I have found it very difficult to just verbally persuade my non-Christian friends that their lives will be blessed and full of joy, if they just simply become Christians. First of all, they see the sinner me telling them so, and rightfully have a suspicious look that says, "Hmmm, you want me to be like you? Not so sure about that." So my tendency is to focus on my own life, to make darn sure that I am a living testimony to the Truth, and I'm living a blessed life. Obviously, that's a process. And though I'm doing better, it doesn't excuse me from the fact that the other part of the Gospel is equally important to tell. Jesus died for sinners like me, I'm the chief of sinners, and forgiven. And that leads me to the second point. "Becoming a Christian" is too vague, it doesn't get to the point. The point is the relationship with Jesus. That also has to be proclaimed to the non-Christian friends, and that is something that has to be done verbally, and it seems equally as difficult as consistently living out the blessed life that comes through that relationship. When that is proclaimed, you may get the "are you crazy?" look, but you don't get that suspicious look that I described earlier. When that is proclaimed, your own faults, your own failures, your own hypocrisies are hidden in Christ. I'm a sinner, present tense, and I'm forgiven, past, present, and future tense. That is the first thing that we know that everybody needs first before the blessed life follows anyway.
I had the opportunity to do these things last night. My coworkers are in town this week for meetings, and typical meetings for this gang don't conclude until 2:00 am, when the hotel lounge kicks them out. At a certain point in the early evening, one of the guys actually wanted to get something in his belly before he drank to the floor, but the rest of the gang was already too far gone to quit partying for a sec to afford him that opportunity. It was my time to leave anyway, so I invited him over for some awesome potato bacon soup and some beer. My wife and I talked to him for a couple of hours, a couple hours after my bed time. But that was okay. I know that he caught a little glimpse of persuasive beauty in our humble home. It helps to have a beautiful wife there. But I also made sure that he knew that in this home the name of Jesus is heard, because we believe in, trust in, and worship Jesus, and we have to talk about Him like he really is real.
We didn't get any crazy looks, and though he knows me well enough to know my faults, we didn't get any suspicious looks either. Instead the conversation opened up, became deep, and was well worth the time.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Luther on Galatians 1: Mixing Law and Gospel
"It seems a small matter to mingle the Law and Gospel, faith and works, but it creates more mischief than man's brain can conceive. To mix Law and Gospel not only clouds the knowledge of grace, it cuts out Christ altogether."
So I thought I would wait to comment on Luther's view of righteousness, Law, and Gospel until I couldn't stand it anymore. Luther is a man at battle against a particular enemy, and he's picking up every weapon of Scripture that he can pick up, in order to defeat the enemy. Nowadays, we might see that some of Luther's use of Scriptural words and doctrines were a little off kilter, biblically speaking, from our own point of view. There's a certain trepidation about criticizing a man who was in battle, and it is often too easy for us to do, so I'll save my critic of Luther's fine points until later, and leave you with a few quotes from Jesus, who seems to be a master mixer.
Matthew 7.11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7.22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 23.23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
Luke 10.25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
So I thought I would wait to comment on Luther's view of righteousness, Law, and Gospel until I couldn't stand it anymore. Luther is a man at battle against a particular enemy, and he's picking up every weapon of Scripture that he can pick up, in order to defeat the enemy. Nowadays, we might see that some of Luther's use of Scriptural words and doctrines were a little off kilter, biblically speaking, from our own point of view. There's a certain trepidation about criticizing a man who was in battle, and it is often too easy for us to do, so I'll save my critic of Luther's fine points until later, and leave you with a few quotes from Jesus, who seems to be a master mixer.
Matthew 7.11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7.22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 23.23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
Luke 10.25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
Movie Review: Vantage Point
After having seen the previews for Vantage Point several times, and thinking it looked quite interesting, I finally rented it, and watched it last night. Wow. I have not seen a good action-suspense film in a long time. For a long time now, viewing experiences of action films has provoked the "been there done that" or the "seen one, seen 'em all" attitude. This film solidly broke through that stale chain. It is unpredictable to the core, and the method by which the story is told is powerful and brilliant. What a feature directorial debut by Pete Travis! Highly recommended. PG13.
Luther on Galatians 1: The World At Its Best
"Paul justly calls it the evil or wicked world, for when the world is at its best the world is at its worst. The grossest vices are small faults in comparison with the wisdom and righteousness of the world. These prevent men from accepting the Gospel of the righteousness of Christ. The white devil of spiritual sin is far more dangerous than the black devil of carnal sin because the wiser, the better men are without Christ, the more they are likely to ignore and oppose the Gospel."
Very, very well put.
Very, very well put.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Luther on Galatians 1: Jesus the Mediator
"If you ask how God may be found, who justifies sinners, know that there is no other God besides this man Christ Jesus. Embrace Him, and forget about the nature of God. But these fanatics who exclude our Mediator in their dealings with God, do not believe me. Did not Christ Himself say: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me"? Without Christ there is no access to the Father, but futile rambling; no truth, but hypocrisy; no life, but eternal death."
A major aspect of Luther's argument is the concern over the turmoil of the burdened conscience. Luther experienced that turmoil personally, and it didn't end until he fixed his eyes upon Christ. Luther here aims at those who seek to be free of their weighty conscience, attempting to know God in a philosophical sort of way, with all of their sophistry, trying to pinpoint the particular aspects, characteristics, and nature of God in a platonic sort of way. Luther does not condemn the study of God's nature in every respect. He condemns the study of it by those who think by it salvation will come. He instead reiterates, over and over again, that the Gospel is purely personal. Jesus really is real. He's a real person, and a relationship with Him, as our Mediator, is the only way to know God and to find salvation.
And I wonder how many of us rely on our study of theology to be our sanctification, rather than to Jesus. We may be so heavily in the books that we're distracted from committing heinous outward sins, but we can be eaten away by an impersonal gospel, which is just as heinous. Books do not save and sanctify, and neither does the Bible by itself. Jesus of Nazareth does.
A major aspect of Luther's argument is the concern over the turmoil of the burdened conscience. Luther experienced that turmoil personally, and it didn't end until he fixed his eyes upon Christ. Luther here aims at those who seek to be free of their weighty conscience, attempting to know God in a philosophical sort of way, with all of their sophistry, trying to pinpoint the particular aspects, characteristics, and nature of God in a platonic sort of way. Luther does not condemn the study of God's nature in every respect. He condemns the study of it by those who think by it salvation will come. He instead reiterates, over and over again, that the Gospel is purely personal. Jesus really is real. He's a real person, and a relationship with Him, as our Mediator, is the only way to know God and to find salvation.
And I wonder how many of us rely on our study of theology to be our sanctification, rather than to Jesus. We may be so heavily in the books that we're distracted from committing heinous outward sins, but we can be eaten away by an impersonal gospel, which is just as heinous. Books do not save and sanctify, and neither does the Bible by itself. Jesus of Nazareth does.
Luther on Galatians 1: Anabaptistic Cowardice
"Paul had preached the Gospel throughout Galatia, founding many churches which after his departure were invaded by the false apostles. The Anabaptists in our time imitate the false apostles. They do not go where the enemies of the Gospel predominate. They go where the Christians are. Why do they not invade the Catholic provinces and preach their doctrine to godless princes, bishops, and doctors, as we have done by the help of God? These soft martyrs take no chances. They go where the Gospel has a hold, so that they may not endanger their lives. The false apostles would not go to Jerusalem of Caiaphas, or to the Rome of the Emperor, or to any other place where no man had preached before as Paul and the other apostles did. But they came to the churches of Galatia, knowing that where men profess the name of Christ they may feel secure."
Luther yields his two-edged sword now, taking swipes to right on the Pope, and to the left on the Anabaptists. At times it is difficult to distinguish which camp he despises more. And his critique is not unjustified, he is not guilty of the very thing he is preaching against. He speaks with authority against the Anabaptists because he's been to the enemy. He has held high the Gospel in the face of death.
The practical applications of this critique are great. To narrow it down into our own congregations may be the simple exhortation to stop devouring one another. There are those who by rages of jealousy, envy, and pride, who by doing the opposite of considering others better than themselves, seek to make the church's life a self contained, complete and steamy soap opera. The back-biting, the gossip, the accusations, and all the other anti-Gospel activities are those owned by the self centered cowardly, who couldn't last a second if they were to take their gospel to the real enemies. The real enemies know their game better than they. It is easier to prey upon the innocent.
Luther yields his two-edged sword now, taking swipes to right on the Pope, and to the left on the Anabaptists. At times it is difficult to distinguish which camp he despises more. And his critique is not unjustified, he is not guilty of the very thing he is preaching against. He speaks with authority against the Anabaptists because he's been to the enemy. He has held high the Gospel in the face of death.
The practical applications of this critique are great. To narrow it down into our own congregations may be the simple exhortation to stop devouring one another. There are those who by rages of jealousy, envy, and pride, who by doing the opposite of considering others better than themselves, seek to make the church's life a self contained, complete and steamy soap opera. The back-biting, the gossip, the accusations, and all the other anti-Gospel activities are those owned by the self centered cowardly, who couldn't last a second if they were to take their gospel to the real enemies. The real enemies know their game better than they. It is easier to prey upon the innocent.
Luther on Galatians 1: Resurrection & Justification
"In this whole epistle Paul treats of the resurrection of Christ. By His resurrection Christ won the victory over law, sin, flesh, world, devil, death, hell, and every evil. And this His victory He donated unto us. These many tyrants and enemies of ours may accuse and frighten us, but they dare not condemn us, for Christ, whom God the Father has raised from the dead is our righteousness and our victory.
Do you notice how well suited to his purpose Paul writes? He does not say, 'By God who made heaven and earth, who is Lord of the angels,' but Paul has in mind the righteousness of Christ, and speaks to the point, saying, 'I am an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.'"
Luther's commentary on Galatians it seems should be read in his context, in mind of the particular battles he was facing. It should be read as one watching the particular swing of the sword upon a particular enemy's head. This isn't unfair, for Luther's commentary immediately begins by taking swipes against the Pope and the Roman Church. Justification by Faith Alone seems to be the key doctrine that Luther is using Galatians to defend. It makes its first appearance in the commentary just as quickly as the swipe against the Pope, even in the section discussing verse 1, where Paul begins defending his ministerial authority.
Luther is arguing for free justification in the face of Rome, and he can begin arguing it from the beginning of Galatians, because Luther's view of justification is rooted in Jesus' resurrection. The biblical view and meaning of justification as vindication, of God vindicating His Son as the victor over death in raising Him from the dead, is something Luther appeals to at the beginning of his commentary.
Do you notice how well suited to his purpose Paul writes? He does not say, 'By God who made heaven and earth, who is Lord of the angels,' but Paul has in mind the righteousness of Christ, and speaks to the point, saying, 'I am an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.'"
Luther's commentary on Galatians it seems should be read in his context, in mind of the particular battles he was facing. It should be read as one watching the particular swing of the sword upon a particular enemy's head. This isn't unfair, for Luther's commentary immediately begins by taking swipes against the Pope and the Roman Church. Justification by Faith Alone seems to be the key doctrine that Luther is using Galatians to defend. It makes its first appearance in the commentary just as quickly as the swipe against the Pope, even in the section discussing verse 1, where Paul begins defending his ministerial authority.
Luther is arguing for free justification in the face of Rome, and he can begin arguing it from the beginning of Galatians, because Luther's view of justification is rooted in Jesus' resurrection. The biblical view and meaning of justification as vindication, of God vindicating His Son as the victor over death in raising Him from the dead, is something Luther appeals to at the beginning of his commentary.
Luther on Galatians 1: Ministerial Authority
"This is our comfort in the ministry, that ours is a divine office to which we have been divinely called. Reversely, what an awful thing it must be for the conscience if one is not properly called. It spoils one's best work. When I was a young man I thought Paul was making too much of his call. I did not understand his purpose. I did not then realize the importance of the ministry. I knew nothing of the doctrine of faith because we were taught sophistry instead of certainty, and nobody understood spiritual boasting. We exalt our calling, not to gain glory among men, or money, or satisfaction, or favor, but because people need to be assured that the words we speak are the words of God. This is no sinful pride. It is holy pride."
Luther provokes this thought, and I believe it is one that should remain as spectacles over the eyes of both ministers and each saint, and that is that Jesus is the Senior Pastor of every congregation. The minister must have this in order to see his own office and authority as a gift. It keeps him in his place, and reminds him that he is administering the ministry of the Senior Pastor as he preaches and shepherds the flock. Not only does it serve as cautious reminder, it provides great comfort, because where humility and gratefulness for one's gifts are present, a clear conscience is also found. An honest man's pillow is his peace of mind.
For the congregation, seeing through these spectacles provides great comfort as well, along with a proper focus. One practical application of this is our tendency toward idolizing our favorite, whether Peter, Paul, or Apollos. Peter, Paul, and Apollos may even preach the centrality of Jesus in all things, but we are still tempted to glory in the mouthpieces. The focus is on the Senior Pastor, and the comfort is that once your favorite pastor or favorite radio preacher, those that you look to each day to encourage you, once they pass on, once their particular and unique piece of the ministry seem to have faded, you'll still be alright.
Luther provokes this thought, and I believe it is one that should remain as spectacles over the eyes of both ministers and each saint, and that is that Jesus is the Senior Pastor of every congregation. The minister must have this in order to see his own office and authority as a gift. It keeps him in his place, and reminds him that he is administering the ministry of the Senior Pastor as he preaches and shepherds the flock. Not only does it serve as cautious reminder, it provides great comfort, because where humility and gratefulness for one's gifts are present, a clear conscience is also found. An honest man's pillow is his peace of mind.
For the congregation, seeing through these spectacles provides great comfort as well, along with a proper focus. One practical application of this is our tendency toward idolizing our favorite, whether Peter, Paul, or Apollos. Peter, Paul, and Apollos may even preach the centrality of Jesus in all things, but we are still tempted to glory in the mouthpieces. The focus is on the Senior Pastor, and the comfort is that once your favorite pastor or favorite radio preacher, those that you look to each day to encourage you, once they pass on, once their particular and unique piece of the ministry seem to have faded, you'll still be alright.
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