And God placed all things under this feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him
who fills everything in every way (Eph. 1:22-3, TNIV)
Me: What is the church?
God: Before we specifically talk about the church, let’s talk more generally about what it means to be a Christian.
Me: Why not? I’d like know more about what it means to be a Christian. Where do we begin?
God: Simply put, a Christian is a disciple of Jesus.
Me: What is a disciple? What does a disciple do?
God: A disciple in Jesus’ day was called a student or talmid. Talmidim were students who followed their teacher, called a rabbi. Talmidim modeled themselves after their rabbi. They did what their rabbi did, said what their rabbi said, and tried to think like their rabbi. They also submitted themselves to their rabbi’s correction and instruction. There was a saying in Jesus’ day that talmidim were covered in the dust of their rabbi’s feet. Talmidim not only desired to model themselves after their rabbi, ultimately they wanted to be just like the rabbi. Therefore, when Jesus said to his first disciples, “Follow me,” he called them to be involved in relationship with him, to be witnesses who are sent by him to share the good news to the world [1]. Unlike other rabbis of the day, Jesus chose his disciples personally – not the other way around. The implications of this are astounding! It really means that Jesus believes in those he calls to follow him. It really means that he thinks that disciples can and do make a difference in the world.
Me: So just as Christ chose his disciples, we become disciples because you first chose us [2].
God: Exactly. A Christian is a disciple of Jesus. Or you might say that Christians are “the called ones” or my “chosen” ones. These are the elect that I referred to previously.
Me: How is it that Christians are a chosen people? I mean wasn’t Abraham chosen first and he was the father of what would become the Israelites? How are Christians today a part of the chosen people?
God: Holy Scripture explains that salvation through Jesus has come to the Gentiles because of Israel’s unbelief, and when the full number of Gentiles has come into my household, then also Israel will be saved [3]. So, Christians today who confess Jesus as Messiah and are following after him have been grafted into my family tree. Jesus is the trunk from which millions of branches, twigs, and leaves, which are Christian communities and Christian individuals worldwide, spread out to cover the earth.
Me: What’s the purpose of the tree?
God: It is a tree of life with all kinds of fruit, continually producing fruit in season; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations [4]. In other words, the tree of Jesus Christ is capable of providing restoration and healing for all the nations – not only in the distant future, but also today.
Me: I like the imagery of the church as the branches of the tree of Jesus whose leaves
are for the healing of the nations. What other images are helpful for describing the church?
God: There are three other primary images which demonstrate the depth and scope of the church. The first is that of body with Jesus as the Head. The church, then, are the “members” of the body such as: eyes, ears, hands, feet, knees, elbows, and such. All parts make up the whole and every part is needed to make up the entire body. A second image, which I partially alluded to earlier, is that of family. I am the Father and Jesus is my Son. You, along with all other Christians worldwide, are my children. The image of the church as family demonstrates strong covenantal overtones as my servant Paul says in Holy Scripture that since you are my children, you are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ [5].
Me: What’s the third?
God: It’s my favorite…that of sign, foretaste, and instrument of the kingdom. In other words, the church is a called community of my people which points to the promised fulfillment of my coming reign by offering the world a taste of what is to come.
Me: Say more.
God: Well, when I rescue people in this life, by working through the Spirit to bring
them to faith and by leading them to follow Jesus in a life of discipleship, along with participating in the sacraments, such things are designed to be a sign and foretaste of what I want to do for the whole world.
Me: So the church is the instrument of what you want to do for the entire world? That’s kind of scary. Let’s face it, the church has participated in and instigated some serious tragedies in history.
God: I do love the church – warts and all. I know the world is watching the church to see what she’ll do next which is why every act of love, gratitude and every kindness; every work of art or music inspired by my love; every act of creation care; every prayer; all Spirit-led teaching and preaching; every deed that spreads the gospel of Jesus Christ builds up the church and makes the name of Jesus honored in the world. The resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit mean that Christians are called to bring real, life-changing signs of my renewed creation even in the midst of this seemingly dark and present age [6]. This is, in part, what Jesus meant when he prayed, “Thy Kingdom come.”
Me: You mentioned Jesus’ resurrection. What does the resurrection have to do with the church?
God: The resurrection has everything to do with the church. Without the resurrection, there would be no outpouring of my Spirit. Without the outpouring there would be no witnesses to proclaim the Good News of the resurrection. Without witnesses there would ultimately be no churches. My servant Paul goes even further to say that if there is no resurrection, then humanity has no hope. Don’t you think there’s enough hopelessness in the world today? Humanity needs hope more than anything…something they can count on…someone they can latch on to and trust that they will carry them always. Jesus is that hope. The resurrection is the decisive event in human history demonstrating that the kingdom has really been launched on earth as it is in heaven. The resurrection completes the inauguration of the kingdom with Jesus now enthroned as Lord of heaven and earth! His kingdom is to be embodied by his followers – the church. My mission is unfolded page by page in the Scriptures as I accomplish my cosmic purposes through a few who are chosen to be the bearers of the purpose for the sake of all until the final day. The beginning of new creation has begun and as Christians live into this kingdom, in harmony with my intentions for you, the life of heaven becomes more and more present in your lives.
Me: You said that the church is also a sign and foretaste of the kingdom. Say more about that.
God: The church is a sign because she points to something beyond herself in the future – the day when Christ will return to consummate his kingdom on earth. The church is a foretaste of the kingdom because it embodies – in a particular way – the restoration of the relationship between me and sinful humanity. The ways in which the church embodies this is through celebrating my redemptive activity in worship; discerning my active presence through prayer; by bringing healing and wholeness in the Spirit’s power to creation as a whole; by practicing restorative justice; and by proclaiming my dynamic vision for all creation through the preaching of the word and sacraments. The purpose of these ecclesial practices is to make visible the invisible – to make the natural supernatural. The church then, is actively engaged in my ongoing mission of reconciling all humanity and healing by participating in my “creative power, redeeming love, and transforming presence” [7].
Me: So, your desire is that communities of Jesus’ followers (the church) would live in such a way that they bring heaven to earth.
God: More clearly, the purpose of the church is nothing more or less than the outworking of the Spirit, of Jesus’ bodily resurrection and thus the anticipation of the time when I will fill the earth with my glory, transform the heavens and earth into the new, and raise my children from the dead to populate and rule over the redeemed world I have made [8].
Me: How are you shaping the church to live into the mission?
God: Remember earlier when we talked about the common misconception that the goal of the Christian life is to obtain a one-way ticket to heaven?
Me: Yes, I remember. You said that salvation is not about going to heaven but about being made alive in Christ now and that the whole point of following Jesus is to enjoy creation’s renewal in the present as well as look forward to the day when Christ will return and ultimately set things aright [9]. Paul even went so far as to say that Jesus’ resurrection was the first-fruits, which is a very Jewish way of saying, “It is a small taste of what more to come.”
God: Good. The church is an instrument in the hands of the Spirit as conduit of my grace to rescue the world from the effects of sin and death.
Me: I don’t mean to sound argumentative, but the effects of sin and death are staggering; have you been paying attention to what’s happening down here? Why not just fulfill it all now? Why wait a moment longer to fully rescue and restore creation?
God: I have my reasons – which are not your concern right now. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is figuring out how you are going to participate in this kingdom I am building on earth. You are one of my chosen ones set apart to do my will on earth as it is done in heaven to bring a small taste of healing and restoration, proclamation and demonstration, justice and solidarity. Do you understand?
Me: I understand. You know I’ve often wondered how the “end times” will come about and what the day would be like when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead and to restore the earth. But it’s just so hard to know what to believe about the end times. Some say today that the Bible says we are in some sort of dispensation and one day Christians will be raptured away while Armageddon ensues. Yet there are others who say that Jesus will return like a “thief in the night” and that even he does not know the day or hour in which he will return and it’s not the Christians who are raptured but non-Christians. The dead in Christ will rise from the grave and we will be changed – fully human as God originally intended. The new heavens will come down to the new earth where you will make your dwelling once again with your people. And there are many other options in between. It’s all just so confusing. So what’s the right answer?
God: What do you believe? What are the implications of that belief?
Me: I believe that Scripture is clear that we shouldn’t excessive amounts of time trying to figure out with paper and pen when Christ will return because only you know the time and the day. So, we should live each day as if it is our last. I believe that you created this world and all that is in it and it was very good. You haven’t abandoned your creation so that it’s left to its own destruction. Rather, though creation is marred by sin and evil, you are continually at work to redeem and restore your image in creation; and what began as beautiful in a garden will end in a garden-city and we will worship together with all the saints and will finally see you face to face. We will have no need for light or the sun for you will be our light and will reign for eternity. The implication is that there is hope for today and tomorrow. As long as we continue to place our hope, faith, and trust in you and join you where we see you at work, then we will see your kingdom advanced in this world.
God: I’m glad we’ve had this conversation. I look forward the many more we will have throughout your life.
Copyright Josh Cooper 2010
Footnotes:
1. James V. Brownson. The Promise of Baptism: An Introduction in Scripture and the Reformed Tradition, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007), p.4.
2. Cf. 1 John 4:19
3. Romans 11:11, 25
4. Revelation 22:2
5. Romans 8:17
6. N.T. Wright. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, (New York: Harper Collins, 2008), p.208.
7. Darrell Guder. Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), p.157.
8. Wright, 264-5.
9. Cf. Chapter 3 of Confession of a Reforming Wesleyan.
Showing posts with label confession of a reforming wesleyan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label confession of a reforming wesleyan. Show all posts
Friday, May 21, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
confession of a reforming wesleyan - chapter four
On the Holy Spirit
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, he will teach you all things and
bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you (John 14:26, ESV).
Me: If Christ ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father as Mediator interceding on our behalf, are we left here all alone until his return at the end of the age?
God: With respect to Jesus’ human nature he is no longer on earth, but with respect to his divinity, glory, grace, and Spirit he is never absent. Jesus promised his disciples that he would not leave them as orphans to fend for themselves and with that promise he gave them the Holy Spirit to be with them to equip and empower them to carry out Jesus’ ministry reconciling work to the world. For example, in John’s Gospel it is written that Jesus appeared to his frightened disciples who were huddled behind locked doors and said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Then, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” So what we have here is Jesus breathing our Holy Spirit into the lives of the disciples to equip and empower them to continue his reconciling mission to the world. Imagine! The disciples received the Holy Spirit, without whom, they would be unable to proclaim the good news of the kingdom! It would have been impossible for them to do! Or consider the depth of the Psalmist’s words who ponders the breadth of the Spirit’s presence saying, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”[1] There is no place in all of creation anyone can go to flee from my Spirit. As the Psalmist testifies even if you ascend to heaven or descend to Sheol, I am there.
Me: So then, who is the Holy Spirit?
God: The Holy Spirit is the third “person” of the Godhead who proceeds from Jesus and me. While “person” helps to convey meaning, “person” in and of itself does not define the nature of the Holy Spirit. As the title “Spirit” implies, it contains an element of mystery. While there is much about the Spirit which can be known, there is a great mystery surrounding the Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus taught the Samaritan woman, who thought that God had to be worshipped at certain locations, that “God is Spirit.” It is impossible to fully comprehend the incorporeal being of the Holy Spirit. But I want you to know that the Holy Spirit is perfectly equal in nature and in relation to Jesus and I, but is also distinct in personhood. He himself lacks nothing; He gives life to all things and is never exhausted. The Holy Spirit has many names including: Spirit of truth,[2] Lord,[3] and Counselor,[4] who has been sent by Jesus and I, to be with you for all time.[5]
Me: Is the Holy Spirit of the New Testament the same Spirit of the Old Testament?
God: The Holy Spirit was not given as something “new” after Christ’s ascension, but has been in the business of creation, sustaining creation, and redemption from the very beginning. The opening words of Holy Scripture affirm the active presence of the Spirit in creation which says that in a beginning when all things in heaven and on earth were created, “the Spirit of God (ruah Elohim) hovered over the face of the waters.”[6] I breathed the same Spirit of life in to the nostrils of Adam and the man became a living being.[7] My prophet Ezekiel spoke to the valley of dry bones saying, “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” The Holy Spirit is the breath of life which sustains all of creation as Scripture says if I were to gather to myself my spirit and his breath then all flesh would perish.[8]
Me: Can you unpack this a little more for me? How does the Spirit participate in redemption?
God: How doesn’t the Spirit participate in redemption? The Holy Spirit is my Spirit, the Spirit of truth who reveals the my will…who convicts humanity of sin…who regenerates sinners through the waters of baptism[9] and enables sinners to confess “Jesus is Lord”...who sanctifies the believer and transforms them into the very image of Christ…who fills people to speak a prophetic word…who bestows spiritual gifts of all kinds. The Spirit is at work in every way in redemption. The historical high point in human history is the incarnation whereby the Holy Spirit impregnated Jesus’ mother, Mary. The eternal Word, Jesus, became flesh in Mary’s womb. After Jesus’ ascended to the heavens, the Spirit was poured out through Jesus so that those who confess “Jesus is Lord” and believe in their heart that he is Lord are justified by grace and become heirs according to the hope of eternal life that is in Christ.[10]
Me: You mentioned that the Holy Spirit sanctifies – what does that mean?
God: When Abram was ninety-nine years old I appeared to him and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be perfect.”[11] Likewise, Jesus said to those who had ears to hear, “Be perfect.” There are many who would say that “perfect” doesn’t really mean perfect but means “sincere” so as to say that I accept sincere obedience. I am agreeable to this so long as you accept my definition of “sincere.” To be sincere means to be without wax.
Me: Without wax? What does that mean?
God: The words sine cera (sincere) were associated with crafted pottery which was marked as genuine and original. Cracked or defective pottery would have been repaired with wax and sold at the market potentially for more than it was worth. On the other hand, potteries which had no imperfections were given the stamp of approval and marked as sine cera – or without wax. Just as I called Abram and Jesus called his disciples to be perfect, it is not a call to be without sin for that is impossible for you to do, but it is a call to be original and genuine. It is a call to be conformed more into Christ’s image through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a call to holiness.
Me: Say more about holiness. How does the Spirit transform us more into Christ’s image?
God: The Spirit transforms lives both instantly and progressively. The Bible refers to this transformation process as sanctification.
Me: Say more about sanctification. What is it?
God: Perhaps the best way to answer your question is by way of analogy. Sanctification is like marriage. There was a specific point in time in your relationship with the woman you love when you covenanted to commit yourselves to one another for all of your lives in holy matrimony. On your wedding day you pledged to give all that you knew of yourself to your wife and her to you and there was a moment, an instance when you both confirmed your pledge saying, “I do.” You were entirely wed in holy matrimony in that hour, on that day, in that year. Yet, the wedding day is only the beginning of a marriage. Soon you discovered that you did not in fact know everything there was to know about your spouse. You also discovered that you love her more today than you did eight years ago. A good marriage also takes a lifetime to develop. Does this make sense?
Me: Yes I think so. Just as my wife and I were married on August 17, 2002 - our marriage has blossomed over the last eight years as we grow in both knowledge and love for one another, so also sanctification can be related to a specific point in time and continues over time growing in knowledge of you and love for you and our neighbors.
God: Well said.
Me: So how does the Holy Spirit transform us into Christ’s image via sanctification?
God: The Spirit transforms real lives by uniting believers to Christ. To partake of the divine will is to experience intimate relationship with me through the Holy Spirit who unites believers to Christ. This transformational experience begins with Christian baptism – though I must say the Spirit has been at work in a person’s life long before they are baptized.
Me: Say more about that.
God: When a person is baptized into the threefold name of the “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,”[12] it marks the beginning of a new journey sealed on the path of Jesus. In the waters of baptism, a person literally dies to their old self as they go down into the water, and are raised to new life in Jesus Christ as they rise up. The image is striking don’t you think? As a result of baptism, a believer is, as my servant Paul says, clothed with Christ. To be clothed with Christ is to have a new identity, and that new identity is wrapped up in Jesus Christ. Having a new identity means you are not the same as you were before you entered the water. That person who went down into the baptismal water is dead. But the person who rises from the water has been raised to new life. New life in Christ is only possible by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. For there is no power in the waters of baptism for salvation – only faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ can accomplish that – but, baptism is a visible sign for all to see of the inward work already wrought by the Holy Spirit.
Me: What happens after baptism?
God: After baptism, as the believer grows in their knowledge and love for me and for neighbor – just as husband and wife grow in their knowledge and love for one another the more they discover they have more to give of themselves to their partner – they even desire to give more themselves more fully to their spouse. As a result, put simply, their ultimate desire is to put their mate’s desires above their own. This continues for a lifetime, even after death.
Me: Sounds like things are on the up and up when it comes to sanctification?
God: Well…it depends on how you look at it. Marriage has its ups and downs – fruitful times and difficult times. Sometimes sanctification is a painful process. The more aware you become as you are following Jesus of what it truly means to love me and love your neighbor, the more you realize just how much you have to learn and grow and more often than not it means that you have to let me change parts of you – change your thoughts and attitudes, your actions and certain behaviors, even how you perceive the world around you. This kind of change is painful because it means a part of you has to die in order for you to truly live. It means that you have to surrender that part of you to me and allow the Spirit to make necessary changes. Jesus said that if anyone desires to follow him that that person must pick up their cross daily and follow him.
Me: We’ve been talking quite a bit about sanctification as analogous to marriage. Speaking of marriage, is what ways is marriage a sacrament? For that matter, what’s a sacrament?
God: For starters, a sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace which are a
sign and foretaste of the kingdom of heaven. The sacraments serve to heighten your awareness of my redemptive activity.
Me: That’s a lot to take in. Can you give me an example?
God: In marriage, wedding rings are a sacramental symbol of my promises to my children which serve as a sign which point to the marriage union of Christ to his bride, the church. Another example is the Supper which is a sign and foretaste of the consummate Messianic banquet where those who come to the table participate in the life and mission of Christ. They are drawn up by the Spirit to the table to feast on the body and blood of Christ.
Me: So, just as wedding rings are sacramental symbols, so also baptism and the Lord’s Supper are sacramental symbols which are sign and foretaste of the Messianic kingdom.
God: Exactly.
Me: Not to change the subject, but how do I know if I’m being transformed into Christ’s image by the Spirit?
God: By the fruit that you bear.
Me: By the fruit that I bear? How so?
God: One of the surest signs of the transformative work of the Spirit can be discerned by the fruit that is produced as a result of the works that I created you to do. For example, Jesus used a fig tree illustration to emphasize this point. “Every good tree bears good fruit,” Jesus said, “but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit…nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.”[13] Elsewhere in Holy Scripture it says that everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Good fruit is marked by growing in love for me and for neighbor. So, let me ask you if good fruit being produced as a result of our relationship or are weeds being sown? If the capacity to love and serve me and others is expanding, then I’d say we’re on the right track.
Me: Thank you for telling me this, it’s difficult to hear but it’s comforting at the same time. So if fruit bearing is a sign of growth for the individual, can the same be true for the church?
God: Good question – I’m glad you asked. Let’s talk about the church and how I love her…warts and all.
Copyright 2010 Josh Cooper.
Footnotes:
1. Psalm 139:7
2. John 15:26
3. 2 Cor. 3:18
4. John 14:26
5. John 14:16
6. Gen. 1:2
7. Gen. 2:7
8. Job 34:14-5
9. Titus 3:5
10. Titus 3:6-7
11. Gen. 17:1
12. Matt. 28:19
13. Matt. 7:17-8
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, he will teach you all things and
bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you (John 14:26, ESV).
Me: If Christ ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father as Mediator interceding on our behalf, are we left here all alone until his return at the end of the age?
God: With respect to Jesus’ human nature he is no longer on earth, but with respect to his divinity, glory, grace, and Spirit he is never absent. Jesus promised his disciples that he would not leave them as orphans to fend for themselves and with that promise he gave them the Holy Spirit to be with them to equip and empower them to carry out Jesus’ ministry reconciling work to the world. For example, in John’s Gospel it is written that Jesus appeared to his frightened disciples who were huddled behind locked doors and said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Then, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” So what we have here is Jesus breathing our Holy Spirit into the lives of the disciples to equip and empower them to continue his reconciling mission to the world. Imagine! The disciples received the Holy Spirit, without whom, they would be unable to proclaim the good news of the kingdom! It would have been impossible for them to do! Or consider the depth of the Psalmist’s words who ponders the breadth of the Spirit’s presence saying, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”[1] There is no place in all of creation anyone can go to flee from my Spirit. As the Psalmist testifies even if you ascend to heaven or descend to Sheol, I am there.
Me: So then, who is the Holy Spirit?
God: The Holy Spirit is the third “person” of the Godhead who proceeds from Jesus and me. While “person” helps to convey meaning, “person” in and of itself does not define the nature of the Holy Spirit. As the title “Spirit” implies, it contains an element of mystery. While there is much about the Spirit which can be known, there is a great mystery surrounding the Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus taught the Samaritan woman, who thought that God had to be worshipped at certain locations, that “God is Spirit.” It is impossible to fully comprehend the incorporeal being of the Holy Spirit. But I want you to know that the Holy Spirit is perfectly equal in nature and in relation to Jesus and I, but is also distinct in personhood. He himself lacks nothing; He gives life to all things and is never exhausted. The Holy Spirit has many names including: Spirit of truth,[2] Lord,[3] and Counselor,[4] who has been sent by Jesus and I, to be with you for all time.[5]
Me: Is the Holy Spirit of the New Testament the same Spirit of the Old Testament?
God: The Holy Spirit was not given as something “new” after Christ’s ascension, but has been in the business of creation, sustaining creation, and redemption from the very beginning. The opening words of Holy Scripture affirm the active presence of the Spirit in creation which says that in a beginning when all things in heaven and on earth were created, “the Spirit of God (ruah Elohim) hovered over the face of the waters.”[6] I breathed the same Spirit of life in to the nostrils of Adam and the man became a living being.[7] My prophet Ezekiel spoke to the valley of dry bones saying, “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.” The Holy Spirit is the breath of life which sustains all of creation as Scripture says if I were to gather to myself my spirit and his breath then all flesh would perish.[8]
Me: Can you unpack this a little more for me? How does the Spirit participate in redemption?
God: How doesn’t the Spirit participate in redemption? The Holy Spirit is my Spirit, the Spirit of truth who reveals the my will…who convicts humanity of sin…who regenerates sinners through the waters of baptism[9] and enables sinners to confess “Jesus is Lord”...who sanctifies the believer and transforms them into the very image of Christ…who fills people to speak a prophetic word…who bestows spiritual gifts of all kinds. The Spirit is at work in every way in redemption. The historical high point in human history is the incarnation whereby the Holy Spirit impregnated Jesus’ mother, Mary. The eternal Word, Jesus, became flesh in Mary’s womb. After Jesus’ ascended to the heavens, the Spirit was poured out through Jesus so that those who confess “Jesus is Lord” and believe in their heart that he is Lord are justified by grace and become heirs according to the hope of eternal life that is in Christ.[10]
Me: You mentioned that the Holy Spirit sanctifies – what does that mean?
God: When Abram was ninety-nine years old I appeared to him and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be perfect.”[11] Likewise, Jesus said to those who had ears to hear, “Be perfect.” There are many who would say that “perfect” doesn’t really mean perfect but means “sincere” so as to say that I accept sincere obedience. I am agreeable to this so long as you accept my definition of “sincere.” To be sincere means to be without wax.
Me: Without wax? What does that mean?
God: The words sine cera (sincere) were associated with crafted pottery which was marked as genuine and original. Cracked or defective pottery would have been repaired with wax and sold at the market potentially for more than it was worth. On the other hand, potteries which had no imperfections were given the stamp of approval and marked as sine cera – or without wax. Just as I called Abram and Jesus called his disciples to be perfect, it is not a call to be without sin for that is impossible for you to do, but it is a call to be original and genuine. It is a call to be conformed more into Christ’s image through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is a call to holiness.
Me: Say more about holiness. How does the Spirit transform us more into Christ’s image?
God: The Spirit transforms lives both instantly and progressively. The Bible refers to this transformation process as sanctification.
Me: Say more about sanctification. What is it?
God: Perhaps the best way to answer your question is by way of analogy. Sanctification is like marriage. There was a specific point in time in your relationship with the woman you love when you covenanted to commit yourselves to one another for all of your lives in holy matrimony. On your wedding day you pledged to give all that you knew of yourself to your wife and her to you and there was a moment, an instance when you both confirmed your pledge saying, “I do.” You were entirely wed in holy matrimony in that hour, on that day, in that year. Yet, the wedding day is only the beginning of a marriage. Soon you discovered that you did not in fact know everything there was to know about your spouse. You also discovered that you love her more today than you did eight years ago. A good marriage also takes a lifetime to develop. Does this make sense?
Me: Yes I think so. Just as my wife and I were married on August 17, 2002 - our marriage has blossomed over the last eight years as we grow in both knowledge and love for one another, so also sanctification can be related to a specific point in time and continues over time growing in knowledge of you and love for you and our neighbors.
God: Well said.
Me: So how does the Holy Spirit transform us into Christ’s image via sanctification?
God: The Spirit transforms real lives by uniting believers to Christ. To partake of the divine will is to experience intimate relationship with me through the Holy Spirit who unites believers to Christ. This transformational experience begins with Christian baptism – though I must say the Spirit has been at work in a person’s life long before they are baptized.
Me: Say more about that.
God: When a person is baptized into the threefold name of the “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,”[12] it marks the beginning of a new journey sealed on the path of Jesus. In the waters of baptism, a person literally dies to their old self as they go down into the water, and are raised to new life in Jesus Christ as they rise up. The image is striking don’t you think? As a result of baptism, a believer is, as my servant Paul says, clothed with Christ. To be clothed with Christ is to have a new identity, and that new identity is wrapped up in Jesus Christ. Having a new identity means you are not the same as you were before you entered the water. That person who went down into the baptismal water is dead. But the person who rises from the water has been raised to new life. New life in Christ is only possible by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. For there is no power in the waters of baptism for salvation – only faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ can accomplish that – but, baptism is a visible sign for all to see of the inward work already wrought by the Holy Spirit.
Me: What happens after baptism?
God: After baptism, as the believer grows in their knowledge and love for me and for neighbor – just as husband and wife grow in their knowledge and love for one another the more they discover they have more to give of themselves to their partner – they even desire to give more themselves more fully to their spouse. As a result, put simply, their ultimate desire is to put their mate’s desires above their own. This continues for a lifetime, even after death.
Me: Sounds like things are on the up and up when it comes to sanctification?
God: Well…it depends on how you look at it. Marriage has its ups and downs – fruitful times and difficult times. Sometimes sanctification is a painful process. The more aware you become as you are following Jesus of what it truly means to love me and love your neighbor, the more you realize just how much you have to learn and grow and more often than not it means that you have to let me change parts of you – change your thoughts and attitudes, your actions and certain behaviors, even how you perceive the world around you. This kind of change is painful because it means a part of you has to die in order for you to truly live. It means that you have to surrender that part of you to me and allow the Spirit to make necessary changes. Jesus said that if anyone desires to follow him that that person must pick up their cross daily and follow him.
Me: We’ve been talking quite a bit about sanctification as analogous to marriage. Speaking of marriage, is what ways is marriage a sacrament? For that matter, what’s a sacrament?
God: For starters, a sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace which are a
sign and foretaste of the kingdom of heaven. The sacraments serve to heighten your awareness of my redemptive activity.
Me: That’s a lot to take in. Can you give me an example?
God: In marriage, wedding rings are a sacramental symbol of my promises to my children which serve as a sign which point to the marriage union of Christ to his bride, the church. Another example is the Supper which is a sign and foretaste of the consummate Messianic banquet where those who come to the table participate in the life and mission of Christ. They are drawn up by the Spirit to the table to feast on the body and blood of Christ.
Me: So, just as wedding rings are sacramental symbols, so also baptism and the Lord’s Supper are sacramental symbols which are sign and foretaste of the Messianic kingdom.
God: Exactly.
Me: Not to change the subject, but how do I know if I’m being transformed into Christ’s image by the Spirit?
God: By the fruit that you bear.
Me: By the fruit that I bear? How so?
God: One of the surest signs of the transformative work of the Spirit can be discerned by the fruit that is produced as a result of the works that I created you to do. For example, Jesus used a fig tree illustration to emphasize this point. “Every good tree bears good fruit,” Jesus said, “but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit…nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.”[13] Elsewhere in Holy Scripture it says that everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Good fruit is marked by growing in love for me and for neighbor. So, let me ask you if good fruit being produced as a result of our relationship or are weeds being sown? If the capacity to love and serve me and others is expanding, then I’d say we’re on the right track.
Me: Thank you for telling me this, it’s difficult to hear but it’s comforting at the same time. So if fruit bearing is a sign of growth for the individual, can the same be true for the church?
God: Good question – I’m glad you asked. Let’s talk about the church and how I love her…warts and all.
Copyright 2010 Josh Cooper.
Footnotes:
1. Psalm 139:7
2. John 15:26
3. 2 Cor. 3:18
4. John 14:26
5. John 14:16
6. Gen. 1:2
7. Gen. 2:7
8. Job 34:14-5
9. Titus 3:5
10. Titus 3:6-7
11. Gen. 17:1
12. Matt. 28:19
13. Matt. 7:17-8
Thursday, March 18, 2010
confession of a reforming wesleyan - chapter three
Copyright 2010 Josh Cooper
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever
Believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
But in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-7, ESV).
Me: Previously, you said we (humans) were created in your image to experience intimate relationship with you, with each other, and creation; and that the first humans, Adam and Eve, sinned and were subsequently exiled from the garden. What is sin? I have often heard that Adam and Eve’s sin was that they were disobedient or that their sin was a sin of pride – is sin disobedience?
God: What is disobedience other than a violation of the relationship between two beings. Remember the time when your son hit your daughter and you taught him that hitting her was wrong and that if he continued to hit there would be punishment for disobedience because hitting hurts? But then a moment later, he hit her anyway and you put him in a time-out. Your son’s disobedience was a violation of the integrity of the relationship between him and his sister as well as a violation of the relationship between you and him because you explicitly told him not repeat the hurtful behavior, but he did. The relationship broke down and needed repair. This is what I’m talking about. The goal is always maintenance of the integrity of the relationship between beings. Sin is a violation of relationships and the process of repair is called repentance. Repentance begins with the decision to return to relationship and to choose a way of life that creates wholeness. Therefore, restoration of the relationship is about being restored to life.[1]
Me: Why is Jesus central to the repair process? Say more about that.
God: It has been my desire to redeem and restore all that has been marred and broken in this world that I created which I love. In a sense, sin is a power in and of itself which holds all of creation captive. Prolonged captivity leads to death – an eternal separation between Creator and creation. So I sent my Son, Jesus, on a rescue mission to seek and save the world from eternal death. Jesus is the true priest, as the Book of Hebrews testifies, the true mediator between me and creation. Jesus is the second Adam, who reenacts the work of the first Adam to bring life rather than death as Scripture says, “For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.”[2] In Jesus, there is a replay of the history of salvation.[3]
Me: What do you mean when you say “salvation”? You mean heaven?
God: When I say “salvation” I mean rescue from death in sin to life just as my servant Paul says, “God has rescued you from the power of darkness and transferred you into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”[4] Salvation then is not about getting a one-way ticket to heaven, but it is about being made alive in Christ through whom you have received redemption from your sins. Christ is the only one who could repair the relationship damage that has been done because of sin. Elsewhere in Scripture it is written that you were “rescued in hope.” What this indicates is that salvation is a past action –something that has already taken place through Jesus Christ. But this salvation remains “in hope” because you will still look forward to the ultimate future salvation when Christ returns.[5] I mean the whole point of what Jesus did in person, in the present, has long-term, future implications. He was not rescuing people for a disembodied eternity but rescuing people from the corruption and decay of the way of the world presently is so that they could enjoy that renewal of creation in the present as well as look forward to the day of His return when all of creation will be fully restored and set aright just as Scripture affirms, saying, “See I am making all things new.”[6]
Me: If Christ is not rescuing us for a disembodied eternity with you, where does this idea come from?
God: That is a very good question and an important one indeed. You see, contrary to popular belief, not all “paths” lead to me. The reality is there is a pervasive dysfunctional belief system about me and the meaning of life. The belief that all “roads” or “paths” lead to God is an example of this dysfunction. Other examples include the belief that I want people to be good, nice and fair to each other, “as taught in the Bible;” or the belief that the primary goal of the human life is to be happy; or the belief that I don’t need to be particularly involved in people’s lives except when they need me to resolve a problem; or the belief that good people go to heaven when they die.[7] Notice in all of these beliefs that there is no mention of sin, no mention of Jesus or the Holy Spirit, nor mention for the need for a mediator. So there is this sense that the central conviction is humans should be happy, be good to each other, and play nicely – and that I somehow consent to this.[8] This belief system is a cultural “worldview” – a way of making sense of the world around us. My word, the Bible, on the other hand offers a different worldview for better understanding my relationship to the world. In contrast to popular belief, my word affirms my ongoing restorative action through the nation of Israel, through Jesus Christ, and my work continues today through my Holy Spirit and the church. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t teach people to be good, nice, and play fair so that they may have eternal life in heaven. Rather, I teach through my word, through my Son, and through the Holy Spirit that love of God and love of neighbor are the ideal. But, this not some generic love in which one can just make up; but it is love grounded in participating in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. In other words, there is no love of God and love of neighbor outside the path of Jesus – at least not as I define it. Consider for a moment the great commandment. Jesus said, “You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”[9] But the question that remains unanswered at this point is, “Just how are human beings to love?” Thankfully Jesus is the answer to this question. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this – that someone lay down his life for his friends.” [10] The kind of love that you are to exhibit in your life is self-sacrificing love for the sake of others. This is the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated by being crucified on a Roman cross. Jesus laid down his life in full accordance to the will of the Godhead, and in so doing I was pleased to reconcile all things to myself and make peace through his blood.
Me: So if I understand this correctly, contrary to popular opinion, following the path of Jesus is the road that leads to you. And the Jesus path is paved in a life of self-sacrificing love just as Jesus demonstrated by his life and death. Jesus did this according to the divine will and in so doing made peace between you and humanity. Is it accurate to say that there was not peace between you and creation before Christ?
God: Remember Adam’s sin was a relationship violation which gave birth to death and death spread to all because all have sinned and fallen short of my standard.[11] So it became necessary for me to accomplish what the sacrificial system could not. The Old Testament sacrificial system was a shadow of the redemption offered through Christ’s blood. It was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins; therefore, Jesus came to remove sin through the sacrifice of himself.[12] He presented himself in your place before me, to appease my wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the cross and pouring out of his blood for the cleansing of your sins.[13] For your sake Jesus bore your sin though he committed no sin so that in Christ you might be reconciled to me. He endured all of this for the forgiveness of your sins.[14]
Not only did Christ’s sacrifice first bring about reconciliation and secondly forgiveness of sins as a once and for all sacrifice, but thirdly, he actually conquered Satan, sin, and death through his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection as Scripture affirms, “The Son of God was revealed for this purpose – to destroy the works of the devil.”[15] Fourth, Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross heals you. First Peter 2:24 says this concerning Jesus, “He himself bore your sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, you might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
Me: If Jesus removed sin by for us and then those sins are crucified on the cross when Jesus died as an act of self-sacrificial love, how does someone receive forgiveness?
God: In order for me to redeem those who are far away – or my spiritual enemies – Jesus first had to reconcile them through his death on the cross. But they are not reconciled to me automatically. No one is actually saved by Christ’s atoning sacrifice apart from faith in Christ. Only by faith in Jesus can a person actually be reconciled to me relationally. Only by faith in Jesus Christ can a person be justified before me.[16] Only by faith in Jesus Christ can a person be saved and regenerated by my grace and mercy.[17]
Me: So how does someone receive this kind of faith?
God: My servant Paul once said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast.”[18] With the outpouring of my grace faith is possible. Salvation through faith is not something that can be earned. Grace works ahead of you to draw you toward faith, to begin its work in you.[19] Only when sinners cooperate with grace can they begin to yield themselves to the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit.
Me: It has to be all about grace doesn’t it? I mean if all people are sinners dead in transgressions and sins, then people are incapable of reconciling themselves to you through Christ. But Christ’s death actually did reconcile you to sinful humanity. Sinners then are saved only by Christ’s death and not by their own decisions or actions. Grace then is a gift, the vehicle, given by you which enlivens faith.
God: That’s a good start. You are beginning to understand my reconciling work in the world.
Me: How many will you save through Christ?
God: As many as possible.
Me: Who will be saved?
God: The elect.
Me: Who are they?
God: Those who have faith in Christ.
Me: What about those who don’t have faith in Christ.
God: Those who don’t have faith will be eternally separated from me. The Bible calls this Sheol in the Old Testament and hell in the New. In any case, it’s a separation.
Me: Sounds sad and painful.
God: It is. I do not desire that for anyone. My desire is that all would be saved through Christ.
Me: Where is Christ now?
God: After Christ’s resurrection, he appeared forty days longer to his disciples in order to make himself fully known to them. After those forty days, he ascended into the heavens where and was seated at my right hand. Jesus intercedes as your advocate on your behalf. He will remain at my right hand, until the hour I of my choosing in which Jesus will return to earth as Judge with a mighty host of angels on the last day to judge all those living and dead.
Me: We’ve talked a lot about Christ’s role in the redemptive process. What about the Holy Spirit’s role in this process? What does the Holy Spirit do with regards to reconciliation?
God: Good question. Let’s talk about the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes:
1. Barbara Brown-Taylor,Speaking of Sin, (Boston: Cowley Pub., 2000), p. 59.
2. 1 Cor. 15:21-22
3. J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub., 2010), p. 165.
4. Col. 1:13-14
5. N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, (HarperOne, 2008), p. 200.
6. Ibid., 192.
7. Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton, Soul Searching: The Religious Lives of American Teenagers, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 162-3.
8. Billings, 139-40.
9. Luke 10:27
10. John 15:13
11. Romans 3:23
12. Hebrews 10:4, 9:26
13. http://www.carm.org/belgic-confession#Article21/
14. Eph. 1:7
15. 1 John 3:8
16. Romans 5:1
17. Titus 3:5
18. Eph. 2:8-9
19. Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley's Scriptural Christianity, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), p. 246.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever
Believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
But in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-7, ESV).
Me: Previously, you said we (humans) were created in your image to experience intimate relationship with you, with each other, and creation; and that the first humans, Adam and Eve, sinned and were subsequently exiled from the garden. What is sin? I have often heard that Adam and Eve’s sin was that they were disobedient or that their sin was a sin of pride – is sin disobedience?
God: What is disobedience other than a violation of the relationship between two beings. Remember the time when your son hit your daughter and you taught him that hitting her was wrong and that if he continued to hit there would be punishment for disobedience because hitting hurts? But then a moment later, he hit her anyway and you put him in a time-out. Your son’s disobedience was a violation of the integrity of the relationship between him and his sister as well as a violation of the relationship between you and him because you explicitly told him not repeat the hurtful behavior, but he did. The relationship broke down and needed repair. This is what I’m talking about. The goal is always maintenance of the integrity of the relationship between beings. Sin is a violation of relationships and the process of repair is called repentance. Repentance begins with the decision to return to relationship and to choose a way of life that creates wholeness. Therefore, restoration of the relationship is about being restored to life.[1]
Me: Why is Jesus central to the repair process? Say more about that.
God: It has been my desire to redeem and restore all that has been marred and broken in this world that I created which I love. In a sense, sin is a power in and of itself which holds all of creation captive. Prolonged captivity leads to death – an eternal separation between Creator and creation. So I sent my Son, Jesus, on a rescue mission to seek and save the world from eternal death. Jesus is the true priest, as the Book of Hebrews testifies, the true mediator between me and creation. Jesus is the second Adam, who reenacts the work of the first Adam to bring life rather than death as Scripture says, “For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.”[2] In Jesus, there is a replay of the history of salvation.[3]
Me: What do you mean when you say “salvation”? You mean heaven?
God: When I say “salvation” I mean rescue from death in sin to life just as my servant Paul says, “God has rescued you from the power of darkness and transferred you into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”[4] Salvation then is not about getting a one-way ticket to heaven, but it is about being made alive in Christ through whom you have received redemption from your sins. Christ is the only one who could repair the relationship damage that has been done because of sin. Elsewhere in Scripture it is written that you were “rescued in hope.” What this indicates is that salvation is a past action –something that has already taken place through Jesus Christ. But this salvation remains “in hope” because you will still look forward to the ultimate future salvation when Christ returns.[5] I mean the whole point of what Jesus did in person, in the present, has long-term, future implications. He was not rescuing people for a disembodied eternity but rescuing people from the corruption and decay of the way of the world presently is so that they could enjoy that renewal of creation in the present as well as look forward to the day of His return when all of creation will be fully restored and set aright just as Scripture affirms, saying, “See I am making all things new.”[6]
Me: If Christ is not rescuing us for a disembodied eternity with you, where does this idea come from?
God: That is a very good question and an important one indeed. You see, contrary to popular belief, not all “paths” lead to me. The reality is there is a pervasive dysfunctional belief system about me and the meaning of life. The belief that all “roads” or “paths” lead to God is an example of this dysfunction. Other examples include the belief that I want people to be good, nice and fair to each other, “as taught in the Bible;” or the belief that the primary goal of the human life is to be happy; or the belief that I don’t need to be particularly involved in people’s lives except when they need me to resolve a problem; or the belief that good people go to heaven when they die.[7] Notice in all of these beliefs that there is no mention of sin, no mention of Jesus or the Holy Spirit, nor mention for the need for a mediator. So there is this sense that the central conviction is humans should be happy, be good to each other, and play nicely – and that I somehow consent to this.[8] This belief system is a cultural “worldview” – a way of making sense of the world around us. My word, the Bible, on the other hand offers a different worldview for better understanding my relationship to the world. In contrast to popular belief, my word affirms my ongoing restorative action through the nation of Israel, through Jesus Christ, and my work continues today through my Holy Spirit and the church. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t teach people to be good, nice, and play fair so that they may have eternal life in heaven. Rather, I teach through my word, through my Son, and through the Holy Spirit that love of God and love of neighbor are the ideal. But, this not some generic love in which one can just make up; but it is love grounded in participating in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. In other words, there is no love of God and love of neighbor outside the path of Jesus – at least not as I define it. Consider for a moment the great commandment. Jesus said, “You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”[9] But the question that remains unanswered at this point is, “Just how are human beings to love?” Thankfully Jesus is the answer to this question. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this – that someone lay down his life for his friends.” [10] The kind of love that you are to exhibit in your life is self-sacrificing love for the sake of others. This is the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated by being crucified on a Roman cross. Jesus laid down his life in full accordance to the will of the Godhead, and in so doing I was pleased to reconcile all things to myself and make peace through his blood.
Me: So if I understand this correctly, contrary to popular opinion, following the path of Jesus is the road that leads to you. And the Jesus path is paved in a life of self-sacrificing love just as Jesus demonstrated by his life and death. Jesus did this according to the divine will and in so doing made peace between you and humanity. Is it accurate to say that there was not peace between you and creation before Christ?
God: Remember Adam’s sin was a relationship violation which gave birth to death and death spread to all because all have sinned and fallen short of my standard.[11] So it became necessary for me to accomplish what the sacrificial system could not. The Old Testament sacrificial system was a shadow of the redemption offered through Christ’s blood. It was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins; therefore, Jesus came to remove sin through the sacrifice of himself.[12] He presented himself in your place before me, to appease my wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the cross and pouring out of his blood for the cleansing of your sins.[13] For your sake Jesus bore your sin though he committed no sin so that in Christ you might be reconciled to me. He endured all of this for the forgiveness of your sins.[14]
Not only did Christ’s sacrifice first bring about reconciliation and secondly forgiveness of sins as a once and for all sacrifice, but thirdly, he actually conquered Satan, sin, and death through his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection as Scripture affirms, “The Son of God was revealed for this purpose – to destroy the works of the devil.”[15] Fourth, Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross heals you. First Peter 2:24 says this concerning Jesus, “He himself bore your sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, you might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
Me: If Jesus removed sin by for us and then those sins are crucified on the cross when Jesus died as an act of self-sacrificial love, how does someone receive forgiveness?
God: In order for me to redeem those who are far away – or my spiritual enemies – Jesus first had to reconcile them through his death on the cross. But they are not reconciled to me automatically. No one is actually saved by Christ’s atoning sacrifice apart from faith in Christ. Only by faith in Jesus can a person actually be reconciled to me relationally. Only by faith in Jesus Christ can a person be justified before me.[16] Only by faith in Jesus Christ can a person be saved and regenerated by my grace and mercy.[17]
Me: So how does someone receive this kind of faith?
God: My servant Paul once said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast.”[18] With the outpouring of my grace faith is possible. Salvation through faith is not something that can be earned. Grace works ahead of you to draw you toward faith, to begin its work in you.[19] Only when sinners cooperate with grace can they begin to yield themselves to the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit.
Me: It has to be all about grace doesn’t it? I mean if all people are sinners dead in transgressions and sins, then people are incapable of reconciling themselves to you through Christ. But Christ’s death actually did reconcile you to sinful humanity. Sinners then are saved only by Christ’s death and not by their own decisions or actions. Grace then is a gift, the vehicle, given by you which enlivens faith.
God: That’s a good start. You are beginning to understand my reconciling work in the world.
Me: How many will you save through Christ?
God: As many as possible.
Me: Who will be saved?
God: The elect.
Me: Who are they?
God: Those who have faith in Christ.
Me: What about those who don’t have faith in Christ.
God: Those who don’t have faith will be eternally separated from me. The Bible calls this Sheol in the Old Testament and hell in the New. In any case, it’s a separation.
Me: Sounds sad and painful.
God: It is. I do not desire that for anyone. My desire is that all would be saved through Christ.
Me: Where is Christ now?
God: After Christ’s resurrection, he appeared forty days longer to his disciples in order to make himself fully known to them. After those forty days, he ascended into the heavens where and was seated at my right hand. Jesus intercedes as your advocate on your behalf. He will remain at my right hand, until the hour I of my choosing in which Jesus will return to earth as Judge with a mighty host of angels on the last day to judge all those living and dead.
Me: We’ve talked a lot about Christ’s role in the redemptive process. What about the Holy Spirit’s role in this process? What does the Holy Spirit do with regards to reconciliation?
God: Good question. Let’s talk about the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes:
1. Barbara Brown-Taylor,Speaking of Sin, (Boston: Cowley Pub., 2000), p. 59.
2. 1 Cor. 15:21-22
3. J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub., 2010), p. 165.
4. Col. 1:13-14
5. N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, (HarperOne, 2008), p. 200.
6. Ibid., 192.
7. Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton, Soul Searching: The Religious Lives of American Teenagers, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 162-3.
8. Billings, 139-40.
9. Luke 10:27
10. John 15:13
11. Romans 3:23
12. Hebrews 10:4, 9:26
13. http://www.carm.org/belgic-confession#Article21/
14. Eph. 1:7
15. 1 John 3:8
16. Romans 5:1
17. Titus 3:5
18. Eph. 2:8-9
19. Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley's Scriptural Christianity, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), p. 246.
Monday, March 01, 2010
confession of a reforming wesleyan - chapter two
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable (Isa. 40:28, ESV)
Me: Who are you God?
God: I revealed myself to my servant, Moses, as the great I AM (YHWH).[1]
Me: I don’t understand. You are what?
God: Not what, who. I am the LORD, Creator of the heavens and the earth. If you want to know who I am just look at the sun, moon, stars, oceans, and mountains which display the majesty of my hands. I am the LORD, Giver of life who created adam from the adamah and breathed the breath of life in to his nostrils and adam became a living nephesh (being).[2] I am the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who promised Abraham long ago that I would make him into a great nation and bless him so that all people on earth would be blessed through him.[3] I promised to establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant between us including his descendents. I promised to be Abraham’s (and his descendant’s) God forever. I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who redeemed and delivered my children from the bondage of oppression and slavery so that they might know that I alone am God and that there is no other god like me. I am the LORD, the God of Nineveh, gracious and compassionate, long-suffering and abounding in steadfast love. I am the LORD, the God who relents from sending calamity upon those who turn to me.[4] I am the LORD, who raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. I am the LORD, and should I withdraw my breath and my spirit from the earth, all flesh would perish.[5] I am the LORD who made a new covenant with my people with Christ as Mediator, just as the prophet said: “Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,” cleansing the human conscience from acts that lead to death, so that those who receive the promised eternal inheritance “may serve the living God!”[6]
Me: How would you describe your nature? On the one hand, I know there is only so much I can understand about who you are in your being – in this sense you are a great mystery to me; yet on the other hand you have revealed yourself in Holy Scripture as God the “Father.”
God: Good question. Yes, this is a complicated question to answer. For your sake, let me talk to you about what you can understand about my nature. Most notably you know me as “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Spirit.” These are titles which confer meaning, but the titles in and of themselves do not define my nature. They are categories to help you understand who I am like. My Son, Jesus, says that I am Spirit.[7] This means, as you have already mentioned that it is impossible for humans to penetrate the depths of my divine nature. However, I have revealed myself to you in this way to show you something significant about my nature, namely, that I exist in intimate relationship with my Son and Spirit. We are perfectly equal in nature, revealed in Scripture and nature as three distinct “Persons.” We are one, yet three distinct – but not separate – Persons. We are Persons-in-relation, “For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal…uncreated…incomprehensible…one Eternal…one God…one Lord.”[8] For example, Holy Scripture says, “…He [Jesus] sat down at the right hand of the majesty of God,”[9] and the Holy Spirit testifies that He sat down at my right hand.[10] The expression “right hand” does not indicate a lower place, but a relationship of equality.[11]
Me: So you are one LORD God equally in three distinctly relational “Persons”? (That’s a mouthful.)
God: Exactly. If we count, we do not add, increasing from one to many. We do not say, “First, second, and third” because I am the LORD your God the LORD alone[12] and I am the first and I am the last.[13] Can numerical rankings ever change the nature of anything?[14] Numbers help you to distinguish between things, but the things which are numbered remain what they are by nature and origin. Counting can never change a thing’s nature – including mine.[15]
Me: So if you are equal in nature, in what ways are you distinct?
God: I want to make it clear that my will is inextricably connected to my Son and Spirit. When Jesus says in Holy Scripture that he has not spoken on his own authority,[16] what he is saying is that we are united in will and purpose. Also one of the ancient creeds says that Jesus is the Son of God “begotten, not created.” To beget is to “become the father of: to create is to make…When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself.”[17] What I beget is me. My distinctions, though they are important, do not necessarily define who I am but reveal my will and purposes for all of creation. For example, while I am often referred to as “Creator,” the fact remains that Jesus is Co-Creator just as Holy Scripture affirms: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” All things were made through the Word, who became flesh as the only-begotten Son from the Father, and everything was made through Him.[18]
Me: Speaking of creation, what are your intentions for creation?
God: My intent for creation from the time of Adam to the end in history is aimed at the work of incorporating the entire created realm into my life. Creation was an act of love. As Scripture says, I saw all that I had made and it was very good. Creation was designed to reflect me. But then sin and evil entered creation and Adam and Eve were told that they would die on the day they ate the fruit, and were subsequently exiled from the garden. They turned away from resting in my presence and turned toward something which had no life in itself. Since that time, I have been continually renewing and restoring all of creation to myself, and my plan for redemption found its focus in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The work continues today in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit and the Church. What creation needs more than anything else today is redemption and renewal – and this is promised and guaranteed in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
Me: Why did you create me? Who am I that you should pay attention to me?
God: You were created in our image first and foremost to experience the joy of intimate relationship with me, your fellow human beings, and creation; and second, to reflect our divine image by participating in my ongoing work of cosmic restoration. C.S. Lewis said that the whole purpose for which you exist is “to be thus taken into the life of God.”[19] And in order for that to happen, by my grace you have to surrender yourself and allow me have my way and then come to share in the life of Christ who not only died for your sins, but conquered sin and death through the Resurrection. You are a beloved child of mine and I have a standing invitation for all to come and share in this kind of life. Christ came into the world to spread to others the kind of life He has. My command to you is to participate in the life of Christ. After all, if you don’t want to become more like Christ now, why would you want to go to heaven? Do you understand?
Me: Yes, I think so. It seems so simple to understand yet so difficult to put into practice. I feel as though I need to strive for more of you; after all, Jesus said, “Be perfect.” How can I possibly live up to that?
God: Yes, Jesus said some things which are difficult to understand, but Jesus didn’t mean that unless you are perfect I will not help you. Rather, what Jesus meant was that the help I will give will help you become perfect. Whatever suffering…whatever refinement…whatever it may cost you or me, I will not rest nor let you rest until you are perfected in our image. I will not do anything less.”[20] Not only am I doing this in your life and in the lives of other Christians, but in all of creation which is longing for renewal – longing for my shalom. The renewal of creation is my ultimate desire and you are invited to participate as an agent of renewal in this large project. Are you up for the task?
Me: I am.
1. Ex. 3:14
2. Gen. 2:7
3. Gen. 12:2-3
4. Jonah 4:2
5. Job 34:14-15
6. Heb. 9:14-15
7. John 4:24
8. http://www.carm.org/christianity/creeds-and-confessions/athanasian-creed-500-ad
9. Heb. 1:3
10. Heb. 8:1
11. St. Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit, (New York: St. Vladimir's Press), p. 30.
12. Deut. 6:4
13. Isa. 44:6
14. Basil, 70.
15. Basil, 71.
16. John 12:49
17. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 138.
18. John 1:1-3, 14
19. Lewis, 142.
20. Lewis, 174.
Me: Who are you God?
God: I revealed myself to my servant, Moses, as the great I AM (YHWH).[1]
Me: I don’t understand. You are what?
God: Not what, who. I am the LORD, Creator of the heavens and the earth. If you want to know who I am just look at the sun, moon, stars, oceans, and mountains which display the majesty of my hands. I am the LORD, Giver of life who created adam from the adamah and breathed the breath of life in to his nostrils and adam became a living nephesh (being).[2] I am the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who promised Abraham long ago that I would make him into a great nation and bless him so that all people on earth would be blessed through him.[3] I promised to establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant between us including his descendents. I promised to be Abraham’s (and his descendant’s) God forever. I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who redeemed and delivered my children from the bondage of oppression and slavery so that they might know that I alone am God and that there is no other god like me. I am the LORD, the God of Nineveh, gracious and compassionate, long-suffering and abounding in steadfast love. I am the LORD, the God who relents from sending calamity upon those who turn to me.[4] I am the LORD, who raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. I am the LORD, and should I withdraw my breath and my spirit from the earth, all flesh would perish.[5] I am the LORD who made a new covenant with my people with Christ as Mediator, just as the prophet said: “Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,” cleansing the human conscience from acts that lead to death, so that those who receive the promised eternal inheritance “may serve the living God!”[6]
Me: How would you describe your nature? On the one hand, I know there is only so much I can understand about who you are in your being – in this sense you are a great mystery to me; yet on the other hand you have revealed yourself in Holy Scripture as God the “Father.”
God: Good question. Yes, this is a complicated question to answer. For your sake, let me talk to you about what you can understand about my nature. Most notably you know me as “Father,” “Son,” and “Holy Spirit.” These are titles which confer meaning, but the titles in and of themselves do not define my nature. They are categories to help you understand who I am like. My Son, Jesus, says that I am Spirit.[7] This means, as you have already mentioned that it is impossible for humans to penetrate the depths of my divine nature. However, I have revealed myself to you in this way to show you something significant about my nature, namely, that I exist in intimate relationship with my Son and Spirit. We are perfectly equal in nature, revealed in Scripture and nature as three distinct “Persons.” We are one, yet three distinct – but not separate – Persons. We are Persons-in-relation, “For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal…uncreated…incomprehensible…one Eternal…one God…one Lord.”[8] For example, Holy Scripture says, “…He [Jesus] sat down at the right hand of the majesty of God,”[9] and the Holy Spirit testifies that He sat down at my right hand.[10] The expression “right hand” does not indicate a lower place, but a relationship of equality.[11]
Me: So you are one LORD God equally in three distinctly relational “Persons”? (That’s a mouthful.)
God: Exactly. If we count, we do not add, increasing from one to many. We do not say, “First, second, and third” because I am the LORD your God the LORD alone[12] and I am the first and I am the last.[13] Can numerical rankings ever change the nature of anything?[14] Numbers help you to distinguish between things, but the things which are numbered remain what they are by nature and origin. Counting can never change a thing’s nature – including mine.[15]
Me: So if you are equal in nature, in what ways are you distinct?
God: I want to make it clear that my will is inextricably connected to my Son and Spirit. When Jesus says in Holy Scripture that he has not spoken on his own authority,[16] what he is saying is that we are united in will and purpose. Also one of the ancient creeds says that Jesus is the Son of God “begotten, not created.” To beget is to “become the father of: to create is to make…When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself.”[17] What I beget is me. My distinctions, though they are important, do not necessarily define who I am but reveal my will and purposes for all of creation. For example, while I am often referred to as “Creator,” the fact remains that Jesus is Co-Creator just as Holy Scripture affirms: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” All things were made through the Word, who became flesh as the only-begotten Son from the Father, and everything was made through Him.[18]
Me: Speaking of creation, what are your intentions for creation?
God: My intent for creation from the time of Adam to the end in history is aimed at the work of incorporating the entire created realm into my life. Creation was an act of love. As Scripture says, I saw all that I had made and it was very good. Creation was designed to reflect me. But then sin and evil entered creation and Adam and Eve were told that they would die on the day they ate the fruit, and were subsequently exiled from the garden. They turned away from resting in my presence and turned toward something which had no life in itself. Since that time, I have been continually renewing and restoring all of creation to myself, and my plan for redemption found its focus in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The work continues today in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit and the Church. What creation needs more than anything else today is redemption and renewal – and this is promised and guaranteed in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
Me: Why did you create me? Who am I that you should pay attention to me?
God: You were created in our image first and foremost to experience the joy of intimate relationship with me, your fellow human beings, and creation; and second, to reflect our divine image by participating in my ongoing work of cosmic restoration. C.S. Lewis said that the whole purpose for which you exist is “to be thus taken into the life of God.”[19] And in order for that to happen, by my grace you have to surrender yourself and allow me have my way and then come to share in the life of Christ who not only died for your sins, but conquered sin and death through the Resurrection. You are a beloved child of mine and I have a standing invitation for all to come and share in this kind of life. Christ came into the world to spread to others the kind of life He has. My command to you is to participate in the life of Christ. After all, if you don’t want to become more like Christ now, why would you want to go to heaven? Do you understand?
Me: Yes, I think so. It seems so simple to understand yet so difficult to put into practice. I feel as though I need to strive for more of you; after all, Jesus said, “Be perfect.” How can I possibly live up to that?
God: Yes, Jesus said some things which are difficult to understand, but Jesus didn’t mean that unless you are perfect I will not help you. Rather, what Jesus meant was that the help I will give will help you become perfect. Whatever suffering…whatever refinement…whatever it may cost you or me, I will not rest nor let you rest until you are perfected in our image. I will not do anything less.”[20] Not only am I doing this in your life and in the lives of other Christians, but in all of creation which is longing for renewal – longing for my shalom. The renewal of creation is my ultimate desire and you are invited to participate as an agent of renewal in this large project. Are you up for the task?
Me: I am.
1. Ex. 3:14
2. Gen. 2:7
3. Gen. 12:2-3
4. Jonah 4:2
5. Job 34:14-15
6. Heb. 9:14-15
7. John 4:24
8. http://www.carm.org/christianity/creeds-and-confessions/athanasian-creed-500-ad
9. Heb. 1:3
10. Heb. 8:1
11. St. Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit, (New York: St. Vladimir's Press), p. 30.
12. Deut. 6:4
13. Isa. 44:6
14. Basil, 70.
15. Basil, 71.
16. John 12:49
17. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 138.
18. John 1:1-3, 14
19. Lewis, 142.
20. Lewis, 174.
confession of a reforming wesleyan
Over the course of the next several weeks I will be posting a series of chapters from a long essay I am working on entitled Confession of a Reforming Wesleyan. This confession articulates in many ways my beliefs of the Christian faith. What is unique about this confession is that is in the form of a dialogic prayer in the form of question and answer with the LORD God. Each chapter covers a different topic. For example, Chapter 2 (which will be posted soon) focuses on the Trinity and creation. Chapter 3 covers Jesus Christ, sin, and salvation. The Holy Spirit is the subject of Chapter 4. Chapter 5 wraps up the confession focusing on the church and the sacraments. Chapter 1, which will come last, will be an overview of the subsequent chapters, but it will also contain something of my testimony.
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