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Love unites. It is the union of diversity. To be united with the eternal is to be eternal. To have eternal life we must be united with an eternal life-giving God. Does God love all? Yes, God is love. Do all love God? No, many are ignorant of or even hate (the idea of a) God. Therefore not all are in a love relationship with God. So not all are united to God. Many are seperated from eternity.
But God sent Jesus to reconcile and unite ALL to God. Has Jesus failed? No, but reconcilliation requires something from both parties. Jesus achieved and expressed God’s offer, but not all have seen this expression or heard of God’s love for them. Thus they cannot love God in return and remain untouched by the power of the Gospel to unite them to God.
Will they be lost if we do not preach to them? Does an all-powerful God have no other way of reaching the lost than through an imperfect and ineffective body of believers? Does their salvation lie solely our hands? Surely not. What arrogance. What lack of peace.
Could God have a better way than simply our preaching to express love for the world? Surely God could implant the idea in their hearts and minds and convict them in an instant. God has chosen an ineffective method of communicating love.
If God truly loves all people and desires to see them saved by being united to Himself then He must have an alternative way for them to discover His love. He must do everything He can. It seems arbitrary to insist people be preached at in this life and converted. I must conclude that God can reach more of the lost, if not in this life then outside of this life.
There is an unstated but deep-rooted assumption in most Christian theology that righteousness is exclusively a moral category. That is, a person is perfectly righteous if they are morally perfect and any degrees of righteousness in a person are in a linear and inextricable relationship to the morality of that individual. This righteousness then becomes the basis of God’s judgement of that person and within this framework it is clear that any acquittal (aka justification) requires adequate moral performance.
Interestingly Catholics and Protestants have historically agreed with this assessment – they have however disagreed on the source and scope of that righteousness in justification. Catholics have said God transfers or implants his own righteousness into believers (Infusion) whilst Protestants have held that God reckons Christ’s perfect obedience unto believers (Imputation). In either case moral righteousness or obedience is the key to justification even if it is received by faith as Catholics and Protestants (now) agree it is. The problem is this: if justification is by grace it must be unmerited and both these models clearly require and account for obedient merit. Read the rest of this entry »
Have you ever wondered if everyone but the Christian Church is damned to hell? The Reformation gave us back something quite valuable by reminding us that the Bible teaches no hierarchy amongst believers. While some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors or teachers all are called to love and serve each other as brothers, in the face-to-face manner of Jesus, a great man yet who walked amongst men as friends and washed their smelly feet.
While it is clear that all followers of Jesus are called to mission, it is far from clear, from Jesus’ teaching, that only his followers would be saved. Let us set aside our black-and-white conception of the world divided into saved Christians and damned non-Christians and consider Jesus’ own words which, as will be plain, contained other categories. What emerges is an inclusive picture of people entering the Kingdom based not on religion or beliefs but on a multitude of other factors. Read the rest of this entry »
The more I read the Bible and the more I read (and learn from) Reformed Theologians, the more I realise I don’t fit in into the category of a Reformed Christian…
Reformed Christian
God, you are so Infinitely Holy that you cannot tolerate sin. All are sinners and are utterly unacceptable, Totally Depraved, and displeasing to you, Objects of Wrath. The right and holy and just thing to do is to Punish Sinners and your infinite nature requires you punish infinitely, damning all people to Hell. This alone is so glorious that we can only praise you for your Severe Justice, but you top that by going even further and Unconditionally Electing people from this group of hell-fodder for salvation. These you Unilaterally Regenerate and Justify completely apart from who they are or what they’ve done, giving them by Grace a Saving Faith which they could not produce. Because your Grace is not quite free, someone had to pay, so you sent Jesus to be the Substitution of Atonementwhich placates your Wrath. This Grace is not for everytone it’s called Limited Atonement and those elected for Life cannot resist your plan – it’s Irresistible Grace. You are now able to do what was not possible before and Ignore Sin, Counting Sinners as Righteous although they are not sinless. You detest any form of self-righteousness and want people to rely on your justification instead of trying to be good. When the time comes for all to be judged, you will count them as perfect (Imputation) because you will see only Christ’s obedience and look over their own disobedience. Those not elected by you for salvation will endure Eternal Conscious Torment in Hell whilst the elect will necessarily and deterministically Perservere as Saints to enjoy Paradise for ever. What counts is Doctrines Believed, the key to Good Religion is Justification by Faith, all authority grounded in Scripture.
Transformed Disciple
God you are so Infinitely Loving that you cannot allow sin to continue it’s damaging hold on your Human Creatures whom you made in your Image to Reflect your Glory into Creation. You sent your only Son as a fateful messenger who Fully Reveals God, the embodiment of who you are. You allowed him to be crucified as a Transformative Symbol of how you Condemn Sin and will destroy all evil and as an echo through history of how Man Rejected God. More than that, his blood was the Pledge a Promise to Forgive Our Sins. You want us to make Disciples of All Men so that all can know the Forgiveness Accessible to Any and All who would turn (Repent) and ask for it. You are not a respecter of status but deal with each Valuable Person according to how they live and treat others, not looking to their past failings but eagerly anticipating their future under your Reign. You graciously Pour out Your Spirit so that we can begin to be Conformed to the Image of Jesus and be freed from the power of sin. You then Proclaim our Right Standing in your sight, proof of our Adoption as Sons and Daughters, and of your Covenantal Faithfulnessto Israel. You promised to bless the world through Abraham’s Seed and your Church is not only the recipient of blessing but the Instrument of Blessing, as Christ’s body, by which your Justice, Peace and Love are multiplied and fulfilled in the World Today. You begin a Good Work in us as we Participate in your Plan which you will complete so that, at the final judgement, you will be able to truly say of us “well done, good and true servant, you worked well, fought the good fight and will inherit the Kingdom”. As Loving Creatoryour plan is not to destory the physical world but to Bury, Resurrect and Renew it so that your promises to Bless all Nations and Restore Creation will come to fulfillment and your appointed Lord, the Messiah, will bring your Rule On Earth as it is in Heaven. What counts is Faithful Allegiance, the key to Good Religion is Active Love for You and Your Creatures, all authority belongs to Jesus.
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found,
was blind but now I see.
Grace is indeed amazing because it is God acting to transform humans. Much has been said about the contrast between humans working and God working. Typically Christians would hold that salvation is God’s doing, a free gift we can only receive. This great truth has however sometimes obscured several necessary and active elements of reception namely: repentance, trust and obedience. Read the rest of this entry »
I remember, shortly after conversion, joyfully reading the opening chapters of Romans and thinking “wow, this is amazing, laws are unimportant now, just belief is what counts” – what a relief! I basically read Romans without understanding the context yet latching on to certain phrases as in Romans 3:
20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law;…blah blah bla…a righteousness from God, apart from law, …blah blah bla… 23comes through faith in Jesus…blah blah bla… 24and are justified freely by his grace…blah blah bla…On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
I concluded that Paul was saying that obedience to God’s law(s) was no longer required but just that we have faith (whatever that meant). I was reading the Bible to find out about salvation ignorant of what Paul intended to communicate and which struggle he was combating. Was Paul really fighting “legalistic spirit” in Romans, doing away with obedience and good works, and setting up faith in its place? I no longer think so and have argued elsewhere that we have often misunderstand what “works of the law” and, more especially “faith” mean to Paul. This view is also known as the New Perspective on Paul [1] and is considered by some, to be a mini-Reformation or at least an exciting re-discovery of Pauline Theology. Read the rest of this entry »
I hear again and again that if you believe Jesus died (i.e. atoned) for your sins you are saved. Paul says the Gospel is the power of salvation to all who believe (Rom 1:16) and thus, putting 2 and 2 together we arrive at the formula that the Gospel is, essentially, atonement.
Although this is indeed good news for those who believe it, I’ve argued elsewhere that this is not the real Gospel but a subjective implication. The real Gospel is the royal proclamation of Jesus’ Kingship, a message about Him, true for everyone, a call to all to obedience and allegiance. Nevertheless I’m prepared to consider that I might be wrong and that Atonement is the Gospel and I would like to explore that possibility.
Read the rest of this entry »
Christianity is true and relevant but is it exciting? The question is especially important today where people run after flashing lights and stimulants in search of adventure albeit in self-destructive and safe form. Shane Claiborne considers how Christians differ from non-Christians and says:
If you ask most people what Christians believe, they can tell you “Christians believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that Jesus rose from the dead.” … But if you as the average person how Christians live, they are struck silent. We have not shown the world another way of doing life. Christians pretty much live like everybody else; they just sprinkle a little Jesus in along the way. (The Irresistible Revolution Ch 5)
Indeed, most people might be able to list more things Christians don’t do than the things they do. Today we can be perfectly acceptable and even esteemed Christians by being safe and playing the part. We attend Church, donate to charities, perhaps work in our community and do all the things expected of us and none of the things Jesus told us to do. Indeed we sometimes feel reassured that we need do nothing because God is working and we cannot and should not work unless called. In some circles any form of doing is itself taboo by a bizarre twisting of the Gospel.
Take for example the sermon on the mount: In Matthew 5 Jesus speaks highly of the poor in spirit (v3), the mourning (v4), the meek (v5), the oppressed and persecuted (v10-11), the righteous (v8,16), all the things I am not. Then he warns (if not condemns) those who are angry with their brother (22) or those who have wronged another and not settled it (v25) or those with a roaming eye (v27) and it is here I find myself. He then tells us to love our enemies (v44) and finally, to be perfect (v48).
Just what are we supposed to do with this list? We know we cannot fulfil it. Shall we do the bits we can and ignore the rest? Did Jesus say all this just to show how we can never attain righteousness? I used to think so.
But what if we really are expected to attain to righteousness all these things by the power of God working in us? What if being a Christian is about being empowered and motivated by the Spirit to be righteous and that this is real imputation? What if we need to hear Paul’s words:
work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose Phillipians 2:12-13
Let’s take a look at some other hard passages which could do, but never do:
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:12-14)
We could get out of this hard task by proposing that Jesus was just talking to his host at the time and not the greater Christian world. However what if we really tried doing this? Why don’t we really invite people we would not normally invite and see what happens?
I happen to be actually inviting my moderately rich neighbours for lunch tomorrow but according to Jesus I should be inviting the poor, crippled, lame and blind. I could excuse this by saying: Lord, nobody I know is poor, crippled, lame or blind. But there is that old folks home around the corner. Lord, their food is probably better than what I can cook. But maybe they need company. Lord, I’m not that much of an conversationalist and besides they’ll probably think I’m crazy.
At what point do we just start trusting Jesus and stop trusting our experience and social norms? I wonder if the great saints weren’t just ordinary people who actually did trust Jesus and it led them to adventure and extraordinary lives. How is Jesus going to save the world if His body, the church, is doing so little?
Each time I talk to someone about Jesus it is exciting although it was hard at first. Each time it’s an adventure and the highlight of my day. Is this not the real, imperishable fruit? Bringing folks a step closer to God?
What if we started taking Jesus seriously and living out the Gospel? If the Gospel is good news to the poor, lonely and oppressed then it has to involve meeting their needs. A hungry beggar needs food and company above all else and any message in words, no matter how joyous, is not going to be received as Good News. We need to act:
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Cor 4:20)
Jesus sent his apostles out in Matthew 10 with the task of preaching and meeting peoples needs. The guidelines were:
- Go, preach the kingdom is near (v6)
- Help them, meet their needs in power (v7)
- Trust in providence (v9-12,19,20)
- Be careful (v16-23)
- Fear not (v26-31)
- Expect suffering and opposition (v14,21-23,34-37)
- Be bold (v27,32)
Jesus didn’t say anything about preaching atonement forgiveness of sins if people become Christians. His basic concern was that people realise and see that the reign of God is near by hearing the Gospel and experiencing healing. His advice to the messengers was to be bold, trusting, careful and strong.
Why, oh why does my faith not match this model? How exciting it would be to be an apostle and really travel about without money, trusting in God and preaching His glad tidings! Should I start small or go all out, forsaking family and friends. The risk is huge and there will be suffering and opposition but the comfy alternative is to stay put and pay Jesus lip-service.
Shane Claiborne decided one day to follow Luke 14:13 and it changed his life taking him to Calcutta and the homeless of Philadelphia. He wrote about it in The Irresistible Revolution and described how actually putting Jesus word’s into practice is what living the Christian Life is about (more). If Christians live just like other people then what reason to other people have to question their lifestyle?
Jesus never forced himself on people but fascinated them. When Jesus was asked: are you the Messiah (Luke 7:18-22) his basic answer was: what do you see happening? If someone asked you: are you a Christian you should say: what do you see happening in my life?
…and yet, somehow we are unaffected. We read a wise saying, think “that is so true”, nod meaningfully and click or page on to the next news story. Which brings me to the next item in apparently endless supply today: Bad News. This week has been particularly full of natural disaster (China, Burma), xenophobic violence (South Africa), general mayhem (Iraq) and hunger (Somalia, Zimbabew, Haiti etc.). But this is business as usual and even local papers are filled with stories of accidents, rapes, murders and hooliganism. No News may be Bad News but apparently so is All News. But even bad news, really bad news, fails to affect us. We page on to the adverts and look for stuff to buy…
As far as I can tell, good advice does not change the world, and neither does bad news because it fails to move the heart, the center of a persons being. What I do know is that good news has and does change people and lives because of the power of hope which it brings. The word “Gospel” is just a synonym for “Good News” and if you understand the difference betwen Good News and Good Advice you understand the difference between Christianity and all other religions.
Good advice is information about something good and beneficial you should do but have not yet done. Telling a ship’s captain to “mind the icebergs” would be good advice. Good news is information about something good and beneficial which has already happened like “the ship arrived safely”. The tragedy is that many have turned the Gospel (Good News) into a religion (Good Advice) and modern people know good advice is cheap and easily available without sitting through a sermon on Sunday and have given up seeking true good news as a dream, some sort of wish-fulfillment.
But Jesus of Nazareth proved once and for all that ultimate Goodness (Love) is also ultimate reality (God) and thus we have reason to hope. This is not some warm, fuzzy, feel-good hope but a real, evidence based, experiential hope in a person who said he was God’s Son and the solution to all our problems and whose miraculous ressurection provided the final proof of these outrageous claims.
If you think you need to make a huge leap of faith to believe that Jesus existed and is accurately reflected in the New Testament then think again. Don’t let a TV mini-series or popular pseudo-wisdom hide the real facts of the matter from you. The historical evidence is reliable and undeniable – Jesus was not just a sage but the Son of God and the future King of all who died to pay your debt and save you from destruction. He’s done it all (that’s the Good News) and all you have to do is accept the gift he offers today.
