to all peoples. Romans 1 teaches us that what can be known about God is clear to us from what has been created.  We can see from looking at the stars, the vast oceans, high mountains, and the intricacies of RNA and DNA that there is indeed a powerful intelligence behind the universe.   Acts 14 of the New Testament also teaches us that God kindly provides for creation and Jesus taught the same in declaring that he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45).  So God gives to all people a universal display of his existence and common grace.   The Christian message is inclusive in this way.

Yet at the same time people have rejected God, desire to live without him both in their attitudes and actions on the earth (Read Romans 1-3).  We want to do things our way and deny that we were created by God for God.  We worship ourselves rather than the maker of all things.  Scripture calls this sin-and it is universal.  So God in his kindness reveals to us in Jesus Christ that he is "God of gods and Lord of Kings."  All who come to him in repentance (turning from sin/self to God) and faith (trusting him fully) he will not turn away.   The gospel is particular in this way.  We must come to God as God, not make him up in our minds and then come to the alter of an imaginary deity.

God shows something to us all by placing us in creation to see that there is a God to whom we give an account.  Inclusive.  Yet humanity in sin will resist his kindness so he enters the world in order to save some who will believe. The Bible does not teach that every person from every nation will be rescued from sin, death and hell.  Nor does God favor any group of people in that all from only some nations will be saved. The Scriptures are clear that there will be some from every people, tribe and language in the Kingdom of heaven (Revelation 7:9-12).  In a unique way, Jesus' message was as open as can be imagined yet only some respond.  His open call is clear:

• All who are weary and heavy burdened...come to Jesus (Matthew 11:25-30)
• All who are thirsty...drink (Revelation 22:17)
• All who are in darkness...he is light (Matthew 4:12-17; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6)
• All who are hungry...come eat and be satisfied (John 6:35-40)

Yet his message is also a call, a summons, to those who have "ears to hear."  All that have been given to Jesus he calls.  Those who "hear him" do come to him.  This is the mystery of grace; God saves, we respond.  He calls to all, yet all do not respond.   As followers of Jesus it is not our goal to prove everyone is wrong or dispute with deities. Yet we are called to present the truth-that there is one God and one mediator between God and people-the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5,6).  This Jesus is no normal man nor simple prophet; he is God of gods and Lord of Kings and his Kingdom will last forever.

God of gods and Lord of Kings?

The most controversial figure in the New Testament is Jesus.  Yes, sweet, nice Jesus. The fact of the matter is that he made such radical claims about himself that he has always been a fork in the road for many.  Some would peddle him off as being a nice moral teacher, but this begs the question as to why he was unjustly murdered as a criminal.  He did seem to hack people off a bit no?  Jesus was utterly compelling to some while utterly repelling to others.   Part of the reason for this is that he claimed to be God incarnate (become human).  This is not what you hear people saying about themselves at Starbucks...

Followers of Jesus have been clear for centuries about the identity of Jesus.   He was not "a god of gods" he is the God of gods and Lord of Kings.  If you look at what some of his earliest followers said about him it becomes quite clear.  This is  necessarily a small sampling and I recommend further reading in this area for those who are interested.⁶

• He claimed to forgive sin, only what God could do (Mark 2:1-12)
• He claimed to be the divine "Son of Man" (Daniel 7:13, 14; Mark 13:24-27)
• He claimed to exist before Abraham was born as the "I AM" - the unique name of God in the Old Testament (John 8:48-59)
• He claimed that he was "one" with the Father (John 10)
• He claimed that if you saw him, you saw the Father (John 14)
• He was called "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" superseding the grandeur and authority of all earthly kings and rulers (Philippians 2:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Revelation 9:11-16)

Scripture teaches us  that God became a human being  to reveal to us his nature and his ways.  Furthermore, God then died the death that we deserved on the cross-a death for sin.  He then gives to us forgiveness, grace and peace based upon his own merit.  This person, Jesus of Nazareth, is the one who is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is the God of gods revealed to us in living flesh so that we might follow and worship him.  

We proclaim him and him alone in our world, 

Notes

¹ Huston Smith, The World's Religions : Our Great Wisdom Traditions (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1991) 378.

² Hence we may infer, that the human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols. Jean Calvin and Henry Beveridge, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Translation of: Institutio Christianae Religionis.; Reprint, With New Introd. Originally Published: Edinburgh : Calvin Translation Society, 1845-1846. (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), I, xi, 8.

³ John Hick A Pluralist View in Dennis Okholm and Timothy R. Phillips, More Than One Way? : Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1995) 47-51.

⁴ The Blind Men and the Elephant is a very old Indian folk tale.  John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887) wrote a poem based on the story which you can read at http://www.wordinfo.info/Blind-Men-and-Elephant-crop.html

⁵ See Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion and Sam Harris Letter to a Christian Nation as exhibits A and B.

⁶ See Robert M. Bowman and J. Ed Komoszewski Putting Jesus in His Place-The Case for the Deity of Christ (Grand Rapids: Kregal, 2007) and Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears Vintage Jesus (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007) 11-31.

Thoughts on Plurality

What do you think of these statements:

• A plurality of persons and ideas is good...
• A plurality of religions is a brute fact...
• A plurality of gods is an idolatrous fiction...
• A plurality of contradictory "truths" is an impossibility...

Thoughts?

Geeky Quotes of the Day

Here are a few geeky quotes that made me laugh today as I was scanning back through David Berlinski's book The Devil's Delusion - Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions.

On certain flavors of inflationary cosmology

During the 1980s, the physicist Alan Guth argued that the early universe was characterized by a period of exponential inflation. Very soon after it blew up in the first place, it blew up again. When suitably blown up, it stopped blowing up.  The Stanford physicist Andre Linde carried this idea a step further in his theory of eternal chaotic inflation.  Universes are blowing up all over the place. They cannot stop themselves.

Berlinksi, 122

And on the reductionism and evolutionary psychology of Steven Pinker:

When Steven Pinker writes that "nature does not dictate what we should accept or how we should live our lives," he is experssing a belief--one obviously true--entirely at odds with his professional commitments.

If ordinatry men and women are, like Pinker himself, perfectly free to tell their genes "to go jump in the lake," why pay the slightest attention to evolutionary psychology?

Why pay the slightest attention to Pinker?

Either the theory in which he has placed his confidence is wrong, or we are not free to tell our genes to do much of anything.

Berlinski 178

Amen, and Amen. 

Desiring God Pastor's Conference

 

This past week I spent Monday-Wednesday at the Desiring God Conference for Pastors in the great city of Minneapolis, MN.  There are some things in the world that are certain, others more difficult to assume.  One thing I am convinced of however is that it is COLD in Minnesota in February.  After walking a few blocks to an Irish pub in -16 degree wind chill, I quickly learned why Minneapolis has a really cool downtown Skywalk.  The building of Minneapolis are networked together by an indoor maze of sidewalks which connect buildings and food courts and offer some generally good walking trails for the worker downtown.  Seriously, I thought the inside of my nose was going to get frost bitten just by breathing.  Though the outside temperature was far from balmy, the conference was warm and moving.

The theme this year was evangelism, sharing with others the good news of Jesus Christ, with those God places in our paths. Mark Dever from Captial Hill Baptist Church delivered a great series of plenary talks while the secondary speakers knocked it out of the park as well.  Matt Chandler, from the Village Church in Texas, exhorted pastors to center their teaching ministry in the gospel, particularly in our age of dumbed down preaching and teaching. Finally, Michael Oh, encouraged pastors and their churches to take more seriously the global mission of the church.  Oh is a Korean American who is a missionary to Japan and has a facinating story.  I want to hear more from Dr. Oh in the future...his introduction was funny.

Finally, I enjoyed the hang time I got with Garrett Kell, Doug Greene, Chris Wheeler and Greg Joiner - good to see you guys.  Thanks for all the gifts you placed into my life this week with your time, your words, prayers and encouragement.

Here are links to all the messages in the order in which they were given - in audio, video and texteo:

The Need for Evangelism

Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors

February 2, 2009

Mark Dever

Read  |  Listen   |   Watch   |   Download

Download:   Audio   |   Video

A Shepherd and His Unregenerate Sheep

Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors

February 3, 2009

Matt Chandler

Read  |  Listen   |   Watch   |   Download

Download:   Audio   |   Video

The Pastor and Evangelism

Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors

February 3, 2009

Mark Dever

Read  |  Listen   |   Watch   |   Download

Download:   Audio   |   Video

"I Will Not Be a Velvet-Mouthed Preacher!”

The Life and Ministry of George Whitefield: Living and Preaching as Though God Were Real (Because He Is)

February 3, 2009

John Piper

Read  |  Listen   |   Watch   |   Download

Download:   Audio   |   Video

The Church and Evangelism

Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors

February 3, 2009

Mark Dever

Read  |  Listen   |   Watch   |   Download

Download:   Audio   |   Video

Missions as Fasting

The Forsaking of Things Present for the Global Exaltation of Christ

February 4, 2009

Michael Oh

Read  |  Listen   |   Watch   |   Download

Download:   Audio   |   Video

Commending Christ, Q & A

Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors

February 4, 2009

Various

Read  |  Listen   |   Watch   |   Download

The Question of Dreams and Visions

There is an occurrence in Scripture where God's people are given the ability to interpret dreams and visions.  This was a common practice among the Chaldeans, and in Daniel's case, God gives him this ability.  Though there is much goofy, yes even wicked, stuff associated with dreams and visions it is one of the means by which God has revealed himself in Scripture.  The Christian doctrine of revelation teaches that God truly reveals himself or makes himself known to people.  We typically speak of his natural revelation whereby God displays something of himself through created things and conscience (See Romans 1-2 and Psalm 19).  Additionally we speak of God's special revelation where he clearly and explicitly  makes himself known.  This primarily comes through the incarnation, God becoming a human to reveal himself in the person and work of Jesus.   Furthermore God has spoken through prophets, apostles and Jesus and these are all preserved and given to us in Holy Scripture (See Hebrews 1:1-3).  So God reveals himself to all through nature and conscience.  He shows who he is and that we are accountable to him.  God reveals himself uniquely to some through his Word (the Bible) and Jesus Christ who is revealed therein.   So what of dreams?  Some theologians place dreams and visions in the category of special revelation as they are only give to some people.  They are not the normative way God speaks. 

Though dreams and visions are not something we expect, need or something that happens every day, God does use them for his purposes.  He gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams in the book of Genesis and here in Daniel we find our exiled young man with the ability as well.    Additionally there have been documented cases of God giving dreams and visions to his people today to further his purposes. Particularly in countries where access to gospel preaching and the Scripture is limited or prohibited by law or cultural pressure, God has given people visions and dreams of Jesus.¹ Now, one caveat and caution is in order.  Any dream that does not accord with the revealed word of God we have in Scripture is not to be assumed to be "from God."  We should test any such dreams or visions by the revealed truth of the Bible and the counsel of mature leaders.   After all, while some dreams and visions can be from God, others could be demonically inspired or the byproduct of eating a bad burrito.   God has given us his Word as a sure and guiding testimony so that we can test prophecies (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22) and hold on to what is good.   There are many who seek after dreams, visions and experiences only to be led away by con men who revel in psychosomatic trickery.  We need to be guided by Scripture.  Be aware of this but also do not put God in a box, let his Word speak to you daily so that you can discern authentic visions from the poor peddling of TV prophets and nightmares brought on by an ill advised midnight snack.

Notes

1.  There are many testimonies from the Islamic world which recount dreams and visions-see http://www.answering-islam.org/Testimonies/ - See also the bibliography at the end of that page. Also, a DVD entitled More than Dreams distributed by Vision Video, has chronicled this as well.

Why I love Amateur Wrestling

CD Mock, current wrestling coach at UNC Chapel Hill (my alma matta) had the following to say about wrestling in an online article. It reminded me why I love the sport:

"It is a very difficult sport," states North Carolina wrestling head coach C.D. Mock. "It is not fun. It is not a team sport--nobody wrestles for fun. No one is going to have a pick-up game on Sunday of wrestling. It is a brutal sport. You have two people out there--you are all alone and you have no one to depend on. It is just you; if you don't get it done it does not get done. At the same time you have someone coming against you one-on-one who is trying to ensure you do not get it done. Add to that cutting weight, having to not eat as much as you like and drink as much as you like and pretty much train twice a day, it is tough. We have a code of ethics on the wrestling team and our 12th code is: 'We are different'. To go in that room every day to get beat up and come back the next day takes a rare breed." 

We are different...so many people today are uncomfortable with being different. I think wrestlers revel in it a bit (psychology guys go easy on us). We have funny ears, are at times bow legged, some have crooked noses (mine is surely a mess) and we always see life as a bit of a scrap.  Yeah, the sport has its meatheads and trouble makers, probably too many, but it also gives discipline, self-control and a work ethic to young guys. It is one of the world's oldest sports and one I pray that PC wimpiness doesn't wipe out all together.  The rise of MMA has given many wrestlers a sort of pro-league possibility which may increase interest in the sport.

The bottom line for me is this.  Many things have shaped my life - early on it was science and amateur wrestling.  I believe God providentially put me in those arenas to make me who I am today.  A bit meatheadish, sometimes a trouble maker but hopefully all the better for having gone at it on the mat. Plus, I actually studied a little in college to counter balance some things :)

So to the fraternity of guys out there who have cut the weight, fought the fight, put in time in sweltering hot rooms and been through torturing training sessions...hats off brothers, with all of our flaws, we are different.

John Updike and a Quote on Preachers...

The Pulitzer price winning American author and novelist John Updike passed away yesterday at the age of 76. For those who are unfamiliar, I found our good friend wikipedia to be of help - John Updike March 18, 1932 - January 27, 2009)

A friend sent me a quote from a character in one of his works, which I felt was quite relevant for seminary students and pastors alike.

"Do you think this is your job, to meddle in these people’s lives? I know what they teach you at seminary now: this psychology and that. But I don’t agree with it. You think now your job is to be an unpaid doctor, to run around and plug up holes and make everything smooth. I don’t think that. I don’t think that’s your job…. I say you don’t know what your role is or you’d be home locked in prayer…. In running back and forth you run away from the duty given you by God, to make your faith powerful.... When on Sunday morning, then, when you go out before their faces, we must walk up not worn out with misery but full of Christ, hot with Christ, on fire: burn them with the force of our belief. This is why they come; why else would they pay us? Anything else we can do and say anyone can do and say. They have doctors and lawyers for that…. Make no mistake. Now I’m serious. Make no mistake. There is nothing but Christ for us. All the rest, all this decency and busyness, is nothing. It is Devil’s work." John Updike Rabbit, Run p 146.

(HT - Tim Dees)

Saying and Saving Grace

Saying and Saving Grace

Grace. There is no better word to use to describe the uniqueness of the message of Jesus than this one word.  Biblical grace is a concept not found in the religions of humanity and it is one that is often misunderstood or simply missed completely in contemporary culture.  Today when one hears the term it is likely provoke thoughts of a prayer said before meals or a character on a popular television drama.  Many Christians may talk of grace, but few of us actually live in light of the grace of God. 

In this essay I want to do a few things.  First, I want to contrast biblical grace with most ideas of religious observance found throughout our world.  After doing so I wish to offer a simple definition. Then I will breakdown several different ways in which the Bible talks about grace in God's relationship to human beings.  It is my fear that we could be too narrow in our understanding of the Scriptures teaching on grace.  Finally, I will conclude with some practical guidance on living in grace in relationship to what we might call habitual or besetting sins. 

Biblical Grace vs. The Chains of Religion

Before we make a positive definition of what we mean by grace, I want to first prepare us for its meaning by way of contrast with human religious traditions.  We might think of religion as humanity's attempt to please, connect with and commune with transcendent reality. Simply put religion is a human exercise - an attempt to please God or align with the universe etc.  It is an enterprise founded on the devotion, actions and morality of human beings.  Religion would teach us that God will like you if you say, do, believe all the right things.  The more perfect you are, the more favor you will find with God (or the karmic universe in some ways of thinking).  Many are the mantras of religion: keep the law, follow the eight fold path, observe the five pillars or sow towards good karma.  Perhaps then you will find a right standing with the transcendent or divine.  Biblical grace is a stark contrast to these sorts of ideas. 

There are many worthy definitions of the concept of grace, but for the sake of brevity I will offer a basic definition given by Millard Erickson in his Christian Theology:

By this [grace] we mean that God deals with his people not on the basis of their merit or worthiness, what they deserve, but simply according to their need; in other words, he deals with them on the basis of his goodness and generosity.¹

It is tempting to look into the mirror to tell oneself I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and dog gone it, people like me.  The wonderful truth of the grace of God is that he accepts sinners, not perfect people, he gives grace to the needy, not to those looking to be full of themselves.  The teaching of the Bible about grace reveals that God's acceptance of broken, imperfect people is not based upon them getting their act together.  God accepts those who come to him in the knowledge that they are undeserving and in great need. He does not turn away those who come to him with a trusting soul.  Those with a spiritual hunger and thirst may come to him and be accepted in grace.

³⁵Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. ³⁶But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. ³⁷All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. ³⁹And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. ⁴⁰For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

Species of Grace

The Bible teaches us that there are several kinds of grace which God lavishes on his creation and human beings.  God is always expressing kindness to a world which is living in rebellion from Him.  One of the most fascinating truths of Scripture is that God showers grace even upon his enemies.  The following are a sampling of the kinds of grace God expresses to his world.

Widespread (or Common) Grace

First, there is an aspect of grace that is widespread and given to all human beings.  God's design of the universe and our planet provides that the sun rises² on all people equally and the just and unjust receive rain and physical provisions for life. (Matthew 5:44-45). Furthermore, God's widespread, or common, grace bears daily witness to his loving care by giving us fruitful seasons and harvests and allowing people to have satisfied, glad hearts in our food and drink (Acts 14:15-17).  Finally, God graciously reveals himself to all of us through creation and conscience (See Romans 1:18-23 and Romans 2:14-16).  He does this for all so that they might know that he is God and we are accountable to him.

Saving Grace

Yet in addition to God's widespread grace, he additionally gives saving grace to those who believe.  We are saved from sin, death and hell by the kindness and grace of God. His rich mercy towards us brings us to trust in his grace rather than our own works to make us justified and forgiven (Ephesians 2:4-9)before Him.  God's grace is lavished upon his people so that their sins are forgiven and they are made right with him.  He brings us back into a close relationship of love and trust through the work of Jesus (Romans 3).

Sanctifying (Life Changing) Grace

God's grace does not simply save us so that we get on a life waiting list for heaven. No, his graces transforms our lives to be more like Jesus.  His grace teaches us to renounce worldly passions and to now live our lives for the glory of God.  His grace purifies us and places in us a strong desire for good works where we may not have given a rip before (Titus 2:11-14). 

Persevering Grace

Finally, all followers of Jesus who have received widespread grace, been rescued by saving grace and who are being transformed by sanctifying grace are also kept by grace until the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven.  God preserves his people by grace (John 10:27-29) and he holds a coming reward for all he is guiding towards his Kingdom.  He guards and keeps his people by his sustaining grace until our temporal death or the coming of Jesus in fullness at the end of time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

One of the beautiful teachings of the New Testament has really connected with me over the years. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes the following: It is the grace of God that I am what I am, and this grace was not without effect, no I worked harder than them all, but not I, but the grace of God within me (1 Corinthians 15:10).  This passage teaches us the centrality of grace in shaping our lives and giving strength to labor in the purposes of God.

Grace in the Trenches

A strong concept of the grace of God is needed to keep us from the edges and extremes of prideful self righteousness or despair from our own sin.  Martin Luther's classic reformation theology teaches us that Christians are Simul Justus et Peccator-we are simultaneously justified yet at the same time sinful.  God's grace has accepted us, justified us through the work of Jesus.  Yet throughout life we battle with what some have called indwelling sin.  We must daily yield our lives to his grace and trust him to lead us away from temptation.  Romans 8:1-17 teaches us that the new life we have in God must be lived by his Spirit and power every day.  While at the same time we work to put to death the sin in our lives.  This tension must be embraced or we will become either proud or despairing. 

If we think we have made ourselves better, or our good works have made us somehow more pleasing to God then we will think too much of ourselves.  If we forget the unconditional acceptance of God through the work of Jesus we will despise ourselves and despair at our brokenness.   The middle way is the way of the cross whereby we daily die to our sins and ask God to help us live in newness of live (Romans 6).  We do this by practicing confession (See Psalm 51 and 1 John 1:9) and repentance.  By confessing our sins to God we walk in the light with him and experience the truth of grace.  As Jesus once said to an adulterous woman-neither do I condemn you.  Then we turn from our sin back into (not run away from) fellowship with God and his people.  As Jesus said to that same woman-go and sin no more.  

As we struggle with habitual sins of pornography, self-image, pride, self-exaltation, eating disorders, lying, gossip, slandering our neighbors, rebelling and just being punks, we must remember that we are saved by grace.  Only then will we have the courage necessary to be changed by grace.  Confession and repentance are great gifts to the believer.  They are like a scuba tank of live giving oxygen for those suffocating in the deep oceans of the soul. As you struggle with sin, remember Jesus-he is able to sympathize with you and change your life.  If you go it alone, denying the grace of God, you are literally up the creek without a paddle.

Learning to walk with you towards our gracious God,

Reid S. Monaghan

Notes:

1. Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1998), 320.

2. Jesus and the Scriptures, as many others, use phenomenological language to describe the relationship of the earth to the sun. It is common in all times in history to speak of “the sun rising” and is in no way “unscientific or inaccurate” to speak this way. In fact, every time the weather person is on the news you will hear talk of the sunrise. Plus, watching sunsets and sunrises with a friend at the beach is much better than “lets go observe the well timed planetary rotation of our earth.” That won’t get you too many dates. God has given us certain “means of grace” or practices by which he transforms our lives.

3. To read about these practices see Reid S. Monaghan Spiritual Disciplines at the book table or online at —http://www.powerofchange.org/blog/booklets.html.