Thoughts from the angry dome: for the love of Jesus, go to church.

Why Millennials are leaving the church. Hmm. If someone were to ask me why Millennials are leaving the church, my unfiltered response would be "because we're self-obsessed megabrats with little to no concern for things beyond our current vision?"

Brett McCracken had some more reasonable things to say:

I’m a Millennial, but I am weary of everyone caring so much about why Millennials do this or don’t do that. I’m sorry Millennials, but I’m going to have to throw us under the bus here: we do not have everything figured out. And if we expect older generations and well-established institutions to morph to fit our every fickle desire, we do so at our peril.

Part of the problem is that Millennials are consumers first, creators second. In an age where we have been formed and informed by and through instant gratification, we like seeing and taking and ingesting, but not as much serving or giving. So maybe Millennials are leaving the church because, ultimately, Millennials are lazy.

Don't get me wrong: some of the issues with the church are no doubt true. Some of the problems with the church are definitely real. Some of the concerns are worth consideration. But I have a message for twenty-something believers who are considering leaving the church, or who don't go to church because they find too many problems:

Do you despise hypocrisy in the church? Here's a bit of news: the church isn't Jesus. Believers go to church because we need Jesus. (Surprise!)

We might be hypocrites, we might fail, we might be broken. Jesus isn't. Jesus loves us. Jesus has fixed and is fixing us. Or had you forgotten the beauty of the gospel? Let me remind you:

The church isn't Jesus. Believers aren't God. We're saved and sanctified by him, not by ourselves. And thank God for that!

Don't leave a church because their mistakes and fumbles move your faith backwards. Go to church, stay, pray, and trust God to use you to move their faith forwards.

Don't leave a church because you think they might hold on to false or misinterpreted teachings. Go to church, challenge them, and be prepared to be challenged. Walking away is easy. Staying and growing (and helping others grow) is difficult. If God can use seed-sized faith, if God can "bring his truth through the mouth of a mule", then he can surely use you.

Don't leave a church because you "don't find Jesus there". Go to church and bring Jesus there!

If you want to worship Jesus authentically in church, go to church and worship Jesus. Why wait for the church to be all you think it needs to be? Go and be authentic. Your example just might change the church.

If you want to see believers being real instead of fake, be real instead of fake. Be an example. You just might lead others into authenticity.

You want authenticity? Stay in the church and bring it. 

Jesus loves the church. If you love Jesus, you ought to love his Bride. You ought to love what he loves.

So for the love of Jesus, go to church.

Allergies, Grace, Fellowship, and Thankfulness

Doug Wilson is a pastor and counselor who recently wrote about allergies, and how "boutique allergies" disrupt fellowship. I've spent the past two months considering his stance, and I have a few thoughts to share. 

First of all, I understand - in a sense - where Pastor Wilson is coming from when he speaks of people with boutique allergies. Obviously they are "out there" in the world. They might jump from one allergy fad to the next, hypochondriac style. They might come to church and have a new dietary restriction each week.

The thing is, though, how are we to know they are faking? I ask this because of my own experience. 

I am a woman riddled with allergies - more than I care to list. I react to various foods in many different ways. Blisters, joint pain, intense agony in my gut, headaches, chills, and depression are some of the things with which I suffer when I eat something I shouldn't. For the past 13 years my life has been a process of figuring out what is best for my body so that I can actually function as a reasonably healthy human being. There are foods that I have avoided for years, now, and other foods that I only recently realized were an issue. Sometimes it seems like I have a new food issue every week. My reaction is not, "Oh yay, another food fad I can follow!". My reaction is: It sucks, pal. 

I know this makes it difficult for the church, and for my friends, whenever food is involved. As Pastor Wilson mentioned, sometimes I want to just "soldier on" and eat foods I shouldn't so that I am not a bother or an inconvenience to anyone. 

However, I'm slowly realizing that this drastically limits Christian fellowship. Let me deal with the idea of "boutique allergies" first, and then I want to share a few other thoughts. 

As I already stated, I'm not sure how anyone can be sure that someone is faking an allergy. But to go further, even if we could prove that someone was faking their allergies, does that mean we should? Is it really in the interest of fellowship to call someone out on their dietary absurdity? What if our attempt at leading them to reality would, in fact, "destroy the one for whom Christ died"? Certainly there may be times when a brother or sister in Christ could lovingly address the issue, and try to point out the facts of the matter. I'm not saying that should never be done. I am just not certain Pastor Wilson's take on the matter is the very best one, or the one most akin to fellowship in Christ. Boutique allergies may disrupt fellowship, but so would callous dismissal of someone's (imagined or real) intolerance. Shaming someone into giving up even their fads is not conducive to grace in Christ Jesus. In either case, the body of Christ should act with grace. Believers should deal kindly with one another. We should always seek to lead people to grace, not to shame. 

Now, a word about the humbling fellowship and grace I have been shown. From the time my church family knew about my (and my family's) allergies, they have always sought to accommodate us. They have extended such accepting fellowship, and have gone out of their way to bring us in. It is enough to bring me to tears, and I thank God for the absolutely wonderful, sincere kindness of the church. They ask about our allergies, and try to find alternatives so that we may share in fellowship, rather than leaving us to fend for ourselves. I have had friends go out of their way to find treats that I can eat. They don't need to do it, but it seems they want to do it out of the kindness of their hearts. This, to me, is a wonderful show of grace and love. I am so thankful for their generosity. 

Trust me, my allergies are a burden and an annoyance; but by the redeeming grace of God they are also an opportunity for grace and love. I am consistently floored by my church family, and by my friends. 

So, to my friends: thank you so much. You have offered such hospitality, and you constantly remind me that there is no form of brokenness that cannot be redeemed and restored through love. 

Personalizing books and bookalizing persons

I love books. They are easy to get along with. Tim Challies wrote about "A Reunion of Old Friends", talking about the greatness that is books. I am comfortable with personalizing books. Giving them "personhood" status, seeing them as friends, old and new, is something that comes fairly naturally to me.

It's more difficult for me to deal with people. I am what some would call a classic introvert. As much as I love people, they wear me out. Conversation saps my energy. Fellowship leaves me drained. That's not to say I don't love it. I love conversation and delight in fellowship. It's just that for some reason, this is the way I am designed. People make me tired. There are times when I want zero interaction. I need to recharge, so I escape from all forms of social circumstances.

If I never allowed myself to do this, I would burn out pretty quick. However, there have been times when I have escaped into solitude because I was too lazy or indifferent to put any effort in to developing friendships. I have to guard myself against this danger. I love getting to know people, so to help myself to fight against my sinful inclination, perhaps I should "bookalize" them:

1) Don't judge by the cover
It's far too easy to write someone off because of this or that reason. In a lot of ways, humans are snooty beings. We like what we like, and we don't like what is different. We feel threatened by change, we're afraid of the unknown, and we all have our own opinions on what is good and right and beautiful.

We need to remember that difference is okay. Variety is beautiful. Contrast adds loveliness. We need to be willing to see beyond our own preference, to look beyond the "cover", and see the difference for what it is - a wonderful opportunity to see beyond self and to grow in grace.

2) Speed read to get the gist
When reading a book, sometimes it's helpful to read through it really quickly, to get the overall story, to see the development and satisfaction of the plot. As human beings, I think we "speed read" one another when we first meet. We get a sense of someone's character and attitude, of their preferences, because we hear what they're saying, we see their body language, and we just get the overall sense of people. Sometimes we walk away thinking, "That person was really great." Other times we think something a bit less positive, but the fact is that first impressions are real, they come fast, and they often stick. It's not a bad thing to have a first impression, but to get a better sense of the "story", I think we need something more.

3) Dig down deep to get the whole story
Friendships take time and effort. Getting to know people is work. It might come naturally to you, or it might not, but if you genuinely want to know someone, you have to dig down deep. You have to spend time and effort. We often hide our innermost selves, either because we're too proud or too afraid to show it. We need more genuineness, more study, more effort if we're going to get to know people. We also need to be more genuine ourselves. In order to develop good relationships, we have to reveal our realities. That brings me to the final point.

4) Let them change and challenge you
A good book will affect you. It will challenge your sensibilities, argue against your preconceptions, and expand your thinking. A good book will take hold of you and keep you captive. I've read books that have kept me glued to the story from first page to last. These are the books that reach the knitted corners of your soul and touch what is most real.

People can be like that. We can challenge others, and change them, affect them, and cause them to grow. We might not even realize what effect we have on others, but when we are genuine, when we are open, when we are not content with the surface, then we can jump into the depths and see what huddles beneath. And, I think, we'll see that it's so worth it.

"Let love be genuine..." (Romans 12:9)

A tale of two giants

A Tale of Two Giants; or,

the difference between quashing dreams and inspiring them

I

I saw a giant who looked down his nose at me. 

So great was his strength, and he looked on all others as weak and worthless.

We needed no show; we knew.

We were already small.

He made us feel smaller.

He alone was great, and no others met his standard.

He snarled, "Stay below in cowering shallows whilst I ascend to the heights."

And he climbed, and was lost to us. 

No more lost than when he dwelt among us (but never truly with us). 

And the flickers inside us died away.

II

I saw a giant who smiled at me.

Great was his strength, and he bore us all up to his level.

We were small.

He made us feel grander.

He made us wish to be more than we were.

He said, "Let us go up and see what we will see, together."

And he climbed, and he held our hands.

So he led us and gave us strength by the leading.

He dwelt among us.

And the flickers inside us grew to heated flames.

Random thoughts from a Wednesday

Compassion & Trust
Personal disasters may be small in the grand scheme, but they are no less devastating for that. Even the smallest wounds should be tended by loving hands. If you care in the small things, people will trust you with their tragedies.

Love & Joy
Love is sharing of an intimate, unpredictable kind. Its beauty cannot be fully seen. Its worth cannot be fully expressed. It is ultimately selfless and abundantly joyful. Joy is more predictable, though less known. Joy is a constant, unending delight in God - even in sorrow, even in the darkness to be felt. It is there, delight battling despair, coming out victorious, though perhaps bruised and bloodied, but all the purer for its wounds. Joy is marked by maturity, by a "settledness" that comes from love - we have joy because Christ loves us with love incorruptible.

Hope & Light
If Christians share Christ only in the good times, and fall into despair and hopelessness in the bad times, then what are they doing? We are not only lamps in light, but in darkness as well - especially darkness. That is where the world will see us shining, and wonder at the sight. They may look at the world and see nothing but shadowed tragedy, but there is light. Christ is the great Challenger of darkness. He has overcome it. Through Him, we have also overcome it. God is not only God in our joy, but in our sorrow too. He keeps His flame burning in us, and we need not fear the pitch.

What if

What if I began to be mesmerized by beauty? 

What if I adored the adorable? 

What if I loved the lovable? 

In this way what if my love grew more and more, until finally 

it overflowed and I could love the unlovable too?

What would happen if I started with the most lovable and spilled down from there? 

If I watered others with grace and love, flowing down from the Source, from the Spring, from the Fountain -

God? 

God is love. 

What if I start with loving God? 

From there I would have a strong foundation on which to stand. 

From that strong foundation of love to God I would be able to reach out and 

to love even those who do not love me in return; 

because the source of my love is not found in their love for me, 

which can be fickle or nonexistent, 

but in God's love for me, which is infinite and neverending. 

We rely so much on equal parts in a relationship. 

We give only as much as we get, and no more. 

What if I gave more? 

What if I ventured into the unknown?

What if I exhausted myself in loving others, 

poured myself out in showing others the beauty and mercy of 

the Beautiful Merciful One? 

What if I cared nothing for what I received in return, 

only what I could give?

Why am I so afraid? 

I want to grip the hands of my Father in heaven and let him twirl me around, 

lift me into the air and set me down in a different place - 

a place that might even be precarious, were it not for 

his steady hands holding me tight. 

If I stand on the brink. 

If I take a deep breath. 

If I plunge in. 

What then?

imperishable beauty

...but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. (1 Peter 3:4)

What a humbling verse this is. It rebukes me for my senseless forsaking of the better things. I trade matters of the heart for matters of fashion and outward appearance. I am often just like Narcissus, so wrapped up in myself that I forget others, blind to everything, even my own state.

"Narcissus so himself forsook,

And died to kiss his shadow in the brook."

There are some things I must daily learn and apply in my life:

- hidden
Unlike outward appearance, this adorning is never for show. It is concealed. Often we can have competitions with others regarding how we look on the outside. We are critical beings, gazing with our self-appointed-expert eyes upon others and giving them a thumbs up or down. This adorning, this hidden person of the heart, is an adornment that only God can see. With this hidden adornment, we do not say, "I thank you God that I am not like these terrible-looking other people....", modeling and parading ourselves in front of others in order to raise ourselves just that much higher. Taking care of your outward appearance is fine, but it is far more important to take care of this hidden beauty of the heart.

- imperishable
Physical beauty changes and fades, but this beauty is incorruptible, immortal, never out of style. It is an eternal beauty, which makes it far more important - and far better. Outward beauty is good, and caring for our appearance is not an evil. But we ought to pay attention to the imperishable, spiritual beauty.

- gentle
The first thing about this hidden and imperishable beauty is gentleness. Gentleness is "demonstrating power without undue harshness". It is reserve and strength, power and self-control. It is having power and strength, but restraining it. It is giving a soft touch when you could give a falcon punch.

- quiet
The second thing is quietness. It is being peaceful, tranquil. Steady, "settled due to a divinely inspired inner calmness". It is not lashing out with words and actions, but "keeping one's seat". Being able to control yourself rather than exploding in anger or frustration.

- precious
Of all the reasons to cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit, this is number one: God finds it precious. What he finds precious ought to be our number one desire. That it is precious means it is of great value. Costly. Excellent. Of surpassing worth. In God's sight, a gentle and quiet spirit is very precious. Friends, let us see the value just as God sees it, and let us seek to cultivate this gentleness, this quietness, that we may better represent Christ and better love one another. Amen.

Thunderstorms

I am deeply in love with thunderstorms.

I miss them in winter, so much so that I have to go to rainymood.com to soothe the absence.

I am unsure why I love thunderstorms so much, but I imagine it must have something to do with the fact that I've always equated them with God.

I remember being little, shorter than the counter tops, hearing the thunder, seeing the lightning. During particularly close, forceful storms, every time the lighting flashed my siblings and I would say, "Wow!" and wait for the thunderclap, counting the seconds.

My Mom would point us to God, his power, his authority over creation, and his compassion for us. We would discuss the science of storms, and the Source of them, so I did not feel fear, but fascination.

The rain and thunder represent compassion and strength, bringing life, and humility. I am nothing compared to a thunderstorm; the thunderstorm is nothing compared to its Creator. The lightning flashes, the rain pours, and the thunder booms out of some necessity to praise the God of the heavens and the earth.

I hear you, thunderstorm, and I love you deeply. 

You remind me of my Heavenly Father, who loves me deeply. 

Welcome back.

mindful of God

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. (1 Peter 2:19-20)

Imagine having a conscience so "impressed and governed by the idea of God" that you endure every sorrow and unjust suffering. That is what it means to be mindful. 

"a gracious thing". This gives me hope because God does not trivialize our suffering. God knows when we suffer unjustly. It's not as though he doesn't see it. He does. It is a gracious thing in the sight of God to endure unjust suffering. God sees our suffering. He might bring us out of it, he might provide a way of escape, but more often I think he provides a way to endure. He gives strength so that we may go on, and he will turn every sorrow into joy beyond imagining. I am confident that, some day, he will smile down on me and say, "Do you remember when you suffered unjustly? I do. I saw your tears. I saw your confusion. I saw also that you trusted in me, and you knew I was with you even if you didn't always feel it. Well done." 

God sees everything. He sees when we go through atrocious things, and he sees when we jump for joy through the great times. He sees when we lie face down on the floor, weeping until we can't even make a sound anymore but the tears are still coming. He sees when we laugh until we can't even make a sound anymore and the tears are streaming. God knows when we suffer and when we celebrate. He knows when we're hurting and when we're humiliated. He knows when we're restored in Christ and when we rejoice despite the shame, carrying our crosses, taking step by step, ignoring the bruising of our feet and the slivers in our backs, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. 

I want to have a mind full of God. The more I know him, the more I want to know more of him. He is beautiful, and faithful, and merciful and gracious. These characteristics I have attributed to him from the time I can remember, but as I walk through life I see the actual, personal nature of these attributes more and more. It's not just that God is merciful and gracious; he is merciful to me, every day. He is gracious to me, every moment. God is not abstract, he is very much present, very much personal... and I want to be mindful of him.

Thoughts at lunchtime

If I were to categorize myself into one of two options, I'd say I belong in the "thinking" group rather than the "action" group. I mull more than I go. I wait and see rather than jumping ahead. This can be a strength, of course, but every one of our strengths can also be a weakness.

For example, my lunch today was sort of bland. It was white rice with a bit of soup on top. It was good, but while I was eating it I thought, "This could use a bit of salt." Did I go find a bit of salt to put on my lunch? No, I didn't. Instead, I stood there, eating my lunch, thinking about how it could use some salt. Thinking thoughts is where I feel safe. Acting on thoughts makes me feel a bit more vulnerable. If I were to find salt and put it on my lunch, I might put too much and ruin the passably good flavour my lunch already has going. Why risk it?

Thoughts are generally safe. Action is more dangerous. It is good to temper action with thought. Thought without action is not much of anything, but action without thought is just stupid. Yet I can't help but think that I could do with more doing. I'd like to hold back less and leap forward more.

Maybe instead of wondering how a passing stranger would take it, I should just smile and tell them they look lovely today. Maybe I should jump right in and offer to help someone clear the snow off their driveway instead of thinking they might take it the wrong way. If it's a risk to be nicer, to be more open, to be more generous with my time, with my joy, that's a risk I want to take. Maybe I need a bit more salt; maybe I need it more than I think.

Render unto Him what is due

Paul has rights from the Corinthians. As an apostle and spiritual father, he had the right to support from the Corinthian believers. He mentions this in chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians: this is a command that goes back to the Old Testament. Do not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain. Paul asks them, is it really about oxen? Is it not about preachers of the Word, those who give their lives in service to other people? Render unto these men what is their due!

Paul goes on to say, if the Corinthians were to give, to support him voluntarily, that would be rewarding in itself. Yet if they were to do it involuntarily, begrudgingly, they would still only be doing what they should.

Paul likens this to his own ministry before God.

You see, Paul had the right to demand support, yet he did not take advantage of that right. This does not negate the existence of his right - it just means that he did not take what was his. In preaching the gospel, Paul says he was simply discharging the trust committed to him. He was a steward of God's grace, preaching the gospel because it was his duty. If he had preached the gospel begrudgingly, he would have been doing what was required of him; he preached the gospel willingly, and gladly, and so it was rewarding. 

To me, this goes for everything we do as believers, whether service, worship, or belief. If we believe the right thing about God, we're only doing what we are supposed to do. If we use up every breath in praise of God, we're only rendering unto God that which is His due. If we spend all our energy in glorifying God, we are not doing anything above and beyond our duty as human beings.

We are so fickle, we demand rewards for the tiniest service, thinking we did something great for God, something for which He now owes us. We forget that we are created to be God-glorifying image-bearers, whose sole purpose is to render to God the praise due His name. Anything we do for God is a thing we ought to have been doing anyway. Any praise we give is praise we were supposed to give.

The beautiful thing here is that God's grace is in this. Just as Paul preached because it was his duty, yet received a reward because he did it willingly, so too will we receive a reward. God is pleased with our attempts to glorify Him. We will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We will receive the prize because we've run the race, looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith. Praising God through our actions and thoughts, through our work and word, is reward enough in itself, for it satisfies our deepest reality as God's image-bearers - yet above and beyond that God will bless us beyond measure, for He will satisfy us with great things. God has already proven His own character through Christ Jesus - He has given us what we did not deserve, what we did not earn.

All praise to Him who reigns above
In majesty supreme,
Who gave His Son for man to die,
That He might man redeem!

Blessed be the Name,
Blessed be the Name,
Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
Blessed be the Name,
Blessed be the Name,
Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

His name above all names shall stand,
Exalted more and more,
At God the Father's own right hand,
Where angel hosts adore.

Redeemer, Saviour, Friend of man,
Once ruined by the Fall,
Thou has devised salvation's plan,
For Thou hast died for all.

Wants

I don't want to be a "professional" Christian. I don't want to go through the motions and the routine of faith or religion, walking with half-closed eyes and with boredom or complacency, simply doing the "right thing" because someone might be watching. I don't want to speak or share half-heartedly.

I want to see myself for what I am: an amateur, a messy child with grubby hands, running arms-outstretched toward my Father, the one who has washed and redeemed and loved me, the one who delights in me and is close to me no matter whether I can feel his presence or not. Maybe, especially when I can't.

I want to know my mistakes so I can see God's correction. I want to study the cracks in my frame so I can see God's grace fill every gap, overflowing and submerging me in grace that says perfection is attained through Christ Jesus, not through my efforts. I can stop trying to scrub my hands clean. They've been scrubbed clean by greater hands than mine. 

I want to sit still and listen, learning the sweet, sweet words of Jesus until I know them by heart and love them all the more. I want to lift my hands and sing, and dance for joy because joy is there and ready to be embraced. I want to embrace joy.

I want to see my strengths and be ready to use them for a good purpose, not holding myself back in case my strengths are not strong enough. I want to leap into and lean on the Everlasting Arms, comfortable and confident in their steadiness.

I want to be thankful for tears, for frustrations, for weakness, because these things drive me somewhere good. They drive me to Someone, to the Helper, to the Answer. I want to recognize the delight found in my Saviour, recognize it until it bubbles up in me and I can't help but laugh at the sheer joy of grace. I want to be amazed at the depths of the riches of the knowledge of God, his unsearchable ways, his vast wisdom and knowledge.

Amen.

The vulnerable

Face to face, the powerful now stand,

Wrestling one another with their might.

They scoff at any weakness, hide from light,

Committing all the darkness in their souls.

They will refuse a given, helping hand;

They "have no needs", but standing, they defy;

Meanwhile, beneath their feet, the vulnerable lie,

Bruised and broken underneath their soles.

Holy, righteous, good - all of Christ

Are believers really saints? Can we practice righteousness or holiness? Does Christ really see us in this light? The answer is, yes. We're reborn. Paul defines the unrighteous, what they do and how they act, and then he says, 

"And such were some of you. 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."
When it says "sanctified", this is what it means (taken from biblos.com):
hagiazó: to make holy, consecrate, sanctify
Original Word: ἁγιάζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: hagiazó
Phonetic Spelling: (hag-ee-ad'-zo)
Short Definition: I make holy, sanctify
Definition: I make holy, treat as holy, set apart as holy, sanctify, hallow, purify.

Total depravity (our standing before God) is overcome, here and now, by the flowing mercies in Christ Jesus. 

Here's an excellent article on all that we are in Christ Jesus: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-stupendous-reality-of-being-in-christ-jesus

Consider Romans 11:16, which references Christ as the root and believers as branches:

If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. (Romans 11:16)
Christ is the root. If Christ is holy, then according to Paul, all those in Christ are made holy by virtue of being in Him. Christ said Himself, "I am the Vine; you are the branches". 

Let’s look quickly at the two words, “good” and “holy”.agathos = good
Reference: Ephesians 2:10; besides others
Definition: Intrinsically good, good in nature, good whether it be seen to be so or not. 

This goodness originates from God, and is empowered by Him. But in Ephesians 2:10 it says the Lord prepares good works for us to accomplish. He is a God of life and action, and He gives us actions to accomplish.

hagios = holyDefinition: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred.
References: 1 Corinthians 6:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, Romans 6:19, Hebrews 12:14, Romans 11:16, 1 Corinthians 7:14, Ephesians 5:27

Again, this originates from God in that we become like Him, pronounced to be like Christ, set apart from the world because we are like Christ. This is what Christ has done: set us apart for Himself.

We submit fully to Christ. That’s what living righteously is all about: submitting fully and joyfully to Christ so that we can be used of Him. He works through us. We live in righteousness, we witness to others, and we present our bodies as living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God for the purpose of Christ’s exaltation and proclamation.

How would you define submitting fully to Christ? I would define it as something like “Here I am; Lord, send me!” When faced with His glory, our response is praise, worship and service.

Believers do not live rightly or do any holy thing outside of Christ. The ability to do anything in a godly manner comes from God, Who is goodness and mercy. This is the relationship:

We do good works (which God has laid out for us) by His grace in enabling us to do so. We do not do good works or live righteously because we want to "look good", or because we want to earn something; we do them because God has amazingly saved us, and it is a “reasonable service” to live our lives for the glory of God in whatsoever we do. We cannot earn what we already have. 

We cannot be righteous without Christ. However, with Him, we can. So the idea that believers can be righteous is cemented in the fact that Christ is the difference. Christ enables us to be so. God is in living, active relationship with us, right now. Christ is exalted and magnified by the idea that He has accomplished what He set out to do, finishing His work and revealing a people much changed by what He has done.

Why not go to Him? Cast all your cares upon Him. Cry out to Christ to change you, to wash you clean. We need constant reminders of the gospel, all day, every day. Christ came to save the needy, the broken, the sinful. He is the Great Physician, healing hearts and lives. Why not turn to Him? 

Total depravity: not the believer's reality

I have had discussions in the past concerning the doctrine of total depravity. I believe the doctrine of total depravity is true, yet I feel I must write concerning the doctrine's misuse*, especially when it comes to total depravity and believers.

What is total depravity?
The doctrine of total depravity as I understand it runs thus:

Because of the fall (Genesis 3), man is unable by or of himself to believe in the gospel of salvation. Man is from birth rebellious against God. He is dead, blind and deaf to the things of God (Matthew 13:13). His heart is corrupted, his will is bound to Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2), and his inclination is constantly towards evil (Genesis 6:5). This depravity affects man physically, mentally, and spiritually, so that every part (the total) is depraved.

Are believers totally depraved?
You tell me: according to the historical definition of total depravity, can believers properly be defined as remaining in this state? Are believers unable to believe in the gospel of salvation (Acts 15:11)? Then how are they believers? Are they rebellious against God? Then how are they united to Him (Romans 6:5)? Are they dead, blind and deaf to the things of God? Then how can they have a relationship with Him (Galatians 4:6)? Are their hearts corrupted? Then why does God say He has given them a new, clean heart (Ezekiel 11:19)? Is their will bound to Satan? Then why does God say He has set us free (Galatians 5:1)? Is their inclination constantly towards evil? Then why does the Bible say believers desire the heavenly (Hebrews 11:16)? Why do they seek to be Christlike?

In answer to the question, I say no, believers are not totally depraved. Total depravity is a pre-Christ state. It is what we were, not what we are. When we are in Christ, we are set free, changed, renewed, redeemed, forgiven, restored, adopted, sanctified, glorified, justified…the change is endless (1 Corinthians 6:11, Romans 8:30). We are a new creation. The old has passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are recreated in Christ Jesus. Reborn. We have the indwelling Spirit. We abide in the Vine. Our eyes are opened, our ears can hear, and our hearts can respond to the gospel.

Does this mean believers don’t sin? Not at all. We sin and struggle on every plane, physically, mentally and spiritually. The effects of total depravity still linger in us. But believers are not totally depraved. That is not our condition. Not according to the historical definition, which indicated and indicates unsaved people. The doctrine of total depravity is not meant to define Christians, but to define humanity. We have a new existence in Christ Jesus. God sees us differently in Christ than outside of Him. Christ makes a difference - a major one. We have to consider our familial reality.

We still speak of being totally depraved in terms of acknowledging one side of the coin, which is our dependency upon Christ in all things. We are weak. But the reality is that, not only do we as believers depend on Christ for everything, but Christ fulfills every dependency we have! He is our strength when we are weak. This is why we are pronounced clean. This is why the epistles declare believers saints, not sinners. Our identity is changed. God has removed us from our sin, separating them as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He has drowned our sins in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).

The believer's reality
Our reality is settled in Christ. The ability that we have been given is only by God’s grace in enabling us to do the good works He has foreordained (Ephesians 2:8-10). He has called us to act in righteousness, and He provides the way for us to do so. My ability to be good is not some sort of apart-from-Christ merit. Apart from Christ we can do nothing – but this implies that in and with Christ, we can do something.

We are the Body of Christ. Christ works through us in order to bring about His will on earth. There is an intriguing relationship between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. People pray for the salvation of a friend, and when the friend is saved they glorify God, not thinking that their prayer was the means, yet their prayer was the instrument God used in order to bring about His sovereign will in saving the friend. This is a glorious truth: God includes us in His plan and purpose. He is active in relationship with His people. He moves and creates and speaks and involves us. He allows us to participate in doing good works for His glory. That’s why we share the gospel or serve others in love: not to “be good”, but because God is good and He has allowed us a part to play.

Live, then, in the light and the joy of this reality. Live every day as though God has a plan and a purpose for you - because He does! He has plans for you far beyond what you can imagine. He is with you every moment. Christ does not forget about you, not even for a second. Leave the hours and the minutes of your life in the hands of the Sovereign God Who has pronounced you clean, Who has declared you worthy to be a steward of His righteousness, a messenger of His glory, a child who is welcome and loved. Leave your doubts and your confusions, and even your certainties, with the all-wise Saviour, Who knows you better than you know yourself. Look to Jesus, and be ready.

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:21-22 ESV)


*I don't doubt that I have misused the term in the past; this blog is an attempt to correct my own errors as much as to address the errors of others.

David's characteristics

One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.” (1 Samuel 16:18)

Those are some pretty fantastic compliments. David's reputation was a grand one, even in his youth.

1) Skillful in playing --- David appreciated beauty as from God. He devoted time to learning an instrument, to playing well. He was diligent, faithful and artistic.

2) A man of valour --- David had a reputation for bold courage. He fought bears and lions, protecting his father's flocks. He did not shrink in the face of adversity. He knew from whence his strength came.

3) a man of war --- David fought to uphold what God had declared right, true, and beautiful.

4) prudent in speech --- David had wisdom, reining in the fires of his tongue. He knew when to speak, and when to keep silent.

5) a man of good presence --- Most notes on this say this means David was handsome and rugged, having beautiful eyes (1 Samuel 16:12). I wonder if his eyes are mentioned because they reflected some of his inner joy and delight in the God of his salvation.

6) the Lord is with him --- This is perhaps the greatest characteristic, the one towards which all the other ones tend. A man who is faithful to God will take joy in the beauty God has given; will courageously stand for what God declares to be truth, and will fight to uphold it; will speak wisely and watch that his tongue does not control him; and these qualities will make him handsome. Just as for women, where the inward adorning is the most important, where the heart is what makes her beautiful, so it is with men, and so it was with David.

 Most importantly, though, this shows the grace of God in David's life. David may have been talented, courageous, thoughtful, artistic and handsome, but all this was nothing compared to the fact that God graciously chose him, and called David a man after His own heart. It wasn't because of David's characteristics that God was with him; it was because of God's merciful presence that David's characteristics were so noteworthy.

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord GOD! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord GOD! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (2 Samuel 7:18-22 ESV)

This Little Seed

Within the place that doubles as a home,
That soft, protective shell we call the womb,
There grows a life. God is the one who knits,
Forming each and every one in greatness
and wisdom, developing uniqueness.
We know this little seed has a Sower.
Every particular fashioned by him,
Every life precious - so how heartbreaking
Is it when we then proclaim rejection
Because some particular did not fit
What the world calls perfection?

Driving down the highway, I had a conversation with myself. This happens a lot, but this particular self-conversing was more noteworthy. It was an "Oh!" moment, one of those times where something so simple becomes understandable. Sometimes the simplest things give me the most trouble. These are the things about which I need the most reminding.

The conversation went something like this (I've cut out the random asides):

I haven't written a blog post in a while. I should do that.

I don't have anything to write about! Anyway, I've been busy.

Everybody's busy. I should just write about something easy - something basic.

So what is the most basic, the most fundamental part of me, for instance? What is most important to me?

My faith. Wait, no, that's not really true, is it? It's not my faith that's most important, but the object of my faith. Faith is nothing without its object. Christ is everything.

After having this "Oh, yea" thought, I got home, went on Twitter, and found these two tweets waiting for me:

C. H. Spurgeon ‏@spurgeonfix

It is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.

Tim Keller Wisdom ‏@DailyKeller

It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you.


Funny how that worked out.

Believers: according to Philippians: part two

Partakers

The word for partakers is sygkoinōnós, which means a close companion or joint-sharer. It is amazing to think that we are not merely an audience, not passively watching grace, but that we are active accomplices, having fellowship with all believers through the Spirit. We are the hands and feet of Christ, serving one another out of reverence for Jesus. When Paul uses this word in Philippians, he is referencing the Philippians' willingness to share Paul's suffering and shame. You know a close companion when they stand by you in the worst of times, not just the best of times.

Brothers, Beloved, Children of God

These profound familial terms ignite our theology, bringing the truths of God's Word to light through relationship. Through His death, Christ has caused us to be born again, born into adoption. We are the children of God. To be adopted in Christ is an eternal and glorious relational aspect of our salvation. We are more than believers; we are beloved, loved by God as a father loves his children. We are co-heirs with Christ. Think about these mercies! I can barely understand them.

Not only does salvation affect our relationship with God, but it also changes how we fellowship with one another. Believers are brothers, united as the family of God, given new life and new purpose in Christ Jesus. We grow together in sanctification, love, joy, suffering, and everything else.

Lights in the world

As lights in the world, we shine brightly. We are not under baskets. We don't hide away, but rather declare the glories of Christ Jesus through the way we live and through what we say. How can we distinguish between what we say and how we live? It shouldn't be possible. If our "yes" really means "no", then there is something wrong. We are to live as lights in the world, shining the gospel of Christ into even the darkest corners. 

Citizens of heaven
We belong to the God of heaven, not the prince of the power of the air, nor this present darkness. We are sojourners here, living for Christ in the midst of our journey home. Our citizenry is with Christ, for we are seated with Him in the heavenly places, kept for, by, and through Jesus as we await the final day, the day when the "worst vacation ever" has come to an end.

Paul reminds the Philippians of many things in his short letter. I pray they've encouraged you as they did me. 

Believers: according to Philippians - part one

When reading through Scripture, you can find many different titles for believers. The term, "Christian" only shows up a few times, yet believers are referenced quite often, especially in the New Testament. Reading through Philippians I came across many different titles given among believers. Some are specific titles, such as "servants", used in Paul's introduction, as well as the titles of overseer and deacon. However, I think we can expand upon these titles in general. 

According to Philippians, we are

Servants

As I said, Paul uses this in his introduction: 

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, (Philippians 1:1)

However, this is not exclusive to Paul. John, Peter, Jude and James all refer to themselves in the same way. In light of that, I think it is appropriate that we follow their example in proclaiming our servanthood to Christ. I am a servant of Christ. What does this mean? This means my life is not my own. I have been bought with the price of Christ's precious blood. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. My whole life is lived in devotion to Christ, or that at least is what I strive to do. I want to live my life according to Christ's will and by His word. I want to grow in love for God as well as for those whom He has created, glorifying God through selfless ministry. I want Christ to live through me. In light of that, I am His servant. 

Saints

Again from verse one:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: (Philippians 1:1)

Believers are often referred to as saints in the New Testament. This is a declaration of our state in Christ: by His sacrifice, by His substitution, by His atonement and redemption, we have been pronounced pure and blameless, without blemish. We have been clothed in Christ's righteousness. We have been given new life in Christ Jesus. We are saints - set apart, holy unto the Lord. This one is difficult to understand, because it is wrapped up in the mystery of salvation. Yet we can know that this is how God sees us. He sees us through Christ, perfect, blameless, holy, redeemed. To be declared a saint is a glorious concept, and it is the reality for believers. 

Overseers and Deacons

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: (Philippians 1:1)

This does not refer to all believers, but to a specific group of men who are set apart within the believing community. These are elders, those who "supervise" the flock of God, who check the gospel pulse of the church. They keep watch, guarding against apostasy, guarding against the onslaught of the devil. They provide personal protection and care for believers. Deacons "kick up the dust" in ministry, serving the church in more practical, day-to-day-serving ways. Overseers have a great responsibility, and I think it is important for believers to pray for elders and deacons in their church. However, I think every believer can watch and guard against false teaching. We can all protect and care for one another through fellowship and prayer, and we can all certainly serve one another - in fact, we are called to do that very thing in Hebrews, stirring one another up to good works (Hebrews 10:24). 

Partners

All believers share things in common. Though we can disagree, though we can have many denominations and many different interpretations of any given Bible passage, we are bound together and unified in Christ Jesus. We share a fellowship through Christ. He is the unifier. He breaks down the walls of hostility and unites all peoples.