Disconnect

When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

I love my job.

I work for a Christian organization doing nitty-gritty Gospel work. I get to utilize my skills and my degree(s). I edit, I research, I check facebook 20 times a day, I research some more, I fly to states that should be warm (but aren't at the moment) and talk to people about what it means to live the Christian life.

I love my job.

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can't replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Lately, however, I've felt this disconnect between my organization's approach to some pressing issues and my own practical theology philosophy. And the trip I'm currently on is highlighting this emotion. I'm here on company dime, to draw attention to our views. But they are not my views and it is difficult to find the balance of a) doing my job while b) not compromising my intellectual integrity.

Tears stream down your face

When you lose something you cannot replace

Tears stream down your face

But there is also an internal disconnect that I must wrestle with. I'm still formulating what exactly it is that I disagree with and why. From my brief reflections, I'm struggling to find the proper balance between reactionary and engaged orthodoxy. How do I love my enemy while being critical of lies? How do I engage in dialogue and show the love and humility of Christ without sacrificing the Gospel? Do I buy into the argument that showing love and humility is the Gospel?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

Prophetic Profile: Hosea

The “son of Beeri,” Hosea’s marriage is the greatest personal detail revealed in the book. His marriage to a woman of ill repute, Gomer, and their three symbolically-named children is clearly displayed as historical narrative, but the moral implications of this cause some to speculate that this was a symbolic or visionary event. God tells Hosea to take Gomer as his wife, thus raising the question as to whether or not God would actually encourage a match such as this. Without question, the marriage of Hosea and Gomer is representative of the covenant between Israel and YHWH. The names of their three children: Jezreel, Lo-Ammi, and Lo-Ruhamah are descriptive of covenant curse.

Hosea was from the North and it was traditionally believed he was prophesying to the Northern Kingdom. But, it is odd that there are so many Southern references. Recent speculation places the origins of Hosea in the Northern Kingdom, with the message belonging to both kingdoms. A contemporary of Amos and Micah, Hosea’s ministry is placed anywhere from 753 to 715.
Like Amos, Hosea’s ministry began at a time of great prosperity in the Northern Kingdom. Hosea sees the downfall of Israel after the death of Jeroboam II. This period witnessed six kings in thirty years, with four assassinations and several brief rules. Israel’s stability crumbles and ends with defeat at the hands of the Assyrians in 722.

Jeroboam II reigned in the Northern Kingdom from 793-753 and “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 14:23-29). Six kings follow him over the next 41 years: Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea (2 Kings 15:8-31, 17:1-41). All are wicked kings. Hoshea enters a vassal relationship with Assyria, and eventually leads Israel into exile. Israel’s relationship with Assyria and its predicted exile are mentioned in 11:5.

In the Southern Kingdom, Uzziah (or Azariah) does what is right but his pride damages his reign (2 Kings 15:1-7, 2 Chronicles 26:1-23). He rules from 791/2-740. Jotham comes to the throne at 25 and rules 16 years. He does what is right and becomes mighty, because “he ordered his ways before the Lord.” (2 Kings 15:32-38, 2 Chronicles 27:1-9). However, the people of Judah are still corrupt under his rule. Ahaz comes to power next, and rules another 16 years. Ahaz makes idols to Baals, and destroys the temple. The Lord gives him over to Syria and Israel. Ahaz turns even more to idolatry, seeking comfort in the gods of Syria (2 Kings 16:1-20, 2 Chronicles 28:1-27). Hezekiah rules from 715-687/6. He cleanses the temple, restores temple worship, celebrates Passover, destroys all other altars, reorganizes the priests, and cries out to the Lord to defeat the Assyrians (2 Kings 18:1-20:21, 2 Chronicles 29:1-32:33).

Conflict ensues between Northern and Southern kingdom during the instability after Jeroboam II’s death. Israel tries to stave off Assyria by paying tribute. Then, Israel implores Judah to help fight Assyria. Judah refuses to help. Israel and Syria wage war on Judah to force them to join the anti-Assyrian coalition (Syro-Ephraimite War, 735). Judah then turns to Assyria to help defend her borders, which leads to a partial exile in the North, but Assyria afflicts Judah as well (2 Chronicles 28:20).

Hosea is essentially a collection of prophetic oracles, primarily poetic, with a constant use of metaphor and simile. The marriage analogy, beginning in chapters 1-3 with Hosea’s marriage to Gomer, is carried throughout. Israel’s unfaithfulness is compared to Gomer, while the Lord’s covenant love is displayed in Hosea. The book shifts at chapter 4 from the personal story of Hosea’s marriage to a multiple of images representing the Lord’s relationship with Israel. Themes of covenant, judgment-salvation, and the promise of hope are dominant. After Israel’s condemnation for abandoning the Lord (4-10), the promise of redemption comes in chapters 11-14.

Prophetic Profile: Amos

This begins a series of assignments for Isaiah-Malachi. These profiles are intended to give the historical setting of each prophet and all follow a pattern.

1. The Prophet: family background and place of origin
2. Historical situation: dates, people the prophet is addressing, reigning kings, foreign kings/nations mentioned, and any other significant events
3. Theme(s) of the book

First up: Amos

Amos was a shepherd and part-time farmer of sycamore trees. There is debate over his social status based on the term used for “shepherd.” The common term for shepherd is not used (ro’eh), but a term suggesting a breeder or manager is used (noqed). This would imply that Amos had a higher social standing than the lowly shepherds. But, Amos refers to himself as “tending the flock” (7:15), suggesting that he was just a shepherd, and not in a position of authority. He claims he is “not a prophet or the son of a prophet” (7:14), implying that he was not brought up or trained in the prophetic tradition, but was called by God, out of shepherding into prophesying.

It is traditionally thought that Amos was from Judah (Southern Kingdom), from a town called Tekoa, just outside Bethlehem. However, there is debate as to whether a Southern shepherd could have an effective prophetic ministry in the Northern Kingdom. In addition, sycamore trees do not grow in the vicinity of southern Tekoa. There is speculation that Amos was from a Northern town of the same name but there is no evidence that such a place existed.
Amos lived between the reigns of Jeroboam II and Uzziah, placing his life-span between 793-740. His ministry is placed around 760, for a brief period before the earthquake that devastated Israel. He was a contemporary of Hosea.

Though a Southerner, Amos’ message was directed at the Northern Kingdom. Both kingdoms were experiencing a time of great prosperity. Military conquests led to territorial expansion and relative security. The people were religious, but had abandoned the Lord for the gods of surrounding nations. There was rampant abuse of power by the wealthy, and the poor suffered tremendous mistreatment.

In the North, King Jeroboam II ruled from 793-753. His 41-year reign is recorded in seven verses in 2 Kings 14:23-29. He restored Israel’s borders but did “evil in the sight of the Lord.” In the South, King Uzziah comes to power at age 16. He rules for 52 years from 792-740. His reign is recorded in 2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chronicles 26:1-23. He “did what was right”, “as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.” He made war against the Philistines and other surrounding nations, and builds a large army. However, his pride led him to burn incense on the altar of incense (where only the priests should). The priests confronted him, and in his anger, the Lord afflicted him with leprosy. He lived out the rest of his reign in isolation.

There are six nations outside the kingdoms listed in the opening of Amos but aside from that, all other nations mentioned (Egypt, Sodom and Gomorrah) are to remind Israel of her past. Assyria is mounting an invasion. Amos prophecies warnings of this in 3:11, 5:3, 6:7-14, 7:9, 17; and 9:4. The great earthquake is also mentioned in the beginning of Amos as a time marker. Amaziah, priest of Bethel, brings charges against Amos and sends word to Jeroboam that Amos is prophesying Israel’s exile. Amos stands his ground against Amaziah. Israel is conquered and taken into exile by Assyria in 722.

The book is structured in three segments, with four hymn fragments scattered throughout. First are the oracles against the nations (1-2). Beginning with the six nations circling the divided kingdoms, Amos declares judgment on them, and then moves to Judah, and finally Israel. This takes Israel by surprise, as they are fully willing to condemn the surrounding nations for their sins, but their pride has blinded them to their own.

Next, Amos declares judgment and woe oracles against Israel (3-6). Amos features heavy use of literary forms, with a vibrant sense of urgency. His lawsuit speech against Israel follows the “messenger formula” patterns for suzerain-vassal pronouncements of covenant-treaty violation. This confirms Israel’s place as covenant-breaker, and justifies the Lord’s decisions against her.

Finally, Amos gives vision reports (7-9). There are five visions total. The first four share similarities in structure and content. All include dialogue with the Lord and visions of objects or events. The first two visions (locust plague and drought) are intended for Israel but Amos pleads for God to withhold these disasters. The second two are visions of unavoidable judgment on Israel (plumb line and fruit basket). The object of the fifth vision is the Lord himself. There is no dialogue between Amos and the Lord, and his divine abandonment is set against Israel. However, a remnant and restoration are promised, along with the renewal of the covenant.

Scattered throughout are four hymns (1:2, 4:13, 5:8-9, 9:5-6), emphasizing the covenant name YHWH, and his sovereignty over creation. Divine sovereignty and judgment are the main theological themes of the book of Amos. Judgment flows from Israel’s covenant breaking, idolatry and widespread social injustice. The Day of the Lord is promised, but not as Israel previously envisioned. Yet the Lord will provide a remnant, and the promises of covenant renewal.

Full plate (and other thoughts)

Every evening on my way home from work, I take an exit off one of our nation's largest Interstate loops. There on the right, nestled in the patch of trees on the side of the ramp, I glimpse a rain tarp covering a tent. At first I wondered if some city-dweller just wanted to camp out for a night. But there are national and state parks relatively close. And the tent has stayed for weeks. Ten yards in front of the tent, a pile of trash grows. At least, it looks like a pile of trash. It could be the tent person's possessions.

Last night we had a small ice storm. It's cold here.

My thoughts, however unsettling, are honest. I wonder if he (she?) chose to do this. The tent's in decent shape, and there is evidence of other camping gear. I think about taking them a hot meal. I think about notifying the county. I think about what my response as a Christian should be. I think, I think. I do not do. I do not act in any way, shape or form. Good or ill, I continue to drive by everyday and think.

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Classes began this week with a full round of Hebrew and a weekend full of Isaiah-Malachi. Monday, systematic II began. I'm not sure if it's because I'm run down with a never-ending cold, or if it's just that time of year, but everything I've added to my plate is starting to catch up. Feels like the plate is cheap and disposable, and the load is making it fold in on itself. They are all "good things" but even good things come with baggage, time constraints, emotional and physical tolls. And I find myself having to check my motivations for a) earning my sanctification or b) avoiding issues by making myself so busy that I don't have time to deal with them. Something has to be scrapped off the plate... something has to go... or I will not sleep for a good 12 months, and that is not a good thing.


Here's the pile, pro's and con's. This must be a little writing therapy; I'm working this out as I go.


1) Work. Obviously, it'd be nice to be filthy stinking rich and not have to work. Since that's not the case, a job and income are clearly necessary.

2) School. Not an absolute necessity. Will hopefully help me get into a PhD program (also not necessary). Trying to finish in 2 years. This is being reconsidered, given some points below.

3) Church plant. Not necessary in a physical sense. Living out the Great Commission, however, very necessary. It's a good fit for me ministry-gifting wise. Not a good fit time wise. The emotional aspect of leaving my current church was not something I anticipated, either.

4) Book review(s). Clearly not necessary, as it is not paid and will be in an obscure arts & lit journal. But it will help with #5.

5) PhD application process. I'm lost on this. Once again, it's not necessary. But, it is in the sense that I am obligated to use the gifts G-d's given me to fulfill His call in my life. I am, learning from mistakes with grad school applications, starting the process a full year out. But, that's the thing - it takes a full year to apply to PhD programs. And it's pretty much a part-time job. Researching professors to work with, researching the field itself so I can be knowledgeable and sound like I know what I'm talking about, and researching programs are just the beginning. I'll need to retake the GRE's (more studying) because my scores are too old now. I will likely need to attend my fields' (once determined) annual academic conference, too. And then there will be school visits and interviews. All in all, this is looking like about a 4-credit class load and $3000 expense that I just didn't see coming. And there are no guarantees that I'll get in.

Combined, this load has given me much to consider in the past few weeks. Essentially, I am pondering the relationships between desires, calling, purpose, etc. It makes me joyful to engage in pursuits that utilize my gifts and bring glory to the Lord. But those don't always line up with my desires. It's not quite a struggle, and sometimes it is exciting even to contemplate how He will weave it all together.

Considering the load, I doubt I will be posting much, unless I happen to write another stellar/failing paper. I will be doing profiles for all the prophets and these I may post as time allows.

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My mornings:

Happy Songs

There are few songs that make me genuinely happy. One of them is The Office theme song, which I really should download as a ringtone and use for my alarm. That would make mornings far more enjoyable.

Another is this song:




And on the eve of classes resuming, this is pretty much on a loop. I confess, it makes me want a MacBook (more), too.

UPDATE: Yael's song Far Far is free on iTunes. HT: Rebecca at Spoon

In other news, I really did get an F on that paper I posted below. Sucks.

Suffering: Conclusion

I suppose this wasn't worth saving for an entire post. * shrugs * Alas, this is the paper's conclusion. I'm too lazy to link all the posts now. Someday. :)
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Conclusion

Christ, who is our Head and our model for all life, came with the absolute intent to suffer. This is clear throughout the New Testament as the call of the Church until Christ returns.[1] This is not our “best life now,” and to say so robs Christ’s work on the cross of its propitiatory nature by minimizing the necessity of the sacrificial demands of the Covenant and resurrection power.

The suffering modeled by Christ is not just his death on the cross to fulfill the terms of the Covenant, but inclusive of all the persecution he faced because of his proclamation of truth – public ridicule and humiliation, physical threats, abandonment by family and friends, and exclusion from society or established orders. He clearly and repeatedly warns his followers to expect these things and more, if they are to take up their cross and follow him.

Partnering with the global suffering Church is essential to fulfilling the mark of discipleship found in suffering with Christ. When we pray, provide and protect our brothers and sisters in Christ, we “stand as bearers of sorrow in the fellowship of the Crucified… as strangers in the world in the power of him who was such a stranger to the world that it crucified him.”[2] If we are to take seriously the proclamation of our Lord to join him in his sufferings, to be persecuted for righteousness, we must continually consider how we will support the suffering Church.

[1] Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” 9
[2] Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 109

Trip Notes

I survived my first official out-of-state business trip. The trip was to a large conference where I was to maintain my organization's booth. Here are some highlights:

• Talking with people. On a normal office day, I can pester only a grand total of 8 coworkers. And though I'm an introvert, I'm a social introvert and I like meeting new folks. I credit this to 5 years of coffee slinging and customer service.
• Meeting folks from my seminary. My school has several campuses scattered throughout the states. I had a blast meeting people from other campuses (and some alums from my own).
• Dinners in a foreign town. One horrible restaurant with lackluster service, saved by company and conversation. Thank you Orlando contingent. One rather decent TexMex meal, generously paid for by folks I'd met about a hour before dinner was served. Thank you North Carolina church staff.
• Multiple opportunities for future partnerships to think and pray about. This actually began a few weeks ago, and once again the same school came up this week as a possible PhD location. This is, of course, after I'd written it off in my mind as a "would be nice but it would never work out" idea. Now I feel prompted to reconsider the option. And that was only one of the amazing opportunities discussed!
• Watching the Bride of Christ. This was a Christian conference, comprised of a denomination going through a rough-but-necessary transition. The juxtaposition of the Body marred by the effects of a sinful world but fighting for Truth contains sadness, beauty, mystery and humility, and draws us to grace, and our rest in Christ alone.

Downsides...

• Cold, rainy weather. I volunteered to go partly because it was in what should have been a warm state. At least warmer than where I am now!
• Getting (motion) sick on the flight out there. Not fun. Thankfully, I did not get sick on the way home, and I almost finished The Once and Future King. Should have been whipping through some Hebrew flashcards... tisk, tisk.

Suffering: Implications for Missions

Implications for Missions

Regrettably, the American Church continues to fall short in its understanding of the significance of suffering. Our claims of suffering have little to do with that which Christ calls us. We are unpopular, political scapegoats, unkindly labeled as Jesus Freaks or disdainfully spoken of at office parties as closed-minded Christians, often deservedly so. Is this the cross Christ calls us to bear? Surely the Sermon on the Mount speaks of more than just bruised egos, characterization, tarnished pride, or chastisement.

Extrapolating from the rest of New Testament teachings on suffering provides insights into the relationship of those who do face persecution for righteousness sake, and those who are not, on a regular basis, systematically or institutionally persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Observing so far that Christ calls his followers to suffer as he did, Peter and Paul illustrate in their New Testament writings that suffering together is a mark of discipleship. How should this affect the way we view the global, suffering Church? Supporting the local, indigenous Church as they suffer shows the love of Christ to the world, unifies the Church in her sufferings, and heeds Christ’s call to suffering.

The essential union of the Church as One Body under Christ is the key element to wrestling this issue. It would be tragic and incorrect to say that because we do not suffer, we do not truly believe. This would, in a very real sense, be the opposite mistake of the prosperity gospel. Yet, if one part of the body suffers, we should sense that pain enough to join in the sufferings. Paul illustrates the beauty of this mystery in 2 Corinthians:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.[1]

This sharing of sufferings and comfort is, as stated above, how the Church body experiences the resurrection power of Christ. This is a call to be unified in all things, as Christ prayed in his High Priestly Prayer in John 17. He calls us to suffer, together as one holy Church, for righteousness and his namesake, granting us the kingdom of heaven, because it is through this selflessness and love that the world will be drawn to him.[2] “The Spirit binds the church together in the unity of a common life. At the same time, the presence of the Spirit of Christ, through a foretaste of glory, also joins the church to Christ in his suffering, and shows us the glory of the cross. The Spirit who groans in yearning for the glory to come joins us to Christ in our present suffering,” Clowney describes.[3]

Later in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus illustrates the proper response to suffering within the Church. In the parable of the Sheep and Goats, those who inherit the kingdom are rewarded because they helped “the least of these brothers of mine.”[4] In Galatians, Paul writes, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”[5] Elsewhere Christ reminds us that we will always have the poor with us; this does not mean that we should not work to alleviate poverty. Our first response should be to aid the suffering Church, our brothers and sisters in our family.

There continues today an assumption among the Western Church that the value of religious freedom is inherent in all countries and cultures. The lack of recognition that Christians still face persecution is detrimental to the life of the Church, and clearly not obeying the call of Christ.[6] Christianity Today reports “that the majority of Christians in the developed West – and in the United States in particular – have shown either ignorance or indifference about global Christian persecution.”[7] Nina Shea, former director of Freedom House’s Puebla Program on Religious Freedom, asserts “Christians are in fact the most persecuted religious group in the world today, with the greatest number of victims.”[8]

The numbers are often startling. As of 2002, there were1.7 billion Christians worldwide, but they are a religious minority in 87 countries and territories.[9] As many as one in ten face daily persecution of some form. They are often legally or institutionally persecuted because of their identification as Christians. This may mean job, heath care or education discrimination. The local Church may have difficulty obtaining building permits or gathering to worship without being monitored, afraid of arrest or worse.[10]

We are not called to suffer alone. Christ is near in our times of suffering; his representative body, the Church, should be near as well. Christians are called to boast for one another, to share with those in chains for the gospel, and to remember the mistreated.[11] Barclay believed that it is not individual man’s duty to raise issues of conscience in a society, but that of the Church. He does not follow this to the logical conclusion that when the Church in one part has stood for Christ, the whole Church must stand with her.[12]

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[1] 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
[2] John 13:34
[3] Clowney, The Church, 53
[4] Matthew 25:40
[5] Galatians 6:10
[6] Kim A. Lawton, “CT Classic: The Suffering Church.” n.p. [Cited 1 April 2002]. Online: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/aprilweb-only/4-29-44.0.html
[7] Lawton, “CT Classic: The Suffering Church.”
[8] Lawton, “CT Classic: The Suffering Church.”
[9] Lawton, “CT Classic: The Suffering Church.”
[10] Sookhdeo, Patrick, ed. “The Persecuted Church,” Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 32, 2005.
[11] 2 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:8, Hebrews 13:3
[12] Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, 118

Suffering: Call to the Church

Call to the Church

The sum of apostolic teaching reflects this proclamation of suffering for the people of Christ, illustrated poignantly by Peter in his first letter and Paul in his second letter to the church at Corinth. The unity of the suffering Church is expressed when Peter writes, “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”[1] Edmund Clowney captures the tension of union with Christ in both suffering and glory, seen in Matthew and Peter:

But how do we taste that glorious blessing? By suffering in fellowship with Christ, bearing insults for his name ([Peter] 4:13-14). Christ’s Spirit leads the church down the path the Saviour took, the path to Golgotha. ‘To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps’ ([Peter] 2:21).”[2]

The power of the resurrection is visibly at work in faith, hope and love, and the realization of that power in Christ’s sufferings.[3] So central is suffering that Gaffin calls this the “locus of Christ’s ascension-power.”[4] The resurrection power of Christ is manifested in the suffering Church.[5]

The Church is one Body in Christ and so should suffer as one. So long as one member suffers, suffering will remain a mark of discipleship in the Church. Stott views persecution as a “token of genuineness, a certificate of Christian authenticity.”[6] He continues, quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

Suffering, then, is the badge of true discipleship. The disciple is not above his master. Following Christ means passio passive, suffering because we have to suffer. That is why Luther reckoned suffering among the marks of the true Church, and one of the memoranda drawn up in preparation for the Augsburg Confession similarly defines the Church as the community of those “who are persecuted and martyred for the gospel’s sake”… Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer. In fact, it is a joy and a token of his grace.[7]

Later in Matthew’s Gospel, we see that those who fall away in the face of persecution were not regenerate. To those who belong to Christ, it has been granted that they should and will suffer.[8] Suffering is not an addition to the gospel by any means. As Gaffin explains, “the controlling consideration is union with Christ in his death and resurrection such that to “know”/experience Christ is to experience the power of his resurrection and that, in turn, is to experience the fellowship of his sufferings – a total reality that can be summed up at conformity to Christ’s death.”[9]

[1] 1 Peter 4:13-14
[2] Clowney, The Church, 62
[3] Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” 10
[4] Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” 10
[5] Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” 10
[6] Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 52
[7] Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount , 53
[8] Philippians 1:29, 2 Timothy 3:12; Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount , 77
[9] Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” 10

Sightings

It's back.

Competing with UFO's in Texas, the Wiener Mobile made it's second appearance on my street (and in my usual parking spot).

Night shot:

I'm mildly entertained by all the cars stopping to take pictures on their cell phones. And then I remember that I took my camera with me on a run tonight to catch this shot.

Suffering: Defining Suffering

The paper continues below.

A note about comments: due to some irritating spam comments, I've enabled comment moderation. I hope that does not dissuade anyone and apologize for the inconvenience.

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Richard Gaffin uses a more comprehensive definition of suffering, inclusive of the effects of a fallen world. He does acknowledge that there are “trivial” and “monumental” examples of suffering. However, by defining suffering as “everything that pertains to creaturely experiences [because] of this death-principle,” he strays from his otherwise solid argument that suffering is a fundamental aspect of Church existence.[1] What is neglected by connecting suffering with the “bondage to decay” is that all creation suffers under the frustration of sin - this is not singular to the Church. Just as there is common grace and special, salvific grace, so is there common sufferings of all mankind, but the special sufferings of the Church are distinct to the Body of Christ.

Contrary to Gaffin’s articulation of suffering as a consequence the “futility/decay principle,” the suffering of the Church is directly associated with Christ and the adherence to righteousness.[2] When Christ says you will be persecuted because of me, and you will be persecuted because of righteousness, he unmistakably joins the suffering of his followers to the proclamation of himself as Righteous Lord. John also records Jesus’ association of himself, truth and our suffering:

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not
belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the
world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than
his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed
my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of
my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.[3]

The world will reject the Church as it rejects the truth of Christ, because his teaching is counter to the expectations of the world. Just as first century Judaism wanted a political Messiah to liberate them from Roman rule, the world today cannot fathom a ruler – let alone God himself – reigning by humbly serving. However, the Church’s suffering is not from a flaunting of herself:

“The persecution Jesus is talking about and for which believers are to ‘rejoice
and be glad’ is not the hostility that will come to them from the world because
they have made themselves a nuisance, insulted people they are trying to
influence, or been rude, crude, or fanatical. It is because they have
become like Christ in his righteousness and are therefore being hated for
righteousness’ sake, as Jesus was,” Boice explains.[4]

It is this righteousness that some will find repulsive. Barclay asked why persecution was inevitable, and answered with the following: “It is because the Church, when it really is the Church, is bound to be the conscience of the nation and the conscience of society. Where there is good the Church must praise; where there is evil the Church must condemn – and inevitably men will try to silence the troublesome voice of conscience.”[5] Friedrich Nietzsche found Christianity pitiful and weak because in Christ, God was not strong or brave or powerful.[6] But as the writer of Hebrews explains, “it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”[7]

[1] Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” 9-11
[2] Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” 11
[3] John 15:19-21
[4] Boice, The Gospel of Matthew, 76
[5] Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew 118
[6] Stott, The Message of The Sermon on the Mount, 55
[7] Hebrews 2:10

Suffering: Why Suffering?

Disclaimer: This week I got my final grade for this class, and apparently this paper is total crap.

Enjoy!

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Why Suffering?

There are three main observations made when examining why the Church is called to suffering. One, Christ came as a Suffering Servant to fulfill covenant demands. Second, he modeled this suffering throughout his public and private ministry. Third, he called his disciples to suffer, and proclaims the suffering of his followers, his Church, until his return in glory.

The Covenant of Grace demands the suffering of Christ. For God to fulfill the terms of the Covenant – the unilateral Abramic covenant of grace – He had to be both Lord and Servant. Covenant relationships were solidified by the shedding of blood, specifically by the halving of a sacrificial animal, either between a superior king and vassal king, or between a lord and his servant. In the case of Abraham, the Covenant was made entirely on God’s initiative and actions. Abraham was a passive bystander, asleep during the actual event.[1] It was the Lord that passed down the center aisle, symbolizing that if the covenant were broken by either party, he would pay the penalty with the sacrifice of his own blood. God was and is both Lord and Servant of his Covenant – his righteousness and justice demanded the terms of the binding, legal covenant be met, and his death on the cross completely fulfilled those very demands. Only God himself could meet these demands, and this is found in the innocent blood of the crucified Christ.[2]

Throughout the Old Testament, the coming Messiah is one who will suffer and reign in glory.[3] We cannot miss or misplace one aspect or the other. He is most certainly sovereign and his return in glory is assured. But his sufferings on earth, and his call for us to suffer in the interadvental period, are also guaranteed. In stark contrast to the expectations of first century Judaism, Christ had to suffer to usher in his Kingdom reign; not as a political king, but a Servant King, and our identity in him should be that of suffering. His actions in the Gospels display that power is found in suffering, humiliation and service.[4]

The connection between the Suffering Servant and our submission to his call for the Church to suffer with him is found in the power of the resurrection. This is why Peter says,

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. [5]

Freedom in Christ is found in the power of his resurrection, and freedom from sin leads to suffering for truth.[6]

[1] Genesis 15
[2] Edmund Clowney, The Church, (Downers Grove. InterVarsity, 1995), 35-36
[3] See, among others, Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.
[4] Richard Gaffin, “Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism,” from Theonomy. A Reformed Critique, William S. Barker and W. Robert Godfrey, eds. (Grand Rapids. Zonderban, 1990), pp 197-224.
[5] 1 Peter 2:21
[6] Philippians 3:7-10

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Three sections left...

Suffering: Case Text (Part 2)

Four elements in Matthew 5:10-12 stand out: (1) this is characteristic of Kingdom people, (2) the relationship of righteousness and Christ, (3) suffering partakes in the heritage of the saints, and (4) we are to rejoice in our sufferings.

The Church of Christ, his Body, Bride and Building, comprises the kingdom inhabitants of the Kingdom of God, for which Matthew uses his favored phrase, “kingdom of heaven.” The characteristics found in the Beatitudes are purposefully striking in their tension with the world’s expectations and values. Our persecution for Christ’s sake comes not from our own obnoxiousness or self-righteousness, nor should it. It comes directly from “the clash between two irreconcilable value-systems.”[1] The Lord values humility, service, honesty, and selfless love. The world does not.

Christ blesses those persecuted for righteousness sake and those who are persecuted because of faith in him. Ridderbos argues that righteousness is connected with the concept of the kingdom of heaven, and not the righteousness imputed to us by Christ.[2] However, this is close to the traditional Lutheran view, and paints the Beatitudes as a revision of the Ten Commandments – a new law. Christ immediately dismisses this notion, illustrating that he came to fulfill the Law, and concluding that “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”[3] Christ is not giving another law, impossible to fulfill. As James Boice explains, this righteousness is obviously unattainable on our own accord. It is only because of our own despair that we might turn to Christ and find new life in him.[4] The Beatitude examples are the working out of salvation, our sanctification. Just as Christ later urges us on to perfection, because we are perfected in him, so here he can speak of our becoming righteous as his righteousness.[5]

When Christ speaks of persecution in the Sermon on the Mount, he is not merely stating that those who stand for righteousness will face the possibility of persecution. This is a plain proclamation for all who trust in Christ. Jesus shifts, expanding from addressing those to addressing you.[6] Persecution is coupled with you, the disciples and followers of Christ, and it is the direct result of Christ himself.[7] The heritage of the disciples and the Body of Christ are one, because all are coheirs with Christ, “provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”[8]

The Church is linked with those who have gone before, offering a firm reminder to those that often benefit from others who have cleared the way. Barclay calls this “the bliss of the blood-stained way,” and he recounts that “to have to suffer persecution is, as Jesus himself said, the way to walk the same road as the prophets, and the saints, and the martyrs have walked. To suffer for the right is to gain a share in a great succession.”[9] As those called to suffer, the Church is now joined with Israel and the Old Testament prophets. This gives cause to rejoice, as it demonstrates the Church’s position as the Lord’s chosen people.

Commanding his followers to rejoice in our sufferings, Jesus reminds us that this is no small thing to be counted as his. The Church is chosen to display the Lord’s glory to the earth, and lest we become inflated with self-righteousness and pride, it must be done through suffering for the sake Christ our Lord. It is through the Church’s suffering that the world should look to the treasure of Christ, not to the jars of clay containing the prize.[10] We can rest in the hope that suffering produces, boasting in our weakness for the gain of Christ.[11]

[1] Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 52
[2] Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom, 286
[3] Matthew 5:20
[4] Boice, The Gospel of Matthew, 72
[5] Matthew 5:48
[6] Matthew 5:1-2
[7] Matthew 5:11
[8] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, (New York. Simon & Schuster, 1995), 107; Romans 8:17
[9] Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, 115
[10] 2 Corinthians 4:7
[11] Romans 5:3; 2 Corinthians 12:9

A poem, on Epiphany

Journey of the Magi

T.S. Eliot

A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times when we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities dirty and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wineskins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

Suffering: Case Text (Part I)

Introduction

Case Text: The Last Beatitude

Disdain and distancing from suffering is nothing new or unique to today. Herman Ridderbos writes of the historical dilemma involving Christ’s suffering and that “the attempt has been made to cancel the significance of all this by explaining such explicit pronouncements on the necessity of the sufferings as vaticinia ex eventu (prophecies after the events) and ascribing them to the later Christian church.” [1] He is speaking of the sufferings of Christ, but the sufferings of our Savior and the call to the Church to join in his sufferings are tightly related. Ridderbos expounds, “In opposition to such conceptions it must be maintained that the idea of the suffering and death of Christ and its necessity is one of the most essential elements of the kerygma [proclamation, preaching] of Christ in the synoptic gospels and from the outset it also determined Jesus’ actions in word and deeds.”[2] Christ teaches that his followers will suffer in the Sermon on the Mount, and the New Testament writers repeatedly echo this teaching.

Historical scholarship and interpretations abound on the Sermon on the Mount, ranging from the interim ethic of Albert Schweitzer to the Lutheran view as a Sermon of (new) Law. This is close to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s view, but John Stott draws out that Bonhoeffer did capture the more reformed, kingdom-theology approach.[3] The set of standards found in the Beatitudes is addressed to the Church and must be the goal, with the ultimate realization that only through the resurrection power of Christ can believers strive towards that goal, and only in the future will the Church fully achieve it perfectly.[4] Ridderbos explains that these kingdom prescriptions “though still future as regards [to] its perfect consummation, it has fundamentally become a fact at the present moment.”[5]

All of the Beatitudes are descriptions of the character of the Church, yet the last Beatitude is the only one expanded and personalized. Christ is addressing his disciples, and by extension, all his followers, giving instructions in how they should set themselves apart in the world. This is how the world will see our witness, in our love for one another by living out the Beatitudes. When Christ gave the Great Commission - to go forth and be the Church[6] - this was his vision for how to be his Kingdom people. Our path of discipleship is along the road of the Beatitudes.

[1] Herman Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom. Philadelphia. (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1962), 159
[2] Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom, 159
[3] Stott, The Message of The Sermon on the Mount, 53
[4] Craig L. Blomberg, Jesus and the Gospels, (Nashville. Broadman & Holman, 1997), 247
[5] Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom, 73
[6] Matthew 28:19-20; note the command to teach the disciples of all nations all that Christ had commanded them.

Assassination and Atonement

I typically don’t write about current events. However, it’s been refreshing to not have classes for a few weeks now. My social life is back, at least until January 2, when I will have to try and squeeze in a virtual class before the Spring semester starts on January 30. Eeek. I still plan on throwing up some papers from last semester, but for now I’ll occupy you all (all three of you) with some thoughts on the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto and a movie review.

“Shocked.” “Stunned.” “Surprised.” These words appear repeatedly, splashed across news sources in story after story of Bhutto’s death. Seriously? Bhutto’s goal was not martyrdom, but she knew this was a very real, very likely probability. It was only a matter of time before an assassination attempt succeeded. I am surprised at how many reporters, politicians, officials and others who express such naiveté. Saddened, certainly. Disappointed and dismayed, sure. But shocked that threats from terrorist organizations with a history of carrying out their threats actually happened? No way. When will we learn that they mean what they say and do what they say? If they feel they have a chance to disrupt “democratic” elections, they will. Did we learn nothing from Madrid? And how many different accounts can Pakistan’s Interior Ministry give on her cause of death?

Entirely unrelated, I saw Atonement last night. This is the screenplay adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel and as the NYT review states, it’s not a bad adaptation; it just demonstrates how diminishing the alteration of literature into film can be. Mind you, I have not read the book. But the film’s expression of Briony’s attempt to atone for her one grave sin lacks moral plausibility. I walked out thinking, “Either that was a poor ending done to save time, or Briony’s really did not understand atonement. “

And, from a secular source, I suppose one cannot expect such. However, even from that view, her attempt at righting a terrible wrong felt self-satisfying, even self-righteous. This was not an act that the two characters wronged would have felt was due penance for her sin, but it certainly makes her feel better. What’s interesting is that Briony displays some understanding of this… and then it fades. In any case, the Times review is worth the read and the movie is worth seeing. I disagreed with the reviewer on his/her assessment of the war scenes as detached. I found them very moving and believable; the ending, however, was not.

Things that helped me get through finals

The key to getting through finals without complete loss of sanity is, of course, bribery. (aka, "rewards" systems that you all know you do!)

So aside from the occasional <>, alright, daily trip to the coffee purveyor of my choice, here's what kept me going.

1. Vivaldi's Four Seasons. This is actually the only music I can study to; anything with words and I just end up singing along. It also happens to be my favorite composition. Ever.
2. Easy Tiger, Ryan Adams. In all honesty, I haven't even listened to any Ryan Adams past Gold. And Gold is still my favorite solo project, but Easy Tiger is growing on me. There are hints of Adams' brilliance on "Two Hearts" and "Everybody Knows." I wanted to like "The Sun Also Sets," and it starts out so well, but he tries too hard with too many transitions and vocalizations. Redeeming track: "Pearls on a String."
3. The Washington Ballet's Nutcracker. Not as polished as Joffery or the American Ballet Theater, but the creative interpretation of an Americana-inspired Nutcracker was delightful. Amazing costume design. Favorite part: the Russian dance was done in a "frontiersman" theme... complete with Davy Crockett.
4. This song by the Swedish musician Loney, dear.
5. Thai Kitchen. I'm not a big fan of packaged food. But, after realizing that I was pretty much only consuming coffee/chai or Panera, I had to find a healthier way to eat in a rush while studying. They were actually cheaper in the store ($1.29) and vegan and gluten free. :)

What I'm looking forward to over break:

Reading The Once and Future King. And taking another class, of course.

A Poem for Finals

My roommate sent me this poem as an encouragment, since we both have our last finals tomorrow night. I liked it so much I decided to post it.

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.

So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.

Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion - put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheapf
or power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front by Wendell Berry

Christmas Reflections (again)

This seems to be a common search result that leads to my blog but I'm not sure how well I did stringing the series together the first time. So, I'll post all the links to the series below.

I am 3 days away from being done with finals and then I might have time to do some more Christmas reflecting this year. Hopefully.


Many blessings to you all this Christmas season.

• Anticipation


• Christmas Reflections I


• Preparation


• Christmas Reflections II


• Advent and Resurrection
  

Actually, I just realized I never finished the series. I'll work on that over break. :)

Suffering: Introduction

Finished my Gospels paper Wednesday afternoon about 20 minutes before it had to be postmarked. Sadly, (more than sadly - shamefully) I did not proof read the entire paper before printing, shoving it in an envelope, and dragging my semi-conscious self to the post office.

This is the intro. I'll post the rest in sections as I am able to edit and revise. :) Just one caveat: I was limited to picking my primary scripture from the Gospels, since it was for the Gospels class. My goals for the Systematic paper due in two weeks are to a) not abuse the semicolon b) avoid my Midwest tendency of ending sentences with prepositions and c) not split my verbs. Old habits die hard. Urgh.

~ ~ ~

The Proclamation of Suffering
Implications for missions

Introduction
Christ calls us to suffer, displaying resurrection power through our sufferings, refining us and drawing the world to him. The call to the Church, as we wait for our savoir to return, is found in the proclamation of suffering. Today, we are inundated with Western individualism, ignoring the unity of the Body of Christ, or taken to the other extreme with the communal salvation of federal vision theology. We have lost sight of what it means for the Church – unified in Christ – to suffer. The prosperity gospel infiltrates confessional, reformed churches as much as mainstream Christianity, subtly relating suffering with a lack of material possessions, status or reputation. This is a far cry from the suffering Christ proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”[1]

There are common sufferings cause by the fallen state of mankind that all of humanity experience: disease, sickness, toil in labor, and death itself are all the result of Adam’s sin. But this is not the suffering Christ exampled, nor is it the heritage of the prophets of Israel, and neither is it the call to the Church. True Christian suffering is harassment, legal or institutional punishment or discrimination, interrogation, arrest, fines or bribes, imprisonment, or murder for one’s faith, including perceived and actual evangelism, whether formally or informally outlawed by the state. In short, suffering is persecution because of faith in Christ. The early Church experienced persecution daily, suffering for truth, not because of the sinful state of mankind.[2] William Barclay captures this, quoting an old poet describing the Church as “the panting, huddled flock whose crime was Christ.”[3]

What does it mean for the Church to suffer in today’s world? Why are we called to suffer? What implications does this have for how the Western (and presumably non-suffering) Church should interact with the worldwide Church?

Christ came to suffer and he calls us to join him.[4] This call is not optional, it is essential to the life of the Church. We need not seek suffering but we are obligated to partner with those in our brethren experiencing the daily sufferings from claiming Christ crucified. Supporting the global, indigenous and often suffering church, is essential for the life and mission of the Church, and fulfills the call of the Church to suffer with our brothers and sisters.

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[1] Matthew 5:10-12
[2] John R.W. Stott, The Message of The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The Bible Speaks Today. (Downer’s Grove, InterVarsity Press, 1978), 52; William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 (Chapters 1 to 10). The Daily Study Bible Series (rev. ed.). (Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1975), 111-113; James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of Matthew: Volume 1, The King and His Kingdom, Matthew 1-17. (Grand Rapids. Baker Books, 2001), 77, cf. 1 Peter 3:14
[3] Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, 114
[4] Mark 8:31