I mentioned in my last post that our small group (a bunch of people who get together regularly to encourage one another in our journey with Jesus) is working through James ( short letter nestled almost at the end of the New Testament). Chapter two deals with the faith-works debate. [I find it weird to refer to a letter with "chapters." If I sent my Dad a letter long enough to be broken into chapters, he'd probably think I'd overdosed on Charles Dickens!] Back to the topic at hand.
Why is this termed a "debate"? And who started it?
Our group is trying something new: we're all working through the letter a chapter at a time, but we're using whatever study aids we wish. So... My study guide, written by John MacArthur, talks about the apparent contradiction between what James writes and Paul's writings. Paul clearly teaches in his writings that there is nothing I can do to earn my way into heaven. Even my faith is a gift from God! So far, so good.
James seems to imply (according to the debate) that we must generate works to prove our faith means something to us. By itself, that makes sense too. After all, Jesus' described a holy person in this life (we will never reach perfection until we die) in His famed sermon on the Mount of Olives (called "The Beatitudes," a term I confess I find sounds silly. I mean, who came up with that term? Sounds like a British rock band or something...) Anyway, the qualities of life Jesus prescribed make no sense in isolation. They only make sense in relationships with others.
Jesus said, for example, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matthew 5:7). How can I show mercy if I stay in the isolation of my Christian subculture? I can only show mercy, thereby proving I'm merciful, if I relate to someone I need to extend mercy to! See what I mean? Jesus words about us being "salt" and "light" (Matthew 5:13-14) tell me that His expectation of me as His follower is to enter into the lives of other people who need Jesus, not as a evangelistic conquests (a la Evangelism Explosion), but as people who need to a genuine follower of Christ to come along to live with them through their mess.
So my faith, which derives from my belief, evidences itself by how I live, specifically as I relate to others. I don't see how that contradicts Paul's teaching at all.
28 February 2008
27 February 2008
Real Christianity?
I finally finished wading through Dave Kinnamon's book "unChristian." For those unfamiliar with it, the book describes the results of three years' research among "outsiders"; those "outside" the Christian faith, and how they perceive Christians in today's culture.
This research was sparked by the fact that in ten years, Christianity has slipped from a highly favorable perception in society to a highly unfavorable one. These days, we Christ followers bear little resemblance to Jesus Christ and His teachings or lifestyle, according to the Mosaics and Busters interviewed. If perception is reality, this book represents a wake-up call. Sobering stuff to noodle through. [I confess I started this book before Christmas!]
Our small group is working through James. Guess which chapter we focused on this week--the same week I finished Kinnamon's book? Chapter 2: the one where James deals with favoritism (judgmentalism?) and the faith without works question. Together, these two writings present some serious, though-provoking challenges to the Christian "sub-culture" I was indoctrinated into over the last 44 years.
How much of my "faith" is biblical, and how much is cultural? Where do my presuppositions and judgments come from? What thoughts do I kick around when I see a 20-something hanging out in front of the town library, smoking a cigarette? If I meet a gal with a young child, and learn she isn't married, how do I react?
How would Jesus have reacted?
If I follow Jesus Christ in everything He taught and lived, where do I find disconnects between my lifestyle and interactions with others, and what I claim I believe?
Jesus calls us to engage in the same ministry He came to earth to inaugurate. He initiated a ministry to free captives--not just in the spiritual sense--but those who were captive in the results of poor choices, or were victims of unfavorable circumstances.
Our small group kicked these kinds of questions around for two hours tonight. And I realized that if I met a homosexual this morning, I would have assumed he or she was not a follower of Christ. But how do I know that? Could not that person--loved and cherished by God, yet fallen--have just agreed to let Jesus take over last Sunday? Maybe God put me into his path to accompany him on this newly embarked journey...the same journey I'm on. Just a little further down the the road.
At least, I hope so. Or is that comparing myself to this new friend? Doe that thought betray a prejudice I need to shed?
Here lies my struggle: God calls me to enter into and extend grace to those I come in contact with. Too often, I have done just the opposite.
UnChristian? If that means not really Christ-like, then yep.
This research was sparked by the fact that in ten years, Christianity has slipped from a highly favorable perception in society to a highly unfavorable one. These days, we Christ followers bear little resemblance to Jesus Christ and His teachings or lifestyle, according to the Mosaics and Busters interviewed. If perception is reality, this book represents a wake-up call. Sobering stuff to noodle through. [I confess I started this book before Christmas!]
Our small group is working through James. Guess which chapter we focused on this week--the same week I finished Kinnamon's book? Chapter 2: the one where James deals with favoritism (judgmentalism?) and the faith without works question. Together, these two writings present some serious, though-provoking challenges to the Christian "sub-culture" I was indoctrinated into over the last 44 years.
How much of my "faith" is biblical, and how much is cultural? Where do my presuppositions and judgments come from? What thoughts do I kick around when I see a 20-something hanging out in front of the town library, smoking a cigarette? If I meet a gal with a young child, and learn she isn't married, how do I react?
How would Jesus have reacted?
If I follow Jesus Christ in everything He taught and lived, where do I find disconnects between my lifestyle and interactions with others, and what I claim I believe?
Jesus calls us to engage in the same ministry He came to earth to inaugurate. He initiated a ministry to free captives--not just in the spiritual sense--but those who were captive in the results of poor choices, or were victims of unfavorable circumstances.
Our small group kicked these kinds of questions around for two hours tonight. And I realized that if I met a homosexual this morning, I would have assumed he or she was not a follower of Christ. But how do I know that? Could not that person--loved and cherished by God, yet fallen--have just agreed to let Jesus take over last Sunday? Maybe God put me into his path to accompany him on this newly embarked journey...the same journey I'm on. Just a little further down the the road.
At least, I hope so. Or is that comparing myself to this new friend? Doe that thought betray a prejudice I need to shed?
Here lies my struggle: God calls me to enter into and extend grace to those I come in contact with. Too often, I have done just the opposite.
UnChristian? If that means not really Christ-like, then yep.
21 February 2008
Total lunar eclipse
For the first time that I can remember, I witnessed a total lunar eclipse last night. I've seen pictures, so I knew what to expect, but seeing it transpire in real time was cool.
We left our small group last night and noticed the lower left edge of the moon was fuzzy, as the earth's penumbra was just "kissing" the moon's edge. Over the next hour or so, we watched as the shadow obscured more of the lunar disc, until finally it fully entered the umbra.
What was even more amazing was that when the moon emerged from the earth's shadow, it seemed a lot brighter than on any other night.
All I can say was that it was neat to be finally able to witness this event: it's usually during the wee hours, when I'm comfortably oblivious to astronomical phenomena.
We left our small group last night and noticed the lower left edge of the moon was fuzzy, as the earth's penumbra was just "kissing" the moon's edge. Over the next hour or so, we watched as the shadow obscured more of the lunar disc, until finally it fully entered the umbra.
What was even more amazing was that when the moon emerged from the earth's shadow, it seemed a lot brighter than on any other night.
All I can say was that it was neat to be finally able to witness this event: it's usually during the wee hours, when I'm comfortably oblivious to astronomical phenomena.
14 February 2008
Thinking back...
I was reviewing some notes I jotted down during my family's trip to Arizona over Christmas. I remembered one observation I never had a chance to document.
My dad was driving us into Phoenix to Sky-Harbor Airport and we were on one of the major east-west highways. A police car passed us and was ahead of us for a while, when all of a sudden he moved from the far left lane (four-lane road), all the way over to the far right, then back to the far left lane. He continued this back-and-forth pattern, slowing down as he went.
We realized we were supposed to slow down and not pass him. Probably some sort of traffic problem ahead (accident perhaps?). So we...well I...began to be concerned about whether we would make our flight, etc.
All of a sudden, Dad said out loud, "Okay Lord, we need Your wisdom to know what to do next." ~Pause~ Then he took the next exit. We felt our way through North Phoenix for a while, until we were able to get back on the highway, past whatever problem there was.
We made our flight.
It was really neat to see Dad's almost casual reaction (admittedly better than mine) to the situation. I wish God and I talked as easily.
My dad was driving us into Phoenix to Sky-Harbor Airport and we were on one of the major east-west highways. A police car passed us and was ahead of us for a while, when all of a sudden he moved from the far left lane (four-lane road), all the way over to the far right, then back to the far left lane. He continued this back-and-forth pattern, slowing down as he went.
We realized we were supposed to slow down and not pass him. Probably some sort of traffic problem ahead (accident perhaps?). So we...well I...began to be concerned about whether we would make our flight, etc.
All of a sudden, Dad said out loud, "Okay Lord, we need Your wisdom to know what to do next." ~Pause~ Then he took the next exit. We felt our way through North Phoenix for a while, until we were able to get back on the highway, past whatever problem there was.
We made our flight.
It was really neat to see Dad's almost casual reaction (admittedly better than mine) to the situation. I wish God and I talked as easily.
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