A Touch of Humor - Loyalty

What are the important loyalties we should have? How can we keep our loyalties in perspective? 

Old Erich Proverb - Freedom

Anarchy is not the friend of freedom but its enemy; real freedom requires responsibility.

A Voice from the Past - Ambrose

Why doubt that body shall rise again from body? Grain is sown, grain comes up again: fruit is sown, fruit comes up again; but the grain is clothed with blossom and husk. "And this mortal must put on immortality, and this corruptible must put on incorruption."  The blossom of the resurrection is immortality, the blossom of the resurrection is incorruption.  For what is more fruitful than perpetual rest? what supplied with richer store than everlasting security? Here is that abundant fruit, by whose increase man's nature shoots forth more abundantly after death.

Ambrose, 337-397 AD, On Belief in the Resurrection, Book II, 54 (translated by Rev. H. De Romestin, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, T & T Clark and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997, Second Series, Vol. X, p. 182)

What does it mean that the resurrected body is as plant to seed? How does this affect our understanding of it?

Criminal Justice

I have mentioned before that the civil law has only limited ability to effect change. Martin Luther likened it to a muzzle on a wild beast. It cannot change the nature of the beast, but it keeps it from biting you. But we do need to inquire regarding the spirit with which the civil law should be enforced. There are those who favor strict enforcement and making sure every criminal is severely punished. There are others who seem opposed to punishing anyone, frequently based on the idea that none of us are really responsible for our actions but are slaves of our environment.  I am not convinced either of these represents a Christian point of view.

There is need for governments to enforce laws (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13,14; Deuteronomy 25:1). But God is a God of mercy and requires us to show mercy (James 2:13; 1 Timothy 1:16; 2 Samuel 14:14). Also, we must remember that we are ourselves sinners and should not look down on others (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9). Further, while no human court is perfect, we need to make every effort to avoid condemning the innocent (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15-19; Exodus 23:6). This can often be a difficult balance to reach, but we must make the effort.

There are some perspectives that can help us avoid the extremes. We need to start by believing people are responsible for their actions. As C. S. Lewis wrote, while it might seem to be more merciful to see people as not responsible for their actions, it ends up changing them from human beings to be held to account into mere cases to be worked on. And it can result in people being imprisoned until those in charge conclude they are cured. I am not against doing what can be done to rehabilitate prisoners and help them be integrated back into society. But we must remember that people have wills and cannot be forced to change against them. Even worse is seeing punishment only as deterrence. This can lead to making punishment extreme in order to deter. I do believe just punishment can serve a deterrent function. But seeing this as the only function leads to extreme overkill. The protection of society is also legitimate, in its context. But taking it as the sole purpose leads to the same extremes. If my only goal is protection of society, then why not leave people imprisoned for as long as possible to protect others from them? I am convinced the only appropriate basis for punishment is justice tempered by mercy. For if people do not deserve it, how go we justify punishing them at all? And if there is no idea of desert involved, what is to prevent the government from interfering with the life of any person at any time, even if they have done nothing to deserve it. 

The Pursuit of Peace

Peace, like joy, is a fruit of the Spirit that is generally considered as desirable by all. It also, like joy, is something that can, if taken the wrong way, be a source of guilt and discouragement. If I become convinced that I must have some perfect state of tranquility and that if I do not, I am not following Christ, it can lead to a state of mind that is anything but peaceful. True peace of mind is therefore rooted in peace with God, knowing we are saved by Him and He hears our prayers (Romans 5:1,2; Colossians 1:20; Philippians 4:6,7). This results in our being able to grow into a peace that is not artificial or worked up, but flows out of knowing God and who He is (John 14:27; 16:33; Romans 14:17). And based on that, we are able to be those who make peace with others (Romans 14:19; Ephesians 2:14-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:13).  Now not everything that appears to be peace necessarily is the peace of God (Ezekiel 13:10; Matthew 10:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:3). But we should be those who make every effort to cultivate peace (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; Ephesians 4:3). And this flows from having peace in ourselves so we are not constantly looking to others to provide the peace that can only be found in Christ. For these expectations become fuel for fights and quarrels (James 4:1-3; Galatians 5:15; Philippians 2:1-11).

The Long Journey

Scripture pictures the spiritual life as walking, putting one foot ahead of the other (Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:15; Romans 6:4). The Christian life is also pictured as a race (Hebrews 12:1,2; 1 Corinthians 9:24-26; 2 Timothy 2:5), a battle (Ephesians 6:10-13; 2 Timothy 2:3,4; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6), an exercise regimen (1 Timothy 4:7,8; Hebrews 5:14; 1 Corinthians 9:27). This implies a long process of growth, where we have not yet arrived at who we should be (Philippians 3:12-16; 1:6; 1 John 1:8-10). But nonetheless, we are not to remain infants, but press on toward growth in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Hebrews 5:11-13; 1 Peter 2:1,2). We are therefore left with the picture of a gradual, sometimes halting, progress from who we are to who we will be.
 
This must be seen from the perspective that those who have put their faith in Christ have been declared righteous before God based on Christ's work (Romans 3:21,22; 8:32,33; Titus 3:5,6). Also, Christ has promised to bring us victorious through this world to dwell with Him forever (Romans 3:87; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 John 5:11-13). But even now we have God working in us to change us (2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:3; Philippians 2:13), though it is not always an easy or a quick process. Nor is this is something we tackle alone but with the help of others in our life (Hebrews 10:24,25; 12:12,13; Galatians 6:1-5), for we are part of a larger body (Ephesians 4:16; Colossians 2:19; Romans 12:4,5).

What I am left with, after all this is considered, is a long trek through life in pursuit of becoming like Christ. I am left with a reluctance either to sit in judgment on or too highly commend myself or others (1 Corinthians 4:3-5; Romans 14:4; James 4:11,12). There is still room for the correction that I (Proverbs 28:13; Psalms 19:12,13; 139:23,24) and others (Galatians 6:1; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Matthew 18:15) need. All of this is done with the realization I still have a long way to go. Also, I am able to deal with things one step at a time. I do not have to fool myself into believing I have attained near perfection. I can deal with each issue on the issues involved rather than being forced to use some one-size-fits-all spiritual gimmick. And when I fail, I can get back up and into the fight rather than being devastated by every setback. I can continue in spite of repeated failures, trusting in the power of God to ultimately pull me through. For it is only as we see who we really are that we can begin to change.  

A Touch of Humor - Annoying

 

Are there right and wrong ways for churches to attract people? How do we choose the right ways?