In almost every arena of life, every sport, every profession, people are becoming specialists. Specialists specialize, that means both their knowledge and ability must become more precise and nuanced. Mechanics no longer simply use a large crescent wrench and a flat-head screwdriver; they now need to have a standard 1/2" drive pistol grip air impact wrench, offset ring spanner and a hex tamper resistant screwdriver in their 10 tiered Matco tool box that reaches to the ceiling. Doctors that are General Practitioners are becoming a rarity as well. Now you will find physicians who only work on noses or toes, backs or brains, eyes or ears, spleens or stomachs, hearts or hands, and tissues or nerves. And to be approved and trusted they must go to school to learn the Latin name and it's derivative of every bone, muscle, tendon and cell in the human body. Proper terminology matters, it could determine the difference between life and death. But this is no longer true when it comes to speaking about God. Instead of using specific words and terms to define matters of salvation and soul transformation -- pastors and professors have learned to become masters of euphemism and cliche'. People don't really go to the minister to learn, they want to feel. And there are only certain feelings they are looking for: Happiness, excitement, warm comfort, ecstasy and the wonderful and sublime "Aha, moment!" Pity the preacher who makes someone angry, sad or ashamed. God words must only soothe, not specialize. And they must never be used for surgery on the soul, never! The cultural consensus has decided that sin really isn't that bad after all. Case in point: Since I have been in ministry, ordination councils have changed significantly. In 1998, I had to stand before a council of 30 seasoned pastors to defend my doctrinal beliefs. It really mattered to them how I defined words. I was expected to logically argue, in precise terms, what I believed and why I believed it. Did I know the difference between imputation and atonement? What came first, regeneration or justification? Was Jesus omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent or not? And why does it even matter? If you couldn't answer, or there was disagreement with one of the experienced pastors, the discussion would get rather hot. And heat wasn't necessarily considered a bad thing; it often meant the person disputing with you really wanted you to take doctrine seriously. To him or her, the right word and definition could mean the difference between Heaven and Hell. And back in those days, people still seemed more frightened of Hell's fire and brimstone than a few heated arguments. Now, one of the prime goals of the ordination council is to show that we are brothers in arms. We want to be unified, we like to be nice, we look to encourage. Lets turn down the heat, because we need to keep cool. That isn't all bad, but the flip-side is that instead of defining specifics we seek vague commonality. This is especially true when it comes to understanding the categories in systematic theology. We no longer press for understanding specific words, we are simply looking for general compliance. Does the candidate love Jesus, is he faithful and does he believe the Bible? If he does, that should be enough? It is like asking a medical student if he thinks it is important for a patient to have a healthy heart? If he says "Yes, of course," then it is all good! Don't ask him why or how it works; words like ventricle, pulmonary artery, subclavian and atrioventricular valve are hard enough to say and let alone spell. Knowing that there is a heart and that it pumps red blood should be enough. This love of generalities has defined the current Christian congregation as well. They have subtly been taught over the years not to expect much in the way of doctrine and theology. What matters is whether or not their psychological needs have been met before they leave? Do they feel significant, has Maslow's hierarchy been addressed, do they even like being here, and did the pastor shed a tear? Issues of salvation and eternal destination will somehow be worked out on their own - - don't fret about your standing before God, just "smile, smile, smile." It seems the main objective for the congregant is to find delight in the moment; once the preacher obtains it, they have done their job. If only John the Baptist could of learned this before he gave his famous "Brood of Vipers" sermon, maybe Jesus wouldn't have needed to come and clean up his mess? This week in my study of Galatians 5, I ran across a very troubling verse. Verse 4 says, "You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace." Uh oh, big words like "justified" and "alienated" are in here. If I try to teach on them will the congregation roll their eyes out of indifference and boredom? Also, what does it mean when Paul says, "You have fallen from grace?" Can people actually lose their salvation? Do people even care? I may need to get specific? As I read a commentary on this verse I knew I was in trouble. Here is how it explained the verse, "The Galatian Christians had lost their hold upon the grace for daily living which heretofore had been ministered to them by the Holy Spirit. God's grace manifests itself in three ways, in justification, sanctification, and glorification...Because they had lost their hold upon sanctifying grace, it does not mean that God's grace had lost its hold upon them in the sphere of justification. The transaction was closed and permanent at the moment they believed. Justification is a judicial act of God done once and for all." You see the problem with this verse? The intricacies of salvation need to be explained to understand the meaning of this one verse. Justification and Sanctification need to be defined, the progression of salvation must be understood for a person to live in victory. Christianity and salvation is more complicated than "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so." And most people don't want to really move beyond that. So as I sit in my study I wonder if I should take the time to explain justification, sanctification and glorification? Or are those words too big and hairy for the average Christian? Should I roll the dice and try to teach deeper, reach farther, and ask people to think? Come Sunday to find out...
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Acton Insight 5: “Christians as the New Pariah” (Dr. Gregory Thornbury) On the second night of the Acton Institute, after we finished off a succulent chicken dinner, our host for the evening session walked up to the podium and said, “Get ready for a treat!” He explained how our next speaker was the young President of King’s College in New York City: He is considered both a brilliant scholar and engaging speaker. Even the popular media has taken notice of him describing him to be a mix of “Jonathan Edwards meets Rolling Stone”, another said he was the first “hipster” college president. I wasn’t sure what to expect? But I can tell you, the man who proceeded to step up to the microphone was not what I was envisioning at all. There he stood, Dr. Thornbury, a thin man, curiously outfitted in a grey three piece suit, lopsided bow-tie, and carrying the swagger of a timid Harry Potter. All I could think of was, “You have got to be kidding me?” And then he spoke: Even though he had a high-pitched nasally voice, I was fully engaged because he was saying exactly what I needed to hear, “Christians of today have an Eeyore worldview. We seem to complain about everything - - We claim to have lost our leadership position in culture, we feel like our movement is in decline, and everyone is against us.” Ahh, poor little Christians. This seemingly weak man’s words struck with the power of a Mike Tyson right cross, “Christians, stay the course, because we have a lot of fight left!” His message was simple and to the point: We must be willing to stand strong in a culture of animosity and antagonism because Our Lord did so his whole life. Jesus’ public ministry was directly centered on those who opposed and hated him. So Christians, why do we expect our life and ministry to be any different? Love of Liberty Dr. Thornbury stated that true liberty is nothing more than having the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. We must speak out even if the world is against us precisely because, “The Liberal and Progressive world needs us to be us.” People are always reality testing because they are not quite sure they believe what they say they believe. But as Christians, we do believe what we say we believe! And what they desperately need us to do, even though they don’t like it, is to stand up with boldness and conviction and say “No!” When the world is following the devil, someone has to be courageous enough to call a spade a spade. And that is the Christian’s role. He even said, “We need to start being the kind of Christians that they fear us to be. So learn to enjoy saying ‘no.’” Frankly, we need to quit playing the role of the nice guy. No one really listens to the nice guy. No one fears the nice guy. Christians in our culture are comparable to the nerd in Junior High who wants to be liked by the popular crowd. Always remember, "The cool kids will never like us.” I think this nerdy bow-tie wearing Harry Potter knows what he is talking about! But what people in our world really do fear, especially atheists, is the God of reality. We need to present him as he is. Especially God's view of marriage, it is a sacred union between a man and a woman. If you really want to be a daring and dark person in the world’s eyes, declare God’s marital design to be true. When a man makes a vow that they will commit their life to woman “until death do you part,” that is the real exercise of dangerous liberty these days! The New Pariah As a Christian you have two choices of how you want to be seen by the world. You can be a “Parvenu” or a “Pariah.” A ‘Parvenu’ is a person who downplays who they really are in order to be accepted. And as explained earlier, no one likes a suck-up. Or you can take on the role of ‘Pariah’, the person who is despised and viewed like a dirty, unwanted, street dog. He said the wonderful thing about a street dog is that it has a competitive advantage - - no one else in our society will take that role. Christianity is meant to be a scandal. 1 Corinthians 1:18 makes a clear statement, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The cross was never meant to be impressive, nor are we. When we are who we were designed to be, we will be naturally offensive. Why do we want to be liked so much? Why do we care if people don’t accept us? Pariahs are us! Practical Pariahs Dr. Thornbury took the role of prophet by saying in the strongest of terms, “If we want people to pay attention to our role of pariah, we need to start acting like one. And first of all, as the church we need to get our own house in order. We need to live in purity and holiness. We need to make our marriages beautiful so they will make God’s argument for us." Secondly, we need to get the message out of the church and into the marketplace and public square. Don’t just be a Christian on Sunday; be one on Tuesday as well. Carry the gospel to where you work, enter the academy, be a pariah wherever you are placed. And finally, we need to co-opt the cultural zeitgeist and turn it into redemptive symbols of hope. Like the bronze snake in the desert became a picture of salvation, we need to do the same with modern symbols and cultural effects in our world. Instead of always being behind the culture, copying the forms without having real substance, we need to start creating it. Our work quality, and artistry needs to be excellent. So how about you? Are you trying to get people to like you, or are you a pariah? I know for me, I have been called a dirty dog many times, and I think I am actually starting to like it? I really thought I was being a good husband and father? I'm not a slacker. I woke up on this fine summer morning nice and early to take my son to drivers training while I let my wife sleep in. As I was waiting for him to get ready I thought I would check my emails and personal messages. I found that I had two on Facebook so I quickly went to the the web-page to check them out. The first thing that popped up on the Facebook wall was an article entitled, “An Open Letter to White Men in America” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-dr-john-c-dorhauer/an-open-letter-to-white-m_b_7857790.html?utm_hp_ref=religion) I like letters addressed to me, so I began to read it. It told me in bold terms how I am a person of privilege, how I didn’t earn it, how I remain silent while other people are mistreated, how I am not getting arrested enough, or being followed, or being gunned down, and how my kids don’t have teachers without degrees. It even says I need to consider how lucky I am that my church isn’t getting burned down or I am not in danger of getting shot while in prayer meeting. I feel terrible. Worse than that, after reading over that article a few times, I am starting to hate myself. This brought back memories when earlier this year I read an article as I was flying into Arizona about a new class being offered by Arizona State University called: ENG 401: “Studies in American Literature/Culture: U.S. Race Theory & the Problem of Whiteness.” Journalists were calling this new class, “Hating Whitey.” I wondered what I did wrong again because I am white and it says I have a problem...or rather, I am the problem? I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do anything wrong? I recently read another article concerning the new normal concerning SCOTUS's approval of gay marriage (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/05/the-new-post-homophobic-christianity.html) and how we all need to move on to the brave new world of marital equality. In the middle of the article the kind and compassionate author writes, “Will anti-gay Christians be politically and socially ostracized? I sure hope so. Just as those orthodox Christians who still believe in strict, traditional gender roles have been increasingly mocked and absurd.” The final paragraph of the article made this statement: “To those who remain in the fringe minority stubbornly mired in hatred and the dark rationalizations of the past, please try to lose gracefully. You are not being exiled. The world is simply moving on without you.” I am not sure I can even look in the mirror anymore. I guess I am one of those dark minded, fringe minorities who is still mired in hatred? I am not sure I can even live with myself anymore? As I read these three articles, I am wondering if I ever was any good? I am starting to think my whole life has been a cover-up for a desire to dominate and destroy. Taking care of my wife and four kids by giving them all of my money, and going to work every week, and paying my taxes as I go broke, and counseling broken marriages, or helping people pick up the pieces after a loved one had an adulterous or homosexual affair, and helping people with benevolent needs and conducting funerals has all been a facade. I see it clearly now. Everything I have done has been an attempt to hide the monster inside of me. Sure, I'm good looking on the outside, but Freddie Kruger lurks below. I am bad. I have white skin. I am male. And the worst of all, I believe the bible. I actually read it as one would read any ole' book, and I then take it at face value. The world tells me that makes me a dangerous person...and I think they may be right? So I have decided to take the advice of the last article seriously, I will try to lose gracefully. Even though I am not being exiled, I will exile myself. I am now looking to buy a little house. I will place it in the middle of the woods and go in hiding. Deep in the forest I will no longer be a threat. I will eat squirrel and wild carrot. I will fade away. I will admit defeat. Now that I am no longer in denial, I feel a whole lot better. Thank you for the open letter to white men, I think that one singular, well thought out and caring post made the world a better place. Just think, if all white men who believe the bible will simply fade away, go in exile, eat locust and wild honey, peace shall reign. Shalom. "When your message comes true - and it surely will - then they will know that a prophet has been among them." Ezekiel 33:33 Acton Insights 4: "Aleksandr Solhenitsyn: Prophet and Critic." (Father Hans Jacobse) People who really know me, realize that I have a penchant for the political macabre. I have read more biographies on Hitler and Stalin than all my other non-fiction reading combined. I am fascinated by the outworking of evil on the historical stage. As G. K. Chesterton once quipped, "The depravity of man is at once the most empirically verifiable and intellectually resisted argument that we face." So naturally, when I see a class at the Acton Institute offering an in-depth discussion on the life of the famed Russian writer and political prisoner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, I had to take it. I first learned about this man when I was reading his famous book "The Gulag Archipelago" while I was living in the Russian city of Stavropol. One evening while he was describing Stalin's black paddy-wagons that would secretly whisk away political enemies veiled in the dark-of-night to some far off camp in Siberia, there came a knock at my door. "Are you Mr. Veeks (Russian pronunciation of Weeks)? I need to see your passport!" There standing on the doorstep at 8:00 p.m. was a very somber looking Russian soldier demanding to see my papers. My mind flashed in horror, was there a black paddy-wagon waiting for me too? Was the KGB fixin' to ship me off to the Russian tundra never to be heard from again? Luckily, after I showed him my picture and proper credentials, he left without a word. One thing was for sure, I was done reading that book for the night. Aleksandr's Short Bio During WW2 Solzhenitsyn was a decorated soldier in the Soviet Red Army. As a commander on the East Prussian Front, he witnessed horrendous war crimes at the hands of his fellow Russian soldiers, and he couldn't stay silent. After one of his private letters was confiscated by the Soviet officials, which criticized Joseph Stalin's immoral tactics in war, he was imprisoned for 8 years in the Russian camp-system for the crime of "Anti-Soviet Propaganda." After serving his full time, he was released, and he started writing. His first big book detailed what life was like in Stalin's work-camps titled "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich." It was published at the time when Nikita Khrushchev was starting to allow new voices to be heard, and his book immediately sold-out. Shortly after this "The Gulag Archipelago" was also written, and it made it's way to the West where it received international acclaim. The world was given a glimpse behind the iron curtain into the Soviet's repressive regime for the first time. After Khrushchev was removed from office in 1964, the KGB (Soviet Secret Police) started to crack down on all anti-Soviet writers; Solzhenitsyn was chief on their list. On 12 February 1974, Solzhenitsyn was arrested and deported from the Soviet Union to West Germany and stripped of his Soviet citizenship. He eventually received the Nobel Prize for literature, and was invited by Stanford University to stay there and continue his work. A 20th Century Firebrand In 1978 Aleksandr was asked to give the commencement address at Harvard University. Father Jacobse, Acton's expert on Solzhenitsyn, said it was here where he made his "trenchant critique of Western Culture." He was a modern day prophet boldly speaking out against the dangers of materialist ideology. As a prophet he "laid truth bare in naked agony" as he declared what he saw coming for every modern society that no longer trusted in God. He was speaking not just against athiestic Russia; but he included secular America in his condemnation as well. He believed what led to the decay in the East was now taking root in the West. Using his past experiences to predict what was in store for mankind's future, Solzhenitsyn made four bold predictions for the fate of Western man: (1) People were Losing Civic Courage: Solzhenitsyn said cowards are born in the ruling and intellectual circles. When people are afraid of losing their grip on power, position and prestige they also lose their nerve to stand up against the popular tide. Men are no longer men. Because of that people are afraid to disagree with the consensus, they morph into the status quo, and it is here where truth dies. (2) There is a Subjectification of Law: Because God is tossed out of the dialogue in materialist cultures, people decide law on "what works" instead of "what's right." As a result, moral impulses are paralyzed and society becomes a sewer. (3) A Dimming of any Awareness of Transcendent: Man is no longer considered different than an animal. Instead of being defined as a being stamped with God's image, we are now the products of our appetites. We become what makes us happy? We promote what we desire? And of course, if something brings us any pain it must inherently be wrong. Father Jacobse says, "That is why while bombs are falling, the interest in the Kardashians is climbing." (4) A complete Uniformity of Thought: Instead of informing the populace, governments and media outlets are now turning toward propaganda. Political correctness has overtaken logical argumentation. Instead of allowing for honest debate, propagandists can only point the finger and cry, "You're a hater." That is how you keep people in-line. Conclusion The Harvard speech was given almost 40 years ago, and on every point it seems that Aleksandr was spot on! So Father Jacobse asked, "How then do we move forward?" Solzhenitsyn gives two answers to combat materialism's poison: * We must do all we can not to live by lies. To be a mature human is to live in the truth. * "One word of truth outweighs a world of lies." Aleksandr believed that nothing can stand against a word spoken in truth. Just as God and his Logos created reality from the power of language, we too can speak change into culture through courageous truth-telling. Since Jesus is the truth, he empowers words that are spoken in truth. But for words to have power, they must be heard. Those who have the truth must speak out if they are going to overcome the darkness around them. Those who remain silent, are allowing the darkness to spread. What I find interesting in this last point is that Stalin was able to ship people off to Siberia without resistance because he used fear to silence the people. No one spoke up while they saw their uncles, aunts, dads and moms be shipped off to the farthest reaches of Siberia. No one spoke up because they too feared pain. And in the meantime, truth was murdered. Don't let this happen to our country. Don't buy the propagandist's lies. And speak up, even if only one person listens. Because for that one person, the world becomes a different place! A better place. The bedrock of modern humanist thought is traditionally believed to be rooted in Rene' Descartes 'Cogito Egro Sum': "I think, therefore, I am." Because I can doubt my existence, Descartes argued that it proves my existence. Doubt ignites reason, and reason allows me to be self-aware. No longer are humans held captive to religious myth and superstition, we can now find truth through clear-eyed empirical thinking. Intellectual freedom is now ours. Truly knowing and living in the real world can be obtained through application of the scientific method and the maxims of rationalist thinking. But 300 years later, philosophers are not so sure clear thinking is actually possible. Just look at the human carnage born from the humanist theories of Darwin, Hegel, Marx and Nietzsche. WW1 and WW2 bare witness to the flaws in human reason. As a reaction to reason, the 1960's offered up various forms of existentialism and goofy post-modern thought. The psychedelic drug culture of Timothy Leary and the music of Pink Floyd were a mocking tribute to humanism's defects: "Don't think, smoke some weed and feel! Forget reason and the hard realities of being held prisoner by the machine, and embrace the lunatic!" In retrospect, maybe we have given reason too much credit? Here is my two cents worth, I think there has always been a more primal element at play in the heart of man. I would like to offer up a different philosophical proposition to understand the world: "I'm liked, therefore, I am." I contend people endorse what is popular, they are moved by image, they want to be "cool." Everywhere you turn people long to be liked, they want to belong, and they strive to be accepted. Reason isn't the determinate factor for truth anymore, association is. Metaphorically speaking, the world is one big high school hallway. The popular group dictates the trends and behaviors; they write the punch-lines of the jokes, and they expect the rest of the world to laugh. If the pretty girls start wearing feathers in their hair, so will their followers. If the good-looking jock wears a pink Izod shirt, so will his band of mindless brothers. Maybe I am unduly influenced by my marketing background, but I believe the "Bell Curve" may be the most precise predictor of perceived reality. So instead of determining the truth of "who I am" by what is reasonable, I define self and reality by what others consider to be "cool." The group I want to be like, I begin to think like. And the cool group determines how to think. Coolness pervades everything: entertainment, politics, social science, psychology, science and even religion. The examples can be found everywhere: * Entertainment: There is no other arena where the "cool" group captures the camera. Who cares if they aren't talented or skilled, what matters is if they are sexy & cool. Why else would we care about the Kardashians and Bruce Jenner, because of intellect and ability? C'mon, limelight has become a high school popularity contest. Look at our popular comics: Amy Schumer, Seth Rogan, and Lena Dunhum? They are not even funny, but those who determine what is popular tell us they are funny...and they aren't. They are childish and crude. Just like a high school locker room. * Science: Seriously, why does anyone believe in evolution? Because the cool university culture tells us to. And if we mention the idea of "intelligent design" professors and philosophers don't engage us in discussion, they simply laugh at us. Like the jock does to the nerds in the cafeteria. * Politics: Do we elect people by their successful track record? No, money and coolness win again. We elect the president who takes a selfie, goes on Jimmy Fallon, and fawns over Beyonce'. Congressmen who call for fiscal responsibility are considered dowdy old-fuddy duddies. Progressives however, are sexy, cool, the leaders of the popular crowd. The media are their cheerleaders, lauding their coolness; while mocking the chess-playing nerds across the aisle. Progessives push what's popular, and we are fools if we don't follow their parade...just look at the Espy's if you don't believe me. * Religion: Theology and doctrine don't sell, let's face it; thinking is completely overshadowed by compassion. The Bible is as out-of-date as a newspaper. And we are now told love requires tolerance instead of holiness. Homosexuality is the new cause; true Jesus followers never judge, especially sinful behavior. We hire the pastors who look best online - - the ones who make us laugh, or cry, they are the ones we hire. Like having a high school party, no one ever invites a party pooper. Coolness sells, coolness persuades, and coolness is here to stay. So don't try using reason to argue your point, my suggestion is simple: Start wearing skinny jeans and maybe, just maybe, people will finally listen to you? If the jocks don't like you, you might as well go back to the chemistry lab alone - - no one cares about thinking nerds anymore. "How can you turn back again to the weak and worthless world system? Do you want to be slaves to it again? You observe religious days and months and seasons and years. I’m afraid for you!" Galatians 4:9-10 I have terrible luck. When it comes to playing games of chance at the carnival, or quarter machines at the arcade, my skills stink. Serious coinage has been spilled trying to win a single toy for my son or daughter. In this one area of my life, sadness and despair reigns. I can hear my daughter’s disappointment now, “Dad, you lost again?” Yep, I sure did. What really has my number is that dang-blasted, infernal machine sent up special-order from Hades named “The Claw.” I am sure you have played it at least once in your life? It has a pathetic three-pronged claw attached to a twitchy wire. After you put the coin in the slot, the control stick helps you guide the claw over the prize you want, lower it, and then ever so gently pull it up while the claw clamps down and lifts up the treasure. Then comes the tricky part: You must slowly bring the claw over a narrow chute that you drop the toy into, so it slides outside the box and into your child’s waiting arms. I can’t tell you how many times I came close to winning; only to have the claw drop the prize mere inches away from the chute. I have yet to conquer. Well last week, while camping with my family, I visited the campground’s arcade that was right outside the pool. There it was taunting me, “The Claw.” It contained all kinds of colorful balls and spongy toys. In fact, in my brief time in the arcade, I saw three kids win. If I was ever to defeat this vile foe, here was my chance. This was my time, this was my moment. I quickly ran back to our family's campsite to grab some coins and then I bee-lined back to the arcade. To my dismay, in the time I was gone, the machine got cleaned out of toys. The manager of the arcade told me to come back in a few hours (camp code language for days) after he filled it up with more balls. I couldn’t believe it. Quarters were jingling in my pocket, I wanted to play. How could I let this moment slip away? But the box was empty? My hands were nimble and ready to go, I had years of practice, I knew I could win. But the prizes were gone. Why play a game when there is no prize? What good was a claw with nothing to grab? It was only an empty box. I wanted to show the world how good I was at this game, that I could actually win. I had a pocket full of money. But I would only be going through useless motions, maneuvering an impotent claw in a hollowed out world. I walked away because the purpose was lost. “The Claw” is designed to lure you to the toys, but when the toys are gone it becomes a useless contraption of metal. As I walked away I knew I could have been somebody, I could have earned back the respect of my daughter. But not this time, not this day. What good is Judaism, and for that matter the pomp and circumstance of any Religion & Ritual anymore? The machinery of the Old Testament was designed for one purpose: To lead people to the prize. Promises, laws and prophets pointed God’s people to one thing, the Christ. When the time had fully come (Galatians 4:4), and Jesus died and rose again, all was finished and fulfilled. Judaism brought to the world the “Pearl of Great Price”, the ultimate “Treasure.” Jesus becomes ours for all-time, the system brought us to him, he is now, out of the box. So why go back to a system that is empty? Why go through the motions of observing New Moons, Sabbath days, and outward Rituals when they were only mechanisms and tools to bring us to Jesus? Why try to win a game that has already been won? The only answer I can think of is pride, to prove that “I can do it.” To show the world I can finally conquer. I want to show God, my family and self that by trying harder, I won't disappoint them anymore. But I always will, religion and ritual is designed to cause failure. Who cares? The game is over, I don't need to play it anymore. Look, the box is empty… Jesus is here, the treasure is out, I can simply grab him by faith! Isn't he the reason we were playing in the first place? Or was he? "When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.'" Hebrews 6:13 Acton Insights 3: "The Centrality of the Family in Ancient Israel." (Dr. Hahn)
Did you know the origin of the "Pinky Promise" was first made to symbolize the seriousness of the agreement between two parties? By linking the pinkies together both parties were committing to having their least critical digit cut off if one person weaseled out of the promise. Kinda creepy? However, the "Pinky Promise" is no longer taken so serious; but rather, it has become a cute little sign of keeping secrets between two fun friends. I think this is the way most agreements have changed in our society -- we no longer intend the same degree of seriousness or earnestness in a handshake, a signature on a contract, and even an oath before a pastor or priest as we once did. Contemporary agreements now presume the presence of loopholes and wiggle room; if a better option opens up, you would be a fool not to take it. After all, if the conditions change, why can't my mind? I should be able to leave my original agreement for something better, right? We live in a perpetual state of having our fingers crossed behind our backs, and the verse Psalm 15:4 no longer really applies, "A godly man will keep his oath even when it hurts." What is so special about a promise, and why does it matter? Especially when it comes to marriage - - how serious should we take our vows to "Love and to Cherish; till Death Do Us Part?" Does God even care what we say? Words, after all, are just sounds, noises, grunts and syllables signifying nothing. On day two of the Acton Institute, I attended a session that dealt with oaths, marriage, family and God. The main point of this class was to point out how we as a nation, are losing the sacredness and gravity of communal and familial commitments. And as a result, untold havoc is taking place in every level of American society. We have not just lost our understanding of how to define marriage, but we are forfeiting God's blessing as well. Let me explain... The teacher, Dr. Hahn, opened up with the premise that the plan of God has always been to redeem mankind through covenants formed with communities of people. The word covenant at it's core means to "come together, to agree and then bind your life with God." Covenants involve sacredness, the presence of the life and blessing of God in the midst of a community. And it all begins with a communal oath initiated by God. What is an oath? A sacramental and serious vow that ... * Begins with a Promise (Hebrews 6:17) * is Built upon God's Person & Character (Hebrews 6:18) * is Backed by the Pronouncement of the Holy Name of God (Hebrews 6:13) * Brings Blessing and Curses (sorry, I couldn't think of a word with "p") (Amos 4:6-12) The whole point of the oath is that God is the first one who wants to form a lasting and eternal covenant with the people that he is pursuing out of love. He wants them to know him, and knowing him is a serious and sacred thing. God in his person is so precious that he is not to be trifled with, he will not tolerate limp-wristed commitments or half-hearted vows. Just read Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 and you will see what I mean. And this oath giving God can first be seen in his special relationship with Abraham and the Hebrew nation. His covenant began with a promise (Genesis 12:1-2), was built upon his person (Genesis 22:15), was backed by his name (Genesis 22:15), and resulted in blessings and curses (Genesis 12:3 & 22:17-18). When God promises, he fulfills. And this same commitment by God with people is still going on through the marital union: Malachi 2:14, Matthew 19:4-6, "What God has joined together, let no man tear asunder." This means the family is more than the natural building block of a healthy society, but it is seen by God as the trustees of his redemptive promises. Marriage and Family really is a sacred event...but like the "Pinky Promise" people no longer seem to view it like this. Here is how Dr. Hahn explained what he believes has become the devolution of marriage in America: * "Biblical Marriage & the Trustee Relationship": this covenant is a sacred and eternal trust involving land, blood and generational blessing. The initial vow (oath) forms a sacred bond between God and the family. Husbands are responsible and accountable for maintaining the trust, wives are help-meets in fulfilling the vows, children are heirs to the blessings of the trust. This relational covenant is serious business and because of this, it is imperative to "train up children" to carry on the sacred agreement because God and his promise applies to each generation that is to come. (Psalm 90:16 & 127:3). Sex outside the covenant is seen as a criminal violation against God (Psalm 51:4-5) and the sacredness of the trust that effects the whole family...restoration through repentance and restitution must occur to be brought back into favor with God. * "Moral Marriage & the Domestic Relationship": this is a contractual agreement between two people who want to form a long-term bond based on love. It has become what is known as the "traditional" view of marriage which includes duties, responsibilities and rights. God is often acknowledged as sanctioning this as the correct functioning model that "works" (pragmatism); but the idea of sacredness is no longer attached like it once was. It is a short-lived union ending at the death of a spouse or divorce. Husbands are often seen as authoritarian figures who are to maintain the convictions that were first agreed upon, wives are co-equal partners in duty and role, and children are welcomed additions that are to be raised as independent agents. Sex outside this contractual agreement is seen as an individual transgression that needs to be admitted and quickly forgiven by the spouse. Children and relatives are not to know. * "Adamistic (Basic) Marriage & Cocooning Relationship": this is a partnership of mutual agreement. Each individual sees this marital construct as a way of pursuing their rights to companionship and pleasure. Often these unions form out of convenience and compatibility signifying the final stage of a mature relationship. Husbands and wives (or husbands and husbands, or wives and wives) are both seen as inter-changeable adventurers looking for a new journey in finding joy in another person. Children are often seen as a liability to this pursuit of mutual harmony, and sex outside the agreement becomes a private affair - dirty laundry, a slip-up or mistake. Feeling determines the foundation of this relationship; and divorce is simply a change of direction - - not a breaking of a covenant. If this is what we have come to, why fight for the institution anymore? Who cares? It has become only a human construct, God is forgotten and uninvited. The truth is, God does care. And if you are married you probably need to reassess what your marriage really means. What did your vows include? Were they just words or a commitment in the sight of a Holy God invoking his name, inviting his presence? If it is the later, then be careful. God is taking your marriage very seriously. This is not just a modern day "Pinky Promise", it is a covenantal oath that includes your kid's kids. Just think of that? Can you even imagine it, a world with no wifi? A modern crisis of cataclysmic proportions.
As I sat by our campfire this past week on vacation, my wife and children in disgust and frustration decried the untold horror of having no social media for a whole week: no Facebook, no Instagram, no downloads for game apps, and no info-surfing! Say it isn't so? It isn't so... So what was the result of a wifi-less vacation? One thing's for sure, the sky didn't fall, and Ecclesiastes 1:4 & 9 was still in play, "the earth remains...and...What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." My wonderful new insight is this: even with the dawn of the Internet, the world hasn't changed much, if any. Sadly, it takes a week of no wifi for a silly human like me to once again see the forest from the trees. Vacation without electronics, a refreshing walk down the ancient paths. Let me share with you how my sky didn't fall: (1) I wasn't angry about things I couldn't change (Emotional Sabbath). For one whole week the media spin masters didn't dictate my mood. I was shielded from having to contemplate the hot new moral conflict of the day. I didn't have a mental debate with the journalistic hacks of Yahoo, Huffington Post or Drudge. No emotional sparring about SCOTUS or the Confederate flag. I wasn't confronted with considering the new styles for transgendered lingerie. I didn't even have to get mad at the next culturally cool and enlightened neophyte jumping on the 'Love Wins' bandwagon. Emotional freedom, ah, so nice! (2) I didn't see one picture of Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump, Miley Cyrus, Hilary Clinton or the 784 different republican candidates running for the party's nomination (Celebrity Sabbath). Why do we care so much about plastic people anyhow? (3) I didn't have to know what delicious meal my friends were eating for dinner, how much weight a person lost in the last ten days, or the fun everyone else but me was having while I was scanning Facebook in my boring mundane world of the eternal gray (Cyber-Surfing Sabbath). Vacation gave me another chance to be reacquainted with myself and the clear blue sky of the "present now": (1) I did see my kids eyes. I actually looked into them. I saw them smiling! (2) I did laugh with my wife. I had to relearn my parent's lost art. (3) I did read a great book. "Between Heaven and Hell" by Peter Kreeft. Can you imagine having 2 hours of chewing on one singular argument without interruptions from another 'Breaking News' announcement? ("Important Weather Alert: it may rain with strong enough winds that could take down a plastic lawn chair...stayed tuned to learn from our channel's survival experts how not to let an errant acorn that has been blown off a nearby tree from hitting your eye and blinding you!") (4) I did talk to God. After spending a week of wifi silence I am forced to revisit a question that has been gnawing on my subconscious for the last few years: "Is there a point where my social media involvement can be considered a sin?" Yes, absolutely! When I quit looking into my kids eyes, laughing with my wife, reading and meditating, and of course praying is put on the back burner so I can get the latest news about nothing, I must face the truth that I have done something terribly wrong. I have let a stupid piece of electronics steal another small bite of my soul. So don't fret. If you stay off-line for a few days, the sky will be just fine. And by the way, what color are your kids eyes? If you don't know the answer, something is definitely wrong with you. Acton Insights 2: "The Quest for Inequality. (Part 2 with Dr. Samuel Gregg)" Headlines around the country scream this, pundits on TV hotly argue this, and people on the street believe this, "The gap between the rich and the poor is enormous, it must be fixed!" A recent New York Times poll reveals that a whopping 6 in 10 Americans believe something needs to be done to have a more equal distribution of money and wealth. One question on this poll asks, "Do you think the gap between the rich and the poor in this country is a problem that needs to be addressed now, a problem that does not need to be addressed now, or not a problem?" 65% surveyed believe that something needs to be done now. "Please Uncle Sam, don't just sit there, do something! My neighbor makes too much money." Many solutions are offered from raising the minimum wage, to taxing high wage earners and even punishing large corporations for paying over-the-top salaries to their C.E.O's. Collectively speaking the mob cries, "It's not fair, and because it isn't fair IRS and Congress do something about it?" This raises three big questions: (1) What is fair? (2) When will it ever be fair? (3) And who cares if it isn't fair because we all know, "No one ever said life was fair?" In the second part of Dr. Samuel Gregg's talk on "Truth, Reason and the Quest for Equality," he brought up a very interesting point that is rarely ever discussed: Inequality can actually be a good thing for society! This may sound shocking to most of us, but please before you get hopping mad, you need to hear him out. He begins with defining the Christian assumption concerning equality. Equality is not based on Economics or Ownership, but on Essence. We are all made in the image of God and because of that we are all equal in human dignity and worth. No human is "super" or "sub" we are all equal in value just by our existence. Along with this truth is the idea that in our essence we are "superior" to the rest of the created order. Human babies are of greater worth than snowy owls and polar cubs because we carry the Creator's fingerprint on our soul. That doesn't allow us to abuse the owl and bear, but to properly manage and steward this earth. But that is for another discussion. So, when it comes to economic equality, God never gave us a guarantee we would all be playing with the same amount of poker chips. In fact, to say that 'economic inequality' is the root of all of a society's ills is ignoring 4 huge truths: (1) The Primary problem with humanity is not inequality but "Sin" and the results of the "Fall." I once heard a preacher say that you can take a thief who once stole railroad ties, give him a college education and then after he graduated not only will he steal the railroad ties, but he will take the tracks and train as well! The point is the problem with man is not education or income, it is the heart. Give a spendthrift a buck and he will spend it right away on a silly trinket; give him a million he will spend it just as quickly but on larger foolish things. Money won't fix a broken heart, but it will often reveal it. (2) Inequality is not intrinsically unjust. You understand this right away when it comes to every other area of life except money. For instance, do you hold it against Lebron James that he is physically better than almost anyone else on the planet when it comes to basketball? No. Is it upsetting that Brad Pitt or Jennifer Lawrence are great actors, or Einstein was a hair smarter than everyone else? No! We are all gifted in a variety of different ways. To begrudge someone for being better at making money is like getting mad at Justin Beiber for being cute (Oh wait, bad example - - but you get my point). (3) Some forms of inequality are just. If I work 60 hours at my job while you work 30, is it unfair that I get paid more? Do you really want to pay the guy flipping burgers the same as the guy who is doing the paperwork and figuring out health care plans? Really? Do you really think Bill Gates is not worth the money he gets? Just think of all the people his ingenuity has touched, and if you are reading this it has just touched you. Life is a give and take, an exchange of giftedness and talent to mutually bless. Look at the body, you need variety. What if we were all noses - - it would be one smelly world. (It would be worse if we were all hind-ends?) (4) Economic inequality is not the same thing as poverty. Because Bill Gates makes more than me does not mean that I am poor. Because there is an earning gap does not mean we are all dying of starvation. Sure there are things that need to be done so people won't use and abuse others, but to force equality is not going to solve anything. It is only meant to punish! His final comment was poignant: "If you want the economy to grow, you need to raise up more risk takers." Is that what you see going on, or do you see a government quick to punish any sort of capital gain? Has the word profit become profane? Are businessmen and bankers the new criminals? One more thing, did you know that Global Economic Inequality is in decline? You won't hear that because it isn't a good thing to promote if you want to get elected. The truth is Asia is growing from trade and new business initiatives, and alongside this is the spread of wealth. Why are we reluctant to admit it? Personally I think the answer is simple: We don't want to make anyone feel bad who is not working hard. And that is Sad... |
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