What to do with 1 John?

So our reading for Wednesday is one of the greatest, and at times most perplexing, readings we've had.  On one hand, we have a beautiful picture of encouragement to love one another and experience the love of God in the context of community with one another.  God is love...so love one another.  In this way we "cast out fear" (4:18).

On the other hand, there seems to be a problem.  The book begins telling us that "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1:8).  Then, not two chapters later, we're told that "no one who sins has either seen him or known him", and that "those who have been born of God do not sin, because God's seed abides in them" (3:6, 9).  These seem to be glaring contradictions.  There are a couple of explanations for this.  The easy one some scholars go for is that 1 John is a collection of writings that included more than one author, so we're hearing from two different voices, one who is more "strict" than the other.  However, even if this were the case, you would think the editor would have seen the contradiction there.  It's still there, so we have to wrestle with it.

Different theologians have seen this in different ways.  One idea is that this section is showing the difference between those who are the "antichrists" mentioned earlier and those who love God.  Sinning here is not individual sins, but choosing a lifestyle of sin that is in contrast to God.  Those who have been filled with God strive for the ways of God, and can no longer "abide" in sin, because they are choosing to abide in God (3:6).  The rest of scripture (not just this book) indicate that those who are filled with the Spirit do, indeed, sin.  We live in a broken world, and the world does still effect us.  However, Christ has forgiven sin, and we no longer live in sin.  We are no longer defined by our bad actions, but we are defined by our Savior, the one who had no sin, and we seek to live in love, guided by the Spirit, living in forgiveness.

To me, this is an encouragement.  Those who love God have been forgiven, so live as if you are forgiven.  You have been shown love, so live in the love that has been shown, and show that love to others.  We continue to live in God's love until the day "when he is revealed" and "we will be like him, for we will see him as he is" (3:2)  So, we "purify ourselves, just as he is pure," (3:3) seeking to show the world what a life lived in grace and love looks like, so that they might experience that as well.

Thoughts?  What was your favorite/least favorite/most challenging part of the readings this week?

Invitation to the New Testament 10/5

So I really liked last week's reading better :).  Very quickly this week we move from the lofty, beautiful (if not difficult) picture of what life looks like lived in the Kingdom, to the reality of what life is like in the here and now.  After getting everyone excited about life lived with God, Jesus quickly reminds us that it is only possible if we devote our entire selves to Him and are willing to forsake all other things (familial obligations, social obligations) and suffer for His sake.

Some use passages such as what we read in Matthew 8-12 to say that you are only a true Christian if people hate you, you are lonely, and your family has turned against you.  I find that to be very contrary to the message of Christ.  We have to remember that Jesus is speaking in a time when those who followed Him would be persecuted, and He knew that would only get worse in the time after the resurrection.  He knew the decision of family or Christ, social standing or Christ, or life or Christ would be coming to many of them in the future.  Jesus desires here to lay out the cost of following, so that they are aware of what may come.

This is much more difficult for us today, as for many of us the decision to follow Christ, while many times met with solid resistance, often does not demand of us our life.  However, begin to think about what ways discipleship (following and becoming like Christ) should change your life.  Are there things you hold onto or behaviors you won't get rid of that are keeping you from being who Christ is calling you to be?  Begin to pray that God would give you the strength to follow no matter the cost, knowing that a life lived with Christ is ultimately better that one lived without!

In the comments, post thoughts you have about what it means to follow Christ today and what things were/are difficult for you to change in order to follow Christ.  Also, feel free to post any questions that come to mind and respond to other comments as well.

Peace!

Invitation to the New Testament 9/27

In the reading for Monday we read one of the most famous, and possibly most challenging, of Jesus' teachings, The Sermon on the Mount.  It is a broad collection, covering the law, adultery, divorce, taking oaths, loving enemies, fasting, offerings, money, judgment, and tons of other stuff.  Some scholars believe that this sermon was actually a compilation of many of Jesus' teachings, while others do actually see it as one full sermon.

Many people have tried to use the Sermon on the Mount as kind of a "new law"  to judge other Christians.  Often we want to see it as a list of "do's" and "don'ts" that keep us in line with God.  However, I don't think that is what it was for.  Dallas Willard is a Christian author, and he says that the sermon on the mount is not a new law, but instead a picture of what life looks like lived fully in God's kingdom.  In God's Kingdom, when things are right and God is totally in control, the poor are blessed, we live in love towards one another, there is no divorce, we love our enemies, we don't need recognition from others for our giving, we are generous and we don't worry about tomorrow.  Instead of using these teachings as a "law" to make us feel guilty, we should see them as a goal to strive for, knowing that they are only possible for us and the rest of the world when God is in control and Christ is Lord.  When we fail to live up to what Jesus calls us to, then we call on Jesus for forgiveness and help, and we live in the grace that Christ offers, knowing none of this is possible without it.

As a side note, I learned something interesting about one part of this passage that goes along with our discussion on Sunday about reading things in the context of the author and original audience.  In Matthew 6:19-24 you have what seems like an out of place passage.  Jesus talks about treasures on earth and heaven in v. 19-21, and about serving two masters, God and money, in v. 24.  In the middle of two teachings about money you have what seems to be an out of place statement about people's eyes.  However, in Jesus' day a person who was generous was said to have a "good eye."  This was a term that implied generosity and thankfulness, someone who was helpful and used their resources to care for others.  Jesus is saying that how we handle our money is a reflection of our spiritual health and how we use our money reflects our priorities and how we feel about God.  So, when Jesus says that your eye should be healthy, he is calling for generosity with the resources God has given you, which goes perfectly with the rest of that section.  Pretty cool.

What things stuck out to you about this reading (or the others)?  Do you find the sermon on the mount encouraging or discouraging?  What is your favorite part and what is the most challenging part for you?  Feel free to leave a comment and/or question below.

4) How do you interpret the statement Jesus Christ is Lord?

4)  How do you interpret the statement Jesus Christ is Lord?

            The confession that Jesus is Lord was one of the earliest confessions of the faith.  The title had been applied to God by the Israelites and was used by the early Christians to connect Christ with God (McGrath,443).  In proclaiming Christ as Lord, one proclaims that Christ is above all and over all.  It seems that often this confession has been limited to personal faith, without connection to the larger world.  However, saying that Jesus is Lord has implications for all of creation, including individuals, the church, society, and the natural world.

            In the personal sphere, proclaiming Christ as Lord means that my life is not my own, but it belongs to Christ (1 Cor. 3:23).  This means that I submit every area of my life to his authority, including my relationships, my finances, my family, and my time.  If Christ is Lord, then I will dedicate my life to bringing him glory.

            Christ is also the Lord of the church (Col 1:18).  Christ is the one who holds the church together and forms the church through the bond we have in his death and resurrection.  Bonhoeffer argues that “our community with one another consists solely in what Christ has done” (25).  The Articles of Religion also confess that “the Christian church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ” (Discipline 67).  Scripture proclaims that we are the “body of Christ” (Eph 1:22-23) and that Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 5:23).  The church must submit to Christ’s authority.

            Christ is also Lord of thrones, dominions and rulers (Col. 1: 16).  Christ is over all powers and authorities.  This also means that Christ is redeeming society and will one day reign as King (Rev. 21).  If we proclaim Christ as Lord, then we should work to bring his Kingdom by working on behalf of the oppressed and the poor and establishing justice on the earth through the power of the Holy Spirit.

            Christ is also the Lord of creation (Col. 1:17).  All things were created by him, and he is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.  Since redemption is extended to creation, then Christ as Lord of creation means that we are called to a stewardship that respects the created world.  We have been given dominion over creation in order to care for it, and we are called to exercise good stewardship by not abusing the natural world.

5) What is your conception of the activity of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world?

5)  What is your conception of the activity of the Holy Spirit in personal faith, in the community of believers, and in responsible living in the world?

            In the realm of personal faith, the Articles of Religion maintain that the Holy Spirit calls us to Christ and “convinces the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.”  The Spirit works in different ways.  It first prepares us for salvation by “convincing the unbeliever of his sin in relation to the crucified Christ” (Dunning 435).  The Spirit is active also in drawing us to faith.  Wesley argued that the sufficient cause of faith was the “operation of the Holy Spirit” (Dunning 440).  After drawing to faith, the Holy Spirit confirms our salvation.  Wesley believed that “the Spirit of God directly witnesses to my spirit, that I am a child of God: that Jesus Christ hath loved me, and given himself for me; and that all my sins are blotted out, and I, even I, am reconciled to God” (Dunning 442). 

            The Holy Spirit then works in conforming us to Christ’s image through the process of sanctification (1 Cor. 6:11).  The Articles of Religion state that sanctification is:

The work of God’s grace through the Word and the Spirit, by which those who have been born again are cleansed from the sin in their thoughts, words and acts, and are enabled to live in accordance with God’s will, and to strive for holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Discipline 69).

Sanctification involves the Spirit working in us to restore us to our original destiny (Dunning 478). 

            The community of believers is the church “which the Spirit has brought into existence for the healing of the nations” (Discipline 43).  The Spirit binds together all who believe in Christ.  Unity in the church, across denominations and geographical boundaries, comes through the Spirit (Eph. 4:23). 

            The Holy Spirit is a guide to responsible living in the world and guides us in all truth. (John 16:13).  This will involve personal holiness as well as social justice; including worship, prayer, spiritual growth, and “doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men” (Discipline 73).  These things are written on “awakened hearts” by the Spirit in order to spur us on to responsible living (Discipline 74).

6) What is your understanding of the Kingdom of God; the Resurrection; and eternal life?

This one is fun...

6) What is your understanding of the Kingdom of God; the Resurrection; and eternal life?

            The Kingdom of God is a reality that is both coming and already here.  Christ proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was here (Matt. 11:12, Luke 8:1, Luke 10:9, Mark 1:15) and that we are called to proclaim it now (Luke 9:60).  Paul also speaks in Colossians as though we are already a part of the Kingdom (1:13, 4:11).  While we await the time when God’s Kingdom is fully realized, God is calling us to show glimpses of what the Kingdom will look like (Wright 208).  We see a picture in Revelation of God’s Kingdom, where “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passes away” (Rev. 21:4).  HHHHhasdflkjHHThe Kingdom will be for the righteous, those who have believed and obeyed Christ’s commands (Matt. 25:34, 1 Cor. 6:9, Eph. 5:5).

            Scripture is clear that there will be a resurrection day.  Jesus spoke of this day (Matt. 22:30, Luke 14:14), as did Paul (Rom. 6:5, 1 Cor. 15:13).  The early Christians almost never spoke of going to heaven when they died.  Instead, their hope centered on resurrection, a belief which was consistent with their Jewish roots (Wright 41).  Since Christ was bodily resurrected, we believe that we will be bodily resurrected as well.  This resurrection comes through Christ (John 11:25) and by the power of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1).

            Eternal life is promised to all who believe in Christ (John 3:16).  Eternal life is peace with God, a life spent in the presence of God, as opposed to eternal death, which is separation from God.  While heaven is a temporary holding place, eternal life will be spent with God in the new heaven and the new earth where Christ reigns (Wright 41).  Eternal life is granted by Christ (John 10:28; Rom 5:21) as God has given him the authority to grant it.

7) How to you intend to affirm, teach, and apply Part II of the Discipline (Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task) in you work in the ministry to which you have been called?

7) How to you intend to affirm, teach, and apply Part II of the Discipline (Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task) in you work in the ministry to which you have been called?

            As a deacon in the United Methodist Church, part of my responsibilities will be to guide, instruct, and nurture the theological development of those who are in my congregation.  Since discipleship is a passion of mine, I am called to help others grow in their understanding of God and, most importantly, use that knowledge and love of God in service to the world.  The Book of Discipline gives us a guide for understanding our theological task, telling us that it is critical and constructive, individual and communal, contextual and incarnational, and essentially practical (Discipline 75-76).

            The critical nature of the theological task requires that I call people to wrestle with their knowledge and understanding of God.  The understanding should be rooted in the Doctrinal Standards of the Church, and challenged against scripture, tradition, reason, and experience.  I must make sure that those for whom I am a spiritual guide are expanding their horizons and asking questions about their expressions of faith.  The key here is not to be harsh in questioning one’s understanding, but instead to be constructive.  Being critical of faith should always have the goal of growth; of thinking afresh about God.  This helps us to see the gospel in light of “our troubled and uncertain times” (Discipline 75).

            There is also the tension between individual and community.  The individual portion of our theological task means that each person must be called to live a life that involves “sustained disciplines of study, reflection, and prayer” (75).  Every person is called to participate in the theological life of the church, and as one who is ordained a deacon, I am called to the formation and nurture of disciples in the church (231).  Part of the individual component of the theological task also involves my own personal growth.  If I am not setting an example in seeking God and living out my faith, then my credibility and witness is harmed.  Individual growth, however, must always be refined in relationship with others.  As a pastor I will seek to provide opportunities for people to engage in communal reflection so that they might learn from one another and challenge each other.  Their spiritual growth should not rely on the ordained clergy, but should be formed amongst one another, learning from each other’s experience and understanding.

            This is especially important in light of the fact that our theological task is contextual.  This relates to our understanding that theology is informed by our tradition, reason, and experience.  The context we live in will shape who we are and what we believe, and must be contextual in order to be practical, so that our theology speaks to the world around us.  However, in order to keep from developing into theological relativism, our theological task must remain incarnational.  This means that it is based in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the revelation of Christ, God’s Word.  Scripture has always maintained the primary position in theological study for Wesleyan’s, and this keeps us grounded as we seek to contextualize our faith.

            Lastly, our theological task is practical.  As a deacon, this holds special importance to me, as I am called to give leadership in “embodying the church’s mission to the world; and in leading congregations in interpreting the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world” (Discipline 231).  My calling is to help people take their theological understandings of God and apply them to their daily lives, showing the world what it means to be a follower of Christ and “spreading scriptural holiness over these lands” (75).  Helping people to take their beliefs about God and transform those into a life that serves Christ in the world is the primary calling that God has given me.

8) The United Methodist Church holds that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illuminated by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason. What is your understanding of this theological position of the church?

More Methodist goodness...

8) The United Methodist Church holds that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illuminated by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason.  What is your understanding of this theological position of the church?

            In looking at this position, we must first state, as the Discipline does, that “scripture occupies a place of primary authority among these theological sources” (77).  It is the word of God that must be held above the others, for “the Bible bears authentic testimony to God’s self-disclosure” (78).  We are a church that “is at heart a scriptural church which looks to the Holy Bible…as its authority in doctrinal matters” (Abraham 68).  However, we must be aware, as Outler argues, that “Scripture alone (has) rarely settled any controverted point of doctrine” (77).  Understanding this, we seek to use tradition, experience, and reason to aid in our theological task. 

            Since we are not the first to seek Christ, we can learn from those who have gone before.  Outler maintains that Wesley saw tradition as “more than a curiosity or a source for illustrative material.  It was a living string of Christian insight” (83).  Embracing traditions can help us to “think about God in new ways, enlarge our vision of shalom, and enhance our confidence in God’s provident love” (Discipline 80).  We look to the faithful of the past to help us in our understanding of God in the present and for the future.

            Experience also helps us to understand God.  Experience interacts with scripture, giving us a “new eye to see the living truth” that is revealed in God’s word (Discipline 81).  All people have different experiences that shape us, and these experiences can tell us something about God.  We can also learn from other people’s experiences as we see the way that God works in their lives.  What our experience teaches us must always be held up against scripture, but it can be used in our understanding of God.

            Reason also plays a role in our understanding.  The Discipline says that “since all truth is from God, efforts to discern the connections between revelation and reason, faith and science, grace a nature, are useful endeavors in developing credible and communicable doctrine” (82).  Our ability to reason is given to us from God, and in order to engage a fallen world, we need to be able to communicate our beliefs in a reasonable way.  There will always come a point when reason stops and faith must take over, but reason can and should play a role in our understanding and communicating about God.

9) Describe the nature and mission of the church. What are its primary tasks today?

Now it's feeling like a Letterman Top Ten Countdown...with no humor:

9) Describe the nature and mission of the church.  What are its primary tasks today?

            The church is the community of true believers that constitute the visible representation of Christ to the world.  The local church is the redemptive fellowship where the Word of God is preached and the sacraments are administered.  The nature of the local church is to help people come to know Christ, confess Christ as Lord and savior and live each day in light of their relationship with God.  The Book of Discipline says that the local church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, and the redemption of the world (133).  This is the mission of the church, to make disciples.  This means that the church functions to help people to “accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to live their daily lives in light of their relationship with God” (133).  All this is done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit by the grace of God working in and through the members of the local church.  Ultimately, the church is seeking to transform the world by making disciples and spreading holiness.  This is not meant to be done alone, and the local church provides the fellowship that is necessary for growth, the edification that is necessary for one to live a life as a disciple of Christ, and the base from which Christians move out into the world.

            In light of this mission, the primary tasks of the church are worship, discipleship, and evangelism.  Worship keeps the church focused on God and provides an opportunity for the people of God to join in praise to God for all that God has done.  It is also the place where the Word of God is preached and the sacraments are administered, two things that every Christian needs to experience.  Worship is the starting point for all that the church does.  Discipleship involves helping people to “live lives worthy of the calling” they have received (Phil. 4:1).  This involves growing in knowledge of God and applying that knowledge to their lives.  The church is the place where they receive instruction, accountability, and are challenged to seek God in every area of the life.  Discipleship also involves service to the world, as one learns to help those in need, fight against oppression, care for creation, and work for the renewal and redemption that God is bringing about.  Evangelism involves reaching out to others to welcome them into the life of faith, then bringing them into the community through baptism so that they can begin the process of discipleship.  Evangelism is also about taking the love of Christ to the world.  It is broader than individual salvation, as it also includes a social concern that people experience redemption from oppression and social injustices such as poverty, racism, and prejudice.

            All three of these tasks are constantly being done within the local church.  As the church worships, they are growing together and they are being nurtured so that they can be sent into the world to carry the love of Christ.  As the church disciples, people are encouraged to draw closer to God through worship and to carry their understanding of God into the world, spreading the love of Christ and calling others to join them on the journey of faith.  Discipleship should always lead to evangelism, as the local church is not “a place where you go to do church work” but instead is a “training ground from which you go to do your most vital church work in your daily contacts with your fellow workers, your political colleagues, your community organizations, and your family” (Tuell 47).  Evangelism calls people into the life of the church, experiencing God in worship and growing through discipleship.  In performing these tasks, the local church serves as a representative of the church universal, who is the body of Christ here on earth (Romans 12:5).