Well, haven't done this in a while, time to get back at it! I've been reading in the letter from James today and something is just messing with me. So,especially all you smart, theological-type people (but really anyone!), leave comments. I might have answered my own questions in my ponderings, but I don't really know....so other thoughts are great! Here we go....
"But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom..."- James 1:25a
"Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom."- James 2:12
What is this said "law of freedom"? It's just weird to me because a law, even though it reflects a greater and more healthful way of living, binds whoever subjects themselves to it.
A law says, "Thou shalt not...".
But apparently James is aware of a law that gives freedom...doesn't that contradict itself?
"Thou shalt not not..."?
I understand that, like Paul, James is saying we have complete freedom. We can do anything, but they are also saying, that doesn't mean we should do everything. Yet James also speaks of living "as those who will be judged by the law of freedom". So not only are we following a "thou shalt not not...", but apparently we will be judged by how freely (or not) we lived our lives.
That's a really weird law to me. Thoughts?
PS- I'm working on a pretty mammoth of a post about worship and music, so be on the lookout for that within the next week.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Child Of Redemption And Pain, People Of Prayer And.....
Today, I heard some very sad news. A cute, little girl; daughter of amazing parents, found out that she has a terrible disease. Although, from what I heard, the survival rate is pretty good, it is still a terrible disease. My heart hurts deeply for this little child...no child should ever have to face or experience the things that the children of this age do (war, poverty, affluence, disease, abandonment). I cannot even begin to imagine the pain, confusion, and sadness that her parents are going through...this blog isn't for them, it's for us who claim to support them.
Some of these things, this generation of adults needs to take resposibility for because they are our faults, or we have the generational influence and power to change them. Others, such as disease, are the result of a broken humanity, and it is no one persons or generations fault.
But that doesn't mean we can't do anything about it...
Personally, I've been wrestling with the idea of healing recently, and while I'm sure I will continue to learn some things, I have uncovered some mindsets that seem to be at large in the Body in America. Mindsets, that until realized and changed, will let little children like the ones I know more than likely go through needless pain.
I believe that God can instantly heal people. I also believe that God has given us intelligence to help find cures for our diseases. Furthermore, I greatly believe that God can use a greater intelligence (a theo-logic-al intelligence) to instantly heal people through the physical deeds of other people.
From what I've seen these days, we accept and believe the first two, but only a few of us, the third. Even with that said, what is our first reaction when we are hurt or get a disease? Doctor. What do we believe is really real? What is our reality? It's whatever our actions display, because a person's reality dictates their actions.
I think we know deep down that God can and wants to use us to heal people, but we are scared. I have been scared...I was scared when I began wrestling through all of this. I thought things like "What if it doesn't work?", "What will that make me look like?", "What will that make God look like?", "That will give people the grounds to make accurate claims that God either doesn't exist or isn't good.", etc. And then I realized something, God showed me something in my heart; I was more fearful than faithful, and more self-image concerned, than selfless.
Today, I heard some very sad news. A cute, little girl; daughter of amazing parents, found out that she has a terrible disease. My heart hurts deeply for this little child...no child should ever have to face or experience the things that the children of this age do. Some of these things, this generation needs to take responsibility for...
We want God to take care of our mess. We do. Be real honest with yourself, listen to yourself (I'm talking to myself right now as well) when you pray and ask for forgiveness, strength, or courage to face a trial or temptation. It's almost always, "God will you give me...", "God will you do this...". And we taken Psalms and other verses and twisted to fit this mold. God will not get us out of the mess we've created!
..........alone.
Nor can we get out of it by ourselves. It must be us, together.
So I ask us this question, I call all of us to really dig deep and begin to eat of real food, not that of a child: what do you really mean when you tell someone you'll pray for them?
I believe there are two things required for healing to take place. One, the healer must believe (be-live, be willing to live or act it) that God can actually heal through their words and hands. Two, the person who will be healed must genuinely believe that they can be healed. What did Jesus or the disciples usually ask someone before they would heal them: "Do you believe that I (or God) can accomplish this?" It was a challenge to see if they truly believed what they asked for would and could happen.
I would say there are three things required, and that the third thing is this: "Where two or more are gathered in my name and agree on something, it will be done for them"(pretty sure I'm combining two verses, but the verses have very strong parallel meanings). But what I've figured out is that, there doesn't necissarily have to be two or more healers agreeing (although that isn't a bad thing), if the healer believes and the healee (?) believes, there are your two people.
While I do believe that God may allow a tragedy to happen in a person's life for a reason, so that he may orchestrate good into it, I feel like we've ruled out that the good he wants to orchestrate is the healing of the person!!!! "No, it can't be that, there must be some "deeper" reason, something they are holding onto that they need to let go of." NO!!! How dare we judge a person like that! Truly, if our actions could speak and we would listen, I believe that is what they would be saying, even if we don't realize it or want to admit it. We've lost a balance in this, and have leaned towards letting God use this to "correct" or "enlighten" a person about themselves.
I know a child (in fact I know many), to whom the "faith" we live these days is not powerful enough for the life they are experiencing. No wonder there are so many youth leaving the church! Our "seeker-friendly, relevancy" has completely watered down the power of the Gospel of Jesus as well as limited the power of the Holy Spirit in our dripping-with-potential lives!
What if our children grew up in places where they saw the real power of the Holy Spirit working as if it was something normal! What if this precious, little daughter of the King saw those she looked up to or people she didn't even know, say "screw the doctors" for once, and actually sacrifice themselves in belief and then prayer (walk and then talk) and she grew up knowing first hand the healing power of God!? What if?!
Are we ready to come together for the sake of the children? Are we ready to be honest with ourselves and then take steps to become the "most powerful agent of change in our community" and the world?
I know a little girl who has a terrible disease, and I know a God who wants to use some people to heal her, and love on her family like they've never known...and I mean that. Now, who will join with me on a challenge of really digging in and fighting this thing down for the sake of a beautiful child? God's redemption is for real ready, it is waiting.
It is waiting for us.
I am ready, even if I'm not completely sure how to walk...I will walk.
Who will come with me?
Some of these things, this generation of adults needs to take resposibility for because they are our faults, or we have the generational influence and power to change them. Others, such as disease, are the result of a broken humanity, and it is no one persons or generations fault.
But that doesn't mean we can't do anything about it...
Personally, I've been wrestling with the idea of healing recently, and while I'm sure I will continue to learn some things, I have uncovered some mindsets that seem to be at large in the Body in America. Mindsets, that until realized and changed, will let little children like the ones I know more than likely go through needless pain.
I believe that God can instantly heal people. I also believe that God has given us intelligence to help find cures for our diseases. Furthermore, I greatly believe that God can use a greater intelligence (a theo-logic-al intelligence) to instantly heal people through the physical deeds of other people.
From what I've seen these days, we accept and believe the first two, but only a few of us, the third. Even with that said, what is our first reaction when we are hurt or get a disease? Doctor. What do we believe is really real? What is our reality? It's whatever our actions display, because a person's reality dictates their actions.
I think we know deep down that God can and wants to use us to heal people, but we are scared. I have been scared...I was scared when I began wrestling through all of this. I thought things like "What if it doesn't work?", "What will that make me look like?", "What will that make God look like?", "That will give people the grounds to make accurate claims that God either doesn't exist or isn't good.", etc. And then I realized something, God showed me something in my heart; I was more fearful than faithful, and more self-image concerned, than selfless.
Today, I heard some very sad news. A cute, little girl; daughter of amazing parents, found out that she has a terrible disease. My heart hurts deeply for this little child...no child should ever have to face or experience the things that the children of this age do. Some of these things, this generation needs to take responsibility for...
We want God to take care of our mess. We do. Be real honest with yourself, listen to yourself (I'm talking to myself right now as well) when you pray and ask for forgiveness, strength, or courage to face a trial or temptation. It's almost always, "God will you give me...", "God will you do this...". And we taken Psalms and other verses and twisted to fit this mold. God will not get us out of the mess we've created!
..........alone.
Nor can we get out of it by ourselves. It must be us, together.
So I ask us this question, I call all of us to really dig deep and begin to eat of real food, not that of a child: what do you really mean when you tell someone you'll pray for them?
I believe there are two things required for healing to take place. One, the healer must believe (be-live, be willing to live or act it) that God can actually heal through their words and hands. Two, the person who will be healed must genuinely believe that they can be healed. What did Jesus or the disciples usually ask someone before they would heal them: "Do you believe that I (or God) can accomplish this?" It was a challenge to see if they truly believed what they asked for would and could happen.
I would say there are three things required, and that the third thing is this: "Where two or more are gathered in my name and agree on something, it will be done for them"(pretty sure I'm combining two verses, but the verses have very strong parallel meanings). But what I've figured out is that, there doesn't necissarily have to be two or more healers agreeing (although that isn't a bad thing), if the healer believes and the healee (?) believes, there are your two people.
While I do believe that God may allow a tragedy to happen in a person's life for a reason, so that he may orchestrate good into it, I feel like we've ruled out that the good he wants to orchestrate is the healing of the person!!!! "No, it can't be that, there must be some "deeper" reason, something they are holding onto that they need to let go of." NO!!! How dare we judge a person like that! Truly, if our actions could speak and we would listen, I believe that is what they would be saying, even if we don't realize it or want to admit it. We've lost a balance in this, and have leaned towards letting God use this to "correct" or "enlighten" a person about themselves.
I know a child (in fact I know many), to whom the "faith" we live these days is not powerful enough for the life they are experiencing. No wonder there are so many youth leaving the church! Our "seeker-friendly, relevancy" has completely watered down the power of the Gospel of Jesus as well as limited the power of the Holy Spirit in our dripping-with-potential lives!
What if our children grew up in places where they saw the real power of the Holy Spirit working as if it was something normal! What if this precious, little daughter of the King saw those she looked up to or people she didn't even know, say "screw the doctors" for once, and actually sacrifice themselves in belief and then prayer (walk and then talk) and she grew up knowing first hand the healing power of God!? What if?!
Are we ready to come together for the sake of the children? Are we ready to be honest with ourselves and then take steps to become the "most powerful agent of change in our community" and the world?
I know a little girl who has a terrible disease, and I know a God who wants to use some people to heal her, and love on her family like they've never known...and I mean that. Now, who will join with me on a challenge of really digging in and fighting this thing down for the sake of a beautiful child? God's redemption is for real ready, it is waiting.
It is waiting for us.
I am ready, even if I'm not completely sure how to walk...I will walk.
Who will come with me?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Me- Why I Write What I Do
So, I've realized I have gotten a little ahead of myself with this writing thing. I've realized I haven't shared why I've been thinking about the ideas I've written or why I think they are so important. So lest I continue coming across preachy or theologically-anal, I want to share with you the context from which these ideas have come.
I grew up in a "Christian" family and we went to church every Sunday. When I was in Sunday school I got the whole flannel-graph, story-time treatment and punch and cookies if I was good. I was taught that Jesus was God and that God was really nice to those who loved him, and consequently was subconsciously taught that bad things didn't happen to Christians. Well, throughout my elementary school years I was the butt of many a mean joke and was picked on almost everyday at school (People seem to be surprised when I've told them that, but I say this: the playground knows only height and muscle, not future potential. Sad but true). I would go home to a house where my parents were always fighting and usually I couldn't do anything right in their eyes. Well, through a series of truly unfortunate events, I stumbled across an avenue to numb the pain and cope. As middle school and early high school arrived, I began to meet more people who would actually befriend me, and were nice people; but the scars still remained from elementary school. What I didn't realize at the time was that, quite literally, the walls I had built up around my broken, wounded, and bleeding heart were meant to keep hurt and pain out, but they had become something that kept me in, and I was really dying inside.
Here's the hard part, this entire time I was heavily involved in youthgroup at church. I was gradually finding people who I could open up to, and at the same time that let me begin to see what was truly going on inside me. Yet I was still hiding in a lot of ways and I was using my youthgroup to hide from the pain at home. Of course, I couldn't put all this into words then, but God has been bringing me back to a lot of events in my childhood recently, and has been redeeming them and healing my heart through them.
Half-way through high school my family switched churches. I began to meet some truly kind and loving people there and also at my high-school. I was ever-so-slightly beginning to feel that the world was a safe place for my heart. Despite this there was still a lot of hurt inside me and I was feeling very trapped by the things that I had used to help deal with the pain. This back and forth struggle was very very hard on me, and a lot of shame built up in my heart because of it. A lot of good things began happening through the last few years of high-school and into my first couple years of community college. I began to be able to confess the stuff that was killing me on the inside and talk with people about it. But it wasn't until this past season when I transferred to Anderson University in Indiana that a whole lot of things began changing and clicking for me.
As I was getting ready to transfer to AU, I went out there for a weekend to register. There I met the guy who would become my roommate. At the end of one of the days, even though we really didn't know each other at all, he asked if I wanted to room with him. In the moment I felt like I wasn't ready to give an answer, but I felt caught off gaurd and so I said yes. Things started off good with him, but a few weeks in I began to realize that he was a very up-tight person. Any of you how know me, know that I am not up tight at all. I love talking with people, I love hearing how a person was doing. My roommate also loved to "lend his knowledge" to any situation he happened to come upon. Things between us started to deteriorate and I began to see that he very much had the outlook on life of an elementary school bully. In addition, there wasn't any person on the hall that I really connected with. That semester was really really hard for me because I hadn't felt that alone since I was a kid, plus I was rooming with the bully. Two things happened that semester as a result: I began to gain courage to stand up for myself and I genuinly felt God with me in some very dark and lonely moments that semester. There were a few points where stuff was so frustrating and painful that I would cry myself to sleep. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that I was homesick or anything related to school or being someplace unfamiliar. I love adventures! It was the fact that I felt like I was a kid again back on the playground getting picked on.
It was during this time that I realized the God I had been told about in Sunday school didn't exist. Life apparently didn't get better for Christians, and I began going through a period really wondering who God was and why all this stuff was happening. Looking back he has been so incredibly merciful, graceful, and loving through my confusion, anger, and he has been constantly telling me, despite what I've told myself or heard from others that my heart is good.
Second semester went better in a lot of ways. I began to connect with some of the guys on my hall in ways I hadn't before. But I had no idea that there were some really hard things coming down the pipe for me again. Two really big things happened that semester. Number one, I was not able to find a job that semester at all (Anderson isn't one for good jobs) and I had bills to pay. It was really hard for me because some of the most painful moments in my life at home dealt with money and my parents fighting about it. That semester, God showed me that I can trust him. There were points where I had no money and somehow my bills were paid. I still have no idea how to this day, but in some of those fearful and painful moments, God showed me very personally and powerfully that he is Jehovah Jireh. Although, I still struggle with trusting him in these areas (as I write this I've been without a job for a year-and-a-half, no car insurance, very little money) he has truly shown me that if I trust him, he will provide even the most basic needs. That definitely has gone against the American Dream mindset that I grew up with.
The second event was my trip to the hospital. One night, my stomach started feeling really weird. I ended up throwing up several times and my stomach was convulsing really hard. After my RD called the campus EMT and I was looked over, I went to the hospital to get looked at again. I was there all night and continued to throw up off and on. They ran tests throughout the night and the doctor told me a couple times that medically there was nothing wrong with me. I laughed a little bitterly to myself because, obviously something was going on, and I was kind of angry that they couldn't find it. Well, when they were going to let me go, it was around 6 in the morning. As I was getting into the wheelchair to go to the car, my entire body locked up suddenly. I couldn't move, I couldn't talk intelligibly, my throat was closing up, and I was having a really hard time breathing. I started freaking out because I truly thought I was going to suffocate, and to make matters worse the nurse wasn't taking me seriously when I said I couldn't breathe. Eventually I was put back up in the bed, but nothing was changing and internally I was panicking. I felt like a scared little kid (Ironic how often that was happening at that point in my life), and I kept saying to God "I don't want to die". My girlfriend was there and was trying to calm me down but I wasn't having any of it. To make a long story shorter, I eventually got better and went back to school where I slept.
Later I began to realize that I freaked out so bad in that moment because my life had slipped beyond my control and I didn't think that God was doing what was good in that moment. That opened up my eyes to the fact that I had some serious control issues, and I doubted God's goodness in really painful moments. Most of it, I believe developed along side the coping when I was a child. God began a work in me that night to release control of a lot of things to him, and trust in his heart. The next semester I began to go to counsoling at AU and that helped me work through so many things that happened to me as a child and how they are still affecting me. There are a lot more aspects and important events to this story than I can write, so ask me sometime if you want to hear more.
What makes this story important, and related to why I write, is because during all of this time, I began to know a God who doesn't make things better always, but will use horrible things as a basis for a beautiful and mighty work of art. I have come to realize that so much of what is being taught in a lot of churches these days is inadequate for the lives that real humans live.
My heart is for humanity to be restored, and I truly believe that the Church should be the hope of the world. Over these past two years, I've been learning so much about myself, how I've been hurt, and areas that I need deep healing in. Alongside of that, I've been learning so much about God's hope for humanity, how we've been hurt/hurt each other, and places we need deep healing. That has lead me down some paths of questioning and re-owning a lot I was taught theologically throughout my life, as well as what is being taught today. My heart burns for the church to become who she truly is, so that humanity can be restored to the amazing existance that it came from.
The things I write about are fruits of a journey of seeking out and finding truth. I believe there are a lot of things, which may seem like small nit-picky things, that when realized and internalized will radically change a persons life. My life has changed so much over the past year and a half because I've begun to see who Jesus really is and with that I have found a hope for something so much bigger than many people know (both "Christians" and non-Christians alike). So when I speak of the truth, or of the Church, or why maybe we use the word "Christian" in a wrong way, or why our concepts of heaven and hell might not be right, or why the body of Christ in America has fallen in love with the market and democracy rather than Jesus, or of free-will, I speak of them because I yearn that every man, woman, child would begin to find truth as I am beginning to find it because, as it is in my life, from that the most amazing, beautiful, and redemptive hope will bloom!
I don't say that you must agree with me (although, I do hope you will sincerely think about what I say and not write it off as "liberal" or ignorant theology). But just know that everything I write comes from a heart desiring Jesus and his truth, because I believe that his truth is redemptive and that in that truth, humanity's hope is found.
Also, feel free to leave comments, questions, pixel-art, etc. Let's have a conversation, I like those! Blessings and hope to you!
One Love. One World.
I grew up in a "Christian" family and we went to church every Sunday. When I was in Sunday school I got the whole flannel-graph, story-time treatment and punch and cookies if I was good. I was taught that Jesus was God and that God was really nice to those who loved him, and consequently was subconsciously taught that bad things didn't happen to Christians. Well, throughout my elementary school years I was the butt of many a mean joke and was picked on almost everyday at school (People seem to be surprised when I've told them that, but I say this: the playground knows only height and muscle, not future potential. Sad but true). I would go home to a house where my parents were always fighting and usually I couldn't do anything right in their eyes. Well, through a series of truly unfortunate events, I stumbled across an avenue to numb the pain and cope. As middle school and early high school arrived, I began to meet more people who would actually befriend me, and were nice people; but the scars still remained from elementary school. What I didn't realize at the time was that, quite literally, the walls I had built up around my broken, wounded, and bleeding heart were meant to keep hurt and pain out, but they had become something that kept me in, and I was really dying inside.
Here's the hard part, this entire time I was heavily involved in youthgroup at church. I was gradually finding people who I could open up to, and at the same time that let me begin to see what was truly going on inside me. Yet I was still hiding in a lot of ways and I was using my youthgroup to hide from the pain at home. Of course, I couldn't put all this into words then, but God has been bringing me back to a lot of events in my childhood recently, and has been redeeming them and healing my heart through them.
Half-way through high school my family switched churches. I began to meet some truly kind and loving people there and also at my high-school. I was ever-so-slightly beginning to feel that the world was a safe place for my heart. Despite this there was still a lot of hurt inside me and I was feeling very trapped by the things that I had used to help deal with the pain. This back and forth struggle was very very hard on me, and a lot of shame built up in my heart because of it. A lot of good things began happening through the last few years of high-school and into my first couple years of community college. I began to be able to confess the stuff that was killing me on the inside and talk with people about it. But it wasn't until this past season when I transferred to Anderson University in Indiana that a whole lot of things began changing and clicking for me.
As I was getting ready to transfer to AU, I went out there for a weekend to register. There I met the guy who would become my roommate. At the end of one of the days, even though we really didn't know each other at all, he asked if I wanted to room with him. In the moment I felt like I wasn't ready to give an answer, but I felt caught off gaurd and so I said yes. Things started off good with him, but a few weeks in I began to realize that he was a very up-tight person. Any of you how know me, know that I am not up tight at all. I love talking with people, I love hearing how a person was doing. My roommate also loved to "lend his knowledge" to any situation he happened to come upon. Things between us started to deteriorate and I began to see that he very much had the outlook on life of an elementary school bully. In addition, there wasn't any person on the hall that I really connected with. That semester was really really hard for me because I hadn't felt that alone since I was a kid, plus I was rooming with the bully. Two things happened that semester as a result: I began to gain courage to stand up for myself and I genuinly felt God with me in some very dark and lonely moments that semester. There were a few points where stuff was so frustrating and painful that I would cry myself to sleep. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that I was homesick or anything related to school or being someplace unfamiliar. I love adventures! It was the fact that I felt like I was a kid again back on the playground getting picked on.
It was during this time that I realized the God I had been told about in Sunday school didn't exist. Life apparently didn't get better for Christians, and I began going through a period really wondering who God was and why all this stuff was happening. Looking back he has been so incredibly merciful, graceful, and loving through my confusion, anger, and he has been constantly telling me, despite what I've told myself or heard from others that my heart is good.
Second semester went better in a lot of ways. I began to connect with some of the guys on my hall in ways I hadn't before. But I had no idea that there were some really hard things coming down the pipe for me again. Two really big things happened that semester. Number one, I was not able to find a job that semester at all (Anderson isn't one for good jobs) and I had bills to pay. It was really hard for me because some of the most painful moments in my life at home dealt with money and my parents fighting about it. That semester, God showed me that I can trust him. There were points where I had no money and somehow my bills were paid. I still have no idea how to this day, but in some of those fearful and painful moments, God showed me very personally and powerfully that he is Jehovah Jireh. Although, I still struggle with trusting him in these areas (as I write this I've been without a job for a year-and-a-half, no car insurance, very little money) he has truly shown me that if I trust him, he will provide even the most basic needs. That definitely has gone against the American Dream mindset that I grew up with.
The second event was my trip to the hospital. One night, my stomach started feeling really weird. I ended up throwing up several times and my stomach was convulsing really hard. After my RD called the campus EMT and I was looked over, I went to the hospital to get looked at again. I was there all night and continued to throw up off and on. They ran tests throughout the night and the doctor told me a couple times that medically there was nothing wrong with me. I laughed a little bitterly to myself because, obviously something was going on, and I was kind of angry that they couldn't find it. Well, when they were going to let me go, it was around 6 in the morning. As I was getting into the wheelchair to go to the car, my entire body locked up suddenly. I couldn't move, I couldn't talk intelligibly, my throat was closing up, and I was having a really hard time breathing. I started freaking out because I truly thought I was going to suffocate, and to make matters worse the nurse wasn't taking me seriously when I said I couldn't breathe. Eventually I was put back up in the bed, but nothing was changing and internally I was panicking. I felt like a scared little kid (Ironic how often that was happening at that point in my life), and I kept saying to God "I don't want to die". My girlfriend was there and was trying to calm me down but I wasn't having any of it. To make a long story shorter, I eventually got better and went back to school where I slept.
Later I began to realize that I freaked out so bad in that moment because my life had slipped beyond my control and I didn't think that God was doing what was good in that moment. That opened up my eyes to the fact that I had some serious control issues, and I doubted God's goodness in really painful moments. Most of it, I believe developed along side the coping when I was a child. God began a work in me that night to release control of a lot of things to him, and trust in his heart. The next semester I began to go to counsoling at AU and that helped me work through so many things that happened to me as a child and how they are still affecting me. There are a lot more aspects and important events to this story than I can write, so ask me sometime if you want to hear more.
What makes this story important, and related to why I write, is because during all of this time, I began to know a God who doesn't make things better always, but will use horrible things as a basis for a beautiful and mighty work of art. I have come to realize that so much of what is being taught in a lot of churches these days is inadequate for the lives that real humans live.
My heart is for humanity to be restored, and I truly believe that the Church should be the hope of the world. Over these past two years, I've been learning so much about myself, how I've been hurt, and areas that I need deep healing in. Alongside of that, I've been learning so much about God's hope for humanity, how we've been hurt/hurt each other, and places we need deep healing. That has lead me down some paths of questioning and re-owning a lot I was taught theologically throughout my life, as well as what is being taught today. My heart burns for the church to become who she truly is, so that humanity can be restored to the amazing existance that it came from.
The things I write about are fruits of a journey of seeking out and finding truth. I believe there are a lot of things, which may seem like small nit-picky things, that when realized and internalized will radically change a persons life. My life has changed so much over the past year and a half because I've begun to see who Jesus really is and with that I have found a hope for something so much bigger than many people know (both "Christians" and non-Christians alike). So when I speak of the truth, or of the Church, or why maybe we use the word "Christian" in a wrong way, or why our concepts of heaven and hell might not be right, or why the body of Christ in America has fallen in love with the market and democracy rather than Jesus, or of free-will, I speak of them because I yearn that every man, woman, child would begin to find truth as I am beginning to find it because, as it is in my life, from that the most amazing, beautiful, and redemptive hope will bloom!
I don't say that you must agree with me (although, I do hope you will sincerely think about what I say and not write it off as "liberal" or ignorant theology). But just know that everything I write comes from a heart desiring Jesus and his truth, because I believe that his truth is redemptive and that in that truth, humanity's hope is found.
Also, feel free to leave comments, questions, pixel-art, etc. Let's have a conversation, I like those! Blessings and hope to you!
One Love. One World.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Free will/Choices/Omnipotence
If someone is alone in a room, their existance naturally exerts absolute authority in that space. Whatever they say goes. If another person is put into that room...things change.
I've been wondering, lately, what makes humanity so special? If we believe what it says in the Hebrew Scriptures that we were created in God's image, then we must answer the question: what does that really mean?
I believe that one of its meanings, among others, is that to be created in the image of God is to have the ability to make choices and exert authority, better known as free will. Back to the example; God was alone in the room of pre-creation (Gen 1:1,2; another interesting thing to note that will come into play later is that the name for God used in these passages in Genesis is actually Elohim, which we then translated to God. Elohim is defined as a word in the plural form, so in a sense, They were alone in the room of pre-creation is more accurate). Elohim exercised absolute authority over everything, whatever was chosen by Elohim happened, no questions asked. As God was existing (there is more depth to that concept than just a state of being), Elohim began creating. Elohim began with inanimate objects, then began to create animate objects, but once it was complete, Elohim was not satisfied because none of the created things significantly resembled God's image and essence. So then humanity was created. Humanity was created in God's image with the previously God-unqiue ability of free-will: authority and sentient choice-making.
Another person entered the room.
So now, I beg the question; if God placed in humanity the gift of authority and decision making, did God willingly gift divine authority for the sake of relationship with us?
If two people are in a room and they are engaging in healthy relationship, neither one independently has absolute authority. Each one is making decisions with the other in mind because they understand that one person's decision or use of authority affects the other. They willingly give authority and choice-making powers (free will) to the other and collectively they have omnipotence over their domain.
The omnipotence of God has not ceased to exist, rather Elohim has willingly included humanity in it so that we might be in a dynamic, ever-deepening, ever-creating (another "in His image" aspect) relationship.
Rabbit-trail: What if when Jesus said a man and woman are joined together as one flesh (Gen. 2:23,24; Matt. 19:4-6), that could also be looked at in light of Christ as the bridegroom and the church as his bride? What if, through Christ's body (intimacy) and blood (life, because life is in the blood. Lev. 17:11,14; Deut. 12:23) we are one with him, and because he is one with the rest of the Trinity, we are also one with God, just as a man and woman are? (Lest people say I am spreading cultic heresies, I will specifically make an important distincition. I am not saying that we are God, rather we are one with God. Just as a male is still a male and a female is still a female, yet they are one. Different yet unified.)
This brings new light to the concept of being the body of Christ, or humanity, even though it is fallen, still being created in God's image. What if in the same way a dillusional wife hinders the power, beauty, and redemptive essence of her and her husband's unity, so we through our actions and choices hinder the power, beauty, and redemptive essence of our and God's unity through being created in His image? If we have the previously God-unique gift/ability of free will, how bad, then, are our choices affecting all that God has created or is trying to redeem?
God has not given us a watered down version of free will, because then we wouldn't truly be made in his image, would we?
No, we have the same authority that God has through His sharing of free will with us. God and humanity are co-authors of the future! (Now, we don't have the same ability to exercise this ability/gift because we are neither infinite nor omnipresent) That's what Jesus was getting at whatn he told Peter that whatever Peter/the church 'loosed' or 'bound' (Jewish terms for accepted/decided and rejected) on Earth would be the same in Heaven (Matt 16:19;18:18,19). He was telling Peter that our choices have been given the same power and authority as God's because God has included us in his community. Again, I am not saying we are God, but we are in relationship with Him.
Also, Jesus says that when two or more agree on and then ask the Father for something it will be done. Why two or more? Does it have something to do with communal authority and wisdom and how that is manifested in the Trinity?
With that said, what are we doing?! Those who follow Jesus have been given co-authority with God over everything and the knowledge of His desire for complete redemption of the world and we're consumed with complancency from the markets of and trust in the American empire (For more on that statement, read 'Jesus Wants To Save Christians' by Rob Bell. His argument, among a lot of others; including looking at America in the context of history, reveals our empirial nature very clearly). That doesn't sound like a very healthy marriage to me.
Also, for those that would say the marriage is yet to come, I would say this: in some physical ways, yes, for it has not been fully realized in us; but we have the Holy Spirit, a part of the Trinity, in us now. In many ways, through what Christ did in his death, defeating of Death, and subsequent ressurection, we are now one with God.
Right now we are victims of bad theology, needing desperately to re-examine who Jesus is/was and the meanings of what he said, as recorded in Scripture. We also need to realize how much of an impact our choices really have on existence and that because God gave us free will, He will not stop us to a large extent, but continues to hope that we will see how bad we are letting down all creation and change so that creation may be healed and that humanity may be fully reconcilied unto her bridegroom.
Come on, church! It's time to begin anew!
I've been wondering, lately, what makes humanity so special? If we believe what it says in the Hebrew Scriptures that we were created in God's image, then we must answer the question: what does that really mean?
I believe that one of its meanings, among others, is that to be created in the image of God is to have the ability to make choices and exert authority, better known as free will. Back to the example; God was alone in the room of pre-creation (Gen 1:1,2; another interesting thing to note that will come into play later is that the name for God used in these passages in Genesis is actually Elohim, which we then translated to God. Elohim is defined as a word in the plural form, so in a sense, They were alone in the room of pre-creation is more accurate). Elohim exercised absolute authority over everything, whatever was chosen by Elohim happened, no questions asked. As God was existing (there is more depth to that concept than just a state of being), Elohim began creating. Elohim began with inanimate objects, then began to create animate objects, but once it was complete, Elohim was not satisfied because none of the created things significantly resembled God's image and essence. So then humanity was created. Humanity was created in God's image with the previously God-unqiue ability of free-will: authority and sentient choice-making.
Another person entered the room.
So now, I beg the question; if God placed in humanity the gift of authority and decision making, did God willingly gift divine authority for the sake of relationship with us?
If two people are in a room and they are engaging in healthy relationship, neither one independently has absolute authority. Each one is making decisions with the other in mind because they understand that one person's decision or use of authority affects the other. They willingly give authority and choice-making powers (free will) to the other and collectively they have omnipotence over their domain.
The omnipotence of God has not ceased to exist, rather Elohim has willingly included humanity in it so that we might be in a dynamic, ever-deepening, ever-creating (another "in His image" aspect) relationship.
Rabbit-trail: What if when Jesus said a man and woman are joined together as one flesh (Gen. 2:23,24; Matt. 19:4-6), that could also be looked at in light of Christ as the bridegroom and the church as his bride? What if, through Christ's body (intimacy) and blood (life, because life is in the blood. Lev. 17:11,14; Deut. 12:23) we are one with him, and because he is one with the rest of the Trinity, we are also one with God, just as a man and woman are? (Lest people say I am spreading cultic heresies, I will specifically make an important distincition. I am not saying that we are God, rather we are one with God. Just as a male is still a male and a female is still a female, yet they are one. Different yet unified.)
This brings new light to the concept of being the body of Christ, or humanity, even though it is fallen, still being created in God's image. What if in the same way a dillusional wife hinders the power, beauty, and redemptive essence of her and her husband's unity, so we through our actions and choices hinder the power, beauty, and redemptive essence of our and God's unity through being created in His image? If we have the previously God-unique gift/ability of free will, how bad, then, are our choices affecting all that God has created or is trying to redeem?
God has not given us a watered down version of free will, because then we wouldn't truly be made in his image, would we?
No, we have the same authority that God has through His sharing of free will with us. God and humanity are co-authors of the future! (Now, we don't have the same ability to exercise this ability/gift because we are neither infinite nor omnipresent) That's what Jesus was getting at whatn he told Peter that whatever Peter/the church 'loosed' or 'bound' (Jewish terms for accepted/decided and rejected) on Earth would be the same in Heaven (Matt 16:19;18:18,19). He was telling Peter that our choices have been given the same power and authority as God's because God has included us in his community. Again, I am not saying we are God, but we are in relationship with Him.
Also, Jesus says that when two or more agree on and then ask the Father for something it will be done. Why two or more? Does it have something to do with communal authority and wisdom and how that is manifested in the Trinity?
With that said, what are we doing?! Those who follow Jesus have been given co-authority with God over everything and the knowledge of His desire for complete redemption of the world and we're consumed with complancency from the markets of and trust in the American empire (For more on that statement, read 'Jesus Wants To Save Christians' by Rob Bell. His argument, among a lot of others; including looking at America in the context of history, reveals our empirial nature very clearly). That doesn't sound like a very healthy marriage to me.
Also, for those that would say the marriage is yet to come, I would say this: in some physical ways, yes, for it has not been fully realized in us; but we have the Holy Spirit, a part of the Trinity, in us now. In many ways, through what Christ did in his death, defeating of Death, and subsequent ressurection, we are now one with God.
Right now we are victims of bad theology, needing desperately to re-examine who Jesus is/was and the meanings of what he said, as recorded in Scripture. We also need to realize how much of an impact our choices really have on existence and that because God gave us free will, He will not stop us to a large extent, but continues to hope that we will see how bad we are letting down all creation and change so that creation may be healed and that humanity may be fully reconcilied unto her bridegroom.
Come on, church! It's time to begin anew!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Church/Christianity/Truth
Over the past years, I have been noticing an increasing gap between the life and teachings of Jesus and the lives of those who claim to follow and obey him, called Christians (I am not saying everyone, so I hope people don't get defensive right off the bat...). As a result, I've noticed many who truly want to follow Jesus as best they can disassociating themselves from the word Christian for names like Christ-follower or other non-adjective, phrasal descriptions. I have a problem with a mindset I see running behind the change. I feel like a majority of those people don't want to redeem the term Christian from those who have misrepresented it with their lives. Rather, they just make up another name like Christ-follower (Which, incidentally, means basically the same thing as the term Christian: "follower of the Way" or "follower of Christ). People have been doing the same pitch and run routine for a long time now and I'm getting tired of it... Catholic v. Protestant, Baptist v. Methodist, Eastern Orthodox v. Roman Catholic, or even when a person get's tired of a church because it "doesn't suit their needs" and leaves without a second thought of trying to make it better.
With that said, I've heard something recently that makes me wonder about any of these terms we use. I've been hearing more and more that the term Christian, whose original use is recorded in the book of Acts, was originally a negative and condescending term used by those who opposed the followers of Christ or the Way. Although, I haven't fully researched this personally (so take that into account, but don't throw up defenses if this stuff is seemingly "unorthodox"), this idea has got me wondering...even though I still think the pitch and run mindset is bad, I am beginning to wonder if, because of subtle mindsets people have, even among the church, adjective labels we use do more to divide us than to give distinction.
I truly feel that many people, especially those who claim to follow Jesus Christ, are holding these terms in such a way that they seperate or isolate us from each other, not just distinguish.
So I propose a shift in thinking that will be manifested by literally the words that come out of our mouths. For example- I, Peter Elliott, am no longer a Christian, Republican, Middle-class, Kansan, Caucasian. And you, my reader, are no longer a Muslim, Democrat, Lower-classs, New Yorker (Change adjectives as is appropriate).
I am a human.
You are a human.
We are nothing more, nothing less. Because we all do believe different things, and that is natural and good, it would be foolish to leave our langauge and descriptions just at that. So, furthermore,...
I am a human....who follows Jesus, agrees with certain political outlooks, has inherited a certain social status, and was born in a certain city. You are a human....who believes things that are different or similar to me, but we are both just human. Nothing more, nothing less, perfectly human.
The way I see it: to be co-humans means we are truly related (which is the way God created us): no matter how much we try and disassociate ourselves from each other, we are one. We are blood.
Because of this.....I am the father of a young Muslim boy who will detonate a bomb on his chest tomorrow. I am the son of Hitler, the grandchild of Gandhi; Mother Theresa and Saddam Hussein are my aunt and uncle. Hindus and Atheists are my brothers and sisters, and as delusional as I may think he is, Fred Phelps is my father.
No matter how we try to distance or dissassociate ourselves from those we don't agree with or like, we are still one. As the church, then, we need to unify ourselves and own the junk of our family members (e.g., even though I never killed a Muslim during the Crusades, one of my relatives did, so I must seek forgiveness and reconciliation for what my blood did or what has been done to my blood). That is the only way we will ever fully become those who follow Jesus. He did not come to restore Judaism itself or start another religion, he came to reveal God, God's truths, and restore all of humanity to God and itself.
We, both humans and those who claim follow Jesus, have done a pretty good job of undoing that work, and we must seek an end to that through our words and lives. No, I don't think what Hitler did or what Fred Phelps is doing are right, but they are still family. Those who attacked us on 9/11 and those we are attacking now are our relatives.
I am not saying the adjectives are wrong. What I am saying is that I think we need to re-examine how we use them, possibly through a period of not using them. Once those who believe come to the realization of how we've misused them, then we will be ready to properly use them again, if we find them still needed.
We are all family, no matter how you cut it, we have the same source and father, so let us work to restore ourselves to each other. Then we will begin to see the truth of Jesus in powerful new ways and the battle-scars we've given ourselves and the planet will begin to heal.
One Love. One World.
With that said, I've heard something recently that makes me wonder about any of these terms we use. I've been hearing more and more that the term Christian, whose original use is recorded in the book of Acts, was originally a negative and condescending term used by those who opposed the followers of Christ or the Way. Although, I haven't fully researched this personally (so take that into account, but don't throw up defenses if this stuff is seemingly "unorthodox"), this idea has got me wondering...even though I still think the pitch and run mindset is bad, I am beginning to wonder if, because of subtle mindsets people have, even among the church, adjective labels we use do more to divide us than to give distinction.
I truly feel that many people, especially those who claim to follow Jesus Christ, are holding these terms in such a way that they seperate or isolate us from each other, not just distinguish.
So I propose a shift in thinking that will be manifested by literally the words that come out of our mouths. For example- I, Peter Elliott, am no longer a Christian, Republican, Middle-class, Kansan, Caucasian. And you, my reader, are no longer a Muslim, Democrat, Lower-classs, New Yorker (Change adjectives as is appropriate).
I am a human.
You are a human.
We are nothing more, nothing less. Because we all do believe different things, and that is natural and good, it would be foolish to leave our langauge and descriptions just at that. So, furthermore,...
I am a human....who follows Jesus, agrees with certain political outlooks, has inherited a certain social status, and was born in a certain city. You are a human....who believes things that are different or similar to me, but we are both just human. Nothing more, nothing less, perfectly human.
The way I see it: to be co-humans means we are truly related (which is the way God created us): no matter how much we try and disassociate ourselves from each other, we are one. We are blood.
Because of this.....I am the father of a young Muslim boy who will detonate a bomb on his chest tomorrow. I am the son of Hitler, the grandchild of Gandhi; Mother Theresa and Saddam Hussein are my aunt and uncle. Hindus and Atheists are my brothers and sisters, and as delusional as I may think he is, Fred Phelps is my father.
No matter how we try to distance or dissassociate ourselves from those we don't agree with or like, we are still one. As the church, then, we need to unify ourselves and own the junk of our family members (e.g., even though I never killed a Muslim during the Crusades, one of my relatives did, so I must seek forgiveness and reconciliation for what my blood did or what has been done to my blood). That is the only way we will ever fully become those who follow Jesus. He did not come to restore Judaism itself or start another religion, he came to reveal God, God's truths, and restore all of humanity to God and itself.
We, both humans and those who claim follow Jesus, have done a pretty good job of undoing that work, and we must seek an end to that through our words and lives. No, I don't think what Hitler did or what Fred Phelps is doing are right, but they are still family. Those who attacked us on 9/11 and those we are attacking now are our relatives.
I am not saying the adjectives are wrong. What I am saying is that I think we need to re-examine how we use them, possibly through a period of not using them. Once those who believe come to the realization of how we've misused them, then we will be ready to properly use them again, if we find them still needed.
We are all family, no matter how you cut it, we have the same source and father, so let us work to restore ourselves to each other. Then we will begin to see the truth of Jesus in powerful new ways and the battle-scars we've given ourselves and the planet will begin to heal.
One Love. One World.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Newness and Oldness
So, this is a new thing that I've started. I hope that for those of my friends who live near or far away this will be something that can let you know how I'm doing, what I'm thinking about, and what Yahweh is pouring into my heart. I've got some things I've been writing about recently that I'll be posting. I'll say this in advance.....my heart burns for the church to become truly what it was intended to be. I've seen a vision of what that can be and hope that my words will help bring that about.
"Greater things have yet to come!"
With that said, I've been thinking about a lot of things in a lot of different areas with regards to God, life, religion, and how the church and a follower of Christ fits into that. Some things have really stretched me for the good, so I'll pass these on so that hopefully it will do the same for you.
Let's conversate and let's follow truth where ever it may lead, even if that's some where we've never been or never have wanted to go. I'm not saying I have it all down, I'm not saying all I'll write is perfect, however, I do believe there is some powerful truth and life in the things I've been thinking about...and I want everyone to join in the conversation so that we can become those who have been healed and can help heal all of Creation.
One Love. One World.
"Greater things have yet to come!"
With that said, I've been thinking about a lot of things in a lot of different areas with regards to God, life, religion, and how the church and a follower of Christ fits into that. Some things have really stretched me for the good, so I'll pass these on so that hopefully it will do the same for you.
Let's conversate and let's follow truth where ever it may lead, even if that's some where we've never been or never have wanted to go. I'm not saying I have it all down, I'm not saying all I'll write is perfect, however, I do believe there is some powerful truth and life in the things I've been thinking about...and I want everyone to join in the conversation so that we can become those who have been healed and can help heal all of Creation.
One Love. One World.
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