A Voice from the Past - Luther

See, if that is the way faith were preached, men would be justified and all the rest: a pure heart and good conscience through genuine, perfect love, would follow. For the man who through faith is sure in his heart that he has a gracious God, who is not angry with him, though he deserves wrath, that man goes out and does everything joyfully.

Martin Luther, 1483-1546, Sermons 1, On the Sum of the Christian Life, 1532, (Luther's Works, Volume 51, translated by John W. Doberstein, Muhlenberg Press, 1959, p.283)

Is this the result of understanding God's grace? How can we make it more a part of our lives?

"It Is Not Good for God to Be Alone"

What should we think of the Trinity? Is it just some strange abstraction Christians have to believe? Does it have any impact on our life? Now it is beyond human understanding, but it is not surprising that God would be beyond human understanding (Romans 11:33,34; Isaiah 55:8,9; 1 Corinthians 3:18). It is based on certain clear teachings of Scripture. The Father is God (John 17:3, 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6). The Son is God (Hebrews 1:8; John 1:1-18; 20:28). The Spirit is God (2 Corinthians 3:17; Acts 5:3,4; 1 Corinthians 3:16). They all three exist at the same time (Matthew 3:16-17; John 14:16; 12:27-30). There is one God (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6-8; John 10:30). But what difference does this make?

One of the most common things said about God, not only by Christians but even by many unbelievers, is "God is love" (1 John 4:7-21; John 3:16; Romans 5:7,8). But being love implies someone to love, and it is only as three in one that love can be seen as part of the very nature of God (John 17:23-26; 3:35; Matthew 3:17). The title of this post is a quote from G. K. Chesterton and speaks to what the implication is of denying that God is triune. If you do not do not end relegating God into being some vague force that started the universe going but has no real personality, you get one of two results.

You can end up with a very strict God who requires exacting obedience. This God may be seen as merciful, but His mercy is that of a punctilious enforcer who cuts you a little slack after He sees you do not quite live up to His perfect standards. This is because love is not a fundamental part of His makeup, but an afterthought. The other option is an indulgent God who is not really overly concerned about how we live. He may have some suggestions for improvement, but mostly He just accepts us, whatever we do. This is because His love, which also is an afterthought, is a sort of vague benevolence.

But the fierce love of God that shakes earth and heaven (Psalms 18:6-12), that seeks the lost sheep and runs out to meet the prodigal (Luke 15:1-32), that is willing to become a man and face a criminal's death to deliver us from sin and death and hell (Philippians 2:5-11), comes from a God who is by nature love. And this God expects us to live in light of that kind of love (John 13:34,35; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13,14). Not in a brittle self-righteousness that looks down on others and congratulates itself on deserving something from God. Nor in an attitude of indulgence of sin in ourselves and others. But in a love that reaches out to help others find their way to the God who loves them and wants to forgive them. A God who does this because He is a Trinity.  

Why Prayer?

I

If God knows everything, why do we need to pray? If God knows what we need, why do we have to ask? May I suggest that this misses the whole point of prayer. The point of prayer is not to get us what we want, but to build a trust relationship with God (Proverbs 3:5,6; Psalms 37:3-6; 127:1,2). Now God gives good things, even to those who reject Him (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17; James 1:17). But He also reserves others for those who ask (1 John 5:14,15; Matthew 7:7-11; James 4:1-3). God wants us to know where these things come from and to trust Him for them.

Take Eat

Nothing is meant to unite and is used to divide Christ's church like the sacraments. One of those ordinances is the Lord's Supper. (It is hard to even talk about these things without the words we use espousing a particular view. I have deliberately mixed the words for this reason.) One of the difficult questions is, in what way is Christ present in the elements, physically, spiritually or symbolically? And this is a question Scripture does not  deal with. To take the word "is" as necessarily meaning "is physically" is reading more into it than is there in any language I am familiar with (Revelation 17:18; Genesis 49:21; Song of Solomon 4:12). However, there is also no passage where it clearly teaches He is not physically present; it is a matter of judgment. Related to this is the question of what communion actually accomplishes in the lives of those who partake of it. Again, this is not something Scripture addresses. Now Scripture does say we are saved by faith (John 6:35; Romans 4:9-12; Ephesians 2:8,9). It also discourages us from believing that simply going through the motions of a ritual will commend us to God (Romans 2:25-29; Malachi 1:10; Isaiah 58:5-10). But we are told that God is at work in His people to transform them (2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:13; Titus 2:11-14). But exactly how the Eucharist is involved in this process is not explained.

In communion, we remember what Christ has done for us, proclaim it to the world, and anticipate His Second Coming (1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 22:15-20; Mark 14:22-25). Who then may participate? Those who are part of Christ's body (1 Corinthians 10:16,17; 6:15-17; Galatians 3:26-29). But do we need to be worthy to partake (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)? The passage does not say "unworthy," but "in an unworthy manner." The issue was not that the Corinthians did not measure up to some standard, but that they had turned the Lord's Supper into a drunken feast where the rich showed contempt for the poor by refusing to share food with them. I suspect that this same charge could be laid against someone who felt they could totally flaunt God's commandments and then nonchalantly come to partake of the Eucharist.   And certainly, if there is some specific sin God brings to mind, the Lord's Supper is as good a time as any to repent. But I do not believe an individual needs to have reached a certain level of holiness or belong to a certain faction to partake, which is why I favor open communion. But I do not see any qualifications at all given for the one who administers the communion. It seems appropriate that they be a believer, but nothing is said beyond that. But I am convinced that when Christ said to take and eat, it was not based on meeting certain qualifications, but rather it should be the response of faith to the grace we have been given.   

A Touch of Humor - Service Schedule

Is having different services for different groups a good idea? How important is it to have our type of music?

Old Erich Proverb - Fellowship

Being God's people is about worship rather than showmanship.

A Voice from the Past - Anselm

Hence, if it has seen light and truth, it has seen thee; if it has not seen thee, it has not seen light and truth. Or, is what it has seen both light and truth; and still it has not yet seen thee, because it has seen thee only in part, but has not seen thee as thou art? Lord my God, my creator and renewer, speak to the desire of my soul, what thou art other than it hath seen, that it may clearly see what it desires. It strains to see thee more; and sees nothing beyond this which it hath seen, except darkness. Nay, it does not see darkness, of which - there is none in thee; but it sees that it cannot see farther, because of its own darkness.

Anselm, 1033-1109, Proslogium Chapter XIV (Proslogium; Monologium; An Appendix in Behalf of the Fool by Gaunilion; and Cur Deus Homo, translated by Sidney Norton Deane, The Open Court Publishing Company, 1926, p.30)

How can we come to truly see God as He is? What can help us with this?