Half a Person

"Paul says a man 'will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' (Eph. 5:31). This is more than a reference to the physical union of a man and woman in marriage. The language puts before us the Lord's creation plan to make us whole persons. God created the wife to complement and complete the husband (Gen. 2:20-24). Lest this sound demeaning of her, think of what it connotes for him. The man is ever incomplete, incapable of realizing the divine potential God intends for him in this life, apart from the ministry of his wife in his marriage."

- Bryan Chapel, Each for the Other

Five years ago today, I stood inside Bethany Christian Reformed Church in Bellflower with a silly grin on my face as she gracefully entered the sanctuary to Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring performed by Ellen Lee and Joy Kang (now Joy Lee) on piano and cello. The only moments that can even compare with the excitement and joy I felt that day are the days when each of my three children were born, and the day I was ordained as a minister.

Today I am humbled and grateful for my wife, who is among the greatest of God's gifts to me. Christians are often careful to place God above family in the order of importance, as if our relationships exist in some ascending pyramid of significance. Yet the Bible declares to me that in God has given me my wife as a living Gospel. I am half a man without her, and through her God ministers to me, covers me with steadfast love and faithful grace.

She is able to do this because Jesus is her redeemer. She is able to bear with my stubbornness, laziness, and selfishness. She is able to forgive me when I wrong her, and devote herself to my good when I am needy and demanding. Her love and forgiveness is more precious than the love and forgiveness of anyone else because she lives with me and my sins day in and day out, and despite my shortcomings she works out her covenant bond to love and cherish me day by day.

My wife is not God, she is not Jesus, she is not even the Holy Spirit; yet the redeeming grace of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in her and through her to make me whole. In fact, my marriage to her is a reflection of Christ's marriage to his church and through my wife I am drawn more and more to see and cherish the love of God for in Christ.

Happy anniversary baby. I love you.

Two Ways to Abolish the Law

In his book UnChristian: What a Generation Really Thinks About Christianity, David Kinnaman sites the top three negative perceptions of Christians as: (1) Antihomosexual; (2) Judgmental; (3) Hypocritical.

How should Christians respond? Should Christians lighten up on their beliefs and be more accepting of the beliefs and lifestyles of others? Or should Christians just become more entrenched in their beliefs and write off these perceptions as the misinformed postmodern views of a godless people? There is a third way in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Problem with Relativism

During the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5, Jesus makes some strong statements about his life's purpose. Starting in verse 17, Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

It seems that the perception that people had about Jesus was that he was a relativist. They thought that he stood for "abolishing the law." When we read the Gospels, we can certainly understand why. After all Jesus spends significant time with people of irreputable character (corrupt officials, prostitutes, loose women, drunkards, etc.).

The problem with abolishing the law with relativism is that this means we can have no hope outside ourselves. Right and wrong hang in the balance based upon who we are here and now; and who we are here and now in this world is all we will ever be.

Jesus says, "For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

The kingdom and heaven does not stand on relativism, but on the perfect righteousness required by the Law of God.

The Problem with Moralism

On the other hand, Jesus clearly declares that moralism is not the answer either. Jesus concludes this portion of his sermon saying, "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

When we hear Jesus speak so strongly about the importance of the Law, we might think that the answer is that we must simply try harder to live moral lives. Jesus addresses this potential misunderstanding right away by pointing to the most moralistic people living in Israel: the Pharisees. Jesus is saying that moralism is not enough. The Law of God requires a righteousness that surpasses the most moral people among us. This is a righteousness that surpasses the Mother Teresas, the Mahatma Gandhis, the Dalai Lamas, or the [insert your model of morality]. How much morality is enough? The Law of God requires morality that does not "relax one of the least of these commandments" nor "teaches others to do the same."

In the end, moralism abolishes the law just as much as relativism. For moralism brings the law's requirement for perfect righteousness down to a human scale. Moralistic people consider themselves moralistic because they consider themselves more moral than others. Not even the most moral among us would dare say that they are morally perfect (unless they are delusional).

The Friend to Sinners who Fulfilled the Law

Jesus says all this to point out that he is different from us. Jesus does not abolish the law with relativism or with moralism. Jesus fulfills the Law. In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ all of the Law is accomplished. You would think that such moral perfection would make Jesus into a very judgmental person. Yet he was a friend to sinners. In fact, he was so close to sinners that people perceived him to be a relativist.

What we see here in Jesus' sermon is not a call to action as much as it is a call to faith. He is calling us to see that we really have no hope to imitate him. Jesus is not giving us a model for Christian life as much as he is presenting himself to us as our Savior. He wants us to see that we are the sinners - whether we lean toward relativism or moralism - we have all in our own way abolished the Law.

Jesus Christ, the God-Man, fulfilled all the Law of God in our place so that all who believe in him can say that through union with Jesus they too have fulfilled all the Law of God. He drew near to people like us, law abolishers, to live, die, and rise again for our salvation. This is good news for antihomosexual, judgmental, hypocrits. It is good news for a generation that thinks poorly of Christians. This news humbles us, makes us compassionate, inspires us to befriend and care for people who need this Jesus as much as we do, and it stokes a fiery love for the goodness of God's Law that exposes and restores us from our hypocrisy.

Office Hours

My alma mater, Westminster Seminary California has a new podcast featuring interviews with its distinguished faculty. One of the things that I loved most about my seminary education was the freedom I had to drop by and chat about theology, ministry, and life with my professors in their offices. So much of who I am today as a minister was shaped by time spent talking, praying, and studying under the godly, pastoral, and deeply pious faculty of Westminster. I am thrilled that the seminary has produced this podcast and I commend it to you. The seminary is giving away five gift packages to listeners during the first season of the podcast. Go to the Heidelblog for more info.

God and Money in Tough Times

The New York Times did a short piece on the ministry of prosperity gospel "evangelists" Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. The Copelands are a dynamic husband and wife ministry duo whose message has been characterized as a "prosperity gospel." The article opens with a description of one of their recent meetings at the Southwest Believers' Convention in Forth Worth, Texas:

"Onstage before thousands of believers weighed down by debt and economic insecurity, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland and their all-star lineup of 'prosperity gospel' preachers delighted the crowd with anecdotes about the luxurious lives they had attained by following the Word of God."

Journalist, Laurie Goodstein, observes that even during this severe economic downturn, people are coming out in large numbers to hear these evangelists of "wealth and prosperity." There is a strong appeal to this message of a prosperous life. But the "prosperity gospel" in all its forms offers nothing but an empty and false hope. It is no gospel at all. Here are some of its biggest problems:

1) The "prosperity gospel" is based on works not grace: the promise of wealth and prosperity is given to those who are faithful and more specifically, who faithfully give. There is no grace here. God's blessings in the "prosperity gospel" are not free and unmerited, but earned and well deserved (Eph. 2:8-9). The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is absolutely unnecessary to receive these worldly blessings.

2) The "prosperity gospel" offers empty promises: faith in Jesus Christ does not lead to a prosperous and comfortable life, but a life of suffering. The pattern of Jesus' life is suffering in this world, glory in the next. As a people united with Jesus, we must participate in His sufferings in order to participate also in his glory (Rom. 8:17).

3) The "prosperity gospel" preys on the weak and shows partiality to the strong: those who are under financial hardship are told that they must become wealthy in order to fully participate in the blessings of God. Those who are wealthy are held up as examples of those who are blessed by God (James 2:1-7).

While I absolutely reject this so called "prosperity gospel" I have to admit that I myself am tempted to look for more tangible blessings from God in the here and now rather than finding contentment in what is in store for me in the hereafter. At its essence the "prosperity gospel" reverses the already but not yet of the gospel.

The cross and empty tomb declares to me that I already possess the richest spiritual blessings from God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But the "prosperity gospel" declares to me that I do not yet possess these blessings until I am wealthy and prosperous here and now. The death and resurrection of Christ declares that I have not yet entered into glory so I must bear my cross and follow where my Savior tread; persevering by faith. But the "prosperity gospel" declares to me that I already can possess glory I can see with my eyes through worldly weath, power, and influence.

I am disgusted by this "prosperity gospel" especially because I see how strongly it appeals to me. I often long to forego the not yet suffering of the gospel and experience the already prosperity of the false gospel. I am not looking for a financial windfall. I am just looking for fewer tantrums from my toddlers, a little more financial stability so I won't have to struggle with living on a budget, a little more free time to do things for myself, a little more impact in people's lives so I can validate my gifts as a minister. None of these things are bad in themselves, yet they subtley rob me of my deepest spiritual treasures in Christ. I can not lust after the so-called blessings that are already in the prosperity of this world without giving up the blessings that are already mine in Christ.

As C.S. Lewis puts it, my desires are not too strong, but too weak. Lewis writes, "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imaginge what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

Whare are some ways that you have found the "Prosperity Gospel" infiltrating your life?

Vampire Lust

Apologies to the one or two of you out there who have been following this blog for the long hiatus. Most of my "spare" time has been diverted to family, church, and my other blog this past month.

I came across this thoughtful piece written by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan in today's NY Times. The writers opine about why our culture is obsessed with the subject of vampires in film, television, and literature. It struck a chord with me because my wife recently discovered the Twilight trilogy of books. We've been discussing the books almost every night. The concept of vampires stuck in an unending undead existence as teenagers tickles us.

Tracing the modern legend of vampires back to 1816, Hogan and del Toro identify some similarities between then and now. The birth of the vampire legend came out of a time of famine when people were deprived of basic needs and faced with a sense of their mortality. As Hogan and del Toro trace the social conditions behind the birth of vampire lore, they observe:

"in contrast to timeless creatures like the dragon, the vampire does not seek to obliterate us, but instead offers a peculiar brand of blood alchemy. For as his contagion bestows its nocturnal gift, the vampire transforms our vile, mortal selves into the gold of eternal youth, and instills in us something that every social construct seeks to quash: primal lust. If youth is desire married with unending possibility, then vampire lust creates within us a delicious void, one we long to fulfill."

The New Testament Greek word for "lust" is epithumia, "over-desire" (Gal. 5:16). This word describes a desire that controls us. According to the Bible, our "over-desires" do not fill a void; they create one.

One common theme in vampire lore is tragedy. The tantalizing promise of immortality in these tales comes with a heavy price. The truth is that an immortal existence with nothing to occupy us than our obsession with our own desires does not a satisfying and peaceful life make. The answer is not in the rejection of all desire either. Desire is truly a human emotion.

The good news is that God has provided us with someone who can satisfy all our desires through eternity: himself! While vampire lore encourages us to fantasize about the nearness of immortality (anyone can be bit by a vampire), the Bible shows us that immortality is far beyond the reach of the best of us. Yet God came down from heaven, was born as a man, not to become a vampire who feeds on human blood, but to become the God-Man who dies on the cross and rises again so all who believe in him can feed on him in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper (Matt. 26:26-29). Jesus reconciles us with God, renews and strengthens us by his word, spirit, and sacraments, and he will bring all who believe in him into eternal glory to enjoy him forever.

I don't think I will stop watching vampire movies. They're just so entertaining! But I find deep comfort in knowing the difference between fantasy and reality. I give thanks to God that the good news offered to me in Jesus Christ is not the stuff of myth, but the counter-intuitive message that exposes human mythology for what it is.

On your baptism

My wife and I have a tradition of writing a letter to our children when they are baptized. Here is the letter we wrote for our daughter Lois on her baptism, June 28, 2009.










Dearest Lois,

You are sleeping quietly in your bassinet as I write this. Tomorrow you will be baptized. Baptism is a holy sacrament. What is a sacrament you ask? A sacrament is a sign. Tomorrow Pastor Joshua Lee will sprinkle water over your head. This water is a sign of your death and resurrection in Christ (Romans 6:4).

Lois, your baptism shows you that you belong to Jesus. He lived the life of perfect obedience, devotion to God, and love for his neighbors that you could never live because you have a sinful nature. You were born guilty. You are your father's and mother's daughter. We are guilty sinners too. We come from a long line of guilty sinners say back to the first father and mother. But God rescued us by sending us Jesus. When Jesus died for our sins, he died not only as the perfect human being. He died also as God. In his one death, he paid for all the sins of his people: past, present, and future. When Jesus rose from the dead, he rose not only as God, but also as our Savior to give us eternal life.

Your baptism shows you that because Jesus died for you on the cross, you have already died with him. It has only been sixty days since you were born, but death has no power over you now. The sting of death is gone. Your death is in the past, nailed to a cross over 2,000 years ago. You have been buried with Christ. You can not die again.

Your baptism also shows you that because Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, you have also risen with him in his resurrection. You are only two months old, but you can already taste the benefits of eternal life. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. You have been seated with Christ in the heavenlies.

A sacrament is also a pledge of God's Covenant of Grace. The water sprinkled over your head is God's promise that he will truly save you from all the guilt you ever feel, all the mistakes you ever make, all the misery you ever experience, all the troubles of this passing evil age, all for the sake of Jesus Christ. God's salvation is a free gift. He promises through baptism that it is yours only by believing in Jesus and turning away from your sins.

Some people only receive baptism after they have already come to fully understand and believe that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. God has come to you in this baptism before you could clearly understand or believe. It is a powerful reminder that you will not find your greatest hope within yourself, but outside yourself in God. God has been pleased to bring you up in a Christian home with two Christian parents who are deeply flawed and sinful but saved by his grace. Lois we pledge to love and nurture you as a precious daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords. We will pray for you and with you. We will teach you from the Bible. We will share our faith in Christ with you through all of life's joys and sorrows. Today, you are also joining the Body of Christ. From this day forward you will always have a spiritual family in the Church. Beloved Lois, our greatest dream for you is that one day we will worship Jesus together with you in full sincerity and faith through all eternity.

Love,
Daddy and Mommy

Church Planting

I've been away from this blog for the past month helping my wife care for my newborn daughter and preparing to lead the birth of a new church in Fremont, a suburb of the San Francisco Bay Area. I've been asked many times about whether Fremont really needs another church.

We live in a culture that values individualism. We cheer for the person who is able to defy the naysayers and succeed by digging deep within. We celebrate those who challenge the establishment and stand against the majority. We distrust the authority of popes and princes.

A recent study shows that 71% of American adults say that they are "more likely to develop my religious beliefs on my own, rather than to accept an entire set of beliefs that a particular church teaches."

The problem with individualistic religion is that while it may feel more "authentic" it can not possibly be more true. Everyone can not possibly be equally right, especially when they hold contrary views about matters of ultimate importance like God, morality, meaning, and purpose.

Even while breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church, the protestant reformer, John Calvin understood how indispensable the church is to the spiritual well-being of believers. He did not make the mistake of rejecting the human authority of a pope for an individualistic religion where each person is his/her own pope. Calvin wrote,

"For there is no other way to enter into life unless this mother conceive us in her womb, give us birth, nourish us at her breast, and lastly unless she keep us under her care and guidance until, putting off mortal flesh, we become like angels. Our weakness does not allow us to be dismissed from her school until we have been pupils all of our lives...By these words God's fatherly favor and the especial witness of spiritual life are limited to his flock, so that it is always disastrous to leave the church."

At one point in Jesus' ministry, he asked his disciples who they thought he was. Simon Peter brazenly answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" Peter was convinced that Jesus was not merely the messenger of salvation, but the Savior. To this, Jesus responded, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." Then Jesus declared, "...on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18).

Some have interpreted this to mean that Jesus was establishing Peter to be the first pope (after all Peter comes from petros, Greek for rock). Notice, however that Jesus did not give Peter the credit for his profession of faith. Jesus gave credit to his "Father who is in heaven." The church would not stand on human authority, but on God's authority.

If the church is just another human institution, there are way too many churches in the world today and I don't want to have anything to do with it. But I believe Jesus when he says that he will build his church. Like Peter, the church's authority does not come from within (its human leadership), but rests on God's Word and Spirit. I can disagree with other believers about which church is interpreting and applying the Bible most faithfully, but I can not imagine life as a believer apart from the church.

In an age of individualistic religion, I believe in one holy catholic [universal] and apostolic church. That is why I am taking my family and leaving a secure pastorate at a church that we love to establish a new church in Fremont. You can read more about this church planting project at my other blog.

How have you resolved the tension between the authority of the church with the fallibility of the people leading them?

Resting with Purpose

It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

- Psalm 127:2

I am busier than ever these days. I long for rest. But I don't just want a vacation. I don't want to get away from it all. I want to tend to all the things competing for my attention at this moment. I want to devour the "bread of anxious toil" so I can say that I am in control.

The pursuit of control is such vanity. No matter how early I rise nor how late I rest the works of my hands will not last. Yet God says to me that he gives sweet sleep that the bread of anxious toil can never offer. This sleep comes from the knowledge that I am his beloved. I rest in God's arms safe and secure like my newborn daughter rests in her mother's embrace. I rest knowing that my rest will not be in vain for God is at work in me. He has fulfilled all that I need and desire in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. He assures me that all that I am to do flows from this rest in my Savior. I rest to work, not work to rest.

Thank God for this Gospel rest for my tired and weary soul; this Sabbath rest from my works (as an imitation of God's own rest from his own work of creation) redeemed for me on the cross where Jesus declared "it is finished!"

Psalm 139

My wife gave birth to our third child (Lois) this past Thursday. She and the baby were discharged from the hospital yesterday and home has been a place of wonder, exhaustion, and sweet affection. As my wife and I transition to a zone defense (like a champ my wife is playing with injuries right now) to navigate two toddlers and an infant competing for our attention we are being continually stretched and humbled. Through it all we are grateful that our Father in heaven does not tire or slumber. More thoughts to come on the miracle of life. For now, I will leave you with Psalm 139.

O LORD, you have searched me and
known me!
You know when I sit down and when I
rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying
down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it
altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful
for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your
presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are
there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the
sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall
cover me,
and the light about me be night,"
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for the darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my
mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you.
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the
earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of
them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there were none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts,
O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I would cound them, they are more
than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.

Oh that you would slay the wicked,
O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
They speak against you with malicious
intent;
your enemies take your name in vain!
Do I not hate those who hate you,
O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up
against you?
I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way
in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting!

Did God actually say?

The first words of the devil recorded in the Bible form the question, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?'" Casting doubt on the reliability of God's word (misinterpreting it to boot), this question has reverberated in the hearts and minds of people everywhere throughout history.

How do we know that God has spoken? Can we trust any sacred writings to actually contain the inspired, infallible, and inerrant word of God? Even if we grant that God has spoken, how can we be sure that the Bible of all books contains the word of God? Finally, if we grant that the Bible is the word of God how can we be sure that all of the Bible is God's word?

The Bible has a simple answer to this question,

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

In other words, the Bible simply states that it is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant word of God because it says so. The Bible itself is the greatest proof of its own reliability. You might look at that and say that it is no proof at all; but that is only because you've already made up your mind that the Bible is not the inspired, infallible, and inerrant word of God.

People have raised tons of objections about the reliability of the Bible throughout history. Some have compared it with ancient mythology. Others have pointed out its antiquated worldview. Many have fished out "inconsistencies" throughout the text. More recently people have tried to revive the long dead Gnostic religion by co-opting the Bible with extra-Biblical writings like the so called "Gnostic Gospels". There are tons of reasonable, academically honest, and historically accurate responses to these objections (a subject for another post). But in my experience there is a fundamental belief driving every intelligent point and counter-point that anyone can make about the Bible.

I love the way that Bryan Chapell put it in his message at the Gospel Coalition conference in Chicago this past Wednesday:

"The danger with believing that part of the Bible is true and part of it is not and we'll just make our judgment as we go through is that ultimately there will be that moment of darkness in your life, in which you will cry out into the darkness, 'doesn't somebody have a word of truth for me greater than my own understanding?!' And the only voice that will echo back in the darkness is your own. Because you have become the word of God, the judge of it and the only one supplying wisdom. God says, 'I rescued you from that.'"

Our popular culture often demonizes those who live with the belief that God has spoken through the Bible. People who actually believe that the Bible is the word of God are often portrayed as intolerably self-righteous and judgmental people. Sadly and ironically the Bible declares that is precisely the sort of attitude from which Jesus came to rescue us.

The Bible declares that those who believe in the Bible need to be saved by God just as much as those who do not believe in the Bible. We all have been duped by the greatest myth of all: that God has not actually spoken (see Tim Keller's excellent message on the Gospel as "The Grand Demythologizer" from the same conference). Yet God did not remain silent. God reached down through the Holy Spirit and inspired fallible fallen people to write down the infallible and inerrant Divine Word. Then as if that were not enough, God came down to speak to us in the person and work of Jesus Christ. God did all this to rescue us from the darkness.

"On Fire" and Burnt Out

All it took was three consecutive baskets. Three consecutive baskets, and your player was "on fire" in the '90s arcade classic, "NBA Jams." A player "on fire" could run faster (unlimited turbo), block more shots, and make more baskets. Kids across the country (including the short Asian kid who grew up to write this blog) were able to live out their dreams in this video game.

Christians sometimes talk about being "on fire" for God. This usually refers to an experience of unusual religious excitement, a deep emotional sense of the closeness of God, and sudden radical life change demonstrated in tangible life decisions. Christians "on fire" for God feel like they can do anything, spiritually speaking.

When I first came to believe in Jesus, I lived to be "on fire" for God. Being "on fire" was evidence to me that God is real. It helped me feel good about myself. No matter how much I struggled with living for God during the week, I could count on the religious experience of being "of fire" to help me feel like I was still a good person.

The problem was that being "on fire" did not really change me at all. It did not make me really love God any more throughout the week. It did not help me understand God. It did not help me love others more. In fact, it really made me obnoxious and judgmental more than anything else. If people who are "on fire" for God scare you, I would have really freaked you out back in high school. Worst of all, when the fire was smothered by the bleak realities of life, I grew bitter, cynical, and burnt out. There is something about the pursuit of a life "on fire" for God that can be as fanciful and self-absorbed as playing NBA Jams (fun for a video game, but harsh for life).

During the 1800s a wave of revival was sweeping the country, and people who wanted to live lives that were "on fire" for God were walking down the aisle to sit on an "Anxious Bench" where a preacher would pressure them to change their lives. John Nevin wrote about this new wave of religious excitement that was sweeping the church during the 19th century in his book The Anxious Bench. A harsh critic of this movement, Nevin observed:

"Religion is not regarded as the life of God in the soul that must be cultivated in order that it may grow, but rather as a transient excitement to be renewed from time to time by suitable stimulants presented to the imagination."

A life in pursuit of being "on fire" for God is really not a life that requires faith in God at all. Dressed in the guise of religion and spirituality, being "on fire" for God is really neither about trusting God nor pleasing God; it thrives from a deep desire to trust in ourselves and to please ourselves.

There is Good News for people burnt out from the pursuit of a life "on fire" for God (or for other things that we would place in God's place). There is someone who gives us a reason to have hope when we can find no more reasons to have any hope in ourselves. The Gospel declares to us that God is "fired up". In fact, he is a consuming fire who will burn away everyone who fails to measure up to his moral perfection. Yet in Jesus Christ, this same God has delivered us from ourselves and made us part of a world without end by sending his Son to suffer and die in our place on the cross and rise again to eternal life. If we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself.

In a world filled with "how to" messages that leave us feeling guilty, worn out, inadequate, or obnoxious, self-righteous, and judgmental; God gives us a Savior. The life of faith in Jesus Christ really does change our lives. But Jesus does not change us through fleeting excitements. Jesus works slowly and steadily in the hearts of those who believe in him through their set-backs and backsliding, calling them through his Word again and again to turn away from themselves and trust on him. This is "the life of God in the soul that must be cultivated in order that it may grow." This life comes from the careful study of Jesus' words in the Bible in the church - a community of broken people that he calls to himself so they may build one another up in the Gospel and exalt their God and Savior.

Waiting on God

My three year old daughter prayed for me today. Here's how it all went down:

Anna: Why are you coughing daddy?
Me: Because I'm sick.
Anna: Did Abraham (my son) make you sick?
Me: I think so.
Anna: Why are you sick?
Me: I think Abraham made me sick.
Anna: How come? Did God make you sick?
Me: Anna, do you want to pray for me?
Anna: Ok.

She prayed a sweet simple prayer of faith as only a three year old can pray:

"Dear God, thank you for the father, thank you that you made us and take care of us, help daddy feel better. In Jesus' name, Amen."

About thirty minutes later:

Anna: How come you're still coughing dad?
Me: Because I'm sick Anna.
Anna: But I prayed for you!
Me: Oh Anna, when we pray we have to wait for God. We don't tell God what to do when we pray, we ask him to help us in the way that is best for us and sometimes that means that God will do something in our lives that we don't even understand.
Anna: Oh, ok.

I have to admit that I can identify with Anna's frustration. I often wonder what God is doing with my prayers. I am constantly tempted to treat God like an almighty butler who is sleeping on the job. The problem with looking at God like a lazy butler is that this puts us in the awkward, ridiculous, and ultimately disastrous position of managing God. So when God is slow to answer our prayers we naturally think of how we can manage him better.

We may try to manage God by "motivating" God into answering our prayers: "O, God if you hear my prayer I will give you a big bonus in my obedience! I will live for you and glorify you and serve you! I will be good to my wife and children. I will try really really hard to get to church on time."

Or we may try to manage God by "threatening" God into answering our prayers: "God please show me that you are real by hearing my prayer. I'm finding it hard to believe in you. Please show me that you exist by confirming what an important person I am."

Looking at God like a lazy butler will destroy our prayers, in fact it will destroy us altogether. Prayer like this is really not prayer at all, it is management; and it will leave us tired, worn out, disappointed, frustrated, bitter, self-righteous, and feeling condemned. This kind of faith in God is really not faith in God at all. It is faith in ourselves, and it will cut us off from the source of life, leaving us defenseless to stand judgment before him without representation.

The Good News of the Bible is not the message of a God who waits on us (like a butler); it is the message of the joy we can find in waiting on God.

Waiting on God means that when we have no hope in ourselves, we can still hope in God. Waiting on God means that when our lives don't make sense, we trust that God is still wise (his understanding is unsearchable). Waiting on God means that even when we feel like fainting from weariness, we trust that God will renew our strength with perpetual life and vigor: we will run and not be weary, walk and not faint.

The Good News is that this eager expectation that we can have in God is itself a free unmerited gift from God; for we can wait, trust, and hope in all these things because of Jesus alone. Because we who trust in Jesus have been freed from the law of sin and death, we can wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies, and wait for it with patience.

He is Risen!

Jesus Lives And So Shall I

Jesus lives, and so shall I.
Death! thy sting is gone forever!
He who deigned for me to die,
Lives, the bands of death to sever.
He shall raise me from the dust:
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, and reigns supreme,
And, his kingdom still remaining,
I shall also be with him,
Ever living, ever reigning.
God has promised: be it must:
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, and by his grace,
Vict'ry o'er my passions giving,
I will cleanse my heart and ways,
Ever to his glory living.
Me he raises from the dust.
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, I know full well
Nought from him my heart can sever,
Life nor death nor powers of hell,
Joy nor grief, hence forth forever.
None of all his saints is lost;
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, and death is now
But my entrance into glory.
Courage, then, my soul, for thou
Hast a crown of life before thee;
Thou shalt find thy hopes were just;
Jesus is the Christian's Trust.

Satisfaction in the Sufferings of Christ

When you first saw the title to this post did you think of your satisfaction or the satisfaction of God? The cross speaks to the Mick Jaggers and Keith Richards of the world, offering true satisfaction. But it is not the kind of satisfaction that we ordinarily look for in our lives. We live our lives looking for personal satisfaction. The cross is foremost about the satisfaction of God.

The Biblical account of the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross is a peculiar answer to our needs and problems. It only makes sense when we see our lives as part of a greater story, which does not begin with us, but with God. The Bible begins, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth". God does not exist for us, we exist for God. There on the cross, in his agonizing death on our behalf, Jesus accomplished the very thing we were created to do: bring God satisfaction. In our place, Jesus gave his Father perfect obedience and bore the full weight of the punishment we deserved for our disobedience. There on the cross, God was satisfied.

In his book The Economy of the Covenants between God and Man, Herman Witsius writes about the agony Christ this way:

"This exceeding trouble and agony did not arise only from the sympathy of the soul with the body, nor from the mere horror of impending death; it was something else that afflicted the soul of Christ, namely, his bearing the sins, not of one, but of all the elect; he had beheld the awful tribunal of God, before which he was presently to appear, in order to pay what he took not away; he saw the Judge himself, armed with all the terrors of his incomprehensible vengeance, the law brandishing all the thunders of its curses, the devil, and all the powers of darkness, with all the gates of hell just ready to pour in upon his soul: in a word, he saw justice itself, in all its inexorable rigour, to which he was now to make full satisfaction; he saw the face of his dearest Father, without darting a single ray of favour upon him, but rather burning with hot jealousy in all the terrors of his wrath against the sins of mankind, which he had undertaken to atone for. And withersoever he turned, not the least glimpse of relief appeared for him, either in heaven or on earth, till with resolution and constancy he had acquitted himself in the combat. These, these are the things, which, not without reason, struck Christ with terror and amazement, and forced from him his groans, his sighs, and his tears."

There is unexpected satisfaction to be found in the suffering of Christ; for there on the cross God is not only satisfied with Jesus; he is also satisfied with all who seek forgiveness by believing on Christ as their God and Savior. This is not some inner satisfaction that comes from being numb to the world or to the problems that surround us, or from perfect calm and zen-like peace in our lives. It is not the empty promise of consumerism to give us satisfaction in things. It is not even ultimately the hope of a better world (although by changing our lives, it makes us into better neighbors to people near and far). This satisfaction does not begin with us; it begins with God. It flows from the promise that for Jesus' sake God is satisfied with us; that he desires good for us; and that he will take us from this world to live with him forever one day.

The Selective Amnesia of Jesus

"From this we conclude that he had no regard for himself; as he clearly affirms, 'For their sake I sanctify myself'. For he who gave away the fruit of his holiness to others testifies that he acquired nothing for himself. And this is indeed worth noting: to devote himself completely to saving us, Christ in a way forgot himself."

- John Calvin

I wake up thinking about myself, my comfort, my problems, and my needs. Even when my thoughts are turned to others, to my wife, my children, and my church, I am trying to be a good husband, a good father, a good pastor who will be appreciated by those I love and serve. The moment my wife complains to me, or my children disobey me, or my parishioners criticize me I lose my motivation to love them. Deep down I have a sneaking suspicion that I matter more than them. In fact, the greatest thing that gets in the way of my own devotion to God is this attitude rooted in the corruption of my soul (which the Bible calls my sinful nature) that convinces me that I matter more even than God.

Jesus forgot himself completely. He had nothing to gain from his life in this world but the unbearable anguish of his body and soul on the cross. The source of all life forgot his life. The righteous one forgot his merit and innocence.

Jesus forgot himself, but he did not forget his Father who sent him. There on the cross, Jesus brought glory to his Father, accomplishing the work he had been given. His Father would forsake him on the cross, yet this did not diminish his love for his Father or his commitment to fulfilling his Father's will; it added fuel to his fiery determination to bring his Father glory.

Jesus forgot himself, but he did not forget the people he was sent to save. There on the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. His own people would abandon him, yet this did not diminish his love for them or his commitment to redeem them from their sins with his own life; it added fuel to his fiery determination to save his people.

Now that I have seen him crucified and risen for my salvation I can never forget how Jesus forgot himself for me. For even when I forget him he will not forget me.

What if Hitler really believed in Jesus?

A common objection to the unconditional forgiveness offered in the gospel is that it is unjust. When public figures who have been embroiled in scandal and criminals caught in their crimes alike conveniently "find Jesus" we can't help but be skeptical.

Thirty years after Vietnam invaded Cambodia and toppled the Khmer Rouge, a totalitarian communist government that had slaughtered some 1.7 million of its own people, the Kingdom of Cambodia, backed by the United Nations, has begun a War Tribunal to prosecute surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

The first defendant in these tribunals is Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch. He was the leader of Tuol Sleng prison in Phnom Penh. It is estimated that somewhere between 14,000-17,000 men, women, and children were tortured and killed under his rule. I visited Tuol Sleng last August (2008), and the mere thought of that place still brings a sickening feeling to the bottom of my gut.

The evidence is stacked against Duch. In fact, he has supplied most of the evidence himself. He has admitted his guilt. He has provided (and is providing) additional evidence about the atrocities perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. He has expressed remorse for his crimes, even apologizing directly to the victims who suffered under his leadership. And he has been a professing believer of Jesus since 1995.

As tempting as it would be to question his profession of faith, I want to take this for granted here. Given that he genuinely believes in Jesus, what would justice and forgiveness look like in his trial? Can there be forgiveness for a person who has committed such heinous crimes against humanity?

As I read this news I thought of one of my favorite movies, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". In the course of escaping a chain gang, Pete and Delmar came upon a congregation of new converts who were being baptized in a river, and they impulsively joined them. As they drove away from the scene in their stolen car, the two "forgiven" bandits began arguing the merits of their baptism with their skeptical friend, Ulysses. The dialogue goes like this:

Pete: The Preacher said it absolved us.

Ulysses: For him, not for the law. I'm surprised at you, Pete, I gave you credit for more brains than Delmar.

Delmar: But they was witnesses that seen us redeemed.

Ulysses: That's not the issue Delmar. Even if that did put you square with the Lord, the State of
Mississippi's a little more hard-nosed.

Ulysses is arguing for two separate forms of justice and forgiveness: "the Lord's" and "the State of Mississippi's". Forgiveness by the Lord does not necessarily lead to being absolved by the State. Likewise, condemnation by the State does not necessarily lead to condemnation by the Lord.

This seems to be the clear teaching of the Bible as well. The gospel extends unconditional forgiveness and reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Here justice is vindicated by the cruel condemnation of Jesus on the cross for the crimes against God committed by the sinner:

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)

Yet at the same time, the Bible extends a different form of justice executed by civil authority, which is based on good conduct (not faith in Jesus):

"For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer." (Romans 13:3-4)

These two forms of justice do not contradict one another because, although both come from God, they are administered in two very different kingdoms: the former from the Divine Kingdom (that lasts forever); and the latter from the Civil Kingdom (that does not last forever).

There is great power in this Biblical message of the two forms of justice and forgiveness administered in the civil and Divine realms. Here, there is safety and justice for a civil society, yet also redemption for the most hardened of criminals.

Ulysses Everett McGill said, "the State of Mississippi's a little more hard-nosed" but he had it backwards. Is it harder to receive absolution from a human tribunal with a finite knowledge of evidence that proves your guilt, or from God who has infinite knowledge of evidence that proves your guilt? Is it harder to receive forgiveness from a fellow flawed human being(s) administering flawed human laws, or from the perfect God who created and rules the universe?

The Bible extends the greater mercy under more strenuous standards of justice. That is the wonder of the cross. In a world where all sorts of crimes are perpetrated by people against one another, there is a place of true healing for both victims and guilty perpetrators in the cross. Only the cross can give a guilty human being the strength of character to willingly accept the full judgment of the law for his/her crimes out of love for society, country, and the good of the human race. Only the cross can give victims the strength of character to willingly forgive those who have hurt them.

I am not sure where the trial of Duch will lead. But I am praying for such healing in the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Reluctantly testing the waters of the blogosphere

Does the internet really need another blog? I've pondered this question ever since I discovered the post-modern phenomenon of blogging in early 2000. Here's my conclusion: there is little if anything on the internet that is truly needed. So after silently reading the blogs of others, I'm taking the plunge and dipping my toe into the blogosphere.

Here, I hope to publicly reflect on the journey out of the Shadow-Lands. It is my conviction that this journey begins and ends through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet folks of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome here. Through the course of these reflections, I hope to touch upon theology, Biblical interpretation, culture, politics, philosophy, history, and literature.

So does anyone have any tips for a newbie blogger?