The Bad

So, how can we think about "the bad" in our world today?  Traditionally, Christians have talked about "the world," "the flesh," "sin," "works of darkness," etc.  Do these words still communicate to people today?

When I look for "the bad" in and around me, I see my selfishness, myself thinking about myself more than others.  Selfishness, hate, oppression, violence, this is what I read in the news every day.  Our world is falling apart, and has been for a long time.  Environmental degradation caused by selfishness and greed.  Exploitation of the poor and weak by the powerful.  Hate-filled rhetoric and actions that harm and kill.

Unfortunately, many public Christians focus on sex as the main source of evil in our world.  While I agree that misusing God's good gift of sex is bad, I really cannot think that it is the biggest evil.  Imagine a world in which people are loving and caring toward each other, acting with humility and lifting each other up.  Imagine a world based on mutual respect and peace.  Now, imagine in this world people still have sex with whomever they want.  First, I would argue, IF that is still a problem, then we can deal with it then.  Second, I don't even know that this WOULD be a problem, since if people are using sex as a means of caring for another in love, without selfishness, greed, or violence, I think that people would be having sex in a lifelong, committed relationship.

Selfishness and hatred are the roots of evil in our world (with a few others).  And, what is the opposite of those?  Love.  How does the Bible describe God?  What is God like?  Love.

Amen!  Come, Lord Jesus!  Come Lord of Love!

Out with the Bad, In with the Good

Something big happened at the cross and tomb of Jesus.  People die all of the time.  Occasionally, rarely, people come back from death (at least in the Bible) and near-death.  But, something happened with the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth (the “Event”) that changed the universe forever.  This, I believe.

What was it?  How do we use words to describe it?  How do we wrap our limited brains around it?  As I mentioned last week (two posts ago), we use metaphors.  We say what it was “like.”  We admit that we cannot fully understand the mystery of it, but we try anyway.  We do our best with prayer and humility, and have confidence in God that God will take care of the big stuff.

So, what do the metaphors used in Scripture tell us about what happened?

• Salvation: From danger to safety
• Redemption: From slavery to freedom
• Reconciliation: From separation to unity
• Sanctification: From ordinary to special
• Adoption: From alone to a part of the family
• Marriage: From single to a part of a loving relationship
• Washing/Cleansing: From dirty to clean
• A seed growing: From “dead” to alive, unfruitful to fruitful
• Resurrection: From death to life

So, from this variety of metaphors, we can see that Christ’s work takes us from “bad” (danger, slavery, separation, ordinary-ness, alone, dirty, dead/unfruitful, death) to “good” (safety, freedom, unity, specialness, part of a family, in a loving relationship, clean, alive/fruitful, life).  Somehow, the death and resurrection of one man accomplishes this for the world!

How do we think about the Work of Jesus in our own lives and in our own world?  What bad do you see in and around yourself?  What bad do you see in the world?  Do you think these things can help describe the “bad”?  What is the opposite, “the good”?

Credo (I believe, I trust, I have faith in)

If I’m going to answer the question “Why am I a Christian?” then I’d better first decide on what I mean by “Christian.”  Otherwise, the question is pretty meaningless.

Here are some of my thoughts on what I mean by “Christian:”

• I understand that reality is so much bigger, deeper, and more mysterious than the big, deep, and mysterious physical world we live in.
• I trust that the set of writings commonly called “the Bible” is a special place that reveals bits and pieces of this larger reality.
• A large part of this larger reality is trusting that there is a personal power (God) who organized, created, and maintains the universe and who is involved in a loving relationship with the creation.
• I trust that this God did something special with the descendants of Abraham of Ur and more specifically of his grandson Jacob (Israel).
• I trust that this God did something extraordinary and unique in the person of Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel, specifically in his death and resurrection.  God did something deep and wide and mysterious because of his great love for me and you, the whole world!  This God-action did something major that was "out with the bad and in with the good."
• In addition to the good things God has done for us (known often as the Gospel), there is also instructions given by this God as a gift (Torah, or law), instructions on the best way to live together in this creation.

There are many questions that I have, and I will be exploring these items more clearly, but I think this covers the main points of what “I believe.”

Changing the Metaphors

God acted in a unique and extraordinary way in Jesus.  This is most certainly true.  From Jesus' birth to his death and resurrection, God was doing something new.  Something BIG!  But, what was it?  How do we explain what God was doing in Jesus and IS doing now in our world?  Jesus himself, the Apostle Paul, and all the biblical writers used metaphors to explain the inexplicable, connecting the invisible things of God with the visible things of our lives.  And, preachers and theologians have been using metaphors to relate to people ever since.

Metaphors are useful tools.  They help us to understand.  They capture a reality in a common experience.  We can say that love is a burning fire, jealousy is a green-eyed monster, it's raining cats and dogs.  But, we know that love is not really a fire, jealousy is a feeling, not a monster, and it's just raining a lot of water, not pets.  Metaphors are useful, but they are not reality.

Many metaphors have been used to describe the inexpressible reality of what God has done in the work of Jesus Christ for us.  Here are a few metaphors for the work of God in Christ:

• Salvation- Rescued from danger
• Redemption- Bought from slavery
• Reconciliation- Two warring parties brought back together
• Sanctification- Making someone special, separate
• Adoption- Adding someone to the family
• Marriage- A commitment of love and fidelity
• Washing/Cleansing- Like a bath or washing clothes
• A seed/plant growing- Agricultural connection

I want to mention first that there is nothing wrong with these metaphors!  They are deep and wide and valuable to our understanding of the work of Christ.  But, these are just metaphors.  At some point, the connection between the reality of God and metaphor breaks down.  Metaphors can be stretched and misused.  Metaphors can lead to confusion and misunderstanding.

The deep reality of God's work for us is LIKE these and other things, but it ISN'T those things.  So, in each generation and at each time, we need to recognize this fact, and we need to think about whether these metaphors still communicate with us.  

What metaphors for God's work resonate with you?  Why?  Which ones confuse you?

Following the Way

What precisely does it mean to follow the Way of Jesus?  Are the spiritual practices that we do only solitary or even "spiritual" actions?

• Learning about the Way of Jesus helps shape our minds and behavior.
• Praying helps develop our trust in God and compassion for others.
• Praise and Worship help us show our love for God.
• Giving generously helps us also trust God and show compassion for others.

These and other spiritual practices are important, but to paraphrase St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, I could be the best Bible-studier, the biggest prayer warrior, the most enthusiastic worshipper, and the most generous giver, but if my life and actions are not permeated by my love of God AND neighbor, then I'm just wasting my time.

The Way of Jesus all comes down to the greatest commandments.  We are to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, strength, body- EVERYTHING.  We are to spend our time, talents, and treasure to show our love for God.  And, Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15).  And, what does God command of us?  To love our neighbor as ourselves.  

There is a lot to say about personal holiness, faith, and other things to do between me and God.  But, if my memory serves me from my last reading of the Bible, then the number of verses related to loving our neighbor actually outweigh the verses for loving God.  That's because one of the biggest ways we show our love for God is to selflessly and completely love and serve our neighbor!

So, anyone who is "working on their relationship with God" or "close to God" and acts like a jerk, isn't actually working on their relationship with the God of the Bible, the Creator of the Universe.  Because, without love (REAL love), then you're wasting your time.

(Thanks to Seth who inspired this post by sharing this link: http://sojo.net/blogs/2011/12/27/bait-and-switch-contemporary-christianity  Please check it out!)

The Way

Going back to my last post on names, I think the "name" that resonates with me the most right now is "The Way", or more specifically, "The Way of Jesus."  I recently listened to the audiobook version of "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McLaren.  One of his focuses of the book was that the church in Acts was often called "The Way."

The phrase "The Way" makes me think of a way of life, a journey.  I have a theological education and have studied much about the church.  So, I know many of the "answers" to questions people have about the Bible and Christianity.  I have spent time figuring out the teachings I "believe" in.  But, often, my life has been empty and the promise of Jesus for an abundant life has sounded hollow.  But, when I have taken the time to "practice" my faith, things are different.

McLaren (and I'm going from memory, so don't quote me) likens spiritual disciplines (like prayer, study, etc.) to practicing for anything else.  Whether it is football, piano, a foreign language, or ballet, anyone who wants to BE a football player, pianist, fluent speaker, or ballet dancer, must put in the time practicing.  The same thing goes for the life of faith.  If we want to be people who live a life of love for God and others, if we want to live with passion, purpose, and integrity, then we need our practice!  And, we practice by carving out the time to do spiritual disciplines.  These disciplines can be fixed hour prayer, fasting, and the other things McLaren talks about in his book, or they could be other forms of prayer, study, fellowship, stewardship, and the like.  But, it is when I am making the effort to PRACTICE the Way of Jesus, the closer I feel to Jesus.  And, the more authenticity I have in talking about what God is doing in my life.

What about you?  Do you have experience with spiritual practices?

A Struggle with Names

I’ve actually found a struggle in writing these posts: What do I call my faith?  It is Christianity?  The Christian religion?  My faith?  My relationship with Jesus?  My spirituality?

“Christianity” connects me to the entire history of professed Christ-followers, both the good and the bad, the right and the wrong.  Oh, and it connects me to Christ, but I feel the linguistic link between “Christianity” and “Christ” has been strained through the misuse and abuse of the Christian banner.

“Religion” connects me to all who follow a faith tradition, no matter what that faith tradition is.  But, a religion can be a system of beliefs, symbols, and rituals.  Those are important to my “faith” but is that a box too small?

“My faith” is personal, it is mine.  But, does that disconnect me from the rest of the church/Body of Christ (another complicated naming).  And, is that trust (faith) connected to the church, the history, the beliefs, to Jesus?

“My spirituality” is also personal, disconnected.  It correctly connects my life to the spiritual, but what does that even mean?  Spirituality is an amorphous term, and not really native to my tongue.

“My relationship with Jesus” is also personal, connected to Jesus (or at least the Jesus I have a relationship with, even if that is not the true Jesus).  But, it is disconnected to history, theology, and the community.

In the end, I will probably use a combination of terms to refer to my life as I connect myself in beliefs, practice, and community to the people seeking to follow the Jesus proclaimed in Scripture (Old and New Testaments) and in the historical Body of Christ struggling with sin throughout our human lives.  This is Christianity, my faith, my relationship with the One who died and rose again for my sake.

God help me!