"I Like Ike?" Current Suffering and a Call for an Age-to-Come Reoriention of the Christian Faith

It's been a long time since I posted a blog, so I figured, since I just recently got it working again, I'd post my musing. Anybody who looks up the word "eschatology" (i.e. the study of last things/end times) will probably be the only ones to find this...at least by accident.

As Texans prepares for the devastating waves, winds, and rains of Ike, few people will be chanting the phrase adorned to get Dwight D. Eisenhower elected. Haiti faces a humanitarian disaster. As I watched the brief but horrifying clip of people merely waiting for food to survive, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Is this really being handled in the best way by the UN?” (The video is pretty graphic). CNN doesn’t even cover (or at least headline) the recent, intense, and continued persecution of Christians in India’s Orissa providence. Those who hate the name of Jesus Christ, looking for any reason to persecute His body, even a reason they know is false, are forcing Christians to flee for their lives, if they even can.

A little over a year ago I led a twelve-week lesson on Eschatology and the Christian Life. As I read through the opening chapter of 1 Peter, I am reminded of one of the greatest needs in our western churches today: we need to again recapture that age-to-come orientation of life that characterized, and was meant to characterize, the church during her time in this present, evil age. Only such a radical perspective on this life can and will revitalize the church for her worship and mission now.

Tragically, the perspective to which Peter calls the suffering Gentile churches has been greatly lost to our day. Most Western Christians have both eyes on the here and now and what God can do to make my life better now (a new car, a better job, happiness, healing from various diseases). Certainly the blessings of this life are not bad things (unless they take our focus off of the Giver), but a Christianity focused upon this age will be self-centered, individualistic, and shallow. The cure for this ailment is simple, but it is by no means easy. We must again let Scripture inform our thinking (i.e. our theology, which will in turn affect our living). Brothers and sisters, I urge you to reread the New Testament. But rather than merely skimming it over and reading how you can apply a principle to your life or letting your circumstances or thinking govern how you interpret the text, make conscious effort to let the text change and reorient your thinking (pray for the Holy Spirit's help).

Peter begins by calling his audience “elect exiles,” that is, aliens of this world but those chosen of God (“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood,” v. 2) to be His special people (the exile of believers being the substance of which Israel’s exile in Babylon was the foreshadow). This is a radical divergence from our everyday way of thinking. We Christians don’t have a lasting home here—we belong to the age to come, to the new heavens and new earth (cf. Heb. 11-12). Our way of interacting with the world (sociologically and politically) ought to be based upon this truth (and upon the finished work of Jesus Christ).

Listen to how Peter makes clear who we are. We are born of God to “a living hope” (hope is of necessity future oriented), and this is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (which was the beginning of the invasion of the age to come into this present evil age—the resurrection, which belongs to the Last Days, has begun). Our hope is in a treasure that is of the age to come (v. 4), and it is God who keeps us persevering in faith for that “salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (i.e. when Christ returns).

So what are our lives supposed to look like now? We are to rejoice with a “joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.” In other words, we are experiencing what the joy of the age to come now, though only in part. This new life that gives us this joy will characterize us (Peter says that “you rejoice,” which is a statement, not a command) even as we go through trials, such as those noted above. The trials we face test our faith as fire tests gold (the gold is refined and the impurities are removed—just as faith is refined and what is not faith, and those not having faith, are removed). And this faith is a more precious than gold. This is because faith will preserve us through God’s judgment, while gold (and all the wealth of this age) perishes. As a Christian, an age-to-come perspective will cause us to treasure faith far more than the riches of this age. Are you a Christian who would rather have faith-producing trials than gold (though Peter does not call us to like the trials themselves)?

When Christ returns/is revealed (for He is already with/in His church), our faith will result in praise, glory, and honor to us from the Lord (which will turn back to His praise, glory, and honor, as the giver of the gift of persevering faith). He will say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter the rest of your Master.” In other words, the outcome of our faith is the salvation of our souls. We need to view ourselves as people who: are saved, are being saved, and will be saved, for the Christian life is rightly seen only in the tension of the already/not yet of God’s reign and His salvation.

Some helpful resources to understand and reorient your thinking include:

The Gospel of the Kingdom, by George Ladd

The Race Set Before Us, by Thomas Schreiner and Ardel Caneday

The Bible and the Future, by Anthony Hoekema

1 Peter

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Never Place a Question Mark Where God Has Placed a Period.

If you have ever passed a United Church of Christ church sign, then you have probably read the enigmatic words, "Never place a period where God has placed a comma." It seems that this is a universalistic message claiming that everyone will be in heaven...or something like that. It seems to be claiming that Christians (at least evangelicals and Roman Catholics) have traditionally (Roman Catholic pre-Vatican II) misunderstand Jesus and God. God is a pluralist, and He welcomes all who are not exclusivists. Is this what the Bible says?

Here is a clearer message from Scripture: "Never place a question mark where God has placed a period." Many today, under the banners of "soul-competancy" and "the priesthood of all believers," (matters in which I believe, but which are often misconstrued and misapplied) attempt to make interpreting the Bible a matter of mere opinion--a sort of postmodernistic understanding (if that is right for you...ok, but I don't believe that about God). Many will say that there are matters in the Bible that are not sufficiently clear (i.e. gender roles, Calvinism vs. Arminianism, inclusivism vs. exclusivism, is homosexuality condemned in Scripture?). Now, while I believe that some issues are not worth dividing the church over, to say that the Bible is ambiguous--in other words, God has not spoken sufficiently clear on such matters--is really to commit the age-old sin that we were taught from the beginning: "Did God really say...?"

The serpent from the beginning has challenged humans to question God's Word. This is no more than challenging God's authority--challenging His very right to be God. It is a sin of pride and unbelief. Rather than submitting ourselves to Scriptures' teaching (i.e. God's), we either claim some sort of agnosticism or flatly contradict what is clear. It is usually not a matter of being unable to decide what the Bible is saying, but rather an unwillingness to subject ourselves to God. When we do so, we are calling God into question, giving Him a vote of 'no confidence' as the cosmic Lord, and calling Him a liar.

When it comes to salvation history, God has certainly placed a period. He has spoken finally and definitively in Christ, His Word (cf. John 1:1, Hebrews 1:1-2). All of God's promises are yes and amen...in Christ. All peoples are welcome in Christ; but we must turn from our rebellion against God and trust in Jesus Christ alone. We (I am especially speaking to the church) need to stop arrogantly questioning what God tells us (that is, failing to receive it as true, for God is true) and accept what God says to us as final and authoritative...period.

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Gospel of Inclusion?

CNN recently reported about a megachurch pastor who preaches a [so called] gospel of inclusion. Bishop Carlton Pearson, who was a conservative evangelist, now claims that gays are accepted as they are by God. This is not the time to comment on the modernistic and strange practices of this preacher seen in the video, but rather to show the flaw in his new way of thinking.

Pearson comments, "You never see anywhere in Scripture where Jesus rejected anyone, period." Perhaps he spoke rashly, but if one reads Matthew 24, it is very hard to come to the conclusion that Jesus is not rejected the religious leaders of his day for their sinful practices, yet self-righteousness. Another occasion, that may shed light onto the issue of homesexuality, which is clearly condemned even in New Covenant Scripture (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Timothy 1:10). Such will not "inherit the kingdom of God." What does Paul mean by this statement in 1 Corinthians 6:10? Perhaps Jesus' rejection of a rich young man will help us to understand.

The young man came to Jesus asking him how he may enter eternal life--that is, how he might be part of the kingdom of God. Jesus' answer is clear: obey the commandments. The young man believes he has kept them, so Jesus adds one more command that He did not mention: "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Luke 18:22). This is clearly a claim upon the man's heart--a claim upon His allegiance. Jesus' command seems to be an elaboration on the 10th commandment: Do not covet.... Why is this commandment so important? Because no one can serve two masters: either God will be your master, or something/someone else will be, and that is idolatry.

At this command, the young man was saddened, and we see in Mark that he went away from Jesus (Mark 10:22). Now, someone may well argue, "But Jesus did not reject the man, this man rejected Jesus." But Jesus certainly knew that this man did not understand his own sinfulness (that is why he could say he had kept the commandments), and He knew that the man was rich, and that he loved his riches more than God. Jesus does not blatantly reject the man, and it is not His desire to have to reject him--just as Jesus does not want to reject any, even the Pharisees. After all, Jesus had compassion on this man. But He also realized how difficult it is for those who have a love that is contrary to the kingdom to enter the kingdom, such as the rich, because they must reject that which they have loved--that which is an idol to them.

Those who reject the kingdom, who do not repent of their self-love and self-idolatry, will ultimately be rejected. God will not allow anyone to love anything, whether their parents, their children, wife, or even their own lives, more than Him. Jesus tells His disciples, if they deny Him before men, He will reject (deny) them on the day of judgment. Those who reject the kingdom of God, God's sovereign reign through Christ, will ultimately be rejected (cf. Matthew 8:10-12).

The gospel of Jesus is radically inclusive. Jews and Gentiles now have equal access to God--by faith in Christ. Men and women have equal access and equal value. Slaves and free, rich and poor, old and young, etc, all are welcome (Galatians 3:26-29, Ephesians 2:11-22, 1 Timothy 2:4-7). Yet we must not go further than Jesus. We must not exclude those whom Jesus includes, and we must not include those whom Jesus excludes. Those who will not surrender to God remain under the reign of sin, and so will face God's righteous judgment. These truths are more than clear in all of Scripture.

Certainly in Pearson's thinking is a misunderstanding of sin. Anything that is contrary to God's revealed will is rebellion against God--whether it's homosexuality, lying, hating (which must be understood in Biblical terms, not our modern misconstruing of love as being synonymous with full acceptance/tolerance), or idolatry of any kind. Our transgressions are the evidence of the presence of sin--the power of this present evil age which sets itself against the kingdom of God. While we pursue perfection, yet we do not attain to it in this age. The Christian life is not one of perfection, because the power of sin still remains in us, though its power has been decisively broken in the cross and resurrection of Christ (cf. Romans 6, Colossians 2:8-15). Rather, the Christian life is one of repentance--acknowledging our sin and willingly turning from it because God, by the Holy Spirit, is at work within us, applying Christ's work to our hearts, giving us the new life of the kingdom (cf. Ezekiel 36:22-32, John 3:3-5, etc). God will not, and cannot tolerate sin, for it is an affront to His holy, righteous character.

Yet Paul exhorted his young protege, Timothy, much as wChristians are commanded today: faithfully live and preach the whole Word of God (2 Timothy 3:14-4:2) Yet he also warned him in a way that continues to be true for us today: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths"(2 Timothy 4:3-4). Friends, don't go down that path. To all who read this, turn from your self-seeking, self-worshiping sin, and embrace the kingdom of God by trusting in Christ as Lord.

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Church for Men: A Lesson in Modernity and False Advertising

I recently read a blurb in World magazine that sparked my interest—or at least made me cringe. I then turned to look more into it on a couple of websites. While the websites helped me to see that some good could come from this, the so-called “Church for Men” in Daytona Beach, Florida, may completely miss the point.

While the “church” boasts benefits, such as helping men who would not normally attend church (red flags arise just from the idea of ‘attending’ church) to come, and teaching men practical lessons to encourage them to be more loving husbands and fathers, it falls into the seductive traps of our Modernistic society. Seeing that men are often lacking from the membership of congregations, the idea of this group is to market to men. Hymnals, steeples, (probably a pulpit), pews…it’s all gone. Instead, the congregation meets in a gymnasium with a shot clock to time the preacher’s message. Since men are supposedly “bored stiff,” say organizers of the church, this group is going to make it interesting for them.

However, it seems that reverence probably is cast out to make room for relevance—as is usually the case in seeker-sensitive congregations. In fact, in the dividing of the body in this way, reverence is certainly cast out. When congregations attempt to be seeker-oriented like this, they are actually catering to modernity, not to God’s design. Shortening sermons and making them topical actually points to our lack of dependence upon, and trust in God’s Word. The key to short attention spans in men is not to cater to them with shortened sermons—rather, it’s to get them away from the television that continues to deteriorate their attention spans. There is also a need for preachers who have truly encountered the living God and who are now bringing His Word to them—which can only come with passion and conviction if God is at work.

Has the church really become feminized? If so, then the problem lies not with the music and the long-winded sermons, but rather with the absence of either God or male leadership. It is said that public shows of affection, such as hugs and hand holding, our for women. What about a ‘holy kiss?’ If men are uneasy in such situations, or if they feel inadequate, maybe the real issue needs to be addressed: sin, and God’s grace in Christ. Catering to felt-needs is not what men need—they need to see God’s holiness, their total depravity, God’s offer of grace in the cross and resurrection of Christ, and that God can use them (cf. Isaiah 6).

When God’s people (the church) gather together, we are to encounter and worship the living God in Christ by the Holy Spirit, not to experience this week’s pep-rally. We need shepherds, not coaches!

Yet the most disturbing facet of this “Church for Men” is the fact that no women are allowed. I’m no feminist, and if I was I don’t know that I would have a problem with this. The issue is that a church is not to be a selected, or selective group of people (except on the basis of God’s choosing and God’s standards). A church of all men—and that only allows men—is an oxymoron. At best this group should call itself a Promise Keepers convention, or something along those lines. We need to reach out to men, but we need to reevaluate our methods by God’s Word, not the latest polls.

This is because the church is a people of all peoples—there is no distinction in Christ between male and female, slave and free, Jew and Gentile, etc (Galatians 3:28). Seeker-sensitive churches, in their attempts to reach only Gen-Xers, or Baby Boomers, etc, have failed to model or seek after the Biblical model of all different types of people being able to come together in Christ, as Lord, and being a unified body. Such “seeker” churches, however, do not bar a certain people group from coming—but rather say, “if you are like us, then we want you.” This group, however, has gone further, and has divided the Body of Christ—which Paul clearly warns against in 1 Corinthians 11-12, and elsewhere. There are really only two options for this ministry: either accept women into membership, or stop calling yourself a church!

This is the website I used for information: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/17044737.htm

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Church for Men: A Lesson in Modernity and False Advertising

I recently read a blurb in World magazine that sparked my interest—or at least made me cringe. I then turned to look more into it on a couple of websites. While the websites helped me to see that some good could come from this, the so-called “Church for Men” in Daytona Beach, Florida, may completely miss the point.

While the “church” boasts benefits, such as helping men who would not normally attend church (red flags arise just from the idea of ‘attending’ church) to come, and teaching men practical lessons to encourage them to be more loving husbands and fathers, it falls into the seductive traps of our Modernistic society. Seeing that men are often lacking from the membership of congregations, the idea of this group is to market to men. Hymnals, steeples, (probably a pulpit), pews…it’s all gone. Instead, the congregation meets in a gymnasium with a shot clock to time the preacher’s message. Since men are supposedly “bored stiff,” say organizers of the church, this group is going to make it interesting for them.

However, it seems that reverence probably is cast out to make room for relevance—as is usually the case in seeker-sensitive congregations. In fact, in the dividing of the body in this way, reverence is certainly cast out. When congregations attempt to be seeker-oriented like this, they are actually catering to modernity, not to God’s design. Shortening sermons and making them topical actually points to our lack of dependence upon, and trust in God’s Word. The key to short attention spans in men is not to cater to them with shortened sermons—rather, it’s to get them away from the television that continues to deteriorate their attention spans. There is also a need for preachers who have truly encountered the living God and who are now bringing His Word to them—which can only come with passion and conviction if God is at work.

Has the church really become feminized? If so, then the problem lies not with the music and the long-winded sermons, but rather with the absence of either God or male leadership. It is said that public shows of affection, such as hugs and hand holding, our for women. What about a ‘holy kiss?’ If men are uneasy in such situations, or if they feel inadequate, maybe the real issue needs to be addressed: sin, and God’s grace in Christ. Catering to felt-needs is not what men need—they need to see God’s holiness, their total depravity, God’s offer of grace in the cross and resurrection of Christ, and that God can use them (cf. Isaiah 6).

When God’s people (the church) gather together, we are to encounter and worship the living God in Christ by the Holy Spirit, not to experience this week’s pep-rally. We need shepherds, not coaches!

Yet the most disturbing facet of this “Church for Men” is the fact that no women are allowed. I’m no feminist, and if I was I don’t know that I would have a problem with this. The issue is that a church is not to be a selected, or selective group of people (except on the basis of God’s choosing and God’s standards). A church of all men—and that only allows men—is an oxymoron. At best this group should call itself a Promise Keepers convention, or something along those lines. We need to reach out to men, but we need to reevaluate our methods by God’s Word, not the latest polls.

This is because the church is a people of all peoples—there is no distinction in Christ between male and female, slave and free, Jew and Gentile, etc (Galatians 3:28). Seeker-sensitive churches, in their attempts to reach only Gen-Xers, or Baby Boomers, etc, have failed to model or seek after the Biblical model of all different types of people being able to come together in Christ, as Lord, and being a unified body. Such “seeker” churches, however, do not bar a certain people group from coming—but rather say, “if you are like us, then we want you.” This group, however, has gone further, and has divided the Body of Christ—which Paul clearly warns against in 1 Corinthians 11-12, and elsewhere. There are really only two options for this ministry: either accept women into membership, or stop calling yourself a church!

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I Pity the Fool Who Moves South!

I saw today on foxnews a report of Brown Widows moving into Mississippi. Now, I don't know about you, but the less poisoness things in my neighborhood, the better. Not to mention crocodiles, snakes (poisoness that is, who cares about the other ones, they don't bother anyone), and SEC fans living there. Honestly, I pity the fool!

Up North all we have is snow and cold (as opposed to awful humidity and heat) and New York City. Go South if you want...but make sure God has called you there.

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Jesus Camp!?

I just saw a report on ABC News about the motion picture/documentary, Jesus Camp.

While I think it may be enlightening to go watch the movie in the theatres (if it comes to Louisville), there are a few things about the movie that raise alarm bells in my mind.

1) This is definitely a Charismatic form of evangelicalism. The kids are "slain in the spirit," taught to "speak in tongues," etc.

2) The leader is a woman who accepts the title "pastor." (cf. 1 Timothy 2-3).

3) Many of the children seem quite young. I believe that people can be saved at very young ages, but I also realize the great potential for brainwashing these children without actually converting them (Mt. 23:15). These kids could easily become moralists without ever truly coming to grasp and embrace the gospel of free grace in Jesus Christ.

4) On the apple trailer site it reads: "A growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement." Children are not to assume leadership roles--adults need to. Men need to step up in our churches, and pastors need to be training their people to do this (especially the men, who are called to be the leaders over all--and older women need to step up and lead the younger women and to be a spur to the men to get their act together). There is a vacuum that can only be filled by mature, spiritual men. May God raise them up. Our children need to be taught the ways of God that they may in the future become leaders.

5) While it may appeal to children to dress like military soldiers, etc, does this not tend toward making Christianity into a sort of physical jihad? Christianity is a religion of war--spiritual war (cf. Eph. 6:10-12). Our war is not against Muslims, Liberals, or Buddhists, but against the spiritual powers behind them. Islam, Liberalism, and Buddhism are enemies, because they are worldviews, but the people who adopt them are lost, and they need to be given the truth--God will finally judge and bring vengeance against those people who oppose Him and His people. Jesus brings war and division to the earth, but not from Christians--at least not physical war. Let us war with Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit behind it.

6) Take back America for Christ? I'm not going to argue against evangelical involvement in the affairs of America--we absolutely NEED to be involved in political affairs. But we must not forget the nations, and that America is no "city on a hill," or "new zion," but the people of God is a multi-unified-people. I do not know if the children at this camp are taught to be concerned for the peoples of the world, but in what I have seen of this movie that is not the central tenet. Is the gospel?

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