to sin, but alive in Christ. I don't know why, but lately I've been terribly attracted to the writings of Paul. The first thing that comes to my mind is because I want to know Jesus. That sounds weird, because, well, wouldn't the Gospel's be a better place for that? Maybe, maybe not. The Gospels are indeed invaluable to us, as they give account to part of what Jesus did. But it has been estimated that they contain approximately 52-53 days of Christ's life in total. This certainly does not discount them, as what a man does reflects truly who He is. But what good has anyone's life been (Christ or not) if it does not leave a permanent mark on those around Him? Where should one look for this, perhaps those closest to Him. After all, when we eulogize someone, those closest to him/her talk about how they were affected by the deceased's life. I'm most certainly not suggesting that Christ is dead, as I know well that He is very much alive. Knowing that, we should also know that He is very much not here presently, if not in us. In fact, we are His representation on earth, until He comes again. Oh, the weight of glory. It is on this basis that I should approach reading the writings of Paul, or any of the Apostles. For if Christ left no impression on those who walked with Him, perhaps He should not be very good for any of us. So I look to those closest to Him, to see His life, teaching, and who He was/is. Again, it is important to state here, that we are not neglecting the importance of the Gospels, only finding a proper use for the other parts of the New Testament, after all, what good is it if we don't learn from it properly?
Wow, all of that to say, I've been reading in Romans, one of my favourite books, and tonight I was reading Romans 6:1-14. I got through 3 verses. What struck me was the word that is used for death in verse 3. Do you not know that all of us owho have been baptized pinto Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? θανατον (thanatos) is the Greek word used for death here. It appears only one verse later, and evokes a much stronger, more vivid picture than what is typically called to my mind when I think of the word. Literally translated it means "plague, pestilence, pandemic disease, associated with the punishment of God". Whoa, hang on there...there's a whole plethora of issues in just the definition. This seems to challenge the whole "American" way of thinking. Sin here is being described as death, and sin also leads to death. Death is being describe as a plague, not a simple "Hey, look at me, I got hit by a car, I'm dead" death. A plague, a pestilence, like leprosy, that reeks throughout the body tearing it apart, piece by rotted piece. It is also of note, that plagues are never content to stay put, they must also infect those within their vicinity. After all, it is not really a plague if it affects only the one here and the one there. Again, we see the Apostle cutting like a skillful surgeon, separating bone from marrow (which is what the Word does). Here he chooses the word Thanatos, and if we take the dual meaning of the word in context, we see that it has a spiritual meaning that only makes itself very obvious in the Greek. Associated with punishment from God. What is the worst punishment anyone could possibly receive? Though I believe there is a measure of God's grace even in this punishment, most Christians would say Hell is the worst punishment for an individual. What is Hell in essence? Seperation from God. Thanatos...what a brilliant word.
What we have seen thus far is that a) sin is likened unto a disease, and affects everyone around us our sins are not simply our own, while they are our own, they affect the whole. Hence, the reason Adam and Eve's sin affected all of humanity, it spread, and not for a single generation. More like AIDS, if we are to be modern, it can be passed from generation to generation. b) That the finality of death's meaning is seperation from God, that this is ultimate punishment, though it is always punishment that we choose. What I would like to suggest from here is what may challenge our way of thinking. And it hurts. Can we be truly alive in Christ, if we are not fully dead to sin? If the plague is everspreading throughout us, do we really say that we are already fully healed? No, it would be proposterous. So then what hope do we have? The Apostle tell us our hope in Colossians 1:27 "...Christ in you, the hope of glory." He goes on in verses 28 and 29 to say "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." The ESV says "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me"
There are 3 words I would like to bring to the forefront, before making my supposition. εστιν is the first, perhaps we have seen this word before, we find it we are seeking in John 4:26, Isaiah 52:6, and 6 other verses. The word is emie. It is the verb of "being or existing" in English, it's the first verb you learn in any language; but in all these verses, Christ is either saying that He is the "I AM" (ego emie), or be spoken of as the "I AM", as in Isaiah. Again, our English does no justice to the implications of this word. This word implies something different in our text, because this word uses a touchstone to refer back to something that we have long forgotten. It means to "BE itentical", well be identical to what??? It means to be itentical...let it sink in. We are created in the image of God. And moderns, even good theologians assume a priori that God doesn't make a good image, because we were created just "kind of like God". God is perfect! He can't just make something "kind of like Him" and call it His image. God isn't a K5-6th grade art teacher who never really could hang in there with the "real" art students. (I know that there are many very talented art teachers out there, it's really not a slam). God makes PERFECT IMAGES, we fouled it up! What is being referred to in the "BE" is to BE itentical to God. And they knew this! We've lost the plot! That's why the Pharisees were up in arms when Jesus claimed to be the "I AM". He was claiming identity with God, a shared but unique identity. It was identity theft in the highest order to the Pharisees! And perhaps all of the Sanhedrin. God did not call us to be mere fuzzy pixelated images, He called us to be images of Jesus, to reflect Himself, but of our own free will. We need only to decide to have faces. And until we decide this, we will not see our world changed.
Second word, κοπιω, it appears in Colossians 1:29 and it means to be weary, to work, to give effort, or to labour. Paul says "for this I toil", what does this evoke in the mind? He did not say "I pitter patter here, take a 2 hour lunch, play with the foosball table in the office and call it work..." He said it's hard work! It sucks sometimes, it doesn't even necessarily get easier! It even goes on (the definition) to say that is also means to be "emotionally fatigued or discouraged". It means you have to fight, and it takes everything sometimes, and more, but the Apostle tells us that it is indeed not on our own for he says "struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works in me." It is not on our own strength that we should toil, Jesus sent us a helper, the Holy Spirit, we need not toil on our own. Paul said "struggling" not "striving". The important difference there is thus, we struggle with principalities and powers of darkness, not flesh and blood. Striving is our flesh, striving gets us nowhere because taking a physical tool to a spiritual battle leaves us useless. The Holy Spirit is that helper, He is that ever present help in our time of need, when we are at our end, when we are broken to pieces, and our hearts grow faint because we don't understand. He is our Helper when there is nothing to rake from the ashes of our lives, and we cannot seem to draw nigh, or walk onto the fields of praise. It is there indeed, that we are taken by Him, head bowed, but no longer in surrender, but to kiss the feet of the Son.
It will always be a war, a fight, a battle until the day of glory, but it is never alone. The last word I would like to explore before wrapping this up (this one is gonna be at least 2 parts), appears in Colossians 1:29 as well, it is αγωνιζομενος (agōnizomai). It is where we get our word agonize. It is a present tense verb, meaning it is not for the past or future, it is for the now. It means to compete, to fight, to struggle, with an emphasis on EFFORT. Effort counts, ask any coach, ask anyone who has ever tried to have a friendship with someone. Ask anyone. Will we fall? Yes...simply yes. Where do our efforts lie? Where is our struggle? I love the beautiful martial war imagery contained in this word. To do with intesity and effort.
We are still called to "be perfect even as I am perfect". I would like to submit that as much of that perfection as possible should be worked out on earth, while we are here, while there is time. If for no other reason (which there are quite a few other reasons), then simply to make it easier for Father God to recognise us, and make it quicker for Him to say "Well done..." to instantly recognise us, not for who we are, but for who He is in us, to see His reflection in His creation. What an incredible image this should paint...
Friday, November 21, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
In Earthen Vessels...
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels,..."
I'm not sure that the full weight of this verse has really sunk in yet, but it dominated me today, while I was walking through the church. I know that kinda sounds "holy", but it wasn't, I was just grabbing a ladder so I could reset the internet access in the building, b/c I needed to get online, I have work to do too.
I don't know why I was even thinking of this verse, in fact, I wasn't, I was thinking about work, but it hit me like a 747 in a nosedive from 30,000 ft looking for a seat in the Crystal Cathedral, minus the horrific sound and impending doom.
The language of the verse resounded in my ears for the first time, as if I had never heard it before. Every other time I can recall in my life, this verse has always struck me as some sort of beautiful prose, that I supposed Paul must have written in some blissful state of metaphor that the Holy Spirit gifted him as he was writing. And it struck me as I was pondering it, that Paul was indeed no playwright, nor poetic. He was a lawyer, and from the strictest order of Judaism. He was trained to say what he meant, and mean what he said. A wordsmith, who had spent much of his life being trained to surgically assemble sentences, that they might land on captive ears in full force.
With that established, I submit that Paul was not merely comparing us to simple jars of clay. He was saying quite literally, that we are simple jars of clay, form and fashioned by God even from our beginnings in Adam. He was referencing Genesis 2:4-25, and his forefather's divine creation from the clay of the newly formed earth. He was recalling Ecclesiastes 12:7, "...the dust shall return to the earth as is was, and the spirit to God who gave it." Remember here, as a Pharisee (and a part of the Sanhedrin), and the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), Paul had memorized the ENTIRE Old Testament, and was well able to quote it and give its history in vivid detail. He was amongst the elite when he was Sha'ul (Saul), and was obligated to be among the smartest in the culture in order to achieve his position. Paul was not simply telling us "oh hey guys, God wants you to be like an empty vessel, so He can fill you up...won't that be nice and happy...." He was literally telling us that without God, we are simply dust, and when we die we will return to simply dust. We are but jars of clay, our lives fragile and short. Desiring to be used for only for the finest substances and highest callings. However, many mistake their highest calling and finest substance, by trying to fill the jar with the best they can find. This is an easy and crucial mistake. The highest calling of an jar is to be filled with what it was created for.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 cor 4:7
Now, it is outside of the jar's realm to be able to know what it was created for, as it did not create itself. Who would best know what the jar was intended to do? The Creator certainly! If we can walk this line of reasoning out, then we quickly arrive at Paul's conclusion. If we cannot know in our present state what we are to be filled with, and The Creator does, then what does this produce that we should take wisdom from? The knowledge "that the surpassing power belonds to God and not to us." What is the practical application of that knowledge? Trust in Our Father. Wasn't it nice for The Holy Spirit (via Paul) to leave us all the space, room, free will, and life experience to figure out what lay between the words "clay" and "to show that"? How long will we be content filling our jars with sand from our boxes, pretending it for gold, before we allow God to fill us with something truly substantial?
It is only when we allow God to fill us that we can move onto the next verses (8-10). "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies." It is only when we put to death ourselves that we can be filled with what our Creator intended us for, and only then can we properly obey verses 11 and 12. "For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you." The substantiation of our fragile jars is the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
I'll try and finish this later...my eyes are shutting involuntarily, still recovering from Origins.
I'm not sure that the full weight of this verse has really sunk in yet, but it dominated me today, while I was walking through the church. I know that kinda sounds "holy", but it wasn't, I was just grabbing a ladder so I could reset the internet access in the building, b/c I needed to get online, I have work to do too.
I don't know why I was even thinking of this verse, in fact, I wasn't, I was thinking about work, but it hit me like a 747 in a nosedive from 30,000 ft looking for a seat in the Crystal Cathedral, minus the horrific sound and impending doom.
The language of the verse resounded in my ears for the first time, as if I had never heard it before. Every other time I can recall in my life, this verse has always struck me as some sort of beautiful prose, that I supposed Paul must have written in some blissful state of metaphor that the Holy Spirit gifted him as he was writing. And it struck me as I was pondering it, that Paul was indeed no playwright, nor poetic. He was a lawyer, and from the strictest order of Judaism. He was trained to say what he meant, and mean what he said. A wordsmith, who had spent much of his life being trained to surgically assemble sentences, that they might land on captive ears in full force.
With that established, I submit that Paul was not merely comparing us to simple jars of clay. He was saying quite literally, that we are simple jars of clay, form and fashioned by God even from our beginnings in Adam. He was referencing Genesis 2:4-25, and his forefather's divine creation from the clay of the newly formed earth. He was recalling Ecclesiastes 12:7, "...the dust shall return to the earth as is was, and the spirit to God who gave it." Remember here, as a Pharisee (and a part of the Sanhedrin), and the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), Paul had memorized the ENTIRE Old Testament, and was well able to quote it and give its history in vivid detail. He was amongst the elite when he was Sha'ul (Saul), and was obligated to be among the smartest in the culture in order to achieve his position. Paul was not simply telling us "oh hey guys, God wants you to be like an empty vessel, so He can fill you up...won't that be nice and happy...." He was literally telling us that without God, we are simply dust, and when we die we will return to simply dust. We are but jars of clay, our lives fragile and short. Desiring to be used for only for the finest substances and highest callings. However, many mistake their highest calling and finest substance, by trying to fill the jar with the best they can find. This is an easy and crucial mistake. The highest calling of an jar is to be filled with what it was created for.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 2 cor 4:7
Now, it is outside of the jar's realm to be able to know what it was created for, as it did not create itself. Who would best know what the jar was intended to do? The Creator certainly! If we can walk this line of reasoning out, then we quickly arrive at Paul's conclusion. If we cannot know in our present state what we are to be filled with, and The Creator does, then what does this produce that we should take wisdom from? The knowledge "that the surpassing power belonds to God and not to us." What is the practical application of that knowledge? Trust in Our Father. Wasn't it nice for The Holy Spirit (via Paul) to leave us all the space, room, free will, and life experience to figure out what lay between the words "clay" and "to show that"? How long will we be content filling our jars with sand from our boxes, pretending it for gold, before we allow God to fill us with something truly substantial?
It is only when we allow God to fill us that we can move onto the next verses (8-10). "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies." It is only when we put to death ourselves that we can be filled with what our Creator intended us for, and only then can we properly obey verses 11 and 12. "For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you." The substantiation of our fragile jars is the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
I'll try and finish this later...my eyes are shutting involuntarily, still recovering from Origins.
Restlessness...
is something I have not been able to shake lately. Nor am I altogether sure I have even properly identified it correctly, as it is probably very easily mistaken for anticipation, which disturbs me more than I would like to think about. It doesn't scare me, it just puts me on guard a little bit. I start looking at things with slightly different eyes. I'm not even sure why I'm writing this next part, except no one really reads this anyway, so why not? Haha...my blog is turning into a journal, how sad. And yet somehow...life goes on.
Restlessness isn't much fun, but anticipation is far worse in present. Restlessness involves constant activity or motion, whether physical of emotional, and may be directed at nothing in particular. Anticipation, though it sounds similar and we sometimes (improperly) use them interchangably, is wholly different. Anticipation implies expectation, and even to regard something as probable. Now, had I not had 11 different people (and some of those people I deeply respect) tell me scarily similar things over the past two months, then I would simply disregard any premonitions I had as silly and superstitious. But for some reason everyone keeps telling me I'm getting married soon...its all very confusing to me. A single guy can't get married can he? Haha...like I said, saying that if people read it would probably bother me a bit, but now it seems like I can just look back later in life and see how I was feeling at the time, and I don't have to keep up with a document or a program or whatever, it's just right here.
Restlessness isn't much fun, but anticipation is far worse in present. Restlessness involves constant activity or motion, whether physical of emotional, and may be directed at nothing in particular. Anticipation, though it sounds similar and we sometimes (improperly) use them interchangably, is wholly different. Anticipation implies expectation, and even to regard something as probable. Now, had I not had 11 different people (and some of those people I deeply respect) tell me scarily similar things over the past two months, then I would simply disregard any premonitions I had as silly and superstitious. But for some reason everyone keeps telling me I'm getting married soon...its all very confusing to me. A single guy can't get married can he? Haha...like I said, saying that if people read it would probably bother me a bit, but now it seems like I can just look back later in life and see how I was feeling at the time, and I don't have to keep up with a document or a program or whatever, it's just right here.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
When You Called My Name...
I want to preach the Word
they want massages
I check chapter and verse
they check their watches
I spy another yawn
I might as well be gone
let's stand and say "Amen"
some days I must admit
I still don't get this
could be it's time to quit
when days get like this
I slip into the night
then stumble towards the light
wake up and try again
when You called my name
I didn't know how far the calling went
when You called my name
I didn't know what that word really meant
when I recall Your call
I feel so small
could be I'm losing touch
could be they don't care
Lord knows I don't know much
Lord knows I've been there
I trip toward my retreat
I fall down at Your feet
get up and try again
Lord, what did you see
when you called out for me?
I start losing heart
and then
it comes again
lifted from despair
by the prayers of someone
they want massages
I check chapter and verse
they check their watches
I spy another yawn
I might as well be gone
let's stand and say "Amen"
some days I must admit
I still don't get this
could be it's time to quit
when days get like this
I slip into the night
then stumble towards the light
wake up and try again
when You called my name
I didn't know how far the calling went
when You called my name
I didn't know what that word really meant
when I recall Your call
I feel so small
could be I'm losing touch
could be they don't care
Lord knows I don't know much
Lord knows I've been there
I trip toward my retreat
I fall down at Your feet
get up and try again
Lord, what did you see
when you called out for me?
I start losing heart
and then
it comes again
lifted from despair
by the prayers of someone
Saturday, November 15, 2008
An Old Foe...
I often question myself, my motives, where my heart is, what things I should be changing, how my responses could be better, and if I'm being who I should be. This is a 2 tiered question for me right now. What I mean to say is, Christian or not, everyone can ask themselves these things, and most probably should. I ask myself am walking in and becoming who God created me to be, my destiny. And then, the next thought seems to be unrelenting and terribly sobering. I then ask, "Am I a good person?", almost as if it is something far aside from my Christianity. What is so disturbing is that, in Christ, really, truly, in Christ, this question should not even be possible. Even more disturbing, is that if this question is indeed possible, was I ever really in Christ? Of course the swift answer is yes, but what of the truth? Is the question itself basically selfish? I question the whole thing because "Am I a good person?" so generously lends itself to such base self indulgence, that mask themselves as "spiritual, God pleasing, and reflective questions". What I mean by this is that as soon as I begin asking this, I am also asking things like, "Am I being effective in the Kingdom?", "Is anything I'M doing having any effect on anyone's life?", "Can I bring change to where I am at?" It is not that these questions are always selfish, it is that my heart in asking them is not always right. It is that I, as I am, cannot do anything to effect anything positively for godly change. I am but a wretched man, who needs be but transformed by the awesome, holy, and transformative power of Almighty God.
It is here that the apostle Paul's word have rung their clearest...for me to live, this is Christ, and for me to die is gain. And it connects here because it is not I that lives, but Christ in me. For me to live, I should be showing the world in vivid detail, Christ, as He was...and is. His manhood, His divinity, His life, in the simplest terms...through my own. For me to die, it is gain, in physical death, I have but one destination, Heaven, for it is my home, where in all finality our humanity is fulfilled and restored to its original intention. But to die...now, to me, to myself, this is not only personal gain, but profitable for all around me. Because it is only through this death, that not only I, but other might have life, and more abundantly. It is only through a putting down of my flesh, that other's may see Christ in me.
There is no small task in the subjugation of one's self. The physical and spiritual collide more than we care to notice, either because we are desensitized, or because we don't care. Putting down one's self to me, appears to be no different than one wrestling himself, or wrestling when no one else is to be seen around. To anyone that does see, who does not have the proper eyes, it appears to be a fool fighting with himself. But those in the know, understand that the more they practice, the better they get.
It is here that the apostle Paul's word have rung their clearest...for me to live, this is Christ, and for me to die is gain. And it connects here because it is not I that lives, but Christ in me. For me to live, I should be showing the world in vivid detail, Christ, as He was...and is. His manhood, His divinity, His life, in the simplest terms...through my own. For me to die, it is gain, in physical death, I have but one destination, Heaven, for it is my home, where in all finality our humanity is fulfilled and restored to its original intention. But to die...now, to me, to myself, this is not only personal gain, but profitable for all around me. Because it is only through this death, that not only I, but other might have life, and more abundantly. It is only through a putting down of my flesh, that other's may see Christ in me.
There is no small task in the subjugation of one's self. The physical and spiritual collide more than we care to notice, either because we are desensitized, or because we don't care. Putting down one's self to me, appears to be no different than one wrestling himself, or wrestling when no one else is to be seen around. To anyone that does see, who does not have the proper eyes, it appears to be a fool fighting with himself. But those in the know, understand that the more they practice, the better they get.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Just War...
I was in the presence of a very influential and public Christian figure recently, and while having a discussion, he mentioned that under the New Covenant, or New Testament, he did not see how there could possibly be a "Just War". He had spent considerable time citing the Catholic church on things like abortion and gay marriage, on which we agreed. Several things we did not completely agree on, which is cool. But I was taking my Contemporary International Problems midterm, and we were questioned about the "Just War" Doctrine, that is accepted by the Catholic church and originally came from St. Thomas Aquinas. Here they are:
The war must be started and controlled by the authority of state or ruler.
This means that for a war to be just, only the head of the nation can start it. It rules out civil war and rebellion.
There must be a just cause.
This means that anyone and everyone being fought against must truly deserve it. A just cause would not include greed, revenge or pride, but it would include protection, self-defence and prevention of a worse evil.
The war must be for good, or against evil. Law and order must always be restored.
This means that no one should ever find themselves on the side of evil for any reason, whatever the politics involved. It also means that there is a duty to return to a life of normality after the war is over.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A644672
The war must be started and controlled by the authority of state or ruler.
This means that for a war to be just, only the head of the nation can start it. It rules out civil war and rebellion.
There must be a just cause.
This means that anyone and everyone being fought against must truly deserve it. A just cause would not include greed, revenge or pride, but it would include protection, self-defence and prevention of a worse evil.
The war must be for good, or against evil. Law and order must always be restored.
This means that no one should ever find themselves on the side of evil for any reason, whatever the politics involved. It also means that there is a duty to return to a life of normality after the war is over.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A644672
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