For those of you who don't know, Urbana is a student missions conference that takes place ever four years in Urbana, Illinois, at the University of Illinois campus. It is hosted by Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, a campus ministry similar to Campus Crusade for Christ. Well, over Christmas break I attended this five day conference with about 20,000 other students. Urbana 03 has caused me to think about so many things that I will try to relate over the next few weeks.
I was especially excited to visit the bookstore that InterVarsity set up at the conference. I love books and I was nervous about bringing my wallet to the bookstore, thinking I was liable to spend more than I ought. I was mistaken as I was tempted to buy only one book. (I bought Operation World by Johnstone and Mandryk. I highly recommend it!) The bookstore disappointed me in some ways. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't for lack of books. They advertised over 20,000 titles. But I was surprised to see that the bookstore wasn't completely devoted to books on missions, but I was greatly astonished to see the lack of discernment in choosing how to fill the other shelves. To my dismay, I saw books by Greg Boyd to name one, a very vocal proponent of Open Theism. And I am not at all opposed to saying that I consider Open Theism heresy. Now, I am not at all for burning books or being the thought police. Open discussion is great and I don't believe in sheltering Christians from other worldviews. However, I knew that there were searching students at the conference who wouldn't know Greg Boyd from anyone else, and would buy such books trusting in the InterVarsity and Urbana labels. This thought alerted me to a problem that perhaps is prevalent among the Christian book industry. Just because the Christian bookstore sells it, doesn't mean that it is Biblical or edifying. I realize that there are many differing beliefs on a variety of doctrines that may be considered orthodox and I am not opposed to bookstores selling them all. But I caution myself and others to be discerning about what books to value, and to value them based upon their agreement with Scripture and not because of who published or sold them. And I would also like to see big publishers like Zondervan and IV Press to be more careful with their endorsements with the knowledge that their name can influence so many people. They are in a position to feed people, so let them feed people with Scripture-saturated, God-exalting food, not settling for anything less than what would cause his people to rejoice in his great reign.
Saturday, January 31, 2004
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Tonight, I just want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Aaron and Natalia on their engagement. They are two of the coolest people ever. I wish them a God-centered, God-glorifying, joyful life together.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Letter to a Cynic
During my limited time in the undergraduate academy, I have come in contact with a lot of cynics...Christians who are cynical about the church and about the culture and who respond to the church and to the culture cynically. And by cynically, I mean, with a mocking, haughty attitude, sometimes treating it with humor, but a humor that lords its superiority. But it is not just the academy. It can be any and every Christian. Cynicism has been something of which I have recently been convicted and was aided in part by this World Magazine article. This letter speaks as much to my own heart, as to anyone else.
Dear Cynic,
Paul tells us in Corinthians, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I am but a resounding gong or clanging cymbal." So often our talk of God in our haughty language sounds like nothing more than many gongs, which is why I feel compelled to write this letter. Paul says that the words may be true, but the manner, without love, is worthless. Sometimes we have great knowledge and see many truths and provide deep insight. But sometimes we treat the errors of the church in doctrine or in practice with a haughty spirit. We ask, "How could anyone believe that teaching?" We place ourselves above them thinking we have the correct answers. And we may have the correct answers. But we do not possess the great power of mind to discover such great truth but for the grace God. We know not the Father or his son but for his great grace. For what poor wretches are we, doomed to destruction, that God extends his hand to us? If we boast, it must be in the Lord (Galatians 6:14) for his grace must do nothing other than humble us before his throne. Paul also reminds us in 1 Corinthians 8:2, "If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know." How small are out finite minds and how little understanding we truly have. Even those with the greatest knowledge and most correct doctrine have such a small view of the riches of the glory of God. But Paul tells us the "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Corinthians 8:1)
Indeed, knowledge and doctrine are important. But God has not told us that he meant knowledge to be lorded over those with none. In Ephesians 4:11-14, Paul says, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." He gives us teachers to profess the truth "for the building up of the body of Christ." So often it seems like our attitudes and words do more toward the tearing down of our fellowship. Right teaching is important, as Paul emphasizes that we must be kept from being led astray. But his next words are "rather, by speaking the truth in love." We are to profess the truth of God in love. This is not sentimental, touchy-feely love for often the truth hurts, and yet our own pride must never get in the way.
In order to correctly teach and build up the body of Christ, we must first examine our own motives and our own hearts. We must take our eyes off the failure in others. We are often loathe to do such a thing because our focus on others has conveniently allowed us to ignore the sin and failure in our own life. But our attitudes and passions must align with God's and we must deal with our own heart issues. Our goal must not be for our glory but only for his, and not only that we see his glory but that we rejoice in bringing others to share in that glory. When we look at the church and see doctrines that are incorrect or when we look at the culture and see morality failing, we must not say, "I know better." But we must fall on our faces and weep because they are missing out. The culture has bought into its own lies that there is something better than God, and they are missing our on the great joy and rest to be found in the magnificent glory of God. The church is buying into lies that are dimming their view of the power and majesty of the King of Kings. And that should make us weep for it should be our prayer with the psalmist, "Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy," (Psalm 67) for we should want to see Christ glorified on earth and in our churches and to see his his kingdom spread to his eternal praise.
But we must not merely sorrow, we must also serve, and in this we speak the truth in love. Jesus says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) Jesus is our example of ultimate service and our attitude toward our churches and toward our culture must mirror his servanthood. We are not the judges of our culture nor the lords of it. We have been set free from the bondage of sin in order that we might serve God, which in turn means serving our churches and those around us in humility and love. We are brokenhearted that God is not praised and loved in the world around us like he ought to be, but we are servants to the word, fervently striving for the glory of God, laying down our lives to that end. And this means that we are not to keep silent when the culture or the church present false teaching to us, but our hearts must retain the attitude of servanthood in our telling. It is not the person we attack for being so stupid by being led away by such teaching, but the lies themselves, for God did not destroy us, but detroyed the grip of sin that held captive our hearts.
But you might say, that your commentary on life and the church is merely in humor, to lighten up and make entertaining what the world or the church takes too seriously. But to that I say, this is not a game. The Christian life is nothing to take lightly. The Christian life is a wartime existence. Ephesians 6 reminds us: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." We say that we are not lords over our culture because indeed the prince of darkness rules this world (1 John 5:19), and we do not fight in this battle with cynicism. We fight with truth and on our knees in exhausting, soul-wrenching prayer that calls for God's glory to be revealed through us and in his world, that though we may suffer for his sake, not our own wills, but his be done. And our God is a prayer-hearing God. If we but saw the backside of God's glory and felt its weight, how we would cry with Isaiah, "I AM UNDONE!" No, the glory of God is to be taken seriously, as is the battle we fight on earth for the eternal destiny of souls. When we view that glory, our response must be, then, "Here am I, send me." Send me to be a servant, and to channel your love to the nations.
But is our life to be without joy? By no means. Ultimate joy permeates the Christian when the soul is satisfied in nothing less than God himself, who is all joy. Psalm 68:3 says, "But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!" John says in his first epistle that he writes about Christ in order that his joy may be complete. Paul says to the Philippian church, "I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus." Even Jesus, "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross." (Hebrews 12:2) James says to count it joy when we face trials and Peters says, "Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9) Joy is part of the Christian faith, but it is a joy found in God. It is not the joy that stops short in the small pleasures to be found in ourselves or in our knowledge or our own witty phrases. It is a joy that humbles us and magnifies the Father. It is joy in the truth, in a freedom to serve God who is all truth, and that recognizes that there is nothing in the world that can satisfy us like God can satisfy every desire and need in our hearts.
So let us not snicker or smirk at the sinful world that is too pleased with its own short-sighted pleasures. Let us not mock the Christian who has been carried away by false teaching. Cynicism locks us up, takes us captive in our high tower and prevents us from doing any work. It is a prison by which our prideful mind shackles our body into passive uselessness. Because of it, we do not take part in nor are we moved by the pain and suffering around us, but rather turn up our noses at the faults of the world. But God did not become incarnate to justify the righteous but to seek and save the lost. So too, must we lower ourselves form our unjustified, cynical prisons to serve with humility the King of Kings by proclaiming his truth to all peoples in love.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Dear Cynic,
Paul tells us in Corinthians, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I am but a resounding gong or clanging cymbal." So often our talk of God in our haughty language sounds like nothing more than many gongs, which is why I feel compelled to write this letter. Paul says that the words may be true, but the manner, without love, is worthless. Sometimes we have great knowledge and see many truths and provide deep insight. But sometimes we treat the errors of the church in doctrine or in practice with a haughty spirit. We ask, "How could anyone believe that teaching?" We place ourselves above them thinking we have the correct answers. And we may have the correct answers. But we do not possess the great power of mind to discover such great truth but for the grace God. We know not the Father or his son but for his great grace. For what poor wretches are we, doomed to destruction, that God extends his hand to us? If we boast, it must be in the Lord (Galatians 6:14) for his grace must do nothing other than humble us before his throne. Paul also reminds us in 1 Corinthians 8:2, "If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know." How small are out finite minds and how little understanding we truly have. Even those with the greatest knowledge and most correct doctrine have such a small view of the riches of the glory of God. But Paul tells us the "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Corinthians 8:1)
Indeed, knowledge and doctrine are important. But God has not told us that he meant knowledge to be lorded over those with none. In Ephesians 4:11-14, Paul says, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." He gives us teachers to profess the truth "for the building up of the body of Christ." So often it seems like our attitudes and words do more toward the tearing down of our fellowship. Right teaching is important, as Paul emphasizes that we must be kept from being led astray. But his next words are "rather, by speaking the truth in love." We are to profess the truth of God in love. This is not sentimental, touchy-feely love for often the truth hurts, and yet our own pride must never get in the way.
In order to correctly teach and build up the body of Christ, we must first examine our own motives and our own hearts. We must take our eyes off the failure in others. We are often loathe to do such a thing because our focus on others has conveniently allowed us to ignore the sin and failure in our own life. But our attitudes and passions must align with God's and we must deal with our own heart issues. Our goal must not be for our glory but only for his, and not only that we see his glory but that we rejoice in bringing others to share in that glory. When we look at the church and see doctrines that are incorrect or when we look at the culture and see morality failing, we must not say, "I know better." But we must fall on our faces and weep because they are missing out. The culture has bought into its own lies that there is something better than God, and they are missing our on the great joy and rest to be found in the magnificent glory of God. The church is buying into lies that are dimming their view of the power and majesty of the King of Kings. And that should make us weep for it should be our prayer with the psalmist, "Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy," (Psalm 67) for we should want to see Christ glorified on earth and in our churches and to see his his kingdom spread to his eternal praise.
But we must not merely sorrow, we must also serve, and in this we speak the truth in love. Jesus says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) Jesus is our example of ultimate service and our attitude toward our churches and toward our culture must mirror his servanthood. We are not the judges of our culture nor the lords of it. We have been set free from the bondage of sin in order that we might serve God, which in turn means serving our churches and those around us in humility and love. We are brokenhearted that God is not praised and loved in the world around us like he ought to be, but we are servants to the word, fervently striving for the glory of God, laying down our lives to that end. And this means that we are not to keep silent when the culture or the church present false teaching to us, but our hearts must retain the attitude of servanthood in our telling. It is not the person we attack for being so stupid by being led away by such teaching, but the lies themselves, for God did not destroy us, but detroyed the grip of sin that held captive our hearts.
But you might say, that your commentary on life and the church is merely in humor, to lighten up and make entertaining what the world or the church takes too seriously. But to that I say, this is not a game. The Christian life is nothing to take lightly. The Christian life is a wartime existence. Ephesians 6 reminds us: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." We say that we are not lords over our culture because indeed the prince of darkness rules this world (1 John 5:19), and we do not fight in this battle with cynicism. We fight with truth and on our knees in exhausting, soul-wrenching prayer that calls for God's glory to be revealed through us and in his world, that though we may suffer for his sake, not our own wills, but his be done. And our God is a prayer-hearing God. If we but saw the backside of God's glory and felt its weight, how we would cry with Isaiah, "I AM UNDONE!" No, the glory of God is to be taken seriously, as is the battle we fight on earth for the eternal destiny of souls. When we view that glory, our response must be, then, "Here am I, send me." Send me to be a servant, and to channel your love to the nations.
But is our life to be without joy? By no means. Ultimate joy permeates the Christian when the soul is satisfied in nothing less than God himself, who is all joy. Psalm 68:3 says, "But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!" John says in his first epistle that he writes about Christ in order that his joy may be complete. Paul says to the Philippian church, "I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus." Even Jesus, "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross." (Hebrews 12:2) James says to count it joy when we face trials and Peters says, "Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9) Joy is part of the Christian faith, but it is a joy found in God. It is not the joy that stops short in the small pleasures to be found in ourselves or in our knowledge or our own witty phrases. It is a joy that humbles us and magnifies the Father. It is joy in the truth, in a freedom to serve God who is all truth, and that recognizes that there is nothing in the world that can satisfy us like God can satisfy every desire and need in our hearts.
So let us not snicker or smirk at the sinful world that is too pleased with its own short-sighted pleasures. Let us not mock the Christian who has been carried away by false teaching. Cynicism locks us up, takes us captive in our high tower and prevents us from doing any work. It is a prison by which our prideful mind shackles our body into passive uselessness. Because of it, we do not take part in nor are we moved by the pain and suffering around us, but rather turn up our noses at the faults of the world. But God did not become incarnate to justify the righteous but to seek and save the lost. So too, must we lower ourselves form our unjustified, cynical prisons to serve with humility the King of Kings by proclaiming his truth to all peoples in love.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Monday, January 19, 2004
I'm Back.
It's a good thing no one has been holding their breath waiting for me to update again. Phew. But I am happy to report that I will be back into the swing of things shortly. I have much to write about, including observations from and thoughts provoked by my experience at Urbana over Christmas break. Be watching this week...
Saturday, December 06, 2003
That's a Wrap...for now.
I am sorry to report that severemercy.blogspot.com will be taking a break for an indefinite period of time. Hopefully, it will be back up and running soon.
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
Home is Where....
Earlier in this semester, I was missing the mountains and rolling plains of Montana, and the familiarity of home. I was lamenting the fact that it is uncertain when I will spend any extended period of time there again, noting how short the summers even seem. At this stage in college, the possibilities are endless. (*If any of you grew up in Montana, or have been there, you would know how easily one can fall in love with the place.) But in thinking about these things, I also considered what my attitudes have been in the years previous to college regarding my home. So often on vacations and travel, I ventured off into the unknown fearlessly. My one thought was to get as much out of the new experiences as I could. I did not pine for home because it would be there when I got back and I had the certainty that my journey would end far too soon. I had to use the time I had away from home the best I could. Sitting in a hotel room weeping over being away from home when I could be at a beach in Florida would just be silly. And it was those times away from home that made me appreciate what I really had when I got back.
All of this talk of home encouraged me to think about the one true home that Christians have in heaven and what our attitude should be toward it. It is our home and the place where we shall be heirs with Christ to enjoy his glorious majesty throughout all eternity. Sometimes our view of heaven overshadows our responsibilities in this life. We get so caught up in visions of glory that we are not mindful of the present. Because you suffer in a fallen world, you may yearn deeply for the peace of Christ in heaven. You are not alone in this. But we must not allow this yearning to hinder our journey here on earth. Know that if Christ is your king, then your kingdom is secure and you will have an "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." (1 Peter 1:4) It is sure, certain, constant, eternal. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ that has set us free, "neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation." (Romans 8:38-39) As did Christ, we have "a joy set before us" in heaven. Our present trials rightfully prevent us from becoming too attatched to the things of this world.
But while we long for that heavenly state, let us rejoice that God is faithful and that our home is secure, and let us not allow our longing overshadow this life. For we are still in the world and are part of God's plan. He has called us to glorify him in this life as he has in the next. So let us live like our home is secure and in the confidence that we will be with God when the time is right. Let us live with reckless abandon for Christ with his banner flying ever before us. "Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1) We know that even death will not separate us from Christ, so what is there to fear but failing to honor Christ? Let us abandon our sin, ourselves, and any other thing that prevents us from a life lived in submission to Christ. Don't become too comfortable in this world! It will all fade away. Instead, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20), for home is where.... If your heart is with Christ, then you may rest in his promises and may rise up in battle for him. Lose your life to save it. (Mark 8:35)
All of this talk of home encouraged me to think about the one true home that Christians have in heaven and what our attitude should be toward it. It is our home and the place where we shall be heirs with Christ to enjoy his glorious majesty throughout all eternity. Sometimes our view of heaven overshadows our responsibilities in this life. We get so caught up in visions of glory that we are not mindful of the present. Because you suffer in a fallen world, you may yearn deeply for the peace of Christ in heaven. You are not alone in this. But we must not allow this yearning to hinder our journey here on earth. Know that if Christ is your king, then your kingdom is secure and you will have an "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." (1 Peter 1:4) It is sure, certain, constant, eternal. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ that has set us free, "neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation." (Romans 8:38-39) As did Christ, we have "a joy set before us" in heaven. Our present trials rightfully prevent us from becoming too attatched to the things of this world.
But while we long for that heavenly state, let us rejoice that God is faithful and that our home is secure, and let us not allow our longing overshadow this life. For we are still in the world and are part of God's plan. He has called us to glorify him in this life as he has in the next. So let us live like our home is secure and in the confidence that we will be with God when the time is right. Let us live with reckless abandon for Christ with his banner flying ever before us. "Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1) We know that even death will not separate us from Christ, so what is there to fear but failing to honor Christ? Let us abandon our sin, ourselves, and any other thing that prevents us from a life lived in submission to Christ. Don't become too comfortable in this world! It will all fade away. Instead, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20), for home is where.... If your heart is with Christ, then you may rest in his promises and may rise up in battle for him. Lose your life to save it. (Mark 8:35)
Wednesday, November 26, 2003
Reality Check
Tonight, since I am on break, I caught a little bit of TV while laying aside my homework for awhile. I happened to catch an episode of "Survivor." Now, I have seen a couple episodes of this show over the past couple years and it can be entertaining at times, I'll admit. But tonight, it really disgusted me, and not because they had to eat worms or anything. It struck me in a really hard way. First, we are supposed to feel bad for these people when they are hungry or thirsty or have blisters or sunburn or what have you. But it's a game show and they chose to be on there- all for the sake of money! And there are real people in the world suffering from real situations who don't get money out of it. (I think we have all come to grips with the fact that "reality TV" is far from reality...I hope.) So I don't really feel too sympathetic for these people. Well, let me take that back. I have sympathy on them for another reason. I think that this show exemplifies, brilliantly exposes, the total depravity of man. In other words, man is unable to do good apart from the grace of God...he only sins. (Romans 3:10) These people go on this show to win the million dollars- at any cost. As the show progresses there is all manner of deceit and lying and backstabbing and foul play. At the bottom is the selfishness and pride that is at the root of sinfulness. They do everything for their own gain. This is very pitiable to me. But there is something perhaps worse. It involves all you viewers out there. We sit in our comfy homes and watch this "reality TV" and criticize these people for the way they are acting. But we wonder what we would do in the same situation and perhaps applaud the strategic moves of our favorite players. But look at these people! When you see them monkeying around on TV with their lies and shouting matches, doesn't it all look very sick and childish? When magnified on a TV, don't we scoff at them? But how similar are our lives to theirs. And how often do we pursue selfish gain over smaller sums than a million dollars. And I guess it really made me ask, "As Christians, what are we really striving for? What is our end?" Don't answer too quickly. Because we may answer correctly in our Christian lingo that Jesus Christ is our be all and end all, but what do our lives say? Your life speaks your theology much louder than your words ever could. What is precious in our lives? What would we die to have? Is it Christ? Are we taking up our crosses daily for Christ? Is our hope in him or in the world? I guess, I don't have a lot to say today. It's just a challenge to myself and to you to examine what your life tells about the goal for which you are competing.
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