Monday, December 10, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
the beatitudes
What does it mean to be blessed? I think there are several answers, and all of them good ones, that can satisfy that question. We are blessed when God answers our prayers. We are blessed when someone does something on our behalf. We are blessed when we serve someone else. It makes sense that the word “blessed” correlates with good circumstances. But how does the word “blessed” correlate with bad circumstances? How does it make sense for someone to be blessed while they are going through a difficult time?
The Beatitudes announce the breakthrough of God’s Kingdom in our midst. They serve as the introduction to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 5:3-12), having become very familiar and yet misunderstood. To gain a fresh perspective on these 10 teachings, it behooves us to go back to what the original Greek says. Below is my revised translation into words that I believe are closer to the intended meaning of the beatitudes:
Joyful are those who are poor and downcast, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Joyful are those who experience sorrow, because they will be comforted.
Joyful are those who are considerate and meek, because they will inherit the earth.
Joyful are those who hunger and thirst for restorative justice, because they will be satisfied.
Joyful are those who are concerned for the needy to the point of action, because they will receive God’s mercy.
Joyful are those whose hearts are pure, cleansed of moral guilt, because they will see God.
Joyful are the peacemakers, because they will be identified as God’s children.
Joyful are those who suffer on account of restorative justice, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
You are favored whenever they criticize, persecute, and speak all kinds of wicked lies against you on account of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
These teachings are called the “beatitudes” because they begin with the Greek word makarioi (beatus in Latin), meaning “blessed,” “happy,” “hopeful,” or “joyful.” I went back and forth between the translations “fortunate,” “favored,” and “joyful,” since each can be legitimately used in context. In the end, I chose to translate makarioi as “joyful” because in my study I found that its Hellenistic use (describing those of good fortune) is not as likely to have been on the forefront of Matthew’s mind when he wrote his gospel. Rather, he likely understood this word in the context of the Old Testament (describing those who are deeply joyful, or blessed).
Of its fifty New Testament occurrences, makarioi is almost always used in the context of participation in God’s work in the world. In the Old Testament, the word often promises future consolation to people who are suffering. That is to say, whatever difficult circumstances are present now, they will be reversed. Justice, peace, and joy will break through. Therefore, one is not simply, “happy” in the mundane sense of the word, but rather joyful at the experience of being part of the LORD’s work in the world, that is, deliverance and redemption.
The beatitudes are not just wishful ideals that are unrealistic in the real world. While it is true that these teachings are foreign concepts, seemingly impossible feats like swimming upstream against the mightiest waters; they are in fact real goals attainable by Christ’s disciples. Remember, Scripture informs us that God’s ways are foolishness to the world. So, even though the world doesn't understand how one can be blessed through difficult circumstances, those in Christ are given the wisdom of God to understand such a bizarre concept.
Idealism speaks to people who are not what the ideals urge. It promises that if they live by the ideals they will get rewards. The beatitudes do not function in that way. They speak to disciples who already are being made participants in the presence of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. They do not promise distant well-being and success; they celebrate the reality that God is already acting to deliver us. They are based not on the perfection of the disciples but on the coming of God’s grace, already experienced in Jesus. Once we understand the beatitudes prophetically as God’s gracious deliverance, we understand that blessing has come, blessing is realized now, and blessing awaits.
The Beatitudes announce the breakthrough of God’s Kingdom in our midst. They serve as the introduction to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 5:3-12), having become very familiar and yet misunderstood. To gain a fresh perspective on these 10 teachings, it behooves us to go back to what the original Greek says. Below is my revised translation into words that I believe are closer to the intended meaning of the beatitudes:
Joyful are those who are poor and downcast, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Joyful are those who experience sorrow, because they will be comforted.
Joyful are those who are considerate and meek, because they will inherit the earth.
Joyful are those who hunger and thirst for restorative justice, because they will be satisfied.
Joyful are those who are concerned for the needy to the point of action, because they will receive God’s mercy.
Joyful are those whose hearts are pure, cleansed of moral guilt, because they will see God.
Joyful are the peacemakers, because they will be identified as God’s children.
Joyful are those who suffer on account of restorative justice, because to them belongs the kingdom of heaven.
You are favored whenever they criticize, persecute, and speak all kinds of wicked lies against you on account of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
These teachings are called the “beatitudes” because they begin with the Greek word makarioi (beatus in Latin), meaning “blessed,” “happy,” “hopeful,” or “joyful.” I went back and forth between the translations “fortunate,” “favored,” and “joyful,” since each can be legitimately used in context. In the end, I chose to translate makarioi as “joyful” because in my study I found that its Hellenistic use (describing those of good fortune) is not as likely to have been on the forefront of Matthew’s mind when he wrote his gospel. Rather, he likely understood this word in the context of the Old Testament (describing those who are deeply joyful, or blessed).
Of its fifty New Testament occurrences, makarioi is almost always used in the context of participation in God’s work in the world. In the Old Testament, the word often promises future consolation to people who are suffering. That is to say, whatever difficult circumstances are present now, they will be reversed. Justice, peace, and joy will break through. Therefore, one is not simply, “happy” in the mundane sense of the word, but rather joyful at the experience of being part of the LORD’s work in the world, that is, deliverance and redemption.
The beatitudes are not just wishful ideals that are unrealistic in the real world. While it is true that these teachings are foreign concepts, seemingly impossible feats like swimming upstream against the mightiest waters; they are in fact real goals attainable by Christ’s disciples. Remember, Scripture informs us that God’s ways are foolishness to the world. So, even though the world doesn't understand how one can be blessed through difficult circumstances, those in Christ are given the wisdom of God to understand such a bizarre concept.
Idealism speaks to people who are not what the ideals urge. It promises that if they live by the ideals they will get rewards. The beatitudes do not function in that way. They speak to disciples who already are being made participants in the presence of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. They do not promise distant well-being and success; they celebrate the reality that God is already acting to deliver us. They are based not on the perfection of the disciples but on the coming of God’s grace, already experienced in Jesus. Once we understand the beatitudes prophetically as God’s gracious deliverance, we understand that blessing has come, blessing is realized now, and blessing awaits.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
strangers
What is the relationship between the church and society? Or rather, what should it be? Church history has answered this question in three distinct ways. The first can be defined as a counterculture of separatism, stemming from the Radical Reformation by denominations such as the Mennonites, the Amish, and the Hutterites. Christian groups such as these have contended that the church is a separate institution that should in no way allow interference from the state in governing its affairs.
While the separatist movement has been radical and rare, the majority of Christians in the history of the church, particularly since the development of the Industrial Revolution with its rapid secularization of society, have participated by seeking to extend Christian society into secular society, arguing that if it is God’s will for the individual Christian, it surely is His will for all of society. This has been otherwise known as the “Reformed view” of the relationship of the church and the state. That is, moving from individual Christian ethics to corporate political ethics in whatever manner is appropriate to a local society.
The third view, rarely with strong political force, is the Lutheran view that there are two realms, the realm of the Kingdom of God as found in the church and the realm of the state. Lutheran politics contend that the relation between God and His people (the church) and the relation between God and the world are in fact two kinds of relationships. The strategy of God is different for society than for the church.
Regardless of the view, the fact of the matter is that Christians are “strangers” in this world. Peter calls Christians “aliens” or “sojourners” in the world. This term can refer either metaphorically to a Christian’s temporary residence on earth as he or she awaits final salvation – the so-called pilgrimage home – or literally to the social location in their communities. The Greek word for “strangers” or “aliens” (paroikos) refers to people who reside in a given place without the legal protection and rights provided for citizens (i.e., non-citizen residents); the Greek word for “strangers” (parepidemos) refers to people who reside in a place but who stay there only for a brief time (temporary residents). When used metaphorically, these terms emphasize sojourning in a place temporarily or being found as an alien in some location.
The social exclusion the early Christians in Asia Minor faced was due to their conversion to Jesus Christ. Christians who take a stand for truth and who believe that God’s Word provides a unitary perspective for all disciplines will find this world – places such as the university campus – a rocky, uphill road. They will more often than not find themselves socially, morally, and intellectually excluded.
So what does this tell us about the relationship of the Christian to society? Fundamentally, the Christian’s primary group is God’s family (“God’s elect”) and their secondary group is society. In essence, Christians are those people who have chosen to live estranged from the world. As such, their citizenship is in heaven. Christians live temporarily in the world, but on heaven’s terms. That said, I do not believe it is the call for the Christian to coerce, manipulate or drag those living on the world’s terms to switch their mindsets and live under heaven’s terms. Rather, it is the call of the Christian to live strongly, truly and humbly on heaven’s terms and, by their example, win people to choosing to live estranged from the world for a full life in Christ.
While the separatist movement has been radical and rare, the majority of Christians in the history of the church, particularly since the development of the Industrial Revolution with its rapid secularization of society, have participated by seeking to extend Christian society into secular society, arguing that if it is God’s will for the individual Christian, it surely is His will for all of society. This has been otherwise known as the “Reformed view” of the relationship of the church and the state. That is, moving from individual Christian ethics to corporate political ethics in whatever manner is appropriate to a local society.
The third view, rarely with strong political force, is the Lutheran view that there are two realms, the realm of the Kingdom of God as found in the church and the realm of the state. Lutheran politics contend that the relation between God and His people (the church) and the relation between God and the world are in fact two kinds of relationships. The strategy of God is different for society than for the church.
Regardless of the view, the fact of the matter is that Christians are “strangers” in this world. Peter calls Christians “aliens” or “sojourners” in the world. This term can refer either metaphorically to a Christian’s temporary residence on earth as he or she awaits final salvation – the so-called pilgrimage home – or literally to the social location in their communities. The Greek word for “strangers” or “aliens” (paroikos) refers to people who reside in a given place without the legal protection and rights provided for citizens (i.e., non-citizen residents); the Greek word for “strangers” (parepidemos) refers to people who reside in a place but who stay there only for a brief time (temporary residents). When used metaphorically, these terms emphasize sojourning in a place temporarily or being found as an alien in some location.
The social exclusion the early Christians in Asia Minor faced was due to their conversion to Jesus Christ. Christians who take a stand for truth and who believe that God’s Word provides a unitary perspective for all disciplines will find this world – places such as the university campus – a rocky, uphill road. They will more often than not find themselves socially, morally, and intellectually excluded.
So what does this tell us about the relationship of the Christian to society? Fundamentally, the Christian’s primary group is God’s family (“God’s elect”) and their secondary group is society. In essence, Christians are those people who have chosen to live estranged from the world. As such, their citizenship is in heaven. Christians live temporarily in the world, but on heaven’s terms. That said, I do not believe it is the call for the Christian to coerce, manipulate or drag those living on the world’s terms to switch their mindsets and live under heaven’s terms. Rather, it is the call of the Christian to live strongly, truly and humbly on heaven’s terms and, by their example, win people to choosing to live estranged from the world for a full life in Christ.
Friday, February 3, 2012
joshua - a survey
To kick off 2012, Halogen studied several key passages in the book of Joshua. This is truly an amazing account of Israel entering into the Promised Land, a long waited venture, and being established as a great nation. This 5-week study provided essential insight into how we ought to live as Kingdom workers.
We began with Joshua 1:1-9. I emphasized Joshua 1:9, in which God says to Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." As people created in the image of God, we are named, even before our parents sign our birth certificate and register our name with the U.S. Public Health Service. God knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally and desire for us to be with Him eternally. As believers, our names are recorded in the Book of Life. In addition, when we enter into a covenant with our LORD, we are commissioned to do Christ's work on earth. Thus, we are named and commissioned by God to be Kingdom workers.
What happens after we are commissioned?
Next, we studied Joshua 3. Here, we learn that as God's Kingdom workers, commissioned to do the work of Christ, we must take faith steps. The people were promised the land that stood on the west side of the Jordan River. When God makes a promise, He is faithful to see it through. Though the Israelites had reason to believe God keeps His promises, they were faced with the problem that the river stood in between them and God's promise. Moreover, at the time the Israelites reached the Jordan, it was flood season. I emphasized Joshua 3:8, which says, "Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'" Part of living in a covenant with the LORD is doing our part, which requires both obedience and faith. The priests, the spiritual leaders of the community, were to go ahead of everyone else, stand in the water, and wait on the LORD. It was after their faith step that the LORD acted on their behalf.
Now that they were in the Promised Land, what would happen?
We then turned to Joshua 6. Israel had made it across the Jordan River, but they now faced a giant obstacle; the fortified city of Jericho. As Kingdom workers, we will inevitably come across spiritual strongholds; obstacles the enemy places in our way in order to discourage us and/or keep us from moving forward in doing Christ's work. However, the LORD who has named and commissioned us is also the One who will remove obstacles. In this passage, I emphasized Joshua 6:16, which states, "The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, 'Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!'" How did the Israelites defeat Jericho? It was not through their own strength. It was not by their sword or bow. It was because the LORD had given them the city. The LORD was the one to destroy the walls that stood as an impossible obstacle in Israel's journey into the Promised Land. Marching around the city 7 days, a total of 13 times, symbolizes claiming a territory that once belonged to the enemy but now belongs to God. Blasting the trumpets serves as both a war-cry, as well as an act of worship. Thus, when the enemy places obstacles, that is, spiritual strongholds in our path, we must claim that territory for the LORD and worship Jesus Christ in our endeavor to overcome the obstacle in our way. Our job is to worship the LORD, the LORD will be the one to destroy the walls.
There is also an interesting introduction to this story. Joshua comes face to face with an angel of the LORD. Here, we learn a very important truth about the heart of God. "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'" A fair question from Joshua. But take a look at the man's response. "'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.'" It is important for us, as God's Kingdom workers, to evade the mindset that God is on my team and against any person of any other religion. We are fighting a spiritual war, and therefore our fight is against Satan and his false-kingdom.
But destroying the walls of the enemy's stronghold does us no good if we keep an avenue open for the enemy to attack our hearts.
After the fall of Jericho, we studied Joshua 7 and discussed Achan's sin. I emphasized Joshua 7:12, 13, in which God tells Joshua, "I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.... You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them." This passage tells us at least two things. First, as the body of Christ we are a community of brothers of sisters and when one of us falls it has an effect on the rest. Second, it informs us of the enemy's scheme to keep fishhooks in our hearts by tempting us to hold on to things devoted to destruction. As Kingdom workers, we must sever the lines attached to sin, pain, shame and guilt. We do so by offering our hearts completely to the LORD. This is not to be brushed aside as some cliche teaching, nor is it to mistaken as an easy teaching. Giving our hearts completely to the LORD means completely receiving God's grace. We do so by confession and repentance. We must confess the sins we have committed in the past, though long ago perhaps, as well as the sins we currently commit. In addition, whatever hurt we have experienced, though it may not have been our fault, must be confessed to the LORD and to faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who will walk beside us on the road to healing. Though we may have "forgotten" about a past hurt, the enemy uses that pain to trigger other sources of hurt and frustration in our life. The enemy will have control over the areas of our hearts that we have not fully given to the LORD. I believe this is the reason James tells us to confess our sins to one another and the reason Paul tells us to carry each others' burdens. And how fitting it is that the LORD does not say He won't be with Achan, but He won't be with the entire community. If one person in the body of Christ leaves an open door for the enemy, the enemy will pollute the entire camp, not just the individual. Therefore, we must destroy the sin within.
After the Israelites get back on track with the LORD, they begin taking over the Promised Land. They disperse the land amongst themselves, 12 different areas for 12 different tribes. Now that they have been established as a nation, in other words, are living the promise, how shall they live?
We ended in Joshua 24. I emphasized Joshua 24:14, in which Joshua says to the Israelites, "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." We often see in Scripture, and in life, that once a person gets what he or she wants they loose focus of the one responsible for the blessing in the first place. Joshua reminds us that we must remember the place from which we came, the reason we are where we are, and the direction of where we are going. If we loose sight of the LORD, we will loose all that we have.
Joshua ends by telling the Israelites that they cannot serve the LORD because, "He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." In essence, Joshua is reminding us that the covenant the LORD has established between Him and us is not to be taken lightly. We are named, we are commissioned. We are given life to bring glory to the LORD. We are given breath to speak God's praises. Our lives in Christ will require faith steps, and we will see the LORD remove obstacles that stand in our way. We are to give our hearts completely to the LORD by destroying sin within. We cannot give the enemy a foothold in our hearts. Lastly, we are to devote our lives, our households, our everything to the LORD as Kingdom workers, never forgetting where the LORD brought us from and never losing sight of where He is leading us.
We began with Joshua 1:1-9. I emphasized Joshua 1:9, in which God says to Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." As people created in the image of God, we are named, even before our parents sign our birth certificate and register our name with the U.S. Public Health Service. God knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally and desire for us to be with Him eternally. As believers, our names are recorded in the Book of Life. In addition, when we enter into a covenant with our LORD, we are commissioned to do Christ's work on earth. Thus, we are named and commissioned by God to be Kingdom workers.
What happens after we are commissioned?
Next, we studied Joshua 3. Here, we learn that as God's Kingdom workers, commissioned to do the work of Christ, we must take faith steps. The people were promised the land that stood on the west side of the Jordan River. When God makes a promise, He is faithful to see it through. Though the Israelites had reason to believe God keeps His promises, they were faced with the problem that the river stood in between them and God's promise. Moreover, at the time the Israelites reached the Jordan, it was flood season. I emphasized Joshua 3:8, which says, "Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'" Part of living in a covenant with the LORD is doing our part, which requires both obedience and faith. The priests, the spiritual leaders of the community, were to go ahead of everyone else, stand in the water, and wait on the LORD. It was after their faith step that the LORD acted on their behalf.
Now that they were in the Promised Land, what would happen?
We then turned to Joshua 6. Israel had made it across the Jordan River, but they now faced a giant obstacle; the fortified city of Jericho. As Kingdom workers, we will inevitably come across spiritual strongholds; obstacles the enemy places in our way in order to discourage us and/or keep us from moving forward in doing Christ's work. However, the LORD who has named and commissioned us is also the One who will remove obstacles. In this passage, I emphasized Joshua 6:16, which states, "The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, 'Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!'" How did the Israelites defeat Jericho? It was not through their own strength. It was not by their sword or bow. It was because the LORD had given them the city. The LORD was the one to destroy the walls that stood as an impossible obstacle in Israel's journey into the Promised Land. Marching around the city 7 days, a total of 13 times, symbolizes claiming a territory that once belonged to the enemy but now belongs to God. Blasting the trumpets serves as both a war-cry, as well as an act of worship. Thus, when the enemy places obstacles, that is, spiritual strongholds in our path, we must claim that territory for the LORD and worship Jesus Christ in our endeavor to overcome the obstacle in our way. Our job is to worship the LORD, the LORD will be the one to destroy the walls.
There is also an interesting introduction to this story. Joshua comes face to face with an angel of the LORD. Here, we learn a very important truth about the heart of God. "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?'" A fair question from Joshua. But take a look at the man's response. "'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.'" It is important for us, as God's Kingdom workers, to evade the mindset that God is on my team and against any person of any other religion. We are fighting a spiritual war, and therefore our fight is against Satan and his false-kingdom.
But destroying the walls of the enemy's stronghold does us no good if we keep an avenue open for the enemy to attack our hearts.
After the fall of Jericho, we studied Joshua 7 and discussed Achan's sin. I emphasized Joshua 7:12, 13, in which God tells Joshua, "I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.... You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them." This passage tells us at least two things. First, as the body of Christ we are a community of brothers of sisters and when one of us falls it has an effect on the rest. Second, it informs us of the enemy's scheme to keep fishhooks in our hearts by tempting us to hold on to things devoted to destruction. As Kingdom workers, we must sever the lines attached to sin, pain, shame and guilt. We do so by offering our hearts completely to the LORD. This is not to be brushed aside as some cliche teaching, nor is it to mistaken as an easy teaching. Giving our hearts completely to the LORD means completely receiving God's grace. We do so by confession and repentance. We must confess the sins we have committed in the past, though long ago perhaps, as well as the sins we currently commit. In addition, whatever hurt we have experienced, though it may not have been our fault, must be confessed to the LORD and to faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who will walk beside us on the road to healing. Though we may have "forgotten" about a past hurt, the enemy uses that pain to trigger other sources of hurt and frustration in our life. The enemy will have control over the areas of our hearts that we have not fully given to the LORD. I believe this is the reason James tells us to confess our sins to one another and the reason Paul tells us to carry each others' burdens. And how fitting it is that the LORD does not say He won't be with Achan, but He won't be with the entire community. If one person in the body of Christ leaves an open door for the enemy, the enemy will pollute the entire camp, not just the individual. Therefore, we must destroy the sin within.
After the Israelites get back on track with the LORD, they begin taking over the Promised Land. They disperse the land amongst themselves, 12 different areas for 12 different tribes. Now that they have been established as a nation, in other words, are living the promise, how shall they live?
We ended in Joshua 24. I emphasized Joshua 24:14, in which Joshua says to the Israelites, "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." We often see in Scripture, and in life, that once a person gets what he or she wants they loose focus of the one responsible for the blessing in the first place. Joshua reminds us that we must remember the place from which we came, the reason we are where we are, and the direction of where we are going. If we loose sight of the LORD, we will loose all that we have.
Joshua ends by telling the Israelites that they cannot serve the LORD because, "He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." In essence, Joshua is reminding us that the covenant the LORD has established between Him and us is not to be taken lightly. We are named, we are commissioned. We are given life to bring glory to the LORD. We are given breath to speak God's praises. Our lives in Christ will require faith steps, and we will see the LORD remove obstacles that stand in our way. We are to give our hearts completely to the LORD by destroying sin within. We cannot give the enemy a foothold in our hearts. Lastly, we are to devote our lives, our households, our everything to the LORD as Kingdom workers, never forgetting where the LORD brought us from and never losing sight of where He is leading us.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
the letter to the Colossians - an introduction
When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner my Mom’s cooking is unrivaled. One of my favorite dishes is her candied yams. With absolute care and expert precision, she adds the essential ingredients such as brown sugar, marshmallows and walnuts – and a few hours later the oven yields the incredible result. Now imagine if someone were to open the oven door while my Mom was away, and begin to add ingredients that do not belong in the recipe like anchovies, ranch dressing and pickle juice. The end result would be drastically different. In fact, the dish would be completely ruined.
The church of Colossae faced a similar contamination. The problem was syncretism, combining ideas from other philosophies and religions with Christian truth. The resulting heresy later became known as Gnosticism, emphasizing special knowledge (gnosis) and denying Christ as God and Savior. Not unlike the church of Colossae, today’s Church struggles with the conglomeration of New Age philosophies and religious pluralism.
Combating this devious error, Paul stresses Christ’s deity, his connection with the Father, and his sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of the world. Only by being connected with Christ through faith can anyone have eternal life and only through a continuing connection with him can anyone be justified before God. “But now [God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel” (Colossians 1:22-23a). With clarity and passion, Paul teaches Christ is God incarnate and the only way to forgiveness and peace with God the Father.
The church of Colossae faced a similar contamination. The problem was syncretism, combining ideas from other philosophies and religions with Christian truth. The resulting heresy later became known as Gnosticism, emphasizing special knowledge (gnosis) and denying Christ as God and Savior. Not unlike the church of Colossae, today’s Church struggles with the conglomeration of New Age philosophies and religious pluralism.
Combating this devious error, Paul stresses Christ’s deity, his connection with the Father, and his sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of the world. Only by being connected with Christ through faith can anyone have eternal life and only through a continuing connection with him can anyone be justified before God. “But now [God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel” (Colossians 1:22-23a). With clarity and passion, Paul teaches Christ is God incarnate and the only way to forgiveness and peace with God the Father.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
biblical authority - FAQ and halogen church's responses
1. What is biblical authority?
As the written Word of God, the Bible is the supreme and final authority in faith and practice. It functions as the norm which the church’s tradition, reason, and experience must serve. Its authority is established in the believer’s and the church’s life by the testimony of the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit who inspired the writers of Scripture and who now converts and makes holy those who listen to Scripture. The Bible’s primary purpose is to confront us with the Word of God in the person of Jesus Christ through whom God’s grace and truth are definitively revealed (John 1:14, 17).
2. How does biblical authority relate to the question of authorship?
All Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but this does not mean that the human authors were God’s passive robots nor that God dictated to them what they wrote. In a way that goes beyond human comprehension, God was at work in the process of writing the documents that make up our Bible: divine revelation was incarnate in human words, much like the mystery of the person of Jesus Christ who was fully divine and fully human. Just as Jesus of Nazareth astounded people with his authority when he spoke (Matt 7:28-29), so God speaks authoritatively through Scripture with its variety of human authors, cultural expressions, and literary genres.
3. Why does Rev. Izzy Matos preach from the TNIV (Today's New International Version)?
There are four reasons this edition of the Bible is chosen.
1) Word updates: Some of the improvements in the TNIV text are simple word changes that reflect contemporary English terms. For example, the "sixth hour" is accurately translated as "noon" in the modern understanding of time (Mark 15:33); 2) Gender: Without exception, the TNIV retains gender-accurate, masculine terminology for references to God. This is a theological understanding and commitment that the CBT, standing in concert with the Church throughout the ages, considers inviolable. There are passages in the TNIV, however, in which the contemporary English rendition used to refer to men and women has been translated to accurately reflect the original language, context, and understanding. Where the NIV previously used "he," "man," or "men" to indicate all people, the TNIV, in many cases, renders these passages as "person," "people," or other terminology that reflects the meaning of the original language. In no cases do these updates impose upon or change the doctrinal impact of Scripture; 3) The contributors to the TNIV are some of the most well-respected scholars in the world; and 4) The TNIV is a strong translation that takes into account the most recent scholarship on the ancient manuscripts.
4. Is the Halogen Church associated with any denomination? (To what part of the Christian family do we belong?)
The Halogen Church was founded in 2004 as the third service of Light and Life Christian Fellowship, a Free Methodist (Wesleyans) church. Rev. Izzy Matos became the lead pastor of the Halogen Church in 2007 and his leadership reflected an "interdenominational" presentation of the Gospel Message, with strong adherence to Messianic Judaism and Wesleyanism respectively. The Halogen Church presents itself as a local body of Christ that is both evangelical and ecumenical, and the Theology remains the heart of its Wesleyan and Holiness theological heritage.
5. How does Wesleyanism inform our understanding of biblical authority?
John Wesley believed in the “authority” and “sufficiency” of Scripture for “all things necessary to salvation.” These affirmations reflect the “Thirty-nine Articles” of Anglicanism (1571), which influenced the Methodist “Articles of Religion” (1784). Wesley was Anglican, and his Methodist movement affirmed the primacy of biblical authority. He also affirmed the genuine—albeit secondary—religious authority of church tradition, critical thinking, and relevant experience for reflecting upon and living out Christianity. Over time, this fourfold understanding of religious authority became known as the “Wesleyan quadrilateral,” which includes Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. But the quadrilateral considers scripture the final authority in matters of Christian beliefs, values, and practices. Thus, Wesley agreed with the Protestant Reformers with regard to sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) as being the final religious authority. The Halogen Church embraced this Wesleyan heritage in the development of its “Statement of Faith.” In addition, the church drew upon ecumenical language from the National Association of Evangelicals’ “Statement of Faith,” which describes Scripture as “the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.” The term “inspiration,” of course, comes from Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), and “infallible” reflects the “Westminster Confession” (1625), a Reformed confession. Their usage preserves centuries of Protestant and ecumenical understandings of the nature of biblical authority, and delimits both modernist and fundamentalist innovations in describing Scripture. Modernist and fundamentalist understandings of biblical authority are thought to be more dependent upon the Enlightenment than upon Scripture itself. The Halogen Church continues to be informed by Wesleyanism as well as by ecumenical Protestantism in its understanding of biblical authority. The 2006 “Position Statement on Evangelical Commitment” states: “Reflecting our Wesleyan-Holiness heritage, we consider right living important along with right belief. We seek truth primarily through Scripture and integrate other sources such as reason, tradition, and experience.” Scripture represents the University’s primary religious authority, but it is a complex understanding, which integrates the best hermeneutical tools in interpreting Scripture. Although Christians may advocate simple faith, Wesley never understood it to be simplistic. If biblical authority is to be relevant today, then it must be promoted in ways that both conserve and progress in its understanding, assessment and application of Scripture.
6. What is distinctly evangelical about the Halogen Church?
One answer to this is that our church’s statement of faith is a solidly evangelical affirmation that directly reflects the language of the National Association of Evangelicals’ statement of faith. While this is true, the better answer to this question is that each staff member and leader approaches his or her discipline with the three concerns that have characterized evangelicalism since its beginning: 1) the desire to discern the truths of Christianity (orthodoxy); 2) a search for how we might best apply those truths in our callings (orthopraxy); and 3) the aspiration to experience transformation and encourage Christ-likeness in others (orthopathy).
7. How does your church leadership seek to instill a love of the Scriptures in the ethos of the congregation?
Everyone loves a love letter, especially when the receivers of the letter know that the sender is magnificent and beautiful. The Bible is more than a letter; and God the sender exceeds our ideas of magnificent and beautiful, but this only means more reasons to love the Bible. We believe that our church participants grow in love for the Bible when they learn what it says about God and His people, when they understand the witness to God's unconditional love, and also when they learn about how the cherished gift of Scripture came to our hands. It is both the story in the Bible and the story of the Bible that inspires love for the Bible. We therefore tell both stories in ever deepening stages throughout the journey of our members. At the same time we do not neglect to share how God has touched us and continues to do so through the gift of Scripture so that our church participants may know of our own love for the Bible and the personal quality of our devotion.
8. How does the academic study of the Bible differ from devotional study of the Bible?
Within the Wesleyan evangelical tradition that the Halogen Church represents, all forms of Bible study, whether academic or devotional, take place within a commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Bible. However, the academic ways of studying the Bible that we emphasize in our sermons, seminars and classes ask different questions of the Bible than devotional study does and use different methods to answer them. While devotional uses of the Bible focus directly on how the Bible can build up our spiritual lives and our relationship with God, academic study asks literary, theological, and historical questions that increase our understanding of the Bible, God, and its worldview. In the sanctuary and in the seminar room, we critically employ different approaches to biblical interpretation in order to strengthen our grasp of the meaning and significance of biblical passages in their original context, in Christian history, and in our lives today. In this way, the understanding of the Bible we gain by using scholarly methods enhances and deepens our devotional study of the Bible.
As the written Word of God, the Bible is the supreme and final authority in faith and practice. It functions as the norm which the church’s tradition, reason, and experience must serve. Its authority is established in the believer’s and the church’s life by the testimony of the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit who inspired the writers of Scripture and who now converts and makes holy those who listen to Scripture. The Bible’s primary purpose is to confront us with the Word of God in the person of Jesus Christ through whom God’s grace and truth are definitively revealed (John 1:14, 17).
2. How does biblical authority relate to the question of authorship?
All Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but this does not mean that the human authors were God’s passive robots nor that God dictated to them what they wrote. In a way that goes beyond human comprehension, God was at work in the process of writing the documents that make up our Bible: divine revelation was incarnate in human words, much like the mystery of the person of Jesus Christ who was fully divine and fully human. Just as Jesus of Nazareth astounded people with his authority when he spoke (Matt 7:28-29), so God speaks authoritatively through Scripture with its variety of human authors, cultural expressions, and literary genres.
3. Why does Rev. Izzy Matos preach from the TNIV (Today's New International Version)?
There are four reasons this edition of the Bible is chosen.
1) Word updates: Some of the improvements in the TNIV text are simple word changes that reflect contemporary English terms. For example, the "sixth hour" is accurately translated as "noon" in the modern understanding of time (Mark 15:33); 2) Gender: Without exception, the TNIV retains gender-accurate, masculine terminology for references to God. This is a theological understanding and commitment that the CBT, standing in concert with the Church throughout the ages, considers inviolable. There are passages in the TNIV, however, in which the contemporary English rendition used to refer to men and women has been translated to accurately reflect the original language, context, and understanding. Where the NIV previously used "he," "man," or "men" to indicate all people, the TNIV, in many cases, renders these passages as "person," "people," or other terminology that reflects the meaning of the original language. In no cases do these updates impose upon or change the doctrinal impact of Scripture; 3) The contributors to the TNIV are some of the most well-respected scholars in the world; and 4) The TNIV is a strong translation that takes into account the most recent scholarship on the ancient manuscripts.
4. Is the Halogen Church associated with any denomination? (To what part of the Christian family do we belong?)
The Halogen Church was founded in 2004 as the third service of Light and Life Christian Fellowship, a Free Methodist (Wesleyans) church. Rev. Izzy Matos became the lead pastor of the Halogen Church in 2007 and his leadership reflected an "interdenominational" presentation of the Gospel Message, with strong adherence to Messianic Judaism and Wesleyanism respectively. The Halogen Church presents itself as a local body of Christ that is both evangelical and ecumenical, and the Theology remains the heart of its Wesleyan and Holiness theological heritage.
5. How does Wesleyanism inform our understanding of biblical authority?
John Wesley believed in the “authority” and “sufficiency” of Scripture for “all things necessary to salvation.” These affirmations reflect the “Thirty-nine Articles” of Anglicanism (1571), which influenced the Methodist “Articles of Religion” (1784). Wesley was Anglican, and his Methodist movement affirmed the primacy of biblical authority. He also affirmed the genuine—albeit secondary—religious authority of church tradition, critical thinking, and relevant experience for reflecting upon and living out Christianity. Over time, this fourfold understanding of religious authority became known as the “Wesleyan quadrilateral,” which includes Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. But the quadrilateral considers scripture the final authority in matters of Christian beliefs, values, and practices. Thus, Wesley agreed with the Protestant Reformers with regard to sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) as being the final religious authority. The Halogen Church embraced this Wesleyan heritage in the development of its “Statement of Faith.” In addition, the church drew upon ecumenical language from the National Association of Evangelicals’ “Statement of Faith,” which describes Scripture as “the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.” The term “inspiration,” of course, comes from Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), and “infallible” reflects the “Westminster Confession” (1625), a Reformed confession. Their usage preserves centuries of Protestant and ecumenical understandings of the nature of biblical authority, and delimits both modernist and fundamentalist innovations in describing Scripture. Modernist and fundamentalist understandings of biblical authority are thought to be more dependent upon the Enlightenment than upon Scripture itself. The Halogen Church continues to be informed by Wesleyanism as well as by ecumenical Protestantism in its understanding of biblical authority. The 2006 “Position Statement on Evangelical Commitment” states: “Reflecting our Wesleyan-Holiness heritage, we consider right living important along with right belief. We seek truth primarily through Scripture and integrate other sources such as reason, tradition, and experience.” Scripture represents the University’s primary religious authority, but it is a complex understanding, which integrates the best hermeneutical tools in interpreting Scripture. Although Christians may advocate simple faith, Wesley never understood it to be simplistic. If biblical authority is to be relevant today, then it must be promoted in ways that both conserve and progress in its understanding, assessment and application of Scripture.
6. What is distinctly evangelical about the Halogen Church?
One answer to this is that our church’s statement of faith is a solidly evangelical affirmation that directly reflects the language of the National Association of Evangelicals’ statement of faith. While this is true, the better answer to this question is that each staff member and leader approaches his or her discipline with the three concerns that have characterized evangelicalism since its beginning: 1) the desire to discern the truths of Christianity (orthodoxy); 2) a search for how we might best apply those truths in our callings (orthopraxy); and 3) the aspiration to experience transformation and encourage Christ-likeness in others (orthopathy).
7. How does your church leadership seek to instill a love of the Scriptures in the ethos of the congregation?
Everyone loves a love letter, especially when the receivers of the letter know that the sender is magnificent and beautiful. The Bible is more than a letter; and God the sender exceeds our ideas of magnificent and beautiful, but this only means more reasons to love the Bible. We believe that our church participants grow in love for the Bible when they learn what it says about God and His people, when they understand the witness to God's unconditional love, and also when they learn about how the cherished gift of Scripture came to our hands. It is both the story in the Bible and the story of the Bible that inspires love for the Bible. We therefore tell both stories in ever deepening stages throughout the journey of our members. At the same time we do not neglect to share how God has touched us and continues to do so through the gift of Scripture so that our church participants may know of our own love for the Bible and the personal quality of our devotion.
8. How does the academic study of the Bible differ from devotional study of the Bible?
Within the Wesleyan evangelical tradition that the Halogen Church represents, all forms of Bible study, whether academic or devotional, take place within a commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Bible. However, the academic ways of studying the Bible that we emphasize in our sermons, seminars and classes ask different questions of the Bible than devotional study does and use different methods to answer them. While devotional uses of the Bible focus directly on how the Bible can build up our spiritual lives and our relationship with God, academic study asks literary, theological, and historical questions that increase our understanding of the Bible, God, and its worldview. In the sanctuary and in the seminar room, we critically employ different approaches to biblical interpretation in order to strengthen our grasp of the meaning and significance of biblical passages in their original context, in Christian history, and in our lives today. In this way, the understanding of the Bible we gain by using scholarly methods enhances and deepens our devotional study of the Bible.
Friday, April 22, 2011
impacting faith
Sharing our Story in light of the Christian Story
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
- Luke 4:18-19
What is Evangelism? However trivial or obvious this question may seem, the fact is many people are confused as to what the word "evangelism" actually means. To many, both believers and non-believers alike, "evangelism" is a scary word. It is even a condescending word. Regrettably, but perhaps fairly, evangelism has been given a bad reputation. To non-believers, evangelism is coercive, manipulative, and judgmental. To many believers, evangelism is embarrassing, theologically complicated, and condemning. The word carries with it many negative connotations that people must wrestle with in order to get to the true beauty behind this wonderful word. Yet once understood, evangelism opens a new perspective of Kingdom work in which a Christian can joyfully and truthfully share what the Lord has done in and for him or her. In short, evangelism is the process of communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ, through both words and actions, to those who have not heard it or who have not yet responded positively to it.
There are those who think relational evangelism is important but "not for me." The truth is, whether or not you score high on a spiritual gifts inventory or strengths assessment in evangelism, if you are a Christian you ARE an evangelist! Every Christian must recognize he or she is commissioned to preach, that is, proclaim the Good News of salvation. We are bridge-builders through our personal testimonies and Christian witness. We all have wounds. Those who have been healed by God's loving power have a story: Christ healed these wounds, which have turned to scars, and every scar is a bridge to someone's broken heart.
We just finished an evangelism campaign at Halogen, which set out to encourage our church family to faithfully do what they are already appointed to do, evangelize. One of our goals was to help people conquer their fears in sharing faith. In spite of how people have misused this word, true evangelism begins with a story. Our story. This involves being real, authentic, genuine and unashamed to tell the world how the Lord found, saved, healed and commissioned us. Then, we share how our story, how we were pulled out of the muddy waters, fits in with the story of God redeeming humankind through Jesus Christ.
So do not be intimidated or turned off by the word evangelism. Rather, embrace your call to share faith, ask the Lord for a sense of urgency to tell the world the good things God has done in and through you, and be used in powerful ways to introduce people to the One who will heal and save and reconcile them to God, Jesus Christ.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
- Luke 4:18-19
What is Evangelism? However trivial or obvious this question may seem, the fact is many people are confused as to what the word "evangelism" actually means. To many, both believers and non-believers alike, "evangelism" is a scary word. It is even a condescending word. Regrettably, but perhaps fairly, evangelism has been given a bad reputation. To non-believers, evangelism is coercive, manipulative, and judgmental. To many believers, evangelism is embarrassing, theologically complicated, and condemning. The word carries with it many negative connotations that people must wrestle with in order to get to the true beauty behind this wonderful word. Yet once understood, evangelism opens a new perspective of Kingdom work in which a Christian can joyfully and truthfully share what the Lord has done in and for him or her. In short, evangelism is the process of communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ, through both words and actions, to those who have not heard it or who have not yet responded positively to it.
There are those who think relational evangelism is important but "not for me." The truth is, whether or not you score high on a spiritual gifts inventory or strengths assessment in evangelism, if you are a Christian you ARE an evangelist! Every Christian must recognize he or she is commissioned to preach, that is, proclaim the Good News of salvation. We are bridge-builders through our personal testimonies and Christian witness. We all have wounds. Those who have been healed by God's loving power have a story: Christ healed these wounds, which have turned to scars, and every scar is a bridge to someone's broken heart.
We just finished an evangelism campaign at Halogen, which set out to encourage our church family to faithfully do what they are already appointed to do, evangelize. One of our goals was to help people conquer their fears in sharing faith. In spite of how people have misused this word, true evangelism begins with a story. Our story. This involves being real, authentic, genuine and unashamed to tell the world how the Lord found, saved, healed and commissioned us. Then, we share how our story, how we were pulled out of the muddy waters, fits in with the story of God redeeming humankind through Jesus Christ.
So do not be intimidated or turned off by the word evangelism. Rather, embrace your call to share faith, ask the Lord for a sense of urgency to tell the world the good things God has done in and through you, and be used in powerful ways to introduce people to the One who will heal and save and reconcile them to God, Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
what about people who have never heard?
As a Christian, from the earliest days of my giving a defense for my faith in Jesus Christ, I have been asked countless times, "If people need Jesus in order to be saved, what about people who have never heard about Jesus?" Let me begin by saying I think this is a good question, a fair question, and deserves a good response. Throughout the years I have attempted to articulate my thoughts on the matter, sometimes successfully while other times not so much.
Working through our Evangelism series at Halogen, I have found myself facing this question again, this time not by any one person in particular, but by the biblical text itself. In having the audacity to write a sermon on the Heart of God, I have been confronted with a question from the most popular verse of the Bible, "If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, surely He loves those who have never heard of His only begotten Son. But what does that mean for such people?"
So, can a person who has never heard the Good News of Jesus Christ be saved? In studying John 3:16-21, I read a well articulated answer to this question. In his commentary on the Gospel of John, F.F. Bruce treats this question with compassion, while staying true to essential doctrine and the Word of God. Bruce writes:
"No explicit mention is made here of those who have never had the opportunity of believing in Christ, those on whom the light in its fullness has never shone. But John's words probably unfold the principle of their judgment too. As the eternal Word came to men and women before becoming incarnate in Christ, so it is with the light of God. If men and women are judged by their response to the light, they are judged by their response to such light as is available to them. All true light is in some degree and effulgence from him who is the light of the world. Those who accept the partial light that is available to them will gladly accept the perfect light when it shines on them. Those who refuse the light, in whatever fashion it shines on them, pronounce [judgment] on themselves."
F.F. Bruce, The Gospel of John - Introduction, Exposition, and Notes, 92.
Working through our Evangelism series at Halogen, I have found myself facing this question again, this time not by any one person in particular, but by the biblical text itself. In having the audacity to write a sermon on the Heart of God, I have been confronted with a question from the most popular verse of the Bible, "If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, surely He loves those who have never heard of His only begotten Son. But what does that mean for such people?"
So, can a person who has never heard the Good News of Jesus Christ be saved? In studying John 3:16-21, I read a well articulated answer to this question. In his commentary on the Gospel of John, F.F. Bruce treats this question with compassion, while staying true to essential doctrine and the Word of God. Bruce writes:
"No explicit mention is made here of those who have never had the opportunity of believing in Christ, those on whom the light in its fullness has never shone. But John's words probably unfold the principle of their judgment too. As the eternal Word came to men and women before becoming incarnate in Christ, so it is with the light of God. If men and women are judged by their response to the light, they are judged by their response to such light as is available to them. All true light is in some degree and effulgence from him who is the light of the world. Those who accept the partial light that is available to them will gladly accept the perfect light when it shines on them. Those who refuse the light, in whatever fashion it shines on them, pronounce [judgment] on themselves."
F.F. Bruce, The Gospel of John - Introduction, Exposition, and Notes, 92.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
the problem of evil
Below is a good article on God and evil written by Dr. Norman L. Geisler. It is an apologetic helpful for discussions with those who are being kept from faith as a result of the difficult juxtaposition of an all-powerful, all-loving God and undeniable evil. I must add that I wish Dr. Geisler used "Satan" rather than "Lucifer." In addition, some verses may be somewhat out of context and a few statements are made prematurely with need of more support. Nevertheless, Geisler raises 9 good points for discussion.
By Dr. Norman L. Geisler
The topic of evil offers many on-ramps to preaching powerful sermons and proclaiming the gospel. The opportunity is perpetually ripe because people constantly have questions they would like answered. As we articulate answers to a specific audience, our speech should “always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col. 4:6). As preachers, we face audiences asking questions such as:
* If God created only good things, then where did evil come from?
* What caused Lucifer to commit the first sin when there was no sinful tendency in him or anyone tempting him to sin?
* If God knew Lucifer, and later Adam, would sin, then why did He create them?
* If God is the author of everything real, and sin is real, how can we avoid
concluding that God is the author of evil?
* Why does God allow innocent suffering?
* If God is the Creator of the natural world, then why does He allow natural
disasters like tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes?
* Why do bad things happen to good people?
* If God is all-powerful, why doesn’t He intervene and stop the evil in this world?
* If God is all-loving, why is there a hell?
More Questions Than Answers?
Frankly, there seem to be more questions than answers. But the Bible commands us to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). To be honest, there was a time when I was not prepared to answer these questions, either. However, after 50 years of pondering them, I have discovered some things that satisfy me. In the hope that others may be helped, too, I have compiled a great many insights and answers in my recent book, If God, Why Evil? It attempts to respond to all of these questions and more in a simple, biblical, and reasonable way. Below is an abbreviated compilation that I hope preachers will find of great benefit and use in their sermons.
The Atheist’s Dilemma
Let me begin with the first public debate I ever had with an atheist. He brought the question up, as they usually do: “If there is a good God, then why does He allow all the evil and injustice in this world?” Having read C. S. Lewis, I was prepared to respond: “If you are claiming there is injustice in the world, where do you get your moral standard of justice? If there is an absolute moral law, then there must be an absolute moral Law-Giver.” His reply was so frank and to the point that I hardly knew what to say. He confessed, “I don’t have any absolute moral law by which I know there is evil in the world. My judgment is simply based on my own benign moral feeling.”
C. S. Lewis's response to this idea is worth pondering: “My argument [as an atheist] was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust. A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. . . . Of course, I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed too …” The fact is that either the atheist’s argument presupposes God as the moral Law-Giver, or else the argument that God “allows” evil and injustice collapses.
Evil Cries Out for God
Rather than cry out against God, evil actually cries out for God in at least three ways. First, as just observed, we have no way of knowing something is really evil unless there is a God who established the moral law by which we can judge it to be evil. Second, as every pastor knows, the only real help when someone is suffering comes from God. To whom else shall we turn—He has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). When this life is fading, the only real comfort is the hope of eternal life. As the apostle put it, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4).
Third, the only realistic expectation that there will be an end of evil someday is that Christ has already defeated it. Hebrews declares of Christ that “he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). The apostle John saw the completion of this process when he wrote, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).
If God Created Only Good Things, Then Where Did Evil Come From?
If God is all-good and if He created only good things, then where did evil come from? How can evil come from what is perfectly good? Long ago, St. Augustine answered this by noting that one of the good things God made was free choice. It is good to be free. We all enjoy it. No one marches against freedom. Even if someone did, he would be enjoying the good of his freedom to do so. But if it is good to be free, then evil is possible. We cannot be free to love God unless we are also free not to love Him. We cannot be free to praise God unless we are also free to curse Him. So evil began when a free creature (Lucifer) used his good freedom to will the good of the creature over the good of the Creator.
What Caused Lucifer to Sin?
What caused Lucifer to use his freedom to sin against God? It certainly was not God, since He tempts no one (James 1:13). Further, there was no other sinful being in existence, tempting him to sin. Neither was his nature imperfect, for God made every creature good. What then was the cause of Lucifer’s sin? Very simply put, it was Lucifer himself. A free action is one that is self-caused; that is, caused by oneself. It can’t be caused by another, for in that case they would be responsible for the sin. Nor can it be uncaused, for every action has a cause. Nothing cannot be the cause of something. This is a fundamental law of all thought: “Nothing comes from nothing; nothing ever could.” But if Lucifer’s prideful act of rebellion against God (1 Tim. 3:6) was not caused by another or uncaused, then it had to be caused by himself.
But If God Is All-Good and All-Powerful, Why Is Evil Not Defeated?
This raises another problem, one that has not passed the notice of unbelievers. When Lucifer sinned, why didn’t God nip it in the bud? Why didn’t He stomp it out? In short, if the God of the Bible is all-powerful, He could defeat it. If He is all-good, He would defeat it. But it is obvious to all that evil is not defeated. (Just watch the evening news or look around your neighborhood.)
Evil is everywhere. This is a painful dilemma for a Christian since, unlike Rabbi Kushner, we cannot say as he did: “If we can bring ourselves to acknowledge that there are some things God does not control, many good things become possible.” And, “Are you capable of forgiving God even when you have found out that He is not perfect…?”
In short, we cannot agree with Rabbi Kushner that God is not all-powerful or that He is not all-good. For how would we know God was not perfect unless we had some ultimate standard beyond God by which we could measure Him and know that He falls short? And if there were, then by its very nature this Ultimate Good would be God, and the one falling short would be some sinful creature. Further, the Bible declares emphatically that God is “the Almighty One” (Job 11:7) and the “Lord God Omnipotent” (Rev. 19:6). Further, He is all-loving; indeed, “God is love” itself (1 John. 4:16).
Rather than evil defeating an all-good, all-powerful God, such a God guarantees the ultimate triumph over evil. For if He is all-good, then we know He wants to defeat evil. And if He is all-powerful, we know He can defeat evil. And if evil is not yet defeated, then we know for sure that it will one day be defeated. Its defeat is guaranteed by the nature of an all-good and all-powerful God.
What About the Holocaust?
Even with the expectation that evil will eventually be defeated, we still cry out with the prophet: “How long, O Lord?” Few events have stirred hearts more than the Jewish holocaust. Yet as horrible as it was, it does not cry out against God’s goodness or existence. As one holocaust survivor declared, “It never occurred to me to question God’s doing or lack [of doing] while I was an inmate of Auschwitz. …I believe my faith was not undermined in the least. It never occurred to me to associate the calamity we were experiencing with God, to blame Him at all because He didn’t come to our aid. Why? Because we owe our lives to Him. If someone believes God is responsible for the death of six million…he’s got his thinking reversed. We owe God our lives for the few or the many years we live, and we have the duty to worship Him and do as He commands us.” Job said after severe calamity had struck him, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21; Deut. 32:39).
A few years ago, when forest fires ravaged homes on the East Coast, I saw a man standing in the rubble of his home being interviewed on a network TV news program. When asked for his reaction to the loss of virtually everything he owned, he replied: “I have my life, I have my wife, and I have eternal life. What more could I ask for?” The poet put it, “God is good when He gives supremely good, nor less when He denies [it]. Even crosses from His gracious hand are blessings in disguise.”
As for why God has permitted so much evil for so long, we can only ask: Who would know better than an all-knowing Being? As for us finite creatures, we must be content to know: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God” (Deut. 29:29). But we do know that the all-loving and all-powerful God is also all-knowing and that He sees “the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10). In our waiting, God is “longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Why Earthquakes, Tornados, and Tsunamis?
Why does God permit such horrible disasters? My response is this: “There were no earthquakes, tornados, or hurricanes in the Garden of Eden, and there will be none in the new heaven and new earth. The reason there are such things in between Paradise Lost and Paradise to Come is that “sin entered the world by one man [Adam] and death by sin” (Rom. 5:12), and as a result “the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in the hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:20-21).
God Never Wastes a Tragedy
Joseph said to his brothers who had sold him to Egypt as a slave, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive” (Gen. 50:21). C. S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Although God does not cause the evil, nonetheless, He is working in the evil to bring about a greater good.
This is not the best of all possible worlds (Voltaire’s Candide), but it is the best of all possible ways to reach the best of all possible worlds. The truth is that we can’t get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness. God permits evil in order to defeat evil. He allows lower evil to produce the higher good.
No Pain, No Gain
We can’t achieve patience without tribulation or forgiveness without sin. Hebrews informs us: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:11). James wrote, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James. 1:2-3). Even if our suffering is lifelong, Paul reminds us that “this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17).
I am well aware that in this feeling-oriented culture, where many go to church because it makes them feel better, that these words may seem harsh. But the stark truth is that God is more interested in our holiness than in our happiness. There is no verse in the Bible that says, “Be happy, as I am happy.” There are verses that declare, “Be holy, as I am holy” (Lev. 11:44-45; 19:2). Yes, God is more interested in our character than our comfort, and He has been known to sacrifice the latter in order to achieve the former.
Not only does God’s justice demand that sin against the Eternal One has eternal consequences, but His love demands that He respect the freedom in the free creatures He has made. Surely, an all-powerful God could guarantee that all will be saved. Then perhaps it would make it all worthwhile.
Unfortunately, being all-powerful does not solve the problem, since God is also all-loving. God cannot force people to believe in Him contrary to their will. C. S. Lewis captured the essence of the problem when he wrote: “When one says, ‘All will be saved,’ my reason retorts, ‘Without their will, or with it?’ If I say, ‘Without their will,’ I at once perceive a contradiction; how can the supreme voluntary act of self-surrender be involuntary? If I say, ‘With their will,’ my reason replies, ‘How, if they will not give in?’”
So God is patient and offers plenty of time for all to repent, but no amount of time will convince the recalcitrant. As Lewis said elsewhere, “There are only two kinds of people in the end; those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in hell chose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell.”
By Dr. Norman L. Geisler
The topic of evil offers many on-ramps to preaching powerful sermons and proclaiming the gospel. The opportunity is perpetually ripe because people constantly have questions they would like answered. As we articulate answers to a specific audience, our speech should “always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col. 4:6). As preachers, we face audiences asking questions such as:
* If God created only good things, then where did evil come from?
* What caused Lucifer to commit the first sin when there was no sinful tendency in him or anyone tempting him to sin?
* If God knew Lucifer, and later Adam, would sin, then why did He create them?
* If God is the author of everything real, and sin is real, how can we avoid
concluding that God is the author of evil?
* Why does God allow innocent suffering?
* If God is the Creator of the natural world, then why does He allow natural
disasters like tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes?
* Why do bad things happen to good people?
* If God is all-powerful, why doesn’t He intervene and stop the evil in this world?
* If God is all-loving, why is there a hell?
More Questions Than Answers?
Frankly, there seem to be more questions than answers. But the Bible commands us to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). To be honest, there was a time when I was not prepared to answer these questions, either. However, after 50 years of pondering them, I have discovered some things that satisfy me. In the hope that others may be helped, too, I have compiled a great many insights and answers in my recent book, If God, Why Evil? It attempts to respond to all of these questions and more in a simple, biblical, and reasonable way. Below is an abbreviated compilation that I hope preachers will find of great benefit and use in their sermons.
The Atheist’s Dilemma
Let me begin with the first public debate I ever had with an atheist. He brought the question up, as they usually do: “If there is a good God, then why does He allow all the evil and injustice in this world?” Having read C. S. Lewis, I was prepared to respond: “If you are claiming there is injustice in the world, where do you get your moral standard of justice? If there is an absolute moral law, then there must be an absolute moral Law-Giver.” His reply was so frank and to the point that I hardly knew what to say. He confessed, “I don’t have any absolute moral law by which I know there is evil in the world. My judgment is simply based on my own benign moral feeling.”
C. S. Lewis's response to this idea is worth pondering: “My argument [as an atheist] was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust. A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. . . . Of course, I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed too …” The fact is that either the atheist’s argument presupposes God as the moral Law-Giver, or else the argument that God “allows” evil and injustice collapses.
Evil Cries Out for God
Rather than cry out against God, evil actually cries out for God in at least three ways. First, as just observed, we have no way of knowing something is really evil unless there is a God who established the moral law by which we can judge it to be evil. Second, as every pastor knows, the only real help when someone is suffering comes from God. To whom else shall we turn—He has the words of eternal life (John 6:68). When this life is fading, the only real comfort is the hope of eternal life. As the apostle put it, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4).
Third, the only realistic expectation that there will be an end of evil someday is that Christ has already defeated it. Hebrews declares of Christ that “he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). The apostle John saw the completion of this process when he wrote, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).
If God Created Only Good Things, Then Where Did Evil Come From?
If God is all-good and if He created only good things, then where did evil come from? How can evil come from what is perfectly good? Long ago, St. Augustine answered this by noting that one of the good things God made was free choice. It is good to be free. We all enjoy it. No one marches against freedom. Even if someone did, he would be enjoying the good of his freedom to do so. But if it is good to be free, then evil is possible. We cannot be free to love God unless we are also free not to love Him. We cannot be free to praise God unless we are also free to curse Him. So evil began when a free creature (Lucifer) used his good freedom to will the good of the creature over the good of the Creator.
What Caused Lucifer to Sin?
What caused Lucifer to use his freedom to sin against God? It certainly was not God, since He tempts no one (James 1:13). Further, there was no other sinful being in existence, tempting him to sin. Neither was his nature imperfect, for God made every creature good. What then was the cause of Lucifer’s sin? Very simply put, it was Lucifer himself. A free action is one that is self-caused; that is, caused by oneself. It can’t be caused by another, for in that case they would be responsible for the sin. Nor can it be uncaused, for every action has a cause. Nothing cannot be the cause of something. This is a fundamental law of all thought: “Nothing comes from nothing; nothing ever could.” But if Lucifer’s prideful act of rebellion against God (1 Tim. 3:6) was not caused by another or uncaused, then it had to be caused by himself.
But If God Is All-Good and All-Powerful, Why Is Evil Not Defeated?
This raises another problem, one that has not passed the notice of unbelievers. When Lucifer sinned, why didn’t God nip it in the bud? Why didn’t He stomp it out? In short, if the God of the Bible is all-powerful, He could defeat it. If He is all-good, He would defeat it. But it is obvious to all that evil is not defeated. (Just watch the evening news or look around your neighborhood.)
Evil is everywhere. This is a painful dilemma for a Christian since, unlike Rabbi Kushner, we cannot say as he did: “If we can bring ourselves to acknowledge that there are some things God does not control, many good things become possible.” And, “Are you capable of forgiving God even when you have found out that He is not perfect…?”
In short, we cannot agree with Rabbi Kushner that God is not all-powerful or that He is not all-good. For how would we know God was not perfect unless we had some ultimate standard beyond God by which we could measure Him and know that He falls short? And if there were, then by its very nature this Ultimate Good would be God, and the one falling short would be some sinful creature. Further, the Bible declares emphatically that God is “the Almighty One” (Job 11:7) and the “Lord God Omnipotent” (Rev. 19:6). Further, He is all-loving; indeed, “God is love” itself (1 John. 4:16).
Rather than evil defeating an all-good, all-powerful God, such a God guarantees the ultimate triumph over evil. For if He is all-good, then we know He wants to defeat evil. And if He is all-powerful, we know He can defeat evil. And if evil is not yet defeated, then we know for sure that it will one day be defeated. Its defeat is guaranteed by the nature of an all-good and all-powerful God.
What About the Holocaust?
Even with the expectation that evil will eventually be defeated, we still cry out with the prophet: “How long, O Lord?” Few events have stirred hearts more than the Jewish holocaust. Yet as horrible as it was, it does not cry out against God’s goodness or existence. As one holocaust survivor declared, “It never occurred to me to question God’s doing or lack [of doing] while I was an inmate of Auschwitz. …I believe my faith was not undermined in the least. It never occurred to me to associate the calamity we were experiencing with God, to blame Him at all because He didn’t come to our aid. Why? Because we owe our lives to Him. If someone believes God is responsible for the death of six million…he’s got his thinking reversed. We owe God our lives for the few or the many years we live, and we have the duty to worship Him and do as He commands us.” Job said after severe calamity had struck him, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21; Deut. 32:39).
A few years ago, when forest fires ravaged homes on the East Coast, I saw a man standing in the rubble of his home being interviewed on a network TV news program. When asked for his reaction to the loss of virtually everything he owned, he replied: “I have my life, I have my wife, and I have eternal life. What more could I ask for?” The poet put it, “God is good when He gives supremely good, nor less when He denies [it]. Even crosses from His gracious hand are blessings in disguise.”
As for why God has permitted so much evil for so long, we can only ask: Who would know better than an all-knowing Being? As for us finite creatures, we must be content to know: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God” (Deut. 29:29). But we do know that the all-loving and all-powerful God is also all-knowing and that He sees “the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10). In our waiting, God is “longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Why Earthquakes, Tornados, and Tsunamis?
Why does God permit such horrible disasters? My response is this: “There were no earthquakes, tornados, or hurricanes in the Garden of Eden, and there will be none in the new heaven and new earth. The reason there are such things in between Paradise Lost and Paradise to Come is that “sin entered the world by one man [Adam] and death by sin” (Rom. 5:12), and as a result “the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in the hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:20-21).
God Never Wastes a Tragedy
Joseph said to his brothers who had sold him to Egypt as a slave, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive” (Gen. 50:21). C. S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Although God does not cause the evil, nonetheless, He is working in the evil to bring about a greater good.
This is not the best of all possible worlds (Voltaire’s Candide), but it is the best of all possible ways to reach the best of all possible worlds. The truth is that we can’t get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness. God permits evil in order to defeat evil. He allows lower evil to produce the higher good.
No Pain, No Gain
We can’t achieve patience without tribulation or forgiveness without sin. Hebrews informs us: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:11). James wrote, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James. 1:2-3). Even if our suffering is lifelong, Paul reminds us that “this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17).
I am well aware that in this feeling-oriented culture, where many go to church because it makes them feel better, that these words may seem harsh. But the stark truth is that God is more interested in our holiness than in our happiness. There is no verse in the Bible that says, “Be happy, as I am happy.” There are verses that declare, “Be holy, as I am holy” (Lev. 11:44-45; 19:2). Yes, God is more interested in our character than our comfort, and He has been known to sacrifice the latter in order to achieve the former.
Not only does God’s justice demand that sin against the Eternal One has eternal consequences, but His love demands that He respect the freedom in the free creatures He has made. Surely, an all-powerful God could guarantee that all will be saved. Then perhaps it would make it all worthwhile.
Unfortunately, being all-powerful does not solve the problem, since God is also all-loving. God cannot force people to believe in Him contrary to their will. C. S. Lewis captured the essence of the problem when he wrote: “When one says, ‘All will be saved,’ my reason retorts, ‘Without their will, or with it?’ If I say, ‘Without their will,’ I at once perceive a contradiction; how can the supreme voluntary act of self-surrender be involuntary? If I say, ‘With their will,’ my reason replies, ‘How, if they will not give in?’”
So God is patient and offers plenty of time for all to repent, but no amount of time will convince the recalcitrant. As Lewis said elsewhere, “There are only two kinds of people in the end; those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in hell chose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell.”
Thursday, January 20, 2011
the parable of the shrewd manager
Recently, a friend from church shared with me a question one of her co-workers raised concerning the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke. Namely, is Jesus encouraging us to be deceitful? This is a fair question, especially since several apparent problems (including the issue of ethics) within this passage have attracted a surplus of interpretations.
One Commentator, John Nolland, provides a succinct summary. Nolland states, “The worldly-wise steward has shrewdly appraised the situation that confronts and threatens him and has moved quickly to situate himself to best advantage for the future. Would that those who know the truth of the Christian gospel could see things so sharply and as effectively align their actions to the situation that confronts them!” (Word Biblical Commentary 35b, 796)
In short:
Jesus is telling his disciples to be “street-smart”. Learn how the world works, while remaining true to the Kingdom of God of which you are a citizen, and use the means of the world to bless people, especially those who cannot repay you. It would behoove Christians to recognize that the wealth of this world will not be found in the next life, but that which one will find in the next life, provided he or she has chosen to live rightly in this present time, is much better, incomparable. For the wealth of this world rots, can be stolen and will ultimately be consumed by fire.
Yet does Jesus telling his disciples to be “street-smart” as it were, carry the connotation of being “dishonest”? A closer look at this passage would reveal that Jesus does not tell his disciples to be dishonest, nor is dishonesty praised in this passage. Rather, prudence is praised, “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.” Note the narrator, Jesus, calls the manager dishonest, whereas the reason he is commended is not his character, but his actions.
The underlying impression is simply this: money corrupts and cannot be made equal with God in terms of our allegiance (cf. 16:13). Therefore, it is best to give money away, specifically to those who cannot reciprocate that gift (e.g., almsgiving or in our context, giving to those who are "lower" on the socio-economic status totem pole, and becoming their equal or “friend”). A further way to understand this act of giving is found in the incarnation. Jesus left his high place of heaven, emptying himself, to be among us in human likeness (cf. Philippians 2:5-8), ultimately giving his life on our behalf.
The manager, a person of the world, was dishonest and used wealth to make friends so they would show him hospitality in return. Conversely, the people of the light, Christians, should not be dishonest. Instead, they should use wealth to bless people in this present age without the need or desire of having wealth returned because their reward is in the age to come.
A Short Commentary (with the help of Joel B. Green and John Nolland)
Building up to this parable has been Jesus' teachings on hospitality and rejoicing when one finds what has been lost, in which one shows hospitality by hosting a party in order to celebrate. Moreover, the chapter that precedes the parable of the shrewd manager is based on the Pharisees' complaint that Jesus welcomes sinners (thus is hospitable toward the "unworthy"). According to Green, the theme of the narrative in chapter 16.1-9 is the “appropriate use of wealth to overstep social boundaries between rich and poor in order to participate in a form of economic redistribution grounded in kinship” (NICNT, 589).
Jesus' story of the shrewd manager is not so much allegorical inasmuch as the rich man does not personify God. This story is birthed from the way the world works, so to speak. There are two named characters. The first is the rich man. At this point it is good to keep in mind Jesus has already pronounced misfortune on those who are rich (cf. 6:24). The rich hope and find their security in their wealth (cf. 12:16) and practice giving only in terms of reciprocation with their social peers, while disregarding those of lower status (cf. 14:12; 16.19-22). The second is the manager whom, according to Green, in the Roman context is either a slave or a freedman with access to his master's wealth and possessions. Furthermore, the manager acted as the rich man’s agent in business affairs. The importance of knowing this in order to understand the passage comes clear in the crisis anticipated by the manager in verses 3-4. The manager realizes, "Oh no, I'm about to be fired and that will be the end of me!” For him, being fired means a forfeiture of his once enviable social status, with the consequence that he has to turn to either physical labor or begging, which ultimately means he will become "unclean and degraded," an “outcast,” on the margin of society. What is more, he will no longer have a roof over his head.
Why is this happening? Apparently the manager was wasting his master's possessions, or "squandering", which basically means being very irresponsible with the wealth that had been entrusted to him. Perhaps a point to take away from this, though it may be somewhat of a stretch, is an assessment of what we are doing with the gifts, talents and blessings that have been entrusted to us. In any case, the manager, having weighed his options, does not want to beg or labor because he is too proud and too weak. Therefore, he wants to do what he can to be "welcomed" into other people's homes. Again, we see the topic of hospitality.
The rich man is indeed wealthy because so many people owe him so much and no doubt the interest just makes them go further and further into debt (like credit card companies perhaps?). Therefore, by the manager reducing their loan agreements so generously, he has done these people a significant favor (can you imagine someone saying your school loans went from $100,000 to $20,000!). And, because he is still manager at this point, the agreements with the debtors are legitimate. In this way, the manager has entered into his own relationship with the master's debtors, who perhaps themselves have some wealth, or at the very least the means of helping him get on his feet. He has shown support to them and, in return, can expect them to reciprocate by extending to him the hospitality of their homes.
Point of view is vital in understanding the next two verses (8-9). The master commends the manager for his shrewdness, even though the narrator, Jesus, has identified the manager as “dishonest.” I know, crazy, right? But consider the fact that the master does not commend the manager for dishonest, but for his prudence in business affairs. Jesus uses the phrase, "children of this age," or in some translations, "people of the world," implying the need for people of the light to understand how the world works and use it to their benefit.
The world is characterized by faithlessness and wickedness. “That Jesus can speak of a manager as one who is commended by one of his own generation, of his own worldly kin, for his having prudently taken advantage of the systems of this world and as wicked is therefore not surprising” (Green, 593). The people of the light, on the other hand, would live in accordance with Kingdom principles, not worldly ones.
If they, people of the light, did understand the ways of the new age to come, how would this be manifest in their lives and actions? Simply put, they would use "dishonest wealth" to "make friends" in order that they might be welcomed "into eternal homes". Wealth, or mammon, is characterized as “dishonest,” similarly to the manager. Both belong to this present age and world. In speaking of its demise, Jesus insinuates that mammon has no place in the age to come (cf. 12.33).
In telling his disciples to “gain friends for yourselves,” Jesus’ audience, and Luke’s readers, would have picked up on social conventions deeply embedded in the Greco-Roman world, whereby friendship and economic considerations were intertwined. Friends in Roman antiquity might be "superior," "equal," or "lesser," depending on their relative resources. Using money to gain friends, then, refers simply to the social reality: The exchange of money created, maintained, or solidified various forms of friendship. As my good friend Dave Stein often says, “Money makes the world go ‘round.” Thus verses 4-7 show the manager using his master's wealth to gain friends who would later repay him with hospitality.
Jesus counsels his disciples to make friends by using wealth, or mammon, to be sure, and this might take the form of giving to those in need or the more specific form of canceling debts. But Jesus provides no basis by which his followers might come to expect reciprocation from these friends. Luke records Jesus teaching his disciples to practice giving without expecting anything in return (6:32-35). Almsgiving exemplifies genuine social solidarity between rich and poor, who act toward each other as equal friends.
Conclusion
One question Nolland raises is, “Do we who have at least in theory the perspective created by a knowledge of Jesus as Christ and Lord have the incisiveness of insight to see as effectively through to the heart of the matter and the incisiveness of action to follow through with what is required?” (Nolland, 802)
The whole idea behind this parable seems to be pointed at the nature of what so often goes on in the world of business and money. The ethics are low to say the least. What should attract our attention as readers of this passage is that the manager wisely assessed the situation in which he found himself, and acted to save himself. The challenge Jesus poses is for us as Christ’s disciples to have the wisdom and shrewdness to recognize and seize the opportunity that exists in the midst of threat. In the immediate context, the threat and opportunity are those created by the ministry of Jesus. However, beyond this parable challenges all of us as Christians to be successful as the worldly wise to do the best with what you have. Act in accordance with Kingdom principles and execute solid and shrewd judgment.
Interpreting this parable, as difficult as it may be, is best accomplished through the challenge posed to the Christian juxtaposed the person of the world. That is to say, if only the Christian were as eager to be righteous as the man of the world is eager to gain wealth and security, what an effective kingdom worker he or she would be!
One Commentator, John Nolland, provides a succinct summary. Nolland states, “The worldly-wise steward has shrewdly appraised the situation that confronts and threatens him and has moved quickly to situate himself to best advantage for the future. Would that those who know the truth of the Christian gospel could see things so sharply and as effectively align their actions to the situation that confronts them!” (Word Biblical Commentary 35b, 796)
In short:
Jesus is telling his disciples to be “street-smart”. Learn how the world works, while remaining true to the Kingdom of God of which you are a citizen, and use the means of the world to bless people, especially those who cannot repay you. It would behoove Christians to recognize that the wealth of this world will not be found in the next life, but that which one will find in the next life, provided he or she has chosen to live rightly in this present time, is much better, incomparable. For the wealth of this world rots, can be stolen and will ultimately be consumed by fire.
Yet does Jesus telling his disciples to be “street-smart” as it were, carry the connotation of being “dishonest”? A closer look at this passage would reveal that Jesus does not tell his disciples to be dishonest, nor is dishonesty praised in this passage. Rather, prudence is praised, “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.” Note the narrator, Jesus, calls the manager dishonest, whereas the reason he is commended is not his character, but his actions.
The underlying impression is simply this: money corrupts and cannot be made equal with God in terms of our allegiance (cf. 16:13). Therefore, it is best to give money away, specifically to those who cannot reciprocate that gift (e.g., almsgiving or in our context, giving to those who are "lower" on the socio-economic status totem pole, and becoming their equal or “friend”). A further way to understand this act of giving is found in the incarnation. Jesus left his high place of heaven, emptying himself, to be among us in human likeness (cf. Philippians 2:5-8), ultimately giving his life on our behalf.
The manager, a person of the world, was dishonest and used wealth to make friends so they would show him hospitality in return. Conversely, the people of the light, Christians, should not be dishonest. Instead, they should use wealth to bless people in this present age without the need or desire of having wealth returned because their reward is in the age to come.
A Short Commentary (with the help of Joel B. Green and John Nolland)
Building up to this parable has been Jesus' teachings on hospitality and rejoicing when one finds what has been lost, in which one shows hospitality by hosting a party in order to celebrate. Moreover, the chapter that precedes the parable of the shrewd manager is based on the Pharisees' complaint that Jesus welcomes sinners (thus is hospitable toward the "unworthy"). According to Green, the theme of the narrative in chapter 16.1-9 is the “appropriate use of wealth to overstep social boundaries between rich and poor in order to participate in a form of economic redistribution grounded in kinship” (NICNT, 589).
Jesus' story of the shrewd manager is not so much allegorical inasmuch as the rich man does not personify God. This story is birthed from the way the world works, so to speak. There are two named characters. The first is the rich man. At this point it is good to keep in mind Jesus has already pronounced misfortune on those who are rich (cf. 6:24). The rich hope and find their security in their wealth (cf. 12:16) and practice giving only in terms of reciprocation with their social peers, while disregarding those of lower status (cf. 14:12; 16.19-22). The second is the manager whom, according to Green, in the Roman context is either a slave or a freedman with access to his master's wealth and possessions. Furthermore, the manager acted as the rich man’s agent in business affairs. The importance of knowing this in order to understand the passage comes clear in the crisis anticipated by the manager in verses 3-4. The manager realizes, "Oh no, I'm about to be fired and that will be the end of me!” For him, being fired means a forfeiture of his once enviable social status, with the consequence that he has to turn to either physical labor or begging, which ultimately means he will become "unclean and degraded," an “outcast,” on the margin of society. What is more, he will no longer have a roof over his head.
Why is this happening? Apparently the manager was wasting his master's possessions, or "squandering", which basically means being very irresponsible with the wealth that had been entrusted to him. Perhaps a point to take away from this, though it may be somewhat of a stretch, is an assessment of what we are doing with the gifts, talents and blessings that have been entrusted to us. In any case, the manager, having weighed his options, does not want to beg or labor because he is too proud and too weak. Therefore, he wants to do what he can to be "welcomed" into other people's homes. Again, we see the topic of hospitality.
The rich man is indeed wealthy because so many people owe him so much and no doubt the interest just makes them go further and further into debt (like credit card companies perhaps?). Therefore, by the manager reducing their loan agreements so generously, he has done these people a significant favor (can you imagine someone saying your school loans went from $100,000 to $20,000!). And, because he is still manager at this point, the agreements with the debtors are legitimate. In this way, the manager has entered into his own relationship with the master's debtors, who perhaps themselves have some wealth, or at the very least the means of helping him get on his feet. He has shown support to them and, in return, can expect them to reciprocate by extending to him the hospitality of their homes.
Point of view is vital in understanding the next two verses (8-9). The master commends the manager for his shrewdness, even though the narrator, Jesus, has identified the manager as “dishonest.” I know, crazy, right? But consider the fact that the master does not commend the manager for dishonest, but for his prudence in business affairs. Jesus uses the phrase, "children of this age," or in some translations, "people of the world," implying the need for people of the light to understand how the world works and use it to their benefit.
The world is characterized by faithlessness and wickedness. “That Jesus can speak of a manager as one who is commended by one of his own generation, of his own worldly kin, for his having prudently taken advantage of the systems of this world and as wicked is therefore not surprising” (Green, 593). The people of the light, on the other hand, would live in accordance with Kingdom principles, not worldly ones.
If they, people of the light, did understand the ways of the new age to come, how would this be manifest in their lives and actions? Simply put, they would use "dishonest wealth" to "make friends" in order that they might be welcomed "into eternal homes". Wealth, or mammon, is characterized as “dishonest,” similarly to the manager. Both belong to this present age and world. In speaking of its demise, Jesus insinuates that mammon has no place in the age to come (cf. 12.33).
In telling his disciples to “gain friends for yourselves,” Jesus’ audience, and Luke’s readers, would have picked up on social conventions deeply embedded in the Greco-Roman world, whereby friendship and economic considerations were intertwined. Friends in Roman antiquity might be "superior," "equal," or "lesser," depending on their relative resources. Using money to gain friends, then, refers simply to the social reality: The exchange of money created, maintained, or solidified various forms of friendship. As my good friend Dave Stein often says, “Money makes the world go ‘round.” Thus verses 4-7 show the manager using his master's wealth to gain friends who would later repay him with hospitality.
Jesus counsels his disciples to make friends by using wealth, or mammon, to be sure, and this might take the form of giving to those in need or the more specific form of canceling debts. But Jesus provides no basis by which his followers might come to expect reciprocation from these friends. Luke records Jesus teaching his disciples to practice giving without expecting anything in return (6:32-35). Almsgiving exemplifies genuine social solidarity between rich and poor, who act toward each other as equal friends.
Conclusion
One question Nolland raises is, “Do we who have at least in theory the perspective created by a knowledge of Jesus as Christ and Lord have the incisiveness of insight to see as effectively through to the heart of the matter and the incisiveness of action to follow through with what is required?” (Nolland, 802)
The whole idea behind this parable seems to be pointed at the nature of what so often goes on in the world of business and money. The ethics are low to say the least. What should attract our attention as readers of this passage is that the manager wisely assessed the situation in which he found himself, and acted to save himself. The challenge Jesus poses is for us as Christ’s disciples to have the wisdom and shrewdness to recognize and seize the opportunity that exists in the midst of threat. In the immediate context, the threat and opportunity are those created by the ministry of Jesus. However, beyond this parable challenges all of us as Christians to be successful as the worldly wise to do the best with what you have. Act in accordance with Kingdom principles and execute solid and shrewd judgment.
Interpreting this parable, as difficult as it may be, is best accomplished through the challenge posed to the Christian juxtaposed the person of the world. That is to say, if only the Christian were as eager to be righteous as the man of the world is eager to gain wealth and security, what an effective kingdom worker he or she would be!
Friday, January 7, 2011
perspective on spiritual focus
You handle the depth of your relationship with God. Let the LORD handle the breadth of your Kingdom work for God.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
advent
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
- Psalm 27:14
As I led Halogen through Advent this year, I felt like it was the first time I took into consideration what Advent truly means. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means "coming." Great, but what does that mean? In other words, what does Christ's coming mean to you? This is the question that hit me this year as I prepared for each sermon in the series.
Advent is the time of preparation for Christ’s coming. Christians prepare for celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by remembering the longing of the Jews for a Messiah. Israel, who was once a great nation under kings David and Solomon, felt the sting of being separated from God. It began with their nation splitting into two kingdoms, the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. In BC 722, the Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians. However, Judah, and most importantly, Jerusalem and the temple were left standing. But this didn't last for long. In BC 586 the Southern Kingdom fell to the Babylonians. And worse, their temple was destroyed.
The temple symbolized the presence of the LORD with Israel. As God's chosen people, the LORD remained with them. But now, that symbol was shattered. God's people felt the shards of separation as they were driven into an unknown land. The people who were once made great now yearned longingly, and half hopelessly, for a savior. The people who were set free from oppression under Egyptian rule, turned their backs on their deliverer, and now found themselves oppressed under Babylonian rule.
During Advent, we remember how much we ourselves need a savior, and we look forward to our Lord’s second coming by celebrating in remembrance his first coming at the first Christmas. It is during this season that we keep in mind both “advents” of Christ, the first in Bethlehem and the second yet to come. In other words, Christ's coming means that we have hope. As we wait expectantly on the LORD, we are given hope of a brighter future. Our hope is not in people, doctors, politicians, or the economy. Our hope is in Christ Jesus our Lord, the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
But it does not stop there. We are also given peace as we wait on the LORD. We are not merely given temporary peace that can be experienced by the absence of war, the baby sleeping quietly through the night without waking up, the ability to put up Christmas decorations without arguing or feeling frustrated with our spouse, or the sweet phone call that the annoying relative won't be at the Christmas dinner this year. We are given eternal peace that dissolves our fears and worries. The peace Jesus offers is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.
It is by the very presence of God that we can experience joy. The first Christmas was announced by an angel saying, “Don’t be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy! This news is for everyone!” The angel proclaimed, “Joy to the World” because the Reason to smile beyond temporary happiness was born on Christmas day. Jesus is God’s invitation to heaven’s eternal celebration that begins here on earth for those who have the joy of Christ in their hearts.
Those who have Christ in their hearts are able to know true love. The world has corrupted love, confusing it with sexual attraction, self-centered motives, and supporting it on a fickle foundation of emotions rather than commitment. Jesus came, humbled as a servant and obedient even to death, because of love. Love is when you feel a deep and genuine connection to someone else. You are cared for, cherished, and appreciated, not because of anything you do, but because of who you are. This is the love Jesus has for us.
As we prepare for Christ’s coming, we recognize that God is calling us to come home. Through grace and by God’s love, we are given the true gift of Christmas, Jesus Christ. Without Christ, we will never know the true meaning of home. We may own all the stuff that is supposed to make the “perfect home,” but we will still dwell in inescapable emptiness and un-fulfillment without Jesus Christ. But in Christ, we find fulfillment. And more than that, we are filled to overflowing with the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of God.
This year, I recognized my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from fear because I always have HOPE in Christ. Tomorrow can be different. Paul writes in Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
This year, I understood my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from anxiety and stress because I always have PEACE in Christ. Chaos and calamity can never overcome those who are in Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way."
This year, I embraced my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from despair because I always have JOY in Christ. Though our circumstances may fluctuate and our situations may vary we have an unwavering home in Jesus Christ.
This year, I felt my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from un-forgiveness. Even though we live in a world that is unkind, unfair and unforgiving, our true citizenship is found in the LOVE of Christ. This is how we defeat evil. We counter evil with good. We counter hatred with love. We counter darkness with light.
As Christians, we declare our assurance that through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ our names are written in the Book of Life. The Light of Jesus Christ defeats all darkness. Moreover, we declare our commitment to be channels of Christ's light that we may be used to offer the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love we have in Christ to all people everywhere. Advent reminds us to celebrate and take seriously the gift we have received by God's grace; the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and our responsibility to give freely the gift of Jesus Christ's light and love to the world as we wait his second advent.
- Psalm 27:14
As I led Halogen through Advent this year, I felt like it was the first time I took into consideration what Advent truly means. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word adventus, which means "coming." Great, but what does that mean? In other words, what does Christ's coming mean to you? This is the question that hit me this year as I prepared for each sermon in the series.
Advent is the time of preparation for Christ’s coming. Christians prepare for celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by remembering the longing of the Jews for a Messiah. Israel, who was once a great nation under kings David and Solomon, felt the sting of being separated from God. It began with their nation splitting into two kingdoms, the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. In BC 722, the Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrians. However, Judah, and most importantly, Jerusalem and the temple were left standing. But this didn't last for long. In BC 586 the Southern Kingdom fell to the Babylonians. And worse, their temple was destroyed.
The temple symbolized the presence of the LORD with Israel. As God's chosen people, the LORD remained with them. But now, that symbol was shattered. God's people felt the shards of separation as they were driven into an unknown land. The people who were once made great now yearned longingly, and half hopelessly, for a savior. The people who were set free from oppression under Egyptian rule, turned their backs on their deliverer, and now found themselves oppressed under Babylonian rule.
During Advent, we remember how much we ourselves need a savior, and we look forward to our Lord’s second coming by celebrating in remembrance his first coming at the first Christmas. It is during this season that we keep in mind both “advents” of Christ, the first in Bethlehem and the second yet to come. In other words, Christ's coming means that we have hope. As we wait expectantly on the LORD, we are given hope of a brighter future. Our hope is not in people, doctors, politicians, or the economy. Our hope is in Christ Jesus our Lord, the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
But it does not stop there. We are also given peace as we wait on the LORD. We are not merely given temporary peace that can be experienced by the absence of war, the baby sleeping quietly through the night without waking up, the ability to put up Christmas decorations without arguing or feeling frustrated with our spouse, or the sweet phone call that the annoying relative won't be at the Christmas dinner this year. We are given eternal peace that dissolves our fears and worries. The peace Jesus offers is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.
It is by the very presence of God that we can experience joy. The first Christmas was announced by an angel saying, “Don’t be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy! This news is for everyone!” The angel proclaimed, “Joy to the World” because the Reason to smile beyond temporary happiness was born on Christmas day. Jesus is God’s invitation to heaven’s eternal celebration that begins here on earth for those who have the joy of Christ in their hearts.
Those who have Christ in their hearts are able to know true love. The world has corrupted love, confusing it with sexual attraction, self-centered motives, and supporting it on a fickle foundation of emotions rather than commitment. Jesus came, humbled as a servant and obedient even to death, because of love. Love is when you feel a deep and genuine connection to someone else. You are cared for, cherished, and appreciated, not because of anything you do, but because of who you are. This is the love Jesus has for us.
As we prepare for Christ’s coming, we recognize that God is calling us to come home. Through grace and by God’s love, we are given the true gift of Christmas, Jesus Christ. Without Christ, we will never know the true meaning of home. We may own all the stuff that is supposed to make the “perfect home,” but we will still dwell in inescapable emptiness and un-fulfillment without Jesus Christ. But in Christ, we find fulfillment. And more than that, we are filled to overflowing with the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of God.
This year, I recognized my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from fear because I always have HOPE in Christ. Tomorrow can be different. Paul writes in Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
This year, I understood my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from anxiety and stress because I always have PEACE in Christ. Chaos and calamity can never overcome those who are in Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way."
This year, I embraced my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from despair because I always have JOY in Christ. Though our circumstances may fluctuate and our situations may vary we have an unwavering home in Jesus Christ.
This year, I felt my authority in Christ to declare my freedom from un-forgiveness. Even though we live in a world that is unkind, unfair and unforgiving, our true citizenship is found in the LOVE of Christ. This is how we defeat evil. We counter evil with good. We counter hatred with love. We counter darkness with light.
As Christians, we declare our assurance that through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ our names are written in the Book of Life. The Light of Jesus Christ defeats all darkness. Moreover, we declare our commitment to be channels of Christ's light that we may be used to offer the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love we have in Christ to all people everywhere. Advent reminds us to celebrate and take seriously the gift we have received by God's grace; the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and our responsibility to give freely the gift of Jesus Christ's light and love to the world as we wait his second advent.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
the new Israel
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Revelation 21:2
I have hither chosen not to publicly post much, or really anything at all, about my grieving process concerning the passing of my dad. I believe, for the most part, the reason is simply because I am a private person when it comes to grief, at least my personal grief. But another reason is the reality that I have not really been able to articulate how I truly feel about my dad's passing, either to those who are close to me like my very supportive wife, or to myself. Honestly, I have not really been able to articulate how I feel about my dad's passing to the Lord.
I can say that on July 24, 2010 - when I found out my dad had passed away the previous day - I felt peace and joy. No. I felt the everlasting and eternal peace and joy that can only be experienced by means of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. I rejoiced over the thought that my dad was in the glory of the Lord. I had peace knowing I would see my dad again in heaven. I was comforted by my brothers in Christ, as I happened to be at a men's retreat when my sister-in-law called with the dreadful news. But, though I felt in my heart the joy of the Lord's salvation, I could not process in my mind, let alone with words, how I felt about the reality that I would never be able to have a conversation with my dad on this earth again. Or that my dad would never meet my children, at least not here on earth. Or that my dad would not see Audrey's first movie, read my first published book, or experience many of the things I know he wanted to experience. Even as I type these words, I can feel the sea of sorrow welling behind my eyes and the lump of affliction expanding in the back of my throat.
Of course, death is not convenient. It never comes at the "right" or a "good" time. But one thing I have had difficulty accepting is knowing my dad had always wanted to visit Israel. After all, Israel is our name. I heard this for the first time in May of this year when Audrey told my dad she booked a job that would possibly take her to Israel. My dad was always excited for Audrey and her industry "wins." He told us plainly that he had always wanted to go and that he was very proud of Audrey and our opportunity to visit Israel, specifically Jerusalem. Audrey and I talked and were secretly planning to get my dad out to Israel to be with us for a while so he could experience the Holy Land, and fulfill something he had always wanted to do. Unfortunately, he passed away a little over a month later, which was a little over a month before we traveled to Israel.
After the crashing waves of dealing with burying my dad, and everything that comes with it, had subsided a bit, I was able to start my own grieving process. Part of this process included talking to God about my disappointment in His decision to call my dad home at this time. Now. Just before we were about to take him to Israel. Why now?
After a week in Amsterdam, Audrey and I visited Israel. While sitting on the beach in Tel Aviv, I spoke to God, "Lord, I wish my dad could be here, experiencing Israel with us. Please give my dad the message that Audrey and I are having a beautiful time, I wish he could be here with us, and I am very proud to bear his name, 'Israel', the name you gave to your chosen people." Not two seconds after I finished uttering that prayer did I feel the Lord say to me, "Why are you saddened because your dad never went to Israel? You dad is in the NEW Israel, rejoicing in the NEW Jerusalem where there is no fighting, no pain, no tension, and no tears."
Not only is my dad a new Israel because he has left his earthly body and taken on his heavenly one, but he is in the new Israel that the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. This is the hope and assurance we have as believers, and it is the hope and assurance that has gotten me through the grieving process.
Don't be misled into thinking I am finished grieving. I am not sure grieving ever truly ends. But though grieving may not end, it does not have to defeat us. And the Lord's words to me on the beach in Tel Aviv assured me that just as death did not defeat my dad, neither has grief defeated me.
Revelation 21:2
I have hither chosen not to publicly post much, or really anything at all, about my grieving process concerning the passing of my dad. I believe, for the most part, the reason is simply because I am a private person when it comes to grief, at least my personal grief. But another reason is the reality that I have not really been able to articulate how I truly feel about my dad's passing, either to those who are close to me like my very supportive wife, or to myself. Honestly, I have not really been able to articulate how I feel about my dad's passing to the Lord.
I can say that on July 24, 2010 - when I found out my dad had passed away the previous day - I felt peace and joy. No. I felt the everlasting and eternal peace and joy that can only be experienced by means of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. I rejoiced over the thought that my dad was in the glory of the Lord. I had peace knowing I would see my dad again in heaven. I was comforted by my brothers in Christ, as I happened to be at a men's retreat when my sister-in-law called with the dreadful news. But, though I felt in my heart the joy of the Lord's salvation, I could not process in my mind, let alone with words, how I felt about the reality that I would never be able to have a conversation with my dad on this earth again. Or that my dad would never meet my children, at least not here on earth. Or that my dad would not see Audrey's first movie, read my first published book, or experience many of the things I know he wanted to experience. Even as I type these words, I can feel the sea of sorrow welling behind my eyes and the lump of affliction expanding in the back of my throat.
Of course, death is not convenient. It never comes at the "right" or a "good" time. But one thing I have had difficulty accepting is knowing my dad had always wanted to visit Israel. After all, Israel is our name. I heard this for the first time in May of this year when Audrey told my dad she booked a job that would possibly take her to Israel. My dad was always excited for Audrey and her industry "wins." He told us plainly that he had always wanted to go and that he was very proud of Audrey and our opportunity to visit Israel, specifically Jerusalem. Audrey and I talked and were secretly planning to get my dad out to Israel to be with us for a while so he could experience the Holy Land, and fulfill something he had always wanted to do. Unfortunately, he passed away a little over a month later, which was a little over a month before we traveled to Israel.
After the crashing waves of dealing with burying my dad, and everything that comes with it, had subsided a bit, I was able to start my own grieving process. Part of this process included talking to God about my disappointment in His decision to call my dad home at this time. Now. Just before we were about to take him to Israel. Why now?
After a week in Amsterdam, Audrey and I visited Israel. While sitting on the beach in Tel Aviv, I spoke to God, "Lord, I wish my dad could be here, experiencing Israel with us. Please give my dad the message that Audrey and I are having a beautiful time, I wish he could be here with us, and I am very proud to bear his name, 'Israel', the name you gave to your chosen people." Not two seconds after I finished uttering that prayer did I feel the Lord say to me, "Why are you saddened because your dad never went to Israel? You dad is in the NEW Israel, rejoicing in the NEW Jerusalem where there is no fighting, no pain, no tension, and no tears."
Not only is my dad a new Israel because he has left his earthly body and taken on his heavenly one, but he is in the new Israel that the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. This is the hope and assurance we have as believers, and it is the hope and assurance that has gotten me through the grieving process.
Don't be misled into thinking I am finished grieving. I am not sure grieving ever truly ends. But though grieving may not end, it does not have to defeat us. And the Lord's words to me on the beach in Tel Aviv assured me that just as death did not defeat my dad, neither has grief defeated me.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
no self-reproach
I am often hard on myself when I fail. When something does not go as planned, when I let someone down, or when I do not do as well at something as I know I could have I get down on myself. But after I get over the hill of self-pity, I look upward and ask for God's truth. Never does the Lord fail at giving me some sense of comfort. And not just any comfort, but the comfort I need given the circumstance. I often feel the Lord telling me, "Don't get caught up in your failures, get caught up in My Presence. You always make Me proud."
Here are some words of encouragement for times of disappointment. Do not carry the burden of your failures. Proceed in faith. Advance the Kingdom. Do not glance back at what has been due to past choices but look forward at what will be as a result of the choices you make now. The clouds will clear and the way will be illuminated before you.
Think of the times Jesus forgave a person. Jesus had no words of reproach. The woman at the well was not overwhelmed by Jesus' words, "You have had five husbands, and the man you are living with now is not your husband." The woman caught in adultery was told, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." Neither was told, "Bear the burden of the consciousness of your sin." Satan would have us look down, be defeated, and dwell on our failures. Jesus tells us to look up, walk victoriously in Christ, and dwell on God's grace.
Remember Paul's words: "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three." Faith is our attitude towards Jesus. Love is our attitude towards others. But Hope is our attitude towards ourselves. Hope of a brighter future. Hope of healing. Hope of strength to make good choices today, and hope that those choices result in glorious things tomorrow.
There is no room for self-reproach when we are full of faith, hope and love.
Here are some words of encouragement for times of disappointment. Do not carry the burden of your failures. Proceed in faith. Advance the Kingdom. Do not glance back at what has been due to past choices but look forward at what will be as a result of the choices you make now. The clouds will clear and the way will be illuminated before you.
Think of the times Jesus forgave a person. Jesus had no words of reproach. The woman at the well was not overwhelmed by Jesus' words, "You have had five husbands, and the man you are living with now is not your husband." The woman caught in adultery was told, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." Neither was told, "Bear the burden of the consciousness of your sin." Satan would have us look down, be defeated, and dwell on our failures. Jesus tells us to look up, walk victoriously in Christ, and dwell on God's grace.
Remember Paul's words: "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three." Faith is our attitude towards Jesus. Love is our attitude towards others. But Hope is our attitude towards ourselves. Hope of a brighter future. Hope of healing. Hope of strength to make good choices today, and hope that those choices result in glorious things tomorrow.
There is no room for self-reproach when we are full of faith, hope and love.
Monday, June 28, 2010
introducing the book of James
“World’s Best Burgers!” What an extravagant claim – at least I thought so as I was sitting with friends for lunch at a restaurant near our church. Who can really say they have the “best” burgers in the entire world? Who can even say they have the “best” burgers in their own city? According to whom? Of course, none of these questions matter when it comes to marketing. Messages that scream, “whiter teeth,” “quicker weight loss,” “greatest ever,” are meant to infiltrate our brains so we buy the new, improved, best item available on the market for whatever purpose we have come to believe is vital. Cars, clothes, smart phones, cosmetics, and the latest technological device are guaranteed to bring happiness, friends, and a more efficient life. Similarly, they promise to make us feel good about ourselves. The latest candidate up for election makes promises that everyone wants to hear. Yet talk is cheap. Too frequently, and often too late, we realize the boasts made were hollow and quite far from the truth.
Christians are also notorious for making great claims while being guilty of belying them with duplicitous actions. “Jesus is the answer!” … “Trust in God and be healed!” … “Go to church and be different!” Professing to trust God and to be His people, many Christians actually cling tightly to the world and its values. Knowing all the right answers, they contradict the Good News with their lives.
With straightforward words and often times a harsh tone, James confronts Christians who say they believe one thing while living another way. It is not enough to talk the Christian faith. It is not enough to go to church. James says; we must live the Christian faith. We must be the church. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds?” (2:14). The proof of the reality of our faith is a transformed life! Genuine faith will inevitably produce good deeds. Theologically, James explores seven areas for Christians to consider as they live the faith including 1) Suffering/Testing, 2) Eschatology, 3) Christology, 4) Poverty-Piety, 5) Law, Grace, and Faith, 6) Wisdom, and 7) Prayer. Central, then, to James’ message is his concern for Christians to continue to walk strongly in faith amidst a world of temptation, spiritual attack and persecution.
James in the New Testament
Today, the book of James is a favorite among many in the church. However, this wasn’t always the case. The book of James struggled through a long and difficult fight to get into the New Testament. Even after its inclusion, it was spoken of with a certain suspicion.
In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther would have gladly banished James from the New Testament altogether. Its lack of reference to Christ and its apparent disagreement with Paul add to Luther’s assessment of the book as a limited help to Christian formation. As such, the book was late in emerging in the Latin Church; but Jerome’s inclusion of James in the Vulgate, and Augustine’s full acceptance of it, gave the book its deserved full recognition.
James, the brother of Jesus, died a martyr’s death. Josephus briefly mentions his death (Antiquities 20:9.1):
So Ananus, being that kind of man, and thinking he had a good opportunity because Festus was dead and Albinus not yet arrived, holds a judicial council; and he brought before it the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ-James was his name-and some others, and on the charge of violating the Law he gave them over to be stoned.
James willingly lost his life for the message he passed on to us. This gives us all the more reason to pay attention to his words.
Origin of James
The letter was most likely written in two (or three) stages. The original text was a sermon given by James either around 49AD, before the Jerusalem council in 50AD, or in the months prior to his martyrdom in the 62AD. Later, someone skilled in Hellenistic rhetoric edited, expanded, and distributed the sermon in the form of a circular letter, probably in the late 80s or 90s. It went to churches scattered outside of Palestine (Diaspora) that were in disarray and needed to hear the authoritative voice of the Jerusalem church’s leader. Its aim was to instruct Jewish Christians in making their new found faith practical, while they were experiencing the stress of living in a time of hostility.
The Message of James
The book of James falls under the genre General Epistle. Thus, it is a universal letter, written to any Christian audience of any era. The letter takes its name from the authority and tradition associated with James, the brother of Jesus (cf. Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19), who eventually became the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:9,12; Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18).
James is a book of moral instruction and wisdom sayings, inspired by different passages in the Scriptures. The instructions stem from the Hebrew Bible (a Jewish worldview) and the Jesus tradition (cf. Matthew and Luke). There may also be references to Paul’s teaching, though this is uncertain. In general, the letter is a hybrid of pastoral, prophetic, and teaching tones, addressing a people in crisis. The basic message is an urgent appeal and encouragement for those who call themselves Christians to adopt a courageous faith that will help them walk through the trials of life, and that will produce in them heightened moral integrity and loving actions.
James and Paul
In dealing with issues of concern to Jewish Christians, the letter (particularly in 2:14-26) appears to oppose the thinking of Paul on the issue of the relationship between faith and works, and the means by which a believer attains “justification,” that is, right standing with God. Such a view is what caused Martin Luther to assess the book of James as “an epistle of straw” because it seemingly belittled the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith alone.
Paul and James each interpret a verse from the Hebrew Bible –“And he [Abraham] believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6)- to support his own view (Paul in Galatians 3:6-14, James in 2:21-24). For Paul, the believer’s justification comes through faith, not works (Romans 4:16-5:2). For James, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead (2:17). The conflict, however, is more apparent than real. For Paul, faith is primarily trust in God (Romans 4:5), a sense of the word that James also shares (1:5); but, in his critique of faith, James means by it essentially the assent to ideas about God without any obligation to adhering to the covenant of being God’s chosen people, or the commitment to follow Jesus’ life example. Thus his statement, even demons believe (2:19). James sees deeds as the acts that spring from the love of the believer for God (2:14), whereas for Paul deeds are the external observations of ritual, like circumcision, regarded in isolation from any connection to one’s relationship with God.
It is quite difficult for the reader to find a cohesive flow, as James appears to skip from one topic to another without much connection. The intrinsic unity, however, can be seen if one views the letter as a reaction to the circumstances in which these early Christians found themselves. The Christian gatherings were tiny minorities existing within large populations that were indifferent or hostile to their beliefs. James is concerned that these early Christian groups should not adopt, or fall back into, the values or the behavior of the surrounding population (4:4), and that they take care of one another as the family of God.
Overview
Chapter 1 provides the letter’s structure and sets out the basic issue to be faced: how is the Church to cope with life’s troubles while maintaining an accurate understanding of God and their role as God’s people? The second main section expounds on the existence of the Church in two ways: 1) a practicing of the Word and, 2) a call to resistance. James is a sermon. As we approach this short letter, as we faithfully and diligently study the words spoken, we need to hear these words as a call to live as the Church. In doing this, we will truly be thankful to the Lord for preserving this work for our edification and inspiration.
Christians are also notorious for making great claims while being guilty of belying them with duplicitous actions. “Jesus is the answer!” … “Trust in God and be healed!” … “Go to church and be different!” Professing to trust God and to be His people, many Christians actually cling tightly to the world and its values. Knowing all the right answers, they contradict the Good News with their lives.
With straightforward words and often times a harsh tone, James confronts Christians who say they believe one thing while living another way. It is not enough to talk the Christian faith. It is not enough to go to church. James says; we must live the Christian faith. We must be the church. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds?” (2:14). The proof of the reality of our faith is a transformed life! Genuine faith will inevitably produce good deeds. Theologically, James explores seven areas for Christians to consider as they live the faith including 1) Suffering/Testing, 2) Eschatology, 3) Christology, 4) Poverty-Piety, 5) Law, Grace, and Faith, 6) Wisdom, and 7) Prayer. Central, then, to James’ message is his concern for Christians to continue to walk strongly in faith amidst a world of temptation, spiritual attack and persecution.
James in the New Testament
Today, the book of James is a favorite among many in the church. However, this wasn’t always the case. The book of James struggled through a long and difficult fight to get into the New Testament. Even after its inclusion, it was spoken of with a certain suspicion.
In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther would have gladly banished James from the New Testament altogether. Its lack of reference to Christ and its apparent disagreement with Paul add to Luther’s assessment of the book as a limited help to Christian formation. As such, the book was late in emerging in the Latin Church; but Jerome’s inclusion of James in the Vulgate, and Augustine’s full acceptance of it, gave the book its deserved full recognition.
James, the brother of Jesus, died a martyr’s death. Josephus briefly mentions his death (Antiquities 20:9.1):
So Ananus, being that kind of man, and thinking he had a good opportunity because Festus was dead and Albinus not yet arrived, holds a judicial council; and he brought before it the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ-James was his name-and some others, and on the charge of violating the Law he gave them over to be stoned.
James willingly lost his life for the message he passed on to us. This gives us all the more reason to pay attention to his words.
Origin of James
The letter was most likely written in two (or three) stages. The original text was a sermon given by James either around 49AD, before the Jerusalem council in 50AD, or in the months prior to his martyrdom in the 62AD. Later, someone skilled in Hellenistic rhetoric edited, expanded, and distributed the sermon in the form of a circular letter, probably in the late 80s or 90s. It went to churches scattered outside of Palestine (Diaspora) that were in disarray and needed to hear the authoritative voice of the Jerusalem church’s leader. Its aim was to instruct Jewish Christians in making their new found faith practical, while they were experiencing the stress of living in a time of hostility.
The Message of James
The book of James falls under the genre General Epistle. Thus, it is a universal letter, written to any Christian audience of any era. The letter takes its name from the authority and tradition associated with James, the brother of Jesus (cf. Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19), who eventually became the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:9,12; Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18).
James is a book of moral instruction and wisdom sayings, inspired by different passages in the Scriptures. The instructions stem from the Hebrew Bible (a Jewish worldview) and the Jesus tradition (cf. Matthew and Luke). There may also be references to Paul’s teaching, though this is uncertain. In general, the letter is a hybrid of pastoral, prophetic, and teaching tones, addressing a people in crisis. The basic message is an urgent appeal and encouragement for those who call themselves Christians to adopt a courageous faith that will help them walk through the trials of life, and that will produce in them heightened moral integrity and loving actions.
James and Paul
In dealing with issues of concern to Jewish Christians, the letter (particularly in 2:14-26) appears to oppose the thinking of Paul on the issue of the relationship between faith and works, and the means by which a believer attains “justification,” that is, right standing with God. Such a view is what caused Martin Luther to assess the book of James as “an epistle of straw” because it seemingly belittled the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith alone.
Paul and James each interpret a verse from the Hebrew Bible –“And he [Abraham] believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6)- to support his own view (Paul in Galatians 3:6-14, James in 2:21-24). For Paul, the believer’s justification comes through faith, not works (Romans 4:16-5:2). For James, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead (2:17). The conflict, however, is more apparent than real. For Paul, faith is primarily trust in God (Romans 4:5), a sense of the word that James also shares (1:5); but, in his critique of faith, James means by it essentially the assent to ideas about God without any obligation to adhering to the covenant of being God’s chosen people, or the commitment to follow Jesus’ life example. Thus his statement, even demons believe (2:19). James sees deeds as the acts that spring from the love of the believer for God (2:14), whereas for Paul deeds are the external observations of ritual, like circumcision, regarded in isolation from any connection to one’s relationship with God.
It is quite difficult for the reader to find a cohesive flow, as James appears to skip from one topic to another without much connection. The intrinsic unity, however, can be seen if one views the letter as a reaction to the circumstances in which these early Christians found themselves. The Christian gatherings were tiny minorities existing within large populations that were indifferent or hostile to their beliefs. James is concerned that these early Christian groups should not adopt, or fall back into, the values or the behavior of the surrounding population (4:4), and that they take care of one another as the family of God.
Overview
Chapter 1 provides the letter’s structure and sets out the basic issue to be faced: how is the Church to cope with life’s troubles while maintaining an accurate understanding of God and their role as God’s people? The second main section expounds on the existence of the Church in two ways: 1) a practicing of the Word and, 2) a call to resistance. James is a sermon. As we approach this short letter, as we faithfully and diligently study the words spoken, we need to hear these words as a call to live as the Church. In doing this, we will truly be thankful to the Lord for preserving this work for our edification and inspiration.
Monday, May 31, 2010
roots essential for bearing fruit
What happens when seeds are planted? The seed sends a shoot down so that it may be rooted and grounded, while at the same time it sends a shoot up to be the very flower, which brightens up our world. BOTH growths are necessary. Without the strength of a good root it would soon wither. The higher the flower wishes to be, the deeper the root must go.
John 15 tells us to stay connected to the True Vine, Jesus Christ. If we are connected to the vine, we as Christ's followers will bear good fruit. If we want our lives to exemplify God character, we must be strongly connected to the vine. If we desire for our ministries to grow and flourish, it must happen as a result of us first being deeply rooted in the Word of God, in a life of prayer, in an attitude of worship.
Many good meaning Christians and church leaders forget the importance of being connected to Christ and thus their work ceases to be fruitful, or as rich as it could be. Let us not celebrate the leaves and flowers of our ministries if we are not certain of the strength of the root.
John 15 tells us to stay connected to the True Vine, Jesus Christ. If we are connected to the vine, we as Christ's followers will bear good fruit. If we want our lives to exemplify God character, we must be strongly connected to the vine. If we desire for our ministries to grow and flourish, it must happen as a result of us first being deeply rooted in the Word of God, in a life of prayer, in an attitude of worship.
Many good meaning Christians and church leaders forget the importance of being connected to Christ and thus their work ceases to be fruitful, or as rich as it could be. Let us not celebrate the leaves and flowers of our ministries if we are not certain of the strength of the root.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
delay is not denial
Audrey and I have been waiting, and even as I type this sentence I know the term "waiting" is an understatement, at best, of how we truly feel. It is like we are at the airport, on time, packed, through security and anxious to get to our destination because a week of vacation and leaving the stress of busy life is just about within our grasp. As we count the minutes that slowly move toward the time we are to board our plane, an announcement echos through the waiting room - flight 227 has been delayed. "NO! That is our flight!"
Now we have to find out what "delayed" means. How long do we have to wait? What happened to cause the delay? When will we get to our destination now? How much time of vacation are we going to lose as a result of this? Is the plane okay or do we have to be worried when we actually board?
As these thoughts race through our mind going 500 miles an hour, we sit and watch the screen give us a new boarding time - 2 hours later. Okay, we can work with 2 hours. But in two hours, the same thing happens. We are delayed again. And then again. And then again. Soon, we feel like we have spent the entire day waiting to board an airplane that has never arrived - and we don't even know for sure IF it will ever arrive - and there are no other available airplanes for us to take. Now the clock works the other way - moving faster as time slips by - mocking us because now we are losing vacation time. We are just there, ready to go, all packed up, having done everything on our end there is to do, but waiting for an unknown amount of time before we can actually leave.
Audrey and I have been delayed. Not for a flight, but in entering the next season of our lives. We have left the Lord out of nothing and are trusting in the truth that all of the Lord's love is with us. We want to believe, "All is well." But we are delayed. We are delayed in important prayer requests. We are delayed in our desire to advance the Kingdom of God. We are delayed in hearing from the Lord.
"Delay is but the wonderful and all-loving restraint of your Father-not reluctance, not desire to deny-but the Divine control of a Father who can scarcely brook the delay." - Anonymous
I read the above quote once, and then again. I try to believe delay is something wonderful, but I cannot. It does not make sense for this delay to be wonderful and all-loving restraint. And there's more...
"Delay has to be-sometimes. Your lives are so linked up with those of others, so bound by circumstances that to let your desire have instant fulfillment might in many cases cause another, as earnest prayer, to go unanswered. But think for a moment of the Love and thoughtful care that seek to harmonize and reconcile all your desires and longings and prayers."
I do not even try to create a chart of how my prayers being answered can hinder anyone else. If anything, I feel other people's answered prayers are hindering us. I feel that people who do not even pray to the Lord are receiving and their gain is our loss. Perhaps this is selfishness. But how long must we be overlooked? At least that is how it feels. Of course, the Lord overlooks no one, especially His beloved children. But the reality is, we are delayed and have no clue as to why - and we have no indication as to when the delay will be lifted from us.
This entry does not end with the happy, "It all worked out and we got on our plane and had a great vacation." After I finish typing these words and posting this entry, we will still be waiting. We will still be delayed. But we have a new hope and assurance. We have to believe delay is not denial - not even withholding. Rather, delay is the opportunity for God to work out our problems and accomplish our desires in the most wonderful way possible for us. That if God were to give us what we want when we wanted, it would awaken love before its time. We have to wait for God's best, and God's best does not always correlate with when we are ready - and so being delayed is waiting for God's eternal best to take fruition in our temporal lives. We have learned a new lesson of trusting the Lord, remembering that our Maker is also the one who came to serve us, quick to fulfill, quick to achieve, faithful in accomplishment. We have come to believe in faith, all is truly well. As Audrey has told me, answered prayer is not the prize - being in the presence of the Lord is truly the prize. Everything else is added blessing.
Now we have to find out what "delayed" means. How long do we have to wait? What happened to cause the delay? When will we get to our destination now? How much time of vacation are we going to lose as a result of this? Is the plane okay or do we have to be worried when we actually board?
As these thoughts race through our mind going 500 miles an hour, we sit and watch the screen give us a new boarding time - 2 hours later. Okay, we can work with 2 hours. But in two hours, the same thing happens. We are delayed again. And then again. And then again. Soon, we feel like we have spent the entire day waiting to board an airplane that has never arrived - and we don't even know for sure IF it will ever arrive - and there are no other available airplanes for us to take. Now the clock works the other way - moving faster as time slips by - mocking us because now we are losing vacation time. We are just there, ready to go, all packed up, having done everything on our end there is to do, but waiting for an unknown amount of time before we can actually leave.
Audrey and I have been delayed. Not for a flight, but in entering the next season of our lives. We have left the Lord out of nothing and are trusting in the truth that all of the Lord's love is with us. We want to believe, "All is well." But we are delayed. We are delayed in important prayer requests. We are delayed in our desire to advance the Kingdom of God. We are delayed in hearing from the Lord.
"Delay is but the wonderful and all-loving restraint of your Father-not reluctance, not desire to deny-but the Divine control of a Father who can scarcely brook the delay." - Anonymous
I read the above quote once, and then again. I try to believe delay is something wonderful, but I cannot. It does not make sense for this delay to be wonderful and all-loving restraint. And there's more...
"Delay has to be-sometimes. Your lives are so linked up with those of others, so bound by circumstances that to let your desire have instant fulfillment might in many cases cause another, as earnest prayer, to go unanswered. But think for a moment of the Love and thoughtful care that seek to harmonize and reconcile all your desires and longings and prayers."
I do not even try to create a chart of how my prayers being answered can hinder anyone else. If anything, I feel other people's answered prayers are hindering us. I feel that people who do not even pray to the Lord are receiving and their gain is our loss. Perhaps this is selfishness. But how long must we be overlooked? At least that is how it feels. Of course, the Lord overlooks no one, especially His beloved children. But the reality is, we are delayed and have no clue as to why - and we have no indication as to when the delay will be lifted from us.
This entry does not end with the happy, "It all worked out and we got on our plane and had a great vacation." After I finish typing these words and posting this entry, we will still be waiting. We will still be delayed. But we have a new hope and assurance. We have to believe delay is not denial - not even withholding. Rather, delay is the opportunity for God to work out our problems and accomplish our desires in the most wonderful way possible for us. That if God were to give us what we want when we wanted, it would awaken love before its time. We have to wait for God's best, and God's best does not always correlate with when we are ready - and so being delayed is waiting for God's eternal best to take fruition in our temporal lives. We have learned a new lesson of trusting the Lord, remembering that our Maker is also the one who came to serve us, quick to fulfill, quick to achieve, faithful in accomplishment. We have come to believe in faith, all is truly well. As Audrey has told me, answered prayer is not the prize - being in the presence of the Lord is truly the prize. Everything else is added blessing.
Monday, May 17, 2010
money, giving and Christ's followers
When Christians talk about money with regards to the Church, probably one of the most quoted verses is found in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus admonishes his disciples to not store up for themselves treasures on earth that are perishable but rather store up for themselves treasures in heaven that are eternal. He then teaches on anxiety and tells his disciples to trust the Lord to take care of their daily needs. In the middle of these teachings, Jesus refers to mammon, a term that denotes greed or material wealth. The word mammon is the Hebrew word for “money” and is also personified as a false god in the New Testament. Jesus says:
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money (mammon).
-Matthew 6:24
Are Christians, then, to have nothing to do with money? In our modern society, this is not a viable choice. Money is a necessity for people to care for themselves, their families and others. Furthermore, many of Christ’s followers do numerous good things with money. This includes, among other things, supporting good causes, meeting the needs of others, supporting Christian institutions, and supporting various church ministries.
Jesus’ message is not to avoid money, but rather to not be controlled by money. As Christ’s followers, we must never serve the spirit of mammon. We do not serve money or do whatever is needed to have more of it. Instead, we use money to serve God, as good stewards of God’s blessings, and exhibit our primary concern is centered on furthering the Kingdom of God. We must take caution and avoid falling into the desire or need for money; a desire that will undermine and pervert our relationship with God.
The issue of money and Christians has come up several times during my time as a church leader. I have been asked questions as to how much money a Christian should have, whether or not a Christian should become wealthy/rich, and if Christians are to have a savings account with excess money. I believe all of these questions are derived from the misconception that it is bad for Christians to have money. Most often, those who are determined that Christians keep away from money, and even strive to be poor, quote the book of James or the story of the rich young ruler.
But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
-James 1:10-11
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.
-James 5:1
At first glance, the above passages may seem as black and white Bible teachings that being rich is bad and people with money are evil. However, the full context is necessary in interpreting these verses. The first set of verses (James 1:10-11) is used to differentiate between those who are humble and those who are proud. If a person becomes prideful or arrogant as a result of being wealthy, that person has a character flaw. Thus, God is concerned about the person’s heart, attitude, and character, not the material item he or she possesses.
Concerning the second verse mentioned above, James is referring to oppressors. These are people who use money as a means of making themselves even richer while stepping on the poor. Rather than using their money to bless people and show generosity, they are hoarding money and even ripping off or repressing those who are much less fortunate. Again, the issue here is not money itself, but a character of greed and tyranny.
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?" he inquired. Jesus replied, “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
-Matthew 19:16-22
I have heard people use this passage as a means of teaching that all Christians should sell all of their possessions and follow Jesus. But this is not a logical conclusion. The rich young ruler, or in some texts the rich young fool, had some key issues keeping him from fully being connected to God. First, the rich young man had an unhealthy attachment to his money. His attachment to his wealth was a barrier between him and full devotion to Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom. Second, the rich young man had a false sense of comfort in his wealth. He had a misinformed perception of security. He did not look to God to take care of his needs but to his wealth. Lastly, the rich young man walked away sad at the thought of departing from his money. Perhaps he had a need for power. It may very well be the case that this young man had to relinquish his worldly power of wealth and become poor in order to have heavenly power through God. In any case, he was unwilling to let go of his earthly power.
On the flip side, there are passages in Scripture that show people using great amounts of money to serve God and further God’s Kingdom on earth. Zacchaeus had great wealth and used it for Kingdom purposes. In the same way, Jesus shares a parable in which three different people, representing God’s servants, are given an amount of money to serve their master, who represents God.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
-Luke 9:1-9
Who was Zacchaeus? He was a chief tax collector, which means he gained great wealth by defrauding people, his own people. He was a traitor to his kin and a lover of money, but he wanted to see Jesus. Knowing he was in a tree, Jesus called out to Zacchaeus and talked with him. Zacchaeus had an encounter with Jesus Christ and was moved. Without being given a single command, Zacchaeus took action. He made a decision to be generous and give half of his wealth to the poor. He then made a decision to be just and repay those he had swindled fourfold. Unlike the rich young ruler, Zacchaeus had a heart that longed to be close to Jesus despite his wealth. For God, it is not so much what we have or do that is of importance. Rather, it is the heart, attitude, and character behind what we have or do that God considers.
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
-Matthew 25:14-18
Contrary to the view that God does not want Christ’s followers to have money, here Jesus teaches about a man who entrusts wealth to his servants. The man going on the journey symbolizes God, and the servants symbolize Christ’s followers. The servants are given wealth and expected to serve the man, doing his work, in some capacity. The first two do well and are rewarded. The third servant does nothing to serve the man and is thus condemned.
The TNIV renders the Greek word “talent” as “bag of gold.” A talent is worth about 20 years of wages for a normal worker. Thus, the servants were given great wealth. The point is that God’s people are given resources, wealth included, with the expectation they will use those resources to serve God and further the Kingdom. If they do so, they are entrusted with more to do even greater work for God. If they fail to do so, that which they have is taken away.
Keep in mind that money is not the root of all evil. Rather, “the love of money” is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). That which captivates our focus will guide our footsteps. If we are focused on money, we will walk a path controlled by mammon. If we are focused on God and the Kingdom, we will walk a path led by the Holy Spirit. How, then, do we focus on God and the Kingdom? Simply put, focus on the blessings God has bestowed and is bestowing upon you and be thankful. Focus on the different needs around you, in your church, among your family and friends, and in the community. Focus on Scripture and the life and teachings of Jesus along with the messages of the prophets. Focus on the Holy Spirit who brings comfort, guidance, and encouragement. Lastly, focus on being transformed in heart, attitude, and character to become more like Jesus Christ.
Concerning money, and all other blessings from the Lord, we must be willing to freely give them away just as we were willing to freely receive them in the first place. We must not clench on to the material items we have been given. We must not be attached to perishable things that rust and decay. We must not have a false sense of comfort in earthly wealth. We must not seek power of our own or of this world. Conversely, we must be willing to give away that which has been given to us when we are summoned to do so. Yet we must give with good motives, a good heart, and in good character.
Motivations for Giving
Both the Old and New Testaments suggest that the Judeo-Christian tradition expects that God’s people will give as a part of generosity and philanthropy. The community of God has a responsibility to take care of others in their community as well as outsiders. Yet there are so many different reasons why people give. People are motivated by emotions, beliefs, commitments, fear, guilt, affiliation or obligation to a specific community, the desire for self-aggrandizement, or perhaps genuine gratitude and love to name a few.
What should the motivation behind giving be? Just writing a check to some cause or person cannot generally fulfill the joy of participation in Kingdom work. Fear, guilt, and self-aggrandizement are closely related to egotistic motivations and thus not Spirit-led. In general, feeling obligated to give without an understanding of the reason to give is a red flag. For the Christian, giving must be coupled with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Believers give out of an identity of being God’s people as seen in Scripture.
The Old Testament
In the Old Testament we find three models of giving represented. The first appears in Genesis 14:20. Honoring God for empowering him to win a victory, Abram paid a tenth of everything to Melchizedek, the priest-king, thereby recognizing God as the primary owner of these goods. Abram’s action showed his character of faith. The second appears in Exodus 30:11-16, which includes payment for the service of the tent of meeting. Simply put, this is money that will support the edifice of worship and religious services for the community. Thus, members have a part in supporting the religious infrastructure, which we would now call the church. Finally, each member of the community of God was to act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8), in terms of blessing the poor, outcast, and needy.
For the Israelites, in their perception of themselves as a “chosen people” who had promised to obey and “delight in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:2), support of the priesthood and the temple was as vital to living in accordance with God’s will as acting generously to care for those in need – i.e. the poor, the widows, and the orphan – of whom the Prophets speak so frequently (cf. Psalm 146:9; Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3; Zechariah 7:10). How, then, should we as the Church, God’s chosen people, view money with respect to these Old Testament passages? In short, acknowledging that all we have belongs to God, developing a character of God-faith in finances, supporting the community in which we worship and serve, and furthering the Kingdom of God (specifically in terms of justice and taking care of the oppressed/needy) sum up giving from an Old Testament perspective.
The New Testament
The Gospels say little about giving out of an obligation to, a sense of reciprocity with, or the need to honor a particular community or tradition. Jesus taught that people not be hypocritical in their “righteous acts.” Thus, it is understood that giving should not be done for self-glory.
Jesus encouraged his followers to “do good” and to give of themselves as an expression of their gratitude to God. They never question God’s faithfulness. The primary way to express gratitude and bear witness to God’s grace is through acts of profound generosity.
Jesus also sent his disciples out with these instructions: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). The twelve disciples did not ask to follow Jesus; they were selected. People did not ask Jesus to die on the cross for their sins; God made that decision before Christ was born. The Church did not ask to be filled with power to do God’s work in the world; Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit and commanded we do so. Therefore, we have been freely given a relationship with Jesus Christ, we have been freely given grace, and we have been freely given power and authority through the Holy Spirit. In essence, we have been freely given all heavenly blessings, and it is our responsibility to freely give away heavenly blessings to others.
In the early development of the Church, Paul writes to the church in Corinth saying:
Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…
-2 Corinthians 9:6-11
This passage contains a variety of teachings. For starters, “sowing and reaping” in context refers to the contribution the church at Corinth is to make and the results of that contribution respectively. While Paul is pressing for a bountiful contribution, he stresses that it must be a gift given with the right heart. Thus, Christians should not give reluctantly or under compulsion. Their giving must be in accordance with their joy of participating in the Kingdom of God.
Participation is a key teaching in this passage. God will give Christ’s followers grace that they may partner with God to do God’s work in the world. The grace of God shown to the Corinthian church is understood as the blessing of relative affluence. The purpose of God’s blessing is then spelled out: so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. The meaning of the Greek word translated enough does not denote self-sufficiency for Paul, but the sufficiency provided by God’s grace. Thus, Christians should be willing to give, even when it does not make sense, with a joyful heart because they trust God will sustain them and always provide so that they may continue to give.
Christians can have joy in giving because they know they are being used as representatives of God, ensuring that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The joy of the believer, then, is cheerfully doing God’s work as chosen a vessel. As a result, God delights in the believer and loves the joy present as he or she does God’s work in the world. God is a giver and desires to see the characteristic of generosity found in Christ’s followers.
In short, the New Testament reminds God’s people to continually develop a God-character. Christ’s followers should do acts of righteousness because they are filled with the righteousness of God. They should be generous because God is generous. They should give because they trust God will take care of their needs. They should have joy in doing good deeds because they are participating in God’s Kingdom works. Finally, Christ’s followers give tithes and offerings as a spiritual act of worship.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money (mammon).
-Matthew 6:24
Are Christians, then, to have nothing to do with money? In our modern society, this is not a viable choice. Money is a necessity for people to care for themselves, their families and others. Furthermore, many of Christ’s followers do numerous good things with money. This includes, among other things, supporting good causes, meeting the needs of others, supporting Christian institutions, and supporting various church ministries.
Jesus’ message is not to avoid money, but rather to not be controlled by money. As Christ’s followers, we must never serve the spirit of mammon. We do not serve money or do whatever is needed to have more of it. Instead, we use money to serve God, as good stewards of God’s blessings, and exhibit our primary concern is centered on furthering the Kingdom of God. We must take caution and avoid falling into the desire or need for money; a desire that will undermine and pervert our relationship with God.
The issue of money and Christians has come up several times during my time as a church leader. I have been asked questions as to how much money a Christian should have, whether or not a Christian should become wealthy/rich, and if Christians are to have a savings account with excess money. I believe all of these questions are derived from the misconception that it is bad for Christians to have money. Most often, those who are determined that Christians keep away from money, and even strive to be poor, quote the book of James or the story of the rich young ruler.
But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
-James 1:10-11
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.
-James 5:1
At first glance, the above passages may seem as black and white Bible teachings that being rich is bad and people with money are evil. However, the full context is necessary in interpreting these verses. The first set of verses (James 1:10-11) is used to differentiate between those who are humble and those who are proud. If a person becomes prideful or arrogant as a result of being wealthy, that person has a character flaw. Thus, God is concerned about the person’s heart, attitude, and character, not the material item he or she possesses.
Concerning the second verse mentioned above, James is referring to oppressors. These are people who use money as a means of making themselves even richer while stepping on the poor. Rather than using their money to bless people and show generosity, they are hoarding money and even ripping off or repressing those who are much less fortunate. Again, the issue here is not money itself, but a character of greed and tyranny.
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?" he inquired. Jesus replied, “You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
-Matthew 19:16-22
I have heard people use this passage as a means of teaching that all Christians should sell all of their possessions and follow Jesus. But this is not a logical conclusion. The rich young ruler, or in some texts the rich young fool, had some key issues keeping him from fully being connected to God. First, the rich young man had an unhealthy attachment to his money. His attachment to his wealth was a barrier between him and full devotion to Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom. Second, the rich young man had a false sense of comfort in his wealth. He had a misinformed perception of security. He did not look to God to take care of his needs but to his wealth. Lastly, the rich young man walked away sad at the thought of departing from his money. Perhaps he had a need for power. It may very well be the case that this young man had to relinquish his worldly power of wealth and become poor in order to have heavenly power through God. In any case, he was unwilling to let go of his earthly power.
On the flip side, there are passages in Scripture that show people using great amounts of money to serve God and further God’s Kingdom on earth. Zacchaeus had great wealth and used it for Kingdom purposes. In the same way, Jesus shares a parable in which three different people, representing God’s servants, are given an amount of money to serve their master, who represents God.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
-Luke 9:1-9
Who was Zacchaeus? He was a chief tax collector, which means he gained great wealth by defrauding people, his own people. He was a traitor to his kin and a lover of money, but he wanted to see Jesus. Knowing he was in a tree, Jesus called out to Zacchaeus and talked with him. Zacchaeus had an encounter with Jesus Christ and was moved. Without being given a single command, Zacchaeus took action. He made a decision to be generous and give half of his wealth to the poor. He then made a decision to be just and repay those he had swindled fourfold. Unlike the rich young ruler, Zacchaeus had a heart that longed to be close to Jesus despite his wealth. For God, it is not so much what we have or do that is of importance. Rather, it is the heart, attitude, and character behind what we have or do that God considers.
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
-Matthew 25:14-18
Contrary to the view that God does not want Christ’s followers to have money, here Jesus teaches about a man who entrusts wealth to his servants. The man going on the journey symbolizes God, and the servants symbolize Christ’s followers. The servants are given wealth and expected to serve the man, doing his work, in some capacity. The first two do well and are rewarded. The third servant does nothing to serve the man and is thus condemned.
The TNIV renders the Greek word “talent” as “bag of gold.” A talent is worth about 20 years of wages for a normal worker. Thus, the servants were given great wealth. The point is that God’s people are given resources, wealth included, with the expectation they will use those resources to serve God and further the Kingdom. If they do so, they are entrusted with more to do even greater work for God. If they fail to do so, that which they have is taken away.
Keep in mind that money is not the root of all evil. Rather, “the love of money” is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). That which captivates our focus will guide our footsteps. If we are focused on money, we will walk a path controlled by mammon. If we are focused on God and the Kingdom, we will walk a path led by the Holy Spirit. How, then, do we focus on God and the Kingdom? Simply put, focus on the blessings God has bestowed and is bestowing upon you and be thankful. Focus on the different needs around you, in your church, among your family and friends, and in the community. Focus on Scripture and the life and teachings of Jesus along with the messages of the prophets. Focus on the Holy Spirit who brings comfort, guidance, and encouragement. Lastly, focus on being transformed in heart, attitude, and character to become more like Jesus Christ.
Concerning money, and all other blessings from the Lord, we must be willing to freely give them away just as we were willing to freely receive them in the first place. We must not clench on to the material items we have been given. We must not be attached to perishable things that rust and decay. We must not have a false sense of comfort in earthly wealth. We must not seek power of our own or of this world. Conversely, we must be willing to give away that which has been given to us when we are summoned to do so. Yet we must give with good motives, a good heart, and in good character.
Motivations for Giving
Both the Old and New Testaments suggest that the Judeo-Christian tradition expects that God’s people will give as a part of generosity and philanthropy. The community of God has a responsibility to take care of others in their community as well as outsiders. Yet there are so many different reasons why people give. People are motivated by emotions, beliefs, commitments, fear, guilt, affiliation or obligation to a specific community, the desire for self-aggrandizement, or perhaps genuine gratitude and love to name a few.
What should the motivation behind giving be? Just writing a check to some cause or person cannot generally fulfill the joy of participation in Kingdom work. Fear, guilt, and self-aggrandizement are closely related to egotistic motivations and thus not Spirit-led. In general, feeling obligated to give without an understanding of the reason to give is a red flag. For the Christian, giving must be coupled with a relationship with Jesus Christ. Believers give out of an identity of being God’s people as seen in Scripture.
The Old Testament
In the Old Testament we find three models of giving represented. The first appears in Genesis 14:20. Honoring God for empowering him to win a victory, Abram paid a tenth of everything to Melchizedek, the priest-king, thereby recognizing God as the primary owner of these goods. Abram’s action showed his character of faith. The second appears in Exodus 30:11-16, which includes payment for the service of the tent of meeting. Simply put, this is money that will support the edifice of worship and religious services for the community. Thus, members have a part in supporting the religious infrastructure, which we would now call the church. Finally, each member of the community of God was to act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8), in terms of blessing the poor, outcast, and needy.
For the Israelites, in their perception of themselves as a “chosen people” who had promised to obey and “delight in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:2), support of the priesthood and the temple was as vital to living in accordance with God’s will as acting generously to care for those in need – i.e. the poor, the widows, and the orphan – of whom the Prophets speak so frequently (cf. Psalm 146:9; Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3; Zechariah 7:10). How, then, should we as the Church, God’s chosen people, view money with respect to these Old Testament passages? In short, acknowledging that all we have belongs to God, developing a character of God-faith in finances, supporting the community in which we worship and serve, and furthering the Kingdom of God (specifically in terms of justice and taking care of the oppressed/needy) sum up giving from an Old Testament perspective.
The New Testament
The Gospels say little about giving out of an obligation to, a sense of reciprocity with, or the need to honor a particular community or tradition. Jesus taught that people not be hypocritical in their “righteous acts.” Thus, it is understood that giving should not be done for self-glory.
Jesus encouraged his followers to “do good” and to give of themselves as an expression of their gratitude to God. They never question God’s faithfulness. The primary way to express gratitude and bear witness to God’s grace is through acts of profound generosity.
Jesus also sent his disciples out with these instructions: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). The twelve disciples did not ask to follow Jesus; they were selected. People did not ask Jesus to die on the cross for their sins; God made that decision before Christ was born. The Church did not ask to be filled with power to do God’s work in the world; Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit and commanded we do so. Therefore, we have been freely given a relationship with Jesus Christ, we have been freely given grace, and we have been freely given power and authority through the Holy Spirit. In essence, we have been freely given all heavenly blessings, and it is our responsibility to freely give away heavenly blessings to others.
In the early development of the Church, Paul writes to the church in Corinth saying:
Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…
-2 Corinthians 9:6-11
This passage contains a variety of teachings. For starters, “sowing and reaping” in context refers to the contribution the church at Corinth is to make and the results of that contribution respectively. While Paul is pressing for a bountiful contribution, he stresses that it must be a gift given with the right heart. Thus, Christians should not give reluctantly or under compulsion. Their giving must be in accordance with their joy of participating in the Kingdom of God.
Participation is a key teaching in this passage. God will give Christ’s followers grace that they may partner with God to do God’s work in the world. The grace of God shown to the Corinthian church is understood as the blessing of relative affluence. The purpose of God’s blessing is then spelled out: so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. The meaning of the Greek word translated enough does not denote self-sufficiency for Paul, but the sufficiency provided by God’s grace. Thus, Christians should be willing to give, even when it does not make sense, with a joyful heart because they trust God will sustain them and always provide so that they may continue to give.
Christians can have joy in giving because they know they are being used as representatives of God, ensuring that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The joy of the believer, then, is cheerfully doing God’s work as chosen a vessel. As a result, God delights in the believer and loves the joy present as he or she does God’s work in the world. God is a giver and desires to see the characteristic of generosity found in Christ’s followers.
In short, the New Testament reminds God’s people to continually develop a God-character. Christ’s followers should do acts of righteousness because they are filled with the righteousness of God. They should be generous because God is generous. They should give because they trust God will take care of their needs. They should have joy in doing good deeds because they are participating in God’s Kingdom works. Finally, Christ’s followers give tithes and offerings as a spiritual act of worship.
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