When it comes to understanding the Gospel in opposition not only to irreligion, but also religion, Tim Keller is among the best. In his latest book, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, Keller beautifully deconstructs the parable of the Prodigal Son and mines all the precious gems that are often looked over. I would recommend this book to every believer, especially those that have grown up in religious Christianity and struggle with religious baggage. Also, listen here for the sermon that inspired the book!
Showing posts with label gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gospel. Show all posts
10.31.2008
The Prodigal God
When it comes to understanding the Gospel in opposition not only to irreligion, but also religion, Tim Keller is among the best. In his latest book, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, Keller beautifully deconstructs the parable of the Prodigal Son and mines all the precious gems that are often looked over. I would recommend this book to every believer, especially those that have grown up in religious Christianity and struggle with religious baggage. Also, listen here for the sermon that inspired the book!
10.05.2008
religious oppression of social justice
“The tendency of religious people...is to use spiritual and ethical observance as a lever to gain power over others and over God, appeasing him through their good works. This leads to both an emphasis on external religious forms as well as greed, materialism, and oppression in social arrangements. Those who believe they have pleased God by the quality of their devotion and moral goodness naturally feel that they and their group deserve deference and power over others...In Jesus’ and the prophets’ critique, self-righteous religion is always marked by insensitivity to issues of social justice, while true faith is marked by profound concern for the poor and marginalized.” - Tim Keller, The Reason for God, 59-60.
The more I understand the true, holistic nature of the Gospel, the more I abhor religion. The essence of religion requires man to observe ritualistic traditions and/or work to maintain his righteousness in order to appease a holy God. Religion says in effect if I obey God He will love me. It is man-centered and by religion you are attempting in your own strength to achieve the impossible. Because religion forces you to compare yourself to others rather than Christ, those whom are poor and marginalized become a simple and easy target. There is no grace offered or given, because in religion one has not truly accepted or received true grace as experienced in the Gospel.
Tim Keller, in his book The Reason for God, offers some very interesting insight into this issue. He says, “Extremism and fanaticism, which lead to injustice and oppression, are a constant danger within the body of religious believers. For Christians, however, the antidote is not to tone down and moderate their faith, but rather to grasp a fuller and truer faith in Christ. The scholar Merold Westphal documents how Marx’s analysis of religion as an instrument of oppression was anticipated by the Hebrew prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and even by the message of the New Testament gospels. Marx, according to Westphal, was unoriginal in his critique of religion--the Bible beat him to it.”
Jesus, in his manifesto recorded in Matthew 5-7, directs his criticism to the “religious” people of his day. “It’s interesting that the very people he criticizes pray, give to the poor, and seek to live a life according to the “law”, but they do so in order to get recognition and power for themselves. They believe they will get leverage over others and even over God because of their spiritual performance (Mt 6:7). This makes them judgmental, and condemning, quick to give criticism, and unwilling to take it. They are fanatics...In his teaching, Jesus continually says to the respectable and upright, “The tax collectors and the prostitutes enter the kingdom before you (Mt. 21:31). He continuously condemns in white-hot language their legalism, self-righteousness, bigotry, and love of wealth and power (You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness...You neglect justice and the love of God...You load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them...[You] devour widows’ houses and for a show make long prayers (Lk 11:39-46; 20:47)
Jesus followed the example of the prophets such as Isaiah, who said to the people of his day:
“Day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They seem eager for God to come near them. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers...Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice...to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him...?” (Is 58:2-7)
Jesus and the prophets were not against prayer, fasting, and obedience to Biblical directions for life. They were opposed to the tendency of religious people to use these means as a lever to gain power...The God of Jesus and the prophets, however, saves completely by grace. He cannot be manipulated by religious and moral performance--he can only be reached through repentance, through the giving up of power. If we are saved by sheer grace we can only become grateful, willing servants of God and of everyone around us...The Swiss theologian John Calvin, in his commentaries on the Hebrew prophets, says that God so identifies with the poor that their cries express divine pain. The Bible teaches us that our treatment of them equals our treatment of God.
So, what do make in light of all this religiosity that uses the very things we’re commanded to do as levers for oppression and power? Tim Keller paints a beautiful picture of the true Gospel in light of all this in chapter fourteen of his book as follows:
“The story of the gospel makes sense of moral obligation and our belief in the reality of justice, so Christians do restorative and redistributive justice wherever they can. The story of the gospel makes sense of our indelible religiousness, so Christians do evangelism, pointing the way to forgiveness and reconciliation with God through Jesus. The gospel makes sense of our profoundly relational character, so Christians work sacrificially to strengthen human communities around them as well as the Christian community the church. The gospel story makes sense of our delight in the presence of beauty, so Christians become stewards of the material world, from those who cultivate the natural creation through science and gardening to those who give themselves to artistic endeavers, all knowing why these things are necessary for human flourishing. The skies and trees ‘sing’ of the glory of God, and by caring for them and celebrating them we free their voices to praise him and delight us. In short, the Christian life means not only building up the Christian community through encouraging people to faith in Christ, but building up the human community through deeds of justice and service...Christians then are the true ‘revolutionaries’ who work for justice and truth, and we labor in expectation of a perfect world in which: He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things is passed away (Re 21:4)...And when we get there, we will say, I’ve come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I’ve been looking for all my life, though I never knew it!” (Keller, 225-6)
Please join me in making this my life’s passion and desire by living out a true Christ-centered, Gospel-driven life of a true “revolutionary”!
[The majority of this post is adapted from Tim Keller in his book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. I’ve attempted to synthesize the main points and majority of the argument as laid out. I highly recommend reading the entire book at some point. I am by no means attempting to take credit for this post. This section appears in chapter four of his book under the heading “The Biblical Critique of Religion”, 58-60.]
The more I understand the true, holistic nature of the Gospel, the more I abhor religion. The essence of religion requires man to observe ritualistic traditions and/or work to maintain his righteousness in order to appease a holy God. Religion says in effect if I obey God He will love me. It is man-centered and by religion you are attempting in your own strength to achieve the impossible. Because religion forces you to compare yourself to others rather than Christ, those whom are poor and marginalized become a simple and easy target. There is no grace offered or given, because in religion one has not truly accepted or received true grace as experienced in the Gospel.
Tim Keller, in his book The Reason for God, offers some very interesting insight into this issue. He says, “Extremism and fanaticism, which lead to injustice and oppression, are a constant danger within the body of religious believers. For Christians, however, the antidote is not to tone down and moderate their faith, but rather to grasp a fuller and truer faith in Christ. The scholar Merold Westphal documents how Marx’s analysis of religion as an instrument of oppression was anticipated by the Hebrew prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, and even by the message of the New Testament gospels. Marx, according to Westphal, was unoriginal in his critique of religion--the Bible beat him to it.”
Jesus, in his manifesto recorded in Matthew 5-7, directs his criticism to the “religious” people of his day. “It’s interesting that the very people he criticizes pray, give to the poor, and seek to live a life according to the “law”, but they do so in order to get recognition and power for themselves. They believe they will get leverage over others and even over God because of their spiritual performance (Mt 6:7). This makes them judgmental, and condemning, quick to give criticism, and unwilling to take it. They are fanatics...In his teaching, Jesus continually says to the respectable and upright, “The tax collectors and the prostitutes enter the kingdom before you (Mt. 21:31). He continuously condemns in white-hot language their legalism, self-righteousness, bigotry, and love of wealth and power (You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness...You neglect justice and the love of God...You load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them...[You] devour widows’ houses and for a show make long prayers (Lk 11:39-46; 20:47)
Jesus followed the example of the prophets such as Isaiah, who said to the people of his day:
“Day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They seem eager for God to come near them. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers...Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice...to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him...?” (Is 58:2-7)
Jesus and the prophets were not against prayer, fasting, and obedience to Biblical directions for life. They were opposed to the tendency of religious people to use these means as a lever to gain power...The God of Jesus and the prophets, however, saves completely by grace. He cannot be manipulated by religious and moral performance--he can only be reached through repentance, through the giving up of power. If we are saved by sheer grace we can only become grateful, willing servants of God and of everyone around us...The Swiss theologian John Calvin, in his commentaries on the Hebrew prophets, says that God so identifies with the poor that their cries express divine pain. The Bible teaches us that our treatment of them equals our treatment of God.
So, what do make in light of all this religiosity that uses the very things we’re commanded to do as levers for oppression and power? Tim Keller paints a beautiful picture of the true Gospel in light of all this in chapter fourteen of his book as follows:
“The story of the gospel makes sense of moral obligation and our belief in the reality of justice, so Christians do restorative and redistributive justice wherever they can. The story of the gospel makes sense of our indelible religiousness, so Christians do evangelism, pointing the way to forgiveness and reconciliation with God through Jesus. The gospel makes sense of our profoundly relational character, so Christians work sacrificially to strengthen human communities around them as well as the Christian community the church. The gospel story makes sense of our delight in the presence of beauty, so Christians become stewards of the material world, from those who cultivate the natural creation through science and gardening to those who give themselves to artistic endeavers, all knowing why these things are necessary for human flourishing. The skies and trees ‘sing’ of the glory of God, and by caring for them and celebrating them we free their voices to praise him and delight us. In short, the Christian life means not only building up the Christian community through encouraging people to faith in Christ, but building up the human community through deeds of justice and service...Christians then are the true ‘revolutionaries’ who work for justice and truth, and we labor in expectation of a perfect world in which: He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things is passed away (Re 21:4)...And when we get there, we will say, I’ve come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I’ve been looking for all my life, though I never knew it!” (Keller, 225-6)
Please join me in making this my life’s passion and desire by living out a true Christ-centered, Gospel-driven life of a true “revolutionary”!
[The majority of this post is adapted from Tim Keller in his book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. I’ve attempted to synthesize the main points and majority of the argument as laid out. I highly recommend reading the entire book at some point. I am by no means attempting to take credit for this post. This section appears in chapter four of his book under the heading “The Biblical Critique of Religion”, 58-60.]
2.06.2008
my state of the emerging church address
[The following is a synopsis the emerging church as whole as I've observed the past two years. Some of this is redundant, and material that I've stated in the past. After this article, I am taking a moratorium on the topic for a bit to focus more on how I can be more like my Lord and Savior, King Jesus. I will continue to stand for what I feel to be the truth, but I'm not looking for an argument. May Jesus be lifted High!]The emerging church is one those topics that seems to always find its way onto the table of discussions in bloggerdum and the likes of any good seminarian lunch table. It’s one of those subjects in which everyone thinks they know “something” which usually ends up with a synopsis that is based either entirely on hearsay or a secondary source in which one has already nailed their coffin shut with biases. I’m not claiming to be an expert on the topic at hand; however, I have been involved in a church plant this past year that would be considered emerging. It was part of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network which is considered to be the premier network that would be deemed emerging. I’ve personally attended two of their boot camps, one in
The term emerging was originally coined by Dan Kimball, who published a book on the topic a few years back. When you hear the word “emerging”, in the basic sense, it typically refers to a church that employs a philosophy of ministry and/or methodology that calls for the church to be constantly emerging in and with the culture it has been placed. In a general sense the term encompasses a very broad umbrella of movements within movements. The first mistake anyone can make is to assume that all “emerging” churches consists of far left, post-modern, beer-drinking, square-glasses, goatee sporting, pastors who sit in a circle, light candles, and question and discuss the validity and value of such topics as the virgin birth, penal substitutionary atonement, the Trinity, the deity of Christ and anything that the majority of the Christian faith would adhere to as orthodoxy. Although such things do exist in some circles, you cannot assume that all emerging churches adhere to the same practices and beliefs. For example, there are many churches that would consider themselves independent, fundamental, and Baptist and adhere to a King James only philosophy. That doesn’t mean that all independent, fundamental, Baptist churches are King James only in the least. So, when viewing the emerging church or any movement for that matter, you must be wary of reductionism which will result in a view that is reduced based on the assessment of only one or two books or a lecture from a favorite theologian or pastor.
Another mistake I’ve observed is assuming “emerging” and “emergent” are synonymous and interchangeable. There is a HUGE difference that must be differentiated between the two. Most churches and individuals that would consider themselves “emergent” would be considered an emerging church. However, there is a huge stream within the emerging church which is not “emergent”. The term “emergent” represents a theological framework which employs a post-modern epistemology and a trajectory theology. To the “emergent”, they view theology as something that is dynamic and changing with time and culture. God knew that culture and times would change, so he set it in motion or on a trajectory theology giving man the ability to dictate what message best suits the times. So, basically, human reasoning, evolution, and even integrated spirituality (aka neo-paganism and new age) are all fair game in building our theological framework. What it amounts to is a man-centered, culture driven theology in which a post-modern epistemology is employed to be the lens through which the entirety of life is to be viewed and filtered.
Many individuals view emergent theology as a danger and rightfully so. However, I do not believe that it is a movement that will last simply because the whole foundation is built on speculation which results in relativism and fear of taking a stand for any thing absolute. I’ve written at greater length in the past about how the “emergent” movement is eerily similar to the Gnostics of early Christianity in which they attempted to elevate Christian theology and doctrine to that of pagan philosophy. I believe Tertullian was right when he shouted that heresy is prompted by philosophy. He would go on to say that “we have no need of curiosity reaching beyond Christ Jesus. When we believe, we need nothing further than to believe. Search that you may believe; then stop!” There are certain facets of Christianity that must simply be accepted by faith. We cannot know everything there is to know about God. It is nothing more than self-righteous pride and arrogance to place human reasoning/philosophy on the same level of an omnipotent, omniscient, and omni-present God. When God speaks, you listen! One need only to go back to the garden to see that what would ultimately lead to the fall began with a conversation and questioning what God had said. There is nothing good that can come out of questioning whether or not God meant what He said. He has spoken and revealed Himself in and through Jesus, whose life is recorded in the Bible. We need only to look to Jesus to see God.
I was privileged to be a part of an emerging church that boldly proclaimed the Gospel, stood for the authority of Scripture, preached through the Bible expositorily, but at the same time saw a need for contextualization to a culture and city in which we had been called. Thus, the term “missional” comes into play. What does it mean to be a “missional” church? Being missional basically means being intentional about proclaiming and living the Gospel out within the culture/city the church exists. A missional church would operate from a Jesus-centered, Gospel driven theology in which the Bible is the lens through which the entirety of life is to be viewed and filtered including culture. It operates from the premise that God is a sending God, a missional God who has always set apart individuals (e.g. Abraham/disciples) and entities (e.g. Israel/Church) to be salt (preservation) and light (illumination) to the unbelieving world. It acknowledges that the Gospel is a timeless message, but requires timely methods to use the tools of culture to contextualize the truth of the Gospel (c.f. Acts 17). It operates under the tension of remaining biblically faithful but being culturally fruitful.
What concerns me about the church at large is that most believers do not embrace the Gospel as a lifestyle in which we truly heed calling as ambassadors of Christ. Most churches are guilty of reductionism in which evangelism is merely another program or department. I agree with John Armstrong when he says that “the place we must begin to counteract this reductionism is in seeing that our mission is not merely an activity of the Church, but rather that the Church exists for mission. Mission is the result of God's activity within the world and that mission is to restore and heal creation. The Church is a community of the redeemed and exists to serve that mission. This is the meaning of John 20:21. God is a missionary God and we, as his people, are a sent people. The Church is not the purpose of the gospel, or even the goal of the gospel. The Church is the instrument and witness of the gospel. Only when we get this right will be begin to be the community that God intended for us to be.” ( “How Reductionism Impacts Evangelism” http://www.theresurgence.com/john_armstrong_2007_how_reductionism_impacts_evangelism [Accessed on 10 November 2007])
If the church is to truly heed the call to be missional, believers must realize their calling and what they’ve been commissioned to do. Christ gave us a commission to go into all the world and make disciples. If you are a believer, this is your duty this side of eternity. It encompasses every area of your life and you are responsible to represent Christ in such a way that is conducive to making disciples. Being missional is a lifestyle. It’s allowing those around you to take a peek into the life of someone who is committed to something bigger and greater than anything anyone could ever imagine on this earth. Only when you recognize this can you truly take every opportunity and seek to transform these moments into something that will last an eternity. This ultimately requires commitment. But let’s face it! You choose to be committed to something/someone you believe in. If you really love someone, you will choose to sacrifice and take risks that you would not typically take. I believe that you can only be “missional” if you first truly recognize your calling and commission, then ultimately fall in love with what God has given you to do. In this sense I do believe that the church should be emerging to contextualize the Gospel to the cultures within which we are placed and called without compromising the truth or the character of the Gospel.
Are you passionate about the Gospel? When you are passionate about something or someone people will take notice. When people take notice, they will see that there is something different about the way in which you live. They will begin to dig and dive into your life to see where this vitality is coming from. This is what living a missional life is all about. Taking those opportunities and sharing Christ with those who would never dream about picking up a Bible or walking into a church building. When you have an assembly of believers that recognize their calling, accept their commission, and make a commitment to truly sacrifice and live passionately for the person they want to become (Jesus) by yielding to the Spirit, God can and will use His church to reach far more people than we ever dreamed imaginable.
In conclusion, I don’t believe that every stream within the emerging church is biblical or effective. At the same time, I do believe that there are many churches within the movement that are biblically faithful, culturally fruitful, resulting in many converts who have embraced the Gospel and are now our brothers and sisters in Christ. As a result, I hope that we can at least rejoice on this point. So, I don’t expect you to agree with me on every aspect, but as one who has seen the good, the bad; experienced from within and stood as an observer outside; I thank God that there are passionate people within the emerging church who are living a life that is Jesus-centered and Gospel-driven. Nothing more, nothing less. May Jesus be lifted High!
1.04.2008
of hermits and fast donkeys...
Recently I've been making my way through a very interesting book entitled Discovering God: The Origins of the Great Religions and the Evolution of Belief by Rodney Stark. The general premise of the book is that of comparative religion. Stark is a professing Christian, but writes from the perspective of a sociologist. To get to the gist of this post, I was reading a section today on the Chinese religion of Taoism. Apparently Taoism celebrates "Eight Immortals", also known as ordinary people whose virtues were rewarded by the Queen Mother Goddess, who gave them peaches of everlasting life to eat. I want you take notice of why these individuals are immortalized. Without further ado, I now present to you the "Eight Immortals of Taoism" or the "Heroes of the Tao Faith":
1. Chang-Kuo Lao was a hermit with a donkey that could reach incredible speeds.
2. Chung-Li Ch'uan was a smiling, ascetic old man.
3. Han Hsiang-Tzu chose to study magic rather than cram for civil service exams.
4. Ho Hsien-Ku was a girl who became immortal by eating mother of pearl.
5. Lan Ts'ai-Ho was an inspired flute player.
6. Li Tieh-Kuai was a begger who sold wonderful drugs that could revive the dead.
7. Lu Tung-Pin was a hero of early Chinese story-telling who slew dragons with a magic sword.
8. Ts'ao Kuo-Chiu tried to reform his brother, the emperor.
(Taken from Discovering God by Rodney Stark, Pg. 261)
Sound like the type of people you would want to model your life after? As much as I enjoy eating peaches and aspire to be a hermit and ride an incredibly fast donkey, I can't really picture myself following in the footsteps of these eight "immortals".
After meditating on this non-sense for a bit, I was reminded of my own faith in Jesus Christ and a list that is found in the Bible in Hebrews 11. I'm sure that most of you are familiar with this chapter that lists our own "Heroes of the Faith". Hebrews 11:33-40 concludes a list of several heroes in this way:
"...who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, thought commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."
Now, I'm not saying that the lives of these heroes were any easier or glamorous than the "Eight", but I take solace in the fact that by God's grace through Christ my life is not in vain. I love the fact that the "heroes" of our faith spent the majority of their lives fighting for the truth, most suffering death in brutal ways, but through death gaining victory in the fullest and they didn't even have to learn to smile or study magic or eat mother of pearl. Their mission was straight forward and they were willing to give all for the cost of the Gospel. Jesus is the ultimate hero and He ultimately lived the life we couldn't live and died the death we should have died in our place. It's by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone that we can continue the legacy of all those that have gone before us as spiritual vagabonds who "died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But, as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:13-16)
So, the next time you aspire to be an accomplished flute player or try to reform your brother who is emperor, just remember to drive to Georgia to find some of those good peaches, Amen?
1. Chang-Kuo Lao was a hermit with a donkey that could reach incredible speeds.
2. Chung-Li Ch'uan was a smiling, ascetic old man.
3. Han Hsiang-Tzu chose to study magic rather than cram for civil service exams.
4. Ho Hsien-Ku was a girl who became immortal by eating mother of pearl.
5. Lan Ts'ai-Ho was an inspired flute player.
6. Li Tieh-Kuai was a begger who sold wonderful drugs that could revive the dead.
7. Lu Tung-Pin was a hero of early Chinese story-telling who slew dragons with a magic sword.
8. Ts'ao Kuo-Chiu tried to reform his brother, the emperor.
(Taken from Discovering God by Rodney Stark, Pg. 261)
Sound like the type of people you would want to model your life after? As much as I enjoy eating peaches and aspire to be a hermit and ride an incredibly fast donkey, I can't really picture myself following in the footsteps of these eight "immortals".
After meditating on this non-sense for a bit, I was reminded of my own faith in Jesus Christ and a list that is found in the Bible in Hebrews 11. I'm sure that most of you are familiar with this chapter that lists our own "Heroes of the Faith". Hebrews 11:33-40 concludes a list of several heroes in this way:
"...who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, thought commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."
Now, I'm not saying that the lives of these heroes were any easier or glamorous than the "Eight", but I take solace in the fact that by God's grace through Christ my life is not in vain. I love the fact that the "heroes" of our faith spent the majority of their lives fighting for the truth, most suffering death in brutal ways, but through death gaining victory in the fullest and they didn't even have to learn to smile or study magic or eat mother of pearl. Their mission was straight forward and they were willing to give all for the cost of the Gospel. Jesus is the ultimate hero and He ultimately lived the life we couldn't live and died the death we should have died in our place. It's by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone that we can continue the legacy of all those that have gone before us as spiritual vagabonds who "died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But, as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11:13-16)
So, the next time you aspire to be an accomplished flute player or try to reform your brother who is emperor, just remember to drive to Georgia to find some of those good peaches, Amen?
11.10.2007
emergent v. emerging
There is much confusion that abounds today involving the emergent and emerging church. Some have little or no understanding of the movements and assume that the term emergent and emerging are all the same. However, there is a vast difference between the two. I personally am a part of the "emerging" church which basically encompasses a philosophy of ministry in which we embrace the importance of contextualizing the Gospel and making it relevant to the ever changing culture in which we have been placed for such a time as this. However, we hold fast to the unchanging truth of the Gospel and view theology as something that is static and unchanging with time and culture. The tension lies in the fact that we have a timeless message in the Gospel that requires timely methods to continually contextualize and make the Gospel relevant to the lives of an ever changing culture. So, the church is and should be emerging in culture with the end goal of being biblically faithful, yet culturally fruitful.
The "emergent" church on the other hand stems out of a post-modern world view and employs a post-modern epistemology. Epistemology may be defined as a philosophy which drives the way in which one views and interprets knowledge. If one is to be biblically faithful and culturally fruitful, it is imperative that you operate from a biblical epistemology. The Bible teaches a Jesus-centered, Gospel driven epistemology in which the Scripture is the lens through which the entirety of life is to be viewed and interpreted including culture. The emergent church operates on the basis of a post-modern epistemology in which they teach a man-centered, culture driven epistemology in which culture is the lens through which the entirety of life is to be viewed and interpreted including the Bible. They see theology as something that is dynamic and changing with time and culture. They also employ a "trajectory" theology in which they believe God simply set in motion theology knowing that culture would change and that our faith is ever "evolving".
I hope that in this brief synopsis that you can see there is a vast difference in the two. One employs and teaches a timeless Gospel that it is biblically faithful and seeks to be culturally fruitful (e.g. Acts 17) and the other teaches a pseudo-false Gospel in which man is the center focus and culture is the driving force or power.
To be blunt, I feel the "emergent" camp is teaching heresy and have abandoned the Gospel altogether. The very definition of idolatry is removing God/Jesus from His proper place of central focus and replacing that focus with someone or something else. The instant that we remove Christ and His completed work on the cross we become guilty of idolatry.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 15:3-4 that "I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.." The Gospel is of "first" importance. There is nothing MORE established in doctrine or principle than the Gospel! If you shift your focus from the Gospel to "anything" you are obviously replacing it with something else. This is also known as "idolatry". The "emergent" camp is teaching a "false-gospel" in which man and culture hold the key to unlocking and interpreting the Bible in the "evolution" of our faith.
My friend and member of this group Josh Glidden recently wrote on his blog about this very issue. He rightfully cites Hebrews 5:11-14:
"About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
I feel the "emergent" camp is a movement that will pass simply based on the fact they don't have a foundation on which their entire theological framework is built. For them to define anything or take a position on any issue or doctrine would go against the post-modern epistemology in which they employ. However, there are those within the "emerging" church that do wish to build their theological framwork on the the foundation of Scripture in which we uphold as our final authority by which all doctrine and positions are drawn and filtered.
The "emergent" camp would consider themselves part of the "emerging" church as well, but there are as many as three streams within the "emerging" church. However, beyond attempting to make the Gospel relevant the "emergent" stream are revisionists as well They are attempting to redefine the Gospel and replaced Jesus and his completed work on the Cross revealed in Scriputure and elevated man and culture as the ultimate authority in life.
I would like to encourage each of you to be vigilant and take the time to examine the Gospel and really stand firm on the Gospel and never cave to man and his philosophy. The Bible has determined our world view and all "philosophy" should be drawn and built on the solid foundation of Scripture with Jesus and the Cross maintaining our focus. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Some key proponent of the "emergent" camp of theology include the likes of Rob Bell, Brian McClaren, Tony Jones, and Doug Pagitt. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with their work, but they are gifted men and tend to be more "subtle" than "blunt". Be cautious and weigh everything with Scripture (Acts 17:11-12 e.g. Bereans).
Resources:
For a great lecture on the emerging church, listen to Mark Driscoll at this link:
http://www.sebts.edu/chapel/chapelMessages.cfm
It's on the third page on the date of September 21, 2007.
Also for a good example of "emergent" thought check out Josh's blog at:
http://joshuaglidden.blogspot.com/
Check out the article entitled "...often against people who are really onto something."
The "emergent" church on the other hand stems out of a post-modern world view and employs a post-modern epistemology. Epistemology may be defined as a philosophy which drives the way in which one views and interprets knowledge. If one is to be biblically faithful and culturally fruitful, it is imperative that you operate from a biblical epistemology. The Bible teaches a Jesus-centered, Gospel driven epistemology in which the Scripture is the lens through which the entirety of life is to be viewed and interpreted including culture. The emergent church operates on the basis of a post-modern epistemology in which they teach a man-centered, culture driven epistemology in which culture is the lens through which the entirety of life is to be viewed and interpreted including the Bible. They see theology as something that is dynamic and changing with time and culture. They also employ a "trajectory" theology in which they believe God simply set in motion theology knowing that culture would change and that our faith is ever "evolving".
I hope that in this brief synopsis that you can see there is a vast difference in the two. One employs and teaches a timeless Gospel that it is biblically faithful and seeks to be culturally fruitful (e.g. Acts 17) and the other teaches a pseudo-false Gospel in which man is the center focus and culture is the driving force or power.
To be blunt, I feel the "emergent" camp is teaching heresy and have abandoned the Gospel altogether. The very definition of idolatry is removing God/Jesus from His proper place of central focus and replacing that focus with someone or something else. The instant that we remove Christ and His completed work on the cross we become guilty of idolatry.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 15:3-4 that "I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.." The Gospel is of "first" importance. There is nothing MORE established in doctrine or principle than the Gospel! If you shift your focus from the Gospel to "anything" you are obviously replacing it with something else. This is also known as "idolatry". The "emergent" camp is teaching a "false-gospel" in which man and culture hold the key to unlocking and interpreting the Bible in the "evolution" of our faith.
My friend and member of this group Josh Glidden recently wrote on his blog about this very issue. He rightfully cites Hebrews 5:11-14:
"About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
I feel the "emergent" camp is a movement that will pass simply based on the fact they don't have a foundation on which their entire theological framework is built. For them to define anything or take a position on any issue or doctrine would go against the post-modern epistemology in which they employ. However, there are those within the "emerging" church that do wish to build their theological framwork on the the foundation of Scripture in which we uphold as our final authority by which all doctrine and positions are drawn and filtered.
The "emergent" camp would consider themselves part of the "emerging" church as well, but there are as many as three streams within the "emerging" church. However, beyond attempting to make the Gospel relevant the "emergent" stream are revisionists as well They are attempting to redefine the Gospel and replaced Jesus and his completed work on the Cross revealed in Scriputure and elevated man and culture as the ultimate authority in life.
I would like to encourage each of you to be vigilant and take the time to examine the Gospel and really stand firm on the Gospel and never cave to man and his philosophy. The Bible has determined our world view and all "philosophy" should be drawn and built on the solid foundation of Scripture with Jesus and the Cross maintaining our focus. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Some key proponent of the "emergent" camp of theology include the likes of Rob Bell, Brian McClaren, Tony Jones, and Doug Pagitt. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with their work, but they are gifted men and tend to be more "subtle" than "blunt". Be cautious and weigh everything with Scripture (Acts 17:11-12 e.g. Bereans).
Resources:
For a great lecture on the emerging church, listen to Mark Driscoll at this link:
http://www.sebts.edu/chape
It's on the third page on the date of September 21, 2007.
Also for a good example of "emergent" thought check out Josh's blog at:
http://joshuaglidden.blogs
Check out the article entitled "...often against people who are really onto something."
10.20.2007
of first importance
Oh to truly allow the cross to take hold and literally ravish, destroy, and kill! For centuries the cross has stood as the iconic emblem and symbol of our faith. It is the epicenter of history unfolded and continues to stand as the single most important point through which the entirety of history revolves. It is foolishness to those who are perishing, but the power of God for salvation to those who believe. Do I believe? Have allowed the cross to utterly annihilate who I am? Have I truly grasped the importance of what occurred upon its rugged and splintered structure? The cross is bloody, horrendous, and detestable. Somehow, beyond comprehension, Jesus chose this to be the setting on which he would take my place and pay the penalty for my sin so that I can be purchased or redeemed and declared righteous before my God, in whose image I am made, whose standard is nothing less than holiness. Jesus Christ has lived the life I couldn’t live, and died the death I should have died—both physical and spiritual. This is the Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says that “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” This is of FIRST importance. The Gospel should remain at the forefront of not only what we believe, but it is also who we are. The moment we remove our eyes from the cross of Christ is the moment we replace it with something else. This is also known as idolatry! We must keep Jesus at the center of our entire essence and being. The Gospel is what should define our lives! Can we ever truly move beyond this? The moment we move beyond the Gospel is the moment we turn back to religion. Religion is doing anything apart from the completed work of Christ and yields nothing less than moralism and works-based self-righteous pride. There is nothing good in us. We are wicked to the core of our being. Jesus is the only thing that can be deemed good in us. The cross must become the sole milieu by which we live our life if we are to truly embrace the Gospel as First importance. I find it interesting that later in the same chapter Paul says, “I protest, brothers, by my pride which I have in Christ Jesus, I die every day!” The cross is a place that represents death! In Galatians Paul says that “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Like Paul, we must work out the implications of the Gospel in our own life before we can even begin to proclaim it to others. Am I at the point to where I can say, “I die every day!” There must be a death before there can be a resurrection. So what does the cross mean to you? Paul says the following in Galatians 6:14: “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” What is it that you boast in? The cross must remain the center of who we are. We must die every day to ourselves so that we can be resurrected by the power of the Spirit to fulfill our calling as ambassadors for King Jesus! Has the cross wrecked, dare I say destroyed your life? The Gospel paints a clear path to call all men to repentance. It calls the religious to repent of their pride, moralism, and works-based self-righteousness. And it also calls for the irreligious to repent of their sin and wickedness. I hope and pray that you continue to work out exactly what the Gospel is and means to you in life. Is is just a message or is it truly “Good News”. Think about the word “news”. News is something that is in the past and already completed. The truth is that Christ has already paid our debt by His death on the cross and we should never forget the price He paid, but more importantly the love He gave. The tomb is empty, but the cross still stands as a constant reminder of salvation to all who are willing to humble themselves and take the march to the foot of its bloody soil and die so we can truly live!
I will close with a quote from A.W. Tozer which says the following:
“The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up His cross and started down the road had already said good-bye to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more…So the cross not only brings Christ’s life to an end; it ends also the first life, the old life, of every one of his true followers. It destroys the old pattern, the Adam pattern, in the believer’s life, and brings it to an end. Then the God who raised Christ from the dead raises the believer and a new life begins”
Taken from The Radical Cross: Living the Passion of Christ by A.W. Tozer
9.26.2007
Religion vs. Gospel
I've had the privilege this past week to attend my second Acts 29 bootcamp in Raleigh, NC. It is always good to sit under the teaching of men who are committed to not compromising the gospel for mere religion which results in pride, but is ultimately shallow and lacks the power of transformation that can only occur through the Spirit. This is a constant battle that we each face on a daily basis. I recently reviewed an article by a contemporary theologian named Timothy Keller. If you're not familiar with his work, I highly recommend becoming conversant with the resources he offers. I will attach a link at the end of this post and recommend beginning with the article the centrality of the Gospel.
The following is a post adapted from Tim Keller entitled Gospel vs Religion. Please prayerfully consider the following:
Religion: I obey--therefore I am accepted.
Gospel: I am accepted--therefore I obey.
Religion: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity.
Gospel: Motivation is based on grateful joy.
Religion: I obey God in order to get "things" from God.
Gospel: I obey God to get God--to delight and resemble Him.
Religion: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am angry at God or myself, since I believe, like Job's friends that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.
Gospel: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I struggle but I know all my punishment fell on Jesus and that while He may allow this for my training, He will exercise His Fatherly love within my trial.
Religion: When I am criticized I am furious or devastated because it is critical that I think of myself as a "good person". Threats to that self image must be destroyed at all costs.
Gospel: When I am criticized I struggle, but it is not critical for me to think of myself as a "good person". My identity is not built on my record or my performance, but on God's love for me in Christ. I can take criticism. That's how I became a Christian.
Religion: My prayer life consists largely of petition and it only heats up when I am in a time of need. My main purpose in prayer is control of the environment.
Gospel: My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with Him.
Religion: My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel humble, but not confident-I feel like a failure.
Gospel: My self-view is not based on a view of my self as a moral achiever. In Christ I am simul iustus et peccator—simultaneously sinful and lost yet accepted in Christ. I am so bad he had to die for me and I am so loved he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper and deeper humility and confidence at the same time. Neither swaggering nor sniveling.
Religion: My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work. Or how moral I am, and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral. I disdain and feel superior to ‘the other.’
Gospel: My identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for His enemies, who was excluded from the city for me. I am saved by sheer grace. So I can’t look down on those who believe or practice something different from me. Only by grace I am what I am. I’ve no inner need to win arguments.
Religion: Since I look to my own pedigree or performance for my spiritual acceptability, my heart manufactures idols. It may be my talents, my moral record, my personal discipline, my social status, etc. I absolutely have to have them so they serve as my main hope, meaning, happiness, security, and significance, whatever I may say I believe about God.
Gospel: I have many good things in my life—family, work, spiritual disciplines, etc. But none of these good things are ultimate things to me. None of them are things I absolutely have to have, so there is a limit to how much anxiety, bitterness, and despondency they can inflict on me when they are threatened and lost.
Adapted from Tim Keller.
I hope this serves as an heart and mind opener to the constant reminder of the battle we continue to fight based on works, merit, and piety. Please feel free to respond if you feel led!
The link I promised is:
http://www.stevekmccoy.com/reformissionary/2005/07/tim_keller_arti.html
Stay strong!
Michael
The following is a post adapted from Tim Keller entitled Gospel vs Religion. Please prayerfully consider the following:
Religion: I obey--therefore I am accepted.
Gospel: I am accepted--therefore I obey.
Religion: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity.
Gospel: Motivation is based on grateful joy.
Religion: I obey God in order to get "things" from God.
Gospel: I obey God to get God--to delight and resemble Him.
Religion: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am angry at God or myself, since I believe, like Job's friends that anyone who is good deserves a comfortable life.
Gospel: When circumstances in my life go wrong, I struggle but I know all my punishment fell on Jesus and that while He may allow this for my training, He will exercise His Fatherly love within my trial.
Religion: When I am criticized I am furious or devastated because it is critical that I think of myself as a "good person". Threats to that self image must be destroyed at all costs.
Gospel: When I am criticized I struggle, but it is not critical for me to think of myself as a "good person". My identity is not built on my record or my performance, but on God's love for me in Christ. I can take criticism. That's how I became a Christian.
Religion: My prayer life consists largely of petition and it only heats up when I am in a time of need. My main purpose in prayer is control of the environment.
Gospel: My prayer life consists of generous stretches of praise and adoration. My main purpose is fellowship with Him.
Religion: My self-view swings between two poles. If and when I am living up to my standards, I feel confident, but then I am prone to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am not living up to standards, I feel humble, but not confident-I feel like a failure.
Gospel: My self-view is not based on a view of my self as a moral achiever. In Christ I am simul iustus et peccator—simultaneously sinful and lost yet accepted in Christ. I am so bad he had to die for me and I am so loved he was glad to die for me. This leads me to deeper and deeper humility and confidence at the same time. Neither swaggering nor sniveling.
Religion: My identity and self-worth are based mainly on how hard I work. Or how moral I am, and so I must look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral. I disdain and feel superior to ‘the other.’
Gospel: My identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for His enemies, who was excluded from the city for me. I am saved by sheer grace. So I can’t look down on those who believe or practice something different from me. Only by grace I am what I am. I’ve no inner need to win arguments.
Religion: Since I look to my own pedigree or performance for my spiritual acceptability, my heart manufactures idols. It may be my talents, my moral record, my personal discipline, my social status, etc. I absolutely have to have them so they serve as my main hope, meaning, happiness, security, and significance, whatever I may say I believe about God.
Gospel: I have many good things in my life—family, work, spiritual disciplines, etc. But none of these good things are ultimate things to me. None of them are things I absolutely have to have, so there is a limit to how much anxiety, bitterness, and despondency they can inflict on me when they are threatened and lost.
Adapted from Tim Keller.
I hope this serves as an heart and mind opener to the constant reminder of the battle we continue to fight based on works, merit, and piety. Please feel free to respond if you feel led!
The link I promised is:
http://www.stevekmccoy.com
Stay strong!
Michael
1.18.2007
chronicle (repost)
[I was looking through some of my older posts the other day and I came upon this one I entitled chronicle. It reminded me once again of how desperate and dependent I must be on my God and Savior Jesus Christ. This is my heart revealed...]
The Truth will set you free indeed! I no longer stand in condemnation before my God and Master! He has forgiven me of all my sin--past, present, and future! I am no longer in bondage to this force we call sin! I am a new creature! I am restored back to what I was originally created for--to glorify and reflect God's glory! He continues to chip away every area of my life that is not like Christ, until one day when I stand before Him, I will be like Him! I am a citizen of heaven! He chooses not to view me for what I am here on this earth (aka a sinful human being), rather He sees Christ in me and for who I will be some day when I stand before Him. I have a mission! I have been commissioned by Him to live my life in such a way that represents Him to the unbelieving world! "Go into all the world and preach the gospel". This is a high calling, but how many times do I misrepresent Him? How many times do I allow my pride get in the way of the opportunities presented to me each day to share my faith? How many people will I have to look in the face with tears in my eyes and with no excuse tell them I'm sorry for not telling them the answer to why they had a void in their life that nothing would fill? How many souls have I let slip away without taking the time to go out of my way to build a relationship with the outcasts? I am guilty, guilty, guilty! Every day I allow these opportunities to slip out of sight and I blatantly misrepresent Christ to these souls I encounter! Do I really believe that every knee will bow before God? What am I doing to really make a difference? Jesus loved me so much that He was willing to experience separation from His Father or Abba for the first and only time in His eternal essence and being. My sin was laid on Him and He paid the price for my soul with His blood. The least I can do is give my life to Him fully! Go wherever He wants me to go! Do whatever He wants me to do! Maybe it means I will go without the luxuries of a good paying job! Maybe I will have to suffer physically or be ridiculed publicly! But so be it! "Whoever desires to live godly will be persecuted!" That's a promise! I am a man who has lived for twenty-three years without fully giving every area of my life to Him! I worry about things that I shouldn't worry about! How many times do I pray without faith? How many times do I read the Bible not really believing that God is speaking to me? I have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe! I can "come boldly before His throne" anytime I please! That's a privilege that many of the Old Testament prophets, priests, and patriarchs didn't have! Better yet, His Spirit lives within me! I am commanded to be filled with the Spirit! The very Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives within me! Why do I doubt? Please, God, give me faith! Give me passion! But most of all, give me a desire to love! I cannot help but be drawn to you! The more I know you, the more I don't understand! But at the same time, I cannot help but stand in amazement that you love me! And I "know" that you present to me so many opportunities to represent this love to others! But I choose to spit in your faith and abuse the grace that you have given me so freely! God forbid! But for some reason, you continually draw me back to you! Everytime I give into the passions of men, you stand ready to receive me back into your arms with outstretched hands showing me the scars! Need I see more? You took upon yourself the punishment that I should have received! I should be damned to spend an eterninity in Hell! You chose to experience the separation from God for a temporary time so that I would not have to spend an eternity in separation paying for the debt that I rightfully owed! I don't understand! This blows my mind! What can I ever do to repay you! Even my "righteousness is as filthy rags"! I cannot possibly earn favor with you! It's futile! There's only one thing that I can do! Take what you have given me and live my life in such a way that other's can see You living in me! There's nothing in me that is worthy! But you are worthy! You chose to come to this earth so that I could catch but a glimpse of what it is to love my brothers and sisters, outcasts and sinners! You showed me what it meant to speak to a known whore at a well and have the courage to open your mouth and proclaim to her that only You can satisfy and to go and sin no more! You showed me what it meant to be accused of being a "wine-bibber" and a friend of sinners! You took the time to get to know these souls! You saw them not for who they were, but for who they would become complete in your love! You showed me what it means to surround yourself around a group of believers who were committed to Your cause--the Gospel! You showed me what it meant to weep and cry over souls that would not accept you, and a dear friend that had died! You showed me what it means to be beaten to a bloody pulp, stripped naked, spit on, humiliated, nailed to a tree, but ultimately proclaim--"Abba, forgive them, for they know not what they do!". Just as God made His appeal through Christ, You are making your appeal to man through me and the body of Christ! I cannot do this on my own, but You are continually taking me by the hand and showing me that I am not alone. You have given me parents and a family who have taught me to love You and Your Word! You have given me friends devoted to You and Your cause and like "iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I believe that You have given me a wife someday that will be devoted to You and Your cause and together we will be commited to growing closer to You and what You have! You have given me time! Precious time to take each second and make it sacred to take what is temporal and turn into the eternal! I am on this earth to impress no one! I am only here to be vessel in Your hands and accomplish what You have, so that one day or moment I can stand before you and here you say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant! Enter now into the joy of the Lord!" As I continue to live this paradox called life, may this forever be my prayer, Amen!
The Truth will set you free indeed! I no longer stand in condemnation before my God and Master! He has forgiven me of all my sin--past, present, and future! I am no longer in bondage to this force we call sin! I am a new creature! I am restored back to what I was originally created for--to glorify and reflect God's glory! He continues to chip away every area of my life that is not like Christ, until one day when I stand before Him, I will be like Him! I am a citizen of heaven! He chooses not to view me for what I am here on this earth (aka a sinful human being), rather He sees Christ in me and for who I will be some day when I stand before Him. I have a mission! I have been commissioned by Him to live my life in such a way that represents Him to the unbelieving world! "Go into all the world and preach the gospel". This is a high calling, but how many times do I misrepresent Him? How many times do I allow my pride get in the way of the opportunities presented to me each day to share my faith? How many people will I have to look in the face with tears in my eyes and with no excuse tell them I'm sorry for not telling them the answer to why they had a void in their life that nothing would fill? How many souls have I let slip away without taking the time to go out of my way to build a relationship with the outcasts? I am guilty, guilty, guilty! Every day I allow these opportunities to slip out of sight and I blatantly misrepresent Christ to these souls I encounter! Do I really believe that every knee will bow before God? What am I doing to really make a difference? Jesus loved me so much that He was willing to experience separation from His Father or Abba for the first and only time in His eternal essence and being. My sin was laid on Him and He paid the price for my soul with His blood. The least I can do is give my life to Him fully! Go wherever He wants me to go! Do whatever He wants me to do! Maybe it means I will go without the luxuries of a good paying job! Maybe I will have to suffer physically or be ridiculed publicly! But so be it! "Whoever desires to live godly will be persecuted!" That's a promise! I am a man who has lived for twenty-three years without fully giving every area of my life to Him! I worry about things that I shouldn't worry about! How many times do I pray without faith? How many times do I read the Bible not really believing that God is speaking to me? I have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe! I can "come boldly before His throne" anytime I please! That's a privilege that many of the Old Testament prophets, priests, and patriarchs didn't have! Better yet, His Spirit lives within me! I am commanded to be filled with the Spirit! The very Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives within me! Why do I doubt? Please, God, give me faith! Give me passion! But most of all, give me a desire to love! I cannot help but be drawn to you! The more I know you, the more I don't understand! But at the same time, I cannot help but stand in amazement that you love me! And I "know" that you present to me so many opportunities to represent this love to others! But I choose to spit in your faith and abuse the grace that you have given me so freely! God forbid! But for some reason, you continually draw me back to you! Everytime I give into the passions of men, you stand ready to receive me back into your arms with outstretched hands showing me the scars! Need I see more? You took upon yourself the punishment that I should have received! I should be damned to spend an eterninity in Hell! You chose to experience the separation from God for a temporary time so that I would not have to spend an eternity in separation paying for the debt that I rightfully owed! I don't understand! This blows my mind! What can I ever do to repay you! Even my "righteousness is as filthy rags"! I cannot possibly earn favor with you! It's futile! There's only one thing that I can do! Take what you have given me and live my life in such a way that other's can see You living in me! There's nothing in me that is worthy! But you are worthy! You chose to come to this earth so that I could catch but a glimpse of what it is to love my brothers and sisters, outcasts and sinners! You showed me what it meant to speak to a known whore at a well and have the courage to open your mouth and proclaim to her that only You can satisfy and to go and sin no more! You showed me what it meant to be accused of being a "wine-bibber" and a friend of sinners! You took the time to get to know these souls! You saw them not for who they were, but for who they would become complete in your love! You showed me what it means to surround yourself around a group of believers who were committed to Your cause--the Gospel! You showed me what it meant to weep and cry over souls that would not accept you, and a dear friend that had died! You showed me what it means to be beaten to a bloody pulp, stripped naked, spit on, humiliated, nailed to a tree, but ultimately proclaim--"Abba, forgive them, for they know not what they do!". Just as God made His appeal through Christ, You are making your appeal to man through me and the body of Christ! I cannot do this on my own, but You are continually taking me by the hand and showing me that I am not alone. You have given me parents and a family who have taught me to love You and Your Word! You have given me friends devoted to You and Your cause and like "iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I believe that You have given me a wife someday that will be devoted to You and Your cause and together we will be commited to growing closer to You and what You have! You have given me time! Precious time to take each second and make it sacred to take what is temporal and turn into the eternal! I am on this earth to impress no one! I am only here to be vessel in Your hands and accomplish what You have, so that one day or moment I can stand before you and here you say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant! Enter now into the joy of the Lord!" As I continue to live this paradox called life, may this forever be my prayer, Amen!
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