21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
A wonderful comment from my last post on Matthew 7:21-23 inspired these spiritual reflections. I felt it deserved more than a short reply because Sarah touched on important thoughts within a few short sentences. First off I want to admit these verses used to worry me a bit too. If someone doing miracles, prophesying and casting out demons in Jesus' name would be turned away - wow! Helllooooo, I'm not doing miracles. I'm not prophesying. I'm not casting out demons. How can I measure up to those things? And if someone doing those things is turned away, what hope do I have?
I suppose if works such as these were "The Top Deeds" I would for sure be lacking on reckoning day.
So Sarah's comment challenged me to dig a bit, therefore, yesterday afternoon I sat out on my porch reading Matthew 7 again and then kept reading until a verse in chapter 9 prompted me to read passages in Hosea, Micah and Isaiah from the Old Testament prophets.
First let's keep in mind what Jesus has been teaching in the last few chapters. We covered these more extensively in past posts, but to remind you, he covered such things as not being angry with others (as murder starts as anger from within), not lusting after women (since sexual immorality starts with thoughts), being people of our words, breaking the cycle of vengeance by choosing to turn the other cheek, going the extra mile, loving our enemies, being salt and light in the world so they will see a godly difference, the Beatitudes, storing up heavenly treasure rather than material wealth here that will rust, break down and get stolen. He discussed not praying or fasting or giving to be seen of men, not judging others, seeking God's kingdom instead of worrying about clothing, food and shelter....easy stuff like that, right? :)
With these things in mind, let's look at the verses following this troubling "Lord, Lord, did we not" portion. Jesus had just said "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" and then Matthew records a "therefore" and these words:
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
In fact these are the final words recorded from the Sermon on the Mount by Matthew. The only crowd reaction noted is this:
28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
So Jesus says we are like wise builders if we hear his words and put them into practice. We can't just hear all this stuff and not do anything. He makes it sound as if doing what he has been teaching - and I'd argue living and showing by example - should be good enough since our foundation would then be built on the rock.
Whenever I think about following Jesus as the Way to the Father (John 14:6), I believe I should walk with him - meaning I should see his example and do things the way he did them. As one who grew up familiar with the Trinity and is comfortable believing the Holy Spirit empowers us to live this way, I am fine believing I must go to the Father through Jesus' work on the cross (where he paid the price for my sins and restored fellowship that had been broken by sin) and live each day following Christ's example with the help of the Holy Spirit of God. I don't believe I can live this way on my own. In fact, I know I cannot. I'm just too flawed, too mean, too selfish naturally. It's only God working in me that sometimes makes love shine out of my eyes. It's only He who makes me occasionally have that servant's heart and compassionate spirit.
But for the sake of Sarah's wonderful comment, I want to assume that "doing the will of God" as Jesus said in verse 21 means works-based salvation. This was my quest yesterday as I read on the porch. What works are necessary? What part of the Law must I - a non-Jewish woman of the 21st century keep? Do I eat kosher? Do I avoid blended fabrics? Do I keep the Sabbath? Do I stone unruly children who dishonor their parents? Or has the Mosaic Law been abrogated by Muhammad's Law and I must pray five times a day, avoid pork and alcohol, go on pilgrimage to Mecca and do good deeds to earn favor with God? This will be the topic of my next post. I'd include it here, but this post has gotten too long already.
I'd love to hear your thoughts and questions thus far. Thank you, commenters, for challenging me to think through what I believe. It's a joy to have you in my life. You help me grow!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Matthew 7 -- Gatecrashers & Relationships
In my last post, I mentioned these verses from Matthew 7,
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
and then someone left a comment asking me to explain what this means to me. Her opinion was that it was a warning not to go "through" Jesus as most Christians believe and teach. When I reread my post yesterday what she said didn't stick out to me as I stressed relationship (knowing Christ) being important, however, I did ponder "but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." I thought of editing the post to make mention of it, but left it alone in the end. I wanted first to see what others had to say.
As to what this means to me...
First, I need to know what the will of God is in order to do it! Any ideas on what that is?
Second, concerning what my friend wrote, I see it this way. Remember the Gatecrashers who somehow made it through White House security and posed for pictures at the Obamas' first state dinner last year? Although their names were not on the list, they somehow got through security all the way to the President of the United States!
Obama didn't have the knowledge to realize they were not supposed to be at the dinner, but later the news came out and the press had its heyday and a security staffer resigned for this lapse.
Not that the two scenarios are totally relevant, but we can say it is helpful to know somebody, right? Or to be known? Have your name on the list, so to speak. In countries where wasta is important, even in the West where having connections helps oftentimes in landing a job: knowing someone has its perks!
Is Jesus saying that knowing him has its privileges when it comes to entering the kingdom of heaven? Perhaps those who had been prophesying, doing miracles and casting out demons in his name were just doing things instead of knowing Jesus. Can we be so busy doing things for God that we don't take time to know Him? Could it be that this matters a lot to a God who values relationships? We must admit that loving God and loving others involves relationships!
Jesus claims to be the Way to the Father (John 14:6) and the Door (John 10:9). So, yes, we believe we go to the Father through Jesus. I wouldn't likely be invited into the White House just because of my bright eyes and friendly smile. But if I were good friends with Michelle Obama, I would have a better chance of visiting with the family in their personal living area. Relationships matter!
Most of us would see someone casting out demons and doing miracles and assume he was a man of God. I know I would! However, Jesus stresses here that merely doing things in his name doesn't matter. Perhaps you are familiar with those who are bold enough to speak in the name of another or do things in someone else's name without personally knowing the individual for whom they speak.
The Bible says the devil appears as an angel of light and in this passage Jesus warns of those who are like wolves in sheep's clothing.
Apparently there are some who will appear righteous and lovely outwardly, but God knows they are deceitful wolves. Is this why we are commanded not to judge? Some who have honorable intentions we may judge harshly whereas those we deem as good and holy perhaps are devils in disguise. Food for thought anyway.
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
and then someone left a comment asking me to explain what this means to me. Her opinion was that it was a warning not to go "through" Jesus as most Christians believe and teach. When I reread my post yesterday what she said didn't stick out to me as I stressed relationship (knowing Christ) being important, however, I did ponder "but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." I thought of editing the post to make mention of it, but left it alone in the end. I wanted first to see what others had to say.
As to what this means to me...
First, I need to know what the will of God is in order to do it! Any ideas on what that is?
Second, concerning what my friend wrote, I see it this way. Remember the Gatecrashers who somehow made it through White House security and posed for pictures at the Obamas' first state dinner last year? Although their names were not on the list, they somehow got through security all the way to the President of the United States!
Obama didn't have the knowledge to realize they were not supposed to be at the dinner, but later the news came out and the press had its heyday and a security staffer resigned for this lapse.
Not that the two scenarios are totally relevant, but we can say it is helpful to know somebody, right? Or to be known? Have your name on the list, so to speak. In countries where wasta is important, even in the West where having connections helps oftentimes in landing a job: knowing someone has its perks!
Is Jesus saying that knowing him has its privileges when it comes to entering the kingdom of heaven? Perhaps those who had been prophesying, doing miracles and casting out demons in his name were just doing things instead of knowing Jesus. Can we be so busy doing things for God that we don't take time to know Him? Could it be that this matters a lot to a God who values relationships? We must admit that loving God and loving others involves relationships!
Jesus claims to be the Way to the Father (John 14:6) and the Door (John 10:9). So, yes, we believe we go to the Father through Jesus. I wouldn't likely be invited into the White House just because of my bright eyes and friendly smile. But if I were good friends with Michelle Obama, I would have a better chance of visiting with the family in their personal living area. Relationships matter!
Most of us would see someone casting out demons and doing miracles and assume he was a man of God. I know I would! However, Jesus stresses here that merely doing things in his name doesn't matter. Perhaps you are familiar with those who are bold enough to speak in the name of another or do things in someone else's name without personally knowing the individual for whom they speak.
The Bible says the devil appears as an angel of light and in this passage Jesus warns of those who are like wolves in sheep's clothing.
He doesn't generally appear in such a way that we recognize him.
I think the horns and pitchfork would tip us off that he's up to no good!
I think the horns and pitchfork would tip us off that he's up to no good!
Apparently there are some who will appear righteous and lovely outwardly, but God knows they are deceitful wolves. Is this why we are commanded not to judge? Some who have honorable intentions we may judge harshly whereas those we deem as good and holy perhaps are devils in disguise. Food for thought anyway.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Matthew 7 -- Judging, Fruit Inspecting & Knowing
Sorry I got to slacking on the Matthew study lately. We went out of town one weekend, I was a bit in the not-posting mood for a day or so and quite frankly Matthew 7 steps on my toes right off the bat! I didn't really know where to go with this chapter, what to point out, what to gloss over, to speak of it quickly and generally or take my time going through some of the passages. Except for the post the other day touching on the "golden rule" aspect of verse 12 and greeting folks being part of daily courtesy as well as loving our enemies, I'm just now getting back to my Matthew study. Let's see . . .
In the first teaching Jesus warns us not to judge. (Mt. 7:1-5) I think I was born with a judging gene because it comes too stinkin' easy for me to find fault in others while overlooking some of the fault in my own self. (Yes, unbelievably, I have faults. :-)) Later in this chapter Jesus instructs us to watch out for false prophets and tells us that we will recognize them by their fruit. I've heard people say we aren't supposed to judge, but we can be fruit inspectors. Perhaps we cannot judge people's intentions realizing we have distorted views based on our own fallible nature, but we can observe how people act (and react!) to others and circumstances in order to see if they are what they claim to be. What do you think? And what do you think this "fruit" is? Here is what Galatians has to say about what constitutes the "fruit of the Spirit."
Pretty decent stuff, eh? (Oh, and that watermelon looks divine! Yum!)
Right after Jesus tells us how to recognize false teachers, he says this, 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
Knowing Jesus is important to him. So is it less about being able to do good works in his name (prophesying, miracles, driving out demons) and more about relationship?
Thoughts?
In the first teaching Jesus warns us not to judge. (Mt. 7:1-5) I think I was born with a judging gene because it comes too stinkin' easy for me to find fault in others while overlooking some of the fault in my own self. (Yes, unbelievably, I have faults. :-)) Later in this chapter Jesus instructs us to watch out for false prophets and tells us that we will recognize them by their fruit. I've heard people say we aren't supposed to judge, but we can be fruit inspectors. Perhaps we cannot judge people's intentions realizing we have distorted views based on our own fallible nature, but we can observe how people act (and react!) to others and circumstances in order to see if they are what they claim to be. What do you think? And what do you think this "fruit" is? Here is what Galatians has to say about what constitutes the "fruit of the Spirit."
Pretty decent stuff, eh? (Oh, and that watermelon looks divine! Yum!)
Right after Jesus tells us how to recognize false teachers, he says this, 21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
Knowing Jesus is important to him. So is it less about being able to do good works in his name (prophesying, miracles, driving out demons) and more about relationship?
Thoughts?
March Books
Sketches of Jewish Social Life in the Days of Christ by Alfred Edersheim -- The chapters on trades and commerce were interesting as they shared the value of hard work and which trades were thought more highly of than others. Also it shared how certain tasks became more popular while the Jews were in captivity vs. when they were free.
I enjoyed the chapter on Pharisees and the common people and what they wore. I didn't know auburn hair was well-liked. And interesting fact about the nose ring being prohibited from being worn on the Sabbath. By the way, slaves were not permitted to grow beards (pg. 218). I learned the Pharisees added more of "their own glosses, interpretations, and traditions" to the law whereas the Sadducces were more "bare letter of the law" types (pg. 242). The Essenes reminded me a bit of a cross between the nuns of Catholicism and Sufis in Islam because of their practices. (pg. 245)
Synagogue worship was interesting and how they encouraged men to pray in the synagogues rather than their houses if a synagogue were in their community. (pg. 249)
Healing Stones by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn -- I borrowed this Sullivan Crisp novel from Cindy. It's a modern woman-caught-in-adultery story featuring Demitria, Zach, Rich, Jayne, Christopher, Covenant Christian College and so forth. "Humble willingness -- an attitude before God."
Healing Waters by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn -- another Sullivan Crisp novel and the next in the series; this tells the story of Lucia and her struggle with her weight and living in the shadow of her slender, beautiful and charismatic sister, Sonia. Due to a horrible accident Lucia finds herself living at Sonia's house and taking care of Bethany, Sonia's six-year-old daughter. This is a wonderful story of discovery and freedom. Other characters: Chip, Marnie, Wesley and her son James-Lawson, Sullivan (of course) ; This book like the other one deals a little with misguided theology and how suffering is not a result of God's disapproval of you and/or it happening to you because of lack of goodness or faith in your own life.
Honor Lost: Love and Death in Modern-Day Jordan by Norma Khouri -- This book was interesting in many ways partially because it was written by a Catholic woman who grew up as a dhimmah (the "protected minority" or as she also put it "not exactly an enemy, but closely watched second-class citizens" pg. 62) in a predominately-Muslim country. She shared the story of herself and her best friend, a Muslim named Dalia. The two of them had been great friends since they met at age three and remained close throughout their early adult years. They even opened and ran a hair salon together. Norma intrigued me with her references to the roles of women in her society and how so many of the traditions were based on ancient Bedouin codes. None of it was necessarily surprising in the sense that I'd not heard it before, but to hear a young Arab woman speak of her culture and society this way made it more real to me. I enjoyed talk about favorite Arabic foods and vacation spots in Jordan near the Dead Sea and Aqaba and her thoughts about many aspects of her society and her people.
Though Norma is quick to blame cultural practices and not Islam only because she shares how these barbaric practices cross all classes and religions in Jordan, she is especially hard on Islam since she believes its influence in the region for centuries has kept women down instead of allowing them to rise above these outdated practices. As she put it, "It is safe to say, I believe, that Islam is a totalitarian regime operating under the guise of religion" (pg. 60) then she explains how Islam dictates every aspect of its follower lives down to how to treat others, when and how to eat, drink, sleep, have sex and even how to use the bathroom --oh, and how to clean yourself properly afterward! Talk about controlling every aspect of your life! I suppose some believe we are in need of instruction for the most minute and intimate aspects of our lives.
Through Norma's words, I experienced the art of manipulating and deceiving the men in their lives just so a group of friends could go out together as normal people who want to eat and laugh and talk together. I was sad that they had to go to such measures for something as innocent as this just because of the controlling ways of the men in this society. Norma shared how Dalia's brother would wear western clothes and even go to bars -- all of this was forgivable for men. Though both sexes were bound by many rules the difference "of course, is that if men break any of these rules, they are to be forgiven. Women's limitations are harder to list simply because the list is continually being expanded and edited by both male lawmakers and the men in a woman's own family. And if a woman breaks any of the rules she's required to follow, she is not granted the luxury of forgiveness. She must be punished." (pg. 58)
For what it's worth, I wrote these previous words (up there ^) before I wrote this tirade against honor killings which I posted more than two weeks ago.
I was horrified when Dalia paid the ultimate price for her deceptiveness at the hands of her own father and sadly amazed when Norma's brother reacted to the news with an indifferent "she should have known better." Yeah...as if all women should expect such brutal treatment from men especially men of their own households. These people take that whole "I gave you life; I can take it from you" thing tooooooo far. In reality GOD gives life and He should be the one who can take it away. Not murdering fathers and brothers who happen to think their honor and dignity and reputation are more important than their own daughters and sisters! Curse your blasted honor, stupid men! (Just had to get that out...hehehe.)
Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife by Francine Prose -- I got this off the new books shelf at the library. The author shared many interesting background stories about Anne Frank and her relationships with her mother and father and school friends. The author discussed the publication of her diary, its revisions and also how writing the plays and producing the films unfolded. She told how this book impacted world culture including how "Anne's diary has enabled readers to confront their troubled pasts" in places like Argentina, Chile, Guatemala and Ukraine. As one person put it, "'She was a victim of her society, but when you talk about her book, it gives people hope and inspiration. It's a catalyst. They begin to think that they can do something different.'" (p. 166).
Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish -- Deputy Ben Patil finds an abandoned newborn baby and he and his wife, Abbi, foster her. This fostering brings to light many of the issues they have and also helps them heal. Another main character is Matthew, a deaf boy who helps Abbi with yard work and watching the baby.
Jesus, Interrupted by Bart Ehrman is subtitled "Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them)" -- Instead of dealing with the devotional approach to the Bible, the author uses the historical-critical method. Of it he writes: "The historical-critical approach to the Bible does not assume that each author has the same message. It allows for the possibility that each author has his own perspective, his own views, his own understandings of what the Christian faith is and should be." (pg. 62) He continues, "Sometimes one author's understanding of a major issue is at odds with another author's, on such vital matters as who Christ is, how salvation is attained, and how the followers of Jesus are to live." (pg. 62) One example is how differently Mark and Luke present Jesus on the cross. Mark's message to persecuted believers who are suffering may be "rest assured: even though they may not see why they are suffering, God knows, and God is working behind the scenes to make suffering redemptive." Mark's version shows Jesus wanting to know why God left him to suffer this way. By contrast Luke portrays Jesus as knowing why he was on the cross and shows him looking out for others. The message to persecuted believers could be to show them that they, too, could be confident knowing that paradise awaits, God is there with them and they can look out for others while going through hard times. The author writes, "[The] Gospels, and all the books of the Bible, are distinct and should not be read as if they are all saying the same thing. ... Mark is different from Luke, and Matthew is different from John, as you can see by doing your own horizontal reading of their respective stories of the crucifixion. The historical approach to the Gospels allows each author's voice to be heard and refuses to conflate them into some kind of mega-Gospel that flattens the emphases of each one." (pg. 70)
I laughed towards the end of the book when the author said he frequently asks his classes how many believe the Bible is God's inspired word and nearly all hands go up. Then he asks how many have read it all and maybe only one or two have. He questions, "Hmmm, if God wrote a book, don't you think you should read it?" That struck me cute -- and true! :)
The author pointing out the beginnings of anti-Judaism within Christianity was of interest to me. Although I'm aware somewhat of how "Christian" circles mistreated Jews in Europe, it's still a bit surprising to me since most conservative Christians in my country are very favorable to Jews and the State of Israel. I read in the past how Americans were influenced by a pro-Jewish European (Darby) who was quite different than most "Christians" in Europe who were much less favorable to the Jewish people.
The author claims - unlike in the American South (where both he and I live about thirty minutes from one another) - to most Christians in the world the "Christian faith is about believing in Christ and worshiping God through him. It is not about belief in the Bible." He points us to the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed which say nothing of the Bible. Indeed he claims, "In traditional Christianity the Bible itself has never been an object of faith." (pg. 225)
I enjoyed the chapter on Pharisees and the common people and what they wore. I didn't know auburn hair was well-liked. And interesting fact about the nose ring being prohibited from being worn on the Sabbath. By the way, slaves were not permitted to grow beards (pg. 218). I learned the Pharisees added more of "their own glosses, interpretations, and traditions" to the law whereas the Sadducces were more "bare letter of the law" types (pg. 242). The Essenes reminded me a bit of a cross between the nuns of Catholicism and Sufis in Islam because of their practices. (pg. 245)
Synagogue worship was interesting and how they encouraged men to pray in the synagogues rather than their houses if a synagogue were in their community. (pg. 249)
Healing Stones by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn -- I borrowed this Sullivan Crisp novel from Cindy. It's a modern woman-caught-in-adultery story featuring Demitria, Zach, Rich, Jayne, Christopher, Covenant Christian College and so forth. "Humble willingness -- an attitude before God."
Healing Waters by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn -- another Sullivan Crisp novel and the next in the series; this tells the story of Lucia and her struggle with her weight and living in the shadow of her slender, beautiful and charismatic sister, Sonia. Due to a horrible accident Lucia finds herself living at Sonia's house and taking care of Bethany, Sonia's six-year-old daughter. This is a wonderful story of discovery and freedom. Other characters: Chip, Marnie, Wesley and her son James-Lawson, Sullivan (of course) ; This book like the other one deals a little with misguided theology and how suffering is not a result of God's disapproval of you and/or it happening to you because of lack of goodness or faith in your own life.
Honor Lost: Love and Death in Modern-Day Jordan by Norma Khouri -- This book was interesting in many ways partially because it was written by a Catholic woman who grew up as a dhimmah (the "protected minority" or as she also put it "not exactly an enemy, but closely watched second-class citizens" pg. 62) in a predominately-Muslim country. She shared the story of herself and her best friend, a Muslim named Dalia. The two of them had been great friends since they met at age three and remained close throughout their early adult years. They even opened and ran a hair salon together. Norma intrigued me with her references to the roles of women in her society and how so many of the traditions were based on ancient Bedouin codes. None of it was necessarily surprising in the sense that I'd not heard it before, but to hear a young Arab woman speak of her culture and society this way made it more real to me. I enjoyed talk about favorite Arabic foods and vacation spots in Jordan near the Dead Sea and Aqaba and her thoughts about many aspects of her society and her people.
Though Norma is quick to blame cultural practices and not Islam only because she shares how these barbaric practices cross all classes and religions in Jordan, she is especially hard on Islam since she believes its influence in the region for centuries has kept women down instead of allowing them to rise above these outdated practices. As she put it, "It is safe to say, I believe, that Islam is a totalitarian regime operating under the guise of religion" (pg. 60) then she explains how Islam dictates every aspect of its follower lives down to how to treat others, when and how to eat, drink, sleep, have sex and even how to use the bathroom --oh, and how to clean yourself properly afterward! Talk about controlling every aspect of your life! I suppose some believe we are in need of instruction for the most minute and intimate aspects of our lives.
Through Norma's words, I experienced the art of manipulating and deceiving the men in their lives just so a group of friends could go out together as normal people who want to eat and laugh and talk together. I was sad that they had to go to such measures for something as innocent as this just because of the controlling ways of the men in this society. Norma shared how Dalia's brother would wear western clothes and even go to bars -- all of this was forgivable for men. Though both sexes were bound by many rules the difference "of course, is that if men break any of these rules, they are to be forgiven. Women's limitations are harder to list simply because the list is continually being expanded and edited by both male lawmakers and the men in a woman's own family. And if a woman breaks any of the rules she's required to follow, she is not granted the luxury of forgiveness. She must be punished." (pg. 58)
For what it's worth, I wrote these previous words (up there ^) before I wrote this tirade against honor killings which I posted more than two weeks ago.
I was horrified when Dalia paid the ultimate price for her deceptiveness at the hands of her own father and sadly amazed when Norma's brother reacted to the news with an indifferent "she should have known better." Yeah...as if all women should expect such brutal treatment from men especially men of their own households. These people take that whole "I gave you life; I can take it from you" thing tooooooo far. In reality GOD gives life and He should be the one who can take it away. Not murdering fathers and brothers who happen to think their honor and dignity and reputation are more important than their own daughters and sisters! Curse your blasted honor, stupid men! (Just had to get that out...hehehe.)
Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife by Francine Prose -- I got this off the new books shelf at the library. The author shared many interesting background stories about Anne Frank and her relationships with her mother and father and school friends. The author discussed the publication of her diary, its revisions and also how writing the plays and producing the films unfolded. She told how this book impacted world culture including how "Anne's diary has enabled readers to confront their troubled pasts" in places like Argentina, Chile, Guatemala and Ukraine. As one person put it, "'She was a victim of her society, but when you talk about her book, it gives people hope and inspiration. It's a catalyst. They begin to think that they can do something different.'" (p. 166).
Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish -- Deputy Ben Patil finds an abandoned newborn baby and he and his wife, Abbi, foster her. This fostering brings to light many of the issues they have and also helps them heal. Another main character is Matthew, a deaf boy who helps Abbi with yard work and watching the baby.
Jesus, Interrupted by Bart Ehrman is subtitled "Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them)" -- Instead of dealing with the devotional approach to the Bible, the author uses the historical-critical method. Of it he writes: "The historical-critical approach to the Bible does not assume that each author has the same message. It allows for the possibility that each author has his own perspective, his own views, his own understandings of what the Christian faith is and should be." (pg. 62) He continues, "Sometimes one author's understanding of a major issue is at odds with another author's, on such vital matters as who Christ is, how salvation is attained, and how the followers of Jesus are to live." (pg. 62) One example is how differently Mark and Luke present Jesus on the cross. Mark's message to persecuted believers who are suffering may be "rest assured: even though they may not see why they are suffering, God knows, and God is working behind the scenes to make suffering redemptive." Mark's version shows Jesus wanting to know why God left him to suffer this way. By contrast Luke portrays Jesus as knowing why he was on the cross and shows him looking out for others. The message to persecuted believers could be to show them that they, too, could be confident knowing that paradise awaits, God is there with them and they can look out for others while going through hard times. The author writes, "[The] Gospels, and all the books of the Bible, are distinct and should not be read as if they are all saying the same thing. ... Mark is different from Luke, and Matthew is different from John, as you can see by doing your own horizontal reading of their respective stories of the crucifixion. The historical approach to the Gospels allows each author's voice to be heard and refuses to conflate them into some kind of mega-Gospel that flattens the emphases of each one." (pg. 70)
I laughed towards the end of the book when the author said he frequently asks his classes how many believe the Bible is God's inspired word and nearly all hands go up. Then he asks how many have read it all and maybe only one or two have. He questions, "Hmmm, if God wrote a book, don't you think you should read it?" That struck me cute -- and true! :)
The author pointing out the beginnings of anti-Judaism within Christianity was of interest to me. Although I'm aware somewhat of how "Christian" circles mistreated Jews in Europe, it's still a bit surprising to me since most conservative Christians in my country are very favorable to Jews and the State of Israel. I read in the past how Americans were influenced by a pro-Jewish European (Darby) who was quite different than most "Christians" in Europe who were much less favorable to the Jewish people.
The author claims - unlike in the American South (where both he and I live about thirty minutes from one another) - to most Christians in the world the "Christian faith is about believing in Christ and worshiping God through him. It is not about belief in the Bible." He points us to the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed which say nothing of the Bible. Indeed he claims, "In traditional Christianity the Bible itself has never been an object of faith." (pg. 225)
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Matthew 7 -- Greeting others as part of the 'Golden Rule'
I saw this quote in a publication I just got in the mail about an hour ago. Thought it was worth contemplating.
"Loving our enemy includes those who are hard to love, whether a hostile stranger or a bad-tempered spouse. And therefore the ways of love that Jesus demands are as varied as self-sacrifice at the one end of the spectrum and a simple greeting at the other end. It is remarkable that in the context of enemy-love Jesus says something as ordinary as, 'If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?' (Matt. 5:47). People concerned with global suffering and international injustices might think this is ridiculously individualistic and insignificant. Greetings? Does it really matter in a world like ours whom we say hello to on the street? Jesus knows that the true condition of our heart is revealed not just by the global causes we espouse, but by the daily acts of courtesy we show. Relentlessly he pursues the transformation of our hearts, not just the alteration of our social agendas."
-- John Piper, What Jesus Demands of the World
Now we are moving on to Matthew 7 where in verse 12 Jesus sums up the Law and the Prophets with, "so in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you."
Seems simple enough. If you want others to treat you with courtesy, show courtesy to them. If you want others to be kind and understanding and give you the benefit of the doubt, do the same for them. Who knew that greeting others - strangers or brothers, outcasts or friends - could be such a big deal?
Have you ever been roaming around a workplace or university and notice how people want to send their cordial greetings to the bosses or professors, deans and presidents? I wonder if those same people also greet the hardworking black janitor mopping the floor or the Mexican lady cleaning toilets in similar fashion. Do we tend to greet those whom seem important to us while ignoring those cleaning behind us?
I wonder how Jesus would have acted in this work or college setting. Remember according to him, the greatest among us is the one who serves, not the one who is being served.
Can you think of examples in your own life of people reaching out to only the rich or important while ignoring the poor and common folks? Or maybe you have seen people who reach out to all types with no regard to their stations in life? What are some areas you wish people would shape up and be more understanding and kind? Any other examples or thoughts on this topic? What do you think of John Piper's quote and the significance of greetings? Do you agree or disagree with him?
"Loving our enemy includes those who are hard to love, whether a hostile stranger or a bad-tempered spouse. And therefore the ways of love that Jesus demands are as varied as self-sacrifice at the one end of the spectrum and a simple greeting at the other end. It is remarkable that in the context of enemy-love Jesus says something as ordinary as, 'If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?' (Matt. 5:47). People concerned with global suffering and international injustices might think this is ridiculously individualistic and insignificant. Greetings? Does it really matter in a world like ours whom we say hello to on the street? Jesus knows that the true condition of our heart is revealed not just by the global causes we espouse, but by the daily acts of courtesy we show. Relentlessly he pursues the transformation of our hearts, not just the alteration of our social agendas."
-- John Piper, What Jesus Demands of the World
Now we are moving on to Matthew 7 where in verse 12 Jesus sums up the Law and the Prophets with, "so in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you."
Seems simple enough. If you want others to treat you with courtesy, show courtesy to them. If you want others to be kind and understanding and give you the benefit of the doubt, do the same for them. Who knew that greeting others - strangers or brothers, outcasts or friends - could be such a big deal?
Have you ever been roaming around a workplace or university and notice how people want to send their cordial greetings to the bosses or professors, deans and presidents? I wonder if those same people also greet the hardworking black janitor mopping the floor or the Mexican lady cleaning toilets in similar fashion. Do we tend to greet those whom seem important to us while ignoring those cleaning behind us?
I wonder how Jesus would have acted in this work or college setting. Remember according to him, the greatest among us is the one who serves, not the one who is being served.
Can you think of examples in your own life of people reaching out to only the rich or important while ignoring the poor and common folks? Or maybe you have seen people who reach out to all types with no regard to their stations in life? What are some areas you wish people would shape up and be more understanding and kind? Any other examples or thoughts on this topic? What do you think of John Piper's quote and the significance of greetings? Do you agree or disagree with him?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Why I Follow Jesus & Still Eat Pork
Several days ago someone left a thought-provoking comment which inspired me to answer the question of why as someone who tries to follow Jesus, I don't eat according to the dietary rules of the Old Testament. After all Jesus as a Jewish rabbi would have followed the Law. Why do some of us claim he "purified all food"? Why do we insist that pork and shellfish are all right for us to eat when it wasn't "all right" for, say, Peter, James, Isaiah, Amos and John the Baptist?
First I must say that there are some people out there who do believe we should stick with the Mosaic Law and not consume "unclean" foods. A quick Google search will lead you to people with that point of view, and I respect them. If they feel God wants them to eat kosher then they should!
But for those like me, I will attempt to explain our reasons for not following the dietary rules given to Moses. I don't want anyone to assume it was just pure rebellion or a lackadaisical attitude on our parts.
1. I am not a Jew. Although it's true that we Christians tend to have a soft spot for the Ten Commandments and will often fight for its inclusion in our courthouse buildings when the ACLU tries to get rid of them, God actually gave the Law to Moses for the children of Israel.
For God's own reasons and not because of Abraham's, Isaac's, or Jacob's innate goodness, God chose this line to bring forth the Messiah, Jesus. God wanted His people to be set apart from the surrounding nations. The Israelites often failed miserably, worshiped idols, mistreated the poor, acted unjustly to other nations and broke the Law, but God sent prophets to warn them to turn back to Him. When they did, He restored them. When they refused, He punished them like any good parent would do.
Israel was to be different thus God gave them explicit rules to follow. The Law showed them how to live and also showed them they were not perfect enough to keep all the rules. It proved they needed a Savior, but that's a whole other topic. :)
From Exodus 19:
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."
And Isaiah 49:
3 He said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."...
2. Food doesn't make us 'unclean.' In Matthew 15 Jesus was asked why his disciples did not wash their hands before eating. After all this was breaking with tradition of the elders. Jesus replied,
11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' "
17"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "
One might argue that Jesus was talking about unclean hands rather than food, however I believe the spirit of this teaching is that food and unwashed hands aren't what defile a person. Shrimp and bacon go in the mouth and out later as waste. The thoughts that come from within are what defile a person.
3. God purified all food. Peter was a good Jewish man. In fact when he received his vision, he was stunned and argued with God insisting there was nooooooo way he would ever eat something unclean!
Acts 10
9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
4. We are under a New Covenant. Many people believe Jesus fulfilled the Law perfectly and did away with our need for keeping it when he died and rose from the dead. He gave us the New Covenant so we are no longer bound by the Old Law in order to acquire salvation. The New Covenant is written upon our hearts and we have power to live this way through the indwelling Holy Spirit as we follow Jesus.
There are likely other reasons that people have, but these are the main ones for me. Another good passage to check out is Romans 14 which deals with people who argue over which days are special, which holidays to celebrate, which foods and drinks are acceptable. I love the freedom we have in Christ! Not that we are free to do evil, but we are free from the bondage of sin and enabled to do good through his wonderful power! How many of us can love our enemies by our own strength?
Thoughts?
First I must say that there are some people out there who do believe we should stick with the Mosaic Law and not consume "unclean" foods. A quick Google search will lead you to people with that point of view, and I respect them. If they feel God wants them to eat kosher then they should!
But for those like me, I will attempt to explain our reasons for not following the dietary rules given to Moses. I don't want anyone to assume it was just pure rebellion or a lackadaisical attitude on our parts.
1. I am not a Jew. Although it's true that we Christians tend to have a soft spot for the Ten Commandments and will often fight for its inclusion in our courthouse buildings when the ACLU tries to get rid of them, God actually gave the Law to Moses for the children of Israel.
For God's own reasons and not because of Abraham's, Isaac's, or Jacob's innate goodness, God chose this line to bring forth the Messiah, Jesus. God wanted His people to be set apart from the surrounding nations. The Israelites often failed miserably, worshiped idols, mistreated the poor, acted unjustly to other nations and broke the Law, but God sent prophets to warn them to turn back to Him. When they did, He restored them. When they refused, He punished them like any good parent would do.
Israel was to be different thus God gave them explicit rules to follow. The Law showed them how to live and also showed them they were not perfect enough to keep all the rules. It proved they needed a Savior, but that's a whole other topic. :)
From Exodus 19:
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."
And Isaiah 49:
3 He said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."...
6 I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
2. Food doesn't make us 'unclean.' In Matthew 15 Jesus was asked why his disciples did not wash their hands before eating. After all this was breaking with tradition of the elders. Jesus replied,
11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' "
17"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' "
One might argue that Jesus was talking about unclean hands rather than food, however I believe the spirit of this teaching is that food and unwashed hands aren't what defile a person. Shrimp and bacon go in the mouth and out later as waste. The thoughts that come from within are what defile a person.
3. God purified all food. Peter was a good Jewish man. In fact when he received his vision, he was stunned and argued with God insisting there was nooooooo way he would ever eat something unclean!
Acts 10
9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."4. We are under a New Covenant. Many people believe Jesus fulfilled the Law perfectly and did away with our need for keeping it when he died and rose from the dead. He gave us the New Covenant so we are no longer bound by the Old Law in order to acquire salvation. The New Covenant is written upon our hearts and we have power to live this way through the indwelling Holy Spirit as we follow Jesus.
There are likely other reasons that people have, but these are the main ones for me. Another good passage to check out is Romans 14 which deals with people who argue over which days are special, which holidays to celebrate, which foods and drinks are acceptable. I love the freedom we have in Christ! Not that we are free to do evil, but we are free from the bondage of sin and enabled to do good through his wonderful power! How many of us can love our enemies by our own strength?
Thoughts?
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