Tag archives for Jesus

Let the One Who Will Be Raised Be Given for Them

By | Published 09/07/2008

I wrote this some time ago and just now decided to publish it. I’ve been making corrections since publishing which means I should have read carefully before publishing. In fact, I’m adding these introductory lines after publishing! Oops. Let me know if it strikes a chord. Let me know if I’m heretical, ’cause that’s one thing I’m not interested in.

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In heaven a mighty council convened
seeking one capable of humans redeem.

Approaching the throne, asking each one,
“Send I, I can get the job done.”

“Yes, you, I am able to raise
for it’s by my Spirit and to garner my praise.

“You, however, are unable to bear
the sins of the many and the wrath poured out there.

“There is none other who can open the scroll
than my Son incarnate, Messiah foretold.

“The task is one of putting to death
so that through death the many may resurrect.

“Let the One who is perfect be given for all;
a remedy applied, a consequence of the fall.

“Let the One who will be raised be given for them;
lest they die in vain a propitiation for sin.

“Let the One who will be raised die for them;
Zimri approached but burning with sin.
‘Atone for your own’ is where he was told to begin:
impotent in guilt, impotent others to win.

“The One for the many is where he was told to begin:
bearing the burden without, shielding the elect within.

“Let the One who is perfect be given for them,
a matchless sacrifice presented to make many his kin.”

Therefore let the One capable be given for us
not that we can demand or imply that God must
but he has created us modeled after his being
thus it pleases him us to be freeing.

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The Great Exchange of Deuteronomy

By | Published 08/20/2008

Most often the phrase “the great exchange” is associated very specifically with the obedience of Christ on the Christian’s behalf as part of his redemptive work whereby he took on our sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and we consequently are able to be clothed in his righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). The great exchange in the New Testament is Jesus takes our sin and we get his righteousness imputed to us. He gets sin, we get God. O glorious gospel! Trust in him now!

Well, the great exchange of Deuteronomy is very similar but less specifically and explicitly about the redemptive work of the Messiah. Deuteronomy 29:10-15 (ESV) magnificently preaches exchange when it reads,

You are standing today all of you before the Lord your God: the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and the sojourner who is in your camp, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water, so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the Lord your God, which the Lord your God is making with you today, that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. It is not with you alone that I am making this sworn covenant, but with whoever is standing here with us today before the Lord our God, and with whoever is not here with us today.

The bolded portions are to help trace the line of thought amidst the enumerating of persons present (elders, lumberjacks, water boys, etc.). The people are standing before God in order to cross (over) into the covenant of YHWH (לעברך בברית יהוה), a covenant which he is making in order to establish them as his people and he as their God ( לעםוהואיהיה־לך לאלהים למעןהקים־אתך היום לו). The “exchange” is that we become his people and he becomes our God. He gets us, we get him.

The ל (lamedh) prepositions here (ל+עם and ל+אלהים), though functioning differently syntactically, remind me of Song of Songs 6:3 where quite famously it is asserted that “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” Here also are ל prepositions, though attached simply to object pronouns masculine and feminine rather than nouns. Again there is a certain amount of what I think can be called exchange or reciprocity which reflects, albeit dimly, the great exchange which is the gospel revealed in the work of Christ and the New Testament Scriptures.

Respond

Take a moment to read Deuteronomy 29. Think about all of God’s provisions for sinful, rebellious laid out throughout the Scriptures. Think on what it means for you, as a Christian, to be part of God’s people. Think on God becoming your God when you at one time were alienated from him and without him in the world (Ephesians 2). Now, rejoice at the thought of the gospel!

If you’re not a Christian, trust in Christ as God’s provision for sinful humanity to be brought back into communion with him after being separated by our sin and rebellion. Now, rejoice in the gospel!

Hebrew Help

What’s the best way to blog Hebrew? I just copy and pasted from e-sword. No vowels. Hopefully, everyone who cares will be able to read it. Sorry if it shows up garbled. Read the English. It’s not a bad translation.

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It All Depends on Deuteronomy

By | Published 08/16/2008

School started back up the end of this week…which means that the quotables will now start rolling in. Dr. McDaniel reminded us this morning (at 7:30am!) that during Jesus’ temptation, he pulled directly from Deuteronomy to combat the Adversary

“If your struggle against sin depended on your knowledge of Deuteronomy, how well would you do?”

It might be fair to say that our struggle against sin should include a working, quotable familiarity with Deuteronomy. Nonetheless, point taken.

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Jesus for President: Shane Claiborne in Raleigh

By | Published 07/21/2008
Jesus for President

Jesus for President

Shane Claiborne’s Jesus for President book tour continues this Tuesday (July 22) with a stopover in Raleigh at the First Baptist Church Raleigh which is apparently sponsored by the Triangle Mennonite churches.

It starts at 7:00pm and is free to everyone. I’ll be there and if you’ll be there, wear a red shirt so I’ll know you read this. I hope to offer thoughts on the evening in the coming days. Not an event to be missed if for no other reason than to be challenged.

More info available at the JesusforPresident.org.

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Stormy Wind Does His Word

By | Published 04/07/2008

Matthew 8:23-27:

23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Psalm 148:7-8

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling [doing] his word!

What sort of man is this indeed? The God-man. Before Abraham was, he was.

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De Penal Substitution’s Death Only Gospel

By | Published 03/18/2008

At the Duke Socratic Club‘s Two Views dialogue on the atonement entitled “How Does Jesus Save Us?” (Feb. 26, 2008) the question was asked of the proponent of penal substitution where the life of Jesus fit in on his view, for it seemed that in this view all that mattered was the death of Jesus, not his life nor his resurrection. I can’t remember exactly the response given, but I remember being slightly dissatisfied with it. I can easily see how someone would (mis)understand penal substitution to be concerned only with the death of Jesus because it is true that this view does place a great amount of stress on the death of Jesus. “Jesus died for our sins.” “Jesus died for you.” “He took your place.” These are the slogans I’m sure all are familiar with. But, as needs pointed out, there is certainly more to penal substitution than just the death of Jesus.

Jesus’ life and resurrection are very much integral to this view of the atonement though often omitted or misunderstood to be unimportant. It will be recalled that it is because Jesus lived a sinless life that he could take our place on the cross. He was the perfect sacrifice as demonstrated by his sinless life. Christ is our passover says Paul to the Corinthians. It was then in his resurrection that he was declared to be the Son of God. This is his vindication. He said he would die and be raised again. The Spirit’s raising him backed up his claims to deity and Messiah. He was therein proved to be what he said he was. Not only this, but his resurrection is a foreshadow of the Christian’s path: suffering, death, but then resurrection. He is the firstborn from the dead. What then happens in the Christian’s union to Christ by faith is an exchange. We get his righteousness, his completely righteous keeping of the law and he gets our sins. He becomes sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. Now, this might seem like it is going beyond penal substitution, but it is inherent or presupposed in it. Jesus’ life qualifies the kind of substitute he would be for us, and that we are justified by God because of him and for his sake says something of his being before, during and after his crucifixion not just during the crucifixion.

This is one thing you have to appreciate about the oft-Protestant-forgotten holidays that take place leading up to Easter (Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday): they don’t (or shouldn’t) allow Easter to sneak up on you, but little by little the mind is pointed towards Christ’s life leading up to his death and ultimately his resurrection.

In conclusion, if proponents of penal substitution seemingly deemphasize Jesus’ life, it should not be seen as an inherent weakness in the view, but an inherent weakness in not being able to say everything at the same time. Penal substitution relies on the active obedience of Christ, his life; yay, it presupposes his life and is realized and expanded in his resurrection.

(The Socratic Club’s recording of the dialogue is available through their website, but annoyingly inaudible and low quality. I attempted to touch it up and make it listen-to-able. Download the 20mb touch-up. *Link fixed.)

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Effeminate Is As Effeminate Does

By | Published 03/05/2008

“Did you become effeminate when you got married?” That was the question posed last night by a single seminary twenty-something. The immediate response in my mind was, “wait, what?” Some questions you just never expect, but I’ve got some thoughts on the question that didn’t make their way in edgewise last night.

The first response is actually another question: what do you mean by effeminate? If you mean acting in ways or doing things that are characteristically feminine which a male typically doesn’t do prior to getting married or having a girlfriend, the answer is yes. For example, before marrying or dating, I wasn’t in the habit of holding hands (or cuddling) with anyone, but now that I’m married I do. But, is that effeminate or affectionate? Or, now that I’m married my wife gives me a nightly reminder to wash my face (“exfoliate”) before going to bed. Is that effeminate or just good hygiene? Or, now that I’m married my wife advises me on what to wear, even to the point, dare I say it, of creating “outfits.” Is that effeminate or just good fashion sense and avoiding a fashion faux pas? Or, my wife and I may watch My Fair Lady instead of say Apocalypto. Is that effeminate or culturally enriching? (You daren’t call Henry Higgins effeminate.)

Holding hands, cuddling, being kind, gentle and caring, hygienic, serving others, watching musicals and being romantic should not be seen as being effeminate.

Effeminate, rather, is prancing around in my wife’s bra and knickers. (Your wife may wear panties, but mine most assuredly wears knickers. God save the Queen. [We have a children's book called The Queen's Knickers.]) This I do not do.

Secondly, you may be concerned that some of the fruit of the Spirit sound effeminate: “kindness” or “gentleness” or even “self-control.” You may even think Jesus effeminate for calling children to himself (Ignatius of Antioch?) or using the analogy of a hen gathering its chicks under its wings. If so, your Jesus just might have more in common with the Vintage21 Jesus.

We, men, should submit ourselves to the Spirit and Scripture to be conformed into the image of Christ instead of esteeming higher the mold of masculinity demanded by culture. Does that mean acting effeminate? No, but it just might mean that you serve your wife and exhibit all the fruit of the Spirit and learn to serve others. You might just stop and smell a flower, enjoying all of God’s creation. You might just end up actually caring for your wife instead of treating her like one of your buddies. (Don’t punch any woman on the shoulder, ever.)

What happened to holding a complementary view of the sexes? Your wife will complement you in more ways than you imagine. God might not give you a woman that fits with you perfectly but a woman that you need most in order to be transformed day by day. You can’t stand to wait for anyone. She makes you wait. You need to learn patience. Consider yourself complemented.

We might just find that in becoming slightly more “effeminate” we are more masculine.

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Quotable Clairvaux

By | Published 11/29/2007

From Bernard of Clairvaux ‘s (1090-1153) On Loving God

“In his death he displayed his mercy, in his resurrection his power; both combine to manifest his glory.” (III)

“O wretched slaves of Mammon, you cannot glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ while you trust in treasures laid up on earth: you cannot taste and see how gracious the Lord is, while you are hungering for gold.” (IV)

“If you have not rejoiced at the thought of his coming, that day will be indeed a day of wrath to you.” (IV)

“I know that my God is not merely the bounteous Bestower of my life, the generous Provider for all my needs, the pitiful Consoler of all my sorrows, the wise Guide of my course: but that he is far more than all that. He saves me with an abundant deliverance: He is my eternal Preserver, the portion of my inheritance, my glory.” (V)

“Reason and natural justice alike move me to give up myself wholly to loving him to whom I owe all that I have and am. But faith shows me that I should love him far more than I love myself, as I come to realize that he hath given me not my own life only, but even himself.” (V)

“If you should see a starving man standing with mouth open to the wind, inhaling draughts of air as if in hope of gratifying his hunger, you would think him lunatic. But it is no less foolish to imagine that the soul can be satisfied with worldly things which only inflate it without feeding it.” (VII)

(Numbers at the end are chapter numbers. Read Latin? I’ll give you a dollar if you read Bernard’s complete works.)

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Money, Money, Money

By | Published 10/26/2007

Hey Drew,

Thanks for that thorough reply. I’ve been reading it through and trying to absorb it. What you say is worth thinking about.

Another thing that intrigues me is, why are some churches lively and some lifeless. If they are both inspired by the same God shouldn’t they be more similar. Oh’ and some of the lively ones, you know, you see them on TV, always seem to be asking for money. Should they be doing that? I’ve heard that some of these Christians, the leaders mostly, have beautiful houses, expensive cars and at least one has her own personal jet. Is this right? Can you be a Christian and still be super wealthy? Doesn’t Jesus have something to say about that?

Jack

Jack,

You are exactly right: some churches are absolutely rocking while some are absolutely “rocked” into lethargy. If both of these types of churches are made up of regenerate believer’s (those in whom the Spirit of God has worked to bring into a saving, right relationship with God) and both are “inspired by the same God” as you say, why then the varied degrees of alacrity? I can think of numerous reasons:

  1. Sin in the believer’s life. Sin breaks fellowship with God. Have you ever been in a fight with your girlfriend, or wife? You know that having that little spat damages your relationship and you don’t feel “in love” as much as you did before you got in the fight. Sin damages relationships whether they’re human-human or divine-human. But we can know that God is faithful. He cannot deny himself.
  2. Differing personalities of the believers. Remember: the church is people, not an edifice. Visit an African church then visit a West Virginian Baptist church. People are different. Revelation shows people from all tribes tongues and nations worshiping around the throne God. This shows that inspite of differences of personality, people from all walks of life, all ethnicities will find God so absolutely satisfying. I hate to use the word “inspite” because it seems to imply that diversity is actually something that causes harm or is negative, but can and will be overcome. I think this is an incorrect view of the diversity of life. Diversity rather shows how all-satisfying and perfect God is; that a diverse body of believer’s find in Jesus there all in all. That’s amazing.
  3. Differing convictions. There’s a sermon series by David Doran, who teaches and preaches up in Detroit, that I keep coming back to when I think why believer’s can be so different considering we’ve got the same Bible and the same Spirit. Dr. Doran gives several reasons why believer’s convictions are different (which I believe can similarly account for differing churches). I’ve elaborated on them:
    1. Differing knowledge of the scriptures. Knowing that genres of music aren’t inherently evil in themselves, affects your opinion of it. You can only apply scripture to the extent that you’re familiar with it. That is a reason, therefore, to read your Bible!
    2. Differing submission to the scriptures. It’s a fact that Christian’s submit to the mandates of scripture to varying degrees. Just because someone knows what God demands does not mean they will obey!
    3. Not all have the same experiences and backgrounds. Our consciouses have been formed differently in different contexts that forms how we think about right and wrong.
    4. Not all have the same personality as we talked about above which means that we each have differing weaknesses and temptations. Your propensities for fulfilling the lusts of your flesh might be different than mine.

In conclusion, I would point you to Romans 14 where this very kind of thing comes up, differing convictions.

Also, consider this equation (!= is “not equal”): Holy Spirit + Bible + Sinful People in Sinful World != Same Convictions. Who drops the proverbial ball? Where is the malfunction? It’s us, isn’t it! Sin affects everything we do unfortunately; the goal then of the Christian is to be continually filled with the Spirit, the opposite of living in sin.

Money
Can you be a Christian and still be super wealthy? Doesn’t Jesus have something to say about that?
You’re right on, Jack. Jesus did have a lot to say about money. I can think of several passages in the New Testament where money is talked about (there are many more):

  1. You cannot serve God and money (Matthew 6:24). No one can serve two masters. You’ll love one and hate the other. Money makes a poor master anyways. Here Jesus shows that serving money as a master is contrary. You can see that serving money makes money an idol. Because money will never satisfy we should not seek it as if it were God. It’s not unimportant that in the very next verse after Jesus says that one cannot serve God and money, he says “therefore do not be anxious about your life… But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” because God knows exactly what we need.
  2. Luke 8:3 records that several ladies supported Jesus out of their own pockets! “He went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna…and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.” Money is necessary for subsisting and cannot evil in itself. It’s what we do with it and what place we allow it to have in our lives. I think we can agree that helping to finance Jesus’ ministry is a noble endeavor and a very good use of money.
  3. Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s (Matthew 22:21). Pay your taxes.

What principles can we take away from this? Well, it’s fair to say that you can be a Christian and super-wealthy; but I would hope that that Christian is constantly looking to be a blessing to others with that money (to whom much is given, much is required) and that that Christian doesn’t allow his money to become his security instead of trusting in God. Furthermore, we should seek God for God, not because of any blessing that we think we might get from him. God doesn’t promise that when we come to him everything will be great and we’ll have lots of money and big houses and “our best life now.” We are promised rather persecution, misunderstanding and a faithful God who knows what we need. God is enough. We should look to him as such not as a self-replenishing piggy bank that we can shake at any whim and get some cash. I would be cautious of any preacher who lives a lavish lifestyle and promises that you can have one, too, so that you will give him more money. James 3:1 says that “not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” That should scare all in ministry, especially those who are money-mongers.

Let us look how we can use what God has given us for his glory which never fades, instead of our own.

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Did Jesus Come to Establish Christianity?

By | Published 08/09/2006

Work In Progress, i.e. not entirely thought out nor written out

This question popped into my head while reading the Wikipedia article on Paul of Tarsus. In the article, it goes on to explain that theologians “aligned with hyperdispensation interpretation, view the ‘Pauline distinctive’ as a key to Biblical interpretation.” And furthermore that

“modern Christians necessarily have a different belief system [from the Jews], since Christianity only arose as a result of the rejection by the Jews of Jesus as their Messiah and the opening of the gospel to the Gentiles.”

I came to think about the emergence of Christianity and its beginnings as a result of this last quote. Of course, at first glance to the question, one might reply, “No, Jesus came so that men might be free from sin and belong to him.” To which statement I wholeheartedly agree. However, we Christians we think of Christianity as the “right, one and only faith.” Can a faith that possibly wasn’t meant to be be the “one, true faith” that we proclaim and believe it to be? Can of worms indeed.

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