A dear friend recently shared the following question with me that I want to share with you...it deeply intrigued me so here it is...with my response following...
So here's the thing (and it sounds really silly now that I'm writing it out!) but... okay, so I am so in love with Jesus, and I need Him with me every minute, and I know that He will never leave me, and He's the Friend that sticks closer than a brother, and I have that promise my whole life. But in light of that, whenever I think of heaven, I suddenly feel abandoned, like I've lost that closeness. That seems totally backward--I mean, heaven is supposed to be the complete fulfillment, of getting to be with my Lord for all eternity. But how do I get to be with Him when there's millions of other people there, and they all want to be with Him, too? Do I get a turn every thousand years or so? And what kind of heaven is that?? Omnipresence is easier to understand when we are here and He is invisible--but when we are *there* and then God is up on the throne, and there are ten thousand upon ten thousand gathered around, and maybe I'm in the back row... well it's a lot harder to understand...help?
So, here's my answer...included is a link that is a great article on the names of God and a brief discusion on the Biblical concept of glory, in the Greek, doxa...
http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=220
Thank you for trusting me with such a deep question! I must admit that I had never pondered that one myself but in meditating upon it, it stirred my own curiosities and interest…so thank you too for the journey it has been for me!
Here is an article for you to read, mostly because it is a reliable listing of the names of God, that is where the journey for me, this question begins and ends.
I usually find myself turning to His names when I face questions like this because as the article states, I believe that God with great intentionality gave us very specific names to reveal very specific aspects of His character.
I was teaching these to our children, rather the concept, a few years ago in the car as we were driving to pass the time. Derick was really the only one old enough to grasp it and when we got to Shammah, this is what he said…
“So Dad, God is in the car with us right?” I said, “Yes, that is right.” My son replied, “But He is also at home waiting for us to get there?” I said, “Yes that is right.” My son said, “He also still at the grocery store where we just left?” I said, “Yes, that is right.” He responded, “But He is still in the car with us even though He is at all those other places?” I said, “Yes, that is right…He is Jehovah Shammah.” My son said, “Wow, that’s cool!”
He is Jehovah Shammah, He is “there,” it’s just that simple because He is just that vast, glorious isn’t it! So in heaven, for every person, for every entity, He is still Shammah…on the throne surrounded by all of us in worship of Him, yet with each an every one of us, giving each and everyone His complete attention…Shammah! And not only with us, but fully in us…Shammah! You get to have all of Him as if you were the only one there, as do we all…doxa!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
Believe! (Romans 10:3-11)
Sometimes portions of scripture seem elusive. Remember, it is translated from an ancient language, often using illustrations and metaphors from an ancient time, from an ancient culture. Not all portions of scripture are like this, but some certainly are. These verses in Romans can be confusing, especially verses 5 through 8. Here is re-write I feel captures the essence of the truth God conveys.
People, all of us included, have a terrible habit of arrogance. We even try to tell God what is best, and worse, we become deeply offended when the sovereign God of all creation reminds us that He has everything under control...and that while He loves us deeply, He doesn't need our help. On the contrary, we are the ones desperate for His help.
Each of us are born with a curse, human nature. Our natural inclination is selfishness and while we may have commendable moments, we are sure to slip back into our self-centeredness. We think that if we just try harder, make a stronger effort, we can change. That too is part of the curse of our humanity, the arrogance of total self-reliance.
There is only one hope for humanity and that hope is Jesus. He came from heaven to earth to live a perfect life, never once a moment of selfishness, and then submitted Himself, voluntarily, to a physical death from which, He rose from the dead. In doing all this, He broke the power of the curse over mankind. Even if you discover some power, a power that no one in all of human history has yet to discover, to begin living a perfect life...and you should know that God says no such power exists apart from Him...but just for the sake of argument you discover such a power...you still are left with the pressing question, "What about all the wrong, all the mistakes, all the hurt, all the sorrow I've caused already?"
Jesus' death on the cross stands as the greatest act of courage in history, never to be surpassed as long as the human race endures. He took the punishment for every selfish act ever committed by every human being ever to live and who will ever live in the tomorrows of history. There is only one way to be forgiven and that is to give Jesus our complete devotion and in that moment, we become the benefactor of His death, we stand forgiven.
But there's more, Jesus doesn't just offer forgiveness, He promises true power to change, to be transformed, to begin to break free from our natural inclination for self-centeredness. In the moment of our giving complete devotion to Jesus, in that moment of being forgiven by God because He sees we've accepted Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, something miraculous occurs. God comes and fills us with His Spirit, amazing isn't it! And now, with His power at work in us, the same power that created the Universe in all its splendor, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, we can begin to learn how live a life free from the curse of our humanity. We still won't get all the way to perfection, but we'll make it farther than we could have ever dreamed possible, and we'll make it into eternity with God because of the forgiveness we have now received. And oh yeah, by the way, this promise is for anyone, I mean anyone who would only believe.
Believe!
Pastor Fred
People, all of us included, have a terrible habit of arrogance. We even try to tell God what is best, and worse, we become deeply offended when the sovereign God of all creation reminds us that He has everything under control...and that while He loves us deeply, He doesn't need our help. On the contrary, we are the ones desperate for His help.
Each of us are born with a curse, human nature. Our natural inclination is selfishness and while we may have commendable moments, we are sure to slip back into our self-centeredness. We think that if we just try harder, make a stronger effort, we can change. That too is part of the curse of our humanity, the arrogance of total self-reliance.
There is only one hope for humanity and that hope is Jesus. He came from heaven to earth to live a perfect life, never once a moment of selfishness, and then submitted Himself, voluntarily, to a physical death from which, He rose from the dead. In doing all this, He broke the power of the curse over mankind. Even if you discover some power, a power that no one in all of human history has yet to discover, to begin living a perfect life...and you should know that God says no such power exists apart from Him...but just for the sake of argument you discover such a power...you still are left with the pressing question, "What about all the wrong, all the mistakes, all the hurt, all the sorrow I've caused already?"
Jesus' death on the cross stands as the greatest act of courage in history, never to be surpassed as long as the human race endures. He took the punishment for every selfish act ever committed by every human being ever to live and who will ever live in the tomorrows of history. There is only one way to be forgiven and that is to give Jesus our complete devotion and in that moment, we become the benefactor of His death, we stand forgiven.
But there's more, Jesus doesn't just offer forgiveness, He promises true power to change, to be transformed, to begin to break free from our natural inclination for self-centeredness. In the moment of our giving complete devotion to Jesus, in that moment of being forgiven by God because He sees we've accepted Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, something miraculous occurs. God comes and fills us with His Spirit, amazing isn't it! And now, with His power at work in us, the same power that created the Universe in all its splendor, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, we can begin to learn how live a life free from the curse of our humanity. We still won't get all the way to perfection, but we'll make it farther than we could have ever dreamed possible, and we'll make it into eternity with God because of the forgiveness we have now received. And oh yeah, by the way, this promise is for anyone, I mean anyone who would only believe.
Believe!
Pastor Fred
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Help...I'm biased!
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
I love reading several chapters of scripture in sequence when I have the time. I remembering waking up one morning at 5:30am, on my day off, couldn't fall back to sleep, it was ugly. At our house, we have a special name for that hour of the day, especially on your day off. Some call it the "crack of dawn." We call it "the butt crack of dawn" because being up at that hour, on your day of rest, is ugly, uglier than plumber's pants.
So, I love reading several chapters in sequence because it affords us the opportunity to discover themes and truths that are born out of the connectedness of the text as opposed to themes and truths that you find in the context of a few verses. Let me share one that came into focus from reading the first several chapters in the Gospel of John.
All of us have biases and assumptions that we carry. They are a part of us. They affect the way we think, the conclusions we reach, the judgments we make, and they even give us expectations. They result from our spiritual gifts, passions, personalities, life experiences, teaching we have embraced, and even cultural practices. Often, they are valid, justified, they make sense and in these instances, the worst that can happen is that we might be surprised if our expectations aren't met. But when they wrong, when our biases are incorrect. They mislead us, like a guide that pretends to know the way and in our following him, we too become lost.
(Read John 2:1-3, 8-10)
During such feasts, one would always serve the best wine first, just as the text stated. When so much wine is being consumed, the guests' palettes become numb with intoxication. The more they drink, the less they are able to appreciate the complexities of finer wines. Thus, the better wines are served first. Because this was everyone's practice, it became a cultural norm. In becoming a cultural norm, it created assumptions in people, assumptions that led to expectations. When people attended a wedding feast, no one had to explain that the first wine would be the best wine. It was their expectation and thus the surprise of the master of the feast in John 2. God is putting this truth into play here in John 2 in a culturally relevant way because He wants us to understand the impact biases and assumptions have on our lives, on our ability to make sound judgments, especially when those judgments have spiritual implications.
As one continues to read in the Gospel of John, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, this theme of biases and assumptions continues to confront us. Nicodemus in John 3 questioned, "how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" His limiting bias was that the physical realm always had to be considered, even in dealing with spiritual matters. In John 4, the Samaritan woman upon realizing that she was in the presence of a prophet, a holy man of God, proceeds to ask Him a question of doctrine! What was her bias, that the primary purpose of religion is to solve our doctrinal and political conundrums. Isn't it interesting that she was willing to engage Him in a conversation about her deepest needs, her physical needs, her emotional needs, until she realized He was prophet. And then, it became about doctrine and politics. Then, there is the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda in John 5. Who told him that he had to lie and wait for the angel to stir the water for his healing? It was the cultural practice of his day. The text tells us this in verse 6, "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" Jesus was saying to him, shed your bias, you never had to wait for an angel, you just had to come to the Father in faith, and if it was His will to heal you, it would have been done. John 6, "…where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" The biases and assumptions that we carry often blind us to the true realities of life with God. Thus, one of Jesus' greatest ministries on this earth was to expose the biases and assumptions of people's hearts, just as we have seen in these 6 chapters.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
One of the great ministries that we find, that we experience, that we receive in the community of the church is that people, in assembling together, exhort one another, continuing the work of Christ, speaking the truth in love, helping one another see the biases and assumptions in our lives that blind us to the realities of life with God.
Be seen by others, expose yourself...well you know what I mean...let someone show you your biases!
Pastor Fred
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
I love reading several chapters of scripture in sequence when I have the time. I remembering waking up one morning at 5:30am, on my day off, couldn't fall back to sleep, it was ugly. At our house, we have a special name for that hour of the day, especially on your day off. Some call it the "crack of dawn." We call it "the butt crack of dawn" because being up at that hour, on your day of rest, is ugly, uglier than plumber's pants.
So, I love reading several chapters in sequence because it affords us the opportunity to discover themes and truths that are born out of the connectedness of the text as opposed to themes and truths that you find in the context of a few verses. Let me share one that came into focus from reading the first several chapters in the Gospel of John.
All of us have biases and assumptions that we carry. They are a part of us. They affect the way we think, the conclusions we reach, the judgments we make, and they even give us expectations. They result from our spiritual gifts, passions, personalities, life experiences, teaching we have embraced, and even cultural practices. Often, they are valid, justified, they make sense and in these instances, the worst that can happen is that we might be surprised if our expectations aren't met. But when they wrong, when our biases are incorrect. They mislead us, like a guide that pretends to know the way and in our following him, we too become lost.
(Read John 2:1-3, 8-10)
During such feasts, one would always serve the best wine first, just as the text stated. When so much wine is being consumed, the guests' palettes become numb with intoxication. The more they drink, the less they are able to appreciate the complexities of finer wines. Thus, the better wines are served first. Because this was everyone's practice, it became a cultural norm. In becoming a cultural norm, it created assumptions in people, assumptions that led to expectations. When people attended a wedding feast, no one had to explain that the first wine would be the best wine. It was their expectation and thus the surprise of the master of the feast in John 2. God is putting this truth into play here in John 2 in a culturally relevant way because He wants us to understand the impact biases and assumptions have on our lives, on our ability to make sound judgments, especially when those judgments have spiritual implications.
As one continues to read in the Gospel of John, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, this theme of biases and assumptions continues to confront us. Nicodemus in John 3 questioned, "how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" His limiting bias was that the physical realm always had to be considered, even in dealing with spiritual matters. In John 4, the Samaritan woman upon realizing that she was in the presence of a prophet, a holy man of God, proceeds to ask Him a question of doctrine! What was her bias, that the primary purpose of religion is to solve our doctrinal and political conundrums. Isn't it interesting that she was willing to engage Him in a conversation about her deepest needs, her physical needs, her emotional needs, until she realized He was prophet. And then, it became about doctrine and politics. Then, there is the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda in John 5. Who told him that he had to lie and wait for the angel to stir the water for his healing? It was the cultural practice of his day. The text tells us this in verse 6, "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" Jesus was saying to him, shed your bias, you never had to wait for an angel, you just had to come to the Father in faith, and if it was His will to heal you, it would have been done. John 6, "…where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" The biases and assumptions that we carry often blind us to the true realities of life with God. Thus, one of Jesus' greatest ministries on this earth was to expose the biases and assumptions of people's hearts, just as we have seen in these 6 chapters.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
One of the great ministries that we find, that we experience, that we receive in the community of the church is that people, in assembling together, exhort one another, continuing the work of Christ, speaking the truth in love, helping one another see the biases and assumptions in our lives that blind us to the realities of life with God.
Be seen by others, expose yourself...well you know what I mean...let someone show you your biases!
Pastor Fred
Friday, October 17, 2008
The Question
I thought I'd share a question, the question, someone posed to me recently...why would a benevolent God condemn people to hell? I call it The Question because it is the one I find most commonly asked by people who are interested in Christianity but just can't seem to trust God because of this apparent contradiction...here are my thoughts on this one...
I'll be the first to admit that many churches have focused on the wrong thing. Churches have been trying to frighten people into repeating a prayer after some deacon standing at an altar for years that only makes the church's roles get bigger but I'm not sure has any real impact on the person, no real change happens in the person's life. It frustrates me!
I like your question but I think it is better understood when we answer the more important question. Does God make any promises to me? His promises are more than we can number! He promises a life filled with meaning, purpose, significance, acceptance, calm, peace, enthusiasm, perseverance, endurance...and yes, forever...the best possible existence in this life and then, not just indescribably better after death but that which will one day be indescribable will never end...almost too much for my simple mind to grasp.
I don't know if you are much of reader but C.S. Lewis has this great little book called The Great Divorce. He has a very interesting view of "hell." He basically says that the very essence of hell is an existence void of God with no hope of changing that condition. You should check it out, very interesting.
So back to your question...I was just thinking today that how you and I would agree that every country in the world has leader, a president, a dictator in some instances. There would be no arguing about that list, it's factual. The second thing we would quickly agree on is that to be protected by that leader, their laws...one would have to be a citizen of that country. I may know everything there is to know about a particular country but I only have rights where I have citizenship.
The Kingdom of Heaven is open to anyone. Citizenship is available to anyone. There is no criteria, no test, no status to meet, no nothing. Think of it as a country with completely open borders, with no border patrol!
There is however an issue of allegiance. While it is open to all, all who expect the rights of "country" must be willing to give a sacred vow of loyalty. In fact, I would argue that all we see in this temporal world in regards to citizenship and culture and etc. was by God's design to point us to how His Heavenly Kingdom works. The moment I pledged my allegiance to Jesus, yes, as my King, I became a citizen of Heaven, with all the rights and privileges according to His Constitution and Bill of Rights, what we know to be the Bible. That happened for me in December of 1990.
From that day, I began to learn what I like to call the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus' teachings are all about culture...what is true, how to act in certain situations, how to feel in certain situations...when you really stop and listen to what Jesus said, He's saying this is how God's citizens should conduct their lives. I've devoted my life to it and I've got to tell you it has been one incredible journey...and is only going to get better if I truly believe all His promises, and I certainly do.
I also believe, just as with all sovereigns, there is an enemy. I believe the devil is real. A real presence in this universe. Real evil. I believe he has once sense of purpose and that is to prevent as many people as possible from "citizenship." I want to be direct with you because that is also one of my frustrations with some churches. People want real answers to their questions. I trust you do too. The devil's best trick is to get people to ask the wrong questions. Seriously, pick up and start reading in any of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and you'll find that Jesus is always correcting people's questions or just answering something all together different from what they asked...why...because He is trying to get them back on focus.
The question why would a benevolent God condemn people to an eternal hell is the wrong question. The right question is why would any person ever reject a benevolent God? Like C.S. Lewis, I believe that hell is both now and forever, for anyone who rejects God. Hell describes the state we are in, apart from a benevolent God. The devil wants us to believe that it is about God rejecting us. It is what the devil does...he takes a concept that is true and twists it just enough to distract us but leaves enough in there to keep us feeling like we are on the right track. That is the nature of deception. Are you a LOST fan? Sawyer, the con man in the series, will tell you a good con always has an element of truth.
This is where it gets serious. God says that citizenship has to be determined in this life, while we have breath. Why He designed it to be that way, I can't answer that. For me, I trust that since He created the universe, He knows what He is doing. Are there second chances for people after death? The Bible seems to be clear that there isn't, but for me, that's not the point. Why would anyone reject a benevolent God now, reject all the promises He makes to us in this life, why? He is so perfect, so complete, so everything. Why would anyone want to exist for another moment without all that He freely gives.
I know that you love your children deeply, like we do ours. But one day, when our children become adults, they too will have to choose to be in right relationship with us. Just like you do with your Mom. I know she loves you deeply, just as you love your son. I know this is not your situation but as an example if you chose a destructive life style, she would always be there for you to come home to but would never accommodate your own self destruction, if she truly loves you. I pray you'll never have to make that decision with your son...and I believe in your heart, you feel the truth of the words I am sharing with you. As parents, we unconditionally love our children but must never accommodate their self-destruction.
As a pastor, my heart breaks for all the children who reject their parents for a life that always ends up in heart ache and misery. The greater sin is however the parent who keeps them there because they are forever accommodating. God can't accommodate our own personal self destruction. God has never in all of history ever rejected anyone. He is always waiting with open arms. The question is whether or not we'll come home.
To take it a step further, one might say, "I understand all that but if He really loves us that much, why doesn't He just rescue us?" I would say He already has. Imagine someone you love standing in a burning building. You can see them, they can see you, you can hear one another. You are calling to them to come out, the door is open and safety is just steps away. Yet, perplexingly, they just stand there. I know courage would compel you to do what I would do, run in at your own risk. But what if they fight you, resist you, nothing you do is able to move them, they insist on staying.
Has God rushed in? I think He has. That is the beauty of the story of Jesus. Jesus came from heaven to earth, He rushed into the burning building of our humanity. Why won't people follow Him to safety, to life? I've devoted my whole life to asking people that question. Where are you?
I'm teaching about this on Sunday...I hope you come to listen. (blog readers can hear the pod cast from our site, http://www.thecitylifechurch.com/ for the Sunday message on 10/19).
Pastor Fred
I'll be the first to admit that many churches have focused on the wrong thing. Churches have been trying to frighten people into repeating a prayer after some deacon standing at an altar for years that only makes the church's roles get bigger but I'm not sure has any real impact on the person, no real change happens in the person's life. It frustrates me!
I like your question but I think it is better understood when we answer the more important question. Does God make any promises to me? His promises are more than we can number! He promises a life filled with meaning, purpose, significance, acceptance, calm, peace, enthusiasm, perseverance, endurance...and yes, forever...the best possible existence in this life and then, not just indescribably better after death but that which will one day be indescribable will never end...almost too much for my simple mind to grasp.
I don't know if you are much of reader but C.S. Lewis has this great little book called The Great Divorce. He has a very interesting view of "hell." He basically says that the very essence of hell is an existence void of God with no hope of changing that condition. You should check it out, very interesting.
So back to your question...I was just thinking today that how you and I would agree that every country in the world has leader, a president, a dictator in some instances. There would be no arguing about that list, it's factual. The second thing we would quickly agree on is that to be protected by that leader, their laws...one would have to be a citizen of that country. I may know everything there is to know about a particular country but I only have rights where I have citizenship.
The Kingdom of Heaven is open to anyone. Citizenship is available to anyone. There is no criteria, no test, no status to meet, no nothing. Think of it as a country with completely open borders, with no border patrol!
There is however an issue of allegiance. While it is open to all, all who expect the rights of "country" must be willing to give a sacred vow of loyalty. In fact, I would argue that all we see in this temporal world in regards to citizenship and culture and etc. was by God's design to point us to how His Heavenly Kingdom works. The moment I pledged my allegiance to Jesus, yes, as my King, I became a citizen of Heaven, with all the rights and privileges according to His Constitution and Bill of Rights, what we know to be the Bible. That happened for me in December of 1990.
From that day, I began to learn what I like to call the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus' teachings are all about culture...what is true, how to act in certain situations, how to feel in certain situations...when you really stop and listen to what Jesus said, He's saying this is how God's citizens should conduct their lives. I've devoted my life to it and I've got to tell you it has been one incredible journey...and is only going to get better if I truly believe all His promises, and I certainly do.
I also believe, just as with all sovereigns, there is an enemy. I believe the devil is real. A real presence in this universe. Real evil. I believe he has once sense of purpose and that is to prevent as many people as possible from "citizenship." I want to be direct with you because that is also one of my frustrations with some churches. People want real answers to their questions. I trust you do too. The devil's best trick is to get people to ask the wrong questions. Seriously, pick up and start reading in any of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and you'll find that Jesus is always correcting people's questions or just answering something all together different from what they asked...why...because He is trying to get them back on focus.
The question why would a benevolent God condemn people to an eternal hell is the wrong question. The right question is why would any person ever reject a benevolent God? Like C.S. Lewis, I believe that hell is both now and forever, for anyone who rejects God. Hell describes the state we are in, apart from a benevolent God. The devil wants us to believe that it is about God rejecting us. It is what the devil does...he takes a concept that is true and twists it just enough to distract us but leaves enough in there to keep us feeling like we are on the right track. That is the nature of deception. Are you a LOST fan? Sawyer, the con man in the series, will tell you a good con always has an element of truth.
This is where it gets serious. God says that citizenship has to be determined in this life, while we have breath. Why He designed it to be that way, I can't answer that. For me, I trust that since He created the universe, He knows what He is doing. Are there second chances for people after death? The Bible seems to be clear that there isn't, but for me, that's not the point. Why would anyone reject a benevolent God now, reject all the promises He makes to us in this life, why? He is so perfect, so complete, so everything. Why would anyone want to exist for another moment without all that He freely gives.
I know that you love your children deeply, like we do ours. But one day, when our children become adults, they too will have to choose to be in right relationship with us. Just like you do with your Mom. I know she loves you deeply, just as you love your son. I know this is not your situation but as an example if you chose a destructive life style, she would always be there for you to come home to but would never accommodate your own self destruction, if she truly loves you. I pray you'll never have to make that decision with your son...and I believe in your heart, you feel the truth of the words I am sharing with you. As parents, we unconditionally love our children but must never accommodate their self-destruction.
As a pastor, my heart breaks for all the children who reject their parents for a life that always ends up in heart ache and misery. The greater sin is however the parent who keeps them there because they are forever accommodating. God can't accommodate our own personal self destruction. God has never in all of history ever rejected anyone. He is always waiting with open arms. The question is whether or not we'll come home.
To take it a step further, one might say, "I understand all that but if He really loves us that much, why doesn't He just rescue us?" I would say He already has. Imagine someone you love standing in a burning building. You can see them, they can see you, you can hear one another. You are calling to them to come out, the door is open and safety is just steps away. Yet, perplexingly, they just stand there. I know courage would compel you to do what I would do, run in at your own risk. But what if they fight you, resist you, nothing you do is able to move them, they insist on staying.
Has God rushed in? I think He has. That is the beauty of the story of Jesus. Jesus came from heaven to earth, He rushed into the burning building of our humanity. Why won't people follow Him to safety, to life? I've devoted my whole life to asking people that question. Where are you?
I'm teaching about this on Sunday...I hope you come to listen. (blog readers can hear the pod cast from our site, http://www.thecitylifechurch.com/ for the Sunday message on 10/19).
Pastor Fred
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Eternal Punishment?
Here's a great question someone posed to me recently. What happened to people in the times of the Old Testament when they died? Also, here is a link to the doctrinal position of The Assemblies of God regarding eternal punishment. I find their site has doctrinal positions that resonate deeply with me, as well as a host of positions papers on contemporary issues.
http://www.ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_downloads/pp_4172_eternal_punishment.pdf
There is a place of paradise and a place of suffering where the righteous and the unrighteous go after death. How we understand the difference between the times of the OT and the NT is still and will always be slightly elusive because we just do not fully know, yet! (1 Corinthians 13:12)
However, Luke 16:19-31 is a great source of at least some understanding. It is clear here too that before Jesus, there was a means to paradise through the general revelation of God of Himself to the world. There was just not yet any way for the Spirit of God to dwell within the spirit of man until after Christ's death.
Some argue that before Jesus' death, this place of paradise for the OT righteous was not yet in the "full" presence of God...like a waiting room and that after Jesus' death, it was possible for them to be in His full presence, no longer vulnerable to His holiness because of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. Those waiting in a place of suffering is not as confusing. The Bible is clear they will continue to wait in their suffering until their final judgement and what we term as the "second death" when they are cast into internal separation from God.
Others believe that paradise for OT and NT has always been the same and that how people from the OT could have been in the presence of God's holiness before Jesus' death is a mystery we will not fully understand until we get there ourselves. The one thing we know is not true is that after death we "sleep" or in some sort of holding phase...Luke 16 clearly rejects this. We also know that just as the suffering of the unrighteous will be transitioned from where they are now to a different place (see article above), that the paradise the Bible speaks of now will also transition. Jesus is at work creating a new heaven, a new paradise for all the righteous to enter into with Him for all eternity after the final judgement. (see the Assemblies of God web-site for a more detailed description of these, under the 16 Fundamental Truths, numbers 13, 14, 15, & 16).
Regardless of where you shake out on this, remember, eternal paradise and eternal punishment are our only two choices and the difference is based on a single choice we make in this life...embracing Jesus fully and being a devoted follower of His now. I hope you'll take the journey with us, so you can discover the full depth of life now and have the hope of paradise at your departure!
Pastor Fred
http://www.ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_downloads/pp_4172_eternal_punishment.pdf
There is a place of paradise and a place of suffering where the righteous and the unrighteous go after death. How we understand the difference between the times of the OT and the NT is still and will always be slightly elusive because we just do not fully know, yet! (1 Corinthians 13:12)
However, Luke 16:19-31 is a great source of at least some understanding. It is clear here too that before Jesus, there was a means to paradise through the general revelation of God of Himself to the world. There was just not yet any way for the Spirit of God to dwell within the spirit of man until after Christ's death.
Some argue that before Jesus' death, this place of paradise for the OT righteous was not yet in the "full" presence of God...like a waiting room and that after Jesus' death, it was possible for them to be in His full presence, no longer vulnerable to His holiness because of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. Those waiting in a place of suffering is not as confusing. The Bible is clear they will continue to wait in their suffering until their final judgement and what we term as the "second death" when they are cast into internal separation from God.
Others believe that paradise for OT and NT has always been the same and that how people from the OT could have been in the presence of God's holiness before Jesus' death is a mystery we will not fully understand until we get there ourselves. The one thing we know is not true is that after death we "sleep" or in some sort of holding phase...Luke 16 clearly rejects this. We also know that just as the suffering of the unrighteous will be transitioned from where they are now to a different place (see article above), that the paradise the Bible speaks of now will also transition. Jesus is at work creating a new heaven, a new paradise for all the righteous to enter into with Him for all eternity after the final judgement. (see the Assemblies of God web-site for a more detailed description of these, under the 16 Fundamental Truths, numbers 13, 14, 15, & 16).
Regardless of where you shake out on this, remember, eternal paradise and eternal punishment are our only two choices and the difference is based on a single choice we make in this life...embracing Jesus fully and being a devoted follower of His now. I hope you'll take the journey with us, so you can discover the full depth of life now and have the hope of paradise at your departure!
Pastor Fred
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Adultery or Matrimony
The Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus' most well known expositions on how to live out our beliefs day to day. Clearly, for Jesus, faith is not something to be explored in thought alone but reflected in our actions, our attitudes, our choices, instructing us, defining us, directing us, the foundation our identity. Jesus did not teach about spirituality as a component of our humanity but as the transcendent context over our entire lives. And in the fifth chapter of Matthew, verses 31 and 32, Jesus lays down some teaching that has been a source discussion, debate, and even division as He speaks to how our love for God and one another should govern marriage relationships, specifically divorce and remarriage.
"It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce. But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
The Apostle Paul comes along and adds to what is often viewed as a "list that releases" by stating in his first letter to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter, that if one has a spouse who is not a devoted follower of Christ and does not want to be married to their spouse who is a devoted follower of Christ (the implication being that the believing spouse is being asked to choose between their faith in Christ and their spouse), then the unbelieving spouse is free to leave the marriage, to divorce.
The third most common reason clergy are willing to preside over weddings even if their has been a divorce in the past of one of the engaged parties is if the divorce occurred prior to their making a full profession of faith in Christ and living as one of His devoted followers. The logic being, and I agree, that we cannot expect people to live according to scripture in their spiritually unregenerate condition.
Because I believe the latter two are seldom in dispute, I want to concentrate my comments on the words spoken by Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. Granted, some would say that what Paul writes in Corinthians may be clear in regards to a person being free to divorce but being free to remarry is another issue entirely. We won't take up that issue in this posting, but I will say that I believe Paul's use of the phrase "is not bound" in verse 15 of 1 Corinthians chapter 7 implies being free to remarry if divorced in a way that is Biblical.
So, let's create the most difficult of scenarios. A man and a woman are devoted followers of Christ and their marriage ends in divorce. There is no adultery, by either spouse. We can imagine any of a number of instances. For example, they had special needs children and the demand of their care exhausted them. Or, one person seemed only interested in their career, never being home, completely neglecting the emotional needs of the other. Or, there was some trauma experienced, overwhelming grief of some kind that left one or both emotionally inept. Or, two people came to no longer love one another, both befuddled as to how they got there but both agreed the marriage was over. And for good measure, let's make it hard on ourselves, one spouse begged the other to stay, pledged to do whatever it would take to make it work, yet in the end, the other spouse denied their plea and the divorce ensued.
I'm sure you can think of many other circumstances, maybe your own personal circumstances. Some are maybe more complex, others maybe even more seemly inexcusable. The question before us is simply, are either spouse free to remarry without being viewed by God and The Church as an adulterer?
I may be on the verge of being accused of over-simplifying this very serious matter, but in my defense, I think that is in keeping with how Jesus Himself often responded to complex questions posed to Him. I don't believe that God ever intended the instructions of Jesus and Paul to be a closed, exhaustive list. I believe that God intended to teach a principle that is conveyed through examples given. I believe the principle that distinguishes between adultery or matrimony is whether or not the marriage has suffered damage that was irreparable. Jesus is saying that sexual immorality can be irreparable. Paul is saying spiritual discord can be irreparable. I believe God would agree that repeated physical abuse can leave a marriage in an irreparable state. If we take the stance that Matthew 5 and 1 Corinthians 7 are exhaustive lists, we've made no room for abuse. This alone compels me to believe a principle of irreparable condition is being taught and not a list to legalistically apply.
My approach as a pastor is to help a person who is divorced and intends to remarry to explore whether or not their past marriage is reconcilable or irreparable. Through prayer, honest conversation, hard questions, even professional counseling, we trust the Holy Spirit will guide us. This must be an honest, committed process, one that is often painful and even excrucitating. I am NOT proposing an "easy out" for people that just want to move on with The Church's "blessing." We are talking about a soul searching journey that may very well redeem a past relationship and if not, well prepare them so as not to repeat their past.
If we agree that the former marriage is irreconcilable, then a new process begins. Is it wise for the relationship they are in now to move forward towards marriage and how? There are a host of assessment tools available to clergy today, like Marriage Savers and for us to not avail ourselves and our marriage counselees to such resources is irresponsible. People who have been married before, if they have children, if there is abuse and trauma in their past, if they are culturally mixed...we must prepare them for the challenges this proposed marriage will face. Otherwise, we set them up for failure, more divorce.
If you would accuse me of lessening the sacredness of marriage, that I am elevating the need of the individual above the holiness of matrimony, I would rebut by saying that if we are going to turn the tide of divorce in our society, restore the sacredness of marriage, it will only be through the abundant propagation of healthy Christ centered marriages! Liberty grounded in wisdom and not restraint born out of legalism is always the prudent course.
I don't believe that God works off of lists. I believe His being is governed by truth. And the governing truth for me as a pastor in regards to discerning between Adultery and Matrimony is the principle of the irreparable relationship, beyond repair, that not only releases people to divorce but also gives them the liberty to re-marry.
Thanks for thinking with me!
Pastor Fred
"It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce. But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
The Apostle Paul comes along and adds to what is often viewed as a "list that releases" by stating in his first letter to the Corinthians, the seventh chapter, that if one has a spouse who is not a devoted follower of Christ and does not want to be married to their spouse who is a devoted follower of Christ (the implication being that the believing spouse is being asked to choose between their faith in Christ and their spouse), then the unbelieving spouse is free to leave the marriage, to divorce.
The third most common reason clergy are willing to preside over weddings even if their has been a divorce in the past of one of the engaged parties is if the divorce occurred prior to their making a full profession of faith in Christ and living as one of His devoted followers. The logic being, and I agree, that we cannot expect people to live according to scripture in their spiritually unregenerate condition.
Because I believe the latter two are seldom in dispute, I want to concentrate my comments on the words spoken by Jesus in Matthew chapter 5. Granted, some would say that what Paul writes in Corinthians may be clear in regards to a person being free to divorce but being free to remarry is another issue entirely. We won't take up that issue in this posting, but I will say that I believe Paul's use of the phrase "is not bound" in verse 15 of 1 Corinthians chapter 7 implies being free to remarry if divorced in a way that is Biblical.
So, let's create the most difficult of scenarios. A man and a woman are devoted followers of Christ and their marriage ends in divorce. There is no adultery, by either spouse. We can imagine any of a number of instances. For example, they had special needs children and the demand of their care exhausted them. Or, one person seemed only interested in their career, never being home, completely neglecting the emotional needs of the other. Or, there was some trauma experienced, overwhelming grief of some kind that left one or both emotionally inept. Or, two people came to no longer love one another, both befuddled as to how they got there but both agreed the marriage was over. And for good measure, let's make it hard on ourselves, one spouse begged the other to stay, pledged to do whatever it would take to make it work, yet in the end, the other spouse denied their plea and the divorce ensued.
I'm sure you can think of many other circumstances, maybe your own personal circumstances. Some are maybe more complex, others maybe even more seemly inexcusable. The question before us is simply, are either spouse free to remarry without being viewed by God and The Church as an adulterer?
I may be on the verge of being accused of over-simplifying this very serious matter, but in my defense, I think that is in keeping with how Jesus Himself often responded to complex questions posed to Him. I don't believe that God ever intended the instructions of Jesus and Paul to be a closed, exhaustive list. I believe that God intended to teach a principle that is conveyed through examples given. I believe the principle that distinguishes between adultery or matrimony is whether or not the marriage has suffered damage that was irreparable. Jesus is saying that sexual immorality can be irreparable. Paul is saying spiritual discord can be irreparable. I believe God would agree that repeated physical abuse can leave a marriage in an irreparable state. If we take the stance that Matthew 5 and 1 Corinthians 7 are exhaustive lists, we've made no room for abuse. This alone compels me to believe a principle of irreparable condition is being taught and not a list to legalistically apply.
My approach as a pastor is to help a person who is divorced and intends to remarry to explore whether or not their past marriage is reconcilable or irreparable. Through prayer, honest conversation, hard questions, even professional counseling, we trust the Holy Spirit will guide us. This must be an honest, committed process, one that is often painful and even excrucitating. I am NOT proposing an "easy out" for people that just want to move on with The Church's "blessing." We are talking about a soul searching journey that may very well redeem a past relationship and if not, well prepare them so as not to repeat their past.
If we agree that the former marriage is irreconcilable, then a new process begins. Is it wise for the relationship they are in now to move forward towards marriage and how? There are a host of assessment tools available to clergy today, like Marriage Savers and for us to not avail ourselves and our marriage counselees to such resources is irresponsible. People who have been married before, if they have children, if there is abuse and trauma in their past, if they are culturally mixed...we must prepare them for the challenges this proposed marriage will face. Otherwise, we set them up for failure, more divorce.
If you would accuse me of lessening the sacredness of marriage, that I am elevating the need of the individual above the holiness of matrimony, I would rebut by saying that if we are going to turn the tide of divorce in our society, restore the sacredness of marriage, it will only be through the abundant propagation of healthy Christ centered marriages! Liberty grounded in wisdom and not restraint born out of legalism is always the prudent course.
I don't believe that God works off of lists. I believe His being is governed by truth. And the governing truth for me as a pastor in regards to discerning between Adultery and Matrimony is the principle of the irreparable relationship, beyond repair, that not only releases people to divorce but also gives them the liberty to re-marry.
Thanks for thinking with me!
Pastor Fred
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Camping
We went camping as a family for the first time this past weekend to celebrate my son's 8th birthday. Advice: don't choose a 100 degree day for your first camping trip! Advice Two: Make sure your wife actually brings the tent you are supposed to sleep in!!
One of the amenities this camp site had, yes, amenities, there must be some, was what they called a comfort station. Let's just say that a shower after 12 hours of 100 degrees makes the name comfort station seem too inadequate to express the relief one can find from cold running water. Being in the water, at the comfort station brought a profound thought to me. Am I a comfort station to people around me? I began to think of all the people I come in contact with every day, strangers, acquaintances, and friends alike...is my presence refreshing, rejuvenating, comforting? It should be. Jesus certainly was. If you were within His reach, their was comfort to be had. I want my life to be that, don't you?
So, back to the tent...did I mention that my wife packed the tent she was sleeping in? It was four person tent, just the right size for mom and the three children! I slept out under the night sky, sounds chivalrous doesn't it! Amazingly, there were no bugs, still can't figure that one out. I'm counting it towards divine intervention! It actually wasn't that bad until I was awakened by a noise of some sort. Since it was a full moon, you didn't feel too terribly vulnerable. You could see quite well. There at the foot of my air mattress, yes we did have air mattresses, unfortunately not tempurpedic!, was a raccoon I'm quite certain was big enough to star in a movie entitled, "The Raccoon That Ate Lake Anna State Park." It was massive. I hurled some rocks at that didn't seem to phase it at all. I then reached for my aluminum bat, yes, that along with an air mattress are a great comfort combo, and my flashlight. I had this picture of being stitched up in the Emergency Room telling the attendant, "...well you see, there was this raccoon..." He shuffled away as I stood up...more came later throughout the night however, one actually opened our cooler! I'm sure those campsites are a buffet throughout the year for the raccoon population there. I got me thinking though. What kind of critters do have in my life? Have I grown accustomed to, tolerating, gotten used to, anything in my life that is robbing me. Maybe it seems harmless, maybe it seems not too terribly threatening, maybe even a little humorous, but ultimately a consuming presence. Holy Spirit, is there anything like that in me?
My last reflection from our trip was that they had comment cards to fill out. Cards on which you could make suggestions, share ideas, give feedback. If we had one of those attached to us, open to anyone who may want to take one and pass on some thoughts to us, about us, what would they write? What would we find characterizes us? How would others define us? We can learn a lot about ourselves through the experiences of others who are with us. Maybe you know some friends who would be willing to do something like this for you. Make up some comment cards...heck "borrow" one from somewhere and copy it. Ask some close friends to fill it out and be honest in what they write. One of the great gifts of friendship is the voice it is into our lives, revealing our blind spots, making it possible for us to change...Jesus said in Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect." We won't ever get all the way there, but let's endeavor to get closer and closer throughout our days.
Pastor Fred
One of the amenities this camp site had, yes, amenities, there must be some, was what they called a comfort station. Let's just say that a shower after 12 hours of 100 degrees makes the name comfort station seem too inadequate to express the relief one can find from cold running water. Being in the water, at the comfort station brought a profound thought to me. Am I a comfort station to people around me? I began to think of all the people I come in contact with every day, strangers, acquaintances, and friends alike...is my presence refreshing, rejuvenating, comforting? It should be. Jesus certainly was. If you were within His reach, their was comfort to be had. I want my life to be that, don't you?
So, back to the tent...did I mention that my wife packed the tent she was sleeping in? It was four person tent, just the right size for mom and the three children! I slept out under the night sky, sounds chivalrous doesn't it! Amazingly, there were no bugs, still can't figure that one out. I'm counting it towards divine intervention! It actually wasn't that bad until I was awakened by a noise of some sort. Since it was a full moon, you didn't feel too terribly vulnerable. You could see quite well. There at the foot of my air mattress, yes we did have air mattresses, unfortunately not tempurpedic!, was a raccoon I'm quite certain was big enough to star in a movie entitled, "The Raccoon That Ate Lake Anna State Park." It was massive. I hurled some rocks at that didn't seem to phase it at all. I then reached for my aluminum bat, yes, that along with an air mattress are a great comfort combo, and my flashlight. I had this picture of being stitched up in the Emergency Room telling the attendant, "...well you see, there was this raccoon..." He shuffled away as I stood up...more came later throughout the night however, one actually opened our cooler! I'm sure those campsites are a buffet throughout the year for the raccoon population there. I got me thinking though. What kind of critters do have in my life? Have I grown accustomed to, tolerating, gotten used to, anything in my life that is robbing me. Maybe it seems harmless, maybe it seems not too terribly threatening, maybe even a little humorous, but ultimately a consuming presence. Holy Spirit, is there anything like that in me?
My last reflection from our trip was that they had comment cards to fill out. Cards on which you could make suggestions, share ideas, give feedback. If we had one of those attached to us, open to anyone who may want to take one and pass on some thoughts to us, about us, what would they write? What would we find characterizes us? How would others define us? We can learn a lot about ourselves through the experiences of others who are with us. Maybe you know some friends who would be willing to do something like this for you. Make up some comment cards...heck "borrow" one from somewhere and copy it. Ask some close friends to fill it out and be honest in what they write. One of the great gifts of friendship is the voice it is into our lives, revealing our blind spots, making it possible for us to change...Jesus said in Matthew 5:48, "Be ye therefore perfect." We won't ever get all the way there, but let's endeavor to get closer and closer throughout our days.
Pastor Fred
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)