A Godward Mind

Page CXVI Hymns I

2010-10-23T18:47:00.001-07:00

Page CXVI Hymns II

2010-10-23T18:06:00.001-07:00

Eschatology and Societal Engagement

2010-05-05T07:52:00.001-07:00

While talking with some friends about how our eschatology affects our approach to cultural engagement, one pointed out that often it breaks down this way:

Premillenialists - expectancy of society going from bad to worse leads to abandonment of culture and politics
Amillenialists - theology of two kingdoms causes a dichotomy between politics and religion
Postmillenialists - expectation of societal improvement through Christian influence drives engagement

This summary has some historical validity and makes postmillenialism appear quite attractive to the Christian who recognizes Christ's lordship over every area of life and culture, but we should note that these resulting approaches are not necessary results of the eschatology. Nor is societal engagement the exclusive domain of postmillenialism. Advocates of that view may insist that the pessimism of the alternate decimates hope and destroys engagement, but this is simplistic. I can expect things to get worse futuristically and globally and still hope to affect my sphere of influence temporally and locally - which is the call of love. A Red Cross worker may realize that most of the earthquake survivors they are tending will die, yet desire to save as many as possible and lessen the pain of the rest. At the end of the day, the optimism of postmillenialism has a hard time dealing fairly with Scriptures' warnings about these last days in which we live:

(2 Ti 3:1) “...in the last days there will come times of difficulty."
(2 Ti 3:12-13) “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
(Mt 24:4-14) "[anti-Christs], [wars], [famines], [earthquakes]...all these are but the beginning of the birth pains...and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake...and because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold."
(Revelation) - see whole book

In light of these and other similar passages, it seems reasonable to interpret parables like Mt 13:31-33, not as suggesting the world will improve because of Christendom, but encouraging us that the kingdom of heaven will expand to have a global effect.

WHY DO WE CARE? Good question. I think there's a couple reasons:

Because we think Jesus and Paul very consciously prepared their disciples to suffer. We know from experience the difference between engaging a difficulty you've mentally prepared for and being blindsided by pain. My five year old, Simon, isn't huge, and can hit me as hard as he wants when I've got my abs ready, but if he sucker punches me, I'm gonna buckle.
Because we care about social engagement. Long-term, I believe things are going from bad to worse, but I believe there is much we can do in the present to love and serve our neighbors, to guard the innocent, and to glorify God through the enjoyment of culture in this present age. If our social engagement is fueled by a postmillenial hope, I fear the inevitable demise of that hope will mean the faltering of our engagement.
Because we are at a constant risk of letting good things displace the gospel. Political action and cultural engagement are good things, but they are secondary things.

My Other Blog

2010-01-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

FYI - This blog is about stuff I really love. I will occasionally post about things related to my job selling True refrigeration and other restaurant equipment at my other blog, Sunny Side Up.

The Creation, Fall, and Redemption of Marriage

2010-01-21T09:48:00.000-08:00

God has been blessing Athena and I in so many ways! Recently, I was asked to co-teach a marriage SS class at our church. We had a great turnout the last 2 wks. and some active participation.

This past Sunday, the focus was on understanding marriage in the context of Creation, Fall, and Redemption/New Creation. Creation teaches us that marriage is good. The fall introduces the reality that marriage is hard. Redemption and New Creation not only restore the goodness of marriage, but they transform our marriages into an opportunity for grace to shine.

Put another way, creation teaches me that, because my wife is the image of God, she has a dignity that should inspire wonder and gratitude as I enjoy and serve her. The fall reminds me that, because my wife is a fallen sinner, she has a tendency toward sin and weakness that should make me unsurprised when she fails or hurts me, quick to extend grace, and on guard for her soul. Redemption introduces the truth that my wife is a new creation and has new spiritual life, power, and insight that should encourage hope for the future and grace in the present.

Closely related, I have been reading "Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace" by Gary and Betsy Ricucci and it rocks!

Keller - The Advent of Humility

2009-01-22T18:08:00.000-08:00

Tim Keller offers some very helpful thoughts on humility in this Christianity Today article, "The Advent of Humility" The below clips are my highlights, but the whole article is recommendable.

ON THE SUBTLETY OF PRIDE AND ELUSIVENESS OF HUMILITY:

We are on slippery ground because humility cannot be attained directly. Once we become aware of the poison of pride, we begin to notice it all around us...And we vow not to be like that. If we then notice "a humble turn of mind" in ourselves, we immediately become smug—but that is pride in our humility. If we catch ourselves doing that we will be particularly impressed with how nuanced and subtle we have become. Humility is so shy. If you begin talking about it, it leaves. To even ask the question, "Am I humble?" is to not be so. Examining your own heart, even for pride, often leads to being proud about your diligence and circumspection.

Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less, as C. S. Lewis so memorably said. It is to be no longer always noticing yourself and how you are doing and how you are being treated. It is "blessed self-forgetfulness."

ON LAUGHING AT YOURSELF:

The gospel, however, creates a gentle sense of irony. We find a lot to laugh at, starting with our own weaknesses. They don't threaten us anymore because our ultimate worth is not based on our record or performance.

McLaren's Gospel (?)

2008-09-22T05:52:00.000-07:00

Michael Krahn has a note from the Emergent "Why Everything Must Change" conference this past weekend. Answering the question, "What is the good news?", Brian McLaren responded [in full],

“I think this is where it gets interesting because one of the ways that what we do becomes colonization, when we’re going to represent a religion and trying to make converts to a religion… but the good news isn’t the good news of Christianity, it’s the good news of the Kingdom of God. And I think that Fatmire [Muslim peace activist also present at conference and sitting next to him on the panel] working for peace, is an agent for peace, and I’d much rather her be working for peace being who she is than… becoming a person in a church worrying about the list over there on that wall. [on “the list” are things non-essentials like speaking in tongues, etc.)
So, to me there’s something we really have to grapple with about whether the border of a religion is the border of the kingdom of God. And I think that’s a question we’d be wise to raise. I liked what you said about there not being despair when you’re among the extremely needy people. Wouldn’t it be interesting if we found out that God is present wherever there’s suffering because God is there bringing healing and God is really present wherever people are working against injustice because that’s the work of God, wherever people are working for peace. And then the we find that the place that God isn’t is where you have a bunch of affluent people who are self-absorbed… and that wouldn’t surprise me why they would get depressed, because, in some way, it’s not that God isn’t present but they’re snoring through the presence of God.”

I understand the problems many in the emerging church have with "Christendom." Many churches and individuals fly the colors of Christianity who are not worthy of the name; however, to allow a disjunction between Christianity and the Kingdom of God and fail to clarify the exclusive claims of the gospel is an inexcusable slip at best and abandonment of the gospel at worst. God is present where there's suffering and injustice, working to bring peace and comfort, but the kingdom of God is not definitively displayed in God's work. It's displayed in his Son. The people of Israel experienced the amazing work of God, and they dropped dead in the desert. The 5,000 experienced a "kingdom meal" with Jesus, and many rejected him when his theology started to cut. Ten lepers were healed in Lk 17. Only one came back to Jesus.

2008-09-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

Borrowed from Tom Ascol, here are some large excerpts from a letter by John Newton to a friend preparing to engage in a public theological controversy:

Dear Friend,

As you are likely to be engaged in controversy, and your love of truth is joined with a natural warmth of temper, my friendship makes me solicitous on your behalf. You are of the strongest side; for truth is great, and must prevail; so that a person of abilities inferior to yours might take the field with a confidence of victory. I am not therefore anxious for the event of the battle; but I would have you more than a conqueror, and to triumph, not only over your adversary, but over yourself....For method's sake, I may reduce my advice to three heads, respecting your opponent, the public, and yourself.

CONSIDER YOUR OPPONENT

...If you account him a believer, though greatly mistaken in the subject of debate between you,... "Deal gently with him for my sake." The Lord loves him and bears with him; therefore you must not despise him, or treat him harshly...In a little while you will meet in heaven; he will then be dearer to you than the nearest friend you have upon earth is to you now.

...But if you look upon him as an unconverted person, in a state of enmity against God and his grace, ... he is a more proper object of your compassion than of your anger. Alas! "He knows not what he does." But you know who has made you to differ. If God, in his sovereign pleasure, had so appointed, you might have been as he is now; and he, instead of you, might have been set for the defense of the gospel. You were both equally blind by nature. If you attend to this, you will not reproach or hate him, because the Lord has been pleased to open your eyes, and not his.

CONSIDER THE PUBLIC

First, such as differ from you in principle... Though you have your eye upon one person chiefly, there are many like-minded with him; and the same reasoning will hold, whether as to one or to a million.

There will be likewise many who pay too little regard to religion. ...These are very incompetent judges of doctrine; but they can form a tolerable judgment of a writer's spirit. They know that meekness, humility, and love are the characteristics of a Christian temper; ...They are quick-sighted to discern when we deviate from such a spirit, and avail themselves of it to justify their contempt of our arguments. ...If our zeal is embittered by expressions of anger, invective, or scorn, we may think we are doing service of the cause of truth, when in reality we shall only bring it into discredit. The weapons of our warfare, and which alone are powerful to break down the strongholds of error, are not carnal, but spiritual; arguments fairly drawn from Scripture and experience, and enforced by such a mild address, as may persuade our readers, that, whether we can convince them or not, we wish well to their souls, and contend only for the truth's sake; if we can satisfy them that we act upon these motives, our point is half gained; they will be more disposed to consider calmly what we offer; and if they should still dissent from our opinions, they will be constrained to approve our intentions.

[those who agree with you] ...Self-righteousness can feed upon doctrines as well as upon works; ...Controversies, for the most part, are so managed as to indulge rather than to repress his wrong disposition; and therefore, generally speaking, they are productive of little good. They provoke those whom they should convince, and puff up those whom they should edify.

CONSIDER YOURSELF

...And yet we find but very few writers of controversy who have not been manifestly hurt by it. Either they grow in a sense of their own importance, or imbibe an angry, contentious spirit, or they insensibly withdraw their attention from those things which are the food and immediate support of the life of faith, and spend their time and strength upon matters which are at most but of a secondary value. This shows, that if the service is honorable, it is dangerous. What will it profit a man if he gains his cause and silences his adversary, if at the same time he loses that humble, tender frame of spirit in which the Lord delights, and to which the promise of his presence is made?

Be upon your guard against admitting anything personal into the debate. If you think you have been ill treated, you will have an opportunity of showing that you are a disciple of Jesus, who "when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not." This is our pattern, thus we are to speak and write for God, "not rendering railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; knowing that hereunto we are called." The wisdom that is from above is not only pure, but peaceable and gentle; and the want of these qualifications, like the dead fly in the pot of ointment, will spoil the savor and efficacy of our labors.

If we act in a wrong spirit, we shall bring little glory to God, do little good to our fellow creatures, and procure neither honor nor comfort to ourselves. If you can be content with showing your wit, and gaining the laugh on your side, you have an easy task; but I hope you have a far nobler aim, and that, sensible of the solemn importance of gospel truths, and the compassion due to the souls of men, you would rather be a means of removing prejudices in a single instance, than obtain the empty applause of thousands.