tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55420345268639838412024-03-13T07:01:16.326-07:00Kingdom ComeJoshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-49516674553972646222020-10-04T11:33:00.006-07:002020-10-04T14:57:41.609-07:00Way of the Cross<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFZwAgix_Go/X3pEl8ZE-LI/AAAAAAAABmk/VE4kdFhVZQsGnVKovmVEXnTn5wJrAjAVACLcBGAsYHQ/s3800/34D96520-16CD-4975-982B-CFE690F98110.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="3800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFZwAgix_Go/X3pEl8ZE-LI/AAAAAAAABmk/VE4kdFhVZQsGnVKovmVEXnTn5wJrAjAVACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/34D96520-16CD-4975-982B-CFE690F98110.jpeg"/></a></div>
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The way of Jesus is not only fiercely nonviolent, it’s also intrinsically non-retaliatory. In Christ, we are introduced to the God who comes and dies for his enemies, the God who absorbs the evil of his adversaries and neutralizes it within his own broken body. This radical, sacrificial love of God in Christ is the power of God unto salvation. It is the mechanism by which he recreates the world. To “believe in Jesus” is to love the cross-bearing God revealed in Christ and to trust in his counterintuitive redemptive process. We can’t even be a part of what he’s doing until we lay down the sword and follow him in taking up our cross.
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<br>Such in odd thing, in light of Christ’s teaching, that many American Christians have come to believe we can bear the cross and the sword together. As a result, we are preoccupied with our “rights” to use violence to protect what’s ours, we justify our greed, fear those who threaten our position of power and privilege, succumb to politics that validate and incite our grievances, frantically grasp for more imperial power, and gleefully relish the tears and “owning” of our ideological and tribal adversaries. I’m increasingly convinced that this fundamental misunderstanding of the mechanics of the cross—which is the confounding power of God—accounts for much of what has gone wrong within American evangelicalism. We have claimed allegiance to the cross and the kingdom while brazenly trusting in the instruments of the empire.
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<br>When we take up the sword, our actions shouldn’t merely be seen in terms of our disobedience to Christ’s clear commands (though they are that). Our reliance on the sword is nothing short of our failure to <i>believe</i> in the mechanism of the cross. The sword is not mildly incompatible with the cross; it is its opposite, and its use represents the outright and complete rejection of the cross and our crucified King.Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-90703307492540263152019-02-27T18:03:00.000-08:002019-03-01T17:28:03.504-08:00Not a Racist!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">More
than a few accusations of “racism” have been hurled at the
president and his supporters. Even clothing items bearing the MAGA
brand such as campaign t-shirts or the signature red cap have become
super-charged with racial tension. Those in favor of the MAGA
movement have consistently expressed disbelief and anger at how their
commitment to racial equality is being questioned solely based on
their political affiliations. Let’s be honest, insinuating that
someone or a whole group is “racist” probably amounts to the
worst sort of insult known to modern society. Even notorious white
supremacists like Richard Spencer are reluctant to claim the dubious
title of “racist.” It seems we’ve done a thorough job of
rebuking “racism” (as an abstraction, anyway), but perhaps we
haven’t done as thorough a job of defining it. If by “racist”
we mean individuals who have conscious malice in their hearts toward
other racial groups, then I’d agree with the sentiment that “not
all of the president’s supporters are racist.” However, racism is
not confined to aiming a fire-hose at a peaceful protester, turning
an attack dog loose, or pouring a drink on someone’s head as they
sit at a “whites only” lunch counter. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Racism”
is better understood as systems of power that work in favor of one
racial group and/or against another. And while racial bias and even
deep seated prejudice can be found in individuals of all sorts and
shades, it's only the majority culture—white America in this
case—that has the necessary collective power (in both numbers and
influence) to manifest the far more harmful expressions of societal
racism.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
president has consistently marketed himself as the best means to
combat the hordes of “invading” brown people (whether they’re
coming across our southern border, hail from Muslim majority
countries—Muslim majority countries with which we don’t have
strong economic ties, anyway—are already here as “Kenyan-born
globalists” who have “illegitimately” held the highest public
office, or are among the numerous “ungrateful” black athletes who
don’t appreciate what white America has “given” them). He
regularly promotes “dangerous brown man” tropes when he refers to
undocumented Mexican immigrants as “rapists and murderers,”
demonizes Middle Eastern refugees (while ignoring the fact that
white, natural-born citizens are statistically a greater terror
threat to the US public), or highlights anecdotal examples of
criminal behavior carried out by immigrants (despite the data
indicating that natural-born citizens commit crimes at higher rates
than immigrants, documented or otherwise). Advancing the “dangerous
brown man” narrative yields tremendous political utility, and it
also does great harm to our brothers and sisters of color. It’s not
that the president is simply a racist politician (I’m sure we have
plenty of those on either side of the aisle); it’s that overt
racism is at the core of his political message.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
societal scapegoat mechanism nestled within the “dangerous brown
man” narrative is as old as the fall. Jesus willingly subjected
himself to this twisted system as part of God's plan for him to be
the final Scapegoat, and in so doing exposed the dark powers and
their perverse methods to public shame. The scapegoat mechanism at
the heart of racist systems has been judged on the cross and overcome
by the reconciling love of God. The resurrected Christ, as the new
human, is creating a new humanity in himself that will be fully
submitted to his Father and suited for the new creation. When Christ-followers abandon the good news
of God's better kingdom and return to a racist, scapegoat narrative
it is not only perverse, it is nothing short of anti-Christ. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No
doubt many of the president's supporters are conscious of his racist
message, while others—perhaps most of them—are merely complicit.
Should it be any consolation to our brothers and sisters of color,
though, to hear that many of their white friends and neighbors are
“not racist” but just too unconcerned with their well-being to
recognize and resist racist propaganda? Does it improve the situation
for them to know that we “don't approve” of racism, but it's not
exactly a deal-breaker either? Does our ignorance about how racism
actually works absolve us of our racism (especially considering that
our brothers and sisters of color have been shouting it to us at the
top of their lungs for generations now)? Does our “noble cause”
(appointment of conservative, pro-life Supreme Court Justices,
protection of religious liberties, etc.) justify the racist means by
which we have attained power?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
we've bought into the president's “dangerous brown man”
narrative—a narrative that is not only factually untrue, it's an
offense against the Imago Dei—then we've empowered racism in
America. If we've merely tolerated the president's narrative in
support of his candidacy, then we've likewise actively given power
to racism. If we've hidden behind an insufficient definition of
racism, one which only describes individual conscious prejudice, then
we've ignored and therefore empowered the widespread observable
inequities of systemic societal racism. It should be noted, I think,
that it's this inadequate yet popular definition of racism that
sustains numerous white delusions regarding race and America. One of
which is that it's impossible to be both “racist” and also
happily working, recreating, and worshiping with people of color.
It's an unfortunate truth, however, that we can be both pleasantly
disposed toward individuals of a racial group and at the same time
actively harming them by way of our “politics” and shared
societal perceptions. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm
fully aware that calling the president's supporters—including
several of my friends and family—“racist” is considered by many
to be inflammatory and unkind. And I should make clear that I’m not
suggesting that jumping on the MAGA train is the only way to actively
or passively empower racism (the various permutations of the
“dangerous brown man” narrative certainly predate the president,
and they will almost certainly outlive him). Reducing “racism”
exclusively to pouring a drink on someone’s head or wearing a red
MAGA cap is to avoid the more complex and implicating questions of
how racialized systems of power form and manifest throughout our
society. At the end of the day, it's tragic that we're more upset by
<i>accusations</i> of “racism” than we are by <i>actual</i>
racism. We're more concerned with exonerating ourselves than
acknowledging and addressing our contributions to unjust and racist
systems of power. And is it a surprise to any of us that it's always
the powerful and the privileged—the folks for whom the system
works—who insist that we hold our tongues, that we avoid
“divisiveness” in order to “keep the peace?” It's with such
sensitivity, over-the-top politeness, and measured diplomacy that we
regularly handle our fragile white brothers and sisters. But what of
our brothers and sisters of color? What of their feelings? And what
of their Maker? Do we also consider how <i>they</i> will be offended
by our “polite” silence?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’m
not writing this for those who are already set against the president
and his supporters. For many of them it would only serve as a hearty
source of self-gratification, further smug confirmation that the
monsters all reside on the other side of the aisle (after all, hashtags and virtue
signaling are more about announcing that “I am not a racist” than
actually addressing racism in any meaningful way). Likewise, I
wouldn’t waste my time on the committed MAGA disciple who would
zealously stay the course even after being rebuked by Jesus himself
in a road-to-Damascus type encounter. It’s the people of “genuine
good will” that Dr. King identified in his letter from a Birmingham
jail that I’m addressing. Those who seek God’s kingdom and would
genuinely want to know if they were mistaken. Peter, friend of Jesus, was once cowed by a racially prejudiced majority into compromising the gospel. In response, Paul "opposed him to his face" in a public setting. I take no pleasure in
pointing out our racism, but it has to be done. There's no way out
until we name it, no future wholeness without genuine repentance, and
no hope for reconciliation without justice. Shame on the numerous
shepherds who in an effort to spare their white parishioners’
feelings fail to clearly and publicly identify the racism at the core
of the MAGA movement. Their cowardice on this topic is helpful to no
one (least of all themselves). The “to each his own” approach to
politics within the church, as if politics are morally neutral, is
reckless and wrong. As is the tunnel vision of party-driven
theology. We mustn’t see the three-fifths compromise, state
sanctioned genocide of westward expansion and manifest destiny, legal
wholesale murder of the unborn, the corporate destruction of God’s
good creation for economic gain, or the dehumanization of an “other”
to catalyze a political base as merely “politics.” To quote the prophet Bonhoeffer, "God will not hold us guiltless."</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He
(or she) who has ears to hear, let them hear.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>An
open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend
are better than many kisses from an enemy.” - Proverbs 27:5-6</i></span></span></div>
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</span>Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-53113082378668378932017-12-29T17:25:00.001-08:002018-01-21T00:12:06.453-08:00Taking Back His Rebel World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In many
Christian circles, we've reduced the gospel to a simple pitch about
the afterlife. Saving souls (i.e. trading hell for heaven upon one's
death) is often seen as God's primary objective—the meat of the
gospel, so to speak. Consequently, signing people up for the sweet
hereafter becomes our exclusive agenda (with everything else seen as
either a distraction or an optional add-on). Jesus’ version of the
gospel, however, had a noticeably different focus than our popular
afterlife-insurance spiel. Jesus, for example, was preoccupied with
announcing the coming of God’s subversive counter kingdom (arriving
off the grid and under the noses of the present powers it was
undermining, like yeast spreading through dough or a germinated seed
slowly growing into a mighty tree). He invited his followers to
experience this radical kingdom-life <i>today</i> as we’re reborn
into him and subsequently transformed from enemies into agents of his
sweeping new creation project. He described a new humanity and a new
world that is even now crashing into and supplanting the old by way
of his incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and eminent
return. In God’s kingdom, the hungry, forgotten, and
marginalized—the “last”—are given priority and the “first,”
the powerful and privileged, are sent away empty handed. Jesus’
story crescendos with his physical return, the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">resurrection</a> of the
dead (and the end of death), his final confrontation of evil, a
restored creation, and the total reunification of heaven and earth in
himself, through the power of his Spirit and to the glory of his
Father. Far from an evacuation to heaven, the gospel is more
accurately describing the invasion and “colonization,” as N.T.
Wright would say, of earth <i>by</i> heaven (a proposition that is
either wonderful or terrifying—maybe both at the same
time—depending on one's perception of the King and attachment to
the present system that he means to overthrow). In short, God is now
taking back his rebel world through the person and work of Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">God, as
the Creator, has exclusive rights to his creation. In Genesis we read
how <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">God created humans in his image</a> and assigned them the task of
tending to his creation as his administrators. The <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2017/03/made-for-worship.html">original human vocation</a>, then, is to reflect the goodness of God to creation and to
lead creation in worship of the Creator. It should be noted, however,
that despite humanity's extensive, delegated authority over creation,
Scripture is always clear that humans are tenants and not owners.
When his vast and finely-tuned temple is operating correctly it
harmoniously tells a true story about the One who made it. The
resulting music is spectacular for everyone involved. But what
happens when the middle management refuses to play their part? What
damage is done if the conductors won't lead the orchestra to perform
the symphony as the Composer has written? </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Jesus
once told a story about some presumptuous tenants who thought they
could deny their landlord access to his own vineyard (the specific
context of this story is relating to 1st Century Jewish leaders, but
there are intended parallels throughout the biblical narrative
between the Israelites/Canaan and humanity/creation). The tenants
behaved as if the vineyard was their own, managed it as they saw fit,
tried to keep the harvest for themselves, and ultimately murdered the
owner's only heir in their attempts to retain power. It didn't go
well for them in the end. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Seeing
ourselves rightly as created beings who are indebted to our Creator
is an important first step in recognizing the severity of our
collective offense. If we wrongly conclude that God has created us
with no particular purpose in mind, we may assume that we're free to
do whatever we want so long as we're generally nice, decent
creatures. Judging whether or not we've been successful at this
ambiguous endeavor is itself an extremely subjective task (leading
many to falsely conclude they are basically “good people”). We'll
undoubtedly have differing ideas, for example, about what is or isn't
nice and decent human behavior. If, however, we rightly understand
that God has made us to be something like a mirror, to reflect his
beauty, his justice, and his mercy, then the question isn't whether
or not I'm being the best <i>me</i> that I can be. All of <i>our</i>
opinions at this point are irrelevant. The real question is whether
or not I'm accurately reflecting a <i>specific person</i>, namely my
Creator, as he intends (It should be noted here that billions of
finite image-bearers could potentially reflect an infinite Creator,
with no two of them being the same, and yet the cumulative sum
wouldn't even come close to fully describing him). He alone is qualified to determine my success at this. If it turns out
I'm not accurately reflecting him (perhaps, like a shattered mirror,
I'm no longer even capable of accurately reflecting him) then I'm
essentially lying about him by way of the distorted image my life is
projecting. Even worse, all of humanity (a tragic collection of
broken mirrors that only produce more broken mirrors) is systemically
and perpetually misrepresenting the Creator to each other, the rest
of creation, and—most importantly—to the Creator himself. Whether
we realize it or not, the exploitative and materialistic ways in
which we typically view and abuse our fellow image-bearers and the
rest of what God has made is nothing short of blasphemy. And the
resulting dissonant music, if we can even call it that, is ravaging
his creation. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">At this
point in the story, God has a decision to make (a decision he
mysteriously settled in his own mind before even creating). Will he
wipe the board clean and begin again (it seems creating is a simple
thing for him, after all), or will he undergo the long and painful
process of repairing and reinstating the undeserving rebels and
undoing the damage they've caused to his creation? (It should be
noted that simply ignoring the hell his wayward image-bearers have
birthed was never an option for the Creator, as he is intrinsically
incapable of apathy). His restrained approach to human rebellion,
however, speaks volumes about how he views and wields the infinite
power at his disposal. He hasn't abandoned the creation he dearly
loves to its usurpers; he has subjected it (as an act of his
permissive will) to bondage “in hope” (Romans chapter 8). </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
Creator has a unique knot to untangle if he wants to have his
creation restored to him as the temple it was meant to be. As already
mentioned, an essential component of his interconnected design calls
for humans to be willing participants, submitted to his sheet music
as an act of their own volition, functioning as conduits of his grace
and administrative justice (this willing submission to God by humans
is the essence of his kingdom). This delegation of his power is
certainly not out of necessity. He could easily conduct his
composition himself, play all of the individual instruments, and so
on, but this clearly isn't what he's after. The specific structuring
of his orchestra, including the vital role assigned to its human
conductors, has as much to say about the generous Composer as the
actual symphony it was all meant to perform. Jesus, the servant King,
once contrasted God's shockingly reserved methodology with typical
human rulers' heavy handedness (as seen in our predictable tendency
to lord it over each other). Human rulers have historically used
violence or propaganda to coerce or manipulate their subjects into
submission. But this simply won't produce the sort of kingdom that
the Creator is after. He naturally won't bypass or extinguish human
volition in his efforts to restore it. The kind of submission he's
after can never come as the result of brute force or deception. But
how does one convince one's enemies, pitiful creatures who are now
inherently rebellious, to willingly, without coercion, submit once
again to their rightful King? The complexity of the Creator's dilemma
can hardly be overstated, but fortunately for us his ingenuity is
boundless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">If human
rebellion is the epicenter of creation's trouble, then the remedy can
only come as the result of a humanity back on track, reflecting God's
glory, and tending to his temple as the priests we were created to
be. Here in lies the problem. Every one of us, according to
Scripture, has become disqualified. There's an incredible scene in
Revelation chapter 5, involving an important, symbolic scroll that
sat unopened. An angel shouted out, “'who is worthy to open the
scroll and break its seal?' And no one in heaven or on earth or under
the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it.” John,
the author of Revelation, at this point broke down and wept
uncontrollably over the hopelessness surrounding this unopened
scroll. It seemed as though the original human vocation would
tragically go unclaimed and unfulfilled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What
John witnessed next in Revelation 5 parallels the incredible Daniel 7
prophecy, in which a mysterious human character (a “son of man”)
ascends to heaven, walks boldly into the throne room of the “Ancient
of Days,” and is “given dominion (see Genesis 1:28) and glory and
a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” John sees this
same epic “son of man” moment in his vision, when the despair
surrounding the unopened scroll is suddenly shattered with the
arrival of the “Lion” who is also a “slain Lamb.” Pin-drop
silence falls over the crowd as this mysterious figure emerges. This
somehow worthy human walks right up to “him who was seated on the
throne” and claims the scroll on our behalf. The onlookers erupt
into song, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its
seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for
God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have
made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on
the earth.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">His
solution to the human dilemma is elegant and unexpected. Ironically,
God himself, as an authentic human, fulfilled the original human
vocation, and, by doing so, he is reclaiming all that was lost. The
only begotten Son, the eternal Word of God, who spoke the universe
into existence, became the human we were all meant to be, the true
“image of the invisible God.” As the Creator, God's authority
over his creation and subsequent rights to it are uncontested. But in
the incarnation, God reclaims, on our behalf, a uniquely human
authority. Suppose for a minute that the person who invented American
football also established and presided over the National Football
League, built all the stadiums, owned all the teams, and held
lifelong contracts with every player. Despite this person's vast
authority over the sport they created and maintain, they would still
need to take to the field as an athlete if their intention was to
fairly win the league's most valuable player award. And that's
exactly what he did. God took to the field in the form of a 1st
Century, penniless, Galilean from backwoods Nazareth, and he conquered
the world without firing a shot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
unique mission of the Christ could only be fulfilled by a human
character (that he was also by necessity God, on account of universal
human failing, is a fantastic twist in the story but not the main
point of this chapter—as we often make it). In other words, Jesus
wasn't just pretending to be human in the incarnation; <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">he was human</a>
(John claims that denying this fact is “antichrist” - 2 John
1:7). And though his divinity is firmly established in Scripture,
proving it wasn't the drum Jesus was beating during his earthly
ministry (You might remember that “son of man” was his favorite
term for himself). He silenced demonic beings who recognized who he
really was, and he frequently made it clear that he didn't speak or
act on his own authority (Philippians chapter 2 describes his
behavior in the incarnation as a humble emptying of himself in order
to faithfully fulfill his mission). He operated with borrowed
authority, given to him by God, authority reserved for an untarnished
human, the promised King, God's chosen representative, on whom his
divine favor rests (The term “Messiah/Christ” sums this up
nicely). The call to accept Jesus as God's chosen human
representative, the exclusive conduit through which his grace would
flow, and the means by which he would reclaim his rebel world is what
we see primarily promoted in Scripture (John 5:37-38, 6:29, Acts
4:10-12). Jesus lived his life as a perfect image-bearer, fully
relying on the Holy Spirit, and in complete submission to his Father
(he “learned obedience” on our behalf - Hebrews 5). Receiving
Jesus as the Christ is equated with submitting to God's plan for
humanity. If we miss this, if we instead see Jesus as something of a
superman, then we miss the point of the incarnation (As an
untarnished human, he was a superman of sorts, but not the way we
often think). Don't misunderstand me; defending the deity of Christ
is an important task from which the Church should never shrink back.
But in doing so, we must also realize that there's much more going on
in the incarnation than simply, “surprise—Jesus is God.” The
man Jesus isn't meant to be seen as a perpetual singularity but the
extraordinary means by which God is producing many more sons and
daughters of a similar kind (Hebrews 2:9-18). We've unfortunately
allowed the heretics to define the parameters of this conversation
(especially the misguided ideological descendants of Arius). As a
result, we're spending so much energy defending Jesus' divinity that
we're left with little time to recognize and accurately describe the
implications of his humanity. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Just as
the first Adam's rebellion infected all of humanity, so the second
Adam's obedience makes him patient zero for a new pandemic, what C.S.
Lewis calls the “good infection.” Jesus is something of a Trojan
horse, in this way, an unassuming Antidote for the human condition.
He is the first of many Spirit-filled and fully submitted humans, the
King and the kingdom rolled into one, the person where heaven and
earth intersect, and the divine image-bearer who sacrificially
resolves the human conflict with God in his own broken body. He
alone, through restored conductors, will direct the orchestra to
properly perform the Composer's magnum opus. Jesus is the prototype
for a restored humanity and the catalyst for the new creation. He is
the invasion we never saw coming. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Of
course not everyone is celebrating Jesus' enthronement. There are
plenty of people who don't want God to reclaim his rebel world
(plenty of tenants who think they are owners). God is patient, but he
won't wait forever. His rescue plan will go forward as scheduled
(It's his universe, after all). When Jesus returns, he will
personally confront those who resist his legitimate authority, those
who love their rebellion more than their coming King. Participation
in God's kingdom as citizen sons is voluntary, however, and all those
who foolishly opt out of God's new creation project will eventually
have their decision ratified for all eternity. God values and even
honors human volition, but he won't allow these dissenters to wreak
havoc in his new creation. Sin spreads like cancer. The only perfect
human, he who was obedient to God unto death—even death on a
cross—will stand in judgment of their defiance. He will banish them
from God's restored universe. “There are only two kinds of people
in the end,” says Lewis, “those who say to God, 'Thy will be
done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'”
Their subsequent existence, forever separated from the Author of
Life, is described in Scripture as a “second death.” Jesus,
himself, compares this <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/11/p-margin-bottom-0.html">eternal quarantine</a> to being locked out of the
city, thrown on a burning heap of decaying filth, or set adrift in a
lake of perpetual fire. He passionately warns whoever will listen
that this tragic fate is to be avoided at all costs. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">However,
forgiveness of sins is never an end in itself. The popular afterlife
pitch frequently divorces Jesus' debt-canceling work on the cross
from God's ultimate purpose of restoring the original human vocation.
In a truncated gospel, the “why?” behind the cross is often
answered with, “...so we can go to heaven after we die.” While
it's certainly true that God knows and loves each and every one of us
(and his ambitious new creation project naturally involves our
individual repentance and willing submission to his Christ), it's a
mistake to view our “personal salvation” apart from the good news
of God's kingdom (Even Jesus' well known conversation with Nicodemus,
in which he articulates an individual's desperate need to become
“born again,” takes place within the context of his larger
kingdom message – John 3:3). Ultimately, we're made clean as a
prerequisite for service. Our great offense is mercifully removed on
the cross <i>so that</i> we're finally able to get back to that for
which we were originally created. Scripture frequently ties
forgiveness of sins to reinstatement in God's service (Titus 2:11-14,
Ephesians 2:8-10, Hebrews 9:14). God's reason for releasing Abraham's descendants from the bondage of Egypt, for example, was so they would
be free to “serve” him (Exodus 4:22-23). Keep in mind, it's
exceedingly good to be in his service. He means to make us kings and
queens. Ultimately, a heart of stone has no interest in fulfilling
the original human vocation (which is why the strictly
punishment-avoidance-pitch is very popular), but a restored heart of
flesh leaps with indescribable gratitude at the opportunity to be
reinstated as a priest in God's temple. Many of our notions of
heaven, salvation, and God's endgame need to be rethought in light of
Jesus' kingdom message. </span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">When we
lose sight of the larger narrative, we'll often view sanctification
(i.e. becoming like Jesus) as an add-on to the gospel instead of the
point of it all. Growing into the image of Christ isn't merely a
private endeavor that we undertake for our own personal edification
(i.e. approaching the fruit of the Spirit as a self-help buffet that
promises to unlock our best life now). Our personal transformation is
an integral part of his wide-scale terraforming project. He's making
ready a now-inhospitable environment for his glorious, unveiled
presence. He's bringing all things under the lordship of Jesus, and
incrementally answering the Lord's Prayer for heaven to be reunited
with earth. As we submit to the indwelling Spirit of Christ, we
become kingdom-pockets of heaven on earth. There are still many areas
of his world—many corners of our own hearts—that haven't yet
fully submitted to his reign. There's much work to be done, but
fortunately his kingdom will continually increase (Isaiah 9:7). Jesus
claims he is “making all things new.” If we truly are “new
creations” in Christ, then we should see the obvious continuity
between what he is now doing in us and the final restoration of all
things at the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-eschaton.html">eschaton</a> (described most vividly in Revelation chapters
21 and 22).</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I know a
brother-in-Christ who ministers in his hometown of Machilipatnam,
India. He's used mightily by God to clothe the naked and feed the
hungry, to sometimes rescue women and children from sex-trafficking
rings run by murderous gangsters. I've heard stories of children sold
into prostitution for a bag of rice, whole families that have laid
down together on train tracks in a time of total desperation. Some of
the children have witnessed their own father savagely murder their
mother before their eyes, while others have been intentionally maimed
by organized crime syndicates that use them as professional beggars
(little ones that have seen evil so cruel they're still unable to
even speak it). To anyone paying attention, the world is still
obviously full of profound brokenness. And yet the darkness is
passing away (1 John 2:8). One of my sister-in-laws works as an
advocate for victims of human trafficking. She could tell you that in
virtually every city across the US there are image-bearers of God
being exploited by other image-bearers in numerous, horrific and
dehumanizing ways (some of whom you and I have almost definitely met
in passing without even knowing). And yet the Light has come. Even
among our own communities and churches, those who are being
transformed into the image of Christ, ministers of the gospel, our
friends and family, may succumb to hidden <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/good-news-for-gender-confused-and.html">sexual sin</a>, vile hypocrisy,
corruption, greed, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/why-i-now-believe-gospel-compels-church.html">racism</a>, addictions, emotional and physical
abuse... and yet... a new <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">D</span>ay is dawning. As I look within, I've felt
at times defeated and ashamed at what my own mouth has said, the lies
my <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">sin-stricken heart</a> has believed, and the evil my hands have done.
But we mustn't lose heart; our King is on the move. “For he has
rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son he loves” (Colossians 1:13). </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">It takes
faith to believe that God, even now in the midst of our broken world,
is actively bringing all things under the lordship of King Jesus.
Likewise, it takes faith to trust Jesus when he assures us that “all
authority in heaven and on earth” <i>has been</i> given to him. And
it takes faith to know that when his massive restoration project is
complete—a rebel world returned to its Creator—he'll one day
present the kingdom to his proud Father. The Creator will then dwell
among us on a restored earth. We'll see his face, he'll be our God,
and we'll be his people. This is his incredible endgame. This is the
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/saving-story.html">story the Bible is telling</a>. And it's into this exciting endeavor that
he's inviting “whosoever” to join him.
</span>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>For
the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be
revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its
own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that
the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and
brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know
that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of
childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we
ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as
we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our
bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” - Romans 8:19-24<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">a</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>“</i></span>To
him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has
made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to
him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” - Revelation
1:5b-6</i></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><br />
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>Then
the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father
after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must
reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy
to be destroyed is death.” - 1 Corinthians 15:24-26</i></span></i></span></div>
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<br />Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-11505651099507611302017-11-23T08:54:00.000-08:002017-11-23T09:03:18.724-08:00Great Commission (Remixed)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CorDJZ3f0s8/Whb7UJVaBKI/AAAAAAAABR4/ScQMC3W8jss5QMZzK2jiKMh_5m6dmLRWQCLcBGAs/s1600/GreatCommission.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="1600" height="73" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CorDJZ3f0s8/Whb7UJVaBKI/AAAAAAAABR4/ScQMC3W8jss5QMZzK2jiKMh_5m6dmLRWQCLcBGAs/s400/GreatCommission.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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"All authority in heaven and on earth
<i>will be</i> given to me at some future millennial kingdom.
Nevertheless, go (two-week, short term trips ought to do it) and make
converts of all nations (mostly just the ones who look and think like
you), teaching them to raise their hands (with all heads bowed and
all eyes closed, of course), recite the sinner's prayer, and assuring
them of their super-awesome afterlife. And surely I am with you
always as you hunker down, buy a bunch of crap, form dubious
political alliances, ignore injustices against your fellow
image-bearers, and wait for the rapture."</div>
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- Said Jesus never<br />
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-69515188001689719132017-10-22T14:37:00.000-07:002017-10-22T14:37:58.872-07:00Ears to Hear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hbCCuT2-0w8/We0KU9axQNI/AAAAAAAABRU/cyq0eL2nNxks5mIqPOxj7DemsbnyvQ0KgCLcBGAs/s1600/EarsToHear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="1600" height="72" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hbCCuT2-0w8/We0KU9axQNI/AAAAAAAABRU/cyq0eL2nNxks5mIqPOxj7DemsbnyvQ0KgCLcBGAs/s400/EarsToHear.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jesus
would sometimes interject his teaching with, “if anyone has ears to
hear, let them hear” (Mark 4:23 NIV). In saying this, he
acknowledged that some of his followers would perhaps listen without
really hearing. There is often a vast chasm between a person's
capacity to hear and understand and their actual willingness to
hear and understand. In John 9, Jesus rebuked a group of Pharisees
who, despite their functioning eyes and keen minds, refused to <i>see
</i>what was vividly clear to even a recently-blind man. When an
“expert in the law” asked him “what must I do to inherit
eternal life?” Jesus, true to form, responded with a question:
“What is written in the law?” But it's Jesus' followup question,
“how do you read it?” that I find most intriguing (Luke 10:25-26
NIV). The world's greatest communicator was not only interested in
what was <i>said</i> but also what this man <i>heard</i>. Are we
prone to hear what the Word of God is saying, I wonder, or do we like
many of Jesus' 1st Century friends and foes merely listen for what we
wanted him to say? </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jesus
knows all too well how our <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/bacon-eating-vegetarian.html">selective listening</a> works—our human
propensity toward confirmation bias. And there's times where he's
almost purposely elusive when responding to a disingenuous question.
He seemed to even let some folks walk away with the wrong idea, if
that's what they had already set out to do from the beginning.
Despite what he actually said, for example, some of his listeners
heard the familiar voice of a nationalist messiah who promised to
lead Zion's armies to victory over her Roman oppressors. Others, who
were listening without the rich Jewish history of the long-promised
coming of God's kingdom rooted in their hopes and dreams, might have
heard a Gnostic who was always advocating for some ethereal life in
the glorious hereafter. Even today, many hear in Jesus' teachings a
justification for—or at least a compatibility with—moralism,
Marxism, white nationalism/nativism, consumerism/economic greed (what
we often rebrand as “prosperity” or “trickle-down economics”),
or militarism, as well as a myriad of other “isms” that are
clearly at odds (<i>clearly</i> to anyone who is actually listening,
that is) with the historical Jesus of Nazareth's teachings. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It's not
that Jesus wants to be misunderstood or that he's just careless in
how he conveys his ideas. But maybe he can't, or won't, force people
to understand against their hardened will (not at this particular
juncture anyway). Perhaps this is one of many dignities God bestows
on his <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">image bearers</a>: the ability to stop up our ears, close our
minds, and shut our eyes to our Creator if we so choose (the ability
to “resist” the whispers of his Spirit). Naturally, God will not
bypass human volition as he carries out his sweeping project to
restore our desire and ability to willingly submit to our Creator via
the person and work of the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">new man</a>, Jesus the Christ. Since Eden, the
ability to choose has always been a noticeable facet of his plan for
humanity. Many of the stories Jesus told about God's kingdom were
crafted in such a way as to leave the hearer with a choice—a choice
to believe or to doubt, to comprehend or to confuse, to seek Truth or
to run from him. I maintain that Jesus' parables are most often
simple and direct. However, the parable format allows lazy or
intellectually dishonest hearers to impose their alternate meanings.
I want to be clear that it's ultimately not Jesus' ambiguity but our
own pride, preferences, preconceptions, and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">sin-stricken hearts</a> that
lead us astray. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As a
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/shadow-of-doubt.html">confirmed skeptic</a> (who has now been won over by Jesus and his good
news), I've often wondered why God didn't eliminate any opportunity
for doubt or confusion. Sure we have the
Scriptures, numerous miracles, compelling prophecies, and Jesus' own
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">resurrection</a>, but the skeptic in me always wants more. How have so
many of his misguided followers managed to become crusaders, inquisitors, slave
holders, advocates for apartheid, and purveyors of the alt-right? How
could they possibly <i>hear</i> approval in the words of Christ and
veer so far off course? Why have others heard nothing at all? How is
it that so many of his friends and foes alike mishear or misrepresent
him? Why couldn't God shout even louder, so to speak, so that
everyone, even those with the hardest hearts, couldn't help but hear
him? Well, one day he will. Jesus promises “there is nothing hidden
that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be
known or brought out into the open” (Luke 8:17 NIV). “Every knee”
will eventually bow to him (Phil 2:10). But he wants us to be
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">“hungry” and “thirsty”</a> for him now, and we can't claim to be
listening, as an act of our own volition, when at his return we have
no choice but to hear. Paul explained to the Athenians how God had
orchestrated human history “so that [we] would seek him and perhaps
reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of
us” (Acts 17:27 NIV). Maybe he presently speaks in a “gentle
whisper” so that we will have to stop and truly listen in order to
hear him (1 Kings 19:12 NIV). I like how the New Living Translation
renders Luke 8:18: “...pay attention to how you hear,” says
Jesus. “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will
be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think
they understand will be taken away from them.” </span></div>
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-91298591641898364062017-06-02T17:17:00.001-07:002017-06-03T07:43:04.581-07:00Traditions of Men<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesus
rebuked the Pharisees of his day for elevating their traditions above
God’s word. He cited several examples of how their time-honored
customs had subtly undermined, perverted, and even outright
contradicted many of God’s commands. The Pharisees were, of course,
deeply offended by this accusation. In their own estimation and by
all outward indicators, they held God’s word in the highest regard.
I think the poison that Jesus noted in the Pharisees' twisted
traditions, however, often manifested without them even being aware.
It’s easy enough to see the Pharisees as a group of men who simply
set out to twist the word of God with their traditions, but I think
this is a dangerous oversimplification of who they were (and, by
extension, who we are). It’s truly astounding how self-deluded our
sin-stricken human hearts can be, even effectively keeping us in the
dark when it comes to our own deepest motivations and intents. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
want to be clear from the start that traditions alone aren’t the
problem here. Jesus wasn’t waging a war against the human practice
of making and keeping traditions (On the contrary, he utilized
several existing traditions and even instituted a few of his own).
I'm not with the overzealous crowd of Christians who dogmatically
reject any tradition unless it’s explicitly outlined in Scripture
(ultimately out <i>sola scriptura</i>-ing even Luther himself).
That’s certainly not the drum I’m beating. There are numerous
extra-biblical traditions that have been crafted by the Church with
the intent of magnifying God, declaring his good news, and edifying
his people. And in many cases they accomplish just that. Our Catholic
and Orthodox brothers and sisters, as examples, rely heavily on
tradition within their particular expressions of the Christian faith.
Protestants, despite our reputation as being anti-tradition, hold
fast to numerous extra-biblical traditions as well. And though
tradition doesn’t carry the same weight as Scripture in our dogma,
it certainly does at times in our actual practice. That’s where the
problem lies. But if we can’t even distinguish between our human
traditions and the word of God, we’re likely to cross this
dangerous line without even realizing it. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many
Christ-followers, I think, fail to see the prevalence of identity
politics and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/kingdom-patriot.html">extreme nationalism</a>, which have long found a home within
the American Church (especially among evangelicals), as potentially
the same sort of Scripture-stifling traditions that angered Jesus.
It’s as American as apple pie, for example, for “Old Glory” and
the “Old Rugged Cross” to share the same space in our church
gatherings. So long have the two narratives (<i>the story of our
nation</i> and <i>the story of God</i>) been made to walk together
that many Christians can now no longer separate the two (and both get
warped as a result). It’s easy to see how our pro-slavery,
Christian ancestors blatantly misrepresented Scripture in their
attempts to defend their traditions (just as the Pharisees had a
mountain of proof-texts for their hypocritical nonsense), but
hindsight is 20/20. It’s infinitely more difficult to see how our
current Christian traditions, which inevitably intersect with notions
of patriotism, individualism, economic theory, self-defense,
immigration, race, gender and sexuality, healthcare, foreign policy,
and environmental conservationism, are often at odds with God’s
heart for kingdom loyalty, community, generosity, sacrificial
non-violence, hospitality, justice and reconciliation, grace and
truth, compassion, mercy, and responsible stewardship. Sociopolitical
allegiances often come with deep seated traditions. If we’re not
careful, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/polarized.html">these partisan values will skew the way we read Scripture</a>,
and our stubborn hearts will willingly devise all kinds of
Pharisaical “explanations” for why the sacred text condones our
present course. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Every
church community (no matter how fresh and contemporary) will inherit,
and likely create, traditions. As mentioned, this is to be expected
and perfectly fine to a point. But we need to be able to properly
name our traditions as such so that they don’t inappropriately find
their way into the wrong category. No doubt there are some explicit
biblical instructions regarding church structure and practice, but
our traditions often come in just where the command leaves off. It
can become understandably difficult to distinguish between the two. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
“sinner’s prayer” is a good example of a cherished, and
somewhat recent, tradition that has become in many Christian
communities the exclusive way in which one is ushered into the
kingdom of God. I’m not saying that the common practice of leading
someone in a prayer, as their first response to the Gospel, in which
the new believer is encouraged to acknowledge their sin and ask for
God’s forgiveness on account of Jesus’ death and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">resurrection</a> is
a bad thing or that it should be abandoned. The tradition is after
all rooted implicitly in passages like Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:9-10.
But I think we’re hard pressed to find the contemporary practice of
what we now know as the “sinner’s prayer” explicitly modeled in Scripture.
Let me reiterate: That doesn’t mean it’s a problem, but it
probably means that it’s one of <i>our</i> traditions, and it
should be treated accordingly. We don’t see Peter, after preaching
the Gospel to the Pentecost crowd, saying “now with all heads
bowed, and with every eye closed, can I get a show of hands for who
would like to accept Jesus into their hearts as their personal Lord
and Savior?” Likewise, Phillip, after declaring the Gospel to the
Ethiopian eunuch, didn’t lead him in a prayer to “get saved.”
And Paul, after preaching the Gospel to the Philippian jailer and his
family, didn’t have them come to the front and repeat after him to
receive Jesus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
sinner’s prayer has risen to prominence within evangelical circles
in the last few centuries and seems to initially have been adopted
for the sake of well-intentioned expediency (particularly so that
large crowds of people could be readily welcomed into God’s kingdom
at big tent revivals). However, baptism, the new believer’s
Scriptural first response to the Gospel, has been somewhat sidelined
or even replaced by the rise of the sinner’s prayer. Baptism almost
feels redundant within this new arrangement. We usually get around to
it (Jesus commanded baptism after all), but it’s something like an
afterthought, especially in many non-denominational, evangelical
traditions. We sometimes have a waiting period on baptism (as if
you’re buying a gun or something), maybe even with a prerequisite
class before getting in the water (to be sure you understand what
you’re doing, I suppose). I’m all for knowing what you’re
getting into (“counting the cost” and so on), but you should have
already been brought up to speed with an accurate presentation of the
Gospel. If it wasn’t the invitation to be united with Christ in his
death so that we may partake in his resurrection (as illustrated in
baptism) then it wasn’t the Gospel we heard to begin with. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
someone insists they’re “Heaven bound” simply because they
raised their hand or repeated a prayer—even though there’s no
evidence they’ve been born of God, truly repented, are filled with
God’s Spirit, and Jesus is now their King—then their faith is not
actually in Christ and his “new creation” project but in a human
tradition. Traditions are best used to point us to God, to magnify
Christ in our lives and in others. Only a fool would put their faith
in a human tradition, expecting it to act as a golden ticket, lucky
charm, or a magical incantation, as if it could undo or supersede the
word of God. That’s the backwards thinking of the self-deceived men
who conspired to murder the Author of Life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s
difficult to really even know how many human traditions we each, and
collectively, subscribe to. As I’ve suggested, many of our human
traditions are intertwined with Scriptural traditions (i.e. the
specifics of how we observe baptism and the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/bread-of-life.html">Lord’s Supper</a>, organize
our Family gatherings, carry out communal worship, and structure
church leadership). I think there’s room in the diverse body of
Christ for our various distinct traditions (so long as our traditions
know their place). When our human traditions become divisive or
elevated above God’s word, we've gone too far. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We’re
following dangerously in the Pharisees’ footsteps, then, when our
preferred traditions become dogma. Many Christians take dogmatic
stances on everything from teaching styles to carpet colors (growing
up in the church, I feel like I’ve heard it all, every arbitrary
position declared with the same zealous conviction as Stephen the
Martyr). It’s perfectly normal to have opinions, but recognize that
many of our subjective preferences are simply rooted in human
traditions and not Scripture.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
main objective of this post is to encourage the reader to faithfully
examine all dearly held human traditions. We must be ready to
reject—with extreme prejudice—any traditions that undermine or
contradict the commands of Christ (or he simply isn’t our King).
It’s shocking how many of our political and religious traditions
attempt to render Jesus’ commands to love our enemies, care for the
poor, and take up our cross (as only a few examples) completely
meaningless. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our
next step is to critically examine the traditions we hold to that
don’t directly oppose the word of God (This can be the more
difficult task of the two). Are these traditions ultimately helpful
in achieving what they’re designed to accomplish (In other words,
do they draw us and others closer or further away from Jesus)? Is
there perhaps a better more effective way to pursue the same goal?
Has our tradition in its current form outlived its usefulness? In
this category, the conversation revolves around how <i>helpful</i> or
<i>unhelpful </i>a given tradition is rather than declaring its
inherent “wrongness” or “rightness.” Cross-cultural ministers
of the Gospel are often more attune to this important process (with
perhaps a clearer vantage point of typical American syncretism) as
they seek to plant a pure seed in a foreign context. I’ve raised
some of these questions <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">elsewhere</a> regarding the widely accepted
building-centric nature of our gatherings. These are hard questions
that we should have the courage to passionately discuss in
Spirit-filled community (with grace and humility). If our goal is
truly to glorify God by sharing the good news of Jesus (and not
simply to maintain our own preferences) then our traditions should
readily bend to that aim. None of our human traditions should be
beyond the possibility of the chopping block. And if we feel that
they are, then we know for sure that our traditions have become idols
to us. </span></span>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">You
have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human
traditions. </span>Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition<span style="font-size: small;">” —Jesus (from Mark 7:8,
13a)</span></i></span></div>
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-48182484768219829232017-05-26T18:10:00.000-07:002017-05-26T20:41:55.930-07:00Winner Takes All<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I've heard people cite Jesus'
instruction to "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" as an
example of Christ delineating between the secular and the sacred. The
popular American ideology that springs from this <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">divides </span>our lives
into two categories: God is only after "spiritual things"
like my saved soul, sincere heart, regular Scripture reading, solemn
meditation/prayer, charity, and church attendance, we often think. He
is not concerned—and neither should clergy be, if they know what's
good for them—with 90% of my finances, my political outlook, and
most everything else that falls within the sweeping "practical"
or "secular things" category.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I don't think this is what Christ
was saying at all when he held up the Roman denarius with Caesar's
image imprinted upon it (Matthew 22). This is, however, what the
Herodians, the Gentiles, and other earthly minded passers by would
hear (Jesus' words were often multifaceted and intentionally
layered). "This man is harmless," they'd think. Those
attempting to ferret out Jesus' politics, would likely conclude, "He
is something of a Gnostic who cares only for the unseen world."
To Jesus' Jewish audience, however, they would instantly recall the
"<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">Imago Dei</a>," how God has made humanity in his image. Jesus
is saying that Caesar, shortsighted as he is, can have the metal with
his imprint. God, however, lays claim to the person, body and soul.
This should not be seen as a dividing of the spoils between God and
Caesar. Any fool knows that if you get the man—his body, his mind,
his heart, his soul, his ambitions and dreams, everything he is—you
get everything else too. There is no aspect of life, of art,
conflict, politics, economics, human sexuality, race, etc. that will
not be affected (or "redeemed," to use biblical vernacular)
by a reborn kingdom citizen.</span><br />
<br />Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-59494978303824156822017-05-05T15:48:00.000-07:002017-05-05T15:54:34.168-07:00Counted Worthy of Suffering<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aXfjkuyEQnw/WQz_8MbyI6I/AAAAAAAABO0/H5wIBsWLiHs9qWM2HGSLcDyLQWeB7RX9gCLcB/s1600/CountedWorthyOfSuffering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aXfjkuyEQnw/WQz_8MbyI6I/AAAAAAAABO0/H5wIBsWLiHs9qWM2HGSLcDyLQWeB7RX9gCLcB/s400/CountedWorthyOfSuffering.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many
of my brothers and sisters have justified our dubious political
alliances as unfortunate “necessities.” “We must use political
power,” we say, “to fight the rise of religious persecution so
that we can get on with the important business of declaring the
Gospel.” But we forget that the Gospel is most powerfully
demonstrated <i>in</i> our suffering, through our patient endurance,
when we refuse to strike back or avenge ourselves, as we relinquish
our rights, and instead say “Father forgive them; they don’t know
what they’re doing” (“the victory of the cross will be
implemented through the means of the cross,” explains N.T. Wright).
We can’t accomplish our calling by seeking to evade it, and we
can't expect to retaliate against our cultural and political
adversaries and then afterwards effectively share with them a message
of grace and forgiveness. A Gospel declaration without a clear Gospel
demonstration always rings hollow to the hearer. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
current sociopolitical climate is characterized by fear, bitterness,
and a reckless quest for vengeance that is dressed as righteous
indignation. It has all the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/polarized.html">polarizing</a> tribal “us” and “them”
hallmarks of a genocidal civil war in the making. It seems the
American branch of the “royal priesthood” would benefit from a
reminder of our calling to be peace-makers, ministers of
reconciliation, and faithful ambassadors of his cross and kingdom.
Perhaps we could use a hearty refresher on the theology of suffering
(what much of our family around the world lives so well). Lest we
forget the counterintuitive genius of God, who bested Pilate, Herod,
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/04/caesar-is-not-lord.html">Caesar</a>, and the unseen rulers behind them, disarming and subjecting
them all to public shame with a bloodied Galilean who willingly hung
naked on a cross (Colossians 2:15). And the ancient world was "turned
upside down," not by political prowess or military might, but by
the power of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">his Gospel</a> as beautifully displayed in the blood-soaked
Colosseum of Rome where an unstoppable Spirit-filled army of his
offspring said in word and deed "I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me." We don't seek out suffering, but it will certainly
find us (John 15:18-21). And when it does, we mustn't compromise the
Gospel which we claim to represent in our efforts to escape (no
matter how good our intentions may be). To paraphrase Wright: Our
suffering is not an unfortunate side effect of following Christ; it
is the primary means by which he conveys <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">his good news</a> to a broken
world. </span>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Now
my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from
this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name!” - John 12:27-28a</i></span></span></div>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross
and follow me.” - Mark 8:34b</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yui-gen41"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yui-gen38"></a>
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The apostles left
the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of
suffering disgrace for the Name.” - Acts 5:41</i></span></span></div>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Now
I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh
what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the
sake of his body, which is the church. </span>I have become its
servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of
God in its fullness—<span style="font-size: small;">the mystery that has been kept
hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s
people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the
glorious riches of this mystery, </span></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>which
is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” - Colossians 1:24-27</i></span></span></div>
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-68509041705827812852017-04-27T22:52:00.000-07:002017-04-27T22:52:01.557-07:00Stacking Stones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">After
God miraculously stopped up the Jordan River so his people could at
long last enter their promised land, he commanded Joshua to collect
twelve stones from the temporarily-exposed riverbed. These stones,
which represented the twelve tribes of Israel, would be stacked into
a monument on the other side. Most of the Israelites who passed
through the Jordan were born in the wilderness (You probably remember
how their parents were barred from the land due to rebellion and
unbelief). Second generation Israelites had only heard the stories of
how God had dramatically rescued them from bondage in Egypt. So this
became something like their very own Red Sea crossing. In the years
to come, they could return to this location to look at the memorial
and remember God’s provision. Their future children could run their
fingers along the smooth stones taken from the floor of the Jordan
and ask what it was like to see God roll the water back like a
scroll. God knows the fickleness of human memory. He knows how easily
we forget and how our hearts inevitably wander. The truth is that
faith is unavoidably tied to memory, and sometimes our memory needs a
little help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m
very sympathetic to honest skeptics (I’ve written elsewhere about
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/shadow-of-doubt.html">my own perpetual journey through doubt</a>). But when it comes to this
sort of doubt, the kind that predictably emerges from our own
forgetfulness, we have only ourselves to blame. If we’ve
experienced God’s hand in our lives at some point, yet failed to
document his faithfulness for future reference, then we’ve
recklessly squandered his revelation. We’ve essentially been lazy
with his grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I keep a
journal, what I call my “faith book,” that acts as one of my more
meaningful stacks of stones. It has something like a dozen entries.
Only what I consider to be the most remarkable events make it in.
When my memory fades, as it often does, I flip through this little
book. It’s helpful to have my own voice, a younger me with a closer
vantage point to the actual event, always ready to rebuke my
unbelief. What was once clearly “miraculous” to us can sadly
become merely “coincidental” if we fail to leave a record when
everything is still fresh in our minds. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One of
the stones in my “faith book” was given to me on December 6th,
2012. I was washing dishes on a Thursday afternoon (I know this
because I wrote it down) while my one-year-old daughter took her
daily nap. I had been volunteering with InterVarsity Christian
Fellowship on a local college campus, and I had the opportunity to
attend their upcoming mission conference in Saint Luis (<i>Urbana</i>
is a massive international event that only takes place every three
years). I couldn’t afford the travel expenses, though, so I would
need to raise the funds if I was going to be able to make it. I sent
out letters to my friends and family telling them about the exciting
opportunity and inviting them to consider partnering with me
financially. I put together a website with updates about my
preparation for the conference and showed examples of the custom
portraits that I was offering to sponsors (I was pretty sure the
portraits would create some interest since I had worked as a
professional artist in the past). </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With
only a few weeks until the conference, and despite my best efforts, I
hadn’t raised a dime. I had been unsuccessfully looking for work,
as well, and my wife was expressing serious doubts about the trip. I
stood at my sink that Thursday with a sense of total defeat. Had God
actually wanted me to attend this conference, I wondered? It had
seemed so clear that he did. Did he care that I was spiraling down
into a dark place? Was he even there (yeah, it was a pretty bleak
day)? </span>
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“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Try
me,” is what I heard, “see if I can’t provide.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It
wasn't audible. The best way I can describe it is as a familiar voice
in my head that I can clearly distinguish from my own. I recognized
<span style="font-style: normal;">it as</span><i> him </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(Being
a skeptic by nature, I fully realize that this explanation is weak at
best, but it's the only one I have)</span>. He was inviting me to ask
anything of him. Now I'm familiar with the Scripture that warns us
not to put God to the test, but I tell you he seemed to be giving me
a blank check. I've never had an offer like this from him before, and
I can't say that I've ever had it since. With a heart still lingering
in unbelief, I said, “it would really encourage me if I could get
$50 toward my trip.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Shortly
after, my daughter woke up, and I took her for our regular walk
around the apartment complex. We stopped to pick up the mail on our
way back. My heart must have stopped when I pulled a $50 check out of
an envelope addressed to me. The person who sent it, someone I hadn't
even told about the mission conference, wrote a note along with their
contribution apologizing for the “small amount.” Tears came to my
eyes at the thought of God's grace. He doesn't owe me
anything—certainly not another proof of his love. </span>
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I
realize that the letter was obviously mailed before I made my
specific request, and, of course, there was a human being who wrote
the check and put it in the mail (More often than not, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">this is his way</a>). But to this day, I'm absolutely convinced that any amount I
had asked for would have been waiting for me in that envelope. The
rest of my needed funds came in the last few weeks before my
departure. The money was never an issue. </span>
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Christians
tend to romanticize an imagined sort of spontaneous faith that
doesn’t require any maintenance or reinforcement. But there’s a
practical side to sustained faith that looks less like walking
through a miraculously parted river (which, don’t get me wrong, is
awesome when it happens) and more like humbly toting around heavy
stones and then taking the time to stack them into monuments after
the river has resumed its course. Genuine faith, the kind that’s
useful in the real world, is typically built on the less flashy
pastime of simply leaving a record for yourself and others. I'm
certainly thankful to the writers of Scripture, who amidst
shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment, and exile took the time to leave
us monuments. As a result, we now all share their Spirit-breathed
stack of stones. So make time to properly document God’s handiwork
in your own life. Take time to stack some stones.</span></div>
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“<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i>I
will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your
miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on
all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great
as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your
power among the peoples.” —Psalm 77:11-14 </i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span>
</div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-73791759519953245622017-04-22T00:18:00.000-07:002017-04-25T20:59:55.056-07:00Requiem for a King<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saul,
Israel’s notorious first king, is usually remembered for his role
as the “bad guy” in King David’s epic story. He of course tried
countless times to snuff out the shepherd boy who God had appointed
to replace him. But people often forget that before he became the
villain, he too was chosen by God (1 Samuel 10:24). His is a tragic
story of a sometimes great leader with enormous potential who was
ultimately overcome by his own insecurities, doubts, and fears. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saul
was tall, dark, and handsome (1 Samuel 9:2). He was every inch the
picture of a king. He was also a fierce warrior with numerous
military exploits to his name. God used him mightily to deliver the
people of Israel from foreign oppressors. And to his credit, Saul had
the courage to show up for his final battle, even knowing in advance
that it would certainly end in his defeat and death.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From
early on, Saul was unsure of himself (1 Samuel 9:21, 10:22). He had a
less-than-accurate, understated perspective of who he was, who God
had made him to be. When Samuel told him he would be king, for
example, Saul insisted that the prophet had the wrong guy, that he
was a nobody, and that “[his] family [was] the least important of
all the families” in his small tribe (even though the text
specifically says his father, Kish, was “wealthy” and
“influential” – 1 Samuel 9:1, 21 NLT).</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">God
fully equipped King Saul with his Spirit, gave him a “new heart,”
and changed him into a “different person” (1 Samuel 10:6, 9). He
had everything he needed to succeed, but time and time again he kept
reverting back to the insecure guy who once hid among the luggage,
frequently preoccupied with what people might think of him. He “felt
compelled” to break God’s command when things seemed to be unraveling (1 Samuel 13:12). He was “afraid of the people” and
sometimes allowed himself to be carried along with the prevailing
streams of public opinion rather than holding fast to God’s
instruction (1 Samuel 15:24). “Although you may think little of
yourself,” said Samuel in his final rebuke, “are you not the
leader of the tribes of Israel?” (1 Samuel 15:17).</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eventually,
God revoked his life-giving Spirit, and Saul was overcome with
depression and fear (1 Samuel 16:14). He spiraled down into a place
of total darkness and basically lost his mind. At perhaps his lowest,
he ordered the murder of 85 innocent priests and their families in a
desperate effort to retain control of a kingdom that God had already
given to another. He finally died on the battlefield, hopeless and
alone, his enemies closing in around him, <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">and left</span> with
the crushing knowledge that his three sons<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span>had been cut down.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Samuel
was so deeply moved,” following God's rejection of Saul, “that he
cried out to the LORD all night” (1Samuel 15:10-11). After
delivering God’s message of judgment to the wayward king, “Samuel
never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for
him” (1 Samuel 15:35). Samuel’s gut-wrenching response to Saul’s
fall is very sobering, I think. Without it, we might be tempted to
breeze right past Saul’s story on our way to King David. He can
easily become a one-dimensional villain in our minds, a footnote in
the narrative, simply a faceless antagonist standing between David
and the throne. But if we deny Saul his humanity—his initial
potential and the nature of his brokenness—we run the risk of
missing his costly warning. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saul’s
low opinion of himself wasn’t a sign of humility. It wasn’t a
virtue. It was rooted in his unbelief and maintained by his failure
to fully grasp that </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>God
had chosen him</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
empowered him, and assigned him a task. Saul didn’t wear the crown
because he was great. He wore the crown because God is great, and he
ultimately lost it because he couldn’t connect the dots. It wasn't
that he thought too little of himself. On the contrary, he thought
too much of himself (or too often of himself). Saul’s fixation on
his own inadequacies (that he wasn’t good enough, that he’d
eventually be found out, that he’d lose it all to someone better)
and his resulting jealousy and paranoia was evidence that his hope wasn't in God. His hope was in </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>himself</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
His fears, which sprang from his self-reliance, became
self-fulfilling prophecies. In the end, Saul fell on his own sword.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“A
gazelle lies slain on your heights, Israel. How the mighty have
fallen! Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul... How the mighty have
fallen” </i></span></span>
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—<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From
the “Lament of the Bow,” a funeral song composed by King David,
recorded in 2 Samuel 1 </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></i>
</div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-58955865077773191872017-04-02T16:36:00.000-07:002017-04-02T16:41:54.926-07:00Bread of Life<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NzaGo6SShIQ/WOGJt3LuEbI/AAAAAAAABNU/FIK6M-tQXO4LgFZ3MF_8R5p21Nd6dQUSACLcB/s1600/BreadOfLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NzaGo6SShIQ/WOGJt3LuEbI/AAAAAAAABNU/FIK6M-tQXO4LgFZ3MF_8R5p21Nd6dQUSACLcB/s400/BreadOfLife.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jesus
is a master communicator. He is known for, among other things, his
clever and concise story explanations for complex things. He would
regularly draw out the inner workings of his listeners’ hearts—even
exposing areas of which we ourselves were previously unaware—with
accessible, yet provocative, parables about everyday life. With this
young Galilean, you didn’t need to be an elite theologian or have a
PhD in eschatology to get a taste of the kingdom of God. Jesus would
explain it in down to earth, blue collar terms that resonated with
his disciples and took root in their hearts. This talent for simple
and effective communication is especially seen in Jesus' use of food
and drink to convey the core of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the Gospel</a>—namely, that he is the
Bread of Life. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">After
miraculously feeding a crowd of over five thousand people, Jesus
explained to them that he was the “true bread from heaven” sent
to satisfy their hunger and to give them life (John 6:32-33). He
likened himself to the mysterious manna that God provided to the
Israelites in the wilderness, and he claimed they would need to feast
on his flesh and drink his blood if they wanted to live. This bizarre
declaration wasn't any less jarring in Aramaic. There’s no
linguistic nuance or cultural filter that makes his sentiment any
more <i>palatable</i>. Jesus’ apparent invitation—no,
insistence—that his followers cannibalize him was received as both
disgusting and insane. Many of them left over this sermon. Even the
Twelve were shaken but ultimately had “nowhere else to go.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Later
in the upper room, on the night he was betrayed, Jesus repeated this
earlier controversial sentiment. He retooled the Passover meal, that
was first enacted on the eve of the Exodus, in order to celebrate and
declare an even greater deliverance. The Lord's Supper is one of two
rituals that Jesus personally instituted among his followers
(interestingly, his diverse body can rarely agree on the meaning or
mechanics of either of these two rituals. In many cases, we've
allowed practices that were originally designed to <i>unite us</i> to
instead <i>divide us</i>). There are quite a few indicators that
throughout the 1st Century Church the regular celebration of the
Lord's Supper became the main event when the people of God would
gather. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Breadcrumbs
Leading to Jesus</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Bread
(a staple food item that represents basic sustenance in most
cultures) is an essential element of human life that comes from
outside of us. Like oxygen, we need it to survive, yet we can’t
produce it ourselves from within.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">God
has designed human beings with an internal mechanism that reminds us
of our need for this external sustenance. Dirt, rocks, sticks and
such won't do. Only food will satisfy our hunger. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">However,
the bread won’t benefit us until we consume it. And it won't force
itself down our throats and into our stomachs. We must decide if we
will eat or not. In fact, we might have quite a bit of observable
knowledge about bread and the human digestive system, but it's the
one who partakes—even if they know nothing of how it works—that
actually benefits from bread (and, in the end, has a greater sort of
knowledge about bread). </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Once
we eat the bread, our body begins to metabolize it. The bread
essentially becomes a part of us. It nourishes us and fuels our body
from within. It gives us life. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">And
lastly, the bread is destroyed in the eating. We can't have our bread
and eat it too. The bread simply won't survive its encounter with us
if all these other things are going to happen. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Everything
we've just considered about bread is of course obvious. The benefits
of eating and drinking are intuitively understood, even by very small
children, and, as previously stated, can be experienced apart from
knowing how it all works. This is exactly the point. This is why it
becomes a powerful, easily repeatable, and readily accessible picture
of what Jesus has done, and is doing, in those who call him “King.”
</span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pass
the Bread</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">In
many cultures, breaking bread together is a very intimate communal
activity. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we preach <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the Gospel</a>
to our brothers and sisters, to ourselves, and to not-yet-believers
who are looking on. As the Apostle Paul says, we “proclaim the
Lord's death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). In this way,
it’s both a declaration and an invitation—a family meal with much
room still at the table. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's
not uncommon for the person officiating the celebration of the Lord's
Supper, after they've explained its significance, to instruct
not-yet-believers in attendance to let the elements pass them by.
These uninitiated folks are usually told to come find someone after
if they want to hear more about the Gospel. I think this common
church practice misses the purpose of what's actually happening in
the ritual. The Gospel <i>is being</i> proclaimed. That's the point
of it all. If someone in attendance suddenly believes the Gospel
message that we're collectively celebrating and declaring, even if
they didn't believe only seconds before, they should be invited to
respond by partaking (if you're from a tradition that would require
baptism first, very well. I'd agree that baptism is the prescribed
first response to the Gospel and the other ritual commanded by
Christ. But make baptism readily available, and resume the family
meal only after it's done). You don't present a Meal, describe how
incredible it is, and then quickly whip the plate away from your
dinner guest.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our
reluctance to let <i>just anyone</i> participate in the Lord's Supper
is I think rooted in Paul's stern warning to those who would partake
in an “unworthy manner” (1 Corinthians 11:27). If you look at the
context, though, Paul was addressing a church that was making a
mockery of the sacred ritual with their hypocrisy (he wasn't
forbidding the newcomer who has yet to procure their PhD in
soteriology). On the one hand the church at Corinth was declaring
their faith in Jesus' Gospel by participating in the meal, but on the
other hand they were completely contradicting the implications of the
Gospel by excluding people who were running late to the gathering or
weren't able to afford the fixings and so on. Basically, they turned
what was meant as a unifying family meal into a free-for-all
exhibition of human selfishness and divisive prejudice. As Jesus
pointed out with his story about the unforgiving servant, we can't
receive forgiveness from God and then withhold forgiveness from
others. That's not how his Gospel works. Freely extending forgiveness
is just one example of how a truly transformed person will naturally
live in Gospel truth. Anytime we partake of the Lord's Supper while
actively denying through our rebellion the Gospel that the meal
illustrates, we're “guilty of sinning against the body and blood of
the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27). We're essentially making a
statement that we don't in practice believe. We're taking his name in
vain and trampling on his spilt blood. So we ought to “examine”
ourselves before we eat and drink of the meal (1 Corinthians 11:28).
Anyone who finds that they don't actually believe the Gospel
(regardless of whether or not they say they do) should refrain from
participating in the Lord's Supper. If we find that we do believe but
are currently out of step with Jesus' Gospel then we must first
acknowledge our inconsistencies and realign ourselves with our King.
And whether we're responding to the Gospel declaration for the first
time or for the ten-thousandth time, those who have been born of God
will respond with repentance and then partake with gratitude. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fortunately
for us once-rebels, Jesus offers himself to all. His words of life
are for anyone “with ears to hear,” and he invites everyone who
is “hungry” and “thirsty” to be satisfied in him. He's given
us a simple yet profound demonstration of his good news, something we
can be reminded of often (since we typically eat at least three meals
a day) and something we can in turn share with those who will be
hearing it for the first time as we welcome them to our table. Jesus
truly is the Bread of Life. Eat up! </span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>I
am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this
bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give
for the life of the world.” —John 6:51</i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-22316309340310451272017-03-22T23:43:00.000-07:002017-03-23T17:42:12.220-07:00Made for Worship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
the biblical creation story, we’re told how God uniquely created
human beings in <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">his image</a>. He generously gave the first humans
“dominion” (a kingdom term) over creation. They were to spread
out, fill the earth, tend to and harness/maximize creation’s
unbounded potential. Connected to the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">Tree of Life</a>, God’s
image-bearers were meant to be an extension of him, to be living
monuments to his greatness. Humanity’s initial task, then, was to
be the chief worshippers within creation, to reflect God’s goodness
to the world, and to lead creation in symphonic worship of the
Creator (N.T. Wright develops these ideas in </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Simply
Christian</i></span> <span style="font-size: small;">and some of his other work far
better than I could hope to here). We were created to be his
administrators, ambassadors, priests (within a creation that is meant
to act as his temple). Heaven (“God’s space,” as Wright would
say) and earth (what we think of as “our space”) naturally and
peacefully coexist when God’s design is working properly. It seems
he has always planned to rule over his good world through his human
image-bearers (an arrangement he refers to as “his kingdom”). In
order to effectively fulfill this monumental task, however, we must
first be enthralled with God. We must be genuinely exuberant
evangelists of his beauty and his goodness. We must accurately
reflect his love and his justice with our every thought, word, and
action. Herein lies the problem. We immediately notice (following a
brief look at the news, a peak out the window, or an honest appraisal
of our own inner thoughts) that this isn’t even close to happening
as it was initially planned. Something has gone wrong. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately,
the first humans quickly became idolaters (the true epicenter of all
rebellion and even death itself). They were tricked into gazing
longingly at the creation instead of the Creator (which, it turns
out, is a poor substitute for him). They rejected the Tree of Life
for a lesser tree (and the enemy of God, after first believing his
own lies, erroneously convinced them that they were indeed </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>hungry,
</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">that they
were lacking something,</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-size: small;">before they foolishly ate). Humanity has been
idolatrous ever since: We ravenously chase after sex, money, power,
status, human relationships, and counterfeit significance—the
typical pantheon of human idolatry. Yet we're <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">never satisfied</a>. By
default, we now worship the creation rather than the Creator, and all
of creation suffers (“groans”) as a result. These created things
were never evil, but our inappropriate and unfounded fixation on them
as false gods has wreaked havoc in God’s once-good world
(ironically, creation withers when it’s the object of our unhealthy
infatuation). Worst of all, It isn’t currently a suitable temple
for his dwelling and we are far from the priests we were meant to be
(as with every thought and action we blaspheme the divine image we
bear and so lie about him to the creation we were designed to tend).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Idolatry,
exile, and death are reoccurring, cyclical themes in humanity’s
painful story (therefore, miraculously breaking this cycle and
reversing its effects is at the heart of the all-encompassing
redemptive story of God. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves). The
story of Israel, in particular, is marked by this tragic cycle (their
history is somewhat of a retelling of the creation story and a
microcosm of the universal plight of humanity). We read how God
created a people from the dust (an idolatrous community of
desert-dwelling slaves who were built up into a mighty nation of
worshippers), established them in an Eden-like paradise (a promised
land “flowing with milk and honey”), issued his Law (an expounded
warning against the forbidden fruit and detailed instructions for
legitimate worship), gave them dominion (a kingdom), and charged them
with being his representatives and priests. Unfortunately, the
Israelites inevitably rejected the Creator and abdicated their noble
vocation in favor of idolatry (several times, in fact). However, none
of Israel’s story is wasted (as we might be tempted to conclude).
The law and the prophets are not simply chronicling “failed
attempts” at returning to Eden that ultimately lead nowhere. Lest
we forget, Jesus is the product of their story, a descendant of
Abraham, and heir to David’s throne. He redeems all of their futile
efforts and otherwise wasted blood, sweat, and tears. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Defining
a proper place for legitimate worship is a major theme throughout
Scripture (the burning question of “where to worship?” is posed
to Jesus by the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4). Remember, a
post-Eden world is somehow defiled by human idolatry and rebellion.
God views even inanimate objects like the soil and the crops—all of
creation, really—as corrupted by human sin. The crux of the Jewish
Law, delivered through Moses, then, was to create something of a
clean space for legitimate worship to happen and to produce
temporarily clean people who could utilize said space. The designated
<i>place</i> for worship was initially the mobile, tent-like,
Tabernacle, which later transitioned into a stationary Temple. This
holy space, made clean by God’s presence, can be thought of as a
place where heaven and earth intersected. The Israelites, of course,
understood that God was everywhere (as seen in David's rhetorical
question, “where can I flee from your presence?”—Psalm 139:7b),
but he had also disclosed his desire to <i>dwell</i> <i>with them </i><span style="font-style: normal;">in
a unique way</span>. Though he was omnipresent, Jerusalem,
specifically the Temple, would be where the Creator of the cosmos hung his hat, so to speak. God’s continued dwelling, however,
was somewhat contingent on whether or not legitimate worship was
taking place. Though he was incredibly merciful—“long
suffering”—in regard to this requirement, prolonged idolatry
would eventually prompt him to revoke his life-giving presence (as
seen in Ezekiel's vision of God’s glory leaving the Temple). </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's
an awesome prophecy in Ezekiel chapter 47 about life-giving water
that's flowing out of the Temple, cleaning and rejuvenating the land
as it goes. In this vein, Jesus introduced the novel (and incredibly
dangerous) idea that he himself was a living breathing temple of
flesh, a new place where heaven and earth intersected. He was
effectively bringing the presences of God to those who were most in
need, overlooked, and counted out. This <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">revolutionary arrangement</a>
would naturally supplant the physical Temple and its geographic
limitations. Jesus was/is, after all, the exact image of the
invisible God, the fullness of the Creator dwelling in authentic
bodily form. He is as superior to the brick and mortar Temple as a
real person is to a paper doll (even more so). He invites his
followers to partake of him, to miraculously become an extension of
him, and, by doing so, to become active participants in this
expanding, heaven/earth intersecting phenomenon. In doing this, Jesus
is restoring to humanity—to those who believe—our original
vocation as priests. Through his death and resurrection, we’re made
clean (qualified), and by the sending of his Spirit we’re enabled
(empowered) to finally break free of our idolatry and to become true
worshippers once again. We're given a new heart, a heart of flesh,
one that has the capacity to truly worship God in spirit and truth
(Ezekiel chapters 11 and 36, and John 4).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There’s
nothing that the eternal Son of God values above his Father.
Ultimately, everything that the Son does is resulting from his
affection for the Father. And inversely there is no one in whom the
Father is more pleased than his “only begotten.” Jesus is the
type of worshipper that all humans were meant to be, and, as such, he
is the only human uniquely qualified to reclaim our image-bearing
birthright and the kingdom that was originally entrusted to us
(Daniel 7:13-14, Revelation 5:9-10). He means to make many sons and
daughters who will reign with him. Far more than simply describing
our “personal salvation,” the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">Gospel</a> tells us of the Father-sent,
Spirit-empowered, eternal Son’s relentless mission to produce the
sort of worshippers that his Father deserves. <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/saving-story.html">It’s a story about</a>
idolaters being redeemed at great cost, priestly vocation being
reinstated, and finally all of creation being restored to the temple
it was always meant to be—all to the glory of God and for his
express pleasure.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We're
made to worship, and we inevitably will do just that. The question is
simply what, or who, will be the recipient of our worship? There are
essentially only two possible outcomes: Either we'll worship the
creation (the cast shadow, the dream, the painting) or we'll worship
the Creator (the living Figure that casts the shadow, the Dreamer,
the Artist). There's nothing else. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>I
urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer
your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is
your true and proper worship.” —Romans 12:1</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-79323295101570848632017-01-31T23:59:00.001-08:002017-02-08T23:19:58.509-08:00Saving the Story<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Saving
Private Ryan</i> is one of my favorite movies. It's a powerful World
War II film about a small band of U.S. soldiers who are ordered to
journey behind enemy lines to retrieve Private James Ryan after three
of his brothers are killed in separate engagements (and all within
days of each other). Ryan's would-be rescuers are initially resentful
of their dangerous task, questioning why the life of a single
ordinary soldier—who they've never even met—carries more weight
than all of their lives combined. Somewhere along the way, though,
the mission becomes more than just saving Ryan: The band of searchers
also seek personal redemption, desperately striving to accomplish one
decent thing, to regain a measure of their humanity amidst a
multitude of unspeakable acts, to “earn the right to go home.”
It's an incredible story about sacrifice and redemption with several
unforgettable scenes. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stay
with me. I'll do my best to come to the point shortly.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now
suppose, for a minute, I ask two people (We'll call them Kate and
Greg) what </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Saving
Private Ryan</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
is about. Let's pretend Kate has only seen the film once, while Greg
is the movie's all time “biggest fan.” How about we go a bit
further and say Greg has seen </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Saving
Private Ryan</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
no less than 100 times, he knows every line, and can even do a spot
on Tom Hanks impersonation. His enthusiasm for the film has prompted
him to become a World War II history buff who can elaborate in great
detail about nuanced 20th Century European politics, precise troop
deployment and military tactics during the invasion of Normandy, and
he can even tell me what Himmler's favorite color was. Greg went so
far as to become fluent in German, so he wouldn't need any of the
subtitles. Now suppose our first person, Kate, after only one
viewing, can more or less tell me what the movie is about (though she
may have forgotten some of the character's names and certain details
here and there) while Greg, on the other hand, is completely unable
to explain the plot (even in the most simplest terms). Lets say Greg
(who, remember, can act out every individual scene) earnestly
describes </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Spielberg's
gritty war film</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
as a “romantic comedy.” Anyone who's seen the film, with its
graphic violence and sombre tone, knows Greg is way out to lunch with
his description. Given what we know about Kate and Greg, which of the
two would <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">you</span> say has a firmer grasp of the story? Now suppose we're
talking about <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">a
much more significant story</a> than </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Saving
Private Ryan</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.
A similar occurrence to what I've just described with Greg, our
fictional “movie buff,” unfortunately seems to happen way too
often when Christians attempt to tell the story of God. They may be
extremely well versed on several of the individual components, but
they're, in many cases, tragically unable to identify the main beats
of the narrative or even the overarching point of it all. </span></span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
Disconnect</b></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
of the reasons for this inability to see the big picture is due to
the disjointed way in which we typically learn <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the
story</a> (or better said, the way we learn the </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>stories</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">).
N.T. Wright, in </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>How
God Became King</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
discusses how we tend to miss the forest for the trees in our reading
of the four gospels, and I think the same can be said for our reading
of the whole story. In Sunday School, we're taught moral lessons from
the biblical characters' exploits (courage in the face of
persecution, for example, through the tale of Daniel and the lion's
den, learning to trust Jesus as Peter steps out of the boat, etc.).
And then later in “big church,” we learn important theological
concepts like the nature of the Trinity, the sufficiency of the
cross, and so on (We tend to work backwards, though, using the
stories as explanations and evidences for the important doctrines
that we've isolated and to reinforce our resulting sophisticated
theological models). Unfortunately, we quickly develop tunnel vision
(the kind that has allowed Christians through the ages to justify the
genocidal underbelly of “manifest destiny,” slavery, segregation,
rabid nationalism, social isolation, consumerism, apathy toward
refugees and immigrants, pursuing safety and security over the
Gospel, etc.). The simple truth is we tend to live our lives based on
</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>our
perception</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
of what the story is about (including where it's all headed), even if
the narrative we're operating under was merely Frankenstein-ed
together in our subconscious from all the loose bits and pieces. </span></span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Maybe
to me the story is best described as a low-budget indie film that
gives an artsy close-up of my own “personal salvation” (in which
the original widescreen narrative is conspicuously truncated, I'm the
main character, and passages like Jeremiah 29:11 were obviously
written with me in mind). It could also be more of a buddy comedy
that follows me and my wisecracking, pocket-size Jesus as I’m
“tossed to and fro” on a wild romp through relativism (In this
version I'm too “authentic” for organized religion, so I pretty
much improvise the story all by myself as I go). Perhaps I see the
story as the feel good movie of the summer that whimsically
chronicles my prosperous “best life now.” Maybe I’m at the
other end of the spectrum, and it’s an intense thriller that’s
built around a great escape theme (where my role in the unfolding
narrative is to hunker down in this present liberal “hellhole,”
withdraw from society, gather as much “helpful intel” from
questionable pseudo news sources as possible, and wait for the hero
to suddenly and dramatically break me out and relocate me to a beach
in Tahiti). Perhaps I see the story of God unfolding like a political
propaganda film that equates the U.S. <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">t</span>o the kingdom of God and
nationalistic endeavors of “making America Great again” with the
Great Commission (in this script, the epic “spiritual battle”
between the elephant and the donkey is center stage). I guess I could
even see it as a bizarre sci-fi, in which the audience is frequently
asked to suspend its disbelief, as nothing in the story makes any
sense (I’m looking at you, Joseph Smith). Some say it’s a “love
story.” We're probably getting warmer (It ends with a wedding after
all). But if it’s a romance, it’s no <i>Sleepless in Seattle</i>
or <i>The Notebook</i> by any stretch. It would have to be much more
one-sided, something like <i>When Hosea Met Gomer</i>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Establishing
the Story's Important Landmarks</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Back
when I was an art student, my figure drawing instructor would teach
us to roughly block out our construction lines and basic forms before
drawing in the details and shading. One of the marks of a novice is
how they're always too eager to move on to the fine tuning before
laying a proper foundation, and it shows in their finished
composition (No amount of shading can make up for a poorly
constructed and disproportioned figure). The figure we're drawing
here is Jesus. He frames the unfolding story from Genesis to
Revelation. He's the Author, the Protagonist, the Beginning and the
End. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So
here's my best attempt at identifying the main beats of his story:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
story <b>began with God</b> (the only Hero in the narrative)</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>He
created</b> an Ideal universe by the power of his Word</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Humans
were <b>made in</b> <b>his image</b> as his <b>representatives</b>
(God's plan is to reign over his creation through his human
administrators). They were instructed to multiply and fill the earth.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
single <b>law</b> was given…</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Followed
by </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>rebellion/exile/bondage/death
</b></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(With
the rejection of the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">Tree
of Life</a>, all of creation was broken and heaven and earth were
torn apart)</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
broken man and his family were <b>chosen</b> as <b>representatives</b>
to a rebellious humanity (God is set on his original plan to reign
over his creation through his image bearers). He promised to multiply
them and bless the whole earth through this man’s Seed.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">An
expanded <b>law</b> was given…</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Followed
by continuing cycles of <b>rebellion/exile/bondage/failure</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>God
sent his Son</b>, just as he promised, as a descendant of the man
“who believed” and <b>as a stand-in</b> for his inadequate
family. <b>He accomplished </b>on their behalf the task of keeping
God’s law and reconciling the Creator and his broken creation (by
way of his life, death, and resurrection). As the only obedient
image-bearer (<b>the perfect Representative</b>), he reclaimed the
family of faith’s original birthright and vocation (which also
happened to be humanity’s original birthright and vocation) and
dealt a fatal blow to rebellion and death. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Everyone
who acknowledges God’s Son as the rightful King is invited to
participate in his kingdom</b> as redeemed and restored
representatives. These redeemed kingdom people—who are collectively
<b>an extension of the King</b>, his “body,” his “church,”
his “bride”—are <b>the true family of faith</b> as they are
marked, empowered, and led by his Spirit and instructed to multiply
and fill the earth (by sacrificially and incarnationally declaring
and demonstrating the story of what God has accomplished through his
Son). </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He
writes his <b>law on renewed hearts</b>...</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
by God's grace, his renewed people inherit
<b>obedience/reconciliation/freedom/LIFE </b>(and the mended become menders<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">).</span> </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>All
authority has been given to the King.</b> He oversees his advancing
kingdom, through the power of his Spirit, as he's presently <b>seated
at the right hand of the Father</b>.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
human <b>rebels</b> who tragically opt out of God’s active
redemptive plan for his universe, along with the instigator, <b>will
be judged by the King upon his physical return</b> (at which point he
will “<b>make all things new</b>” by raising the dead/swallowing
death up forever, banishing evil from his universe/fully restoring
his creation, completely reunifying heaven and earth with his
presence, and submitting everything to his Father). </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
see the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">story
of God</a> as a big-budget (considering that the Director has
literally poured his blood, sweat, and tears into its production),
sweeping, redemptive story of how God is taking back his rebel world
through the person and work of Jesus.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Core
Themes</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
are several significant themes threaded through God’s story. I’d
like to briefly highlight a few. Redemption and restoration are among
the most frequently reoccurring themes: that is taking something
spoiled, spent, wasted, and ruined and making it new again (usually
at great cost). God’s propensity toward redemption and restoration
is illustrated on just about every page of Holy Scripture. He is
gloriously inefficient in his stubborn refusal to simply scrap broken
things and start again.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
of my personal favorites is the underdog theme. God has a noticeable
affinity for the long shot. He often takes the youngest, weakest, unskilled, outsiders, never gonna happen,
lowliest tribe, least likely, lost causes and losers and makes them <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">into</span> kings, prophets, freedom<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">-</span>bringing, giant<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">-</span>slaying, miracle<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">-</span>working, champions of God. He brings
his best news to shepherds, beggars, orphans, widows, the
marginalized, and the outcasts. In God's kingdom, “the last will be
first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16), and the King
will wash their feet. “He has scattered those who are proud in
their inmost thoughts,” says Mary, the mother of Jesus, “He has
brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away
empty” (Luke 1:51b-53). God's own Son comes to us from a poor
family, a marginalized ethnic group, laid in an animal feed trough,
and raised in a hick-ville, backwoods part of Judea, formerly
uneducated, and, for all intents and purposes, homeless (“he had no
beauty or majesty to attract us to him”—from Isaiah 53:2).
According to Paul there is a method to the Creator's madness, “God
chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose
the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly
things of this world and the despised things—and the things that
are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast
before him” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another
reoccurring theme in <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">God’s
story</a> (and the mechanism by which he carries out redemption and
allows for restoration) is this idea of substitution: a person or a
people standing in for others (this is no doubt difficult for
individualistic Americans to accept, but none of the story makes any
sense without comprehending God’s thinking on this). The first
humans were assigned the task of tending to the world and being God’s
go-betweens, his representatives or stand-ins to/from creation. Adam,
as our first father, acted negatively in this capacity. In God’s
mind, since all of humanity proceeds from this man, there is
continuity between Adam and us. All of humanity has inherited his
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">rebellion
against God</a>, his failure in the garden (we all subsequently
contribute our own personal rebellion as well). </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Redemptive
human substitutes (as a foreshadowing of the ultimate stand-in) are
often used of God to rescue by way of their own suffering. Joseph, as
an example, was rejected by his brothers, sold into slavery, wrongly
accused and thrown into prison, eventually vindicated, elevated, and
ultimately used to rescue his family, the people of Egypt, and most of the Near
East. According to Joseph, the whole thing was God’s plan to turn
evil back on itself, to bring about good. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Abraham
and his family, which eventually became a nation, were also said to
serve as a stand-in for humanity. God purposely used Abraham’s
family to retell the story on a smaller more intimate scale (he’s a
skilled storyteller who knows good stories need characters, faces,
and flesh for humans to connect). God promised to bless this family
so that they would be a blessing to everyone else. They were to be a
nation of priests, or go-betweens, leading the world back to the
Creator and mediating between the two. But, as Wright points out, the
proposed rescuers needed rescuing themselves. So Jesus (as the
descendant of Adam, Abraham, and King David) stood in for all of
humanity, but, more precisely, as the heir to David’s throne, he
stood in for Abraham’s family of faith (who, in a sense, was
standing in for the rest of humanity). That gets a bit convoluted,
but it’s important to understanding the progression of the story
(how the sub-story of Israel plays into the story of God). The
gospels make it clear that Jesus was standing in for Israel,
fulfilling their vocation, as he was depicted symbolically retracing
their historic steps (He was called out of Egypt, passed through
water, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days,
and so on). At every turn, he was faithful where his ancestors failed
(he withstood temptation in the wilderness, he perfectly upheld the
law of God, he overcame in the garden). He’s Israel’s divine
do-over—and, by extension, he’s humanity’s do-over too.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another
important theme that drives the narrative is <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">God’s
desire and promise to dwell among his people</a>. God is of course
everywhere to begin with (“omnipresent”), but he hasn’t made
his home, his dwelling, everywhere and in the same way (Just as a
husband and wife can simultaneously occupy a room, perhaps in a state
of disinterest or strife, and yet still fall short of the closeness
that God is after). Before Adam’s rebellion, the Creator and his
creation enjoy a state of indescribable unity. It’s far beyond just
occupying the same space.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
early idyllic state embodies God’s original intent, in which all of
creation acts as his temple, his dwelling (a fully unified heaven and
earth), and he reigns over the natural world through his human
administrators (Genesis 1:26, 28). We can see, then, how the
shattering of this paradise, due to human rebellion, causes
destructive ripples throughout all of creation.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After
the Fall (the rending of heaven and earth), God illustrated his
promised return, in the dwelling sense, through a number of
artifacts, icons, and “holy” places (the Ark of the Covenant, the
Urim and Thummin, the Temple, etc.). These were objects or locations
(in which heaven and earth symbolically intersect or “interlock,”
as Wright would say) that prophetically pointed forward to the scene
described in Revelation when paradise is restored, God comes to dwell
among his people on earth, and we see him “face to face.”
Solomon’s Temple (as the pinnacle of these holy spaces) illustrated
this same longing for a return to Eden, when creation effectively
functioned as God’s temple, with numerous pictorial examples of
trees, fruit, animals, and nature.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesus—<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">a
genuine human</a> who is also the exact image of the transcendent
Creator—is the ultimate example of heaven and earth intersecting.
He is “God with us,” and, as such, he naturally supersedes all
the illustrations that came before. In John’s Gospel, Jesus
describes himself as <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">the
true Temple of God</a>. He tells the Samaritan woman at the well (in
response to her question about </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>where</i></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
one should worship the God who dwells in heaven) that a time is
coming (and has come) in which location will no longer be an issue.
Through the person and work of Jesus (which includes the sending of
his Spirit), God has extended this heaven-and-earth-intersecting
phenomenon (illustrated in “spiritual hotspots,” so to speak,
like the Temple, but truly realized in Christ) to everyone who wants
in. This present existence—being a Spirit-filled extension of the
Living Temple, a mobile, kingdom-bringing spiritual hotspot—is
merely a taste of what’s to come. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
full consummation of this theme comes with the physical return of
Jesus and the complete restoration of his creation. At which point,
he will “dwell” with his people in a freshly restored and
seamlessly reunified, heaven and earth. The story of God, then, is a
long and painful round about trip back to the beginning. Well,
almost. It’s a bit more than just ending up back home where we
started. Paradise begins with the early seeds (two image-bearers and
endless potential) of what God ultimately envisioned and is finally
reborn with a whole city, made from “living stones,” of redeemed
and restored administrators who possess intimate knowledge regarding
the weight of rebellion, the sting of death, the high cost of
redemption, and the unfathomable distance our King will go to put
things back on track.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Simple
Steps Forward</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">We
might have added a third character to Kate and Greg: Let's call him
Phil. Phil has really only seen about ten cumulative minutes of
</span><span style="color: black;"><i>Saving Private Ryan </i></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">(He
was in the bathroom, getting snacks, talking, and sleeping through
the rest). He probably still has a strong opinion about the story,
though.</span></span><span style="color: black;"> And if any questions come
up, Phil will likely ask Greg (he's the expert after all). One of the
most immediately helpful remedies for the mass confusion surrounding
the story of God is for all Christians to simply see the whole movie.
I’m a slow reader, myself, and getting through all 66 books can
definitely seem like a daunting task for a newcomer (especially
Numbers), but a through-the-Bible-in-a-year format (in which the
whole Bible has been conveniently broken up into 15-minute daily
readings that correspond to a calendar year) has really been helpful
to me (it’s exciting to start spotting repeating themes and
important parallels, especially when you progress through the Old and
New Testaments concurrently). There are also a bunch of great audio
and video options to have Scripture spoken to you on your computer or
smartphone if reading isn’t your thing (You can even find one with
a British accent for when you’re feeling particularly classy).
Don't be dissuaded by those who imply anything short of reading from
a page is somehow a less “spiritual” method of learning the story
(especially if you're an auditory or visual learner). I recommend
changing versions each year, too, in order to have a fresh look at
something that may already be familiar to you (I like the NIV and ESV
in most cases, but I also enjoyed reading God’s story by way of the
NLT this last go around). The big idea is to consume and metabolize
the story, though, in whatever format compliments your individual
learning style.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: black;">It’s a little
trickier if it turns out we’re Greg, the confused film enthusiast,
who already considers himself an expert. It’s incredibly difficult,
once we’ve firmly established in our mind that </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Saving
Private Ryan</i></span><span style="color: black;"> is a romantic comedy,
and spent years interpreting each of the individual grisly scenes
with that understanding in mind, to then humbly step back and look
again with new eyes. There are many of us who, like Nicodemus, need
to unlearn what we've learned so we can start over from the
beginning. Jesus of course commended the “Gregs” for their
thoroughness in some areas. Greg's extensive historical knowledge,
for example, could potentially give him a greater appreciation for
the film (a depth that Kate may not experience with her single
viewing and lack of background info). It's awesome if one has studied
Hebrew and Greek and given a lot of thought to historical context and
complex theological concepts. But Jesus also sternly rebuked the
Gregs of his day for being overly attentive to small things while
neglecting the “weightier,” or “more important,” aspects of
the law (the aspects that reveal God's heart for “justice, mercy,
and faithfulness”—Matthew 23:23). I've read and heard many
respected teachers and theologians who, despite their extensive
biblical knowledge, sometimes express gross ignorance about core
themes of the story of God (as seen in many of their conclusions,
allegiances, and endeavors). Our mastery of the individual components
is pointless if, like Greg, we fail to comprehend the overarching
story. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learn
to tell a 3-5 minute version of the Story of God from Genesis to
Revelation (Just thinking about the overarching story and how best to
tell it is incredibly good for us). Practice with other
Christ-followers, and ask for feedback (People aren't always hearing
what we think we're saying, so this becomes a very helpful exercise).
If we've succumbed to the story of God—been transformed by the good
news of his better kingdom—then we need to be ready to explain to
onlookers just exactly what's happening (not only within our own
lives, but what God is up to in the world and where it's all headed).
I've heard it said, "The Gospel found you on its way to someone
else." Become a great story teller, like Jesus, and share his
good news often and in everyday life. Be familiar enough with the
story to be able to contextualize the Gospel to your hearer's
specific brokenness (the story doesn't change, but what we emphasize
and how we deliver it should be customized as the Holy Spirit leads
us). Jesus addressed a promiscuous woman's underlying longing, for
example, by offering “living water” that would satisfy her true
thirst. In an earlier encounter, he told a jaded theologian that he
would need to start over and be “born again” (this time, by way
of the Spirit). Jesus also invited a young rich man of power to give
it all up and find his treasure and identity in the true King
instead. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">A
film like </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Saving Private Ryan</i></span><span style="color: black;">
has an actual story that the writer, director, cast and production
team are trying to tell. We, as the audience, aren’t at liberty to
just rewrite the movie as a slapstick comedy, a horror film, or a
western. We’re of course free to create our own stories, but we
shouldn’t commandeer or misrepresent someone else’s story. All
the more, we should take the time to get God's story right. Remember
that our understanding of the story will inform how we live our lives
(for better or for worse). So let's invest in developing a strong
foundation built around the main beats of the narrative and a firm
grasp of the overarching themes (It's all well and good to progress
on to deeper truths, but we should first get the basics down).
Ultimately, it's through the story of God that we come to know him,
know ourselves, and become known. As we faithfully read the script,
we find that God has written each of us into his epic redemptive
tale. But if we fail to see the story unfolding—what God is up to
in the world—then we'll undoubtedly miss our cue, and the story
will simply carry on without us.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>...beginning
with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] explained to them what was
said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” - Luke 24:27</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(</span></span></span><a href="https://thebibleproject.com/"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The
Bible Project</b></i></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
has a bunch of great videos that guide you through God's story
book-by-book. They just finished their through the Bible series, and
they also have some great theme videos. I highly recommend them as a
resource.)</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-64711553255580081302017-01-22T18:50:00.001-08:002017-01-23T16:34:31.863-08:00Man Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-66w-NBEGH20/WIVkDXzmiwI/AAAAAAAABJU/kP3_XQxUgbsdQ0gzsl4OxK6FuSZdsJn4ACLcB/s1600/ManUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-66w-NBEGH20/WIVkDXzmiwI/AAAAAAAABJU/kP3_XQxUgbsdQ0gzsl4OxK6FuSZdsJn4ACLcB/s400/ManUp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In the
ongoing societal debate over authentic masculinity, we're typically
asked to choose between two polarized archetypes: There's the
hyper-sensitive, sobbing, modern mess of a man in the one corner and
the tough as nails, apathetic cowboy, who knows how to “man up”
and get things done in the other. The first man, who is introspective
to a fault and tragically indecisive (He'd rather passively “Netflix
and chill,” for example, than clearly declare his intentions), has
his origins in the notion that masculinity and patriarchy are at the
root of the world's woes (i.e. He's not impotent by accident). The
second man has been around since the dawn of time. He's mostly the
product of broken masculinity and a misguided fantasy of ideal
manhood (something like James Bond or Dirty Harry). He's made more
noise as of late, though, in lashing back against the societal forces
that are aggressively seeking to silence or eradicate him. He's
brash, bold, a man of action, eager to throw his weight around, and
unencumbered by empathy or compassion (as these “feminine
weaknesses” are seen as liabilities). He speaks his mind and takes
what he wants. He's center stage in the recent rise of
pseudo-masculine politics, a movement that is more enthralled with
breaking eggs than actually making an omelet, as a direct rebuke to
what is seen as a neutered or feminized approach to important
societal issues (i.e. an approach that is viewed as overly concerned
with political correctness, emotionality, endless deliberation, and
passivity). Men who embody this brand of “masculine strength” are
viewed by many (both men and women) as what society now “desperately
needs.” But neither of these stereotypical men accurately describe
the only truly perfect man to ever walk the earth. And as such they
are a distortion and a distraction from God's actual intentions for
authentic masculinity.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/good-news-for-gender-confused-and.html">my last post</a>, I referred to C.S. Lewis' observation that it's the things
which initially have the highest potential for good that, when
corrupted, can cause the greatest harm. The feminist critics are
unfortunately correct in noting the havoc broken masculinity has
wreaked on the earth. The vast majority of sexual assaults and other
heinous violent crimes, for example, are overwhelmingly carried out
by men. Not to mention the numerous instances of oppression,
exploitation, and endless bloody wars that have been fought through
the ages in an effort to satisfy some misguided masculine ambition,
appetite, or false sense of honor. Too often men find their identity
in their status, net worth, profession, ability to “avenge”
themselves or others, sexual prowess, and emotional detachment.
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">Things have certainly gone wrong</a>, but let's not be so quick to throw
the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. It's only because God's
divine plan for men is so lofty—our potential so remarkable—that
our perverted, post-Eden masculinity is now causing such devastation.
Our understanding of true manhood is broken, to be sure, but it's not
beyond the reach of Jesus' redemptive kingdom ministry. </span>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.
A New Way to View Status/Position: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span>
</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">James
and John infamously had their mom (that's right, <i>their mom</i>)
ask Jesus for two ridiculously prestigious positions in his kingdom.
This example of self-serving ambition from guys who were already
within Jesus' inner circle just goes to show how we can easily seek
this stereotypical source of masculine identity even within a
“spiritual” context. There's nothing wrong with titles, status,
and positions of honor, per se, but these things shouldn't become our
identity. Jesus explains, “whoever wants to become great among you
must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your
slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew
20:26-28). </span>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Becoming
the least, the last, and the lowliest isn't just a kingdom-hack for
actually—wink, wink—fast tracking to the front of the line (and
if we're looking for ways to fast track to the front of the line,
then we're still not thinking like the Son of Man). This is simply
the way his backwards and upside down kingdom works. Jesus wasn't
putting on an act. He wasn't pretending to be humble and more
concerned with the needs of others in an effort to demonstrate
servant leadership, etc. He was being himself. He was revealing the
Father to us. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Fortunately,
John seemed to get it later in life. I love how he humbly penned his
gospel: He's not “John the Apostle,” “Bishop of Ephesus,”
“Son of Thunder,” and the only <i>male</i> disciple to <span style="font-size: small;">be
at the foot of the cross. He didn't waste a lot of time making sure
we all know what a big deal he is. He instead brought us his
extraordinary eyewitness biography of the God-man (almost
anonymously) as simply a disciple “whom Jesus loved.” And this
seemed to be more than enough for him.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2.
A New Way to Utilize Money/Resources:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Society
often weighs a man’s worth by his bank account. Many of our current
President’s advocates and admirers, for example, point solely to
his net worth as definitive proof that he's qualified to lead.
Accumulation of wealth, then, becomes a deep se<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">at</span>ed source of
masculine identity. </span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Matthew,
before becoming one of Jesus’ Twelve, was initially diverted from
his divine vocation by his thirst for money. If “Levi” was his
given name, as Mark and Luke’s gospels seem to indicate, then he
was probably born into the priestly tribe that was charged with
tending to the Temple (meaning he was set apart by God for full-time
vocational ministry). In becoming a tax collector, he effectively
rejected his birthright, turned his back on God, and sold out his
family and community. Jesus walked right up to this greedy
collaborator (while he was at work, no less) and offered him
something more valuable than what he was currently chasing (There’s
tremendous poetic beauty in how Jesus, the true <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html"><i>Temple</i></a>,
reclaimed Levi for what he was originally intended). </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Matthew’s
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/how-to-more-than-just-survive-zombie.html">outlook on his earthly assets was instantly transformed</a>. After
meeting Jesus, he hosted a massive party in his home so all his
greedy friends could meet Jesus, too, and hear about his better
kingdom (and I imagine he didn’t skimp on the caterer or the party
favors). He’d found the “pearl of great value” (mentioned
exclusively in his gospel), the unmatched treasure buried in a field,
and he was ready to sell everything he had to pursue it (no matter
how financially reckless or insane he appeared to onlookers).</span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">3.
A New Perspective of Profession:</span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
thought about working this point into the section on status/position
(There's certainly a lot of crossover). But I think finding our
masculine identity in our profession (i.e. “I'm a firefighter,
lawyer, teacher, mechanic,” etc.) is a bit different than finding
our identity in our status or position (i.e. “I'm the Senior Branch
Manager, Shift Supervisor, Lead Elder, or Head Pastor”), and, as
such, it seems to warrant separate consideration. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What
do you do?” is usually the first thing men ask each other upon
meeting. Our job often defines us (for better or worse), and
potentially gives us a deep sense of masculine worth. It's no
accident that men put such emphasis on their work. We were meant to
be workers, to labor alongside our Father (Genesis 2:5, John 5:17).
God has implemented healthy rhythms of both work and rest. Paul even
condemns a lazy man who refuses to provide for his family as “worse
than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). But we're not meant to find
our identity solely in our work, and we're not meant exclusively for
the sort of work we tend to give ourselves over to. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
love how Jesus transitioned Peter from viewing himself as a fisherman
to a “fisher of men.” He exchanged simple profession for <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/how-to-more-than-just-survive-zombie.html">kingdom vocation</a>. We have examples of Peter fishing during and after Jesus'
public ministry. Paul and Aquila made tents to pay the bills, Simon
was a tanner, and Cornelius was a career officer. But after meeting
Jesus, these men no longer sought identity in these professions.
Their professions became the means by which they could pursue their
true vocations as disciple makers and Gospel declarers and
demonstrators. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
we have likewise succumbed to the all-encompassing <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">good news</a> of God's
better kingdom then we should now also view ourselves in light of our
true identity and vocation <i>in Christ</i><span style="font-style: normal;">:</span><i>
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">We're now “ministers of
reconciliation” who drive buses, “priests” who teach high
school math, “ambassadors” who appraise property, and
“evangelists” who make blended frappuccinos with extra whipped
cream. </span> </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">4.
A New Way to Pursue Justice:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
1st Century Roman occupiers of Jesus’ day were at times brutal,
emasculating, and unjust. Roman soldiers were legally allowed to grab
a random Jew off the street and force them to carry their gear for up
to a mile (hence Jesus’ controversial command for his followers to
joyfully go an “extra mile”). They were also known to flippantly
crucify innocent people of occupied territories as a show of raw
force or to make a political point. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Simon
(not Peter or the tanner—turns out there were a lot of guys named
“Simon”... and “James”... and “Judas”), who was
apparently a Zealot, may have initially belonged to a group of Hebrew
nationalists who couldn't sit idly by in the face of such injustice.
Simon likely hated his Roman oppressors with every fiber of his
being. He was probably willing to die—to kill—to actively resist
them. A man’s strong sense of justice and subsequent need to “do
something about it” is undoubtedly from God (we’re made in <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">his image</a>, after all, and originally meant to be caretakers of creation).
However, it’s easy to see (easy to see in others anyway) that our
sense of justice is often skewed (and most frequently awakened by
personal injury to our pride, more so than from a genuine zeal for God’s
perspective of things). </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesus
gives Simon new purpose as a reconciler, a new way to pursue justice,
and a willingness to leave vengeance to God. We don’t know much
about Simon’s life, but tradition has most of the Apostles being
martyred in far off lands as they faithfully carried out the Great
Commission. This means that Simon, who had at this point bought into
another kingdom, would’ve missed the epic Jewish-Roman wars of the
early second half of the 1st Century (in which a violent Zionist
uprising visited upon the Romans their own brand of brutality and
temporarily restored political sovereignty over Judea to the Jewish
people). Before meeting Jesus, this once in a lifetime opportunity to
finally strike back at the invincible Roman Empire would’ve
probably been the unreachable height of Simon’s youthful
aspirations. After meeting Jesus, however, Simon simply had better
things to do. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">5.
A New Way to View Women: </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Jesus'
masculinity wasn't threatened by women. He didn't exploit or exclude
them (two common, polarized male responses to femininity that
ironically result from the same fears and insecurities). He received
them as “sisters,” fellow image-bearers, and partners in his
kingdom ministry. He didn't condescend to them with sermons laced
with lighthearted, yet demeaning, gender stereotypes that subtly let
them know they should leave the spiritual heavy lifting to the men (a
stark contrast to many of our modern well-intentioned but at times
patronizing “women's ministries” that often consist of little
more than tea parties, crafting, and bake sales). There were many
women who traveled with Jesus and were even among his inner circle
(Luke 8:1-3). Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, was said to have
“sat at Jesus' feet” (Luke 10:39). This was a Hebrew idiom
describing a disciple and rabbi relationship. He equipped and
commissioned these women to be world-changers. Jesus' scandalous
practice of including and elevating women in his ministry was
unprecedented in Jewish culture (It would've even been foreign to
Roman and Greek culture in the 1st Century). </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Jesus'
straightforward confidence in his interaction with women was
offensive to some and startling to most. After his one-on-one
conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, for example, his
male disciples seemed to be quietly on edge at Jesus' social
impropriety (John chapter 4). “What could he possibly want with
this woman,” was their burning unspoken question? They must have
projected their own broken masculinity onto Jesus, as the Pharisees
did, wrongly assuming his perspective of women was the same as theirs
(in which case, his motives couldn't possibly be perceived as pure).
It certainly didn't help Jesus' shaky standing with his conservative
critics when ex-prostitutes interrupted swanky V.I.P. dinner parties
to weep over and kiss his feet. But he didn't seem to lose any sleep
over his critics' conjectures. His conscience was clear (John 8:46),
and his identity was secure (John 8:14). </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">No doubt
God has unique roles for men and women (both within families and
within his church, which is to operate as a family), but this
biblical truth has too often been used to excuse subtle injustices
(women being under utilized, excluded, or marginalized within the
family of God—given less honor and compensation while being asked
to fulfill similar roles as their male counterparts, etc.) and even
outright misogyny. Authentic masculinity, the kind Jesus displayed,
doesn't objectify women by viewing them as merely a <i>pleasure</i>
to be exploited, a <i>conquest</i> to achieve, or a <i>danger</i> to
be ostracized or contained. True masculinity sees women as equal
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">image-bearers</a> (Genesis 1:27), the other half of a whole, and co-heirs
to the kingdom. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">6.
A New Way to Exercise Power/Authority:</span> </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Power
and authority also play heavily into status and position. I wanted to
deal with these separately, however, in order to discuss
status/position purely as a source of masculine identity and then
handle the way men typically exercise physical and authoritative
force—the mechanics of power—as its own topic. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">God is
not, as the serpent would have our first parents believe, a
megalomaniac. His comfort with the delegation of his authority
is remarkably humble. He doesn't need assistance of any kind. Yet he
creates angelic beings that do his bidding and physical creatures
made in <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">his image</a> who he generously entrusts with overseeing his
world. He's not lazy or incapable. He engineered the whole universe
from scratch and brought it into existence with a Word. His
multi-tiered system of power (which includes rebellious angels,
broken human leaders, and corrupt governments) coupled with his
reluctance to micro-manage, then, can only be seen as a quiet and
abiding confidence in his own sovereignty. It's those who are
insecure about what little power they have, in fact, who are most
likely to obsess over it and to hoard it from others. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Jesus,
at one point, expressed his zeal for God's “house” by flipping
over tables and driving out the money changers with his homemade
whip. And, of course, there's an Egyptian army entombed at the bottom
of the Red Sea that made the fatal mistake of crossing Israel's
patient-yet-powerful Avenger. Physical force and violence are clearly
in God's toolkit (just ask Ananias and Sapphira). But if we read his
redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation and walk away seeing the
“Slain Lamb” as some sort of macho, kick-ass, Rambo character
then we've completely missed <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-heart-of-god.html">the heart of God</a> and the grandeur of the
narrative. God's greatness, his strength, is seen most clearly in his
inexplicable restraint. He can and does at times destroy his enemies,
but he also goes to great lengths as he demonstrates unfathomable
grace and humility in painstakingly transforming them into friends.
It's his mercy and power of persuasion that sets him apart from us.
Violence we understand. An expression of infinite power in fragile
flesh, however, is baffling and disarming. And a servant King who is
paradoxically “lifted up” as he lays his life down for his rebel
subjects is world changing. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">7.
A New Way to Approach Emotional Vulnerability:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Boys
from a young age are often taught that emotional attachments are
“unmanly.” They're teased when they kiss their mothers goodbye,
for example, and soon learn to stop if they want to be taken
seriously by their peers. Men are chided by each other when they
publicly express affection to their girlfriends and wives, as well.
Many parents won't even let their young boys model what are seen as
“feminine” nurturing behaviors at play (like tending to baby
dolls). They may be encouraged to “man up” if they express too
much empathy or sadness. The societal message is clear: Emotional
vulnerability is a “weakness” that strong men cannot afford. We
must learn to be distant, detached, and apathetic if we're to align
with popular notions of masculinity (with an emotionally disengaged
character like James Bond, who proudly never gives his heart to any
of the numerous women he beds, being considered the ideal man among
men).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">God
is the most powerful Being in existence, and he humbly <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-heart-of-god.html">wears his heart on his sleeve</a>. His willingness to become emotionally vulnerable
(and physically vulnerable—even mortal—in the incarnation) is at
the heart of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the Gospel</a>. He's strong enough to engage, to open
himself up to the hurt that comes from caring for others, to risk the
pain of clearly declaring his affection for fickle creatures who
often reject him. And his Son is no different. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesus
allows himself to feel things deeply (regularly moved by
“compassion,” intensely “angered” over hypocrisy and
injustice, and mourns over human suffering), but he's not overrun or
crippled by his emotions. He weeps, anguishes, and pleads with his
Father in Gethsemane for hours, allowing all of the terror and
despair to wash over him, and then courageously stands up to meet his
tormentors with a fixed resolve (looking forward to the joy that
waits for him in the outcome).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That
historic night was full of the typical sort of men (Annas, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Caiaphas</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
and the Sanhedrin, Herod, Pilate, Judas, and Peter), who leap into
action, who set aside compassion to do “what needs to be done,”
to bring about the “greater good,” by exerting force and
leveraging power (there were also, of course, the cowardly kind who
were paralyzed by fear). For all their best intentions, all their
“manly” effort, they once again came up empty (just as all the
men who came before them have, who’ve striven in the same way since
the dawn of time). But Jesus accomplished more in his deliberate act
of passive resistance (refusing to defend himself, refusing to fight
back, willingly being brutalized, bravely embracing vulnerability)—by
becoming a lightning rod for humanity’s evil, absorbing all of it
into himself, and allowing it to crush him—than any man who came
before or after him. He wasn't the sort of manly messiah they wanted
(or even the manly messiah we still want, judging from the popularity
of those who preach a macho Jesus who conforms to typical one
dimensional notions of masculinity), not like the militant “messiahs”
who came before and after (like John of Gischala or Simon bar Giora,
who led armed uprisings during the Jewish-Roman wars that ended in
the obliteration of Jerusalem, a tragic outcome that Jesus had
previously foreseen and wept over). </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Time
to Man Up</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s
not that Jesus was “effeminate,” cowardly, or passive—that he
wasn’t/isn’t a fighter (He's the manliest man to ever walk the
earth); It’s that he redefines the fight and how we’re to
effectively engage (not being overcome by evil but, instead,
overcoming evil with good). Jesus redefined what it is to be human
and, more specifically, what it is to be a man. We must reject the
two archetypal hollow men (the “impotent” and the “apathetic”)
that society is eager to spoon feed to us. Jesus is the third option.
As the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">prototype</a>, he demonstrated a better way to view our masculine
identity and purpose, and, by way of his life, death, and
resurrection, he's graciously made this revolutionary “<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">new man</a>”
accessible to us. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Only
one question remains: Are we man enough to <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/bacon-eating-vegetarian.html">follow him</a>?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-85128313632682759602017-01-02T16:40:00.001-08:002017-05-10T20:40:51.361-07:00Good News for the Gender Confused and Sexually Perverse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2V2sTnNeUw/WGrwotWiODI/AAAAAAAABIw/nfoEQBjYRGg76MH0oLM9qKqkxf7Y_4EggCLcB/s1600/GoodNewsForTheGenderConfusedAndSexuallyPerverse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2V2sTnNeUw/WGrwotWiODI/AAAAAAAABIw/nfoEQBjYRGg76MH0oLM9qKqkxf7Y_4EggCLcB/s400/GoodNewsForTheGenderConfusedAndSexuallyPerverse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It’s
no secret that Jesus was often criticized for the scandalous company
he kept. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor,” he would say
“...but the sick” (Mark 2:17). At the heart of his naysayers’
agitation was the still-popular notion that the world can be neatly
divided into two types of people: “generally decent folks” and
“reprobates.” Jesus was, of course, being chided for apparently
not knowing the difference. But he doesn't at this point rail against
his critics' self-righteous presumption (though he certainly does
elsewhere). He instead clearly identifies who he came to save. So
it's up to us, then, to answer the simple spiritual triage question:
Do we see ourselves among the “not too bad” crowd, as the
Pharisees did? Perhaps, in our estimation, we're needing a band-aid on
our skinned knee, a lollipop, and not much else. Jesus doesn't have
time for this sort. He didn't come for skinned knees. Or do we
rightly identify with the filthy band of reprobates, deplorables,
perverts, hemorrhaging, and hopelessly broken people that Jesus did
come to rescue and restore? It’s no use simply paying lip service
to the answer we know we </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>should</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
give—the answer we learned in Sunday School. He sees right through
our false humility and empty piety. The truth is, we're all
tremendously <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">broken</a>. Humanity's universal rebellion, along with the
death and decay that follows, comes early on in <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the redemptive story</a>
that God is telling. The cancerous and debilitating effects of the
fall permeate every aspect of our being. It's especially helpful to
keep this in mind when we're discussing the highly emotionally
charged topics of gender and sexuality. Though our brokenness will
inevitably manifest in a myriad of different ways, we're </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>all</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
undoubtedly sexually perverse and gender confused individuals who are
desperately in need of a Savior</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Human
beings, both male and female, were <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">created in God's image</a>. The first
couple was charged with overseeing creation as his representatives
and producing enough multi-generational offspring to eventually fill
the whole earth (Not a bad gig). God gifts this man and woman with
sex as a sign of their life-long partnership (as two individuals
literally and figuratively become “one flesh”), the necessary
means by which they could carry out their divine mandate (along with
a generous sampling of God's creative power), and an unparalleled
source of shared pleasure. They are described as two halves of a
whole, with neither being able to fulfill their unique rol<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">e</span>s apart
from the cooperative assistance of the other. We find that the Gospel
is also woven into this union: The husband and wife are meant to
beautifully illustrate the unbreakable bond between Christ and his
Church. This first couple is completely and selflessly vulnerable
with each other and unashamed. Of course, as already mentioned,
things famously take a turn for the worse when these prototypical
image-bearers foolishly reject the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">Tree of Life</a> in favor of a lie
that promises them what they already had from the start. Instead of
becoming more like their Creator, they spiral down into chaos. All of
creation, including every aspect of the human body and psyche, is in
some way corrupted by this tragic event. As a result, most of our
initial preferences and proclivities are now in direct rebellion to
God's original design (So Lady Gaga is correct in saying we're “born
this way,” but we certainly weren't created “this way”). </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Forgive
the brief detour, but I think we'll need to address a common
theological misconception regarding the body and the physical world
that further muddies these already culturally clouded waters.
Unfortunately, many Christians have unknowingly embraced a very
Gnostic understanding of things (i.e. the physical world is
irredeemable and meant to be supplanted by a superior spiritual
world) that incorrectly sees the physical body as merely incidental
to the immortal soul, or simply a vehicle for “who I really am”
underneath. This idea that our bodies are something like an
afterthought, a disposable accessory for our non-corporeal soul, is
completely at odds with the historic, Christian Faith. “God raised
the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also,” is what
Scripture says (1 Corinthians 6:14). Likewise, Job adds, “after my
skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself
will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another” (from Job
19:26-27). A future <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">resurrection</a> (which is, by definition, a </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>physical</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
event) and the eventual restoration of creation is at the heart of
the original story (a controversial proposition, to be sure, even in
the 1st Century). God loves the physical world and the physical
creatures he made to inhabit it. You might remember how he once
deemed it all “very good.” The story of the Bible, then, is about
how far he'll go to rescue his rebel world, to put it all back to the
way he originally intended (so the story can finally proceed in the
right direction). Our physical bodies are certainly corrupted by the
fall and, as such, are in need of redemption and restoration, but
they're also—by God's design—an integral part of </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>who
we are</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"> as humans. He's intentionally crafted
our bodies (along with our specific biological distinctions) with
particular care and divine purpose. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
believe it was C.S. Lewis who once made the point that it's the
things with the greatest initial potential for good which, when
corrupted, do the greatest harm. He explains how a cow, for example,
has very little capacity to do much good or bad; but a human, on the
other hand, can do both to greater extent; and an angelic being,
gifted with extreme power and insight, certainly even more so.
Likewise, the immense God-given potential of sex; as a source of
life, pleasure, oneness and intimacy, and a beautiful metaphor of the
fellowship we can have with our Maker; can inversely, when corrupted
by human rebellion, become a boundless source of exploitation,
oppression, violence, isolation (ironically), obsession, and numerous
other profoundly destructive and dehumanizing attitudes and
behaviors. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's
not enough to assume that God's plan for sexuality is automatically
satisfied in a life-long monogamous sexual relationship between a man
and a woman (although anything less than this would, of course, be
falling short of his definition of divinely-sanctioned physical
intimacy). And most of our understanding of gender comes from
arbitrary cultural constructs (In other words, we can't assume that
because our boys love baseball and BB guns and our girls exclusively
play with Barbie dolls that we've got it right). He clearly has more in
mind. Therefore, humility and biblical accuracy require us to have a
more precise understanding of God's intent (and, inversely, a broader
definition of sexual perversion and gender confusion) than we
currently seem to have. Don't get me wrong, It's appropriate to
passionately advocate for the Creator's original good design. But, in
doing so, I think we inevitably tend to aggressively harp on the
forms of perversion that are most foreign to our own experience (and
therefore more offensive to our individual and collective biases)
while at the same time overlooking the many harmful deviations with
which we more closely identify (contributing to a hypocritical
inconsistency in our “moral outrage” and the development of a
pharisaical “us” and “them” perspective). Same-sex sexuality,
for example, is a clear deviation from God's plan, but, then, so is
the more garden variety human tendency toward voyeurism (and a
multi-billion dollar porn industry has resulted from the decisively
greater prevalence of the latter perversion). Only we usually don't
boycott, picket, or even recognize voyeurism as a perversion of God's
plan for human sexuality (particularly in the more subtle examples of
voyeuristic themed marketing and entertainment that regularly invite
us to objectify people, especially women, in exchange for our
attention as they pitch us some “new-and-improved” toothpaste,
sitcom, or charbroiled burger). At the darker end of the same swamp,
millions of people—mostly girls and women—are enslaved
(psychologically and physically), trafficked, and raped in an ongoing
effort to meet the insatiable demand of ravenous voyeurs, who have
convinced themselves that this perverse arrangement they have with
the human commodity on the other side of their screen is both
harmless and equitable. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We
could certainly spend a lot of time debating the various degrees of
perversion (i.e. how far off from God's original design is each
behavior, orientation, and so forth, in relationship to the others),
but this doesn't seem very productive. I imagine our “unbiased”
analysis would largely be compromised by our own particular <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">taste for sin</a> anyway. While I think we'd be right to conclude that a pedophile
or a sadistic rapist's sexual brokenness is manifesting in a more
dangerous way than, say, a necrophiliac (to use some extreme
examples); How can we say that a typical lesbian, for instance, is
definitively more perverse than a heterosexual “playboy,” like
Hugh Hefner (or the millions of men who envy him)? The one who views
sex as a conquest and people as trophies is blasphemously (and
probably unwittingly) invoking the divinely crafted, physical
language of life-long covenant—again and again and again—flippantly
with each subsequent partner (1 Corinthians 6:15-16). Just because a
particular form of sexual perversion is more prevalent than another
does not mean that it is somehow more “natural” (in terms of
God's original intent for humans). Does a transgendered or
transvestite image-bearer have more or less confusion about God's
plan for gender than a traditionally masculine man with misogynistic
tendencies (especially in light of our unconventional Founder who
scandalously discipled women and elevated them to previously unheard
of places of honor and influence within his upside down kingdom)?
Have we done a better job of raising our all-American boy, who
conforms to traditional male expectations (including a learned apathy
that was produced by systemic societal shaming of God-given, yet
somehow “unmanly,” attributes like gentleness, compassion, and
emotional vulnerability), than the neighbor did raising his son who
now wants to wear dresses and be called by a conventionally female
name? And is a monogamous, married, heterosexual couple whose twisted
perspective of sex is rooted in pride, power, punishment, or currency
more closely aligned with the Creator's intent than, say, a
polyamorous trio? Rather than arguing about who is the most deviant,
it seems we should concede that we're all to some extent filthy and
instead focus our energy on the more pressing question of how to get
clean. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
regard to the so called “<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/polarized.html">culture wars</a>,” in which conservative
Christians seem to be constantly and passionately engaged, we’re
regularly picking the wrong battles (holiday coffee cups, restroom
access, and baked goods) and employing the wrong tactics once the
ridiculous battle lines have been drawn. And the Christian celebrity
speakers, musicians, and denominations that are “reinterpreting”
their biblical understanding of brokenness, despite their best
intentions, are equally unhelpful (not to mention brazen beyond
words, considering the stern warning Jesus gave to a 1st Century
church that allowed sexual sin to continue in their midst
unchallenged—Revelation 2:20-23). In short, I believe the
unattended brokenness within the Family of God is causing far more
damage than the brokenness without. The sexual immorality, high rates
of divorce, and addiction to pornography running rampant within the
American Church, even among our shepherds and teachers, is nothing
short of tragic. As Peter says, “it is time for judgement to begin
with God's household” (1 Peter 4:17a). And Jesus warns that “if
the salt loses its saltiness... it is no longer good for anything”
(Matthew 5:13). We're called to be a “city on a hill,” a beacon
of light amidst the brokenness of Babylon, not a hypocritical pack of
political pundits, lobbyists, and picketers. “What business is it
of mine to judge those outside the church?” asks Paul. “Are you
not to judge those inside?” Rest assured, “God will judge those
outside” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13a). </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our
sexuality and gender, though significant aspects of our being, were
never meant to completely define us. It's misguided and idolatrous
for us to seek our identity in these things. Sometimes even the
church elevates sex and marriage to unhealthy degrees (when,
ironically, Jesus lived his whole life here on earth as a single,
celibate man—saving himself for the next life, for his true Bride).
Paul, who had a high regard for God's plan for sex and marriage, also
touted the benefits of serving Jesus as a single person (1
Corinthians 7:8, 32-35). The disciple of Jesus who feels an intense
same-sex attraction, as an example, yet denies himself or herself in
obedience to God's creative order, has genuine camaraderie with the
heterosexual brother or sister who never marries and likewise
regularly denies themselves in their pursuit of Christ (1 Corinthians
10:13). Regardless of the nature of our particular brokenness,
though, we'll be required to regularly deny ourselves in both large
and small ways. Marriage </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>is
not</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">, as
many think, “the remedy” to our numerous sexual perversions. For
many, it will only compound the damage caused by their untended,
preexisting wounds and misconceptions. But fortunately we're not, as
the naturalist would have us believe, merely “intelligent animals”
who are forever bound to our primal instincts. We're made in the
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">image of God</a>, and, in Christ, we no longer have to be slaves to our
urges. The freedom that Jesus offers in this arena is truly good
news. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
we become more aware of our own sexual brokenness and misconceptions
about gender, we'll likely also grow in compassion for our fellow
image-bearers, especially toward those whose brokenness may manifest
differently than our own. Ultimately, the only thing that separates
“perverse reprobates” from “redeemed and
in-the-process-of-being-restored followers of Christ” is a
willingness to repent and to trust solely in Jesus' counterintuitive
method for making us whole again (which is really saying the same
thing two different ways). To “repent” is to change our mind, to
swallow our pride and agree with God that he's right and we're wrong.
It's to abandon our rebellion and to instead, through the power of
his Spirit, adopt his kingdom rule over every aspect of our lives.
Jesus appropriately describes this process as “<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/bacon-eating-vegetarian.html">dying</a>,” as even
daily embracing the instrument of our torturous demise, so that he
can paradoxically give us new life, his “abundant life”—real
LIFE. And repentance is not a one time event. It's a regular rhythm
of the true disciple's everyday existence. If we're going to
experience the new life that Jesus offers, then we'll need to turn
everything that we have, everything that we are (our hopes and
dreams, our identity, ideologies, sexuality, and notions of
gender—all of it!) over to him. There's no going forward until we
do. Porn addicts, prostitutes, playboys, and pious Christians, alike,
must all travel the same humble Road if we're to be healed of our
sexual perversion and misconceptions. But if we're willing, he's more
than able to deliver. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Do
not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor
adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy
nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom
of God.” </span></i></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">And
that is what some of you were.” </span></i></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">But
you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1
Corinthians 6:9b-11).</span></i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<br /></div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-19562223595620867002016-12-23T10:05:00.001-08:002016-12-25T21:39:46.402-08:00The Eschaton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our
culture seems to have a genuine fixation on the apocalypse, or the
“end of days,” as of late. Post-apocalyptic, dystopian stories
fly off the shelves faster than you can say “exclusive movie
rights.” Popular Christian culture isn't getting </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>left
behind</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"> either. A steady stream of
best-selling book series and movie adaptations have given us a
fanciful, modern interpretation of Jesus' Revelation. And why not?
The end of a story is arguably the most important part. Everyone
understandably wants to know what's going to happen on the last page.
Will the hero defeat his enemy or overcome his obstacle? Will he
finally get where he's going and achieve what he's after? How we see
the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>ending</i></span> <span style="font-size: small;">of the
story—what we identify as the point of it all, the culmination, the
climax—will greatly inform how we read the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>whole</i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">story. It will inform how we see </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>our
part</i></span> <span style="font-size: small;">in the story, how we live it out in our
everyday lives, and how we tell the story of God to others who have
yet to hear.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
don’t plan to get into the nuts and bolts, the nitty-gritty, of all
the various eschatological positions. This probably comes as a great
relief to many and perhaps a disappointment to some. If you find
yourself among the latter, we’ll have to set up a time to sit on my
porch with our tea and pipes in hand to gleefully deliberate for
hours about the eschaton (I’ve never actually smoked a pipe, and
I’m not much for tea, but it just seems like the thing to do when
one is having a deep and nerdy theological discussion). My aim in
this post (and in all my posts) is to speak primarily of the Gospel,
and hopefully to let that which is of “first importance” frame
our understanding of biblical eschatology. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
think we have to approach this topic, as we should all theology, with
a humble and teachable spirit. As human beings, we are extremely
susceptible to marrying ourselves so completely to a way of thinking,
or an ironclad theological model, that we may end up inadvertently
imposing our beloved framework on the biblical text (creating
theological tunnel vision). We should be very alert, even reasonably
terrified, of this all too common and mostly subconscious behavior.
The Jewish theologians of Jesus’ day, for example, held to a
specific and finely tuned eschatological model that didn’t line up
with the young Galilean prophet who stood before them. Ultimately,
when faced with the contradiction, it was their Messiah and not their
misconstrued model that they foolishly abandoned. These were learned
men. They spent their lives studying the Scriptures. Many of them
could quote entire books, replete with messianic prophecy, just as
readily as we could rattle off John 3:16. It’s unnerving to think
that we can arrive at a place of extreme biblical familiarity only to
find ourselves, due to our theological presuppositions and hard
hearts, still incapable of perceiving <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-heart-of-god.html">the heart of God</a> as it’s
dancing off the pages. We are each of us undoubtedly wrong about
something, probably a great many somethings. We must be willing to
learn what those somethings are.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While
one can easily get bogged down in the details (and I’m not saying
they aren’t important), we simply can’t afford to miss the broad
strokes of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the story</a>. We must, at the very least, be able to see the
forest for the trees. So by all means, study the various barks and
leaves within, become a master of the theological flora and fauna,
but God forbid that while doing so we fail to connect the dots, to
appreciate the cumulative sum of the individual parts, and to grasp
the overall lay of the land (How's that for a hearty mixing of
metaphors?).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
best as I can see, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the overarching story that the Bible is telling</a> is
of an all-powerful, all-knowing, timeless, just, loving,
hyper-personal, and completely self-sufficient spiritual Being who
(for reasons only fully known to himself) decides to create an
incredibly vast and beautiful physical universe (comprised of space,
time, and matter). Within this universe, he fashions an ideal world
and populates it with all kinds of amazing life. He then establishes
one set of his creatures above the rest as his uniquely crafted
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">image-bearing representatives to creation</a>. Heaven (what we now think
of as “God's space”) and earth (“our space”) seem to
harmoniously coexist in this early state, characterized by perfect
communion between the Creator and his image-bearers. Curiously, this
all-powerful Being intends to rule his creation through these fragile
human creatures. But the first humans, of course, reject the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">Tree of Life</a> and abandon their noble vocation. All of his once-good creation
suffers the harmful effects of these unwilling, and now unqualified,
administrators. Earth is, in a sense, torn from heaven (though God is
of course ever-present, our ability to perceive him, to experience
his life-giving fellowship, and to benefit from universal human
submission to his reign, is at this point tragically constrained).
Undaunted by this colossal setback and unwilling to wipe the board
clean, the Creator patiently works through flawed human messengers
and broken leaders—committed as ever to his original intent for
humanity—to reveal his heart for reconciliation and to foretell his
plan of restoration (an extremely truncated summ<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">a</span>ry of thousands of
years of human history). The culmination of these efforts is finally
seen in the dramatic and miraculous appearance of a divine human in
1st Century Palestine. According to the story, this humble God-man is
the Creator’s only Son, the perfect image-bearer, the promised
King, and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">the sort of human we were all meant to be</a>. He alone is
uniquely qualified to reclaim humanity's birthright and, in so doing,
to return to God what is rightfully his, as well (The Creator
certainly knows how to untangle a knot). God then takes back his
rebel world through this man, Jesus, and gives birth to his
everlasting and long-promised <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/what-happened-to-kingdom.html">kingdom</a> (as he begins to mend the tear
between heaven and earth one person at a time). Previously
disqualified humans are now scandalously invited to resume their
original vocation as “ambassadors” and “priests” of God and
to participate in <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/how-to-more-than-just-survive-zombie.html">his redemptive work in the world</a>. By way of his
death and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">resurrection</a>, Jesus counterintuitively wins a decisive
victory over his enemy and purchases a costly citizenship and
adoption for once-rebels who now acknowledge him as their rightful
King. His kingdom-people are empowered with God’s own Spirit and
commissioned to share the good news of his reign. Like a tiny mustard
seed, his <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/what-happened-to-kingdom.html">kingdom</a> steadily grows and will continue to grow into a
mighty tree that fills the whole earth. No human kingdom will be able
to overthrow it or even resist its advance. And yet it will not
spread by the typical human means of violence, hollow propaganda, or
coercion but by a diverse army of sacrificial servants and martyrs
who follow their Founder's example (as a Spirit-filled extension of
him) and faithfully demonstrate and declare his better kingdom. In
many cases, the illegitimate powers of this world will not even
notice his subversive kingdom's liberation movement until it's too
late. Though <i>all authority</i> in heaven and earth is already his,
there are still many who do not know, or simply refuse to accept,
that Jesus is now King. His rule will therefore be complete upon his
physical return to earth, at which point evil will be permanently
eradicated from his restored universe, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/11/p-margin-bottom-0.html">he will judge the living and the dead</a>, death will be swallowed up by Life, heaven and earth will
be once again seamlessly and fully reunited, and we will see him face
to face. All of human history is leading up to this climactic moment
when death and decay—the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">results of human rebellion</a>—are forever
undone and God's good and perfect will is at long last carried out
consistently and effortlessly here “on earth as it is in heaven.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our
hearts should ache for this (Rom. 8:23). The heart of God—including
his Spirit who resides within his people—longs for this
steadily-approaching future (“The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!'”
-Rev. 22:17a). All of creation groans, as well (Rom 8:22). Jesus
instructs his followers to regularly pray that God would essentially
bring heaven to earth (Matt. 6:9-10). The Lord's Prayer should cause our
anticipation for the reunification of heaven and earth (both
incrementally in the present and universally at the eschaton) to build into a fever pitch. In his
well known Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us to live as if it were
already so, even when living this way will presently cost us dearly. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
are numerous popular predictions about the eschaton that I would
disagree with, but I don't feel the need to vehemently debate every
potential error (although, we'll certainly leave no stone unturned if
you happen to hit me up for the eschatology-fest on my porch). There
is undoubtedly a hierarchy of errors, and we should always give
greater attention to the errors that erode (either directly or
indirectly) the core elements of the Gospel. If one is unfamiliar
with the common use of metaphor in apocalyptic genres, for example, <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">then one</span> may be very sincere in their expectation of seeing a literal,
scaly, fire-breathing dragon at some point near the end. They also
may be racking their brain in a good faith effort to creatively
figure out how all the stars will literally fall from the sky or the
moon will turn to blood. They may even take a certain pride in their
remarkable ability to believe such absurdity. Many of these
hyper-literal conclusions (when the biblical author is clearly
attempting to convey something else), in my estimation, are extremely
misguided but arguably benign to a point. However, regularly
divorcing apocalyptic prophecies (such as Jesus' colorful predictions
in Matthew 24 and his subsequent elaboration in the Revelation to the
seven churches) from their clear biblical antecedents (like Isaiah
using similarly cataclysmic language and hyperbole to predict the 539
BC judgment of Babylon—Isaiah chapter 13) can also lead
to egregious error (It's easy to see how some small exegetical errors
naturally produce greater errors down the road. In arithmetic, for
example, if we misstep early in the process, our initial
miscalculation is magnified as we continue on). </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
popular interpretation of God's story (with multiple eschatological
implications) insists that God has “two distinct people” and
subsequently “two distinct plans.” This teaching has led many
evangelicals to conclude that there are two ways to be reconciled to
God: one (for Gentiles) being to trust in the finished work of Jesus
and the other (for sincere, ethnic Jews) to simply be genetically
related to Abraham's grandson, Jacob. This grave error (which
essentially undermines the exclusivity and sufficiency of the cross,
a core tenant of the Gospel) is not often expressly taught, but,
given what is commonly taught, it is easy to see how the laity within
this camp arrive at this erroneous conclusion. On this point, I would
say shepherds and teachers are responsible, to some extent, not only
for what they <i>say</i> but also for what the flock <i>hears</i>.
According to <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the story of God</a>, there is decidedly only one Seed of
Abraham with the power to save, only one ancestry that affects our
standing at the eschaton, and, by the grace of God, anyone can become
related to him. I've also heard well-intentioned Christians of this
persuasion express how they think it would not only be a “good
idea” but perhaps even a moral imperative for Christians to help
rebuild the Jewish temple (right where a high-profile Muslim mosque
now stands, no less). This sort of thinking reveals catastrophic
ignorance about pivotal developments within the Gospel story (i.e.
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">Jesus as a better Temple</a>, a better Priest, and a better Sacrifice).
Rebuilding the temple and re-instituting the sacrificial system are
dangerously regressive endeavors for a Christian and completely at
odds with Christ's clearly articulated kingdom agenda (Check out
Galatians and Hebrews for more developed warnings).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1482201347299_2557"></a>
“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rapture” theology
plays heavily into this eschatological model as well. A fascination
with being “caught up” has certainly caught on among many
evangelical Christians (as clearly seen in the numerous book sales
and movie adaptations of rapture themed fiction). I really think
Paul’s beautiful picture of believers being lifted into the sky to
greet the returning King (1 Thessalonians 4) has been commonly
misinterpreted as a mass evacuation, but, if so, it’s probably a
misinterpretation of the mostly harmless sort. Something to be
cautious of, however, is the resulting escapist perspectives that can
arguably be traced back to rapture theology. Some of these
rapture-centric Christian traditions have at times produced a very
pessimistic, “duck and cover” outlook on the world within their
respective church cultures. The story they're telling seems to go
something like “everything is getting worse all the time, but if
you'd like to say this prayer to 'accept Jesus as your personal
savior' then we can all hunker down in my basement together and watch
the news for subliminal clues to which world leader may or may not be
the 'antichrist' this week while we're waiting for Jesus to come
back.” “When he gets here, he'll get us out of this
hellhole—right before he torches the whole thing—and we'll
finally be able to live with him forever in heaven.” This may be an
extreme characterization of this camp, but, even in its milder forms,
it starts to sound far more Gnostic than Christian (i.e. “the
physical world is inherently evil and irredeemable, therefore God's
endgame is to eventually extract me so that I can live with him
forever in an ethereal, spiritual realm”). <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">I've written about this elsewhere</a>, so I'll just briefly recap here: Resurrection (which is,
by definition, a <i>physical</i> event) is an essential element of
the Gospel, as is the eventual complete restoration of creation.
These repeated themes of the physical universe being redeemed and
restored are not “unimportant” details that we are free to
overlook or outgrow—they are bedrock to the biblical narrative
(Rom. 8:19-23). Contrary to what many may think, the story the Bible
is telling is not of a great escape from earth to heaven. It's a
story about God bringing heaven back to earth through the person and
work of Jesus (Rev. 21:3).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
of this retreating from “secular spaces,” accompanied by extreme
pessimism about the state of God’s kingdom, and trends toward
spiritual escapism (marked by an abandoning of the physical world)
now commonly seen in American evangelicalism is due in part to a long
history of bad examples and failed attempts at “kingdom expansion.”
Centuries of European “theocracies” have contributed to the
reluctance most modern American Christians presently have in
referring to “God’s kingdom,” as Jesus did, as something that
is happening (or at least starting to happen) now. The rise and fall
of Christian Triumphalism and movements like the “Social Gospel”
of the early 20th Century, which is often criticized for merely
focusing on societal reform and scientific advancement (perhaps
over-emphasizing the demonstration while neglecting the clear
declaration of the Gospel), has contributed to a far dimmer outlook
of the future for those who are left in the wake of these flawed
movements. The response tends to be one of overcorrection. Many of
today’s church cultures have, with their theological traditions,
completely neutered the dynamic and world-changing kingdom of which
Jesus passionately spoke; Instead, promoting a merely internal and
harmless, spiritualized version of God’s kingdom message. It’s
both equally wrong to pursue a man-made utopia (in which Jesus is
conspicuously absent) as it is to abdicate or abandoned the
real-world implications and demands of God’s all-encompassing
kingdom agenda.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1482381063745_2388"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1482381063745_2387"></a>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My purpose here is not to
mock, malign, or conversely promote a specific eschatological model
(though adherents to some versions of Premillennial Dispensationalism
may feel like they’ve taken some lumps in many of my cautionary
examples. I only bring up so many issues resulting from this
theological camp, however, due to its extreme popularity within the
evangelical circles in which I run. If I were fellowshipping more
often with mainline traditions, I would probably have more to say
about the potential pitfalls of Preterism, and so on). Ultimately, I
think it’s helpful to hear multiple perspectives from a variety of
studied and Spirit-filled brothers and sisters. I’ve routinely
disagreed with many of my closest and dearest spiritual family
members on secondary theological issues. In spite of our differences,
we’re able to live, learn, and serve together in a spirit of deep
mutual respect due to our shared love of the God his story reveals.
The conversation within the church regarding what story the Bible is
telling, including sub-conversations about the ending, has been going
on for some time now (with great saints of the past and present
contributing much to the collective effort). As such, there’s
really no need for us to start from scratch, nor should we. </span></span>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1482457217542_2804"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1482457217542_2803"></a>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So be a proud
Premillennial, Postmillennial, Amillennial, or even eschatologically
undeclared follower of Christ. But also be alert to elements of these
eschatological models that might undermine core tenants of the Gospel
by becoming extremely familiar with the broad strokes and governing
themes of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">God’s epic story</a>, as it plays out from Genesis to
Revelation (i.e. Be able to distinguish between primary and secondary
elements of the narrative). Be aware that your understanding (or
misunderstanding) of the story’s ending will inevitably affect how
you live. Be inquisitive and willing to surrender your most beloved
theological presuppositions and cherished church traditions if they
turn out to run contrary to the higher authority of God’s word. Be
reasonably informed about our brothers and sisters who came before us
and who tackled many of these same complex questions. More than this,
be genuinely excited about the return of Christ, and be about your
Father’s business. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
would respectfully suggest that if you're more <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">enthusiastic</span> about “blood
moons,” implanted micro-chips, and stocking up your personal bomb
shelter than pursuing the mission of God (by <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/love-your-neighbor.html">meeting the neighbors</a>,
welcoming the stranger, serving the least, and declaring and
demonstrating the good news of God's kingdom in numerous other ways
throughout your everyday life) then you're tragically missing the
heartbeat of the redemptive story that God has been telling—that
he's even now telling. Likewise, if you find yourself at the other
end of the spectrum, with the crowd who smugly allegorize everything
to the point of meaninglessness, or who reject the resurrection, the
physical return of Christ, and the ultimate supernatural restoration
of the cosmos, and instead seek generic social justice and man-made
utopia, then you are also telling a different story of your own
making (in which Jesus and some of the language of his Gospel has
merely been appropriated in order to promote a secular humanist
fantasy). The Gospel of the kingdom of God that Jesus preached has an
amazing third act. Let's learn the story right, live the story well,
and tell the story often.</span></span></div>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Yes,
I am coming soon” —Jesus (Rev. 22:20)</i></span></span><br />
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-83635786038100879062016-11-24T15:38:00.000-08:002016-11-25T17:43:34.583-08:00Hellfire and Damnation<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I can't
think of any other biblical teaching more distasteful to modern,
“enlightened” folks than the traditional stance on hellfire and
damnation—the “wrath of God”—his final and shocking solution
for evil. Ironically, just about everyone has a strong sense of
justice (what I would argue springs from our shared stock in the
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">Imago Dei</a>). Only we can't seem to agree on how justice should play
out (“fairness,” for example, will usually involve a lot of
special consideration and mercy in my own circumstances while of
course looking more like sevenfold vengeance for the other guy).
Those who criticize God's handling of evil, find him at the same time
to be doing “too much” and “not enough.” Why doesn't he
immediately dethrone the despot, prevent children from being
murdered, and bring his vengeance upon the jerk who just cut me off
in traffic, we wonder? And yet how can he—with perhaps Hitler and
the like being exceptions—condemn human beings to an eternity of
unrelenting torment? We should take note that it's Jesus, more than
any other biblical character, who speaks most frequently and urgently
about the horrors of hell. The certain, coming judgment of God was
the pressing reality in which his good news was announced. As such,
the unpleasantness of hell can never be divorced from <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the gospel</a>. We
can hardly understand what all the fuss is about regarding Jesus'
crucifixion and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">resurrection</a> apart from comprehending the alternative
had he never heroically stepped into our broken world. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Thanks
to Dante and numerous others, we may have a picture of hell in our
head that looks something like cavernous dungeons set aflame with
demonic, reptilian or half-goat, pitchfork-wielding tormentors
roaming the halls. But I don't think even Jesus' story about two men
who share a post-death exchange on the other side was meant to
describe the spacial layout and architecture of the afterlife (Luke
16:19-31). I would argue that hell—and heaven, for that matter—is
often mischaracterized in our minds as a <i>place</i> rather than
understood as a relational <i>proximity</i> to God. More on this
later. It seems clear that the imagery of being cast out of the
warmth and protection of a city into deepest darkness, complete with
wailing and gnashing teeth; or the thought of being thrown on a heap
of decaying waste, where abandoned corpses are burned or left to rot
(as in Jesus' vivid example of the accursed Gehenna); or the vision
of a lake perpetually aflame with the infinite wrath of God are all
graphic metaphor. However, this should in no way alleviate our
reasonable concerns about such an existence. The flames, devouring
worms, death, and darkness are best attempts at describing something
far worse. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
Bible often depicts the same thing in a number of different ways. We
tend to gravitate toward one analogy or another. Reformed/Calv<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">in<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">ist</span></span> traditions,
for example, connect more strongly with the gospel metaphors that
emphasize God's sovereignty (i.e. a lamb or a lost coin found by a
shepherd or searcher, a dead man brought back to life, or varying
soils that receive the same seed, etc.) while Arminian thinking
brothers and sisters tend to make their home in the stories that
highlight human choice (i.e. an open invitation to a lavish
banquette, a wayward son who comes to his senses, and so on). God's
sovereignty plays heavily into what unnerves us the most about hell,
so we'll certainly have to explore it further. For now, though, I
merely want to point out the multifaceted way in which God patiently
communicates complex ideas to us. The Creator, humanity, and what
went wrong between us is effectively described in terms of a rightful
King and a mass rebellion, a Judge who must address heinous
criminals, or a great debt looming over bankrupt debtors. It makes no
difference which biblical example drives the point home for you (I
imagine certain individuals and even whole cultures may respond more
readily to an analogy of economic debt as opposed to one involving
disloyalty to a monarch, for example, or perhaps the other way
around) Thankfully, he's come at it from a number of angles. He wants
us to get it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Jesus
viewed himself, among other things, as a physician who came to treat
sick people (Mark 2:16-17). In this analogy, humanity is suffering
from a universal, debilitating, and eventually terminal, illness.
Some may recoil from the sin-as-illness simile simply because
illnesses beset us generally through no fault of our own (but I
suppose that's another reason we have more than one analogy to work
with). Jesus presents himself as the Cure—the only Cure—for
what's killing us (John 14:6). He claims that he didn't come to
condemn the world but to rescue and restore (John 3:17). Furthermore,
he explains that the world is already condemned, that we're already
dying, or even dead in a sense (John 3:18). Anyone who opts out of
his restorative work in the world is simply left in the tragic state
of decay in which he initially found them. Of course he means to set
the whole universe back to what it was, what he always intended it to
be, and, though our participation in his cosmic redemptive process is
voluntary, he cannot leave the treasonous non-participants to
continue wreaking havoc in his universe indefinitely. It is <i>his</i>
universe, after all, and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">sin is destructive</a> and contagious. According
to the Genesis story, the harmful ripples of human sin are somehow
felt throughout the entire cosmos. In eventually
quarantining—removing from his physical universe—those who have
refused his costly offer of help, God will have granted them what
they persistently demanded: an existence devoid of him. </span>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Depart
from me,” will be his final words to those who defiantly refuse to
be made well (Matthew 25:41). They will then experience the furthest
relational distance possible from their Creator. Relational
proximity—their lack of communion with God through Jesus—was
their trouble all along. Their tragic banishment, in Jesus' own
words, is resulting from the fact that he “never knew” them
(Matthew 7:22-23). As it turns out, to reject communion with the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">Tree of Life</a> is to inherit a death of the worst kind. <br /><br />At this
point the agnostic and atheist may think, “What difference would
that be from my current existence?” “I've never given him a
second thought in this life.” “Why would it be so horrible to
exist apart from him in the next?” This flawed line of thinking
fails to see the numerous echos all around us of a Creator who holds
the exclusive patent on justice, beauty, and love. This once-good
universe we now inhabit still possesses, even in its broken state,
the warm reflective glow of its Creator, as well as the persistent
memory of what <i>was</i> and the lingering hope of what <i>could be</i>
again. The loyalty of a friend, family bonds, the world's most
beautiful art, sacrifice and heroism, even the simple joy of holding
a newborn baby—all of this originates with a remarkable God who
dreamt it into existence. There is much we mistakenly think is <i>ours</i>,
when in actuality it is only on loan from <i>him</i> and only
functions as a reflection of his essence. We also know from Scripture
that God is everywhere, but there are certainly lesser and greater
degrees to which we can perceive his presence. Sin creates a
relational distance between God and humans—a rending of heaven and
earth. However, Jesus—the exact imprint of the invisible God, a
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">temple of flesh and bone</a>—through his death and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">resurrection</a> brings
heaven crashing back into earth (with the ultimate and complete
reunification of heaven and earth yet to come). As mentioned, his
restorative process is already incrementally underway, and “<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">new creations</a>,” in which his Spirit dwells, are becoming little pockets
of heaven-restored all around us. Whether we're aware or not, we're
all of us in this life adrift in an ocean of his grace. All this to
say, it's impossible to even imagine what it would be like to be
completely excluded from all that's of God—even forfeiting the
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">image of God</a> that we presently bear. What would be left, what we can
rightly claim as “ours,” cannot even still be called “human.”
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What
a cruel tyrant he is,” say many of God's critics, “to extort our
friendship with the dangling promise of 'eternal life' and threaten
us with 'hell' if we won't comply.” “If he was truly 'loving,' he
would simply give us the eternal life, no strings attached, and let
us be on our way.” Anyone who thinks in these terms unfortunately
knows nothing of “eternal life.” God cannot give eternal life—he
cannot give heaven—apart from giving himself (John 17:3). And there
is nothing left but what we call “hell” for those who will not
partake of him. We might not like the fact that a branch once severed
from the tree withers and dies. But there's really no use in wishing,
hoping, or demanding that the branch goes on living independently of
the tree. That's not how trees and branches work. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In our
discussion of hell, we tend to fixate on all the wrong things. “Why
isn't he doing a better job of rescuing us,” we wonder? “Why
isn't he overriding our foolish <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">rejection of Life</a> and our subsequent
pursuit of death?” The real scandal of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the story</a>, however, is not
his final confrontation of evil. The real jaw-dropping part of the
whole thing is that he has miraculously and at great cost to himself
crafted a way—even after everything we've done, after everything
we've become—to redeem us, transform us, and reattach us to the
once-rejected <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">Tree of Life</a>. In light of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the story of God</a>, hell
makes perfect sense. It's the shocking twist of the cross, however,
that should leave us dumbfounded. </span>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2444"></a>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If God can do anything,
can he make a rock so big that even he can’t lift it? Can he carry
out an evil act and still be pure good? Can he make a square circle?
These aren’t actually questions of substance. A square circle, for
example, isn’t a complexity for omnipotence to solve. It’s a
logical contradiction. It’s a word game that doesn’t amount to
anything. In our conversation on God’s sovereignty, we must be able
to tell the difference if we’re to get anywhere.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2447"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2448"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2449"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2450"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2451"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2452"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2453"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4467691659yui_3_16_0_1_1479921205091_2454"></a>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">To put it mildly, Christians don’t
quite agree on how God’s sovereignty plays out. It’s been a topic
of debate for thousands of years, and we certainly won’t be
resolving it here. But I’d suggest that as we wade into these
undeniably deep waters we can’t afford to lose sight of two biblicaly revealed truths about God: First, he is in<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">deed </span>sovereign (i.e.
completely in control of his creation and himself); and, second, he
has a genuine, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-heart-of-god.html">heart-rending desire</a> for reconciliation with <span style="font-size: small;"><i>all</i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">of his wayward, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">image-bearing</a> creatures. As we build
sophisticated theological systems that attempt to make sense of the
interplay between God’s sovereignty and human choice, we’ll
inevitably be tempted to erode either of these two key truths. But we
mustn’t. In an oversimplified binary system these can’t both be
true (Either he doesn’t actually want to be reconciled with all of
his creation, or he lacks the ability to accomplish it). However, if
we plan on staying true to Scripture, then we must consider a truly
sovereign God who doesn’t always get his way. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Theologians
try to describe this paradox by distinguishing between God's
“perfect” and “permissive” will. I'll attempt to illustrate
this tension by referencing a typical trip to the grocery store with
my young children (although I'm neither <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">omniscient</span> nor omnipotent<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, so<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, like all analogies<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">, this one will break down sooner rather than later)</span></span></span>. From the start, I have various hopes and goals for
how our errand will go (my “perfect will”). I hope, for example,
they will refrain from grabbing at everything in reach, that they
will mind me, stay near, and not sound like blood-curdling banshees
as we go (we've certainly had plenty of conversations and
consequences to this effect). Despite my sincerest hopes, however, experience
has taught me that there will undoubtedly be course corrections along
the way. I could forcefully ensure my initial hopes—my supreme will for their
behavior—by bringing them to the store in straitjackets, taping
their mouths shut, and placing them securely in the grocery cart next
to the milk and eggs (Before calling CPS on me, remember we're still
safely in the realm of the hypothetical). But this ultimately isn't
what I'm after. I'm aiming to raise mature adults who understand
their <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">innate sin-illness</a> and look to Jesus for forgiveness and
restoration. I want to address their hearts and wills, not just
command their mechanical obedience. To this end, I'll have to trudge
through the occasional grabby klepto-hands, a measure of sass,
wandering off, and inhumanly shrill volumes (call this my “permissive
will”). Even after this patient process, my children may grow into
adults who reject me and all that I've taught them. Such is the
nature and inherent risk of somewhat autonomous souls who are gifted
with the ability to choose.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Damnation
is the worst possible outcome imaginable. Could God have made
genuinely free creatures who were incapable of wandering, incapable
of rejecting the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">Tree of Life</a>? I think this would be something like a
square circle. Well then, is it worth it? Is having authentic
relationship with creatures like us who are free to love as well as
hate, not to mention everything else that comes with a real world as
opposed to a toy one, worth the loss and rejection of so many (and <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-heart-of-god.html">he does feel</a> every agonizing loss resulting from his wager)? It's no
mere game to him. He has literally poured his blood, sweat, and tears
into this endeavor—held nothing back. So is it worth it? Only he,
as the omniscient Creator, can answer the question. And indeed he
has. </span></span>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
the joy set before him he endured the cross...” —Hebrews 12:2b </span></span>
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“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">...he
is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to
come to repentance” —2 Peter 3:9b </span></span>
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-87825308803707129692016-11-13T14:15:00.000-08:002016-11-13T14:23:53.916-08:00Speak Truth to Power<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-82459426448927622572016-10-15T05:37:00.000-07:002016-10-15T05:37:08.412-07:00Polarized<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">It's
troubling how polarized our society has become. What's more, the
church hasn't been immune to this alarming cultural trend. Christians
on the Left and the Right often champion a one-dimensional God who
affirms all their preferences and pet peeves, while simultaneously
turning a deaf ear to other aspects of God's heart that don't appeal
to the prevailing conservative or liberal narratives.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The God of
the Bible cares immensely about the dignity and sanctity of human
life, even at its most humble and fragile beginnings. He has a divine
purpose for gender, marriage, and human sexuality, and he's deeply
grieved when we deviate from his good design. He's in favor of a fair
government that administers justice and carries out unbiased
sentences against criminals. He commands his people to love their
countrymen, honor their leaders, and faithfully fulfill their civic
duties.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The God of
the Bible also cares about the environment. He gave ancient Israel
specific instructions to tend to the health of the soil. At one point
he warned them not to unnecessarily destroy trees during warfare
because the land and everything on it belongs to him, and he expected
them to behave as "stewards”—not "owners." He
eventually expelled them so, among other things, the land could
"rest" for the 70 years he had incrementally mandated. He
cares about fair wages for laborers and justice for the marginalized,
minorities, immigrants, homeless, people of other religions, etc. He
names himself their avenger and warns us not to ignore or exploit
people who are voiceless. He requires us to willingly lay down our
rights as we selflessly serve others. He condemns economic greed and
unbridled excess. He loves charity and mercy.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">It should
concern us when we, as Christians, approach our world with very
partisan/tribal lenses—when we see issues in regard to their red or
blue, Right or Left, appeal instead of viewing them through God's
eyes. It's shameful when we irrationally deify or demonize political
candidates, propositions, or ideologies due to our tribal
affiliations. The resulting cognitive dissonance will make fools out
of the best of us. If after personal introspection we find that we
typically embrace or outright reject things simply because the
spokesperson has an “R” or a “D” next to their name, then we
have fallen into this trap.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">We
increasingly live in artificial worlds of our own making which
contribute to our ever-growing polarization. On social media, we can
surround ourselves with or “un-friend” people, for example, that
agree or disagree with our preconceptions until all we hear is a
single note. While this may make for an initially easier existence,
it ultimately produces ignorance of the universes next door and
eliminates the opportunity to grow in Godly wisdom and understanding.
Multiple “news sources,” editorial blogs, infotainment, and
quasi-journalists are also available to cater to our insatiable
desire for affirmation of what we already believe to be true about
the world. Confirmation bias runs rampant in the “information age.”
If we happen to hear something that challenges us or, God forbid,
makes us angry, we can quickly banish it from our digital world.
However, I would strongly encourage my brothers and sisters to resist
the urge to take the easy way out. We can only live in our
comfortable, artificially affirming worlds for so long before we
inevitably collide with numerous other “hostile” worlds, which we
are now, due to our own censorship, unequipped to understand or
engage. Such is the tragedy of much of what has been labeled the
“culture war.” What if we were to instead invest in friendships
with people who are very different from us, and genuinely consider
opposing views? Perhaps our current perspectives will be made more
certain, or maybe our misconceptions will become apparent to us upon
review. Either way, we win.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">God is even
now taking back his rebel world through the person and work of Jesus.
True Gospel transformation—not legislation—will revolutionize the
way we view culture, politics, economics, human life, sexuality,
immigration, healthcare, environmental conservationism, race, foreign
policy, mercy and justice.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Jesus doesn't
fit comfortably into the Right or Left's agenda. He's certainly not a
Republican or a Democrat. Those who claim to follow him haven't
joined a political party, we've offered up our unconditional
surrender to a servant King and his counterintuitive kingdom. All of
our preferences and pet peeves are to be unreservedly relinquished
and superseded by his all-encompassing agenda. American Christian,
decide now. There simply is no other way to follow him.<br /><br /><i> </i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><i>“[The
devil] always sends errors into the world in pairs—pairs of
opposites. And he always encourages us to spend a lot of time
thinking which is the worse. You see why, of course? He relies on
your extra dislike of the one error to draw you gradually into the
opposite one. But do not let us be fooled. We have to keep our eyes
on the goal and go straight through between both errors.” ― C.S.
Lewis, Mere Christianity</i></span></span></span><br />
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</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">“<i>Whoever
fears God will avoid all extremes.” — Ecclesiastes 7:18b</i></span></span></span><br />
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-27030475642306454762016-09-20T17:49:00.000-07:002016-09-20T18:11:25.184-07:00Stan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3243" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I met Stan at a coffee shop.
He was a jovial retired life insurance salesman who would frequently come in to
the downtown location to have his morning cup of joe and to read his paper. His
navy blue World War II Vet cap was his daily uniform, and he always had a smile
and joke for the baristas. My brother-in-law Mike and I used to meet every
Monday morning before work to read Scripture together, so we would often see
Stan carryout his morning routine along with the other regulars.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3249" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
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<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3249" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">One morning he walked
right over to our table, introduced himself, and asked what we were reading. We
told him we were followers of Jesus, and we met weekly to read Scripture
together and pray for each other. He proudly declared that he was Jewish and that
he didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah. I always appreciated Stan's frankness.
He grew up in Brooklyn and didn't waste time getting to the point. Before we
left that morning, we let him know he was always welcome to join us. He came
back the next week and the week after.</span></div>
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<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3249" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">He sat with us just about every Monday for months as we went through the Gospel
of John. We got him a large print Bible so he could read with us. He would
bring it along with his Hebrew Scriptures, what Christians call the Old
Testament, and would read for us when we discussed Isaiah or some of the other
prophetic messianic passages. We had many conversations about the promised
Messiah. I think Stan debated just about every verse we read, but he kept
coming back.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3257" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3257" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Stan was raised to
distrust Christians. He explained how his immigrant parents viewed the church
in Europe as being complicit with or indifferent toward anti-Semitic politics
and the eventual murder of millions of Jews. I’m reminded how our political
affiliations—our failure to clearly speak out against evil—can potentially
create lasting and formidable barriers to Jesus.</span></div>
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<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3257" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Stan shared with us that he had a close friend who became a Christian. He noted
that his friend's life was chaotic before meeting Jesus and drastically
transformed for the better after. Stan seemed to brush his friend's
transformation off as little more than the results of a powerful placebo.
Still, he had great respect for him. I wondered if his friend's new birth had
sparked a curiosity in Stan that compelled him to want to know more about
Jesus.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3265" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
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<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3265" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Stan knew a lot of the shop’s
patrons, so just having him sitting at our table opened the door to some
conversations we wouldn’t have otherwise had. I remember how a colorful
construction worker, an acquaintance of Stan’s, who apparently had been
listening to our conversation, would join in from time to time. We had a few interesting
discussions about life and God with this guy who usually sat at a nearby table across
the way from us. I pray the seeds of the good news were cast wide in these
public conversations, amidst the hustle and bustle of the coffee shop’s morning
traffic<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">.</span></span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3271" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3271" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Stan was very proud of his
Jewish heritage. He told us how his kids, when they were young, would invite
their classmates and neighborhood friends to join the family at Passover and
other celebrations. I loved how Stan and his wife enjoyed explaining the
meaning behind the traditions and welcoming strangers to their table. He once
invited me to visit his synagogue and warmly introduced my daughter and me to
his wife and friends. He also gave me an honorary “Jew Card” (seriously, it's a
personalized card that grants me “all the rights of being Jewish”) which was
characteristic of his sense of humor.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3277" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3277" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We would often conclude
our time with prayer. Stan regularly asked us to pray for his wife's arthritis
pain and his daughter who had led a troubled life. It wasn't common for Stan to
make a request for himself. Characteristic of his generation, he didn't like to
fuss about his own personal woes. With a heavy heart, he let us know one Monday
morning that his daughter had passed away. He invited me to join his family for
the memorial service in his home. I felt a little out of place in such an
intimate setting of shared grief, especially since I had never met his
daughter, but I was incredibly honored to be included.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3283" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3283" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We spoke about death and
divine judgement from time to time. Stan said his dad told him when he was
young that he would one day have to answer to God for everything he had ever
done. He didn't elaborate, but he indicated that he had sinned against a holy
God on more than one occasion. He found the thought of substitutionary
atonement, Jesus dying in our place, repugnant. “Each person should answer for
his own sins,” is what he would say. Like most people, Stan hoped <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">his</span> good
would outweigh the bad.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3289" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3289" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Stan had missed a few
Mondays, so I stopped by his house to check in on him. We sat in his study,
surrounded by trinkets and family photos, as he told me he hadn't been feeling too
good. His doctor had found a spot on his liver that they were concerned about.
He brushed it off as if it was no big deal, but I could see he was worried. He
once told me that he didn't believe in resurrection. There were also moments
when his no-nonsense, tough exterior gave way to brief and honest confessions
of his fears about dying. But he didn’t linger there. He showed me some old
pictures of the B-25 he flew in during the war. He was a turret gunner if I
remember correctly. He would really come to life as he shared stories and
photos from his time in the service. I asked if I could pray for him (in Jesus'
name, as he knew was my custom) before I left that evening. He gave me
permission, so I asked God for healing and that Stan's test results would be
favorable. That was the last time I saw Stan.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3295" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3295" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I dropped by his house a
few weeks later, and his wife greeted me at the door. I asked for Stan and was
shocked as she informed me that he had passed away suddenly. The spot turned
out to be an aggressive cancer that took him days after it was discovered. She
apologized for not inviting me to his funeral (she didn’t have my contact
information). I felt the weight of routinely carrying on my life the last few
weeks, unaware of my friend's passing. I also felt unavoidable regret that I
had just casually asked his grieving widow where he was (forcing her to fill me
in on Stan's fate). I wish he told me how near he was to the end. I wish we had
finished John's Gospel together. I wish that God had healed him and we had more
time. I wish I could have said a better goodbye. I wish there was a better end
to Stan's story.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3302" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3302" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I believe the Spirit of
God was drawing him to Jesus, but I will not presume to know the inner workings
of Stan's heart. I will not ascribe to him more than he himself disclosed. God
seems to honor and sustain our ability to choose, and Stan never indicated that
his opinion of Jesus had changed. I still believe God has purpose in seemingly
mundane interactions, and it's cathartic for me to write about Stan (Some three
years after his passing). I search for meaning in regard to my time with him. I
can find no meaning, however, beyond this: Stan was my friend, and death took
him. Jesus came to rescue and restore. He is the only Physician—the only Cure—that
can effectively treat the fatal illness afflicting us all.</span><span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3308" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span id="yiv1097728834yui_3_16_0_1_1474397796169_3308" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And we don’t have half
as much time to get the word out as we pretend. </span></div>
Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-44415141932848558942016-09-10T10:10:00.000-07:002016-11-30T18:29:49.896-08:00How to More Than Just Survive the Zombie Apocalypse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2501" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My wife and I have kinda
been binge-watching a zombie show the last few weeks. After we get the kids to
bed, we're like two codependent junkies. “Just one more episode,” has become
our notorious last line. The story is driven by a group of average people who
find themselves in the midst of a global zombie outbreak. Their old lives are
only a distant memory, as they are now preoccupied with the more pressing and
all-consuming task of staying alive. In many cases the individual members of
the group have nothing in common beyond their catastrophic circumstances, but
they are firmly unified and mobilized by their shared objective. They must work
through their differences, forgive, and resolve their conflicts because their
weightier task compels them to band together. Their marital conflicts, parental
teaching moments, and occasional leisure times and impromptu celebrations must
happen in community and on the go, while scavenging for supplies, defending
each other against the undead, strategizing, and constantly moving forward.
Throughout their extraordinary ordeal they inevitably become family. Those of
us who have succumbed to the gospel are similarly caught up into something far
bigger than ourselves (and there really is no way to smoothly transition from
zombies to the gospel). Our entire outlook should be completely shifted.
According to Scripture, we live in a world filled with the walking dead, but
we’ve also been entrusted with the Cure for the zombie apocalypse.</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2508" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2508" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Most Christians are familiar with Jesus’ Great
Commission (recorded in Matthew chapter 28). There is some discussion among
Greek scholars as to whether Jesus is commanding his disciples to “go” or if he
is just assuming that they will be going (something like “as you go...”). I am
unqualified to settle this linguistic debate, but it seems irrelevant to me if
in either case Jesus is expecting forward movement. What comes after is, I
think, very clear (and only a heart of disobedience could muddy it). We are told
to “</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2509" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything [Jesus has] commanded [us].”
Thankfully Jesus promises to be “with [us] always” in this endeavor. Far from
mere survival or escapism (like in the zombie show), we are given a triumphant
and redemptive kingdom task. We are charged with declaring and demonstrating
the victory and boundless jurisdiction of our liberating King—who is waking the
dead to life—and his coming kingdom. The urgency and the centrality of the
mission are similar to that of the folks in the zombie saga, but the rewards
and dangers are infinitely greater.</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2515" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2515" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As followers of Christ,
we are not to be consumed (totally fits with the zombie theme) by the cares of
the world. We are instead to be captivated by his better kingdom and driven by
his heartbeat to seek and save the lost. Like the folks in the zombie show, we
find ourselves in extraordinary circumstances. We must recognize the dangers of
being complacent or unengaged. </span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2516" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“The
time is short,” says the Apostle Paul. “From now on those who have wives should
live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are
happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs
to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them.
For this world in its present form is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:29b-31).
Likewise, Jesus explained to his would-be followers, “If anyone comes to me and
does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes,
even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Are
Jesus and Paul telling us to neglect and/or despise our families, to just suck
it up when we’re grieving, and to never celebrate or smile in the good times?
Clearly they are not. Elsewhere Jesus famously commands us to love even our
enemies, and Paul says that husbands should love their wives as “Christ loved
the church” and warns that Christian men who fail to provide for their family
are “worse than unbelievers” (Ephesians 5:25 and 1 Timothy 5:8). Jesus also
wept with those experiencing grief and celebrated with those who were
rejoicing. It seems then that Jesus and Paul are describing a devotion to
Christ and his kingdom that supersedes all other relationships and obligations,
a kingdom perspective that causes us to hold loosely to our physical
possessions and personal safety. Jesus warns, “No one who puts his hand to the
plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Our families,
jobs, finances, and leisure time can be huge blessings and potential assets on
the journey, but they are not to become distractions or idols that draw our
hearts away from the mission.</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2522" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2514" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2522" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It's so easy for our
schedules to become filled up with school activities, soccer practice, work
deadlines, hobbies and leisure (this is coming from a guy who just confessed to
binge-watching a television show). Our hopes and dreams start revolving around
our upcoming family vacation, a new car, promotion at work, a sport’s season,
or retirement. With our short-sighted vision, our prayers also become limited
to requests for parking spaces when we're running late, escape from suffering
and illness, clarity from God regarding which new house he wants us to buy (and
that he'd give us a great deal), and a miraculous transfer to another division
for our hard-to-get-along-with supervisor or coworker. How silly (not to
mention dangerous) it would be for the zombie show’s survivalists to go about
their lives as if nothing had changed, to pretend that they weren’t surrounded
by immense death and decay.</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2528" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2521" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2528" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I think our intentions
are good. In many cases, we just don't know any other way. We tragically may
not even know what we said “yes” to when we decided to follow Jesus. Several of
us responded to another gospel—the popular Americanized gospel of personal
salvation, isolation, and eventual extraction—instead of the gospel of the
kingdom of God that Jesus and his apostles preached. The latter gospel, the
true gospel, is a bigger story that doesn't end after we say “the prayer.” It's
a story of rescue and restoration, in which we not only become recipients but
also participants in his ambitious redemptive plan for our neighborhood, our
city, and the world. It’s about Light heroically crashing into a dark world,
transforming once-agents of darkness into his light-bearers, and commissioning
them to spread out and shine in every dark corner. It's an extraordinary story
that requires the presence and power of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from
the dead. There are important rights and responsibilities that accompany our
kingdom citizenship. The Holy Spirit was not given to us merely so we would
have a supernatural leg-up while investing in all the same mundane things that
our not-yet-believing friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers are pursuing.
“Something is wrong,” says Francis Chan, “when our lives make sense to
unbelievers” (<i id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2529">Crazy Love</i>).</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2535" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2527" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2535" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It's not that we will
no longer be participating in any of these things. We still need to work, raise
our kids, and buy stuff. Rest and leisure are also useful blessings from God.
But these ordinary rhythms of life have the potential to be dramatically
transformed when our vision aligns with his. The Holy Spirit will begin to
organize our time and resources in a way that promotes his agenda and not ours
(After all, we’ve died to ourselves, right?). We’ll start seeing great
opportunities to make room at our dinner tables and to open up our homes to
those who are presently far off (holidays, birthdays, and various other
celebrations become natural occasions for this to happen). We will notice how
we can actively bless our kids’ classmates and their classmates’ families,
teachers, and coaches by serving and inviting. In God's story, there is a “good
infection” (to borrow C.S. Lewis' term)–the Cure—that can be transmitted in
close proximity from the living to the dead. We may begin to view ourselves as
“disciple-makers” who work for FedEx, “priests” who are also dental hygienists,
“ministers of reconciliation” who tent-make as contract lawyers, and
“ambassadors” of his better kingdom who are assigned to teach kindergartners.
Once we've caught his vision, there's no going back. Our aspirations, prayers,
priorities, hopes and dreams will quickly and organically start reflecting our
changed hearts.</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2541" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2534" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2541" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The 1st Century
followers of Christ seemed to understand what they were saying “yes” to. They
certainly weren't perfect. The Holy Spirit had his metaphorical hands full
dealing with their deeply entrenched prejudices, legalism, bad theology, and
immorality (pretty much the same stuff he's still working with the Church on
today). But they seemed to have caught the vision of God's kingdom and Jesus'
radical agenda. Ordinary and unnamed followers of Christ, tent makers,
merchants, tanners, soldiers, slaves, and business owners banded together to
carry the good news of God's kingdom to the ends of the earth. The ground they
covered, the obstacles they overcame, is nothing short of miraculous and a
testament to the Spirit-led life. Aquila and Priscilla were among many Jewish
Christians who were expelled from Rome by an unjust edict. They lost their home
and business and became wandering refugees. But they didn't let these setbacks
stop them. They didn't lose sight of their calling. They continued to share the
good news in everyday life as they rebuilt in Corinth. We're told in Acts how
they partnered with Paul and opened up their home for ministry. And they didn't
get too comfortable. We read how they packed their life up and moved on again
when <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">a</span>n opportunity to serve with Paul in Ephesus presented itself. An
anonymous multitude of transformed Christ-followers stubbornly stayed the
course amidst extreme persecution. They gave generously and recklessly out of
their poverty. They practiced lavish hospitality both to their spiritual family
and to outsiders. They were clearly not living for anything this world had to
offer. Their prayers were not for comfort or safety but for boldness to preach
the gospel, for courage to suffer well, and for power to take more ground. As a
result, they “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2547" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2540" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2547" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I know there are times
when we feel like we're barely surviving. We may feel the zombie hordes
pressing in on all sides. The weight of living in a dark world, of “fighting
the good fight,” can seem overwhelming. Our own fears and failings can be
crippling. But this is not the time to abandon the mission. Something has gone
horribly wrong when the living start envying the dead. In these times we must
press in even more to Jesus, and rally with the church. We must remind
ourselves that our inheritance is not of this world. “Follow me, and let the
dead bury their own dead,” says Jesus (Matthew 8:22). The concerns of the
living should be drastically different from the concerns and preoccupations of
the dead.</span><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2553" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2546" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2553" style="color: #000b2e; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is what I want
for my family, my church, and my neighborhood. I want to live this paradoxical
life-abundant in community through service to others and death to self. As
Jesus said, it is only when we give our life up that we truly live. Ironically,
it is in “wartime living,” when we are giving of our time and resources
sacrificially, that the celebrations become sweeter, the bonds of friendship
deeper, and the victories more meaningful. I have what I think is a healthy
fear of slipping into apathy, so I beg my fellow Christ-followers to keep me on
track when I lose the vision, when I settle for the things of the world. We
need each other. I also want to partner with my spiritual family members who
are urgently seeking the kingdom of God among the unreached and unengaged in
cross-cultural contexts around the world, and I want to see our
interconnectedness as we labor together toward the same end. I know that I
could hunker down, wait for the return of Christ, and live an empty life full
of common things. But I will have missed out on the adventure of a lifetime.
It's the one who seeks to save their life, explains Jesus, who loses it in the
end. Those who have yet to meet Jesus are still dead in their sins and
stumbling around aimlessly, pursuing their destructive and insatiable appetites
for lesser things (my last zombie reference, I promise). How confusing it must
be to them when our lives resemble theirs. I don't want to work the kingdom
into my busy life; I want to let Jesus build my life around his kingdom agenda.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2559" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“…<i id="yiv3447829682yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2560">let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the
pioneer and perfecter of faith” </i>(from Hebrews 12:1 and 2).</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <span id="yiv0277925459yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2544" style="color: #000b2e;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="yiv0277925459yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2516" style="color: #000b2e;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="yiv0277925459yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2522" style="color: #000b2e;"><span id="yiv0277925459yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2528" style="color: black;"><span id="yiv0277925459yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473432458845_2535" style="color: #000b2e;"> </span> </span> </span></span></span> </span></span></span></div>
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-74458916341903423862016-09-02T22:51:00.000-07:002016-09-10T10:50:35.362-07:00Shadow of Doubt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I’m
a natural born skeptic. Those who know me can confirm that cynicism
runs through my veins. “If something sounds too good to be true, it
probably is,” and all that. It’s to God’s credit, however, that
he can effectively transform a very selfish person into a servant of
others, a violent person into a gentle soul, a greedy materialist
into a philanthropist, or even a confirmed skeptic into a believer.
After all, it’s in our weaknesses that his power is made perfect.
And so we become his trophies, monuments to his ability to overcome
any barrier that the human heart can erect. As a believer, I still
regularly wrestle with doubt, and it’s this internal and near
constant struggle that has largely come to define me.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">C.S.
Lewis describes faith as “the art of holding on to things your
reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods” (</span><span style="color: black;"><i>Mere
Christianity</i></span><span style="color: black;">).</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">I’ve noticed that my
doubt is often tied to my emotional state. This was hard for me to
accept at first because I consider myself a very rational person.
It’s humbling—yet extremely helpful—to know that my critical
faculties can be so easily influenced by my fleeting brain chemistry.
I’m frailer than I first imagined.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">It
seems that belief to a certain extent is a matter of choice. Hear me
out, as I’m not suggesting that one could choose to believe against
one’s better judgement that, for example, the moon is in fact made
of cheese or that the tooth fairy is actually open for business and
ready to trade with the children of the world. Regardless of the
incentives, I simply cannot believe these things. However, we
regularly make choices about how we will process/file/believe the
numerous evidences that our world offers. Confirmation bias—the
human tendency to seek out evidences for that which we already
believe to be true—is present in atheists, believers, and everyone
in between. Otherwise reasonable people will regularly choose to
believe any number of outlandish things regarding vaccines,
conspiracy theories, political candidates, etc. despite the ample
existence of compelling contrary data. The resulting cognitive
dissonance is more obvious in some than others, but I would put forth
that none of us is completely immune to this human phenomena.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I’m
not suggesting that truth is relative, only that our ability to
arrive at truth is very much related to our subjective perceptions
and emotions. We must be aware of the intellectual pitfalls common to
the human experience if we’re to steer clear of them in our journey
toward truth. It’s ultimately an unwavering love of truth that
allows one to reject fiction, regardless of how emotionally
entrenched it may be.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
broad strokes of the biblical narrative are widely known within
Western culture: An all-powerful, timeless, and good being makes
humanity in his image and places them in a beautiful and vast
universe as his administrators. Humanity quickly rebels and condemns
the universe to death and decay. The merciful creator then interacts
with <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">fallen humanity</a> through <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">human messengers</a> to reveal <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-heart-of-god.html">his heart</a> for
reconciliation and to promise a rescuer. At long last, the creator
miraculously comes as a human to bring the good news of God
reclaiming his rebel world. He accomplishes this by living a perfect
life, dying an excruciating death at the hands of his creation, and
rising from death victorious. This <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">divine human</a> claims to have power
over life and death and offers pardons and adoption to all rebels who
acknowledge him as king. Before ascending to another dimension, he
instructs his followers to go tell the rest of the world about <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/what-happened-to-kingdom.html">the good news of his kingdom</a>. He promises to one day return, eradicate
evil, raise the dead, and punish his enemies. Along the way there’s
water turned to wine, pillars of fire, invisible supernatural beings
for and against the creator, a guy who gets swallowed by a giant fish
and lives to tell about it, and a one-time talking donkey.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I
don’t think we should pretend that <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the story</a> isn’t odd, that it
isn’t at first hard to believe. An extraordinary claim of this
scope and magnitude must reasonably come with proportionately
compelling evidence that it’s true if anyone is expected to believe
it. Oddly enough, though, it’s the strangeness of the story at
times that causes it to smack of authenticity (strangeness alone, of
course, couldn’t be the sole criterion for determining the truth of
something). The human authors of Scripture don’t seem to be overly
concerned with the strangeness of their testimony. They often recount
things that would’ve been more easily accepted had they omitted
certain details or slightly altered things to be more palatable to
the hearer (such as their ancestors' and their own personal failings,
less than ideal witnesses of key events, etc.). The fact that they
didn’t, however, is one small marker for me on the road to
accepting their credibility. I believe Lewis in </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Mere
Christianity</i></span><span style="color: black;">
discusses how we could easily in a short time manufacture from our
own minds a simple religion which could quickly be understood if
that’s what we set out to do. Real things, however, aren’t always
how we would’ve first thought them to be and often have a
complexity, a strangeness even, that naturally requires time and
effort to comprehend.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Ancient
mythology, animistic religions, and such have their obvious earthly
antecedents. The Greek pantheon, for example, is clearly made up of
humans like us, what we think we might want to be, only magnified
times ten, ultimately more passionate, petty, and insecure than any
single human and with greater propensity and capacity to pursue the
basest of human desires for an indefinite period of time. The God of
the Bible, on the other hand, isn’t what we could’ve imagined. He
is clearly not what we </span><span style="color: black;"><i>would
have</i></span><span style="color: black;"> imagined.
His counterintuitive thinking seems to even confound his prophets,
who sometimes must reluctantly convey his strange messages only at
his emphatic insistence. His revealed triune nature alone is enough
to make your head spin, but it points to a truth about an allegedly
transcendent being that is both confounding and confirming. I’ve
heard it rightly said that the deity described in Islam, for example,
couldn’t be accurately called “loving” apart from the existence
of something or someone else. There must logically be an object of
affection, something besides the lover, for love to exist. The most
that could be said for Allah (along with numerous other deities)
then, before he allegedly created the universe, is that he had the
potential to be loving. His very nature is philosophically contingent
on his creation (the Greeks were at least more up front about this
facet of their gods’ reliance on humanity). Do not misunderstand my
noting of this ontological difference as a petty expression of “my
deity can beat up your deity.” I don’t think in those terms. My
aim is always to follow truth wherever it leads. It’s the God of
the Bible, who uniquely is said to exist as a harmonious
community—Father, Son, and Spirit—unto himself, who alone could
truly be complete and loving without the necessary existence of
anything beside himself. He’s not merely us magnified (after all,
we’re said to be made in his image and not the other way around);
His divine personhood is logically more sophisticated than our own.
That an infinite being, who is more of a person than you or I,
possessing hyper-personhood, would exist in this complexity is both
impossible to have figured and yet obvious once it is revealed to us.
The way he wields infinite power is also like nothing a human could
have thought up. His clever and startling solution for reclaiming and
restoring his rebel world is at the same time elegant and horrific,
the product of a moral genius who has yet to encounter a truly no-win
scenario and who fully demonstrates the necessary fortitude required
to bleed out his costly and innovative rescue plan.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">If
we’re entertaining the idea of a transcendent being that’s
capable of architecting the universe from nothing, then we
immediately realize that he will have to initiate any potential
interaction between us if it’s to occur. This is where divine
revelation comes in (most frequently delivered to/through human
messengers). Truth be told, I thoroughly dislike the method this
infinite being primarily chooses to communicate with his finite
creation. No doubt, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">he has his reasons</a>. Still I would much rather
have my own earth-shattering vision of God seated on his throne then
have to experience it vicariously through the prophet Isaiah’s
alleged encounter. And I’d have preferred to see Jesus, with my own
eyes, raise Lazarus from the grave then have to merely read the
testimony of those who did. Thomas’ famous need to confirm an
outrageous claim with his own senses really resonates with me. I’m
not saying that God refuses to speak to most of us directly. I’ve
had some personal and what I think are remarkable encounters with
him. But I cannot through these personal encounters know what the
first humans were like when the world was young, surmise what went
wrong, and piece together what he’s even now doing to correct
things. Like it or not, I must look to the authors of Scripture, who
were said to be “carried along by the Holy Spirit,” for the
larger narrative (2 Peter 1:21, 2 Timothy 3:16). As it turns out, God
did not think it necessary to consult me on how I would like to be
contacted. And it does no good to go on endlessly about how we wish
things were. We must instead consider things as they are. I think it
would be truly unfortunate if someone refused to examine an important
message simply because they couldn’t, or wouldn’t, accept the way
in which it was delivered (especially since God is said to
intentionally use seemingly “foolish” and “lowly” things to
accomplish his objectives – 1 Corinthians 1:27-29).</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
Biblical story of a Syrian commander named Naaman comes to mind (2
Kings 5). His initial snobbery toward divine revelation almost cost
him a miraculous healing, not to mention a life-changing encounter
with a living God. Naaman had heard about the powerful God of Israel
and had sought out his prophet Elisha with the hopes of being healed
of his untreatable and degenerative, flesh-eating disease. While
Naaman was still on the way, Elisha sent his servant to instruct the
commander to bathe seven times in the, apparently unappealing, Jordan
River. Naaman was indignant. He was expecting Elisha to “stand
before him” (instead he would receive the revelation from the
messenger of the messenger—twice removed from the divine source),
“call on the name of the LORD,” and “wave his hand” (God was
not offering anything so flashy). Furthermore, the proud commander
could think of several “superior” bodies of water back home from
which his rescue could just as easily come. It was Naaman’s own
servant who finally exposed his master’s prejudice and convinced
him to not discount the revelation of God simply because it was not
the message or method he was anticipating. Had Naaman not considered
and acted on the revelation given to him by God through the prophet
Elisha, had he left in search of a “better” revelation, one more
palatable to his preconceptions, he would’ve eventually succumbed
to his flesh-eating illness. Had Naaman thought that washing in a
river would be a good idea, only a different river other than the
humble Jordan, then he would have died just the same (the river of
course had no intrinsic healing properties, but, by the will of God,
it became a conduit of his grace). Had he consented to wash but
insisted that he would only wash six and not seven times as God had
clearly instructed, his terminal disease would have continued its
work. Naaman’s rescue was contingent on his willingness to accept
divine revelation on the Revealer’s terms. I have come to realize,
though I may have in my mind what I think would be a better way for
God to have revealed himself to humanity, or to me in particular,
this is not itself a good enough reason to outright reject the method
he has allegedly employed (humble as the method may be).</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">There
are numerous internal and external indicators that point to the human
authors of Scripture being credible eyewitnesses. The existence of
many of the places, people, and events, for example, can be confirmed
by ancient historians and modern archeology (with additional
corroborating data unearthed all the time). The multiple instances of
fulfilled prophecy point to an unearthly vantage point that can’t
easily be ignored. However, my skepticism compels me to take
seriously every reasonable case against the supposed witnesses
(accusations that the story was compiled/constructed generations
after the events mentioned by unknown authors with unknown agendas,
innocent corruption of core parts of the story due to early oral
transmission, and so on). Even prominent critics of the Bible
acknowledge the authenticity of many of Paul’s 1st Century letters
(several external historical documents make this case). In Paul’s
1st letter to the infant church in Corinth, which was written in the
mid-50s AD (Paul was executed by Nero sometime before the emperor’s
suicide in 68 AD), he perfectly and succinctly recounted the gospel
story’s key events, referring to these events as being of “first
importance.” Likewise, Luke the physician wrote his gospel and
sequel, the Acts of the Apostles, based on eyewitness testimony and
almost certainly before Paul’s death (Acts, which heavily features
the life of Paul, concludes with Paul’s eventual fate yet to be
determined). John, knowing the extraordinary nature of his testimony,
emphatically reassured his readers that he had “heard,” “seen,”
and “touched” this “Word of Life” that has now consumed him.
One might question whether the author of John’s gospel actually saw
water turned to wine or shared a meal with a once-crucified Galilean,
but one can be reasonably certain that the author had firsthand
knowledge of an early 1st Century Jerusalem (significant due to the
city’s decimation shortly after in 70 AD during the Jewish-Roman
Wars), including the layout of the city, and specific structures like
the now-excavated pool of Bethesda (described in John chapter 5), as
well as local politics and personalities. Several other examples
exist, but this post isn’t meant to be a comprehensive argument for
the reliability of Scripture. I can choose to disbelieve their
testimony, but I must admit that their odd story seems to have
remained consistent since the beginning, even in the face of torture
and death.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Few
things that we now know were established by way of our firsthand
experience. I have never been to Australia or the moon, for example,
but I have no trouble believing that they are real places. The facts
surrounding Australia, the moon, and millions of other things, have
been firmly settled in my mind on the basis of credible authority.
Our task then is to determine what sources of information are
credible, reliable, and trustworthy. If we will not receive truth on
the basis of credible authority, then we must resign ourselves to
never knowing very much about anything. This necessary expression of
faith is an unavoidable and unpleasant reality for a skeptic like me.
But it is said that God's own Spirit is ready and willing to help any
of us—those who are humble enough to ask—sort all of this out.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I
hope the reader doesn't conclude that one can from the safety of
their armchair simply analyze their way into communion with God. At
some point we must conclude our reasonable deliberation and actually
decide whether or not we will get into the water. Jesus tells a story
about two sons who are asked to work in their father's vineyard
(Matthew 21). The first son initially refuses, but then later
reconsiders and eventually obeys his father's instruction. While the
second son quickly and emphatically agrees he will go, but then never
makes it. The sort of belief that God is after is not the talking
kind. I think he takes great pleasure in the one who, despite
uncertainty, finds themselves waist deep in the Jordan, half way
through their seventh consecutive bath. After all, he invites us to
“taste and see” for ourselves (Psalm 34:8).</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I’ll
admit to not having everything resolved to my complete satisfaction
(or even anywhere close). This is a post about doubt, after all. My
unrelenting skepticism ultimately compels me to keep searching for
answers. There are several passages in Scripture that I’ve wrestled
with for years, some that I’ll probably never fully understand. But
I can attest that God has shown himself to be true and trustworthy in
certain significant instances, so much so that I sometimes find
myself extending great leeway to him in other areas that confuse or
concern me. This is, I think, the essence of faith.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
Word of God became flesh and lived among us.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2555"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2556"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2557"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2558"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2559"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2560"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2561"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2562"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2563"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2564"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2565"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2566"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2567"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2568"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2569"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2570"></a><span style="color: black;">A
somewhat nondescript, homeless, Middle Eastern man from 1st Century
Nazareth is said to be God’s greatest revelation to humanity, the
clearest picture of who he is and what he’s up to. Attempt, if you
can, to temporarily bypass the cultural familiarity and
preconceptions you have regarding this now well-known character
(complete with his pale skin, flowing hair, and red sash). That this
man, of all people, is the “Son of God” is nothing short of
scandalous, and we should not so quickly overlook the oddness of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/04/caesar-is-not-lord.html">his bizarre claim</a>. If one was ever going to be put off by the humble
packaging of a divine revelation, this would probably be the time.
But ordinary as he may seem, this divine man resembles the
first humans in his untarnished perfection while at the same time
pointing forward to a <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">restored humanity, and a seamless reunification of heaven and earth</a>, which he is ushering in. The story of God can
only be understood in its entirety when viewed through the lens of
this person Jesus. He is a better Adam, a better Israel, a <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">better temple</a>, a better high priest, and a better sacrifice—truly “</span>the
Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the
Beginning and the End<span style="color: black;">” </span><span style="color: black;">(Revelation
22:13).</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">What
would <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">the perfect human being</a>, God’s image bearer as he intended,
be like? Said another way: What would happen if the Creator gave us a
living breathing commentary on humanity (addressing both what we </span><span style="color: black;"><i>are</i></span><span style="color: black;">
and what we </span><span style="color: black;"><i>could
be</i></span><span style="color: black;">) and
simultaneous revelation of himself by becoming one of his creatures
and walking among us? I find the Bible’s answer to this intriguing
question extremely compelling. There are a few things we could guess
without knowing anymore of the story. If humanity is as broken, as
out of step with God, as the previous prophets let on, then we’d
expect that God’s commentary on humanity would not be entirely
welcomed by his wayward creatures (to say the least). In fact, this
perfect human would be so out of step with everyone else that he’d
almost certainly be met with unequaled hostility. His very presence
would threaten to expose cherished fantasies as the fiction that they
are. Those who thought humanity was mostly fine, that they themselves
were mostly fine, would undoubtedly be his greatest adversaries.
While those who miraculously agreed with this perfect human’s
estimation of things would be drawn to the revealed God who
compassionately and humbly came to help.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2586"></a><span style="color: black;">The
extraordinary evidence we have been waiting for, that we reasonably
need to corroborate the spectacular story of God, comes chiefly with
the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/resurrection.html">physical resurrection</a> of Jesus. A man who </span><span style="color: black;"><i>publicly</i></span><span style="color: black;">
predicted his own death and subsequent resurrection, was subjected to
arguably the most excruciating and humiliatingly </span><span style="color: black;"><i>public</i></span><span style="color: black;">
death imaginable, and ultimately was seen </span><span style="color: black;"><i>publicly</i></span><span style="color: black;">
by hundreds after he stepped out of his borrowed grave. These
remarkable events did not take place “in a corner” (Acts 26:26);
they were a matter of public record and became common knowledge
(rippling out from Jerusalem and quickly buzzing in every province of
the known world). The amazed witnesses went forth in the power of
God’s Spirit and “turned the world upside down” with their
simple testimony (Acts 17:6). They freely gave their possessions to
those in need, cared for the poor and marginalized, and willingly
surrendered their bodies to be brutalized and destroyed, singing as
their murderers sadistically tried in vain to extinguish their light.
Hundreds quickly became thousands and then millions. As a skeptic, I
of course realize that rapid growth and a willingness to be martyred
do not alone prove the validity of the story. However, these powerful
indicators, taken along with numerous other sign posts (some of which
were mentioned), are difficult to ignore. In light of this compelling
information, I would agree with Paul that our otherwise bizarre
behavior as Christ-followers is more than “reasonable” given the
extraordinary circumstances (Acts 26:26).</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="yiv4217519007yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1472853228819_2589"></a><span style="color: black;">Most
days I believe the whole <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">story</a>. Some days I am overcome by the
oddness of it all, and I can hardly believe any of it (even
questioning my own unexplainable encounters with him). I have
experienced both the crushing weight of doubt and the ecstasy of
having that unbearable weight miraculously lifted off my shoulders by
a patient Savior who never stops rescuing me. I often repeat the plea
of a desperate father who famously cried out to Jesus, “I do
believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24b). I feel a
kinship with John the Baptist, who was appointed to be the Messiah’s
herald even though he would later express uncertainty about Jesus’
identity. I also appreciate that Matthew records how even among the
eleven, and on their way to hear their resurrected Lord deliver the
Great Commission no less, “some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). In my
most lucid moments, I recognize that he is more real than I am—that
he is more alive than I am—and I even sometimes chuckle at the
absurdity of someone who has only existed for 35 years questioning
the existence of someone who has always been. He is the dreamer, and
we are merely his dream. He is the source of life—<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">He is LIFE</a>: “For
in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> So
count me among the “fools” who will bathe in the muddy Jordan,
give up our lives in order to truly live, pursue an invisible
kingdom, and hope in a 1st Century homeless guy who claimed to be
“the resurrection and the life.”</span></span></span>Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-46106666410085933872016-08-25T20:38:00.001-07:002016-08-26T22:43:53.737-07:00Don't Shoot the Messenger: The Art of Receiving a Rebuke (From Anyone)<div style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz7pKJgAohk/V8EjH_NL9RI/AAAAAAAABC4/TtmeJys4LdEww6r9Pry5d0caUMrAo0C4ACLcB/s1600/DontShootTheMessenger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz7pKJgAohk/V8EjH_NL9RI/AAAAAAAABC4/TtmeJys4LdEww6r9Pry5d0caUMrAo0C4ACLcB/s400/DontShootTheMessenger.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've written elsewhere
about <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/p-margin-bottom-0.html">how difficult it is to receive a rebuke</a> of any kind. Universal human pride
often cripples us in this regard, rendering us impervious to many hard truths
that we are in some cases desperately needing to hear. Now if we add to our natural
resistance to criticism an unwelcome or “unqualified” messenger, we generally
get a perfect storm of indignant rage and outright rejection. More often than
not we'll dig our heels in, gnash our teeth, and look for the nearest
proverbial stones to hurl at our “attacker.” This happened to Stephen, the 1<sup>st</sup>
Century deacon who dared rebuke the religious establishment (only the stones
were real), and it certainly happened to our fearless leader, a formally
uneducated, penniless, backwoods, thirty-something, upstart Galilean who had
the audacity to not only publicly deconstruct the prevailing cultural,
political, and religious narratives but to also promote his own <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/what-happened-to-kingdom.html">subversive counter-kingdom</a> in their place. Jesus often accomplished this by telling
stories, many of which intentionally featured the least likely of messengers
(people of other religions, minorities, immigrants, collaborators, racial
adversaries, oppressors, and women) to not only expose his audiences'
preconceptions and prejudices but to also humble us to the necessary starting
point of a <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/bacon-eating-vegetarian.html">gospel-centric, disciple</a> who is finally ready to fall to our knees,
beat our chest, and cry out “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">God regularly chooses
unqualified agents to deliver his rebuke. The ancient kingdoms of Israel and
Judah, for example, were overrun by nations that were more wicked than they.
Receiving a rebuke from an enemy, or someone we think is “beneath us,” has to be
the hardest pill to swallow. An ancient Israelite could reasonably respond to
Assyria and Babylon with, “who are <i>you</i> to rebuke us for our idolatry,
sexual misconduct, neglect for the poor, materialism, and numerous
injustices?!” It would be like receiving a lecture on the destructive nature of
lust from none other than Hugh Hefner.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When we're wrong, we're
wrong. It doesn't really matter who points it out.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I once saw a conservative meme that said something like, “I don't listen to
lectures about gun control from people who kill babies.” The sentiment “I will
only receive advice or correction from a source that I deem worthy of my
attention” is arrogant and almost certainly guarantees that God will send a
messenger of the sort that we would hate to have knocking on our door. I'm
certainly not saying that all criticism is true or helpful. Most criticism will
be a mixture of truth and distortion. A good friend of mine often says we must
“eat the meat, and spit out the bones.” I am reminded of King David’s humility
as he was running for his life from his treasonous son Absalom (2 Samuel 16). A
man named Shimei,
who had obviously been holding a grudge, seized on this opportunity to pelt
David with insults and stones as the king fled Jerusalem. David could have
responded to Shimei’s attack with an explanation (though David was certainly a
murderer and an adulterer, he wasn’t guilty of the false accusations that
Shimei was hurling at him) or even retribution, but he instead chose to silently
endure it, knowing that God may be using this unqualified messenger to deliver
a rebuke. Say what you like about David, the man knew how to take a rebuke. It may take work to sort through criticism
that's full of bones, but it is time well spent to hear the voice of God and to
be humbly set back in step with his heart. Who will be the next to expose our
blind spots, I wonder? Who will God use to shed light on our inconsistencies,
the areas of our heart over which he intends to rule unrivaled? I think that
largely depends on how “dull of hearing” we have become. Perhaps it will be a
Muslim; a transgendered person; an atheist; a grizzly, old, foul-mouthed,
racist neighbor; or a pretentious, tatted up, man-bun-wearing, hipster. Will we
disregard the rebuke due to our low opinion of the source, or will we earnestly
examine ourselves to see where we may be off course?</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The multigenerational
nature of the Church is truly a blessing from God. We must never be so proud as
to reject Godly counsel or a rebuke from a messenger that we have deemed too
young or too old to have anything helpful to convey. We are reminded throughout
Scripture of the wisdom that often comes with many years and also warned against
looking down or disregarding someone because of their youth (knowing that God
amuses himself by frequently utilizing the unqualified and ill-equipped). Young
and old followers of Christ need each other. The impetuousness of youth is
tempered by the prudence of experience, and the stagnation of weathered
pragmatism can be reinvigorated with youthful passion and reckless faith.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have often received
invaluable counsel and constructive criticism from older Christ-followers. In the interest of full
disclosure, I was born in '81 (which generally makes me a young Gen Xer, but
some estimations count me as an old Millennial). It is primarily Boomers (along
with saints now deceased, like Towzer and Lewis) who have informed my worldview
and led me to an understanding of God. We have benefited greatly from our
spiritual mothers and fathers in the faith (from the Silent Generation and
Boomers). They have largely made us what we now are. But I believe there are
some sweeping generational blind spots that are being manifested throughout the
American Church, things that we can no longer ignore, things that younger
generations are in a unique position to expose. There are many ways in which
the old guard (I'm of course speaking in a very general sense here) has
apparently settled into arguably unbiblical trends toward safety, comfort, and
pragmatism (at the expense of God's upside down kingdom and unavoidably
dangerous agenda). I don't know that the generations have ever been so divided
in their approach to local and world politics. The old guard is dumbfounded by
the younger generation's perceived lack of patriotism and financial
responsibility. Millennials are often seen as reckless and naive idealists.
Their lack of interest in pursuing political solutions and legislation to
achieve desired kingdom outcomes seems “irresponsible” and “lazy” to Boomers.
Their growing disengagement from many of the established, Western,
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">ecclesiological models</a> is seen as a great apostasy. But I've got to hand it to
Millennials. I think they are largely misunderstood by the old guard (and I'm
sure the opposite is also true) but actually have some very helpful
contributions to many of these pressing issues.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before we proceed, I
will state emphatically that I know many Boomers and Millennials that do not
conform to these broad characterizations. This discussion merely highlights
some overarching trends that noticeably vary by generation. Even with this
preface, I’m sure I will still regrettably manage to offend those to whom these
trends do not apply. If you find no meat, no sustenance—spit it out. And
forgive me for offering you a plate of bones.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Millennial rebuke to an older American generations' materialism,
nationalism, closeted xenophobia, reliance on political power, and tendencies
toward safety is mostly coming in the form of a largely silent yet powerful
counter-example. Many Millennial Christ-followers are abandoning safe and
practical career paths (often to the chagrin of their concerned parents) in
favor of pursuing risky domestic and international kingdom endeavors:
proclaiming freedom to those trapped in poverty, seeking justice for the
exploited, sex trafficked, and hungry and hurting immigrants and refugees,
declaring and demonstrating the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">good news of God's kingdom</a> in costly and
innovative ways. I believe Millennial Christ-followers have been doing more to
address noticeable inconsistencies (“noticeable” to our ideological
adversaries, anyway) in our shared “pro-life” position than past generations
(recognizing that <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/why-i-now-believe-gospel-compels-church.html">black lives</a>, the LGBT community, undocumented immigrants and
refugees, and even our enemies also and equally bear the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">Imago Dei</a>, which is
the basis for affirming and defending the sanctity of human life). Millennials
are rejecting the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/kingdom-patriot.html">brand of nationalism</a> and exceptionalism that has
characterized the old guard in favor of fearlessly embracing an increasingly
interconnected world as a means to more effectively pursuing the Great
Commission. They are serving the multicultural, global community of Christ in
new and sacrificial ways, and they are recognizing and speaking up about the
damage done when the American Church marries itself to political candidates who
tout nativism and isolationism. They are less likely to grasp for political
power and more likely to lay down their rights and accept “persecution” in an
effort to obey Christ's command to willingly “go the extra mile.” Millennials
are also more interested in pursuing authentic, <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/love-your-neighbor.html">incarnational ministry</a> and
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-house-that-jesus-built-is-building.html">organic church life outside the walls of church buildings</a> and established
programs and processes. I find their rejection of rote religion, spawned by
their pure hunger for a living God and his better kingdom, admirable and
refreshing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you’ve ever had your
<a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">sin</a> brought to your attention by your 5-year-old (I’m speaking hypothetically,
of course), then you know how difficult it can be to acknowledge an error under
less than ideal circumstances. Our knee-jerk reaction is to “explain,” excuse, retaliate,
or change the subject. But the Spirit of God within us urges us to confess,
repent, and move forward in his strength.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do Christian Millennials
have blind spots? Of course they do. And I've seen numerous articles and heard
endless rants about what is “wrong” with them. I’m not suggesting that Boomers
must fully embrace a Millennial reformation. My purpose here is not to demean
or retire past generations or to drive a further wedge between young and old
members of the family of God. My purpose is to encourage an atmosphere in which
Spirit-led instruction, when appropriate, can potentially come from anywhere. We
must regularly compare our personal and generational values and priorities to
the values and priorities of Christ. If there is anything that doesn’t line up,
we must let it go—no, we must crucify it! I would suggest to the Boomers that
if they can get past their younger counterparts' inexplicable preoccupation
with Pokémon
GO, lumberjack beards, and
covering every last inch of their bodies with tattoo art, they may see the
image of Christ beautifully displayed through many of these upstart,
whippersnappers. In spite of their harsher characterizations as suffering from
“Peter Pan syndrome,” being “uninformed,” “over-sensitive,” and
“self-important,” I am obviously very hopeful about Christian Millennials. In
many ways they are boldly leading the way, but they are still in need of the
acquired wisdom of older Christ-followers who were once regarded as “rebels” in
their own right.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of the greatest
obstacles preventing Jesus' adversaries from accepting the <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">LIFE</a> he freely
offered was that their proud hearts refused to receive instruction from such a
humble source. Who did this young, uneducated and unemployed, outspoken,
ragged, revolutionary from Nazareth of all places think he was that he could
trample on their most deeply held traditions? And Jesus was not in any way
gentle with their treasured and time-honored values and institutions either. He
knew that their misconceptions about reality were keeping them from God. If we
are of the sort that gets our feathers ruffled easily, we should not so quickly
presume that we would be on the right side of the cultural, political, and
religious clash between Jesus and many of his contemporaries. After all, coming
around to Jesus’ way of thinking requires a miraculous Spirit-empowered act of
suicide on our part—his new LIFE offered in exchange for our willing death. If
we as <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">broken human beings</a> are set on <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/p-margin-bottom-0.html">becoming like Jesus</a>, then we must be
prepared for constant course adjustments, frequent death to ourselves in both
small and large ways, as the Spirit leads. We must have pliable and humble
hearts that are ready to receive his correction, rebukes, and instruction,
channeled through even the most unwelcome and unlikely conduits. He may be
sending a Samaritan, IRS agent, hooker, or a hipster your way.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“<i>Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one
who heeds correction gains understanding” (Proverbs <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_654188777" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">15:32</span></span>).</i></span></span></div>
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Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-62747207467636420632016-08-18T21:41:00.001-07:002016-08-26T21:02:13.071-07:00Beatitudes (Remixed)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vw9uwLrofPc/V8EQs-dyUsI/AAAAAAAABCc/ahjLNrP1PYoS54OYDiOLbkQToPLg_8YOACLcB/s1600/Beatitudes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vw9uwLrofPc/V8EQs-dyUsI/AAAAAAAABCc/ahjLNrP1PYoS54OYDiOLbkQToPLg_8YOACLcB/s400/Beatitudes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Blessed are the strong, for they will be respected by their
adversaries, both foreign and domestic. Blessed are those who
passionately defend their right to bear arms, for they will rest secure. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for safety, for they will be
filled with prosperity. Blessed are the pure (excluding fornication,
adultery, pornography, and divorce, of course), for they will overcome
cultural perversion. Blessed are the politically powerful, for they will
avoid the inconvenience of going the extra mile. Blessed are those who
seek first the American Dream, for they will see it come to pass." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Said Jesus never <br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Check out Matthew 5 for what he actually said. Turns out it's a little different)</span></span>Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5542034526863983841.post-59276503578922496552016-07-23T00:47:00.002-07:002018-01-15T08:55:12.335-08:00Colorblind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uT5qCtEkV-w/V5McGQ0NagI/AAAAAAAABBY/CCppvb_auVAa98OS4UQWkjUT-a0J5nlGACLcB/s1600/Colorblind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uT5qCtEkV-w/V5McGQ0NagI/AAAAAAAABBY/CCppvb_auVAa98OS4UQWkjUT-a0J5nlGACLcB/s400/Colorblind.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many
people believe that racial tensions would quickly subside in our
country if we simply stopped noting and talking about our
differences. Apparently it's thought that recognizing and discussing
our distinctions inevitably creates a negative “us” and “them”
mentality which leads to fear, conflict, and exploitation. We
frequently embrace this ideology when we say, “I don’t really
notice skin color,” or “I don’t have ‘black/white/Asian
friends’—only ‘friends.’” It's true that, biologically
speaking, there’s only one race—the human race. So couldn’t we
all just agree to be colorblind? While this popular approach to race
is well intentioned, it tragically misdiagnoses the true source of
the tension. What's more, it completely disregards God's purpose and
pleasure in our human distinctions. As such, it is counterproductive
for the people of God, the church, to be “colorblind.”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Even
though race is best understood as a subjective cultural construct and
not a biological fact, it still remains a powerful and present
feature of the human experience (especially for minorities). Race and
ethnicity unite us to shared stories, songs, hopes, fears, and
cultural values. Rightly or wrongly humans index and cross reference
all this information in order to understand ourselves and make sense
of the world. </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">The
notion that we can eliminate strife by ignoring or extinguishing our
differences is certainly not new. Many sociopolitical movements
seeking to address various societal injustices have been built
precisely on this flawed approach. Whether we are seeking to
eradicate gender distinctions or signs of economic disparities by
embracing uniformed clothing, language, etc. we are in the end
failing to address the real issue. Jesus points out the flaw and
backwardness of this superficial approach to managing sin when he
explains to the Pharisees that they have done a bang-up job on the
exterior but inside they're as corrupted as they've ever been, maybe
even more so (Luke 11:39). It is our <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/reflections-on-human-brokenness.html">universal brokenness</a>, our
rejection of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/taste-and-see.html">God and his goodness</a>, that prompts us to fear, hate,
envy, and seek to exploit each other's God-given differences.
Therefore, misidentifying our </span><span style="color: black;"><i>differences</i></span><span style="color: black;">
as the source of our interpersonal and societal tension simply allows
the real cancer to persist unnoticed. </span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Uniformity
must not be confused with unity, and unity is what we're after if our
goal is to be the sort of church that Jesus prayed for (John
17:20-21). In fact, diversity is a necessary component in order for
unity to even exist. We can't very well boast about how great we all
get along, for example, if we're all exactly alike. There must be the
potential for fear, conflict, and exploitation if unity and grace are
to emerge triumphant.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paul's
sentiment, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor
free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ
Jesus” is sometimes used to advocate for an extinguishing of
gender, race/ethnicity, etc. within the church (Galatians 3:28). But
this simply can't be what he is describing. Paul writes extensively
about gender and ethnicity elsewhere in his epistles. As a
cross-cultural minister of the Gospel, one of Paul's greatest
contributions to Jesus' infant church stemmed from his heart for the
full inclusion of the once-marginalized, non-Jewish Christ-followers.
He was also keenly aware of his own ethnicity as a Jewish man, as was
Jesus. Our ethnicity, class, and gender—all of our human
distinctions—are certainly superseded by our identity in Christ, as
the Galatians passage points out, but are never erased or rendered
meaningless. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Americans,
including American Christians, are largely racially illiterate
(perhaps due to our “colorblindness”). Yet Americans, including
American Christians, are frequently among the most racially
opinionated folks. In lieu of firsthand information, we tend to form
our deeply held perspectives about race within our own racial/ethnic
groups based on our own limited outsider observations (after all,
it's “rude” to discuss such things in public or in mixed
company). The truth is, humans can never really be colorblind. We
weren't meant to be. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our
human distinctions are by God's express design. His fondness for
variety can be seen in every crevice of his vast and varied universe.
He has created human beings <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/p-margin-bottom-0.html">in his image</a>, male and female, with a
near infinite range and endless potential for combinations of skin
tones, textures, body frames and forms. Denying that it is so is a
heresy of sorts, a rebellion against his clear intentions. Let us
instead, like him, delight in his beautiful and vibrant creation.
After all, his endgame involves a multiethnic, multicultural,
multilingual, family of God, worshipping together in glorious harmony
(Revelation 7:9-10).</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">By
the grace of God, transformed, kingdom-centric people are capable of
recognizing and appreciating their own human distinctions without
being threatened, envious, demeaning or domineering of others. We can
also engage other image-bearers from every people group, color, and
creed with a Spirit-filled curiosity and admiration. It is ultimately
the people of God who have been uniquely equipped through the
redemptive ministry of Jesus to be ministers of reconciliation. If
not us, then who? True and abiding <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/why-i-now-believe-gospel-compels-church.html">racial reconciliation</a> will only
take place in our culture when we, the church, embrace and
passionately pursue our God-given rol<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">e</span>. Let's not be afraid to press
into socially awkward and taboo conversations about race within a
racially diverse body of Christ. Let's become good at asking
questions and great at listening. We have much to learn about
ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and our Creator (since we
collectively bear his image) as we compassionately explore our human
distinctions rather than shying away from them. I've received many
scriptural insights from brothers and sisters of color, for example,
things only they could illuminate to me, aspects of the heart of God
that were previously unseen to my colorblind eyes. There are pains
that I can only feel—if I am willing to feel—vicariously through
a brother or sister's tears. There are songs now unknown to me. There
is beauty that I can only see through borrowed eyes. There are many
ways in which we will never be the <i>same</i>, and yet, through the
miraculous power of <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/p/the-story.html">the Gospel</a>, we are made <i>“one.”</i> What a
disservice we do to ourselves, Jesus' church, and the clearly
articulated <a href="http://kingdomcomeblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-heart-of-god.html">heart of God</a> when we instead adopt the majority culture's
colorblindness. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Do
not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. </i></span></span><i>Then you will be able to
test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and
perfect will.</i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>” -Romans
12:2 </i></span></span></span>
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</span></span></span>Joshua Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07432781279880519701noreply@blogger.com0