In the past three and a half years, my life has gone through some dramatic and significant changes. I praise God for where I am today, even though the pain of the journey was great. I can honestly say that I have found a new love for the Lord, my wife, my ministry, and life in general. If I had known in 2006 where I would be today, and the sense of joy and personal fulfillment I currently experience, I would have celebrated. But in the midst of my valley, all I knew was despair and hopelessness. But God, who is a Redeemer, turned my sorrow into joy and has restored all that I had lost due to my sinful, immoral behavior. Even in recent weeks, God has done exceedingly above my expectations in restoring relationships and the opportunity to recover what had been lost.
Currently, I minister in two different prisons each week. I teach Bible classes and minister to the inmates one-on-one. I have three guys, who were formerly the biggest drug dealers on the east side of Kansas City, attending my Bible studies. I could have pastored a church in Kansas City for a 100 years and never reached them. But God has sent me to them inside the prison walls. I minister to at least 200 inmates every week. I have found more fulfillment and joy in ministering to those in prison than I ever found in preaching at conferences around the world, preaching on several radio stations, and "hob-nobbing" with Christian celebrities. I say - somewhat tongue-cheek - that all friends these days are felons, ex-felons, or preachers.
Sundays I lead a house church made up of those who stuck with me during my darkest hours. Their support for me, both emotional and financial, is beyond what I can express. In addition, I have been involved in a 12 step recovery group for over 3 years that has been a significant help in my life. On top of that, God gave me a new friend over 3 1/2 years ago, a retired Army chaplain by the name of Sam Sanford, who along with my long-time comrade, side-kick, and covenant brother, Dr. Al Sarno, is my "Battle Buddy." I can not fail to mention the importance my friends like Dennis Cole, Jim Cox, and Howard Cordell have played in my life over the past 3 years. They stood with me, and confronted me, in the journey.
On Christmas eve last year, our youngest daughter, Meagan got married. That makes June and I "empty -nesters," which quite honestly we enjoy. We have four great children,three great sons-in-law and a great daughter-in-law, and three tremendous grandchildren. Through our painful journey, June and I have grown closer together. God is so redemptive.
I believe that God has brought me through all that I went through, in order to bear witness to to those in the "valley of darkness" of His unconditional love, His amazing grace, and His redemptive purposes.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Christ and Culture
Over half a century ago, H. Richard Niebuhr (brother of Reinhold) wrote a significant little book entitled Christ and Culture. It became one of the most influential Christian books in the 20th century. This book continues to cause discussion in the theological world due to Niebuhr’s articulation of the five ways historically Christianity has interacted with culture. Though Niebuhr does not fit neatly into the “evangelical” world, there is much for evangelicals to gain from examining his famous “five types.” Evangelicals have, and do, inhabit all of Niebuhr’s types. Each type has some degree of merit and worthy of discussion, as believers seek to define how they should – and should not – interact with contemporary culture. I trust that my brief condensation of the five types will be helpful as you personally wrestle with this issue.
The first type is “Christ against culture.” It characterizes what can be described as “the sectarian impulse.” Niebuhr refers to this as the “new law” type. Christians in this mode see the world as hopelessly corrupted by sin. The Kingdom of God comes to supersede it – currently in the purity of the church, and ultimately in the messianic kingdom. The emphasis as it relates to culture is the call to “come out from among them and be ye separate.” This viewpoint has traditionally been represented by such groups as the Mennonites, the Baptists, Pentecostals, and the “Holiness” churches.
The second type is “Christ above culture.” This was the perspective of Thomas Aquinas and remains the view of many Roman Catholics today. In this view, all that is good in human culture is a gift from God. But to be fully realized, this good requires Christian revelation and the mediation of the Church. For example, Aristotle’s insights can be received by the Christian joyfully (as they were by Aquinas), but these truths need Christian theology to accompany them in order for their full understanding to be recognized. Before Aquinas, this view was reflected by some of the apologists in the early church who allied themselves with Plato. In today’s evangelical world we find this type represented by missionaries who emphasize anticipations of Christian revelation in the beliefs of non-Christian cultures. (For a study in this I would recommend the book, Eternity in Their Hearts by Don Richardson.)
The third type is the model of “Christ of culture,” in which the conflict between the two gives way to a harmony between them. Christians in this mode seek to discern and then champion the highest moral common ground between the teaching of Christ and the noblest values of contemporary culture. Niebuhr associated this view with Germany’s “Cultural Protestantism” of the late 19th and early 20th century, Victorian liberals, and the American Whigs such as Thomas Jefferson. Today, American evangelicals frequently exhibit this perspective when they closely associate God and country.
The fourth type is referred to by Niebuhr as “Christ transforming culture.” This perspective finds it representatives for evangelicals in the Puritans and the revivalists (John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Charles Finney), who were trying to both evangelize and bring about social reform. In this type the Kingdom of God is to come to social structures as well as individuals. Business, the arts, the professions, family life, education, civil government – all are to come under the rule of Christ and all must be reclaimed in His name.
The fifth option is called by Niebuhr “Christ and culture in paradox.” This is the view attributed to Martin Luther, and is the view of Reinhold Niebuhr. In this type, Christians live within a strong tension. On one hand, they believe that God has ordained worldly institutions and that we must work within those institutions the best we can. On the other hand, we must affirm Christ’s kingdom that has invaded the world here and now. Thus, under God’s providence, we follow a path that can seem crooked and unclear as we try to honor what is divinely ordained in the culture, while at the same time living out the distinct values of the Kingdom of God as best we can without compromise.
I believe that these five types must be held in “tension” with each other. I believe that each of these types can be scripturally validated. I believe that at some points there is the “intersection” of types. I would ascribe to the view that the fourth option is God’s ultimate intention teleologically as it relates to Christ and culture. Yet I believe I see validity in the other alternatives at various stages in the movement toward that end.
Allow me to present some questions that I believe are worthy of discussion. I believe the church needs to understand the times and the cultural environment in which it lives. When one considers the varied circumstances and cultural situations, under which Christians in the world live, each of these types have a certain degree of merit. The cultural situation in much of the world at the present is different than what we find here in the United States. Is it possible that the type most suitable for the church in China to follow be different than the type expressed by the church here in the U.S.? Does the cultural environment determine the primary mode in which the church should relate to the culture? Did the church in the first-century relate different to the cultural environment than the church in 17th century England? Were these not two distinctly different situations requiring different approaches to the culture? Is the approach different when dealing with a pagan or “pre-Christian” culture, than when dealing with a “Christian” culture (or a “post-Christian” culture – as Francis Schaeffer described Western civilization)?
I present this to you for your consideration.
The first type is “Christ against culture.” It characterizes what can be described as “the sectarian impulse.” Niebuhr refers to this as the “new law” type. Christians in this mode see the world as hopelessly corrupted by sin. The Kingdom of God comes to supersede it – currently in the purity of the church, and ultimately in the messianic kingdom. The emphasis as it relates to culture is the call to “come out from among them and be ye separate.” This viewpoint has traditionally been represented by such groups as the Mennonites, the Baptists, Pentecostals, and the “Holiness” churches.
The second type is “Christ above culture.” This was the perspective of Thomas Aquinas and remains the view of many Roman Catholics today. In this view, all that is good in human culture is a gift from God. But to be fully realized, this good requires Christian revelation and the mediation of the Church. For example, Aristotle’s insights can be received by the Christian joyfully (as they were by Aquinas), but these truths need Christian theology to accompany them in order for their full understanding to be recognized. Before Aquinas, this view was reflected by some of the apologists in the early church who allied themselves with Plato. In today’s evangelical world we find this type represented by missionaries who emphasize anticipations of Christian revelation in the beliefs of non-Christian cultures. (For a study in this I would recommend the book, Eternity in Their Hearts by Don Richardson.)
The third type is the model of “Christ of culture,” in which the conflict between the two gives way to a harmony between them. Christians in this mode seek to discern and then champion the highest moral common ground between the teaching of Christ and the noblest values of contemporary culture. Niebuhr associated this view with Germany’s “Cultural Protestantism” of the late 19th and early 20th century, Victorian liberals, and the American Whigs such as Thomas Jefferson. Today, American evangelicals frequently exhibit this perspective when they closely associate God and country.
The fourth type is referred to by Niebuhr as “Christ transforming culture.” This perspective finds it representatives for evangelicals in the Puritans and the revivalists (John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Charles Finney), who were trying to both evangelize and bring about social reform. In this type the Kingdom of God is to come to social structures as well as individuals. Business, the arts, the professions, family life, education, civil government – all are to come under the rule of Christ and all must be reclaimed in His name.
The fifth option is called by Niebuhr “Christ and culture in paradox.” This is the view attributed to Martin Luther, and is the view of Reinhold Niebuhr. In this type, Christians live within a strong tension. On one hand, they believe that God has ordained worldly institutions and that we must work within those institutions the best we can. On the other hand, we must affirm Christ’s kingdom that has invaded the world here and now. Thus, under God’s providence, we follow a path that can seem crooked and unclear as we try to honor what is divinely ordained in the culture, while at the same time living out the distinct values of the Kingdom of God as best we can without compromise.
I believe that these five types must be held in “tension” with each other. I believe that each of these types can be scripturally validated. I believe that at some points there is the “intersection” of types. I would ascribe to the view that the fourth option is God’s ultimate intention teleologically as it relates to Christ and culture. Yet I believe I see validity in the other alternatives at various stages in the movement toward that end.
Allow me to present some questions that I believe are worthy of discussion. I believe the church needs to understand the times and the cultural environment in which it lives. When one considers the varied circumstances and cultural situations, under which Christians in the world live, each of these types have a certain degree of merit. The cultural situation in much of the world at the present is different than what we find here in the United States. Is it possible that the type most suitable for the church in China to follow be different than the type expressed by the church here in the U.S.? Does the cultural environment determine the primary mode in which the church should relate to the culture? Did the church in the first-century relate different to the cultural environment than the church in 17th century England? Were these not two distinctly different situations requiring different approaches to the culture? Is the approach different when dealing with a pagan or “pre-Christian” culture, than when dealing with a “Christian” culture (or a “post-Christian” culture – as Francis Schaeffer described Western civilization)?
I present this to you for your consideration.
Friday, February 26, 2010
The Micah Mandate
"He has told you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you; but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)
In this summation presented by the prophet Micah, we have a simple statement as to the essence of true righteousness. This triad of qualities is a divine mandate given for living in community – justice, mercy, and humility. God wants us to be concerned about the issues of justice and mercy. And He enjoys the companionship of humble saints, to whom He has promised to give a "greater grace" (James 4:6).
As believers we must demonstrate the character of God by being just in our dealings with others. Luke 6:31 says, "Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." This is what we call the Golden Rule. It is the principle of justice. I am to "do justice." But our responsibility before God extends beyond my own personal actions. The Word of God calls upon us, as God’s people, to seek to create a just society. The Old Testament prophets spoke out against the corporate injustice of the nation of Israel – such as the sacrifice of children, greed, and oppression of the poor (Example: Amos 2:6-8). We are to be God’s prophetic spokesmen crying out for justice. Sadly, the church has often failed to do this. For instance, in the 1950’s and 60’s, the evangelical church in the U.S. was to a large degree silent when it came to the issues of racial equality. We ignored, and in some cases opposed, the civil rights movement. This is but one example, of our failure to be concerned about justice, as the redeemed community.
The prophet of the Lord also tells us that we are to love mercy. This word translated as "mercy" is the Hebrew word chesed, which can be translated a variety of ways due to the depth of its meaning. It can be translated as loyalty, in some instances it is translated as lovingkindness, and in other places it is translated as faithfulness. Why all these different meanings? Because this is one of those Hebrew words that’s meaning is not easily conveyed in English. The concept of chesed is the "glue" that holds covenant together. It is loyalty, it is mercy, it is lovingkindness. And it is also devotion, righteousness, and unchanging love. (It is translated all of these ways in the NAS.) It is probably the most important word in the Old Testament. When God calls His people to love chesed, He is calling upon them to relate to one another the way that He relates to us.
This Hebrew word chesed corresponds in many ways to the New Testament Greek word agape. It expresses the kind of love God has for His children. It is a steadfast love that endures. It is the kind of love that is loyal, without always being approving. The love that the Father had for the Prodigal, that never ceased in spite of the Prodigal’s wayward ways. Our Heavenly Father likewise has an enduring love that remains steadfast in spite of our failures. He stands by His people, and we are to imitate our Heavenly Father.
Chuck Colson tells the story of his speaking on a university campus, shortly after his release from prison. In the midst of his talk he was interrupted by a heckler shouting, "Hey, Colson, why did you stick by Nixon?" Colson stopped his lecture, looked at the student and simply said, "Because he was my friend." The audience in spontaneous unity broke out in applause. Chuck Colson’s answer struck a cord with his listeners. Everyone wants a friend that will stand by them, even in the midst of their tragic failure. May the Lord help us to be such a friend to others.
The prophet also instructs us that we are "to walk humbly with our God." I believe that our humility before God will be reflected in our humility before men. Not the kind of false humility, which is simply pride disguised, sometimes expressed by pious preachers. But a humility that means I walk in reality about myself. A humility that does not ignore my strengths, but at the same time acknowledges my weaknesses. A humility that recognizes my dependence on God and others. A humility that expresses itself in obedience to God’s Word and God-given authority.
Pride fragments the Body of Christ and distorts the witness of the Church. Humble people are reconcilers that bring about peace. Peace may require yielding and humble people will yield. The proud create strife (Prov. 13:10), the humble produce and preserves unity (Ephes. 4:1-3).
I believe that God has given His Church the "Dominion Mandate" (Gen. 1:26-28), but I also believe that He has given us the "Micah Mandate." Could it be that we must walk out the Micah Mandate before we can see the fulfillment of the Dominion Mandate?
In this summation presented by the prophet Micah, we have a simple statement as to the essence of true righteousness. This triad of qualities is a divine mandate given for living in community – justice, mercy, and humility. God wants us to be concerned about the issues of justice and mercy. And He enjoys the companionship of humble saints, to whom He has promised to give a "greater grace" (James 4:6).
As believers we must demonstrate the character of God by being just in our dealings with others. Luke 6:31 says, "Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." This is what we call the Golden Rule. It is the principle of justice. I am to "do justice." But our responsibility before God extends beyond my own personal actions. The Word of God calls upon us, as God’s people, to seek to create a just society. The Old Testament prophets spoke out against the corporate injustice of the nation of Israel – such as the sacrifice of children, greed, and oppression of the poor (Example: Amos 2:6-8). We are to be God’s prophetic spokesmen crying out for justice. Sadly, the church has often failed to do this. For instance, in the 1950’s and 60’s, the evangelical church in the U.S. was to a large degree silent when it came to the issues of racial equality. We ignored, and in some cases opposed, the civil rights movement. This is but one example, of our failure to be concerned about justice, as the redeemed community.
The prophet of the Lord also tells us that we are to love mercy. This word translated as "mercy" is the Hebrew word chesed, which can be translated a variety of ways due to the depth of its meaning. It can be translated as loyalty, in some instances it is translated as lovingkindness, and in other places it is translated as faithfulness. Why all these different meanings? Because this is one of those Hebrew words that’s meaning is not easily conveyed in English. The concept of chesed is the "glue" that holds covenant together. It is loyalty, it is mercy, it is lovingkindness. And it is also devotion, righteousness, and unchanging love. (It is translated all of these ways in the NAS.) It is probably the most important word in the Old Testament. When God calls His people to love chesed, He is calling upon them to relate to one another the way that He relates to us.
This Hebrew word chesed corresponds in many ways to the New Testament Greek word agape. It expresses the kind of love God has for His children. It is a steadfast love that endures. It is the kind of love that is loyal, without always being approving. The love that the Father had for the Prodigal, that never ceased in spite of the Prodigal’s wayward ways. Our Heavenly Father likewise has an enduring love that remains steadfast in spite of our failures. He stands by His people, and we are to imitate our Heavenly Father.
Chuck Colson tells the story of his speaking on a university campus, shortly after his release from prison. In the midst of his talk he was interrupted by a heckler shouting, "Hey, Colson, why did you stick by Nixon?" Colson stopped his lecture, looked at the student and simply said, "Because he was my friend." The audience in spontaneous unity broke out in applause. Chuck Colson’s answer struck a cord with his listeners. Everyone wants a friend that will stand by them, even in the midst of their tragic failure. May the Lord help us to be such a friend to others.
The prophet also instructs us that we are "to walk humbly with our God." I believe that our humility before God will be reflected in our humility before men. Not the kind of false humility, which is simply pride disguised, sometimes expressed by pious preachers. But a humility that means I walk in reality about myself. A humility that does not ignore my strengths, but at the same time acknowledges my weaknesses. A humility that recognizes my dependence on God and others. A humility that expresses itself in obedience to God’s Word and God-given authority.
Pride fragments the Body of Christ and distorts the witness of the Church. Humble people are reconcilers that bring about peace. Peace may require yielding and humble people will yield. The proud create strife (Prov. 13:10), the humble produce and preserves unity (Ephes. 4:1-3).
I believe that God has given His Church the "Dominion Mandate" (Gen. 1:26-28), but I also believe that He has given us the "Micah Mandate." Could it be that we must walk out the Micah Mandate before we can see the fulfillment of the Dominion Mandate?
Friday, February 19, 2010
Fear and Trembling
An Old Testament expression that Paul sometimes uses is “fear and trembling”. It describes great weakness, the sense of inability and the total lack of confidence in and distrust we have of our own flesh. If all we have is our own human ability the prospect of working out of our salvation and achieving the loving of one another with the love of God is terrifying to contemplate. When we consider our natural resources of love we shrink away from the task with fear and trembling. It is the response of the person who deeply knows that "without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
It describes the man who must pay his bills but has no money in the bank. He views what he has to do with fear. It fits with the first statement of the faith: "Blessed are the poor in spirit." (Matthew 5:3). A translation that gives the full meaning of the Greek text is, "Blessed are the spiritually bankrupt." I.e. "Blessed are those who tremble when they consider their own resources." Faith begins with a reality check that tells me that in myself I have nothing.
There is urgency to our salvation; we are dealing with eternal issues. This is not as some have described it, a “pop religion that can take Coca Cola commercials and invite people to ‘try Jesus’" as if He were another brand to be compared with others. We live on the fragile edge of time; in this lifetime we are called to work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12), and we do not know when we shall be called from this life. The humanistic attitude, acting as if we shall live in this life forever, has crept into the church. There is little or no thought of urgency that we are given the task of working out our salvation now before we stand before the judgment seat of Christ. When we consider the salvation of our souls it is a healthy thing to tremble.
We should not look at this reaction as a sign of immaturity. The text indicates that we supposed to feel that way!
If we do not feel this way then we must take ourselves in hand to think of our selves according to the truth. If we feel able and cocky then we are living in the illusion of strength and must repent of the lie.
If we do not fear proceeding in our own strength then God will let us crash and smash to pieces our confidence in ourselves. Our crashes are very important to God! We must discover in our experience the inability of our flesh to please God, not merely know it intellectually. Our dependence upon Him is of such importance that He would allow us to fall flat on our face in order to know we can do nothing without Him. Such crashes therefore become redemptive.
Peter's fall is just this. The arrogant man in the Upper Room is of no use to God for he is depending only on Peter. Jesus actively allows Satan to have him in order that all of Peter’s self confidence in could be taken away. When it is all over Peter will be in a position to strengthen his brothers (See Luke 22:31-34).
Jacob had to wrestle with God and lose in order to become Israel.
Moses was unusable while he trusted in his own ability. Only when he confessed his helplessness, looking upon the task with fear and trembling could God use him.
God will use every situation to bring us to be among the blessed that are poor in spirit. He will use the circumstances of life to strip us of our self sufficiency, our independence, and our self confidence. He wants to bring us to the end of ourselves. He commands us to do what is impossible apart from Him.
For example, we are told by Jesus to “love your enemies” (Luke 6:35). Face it! We are not capable of loving, our wife or husband, or our friends, let alone our enemies. In addition, in our flesh we are incapable of faith, obedience, serving others, or any other aspect of the Christian life. But have we realized the impossibility of the task. The disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" and Jesus answered "With men it is impossible." He then tells the miracle of salvation "With God all things are possible."
It is more impossible than we think. We tend to love those that we like, fit in with, and enjoy being with. We equate liking with God's love! Those who bring out the worst in us, being given to us to reveal the ugliness of our flesh, we cannot find love for them anywhere in our feelings. In both cases we miserably fail. We incapable in our own strength to love those we like, or those we wish we had never met, but in all cases the ability to love is found in Christ.
We are being called to obey the impossible command and work out the impossible life. And the hope of our salvation is that we are going to do it (Phil. 2:13).
Nevertheless, we are afraid of feelings of distrust in ourselves. We loathe our insufficiency and weakness. Our flesh always wants to feel in control and self-sufficient. But to live in this reality and embrace our weakness, is to understand what Paul meant when he said, "When I am weak, then I am strong" (II Cor. 12:10).
It describes the man who must pay his bills but has no money in the bank. He views what he has to do with fear. It fits with the first statement of the faith: "Blessed are the poor in spirit." (Matthew 5:3). A translation that gives the full meaning of the Greek text is, "Blessed are the spiritually bankrupt." I.e. "Blessed are those who tremble when they consider their own resources." Faith begins with a reality check that tells me that in myself I have nothing.
There is urgency to our salvation; we are dealing with eternal issues. This is not as some have described it, a “pop religion that can take Coca Cola commercials and invite people to ‘try Jesus’" as if He were another brand to be compared with others. We live on the fragile edge of time; in this lifetime we are called to work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12), and we do not know when we shall be called from this life. The humanistic attitude, acting as if we shall live in this life forever, has crept into the church. There is little or no thought of urgency that we are given the task of working out our salvation now before we stand before the judgment seat of Christ. When we consider the salvation of our souls it is a healthy thing to tremble.
We should not look at this reaction as a sign of immaturity. The text indicates that we supposed to feel that way!
If we do not feel this way then we must take ourselves in hand to think of our selves according to the truth. If we feel able and cocky then we are living in the illusion of strength and must repent of the lie.
If we do not fear proceeding in our own strength then God will let us crash and smash to pieces our confidence in ourselves. Our crashes are very important to God! We must discover in our experience the inability of our flesh to please God, not merely know it intellectually. Our dependence upon Him is of such importance that He would allow us to fall flat on our face in order to know we can do nothing without Him. Such crashes therefore become redemptive.
Peter's fall is just this. The arrogant man in the Upper Room is of no use to God for he is depending only on Peter. Jesus actively allows Satan to have him in order that all of Peter’s self confidence in could be taken away. When it is all over Peter will be in a position to strengthen his brothers (See Luke 22:31-34).
Jacob had to wrestle with God and lose in order to become Israel.
Moses was unusable while he trusted in his own ability. Only when he confessed his helplessness, looking upon the task with fear and trembling could God use him.
God will use every situation to bring us to be among the blessed that are poor in spirit. He will use the circumstances of life to strip us of our self sufficiency, our independence, and our self confidence. He wants to bring us to the end of ourselves. He commands us to do what is impossible apart from Him.
For example, we are told by Jesus to “love your enemies” (Luke 6:35). Face it! We are not capable of loving, our wife or husband, or our friends, let alone our enemies. In addition, in our flesh we are incapable of faith, obedience, serving others, or any other aspect of the Christian life. But have we realized the impossibility of the task. The disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" and Jesus answered "With men it is impossible." He then tells the miracle of salvation "With God all things are possible."
It is more impossible than we think. We tend to love those that we like, fit in with, and enjoy being with. We equate liking with God's love! Those who bring out the worst in us, being given to us to reveal the ugliness of our flesh, we cannot find love for them anywhere in our feelings. In both cases we miserably fail. We incapable in our own strength to love those we like, or those we wish we had never met, but in all cases the ability to love is found in Christ.
We are being called to obey the impossible command and work out the impossible life. And the hope of our salvation is that we are going to do it (Phil. 2:13).
Nevertheless, we are afraid of feelings of distrust in ourselves. We loathe our insufficiency and weakness. Our flesh always wants to feel in control and self-sufficient. But to live in this reality and embrace our weakness, is to understand what Paul meant when he said, "When I am weak, then I am strong" (II Cor. 12:10).
The Confession of Sin
I just watched Tiger Woods' press conference and public confession. As one who has had to face his own sins and failures, confessing before those who had placed their trust in me that I had failed them, I was deeply moved. Having stood in that place of confession, I had great empathy for him. I felt his pain as it reminded me of my own just a few years ago. Though Tiger Woods is not a Christian, in fact he reaffirmed his Buddhist faith, it was nevertheless a courageous step toward the making of amends. He did not blame others, and he clearly took personal responsibility for his actions. I do pray that out of this crucible he would turn toward the One who offers true forgiveness.
I have found in my life that the exposure of our sins, though painful at the time, can be the stepping stone toward a closer walk with God. I serve a redemptive God, "who causes all things to work together for good toward those who love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). In our painful moments we sometimes feel as if the "valley" will never end. But if we embrace the Master, and the lessons He wants to teach us, we find the valley to be the place of renewal and growth. This was true with David, who was both an adulterer and a murderer. We have recorded for us in Psalm 51 and 32 his confession before God. I thank God it was preserved for us, and is a source of great strenghth, as we face the reality of our own sinfulness.
I have found in my life that the exposure of our sins, though painful at the time, can be the stepping stone toward a closer walk with God. I serve a redemptive God, "who causes all things to work together for good toward those who love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). In our painful moments we sometimes feel as if the "valley" will never end. But if we embrace the Master, and the lessons He wants to teach us, we find the valley to be the place of renewal and growth. This was true with David, who was both an adulterer and a murderer. We have recorded for us in Psalm 51 and 32 his confession before God. I thank God it was preserved for us, and is a source of great strenghth, as we face the reality of our own sinfulness.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Work Out Your Salvation
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13 ESV)
"Work out your salvation" The Greek word we have translated as "work out" is an intensive form of the word for work or labor. It means to work at something thoroughly, to bring something to full and complete conclusion, and so has the idea of accomplish or to bring something about. It could be used to describe the work of the farmer who works through the year to bring seeds to their full harvest.
Here in our text it means that we work out our salvation to the full in every area of life leaving no stone unturned. It means that we do not grow slack or stop half way, keep going until all that Christ died to achieve has been worked in you. It is the same idea as in the word "perseverance" as applied to the believer going on against all that would be hurled against him.
It is an echo from Proverbs where we find the person who cooked the meal but is too tired to eat it! (Proverbs 26.15.) And the graphic picture of the farmer too sleepy to get up and work on the farm so that it is overtaken by weeds (Proverbs 24.30.)
In the context of the verse it means that we are to carry our obedience to completion. We have submitted to Christ, we know what He wants of us, now carry that out in thorough doing.
Let me remind you of the context, the obedience of the Lord Jesus in humbling Himself from the highest to the bottom of the lowest. Theologians and Bible students have argued and discussed verses 5-11 of this chapter, in fact have nearly come to fist fights to protect what they consider the Faith! But very few have realized that it is not there as fodder for doctrine but to be worked out in behavior like His, in the power of His Spirit.
It should be noted that this is not speaking of working for salvation! It is written to those who are believers and now are to work out the life that has been planted in them. This is perfectly described by Paul in Ephesians 2.8-10. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Salvation is gift from beginning to end received through the faith. But the result is the Holy Spirit recreating and fitting us to walk in good works. Not saved by good works but saved to do them. It should be noted that "good works" are in fact "God works" that are performed from the life of God within us.
Resting in Christ does not mean that we are passive, but rather a new kind of activity that derives from resting in His work on the cross and the gift of His Spirit. Other epistles speak of "putting on" the behavior of the new life even as we "put off " the old lifestyle.
The tense of the verb indicates a commitment to working out salvation as a way of life, not a one time act of dedication that fades when the going gets hard. Salvation is a single act of a lifetime and also a process in which we work out daily what He has placed within us. In our culture there is an addiction to the crisis moment, the adrenaline rush of experience but very little follow through. We crave to see and be used in the spectacular gifts of the Spirit. There are moments of miracles and God does graciously come to us with moments of revelation and unusual blessing. But these moments must then be worked out in the hundreds of very ordinary moments, in the smallness and narrowness of our lives where even our temptations are not spectacular but stay within the range of silly gossip and our wanting to be noticed by others - like the Philippians!
If we do not learn to "work out" our salvation we shall forever be following the latest crisis experience and never bring anything to completion. Like the foolish man of Proverbs we will bag our deer in the hunt but then be too bored with dressing it and bringing it home to roast it! (Proverbs 12:27.)
We have seen that this was the problem of the whole congregation and these words of our text are addressed to the individual within the group. Our working out is not for us in isolation but within the community of believers; we do our working out alongside our brothers and sisters - they are part of our working out! Each is responsible to have the mind of Christ and in so doing will bring life and health to the whole congregation.
Let the Holy Spirit apply these words to where you are today that this week will be a new beginning to the working out of His salvation for the rest of your life.
"Work out your salvation" The Greek word we have translated as "work out" is an intensive form of the word for work or labor. It means to work at something thoroughly, to bring something to full and complete conclusion, and so has the idea of accomplish or to bring something about. It could be used to describe the work of the farmer who works through the year to bring seeds to their full harvest.
Here in our text it means that we work out our salvation to the full in every area of life leaving no stone unturned. It means that we do not grow slack or stop half way, keep going until all that Christ died to achieve has been worked in you. It is the same idea as in the word "perseverance" as applied to the believer going on against all that would be hurled against him.
It is an echo from Proverbs where we find the person who cooked the meal but is too tired to eat it! (Proverbs 26.15.) And the graphic picture of the farmer too sleepy to get up and work on the farm so that it is overtaken by weeds (Proverbs 24.30.)
In the context of the verse it means that we are to carry our obedience to completion. We have submitted to Christ, we know what He wants of us, now carry that out in thorough doing.
Let me remind you of the context, the obedience of the Lord Jesus in humbling Himself from the highest to the bottom of the lowest. Theologians and Bible students have argued and discussed verses 5-11 of this chapter, in fact have nearly come to fist fights to protect what they consider the Faith! But very few have realized that it is not there as fodder for doctrine but to be worked out in behavior like His, in the power of His Spirit.
It should be noted that this is not speaking of working for salvation! It is written to those who are believers and now are to work out the life that has been planted in them. This is perfectly described by Paul in Ephesians 2.8-10. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Salvation is gift from beginning to end received through the faith. But the result is the Holy Spirit recreating and fitting us to walk in good works. Not saved by good works but saved to do them. It should be noted that "good works" are in fact "God works" that are performed from the life of God within us.
Resting in Christ does not mean that we are passive, but rather a new kind of activity that derives from resting in His work on the cross and the gift of His Spirit. Other epistles speak of "putting on" the behavior of the new life even as we "put off " the old lifestyle.
The tense of the verb indicates a commitment to working out salvation as a way of life, not a one time act of dedication that fades when the going gets hard. Salvation is a single act of a lifetime and also a process in which we work out daily what He has placed within us. In our culture there is an addiction to the crisis moment, the adrenaline rush of experience but very little follow through. We crave to see and be used in the spectacular gifts of the Spirit. There are moments of miracles and God does graciously come to us with moments of revelation and unusual blessing. But these moments must then be worked out in the hundreds of very ordinary moments, in the smallness and narrowness of our lives where even our temptations are not spectacular but stay within the range of silly gossip and our wanting to be noticed by others - like the Philippians!
If we do not learn to "work out" our salvation we shall forever be following the latest crisis experience and never bring anything to completion. Like the foolish man of Proverbs we will bag our deer in the hunt but then be too bored with dressing it and bringing it home to roast it! (Proverbs 12:27.)
We have seen that this was the problem of the whole congregation and these words of our text are addressed to the individual within the group. Our working out is not for us in isolation but within the community of believers; we do our working out alongside our brothers and sisters - they are part of our working out! Each is responsible to have the mind of Christ and in so doing will bring life and health to the whole congregation.
Let the Holy Spirit apply these words to where you are today that this week will be a new beginning to the working out of His salvation for the rest of your life.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Christianity isn't a "White" Religion
“The white man’s false religion called Christianity . . . gives you no desire or power to resist them. The only way and place to solve this problem is the religion of Islam . . . In the religion of Christianity the white race has had us worshiping and praying to something that actually did not even exist.” (Elijah Muhammad)
“He made from one man every nation of mankind” (Paul the Apostle – Acts 17:26)
Whatever else the Nation of Islam may teach today under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan, its original teachings stem from Elijah Muhammad, and have been circulated to a much wider audience than the Black Muslim community. In the 1950’s and early 60’s, Elijah Muhammad, and his key disciple Malcolm X, were the primary voices in the black community declaring that Christianity was a “white” religion. The alternative was Islam, which they proclaimed as the “true religion of the black man.” Though the Nation of Islam (“Black Muslims”) is a departure from orthodox Islam, they were definitely a catalyst propelling many black Americans to examine Islam. Since that time we have seen the phenomenal growth of Islam in the black community.
Unfortunately, many have been deceived by the myth that Christianity is a “white” religion. The truth of the matter is that Christianity is not the sole property of white Europeans. It is much more African and “black” than is often realized.
In the book of Acts, the very first “Gentile” recorded to embrace Christianity was an Ethiopian (Acts 8:27-39). Greek writers used the term “Ethiopians” to refer to all Black Africans, who were the standard by which the Mediterranean world defined blackness. This Ethiopian eunuch was a court official of Queen Candace (Acts 8:27). Other ancient sources mention Nubia’s queen whose dynastic title was Candace. Nubia was an ancient and powerful civilization, which had continued since around 750 B.C. Luke, the author of Acts, probably intended this account to historically document the beginning of the spread of Christianity in Africa, which occurred rather rapidly. Nubia not only became predominately Christian, it did so without coming under the sway of Roman law (unlike much of “white” Europe). Thus we see the expansion of Christianity southward on the African continent.
African scholar, John S. Mbiti states: “Christianity in Africa is so old that it can rightly be described as an indigenous, traditional and African religion. Long before the start of Islam in the seventh century, Christianity was well established all over North Africa, Egypt, parts of the Sudan and Ethiopia.”
European scholar Theodor Mommsen acknowledged that “through Africa Christianity became the religion of the world.” Christianity developed earlier and spread more rapidly in North Africa than in most of the Roman Empire. Latin Christianity originated there, ultimately shaping the thought of the Roman Church. Christianity spread in Egypt so widely that that it remained predominately Christian into the tenth century. Even today at least ten percent of Egypt remains Christian.
Nearly half the prominent church leaders of the first few centuries were North African, and in all likelihood were dark in complexion. For instance the “nickname” of Athanasius was the “Black Dwarf.” (That ought to tell us something!) Augustine, whom I have always seen painted as a “white” man, was a North African, and as Malcolm X would say “he would have been ‘Jim Crowed’ if he had lived in Mississippi.” Guess what! Origen, Cyprian, and Tertullian were all black! In fact how “white” were Jesus and the Apostle Paul?
All of this is to show that Christianity is not, and never has been, exclusively a “white” European religion that was forced upon “black” Africans. From its very beginning it was ethnically diverse, not only in terms of Jews and Gentiles, but within the entire panoply of Gentile nations. It is not a “white” religion, nor is it a “black” religion. Neither is it yellow, brown, or red. It transcends ethnicity and unifies redeemed humanity in the New Covenant (Rev. 5:9). We must learn to appreciate what various ethnic groups bring to the Body of Christ in expressing the diversity of God’s creation. No one group can adequately express all that God is. God is both the source of our diversity and the source of our unity. This is a major theme of the Apostle Paul and his revelation of the mystery of the Church (Ephes. 2:11-22).
The attempt, by those who seek to deceive others into believing that Christianity is the “white” religion, must be met with the truth and a visible expression of Christ’s Kingdom. We must move beyond “racial reconciliation” and build “covenant relationships.” Let us demonstrate to the world the unity of the Spirit (Ephes. 4:3-5) which overcomes ethnic, social, educational, and economic barriers.
“He made from one man every nation of mankind” (Paul the Apostle – Acts 17:26)
Whatever else the Nation of Islam may teach today under the leadership of Louis Farrakhan, its original teachings stem from Elijah Muhammad, and have been circulated to a much wider audience than the Black Muslim community. In the 1950’s and early 60’s, Elijah Muhammad, and his key disciple Malcolm X, were the primary voices in the black community declaring that Christianity was a “white” religion. The alternative was Islam, which they proclaimed as the “true religion of the black man.” Though the Nation of Islam (“Black Muslims”) is a departure from orthodox Islam, they were definitely a catalyst propelling many black Americans to examine Islam. Since that time we have seen the phenomenal growth of Islam in the black community.
Unfortunately, many have been deceived by the myth that Christianity is a “white” religion. The truth of the matter is that Christianity is not the sole property of white Europeans. It is much more African and “black” than is often realized.
In the book of Acts, the very first “Gentile” recorded to embrace Christianity was an Ethiopian (Acts 8:27-39). Greek writers used the term “Ethiopians” to refer to all Black Africans, who were the standard by which the Mediterranean world defined blackness. This Ethiopian eunuch was a court official of Queen Candace (Acts 8:27). Other ancient sources mention Nubia’s queen whose dynastic title was Candace. Nubia was an ancient and powerful civilization, which had continued since around 750 B.C. Luke, the author of Acts, probably intended this account to historically document the beginning of the spread of Christianity in Africa, which occurred rather rapidly. Nubia not only became predominately Christian, it did so without coming under the sway of Roman law (unlike much of “white” Europe). Thus we see the expansion of Christianity southward on the African continent.
African scholar, John S. Mbiti states: “Christianity in Africa is so old that it can rightly be described as an indigenous, traditional and African religion. Long before the start of Islam in the seventh century, Christianity was well established all over North Africa, Egypt, parts of the Sudan and Ethiopia.”
European scholar Theodor Mommsen acknowledged that “through Africa Christianity became the religion of the world.” Christianity developed earlier and spread more rapidly in North Africa than in most of the Roman Empire. Latin Christianity originated there, ultimately shaping the thought of the Roman Church. Christianity spread in Egypt so widely that that it remained predominately Christian into the tenth century. Even today at least ten percent of Egypt remains Christian.
Nearly half the prominent church leaders of the first few centuries were North African, and in all likelihood were dark in complexion. For instance the “nickname” of Athanasius was the “Black Dwarf.” (That ought to tell us something!) Augustine, whom I have always seen painted as a “white” man, was a North African, and as Malcolm X would say “he would have been ‘Jim Crowed’ if he had lived in Mississippi.” Guess what! Origen, Cyprian, and Tertullian were all black! In fact how “white” were Jesus and the Apostle Paul?
All of this is to show that Christianity is not, and never has been, exclusively a “white” European religion that was forced upon “black” Africans. From its very beginning it was ethnically diverse, not only in terms of Jews and Gentiles, but within the entire panoply of Gentile nations. It is not a “white” religion, nor is it a “black” religion. Neither is it yellow, brown, or red. It transcends ethnicity and unifies redeemed humanity in the New Covenant (Rev. 5:9). We must learn to appreciate what various ethnic groups bring to the Body of Christ in expressing the diversity of God’s creation. No one group can adequately express all that God is. God is both the source of our diversity and the source of our unity. This is a major theme of the Apostle Paul and his revelation of the mystery of the Church (Ephes. 2:11-22).
The attempt, by those who seek to deceive others into believing that Christianity is the “white” religion, must be met with the truth and a visible expression of Christ’s Kingdom. We must move beyond “racial reconciliation” and build “covenant relationships.” Let us demonstrate to the world the unity of the Spirit (Ephes. 4:3-5) which overcomes ethnic, social, educational, and economic barriers.
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