Today is a special day in many Christian circles. It's a day that's come to be known as Palm Sunday, the day when Jesus entered into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, and to institute a new Passover for all who would believe in Him. Starting today, and going through the next week, I'll pause from my Faith and Tension series to look at the events of this holiest of weeks for Christians.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus began to make His way to Jerusalem with His disciples. As He started riding in, there were a great number of people who were traveling, either with Him, or approaching the city around the same time. Many of them recognized Jesus as the man who had been teaching about God, the man who had healed quite a few, and had performed a number of miracles.
In order to show their honor for this man, whom they also believed to be a prophet of God, they began to cut down the branches from the trees and lay them in front of Him. Some even took to putting their cloaks down on the road, a symbolic gesture much like what you would do in front of a king. In fact, there is a good chance that these people saw Jesus going in to do something great, perhaps to throw out their Roman oppressors, and to bring a great victory for them.
Why this acclaim for Jesus? They loved Him. He had served them. He had lived among them. He had told them that God didn't want to punish them and make unreasonable demands, but that God loved them and wanted nothing more than to show His compassion to them. He served them repeatedly, and therefore, Jesus was dearly loved by the crowds.
Their acknowledgment of that service was to praise Him as He made His way into Jerusalem. Yet, it's very likely that not many knew what would transpire later on that week.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Faith and Tension: Community and Individuality
One of the challenges that we face in our faith, especially those of us who live in North America, is the balance in our individuality when it comes to our faith and the role of the community of fellow believers. This presents yet another tension when we think about matters of faith.
In 1 Corinthians 13:12-27, Paul writes about the community of Christians, speaking of it as the body of Christ. He writes about how each person is an individual member of it, and yet, those members do not exist apart from one another. This presents a tension that we live with, and in truth, that has existed in God's people throughout their existence.
In North America, this presents a very interesting challenge when we think about faith matters. We are taught from a very young age that our country is about personal freedom, personal choice, and that you, as an individual, can accomplish anything. We even have a large number of sayings that describe how we should go it alone. "If you want the job done right, do it yourself." This one, and other expressions, become very ingrained, and eventually begin to creep into what we think and believe about God and His community.
That's where some of the things we read in the Bible present some real confusion for us. We hear of people selling their property and holding everything in a common trust, and we wonder how that would be. Jesus says that we are to serve others and put their needs equal to, or even, in some cases, above our own, and that goes against what we have been taught and know. And so we struggle with our individuality and our communal nature in being Christians.
Perhaps you find yourself struggling with this particular aspect of your faith life. There may be those in your faith community that you really don't get along with or agree with, and you find it easier to practice your faith without the community. Or you may disagree with the organized nature that develops anytime more than a few people come together in community, so you decide to practice your faith without the community. Biblically, this is unnatural, and does go contrary to what God desires of His people, and yet, we cannot deny the individual aspect of our faith. You personally must believe. You do not receive God's grace simply because you are part of the group, but through faith.
How do you find yourself leaning in this regard? What tensions have you encountered in your individual faith and in practicing your faith with your fellow Christians?
In 1 Corinthians 13:12-27, Paul writes about the community of Christians, speaking of it as the body of Christ. He writes about how each person is an individual member of it, and yet, those members do not exist apart from one another. This presents a tension that we live with, and in truth, that has existed in God's people throughout their existence.
In North America, this presents a very interesting challenge when we think about faith matters. We are taught from a very young age that our country is about personal freedom, personal choice, and that you, as an individual, can accomplish anything. We even have a large number of sayings that describe how we should go it alone. "If you want the job done right, do it yourself." This one, and other expressions, become very ingrained, and eventually begin to creep into what we think and believe about God and His community.
That's where some of the things we read in the Bible present some real confusion for us. We hear of people selling their property and holding everything in a common trust, and we wonder how that would be. Jesus says that we are to serve others and put their needs equal to, or even, in some cases, above our own, and that goes against what we have been taught and know. And so we struggle with our individuality and our communal nature in being Christians.
Perhaps you find yourself struggling with this particular aspect of your faith life. There may be those in your faith community that you really don't get along with or agree with, and you find it easier to practice your faith without the community. Or you may disagree with the organized nature that develops anytime more than a few people come together in community, so you decide to practice your faith without the community. Biblically, this is unnatural, and does go contrary to what God desires of His people, and yet, we cannot deny the individual aspect of our faith. You personally must believe. You do not receive God's grace simply because you are part of the group, but through faith.
How do you find yourself leaning in this regard? What tensions have you encountered in your individual faith and in practicing your faith with your fellow Christians?
Friday, April 15, 2011
Tension and Faith: Grace and God's Instructions or Commands
Okay, let's start today with a quick question. Who here has never, ever, exceeded the speed limit at any time in their life? (You can bet that my hand isn't raised!) We think about things like speed limits more as suggestions, until that officer appears in the median or along the side street, radar gun at the ready. And then, when he pulls us over, we really hope that he'll show some grace to us.
One of the tensions that we face in our faith life is the tension between doing what God says and realizing that our lives are lived completely in His grace. God makes it clear in the Bible that we are to take what He says seriously. He even outlined consequences at various times in the life of His people for when they would go against what He said.
Now, part of our trouble with this is a translation problem from one language to another. A lot of what gets translated into English as "command" actually falls more in line with "instruction". For example, when God gives Moses the ten writings on the stone tablets, they are God's instruction. Yet, we often find that word translated as command, and so we tend to take what God says as the way He created us to live more as though it is "Do it God's way or hit the highway."
Yet, the one thing God makes clear is that we cannot do all of that perfectly, thanks to the sin and imperfection passed down from Adam and Eve. We now live and receive good from God because He is gracious and loving toward us. In our imperfection, we cannot do anything as He instructed anymore than a cracked jar can hold water. We live completely by His grace, both now and forever.
This places us in an interesting place. We are to take God's commands/instructions seriously, and yet, we live completely by His grace. To stress one is to take away from the other, which we are not supposed to do (and yes, I even noticed the leaning toward our "doing" in that last phrase). Grace, and God's commands. A necessary tension which we will never get exactly right as long as we live in this world.
One of the tensions that we face in our faith life is the tension between doing what God says and realizing that our lives are lived completely in His grace. God makes it clear in the Bible that we are to take what He says seriously. He even outlined consequences at various times in the life of His people for when they would go against what He said.
Now, part of our trouble with this is a translation problem from one language to another. A lot of what gets translated into English as "command" actually falls more in line with "instruction". For example, when God gives Moses the ten writings on the stone tablets, they are God's instruction. Yet, we often find that word translated as command, and so we tend to take what God says as the way He created us to live more as though it is "Do it God's way or hit the highway."
Yet, the one thing God makes clear is that we cannot do all of that perfectly, thanks to the sin and imperfection passed down from Adam and Eve. We now live and receive good from God because He is gracious and loving toward us. In our imperfection, we cannot do anything as He instructed anymore than a cracked jar can hold water. We live completely by His grace, both now and forever.
This places us in an interesting place. We are to take God's commands/instructions seriously, and yet, we live completely by His grace. To stress one is to take away from the other, which we are not supposed to do (and yes, I even noticed the leaning toward our "doing" in that last phrase). Grace, and God's commands. A necessary tension which we will never get exactly right as long as we live in this world.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Faith and Tension: Like the Culture, Separate from the Culture
Over the past century, I don't think anyone can deny that the world seems to have become a smaller place. Not only have we had the creation of air travel, which makes it possible to get to practically any place on the globe in a day or so, but with the recent advent of the internet, now you can find out about people and how they live simply by typing them into your preferred search engine.
As Christians encounter different cultures, they also come across a strange tension. We carry a message that truly is not bound by any particular culture. All people of the world stand in need of God's love, but also the forgiveness Jesus offers through the cross. This message isn't dependent upon the people group one belongs to, but truly is for all people, just as Jesus sent His disciples to all nations.
Yet, as that Christian faith comes into particular cultures, it quite often takes on the appearance of the culture. The songs of praise and worship take on the flavor of the culture. The expressions used to describe God's work are described in ways that are familiar to the local people. The expressions of love and care "look" different from place to place, even though the attitude and reason behind them may be the same.
As Christians, we also realize that culture is in a constant state of change. This presents an interesting tension for us. How much do the expressions of faith change as the culture changes, and how much do we retain the roots of what we have known and loved, expressions which were appropriate for that time and place, but perhaps not so much for a different time and place? And then, how do we ensure that the message doesn't change, even if the appearances and expressions change?
As I've pointed out in earlier posts, we tend to gravitate toward one end of the spectrum or the other. Some advocate changing the expressions and tossing aside the old as the culture changes without reservation, though not without danger. Others advocate maintaining the distinctiveness of the faith by holding on the expressions that have been "successful" before, again, not without danger. One may fall too far into the cultural expression and lose the distinctiveness of the message, and the other may become disconnected from the culture and thus lose its desired hearers.
Where do you tend to fall on the spectrum? How can understanding this necessary tension help you to seek out what may be the appropriate balance in a given time and place?
As Christians encounter different cultures, they also come across a strange tension. We carry a message that truly is not bound by any particular culture. All people of the world stand in need of God's love, but also the forgiveness Jesus offers through the cross. This message isn't dependent upon the people group one belongs to, but truly is for all people, just as Jesus sent His disciples to all nations.
Yet, as that Christian faith comes into particular cultures, it quite often takes on the appearance of the culture. The songs of praise and worship take on the flavor of the culture. The expressions used to describe God's work are described in ways that are familiar to the local people. The expressions of love and care "look" different from place to place, even though the attitude and reason behind them may be the same.
As Christians, we also realize that culture is in a constant state of change. This presents an interesting tension for us. How much do the expressions of faith change as the culture changes, and how much do we retain the roots of what we have known and loved, expressions which were appropriate for that time and place, but perhaps not so much for a different time and place? And then, how do we ensure that the message doesn't change, even if the appearances and expressions change?
As I've pointed out in earlier posts, we tend to gravitate toward one end of the spectrum or the other. Some advocate changing the expressions and tossing aside the old as the culture changes without reservation, though not without danger. Others advocate maintaining the distinctiveness of the faith by holding on the expressions that have been "successful" before, again, not without danger. One may fall too far into the cultural expression and lose the distinctiveness of the message, and the other may become disconnected from the culture and thus lose its desired hearers.
Where do you tend to fall on the spectrum? How can understanding this necessary tension help you to seek out what may be the appropriate balance in a given time and place?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tension and Faith: Trust and Planning
If you read two accounts from Jesus' life and sayings, you might get the idea that Jesus is a bit confused. In Luke 14:25-32, Jesus talks about counting the cost of following Him, using two life examples of someone planning out what they are going to do to see if they have the means. And throughout the Proverbs, we hear about the wisdom of planning and thinking things through before we act (such as Proverbs 12:8, 15:12, for a couple of examples).
But then, we come across Jesus' words in places like Matthew 6:25-34, where Jesus tells us that we don't have to be anxious about God's provision for us. Jesus says that God will provide, and that we can trust in Him to take care of what we need in this life. So, if we were to look at these two, it may seem as though Jesus is contradicting Himself.
However, it seems more likely that Jesus is describing one of the tensions we have in our faith life. We are to trust in God for taking care of our needs of body and soul, and yet, we are also to be involved in planning out that care. I have noticed how many Christians, uncomfortable living with tensions in life and faith matters, tend to find themselves at one extreme or the other.
On the one hand, there are those who want to know how things will work, how everything will be provided for, and to know all of this before they will venture down that particular road. While taking God's desire for planning to heart, they also may leave little room for trusting in God to pour out even more than what they may hope for or desire. They seek certainty and sureness before they act.
The other side of this coin are those who do not plan, but simply step out, saying that God will take care of everything and they don't need to worry about it. God will be faithful, and will give what is needed, without any work or effort or planning on our part. And yet, God may be providing a number of opportunities if only they would take a little action and plan out how things will happen, or look for the places that God may be presenting to supply their needs, if only they would look around and take action.
I cannot say where the "proper" tension is in this. It's very likely that it is different for each person in each situation. There may be times where God truly wants us to step out in faith, not knowing where He will provide and where it will come from. There are probably other times that He wants us to take a more active role in planning things out, but to also recognize that we can trust in Him to do far more than what our plans may show or indicate.
I would suggest that we find ourselves drifting toward one end of this spectrum or the other, and that it is helpful to take a step in the other direction every once in a while, simply as a reminder from God that He doesn't do things the same way every time.
Which end to you tend to fall toward? How can you take a step and have God show that He also works from the other end of the spectrum? How do you balance these out in your faith life?
But then, we come across Jesus' words in places like Matthew 6:25-34, where Jesus tells us that we don't have to be anxious about God's provision for us. Jesus says that God will provide, and that we can trust in Him to take care of what we need in this life. So, if we were to look at these two, it may seem as though Jesus is contradicting Himself.
However, it seems more likely that Jesus is describing one of the tensions we have in our faith life. We are to trust in God for taking care of our needs of body and soul, and yet, we are also to be involved in planning out that care. I have noticed how many Christians, uncomfortable living with tensions in life and faith matters, tend to find themselves at one extreme or the other.
On the one hand, there are those who want to know how things will work, how everything will be provided for, and to know all of this before they will venture down that particular road. While taking God's desire for planning to heart, they also may leave little room for trusting in God to pour out even more than what they may hope for or desire. They seek certainty and sureness before they act.
The other side of this coin are those who do not plan, but simply step out, saying that God will take care of everything and they don't need to worry about it. God will be faithful, and will give what is needed, without any work or effort or planning on our part. And yet, God may be providing a number of opportunities if only they would take a little action and plan out how things will happen, or look for the places that God may be presenting to supply their needs, if only they would look around and take action.
I cannot say where the "proper" tension is in this. It's very likely that it is different for each person in each situation. There may be times where God truly wants us to step out in faith, not knowing where He will provide and where it will come from. There are probably other times that He wants us to take a more active role in planning things out, but to also recognize that we can trust in Him to do far more than what our plans may show or indicate.
I would suggest that we find ourselves drifting toward one end of this spectrum or the other, and that it is helpful to take a step in the other direction every once in a while, simply as a reminder from God that He doesn't do things the same way every time.
Which end to you tend to fall toward? How can you take a step and have God show that He also works from the other end of the spectrum? How do you balance these out in your faith life?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tension in Faith Matters: Justice and Grace
One of the critiques of the Bible is that it contradicts itself. There are those who say that God can't seem to make up His mind. On one hand, He'll say that He loves the whole world and doesn't desire for any to be apart from Him, but then, the other hand shows a God who does indeed declare condemnation upon people. He spares the life of a widow's son from a distant nation while His chosen people suffer through famine. And if we simply looked at each instance, we might come to the conclusion that God can't really make up His mind, or that the Bible does indeed contradict itself.
I would assert, however, that what may seem to be contradictions fall more into line of the tensions that we find in life and in faith. We believe that God is both a God of undeserved love and of justice as well. So, when we see God demonstrating justice, it will seem to go against His nature as a gracious God. Likewise, we will see Him demonstrate His grace in a situation where we might feel justice is deserved (see John 8:1-11 for an example where God's people of Israel witnessed both).
This is a tension we encounter, both in what we believe about God, and how we then live as disciples and followers of Jesus. There are moments in life where grace is appropriate. There are also moments where justice is called for. Properly discerning which one is called for in that particular situation at that time is where we find our challenge and the tension that comes in our faith.
The reality is, the situation and the people involved typically will dictate how we respond. And our response might be different for a different person. That's what makes this discernment so difficult. We may be tempted to confront when simply loving another person is called for, and we may try to be gracious when the person really needs to hear that they were wrong. Grace and justice do not contradict each other, but merely represent two tensions that we will face as we live out our faith.
I would assert, however, that what may seem to be contradictions fall more into line of the tensions that we find in life and in faith. We believe that God is both a God of undeserved love and of justice as well. So, when we see God demonstrating justice, it will seem to go against His nature as a gracious God. Likewise, we will see Him demonstrate His grace in a situation where we might feel justice is deserved (see John 8:1-11 for an example where God's people of Israel witnessed both).
This is a tension we encounter, both in what we believe about God, and how we then live as disciples and followers of Jesus. There are moments in life where grace is appropriate. There are also moments where justice is called for. Properly discerning which one is called for in that particular situation at that time is where we find our challenge and the tension that comes in our faith.
The reality is, the situation and the people involved typically will dictate how we respond. And our response might be different for a different person. That's what makes this discernment so difficult. We may be tempted to confront when simply loving another person is called for, and we may try to be gracious when the person really needs to hear that they were wrong. Grace and justice do not contradict each other, but merely represent two tensions that we will face as we live out our faith.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Grace and Justice
This week, I have talked about grace quite a bit. We've looked at specific grace and general grace. I have just a couple of random thoughts to close out the week.
Grace is giving someone something that they have not earned or deserved. Sometimes this means providing something for them that they need, and at other times it involves our attitude toward them. For example, we may give a meaningful, valuable gift to someone, knowing it's something they really way (first part of the previous sentence), or we give someone care, concern, or even love and compassion, even if their actions and words indicate that they should receive something else (our attitude).
And yet, as we read through the Bible, we also encounter a God who is a just God. There are consequences to our actions, words, and choices in life, and not all of those consequences are ones filled with His grace. For some, there was indeed a due price that came upon them. This really is something we shouldn't be surprised at. God is a God of justice.
So we find a tension in our faith, and in the practice of our faith. When do we respond with grace, and when do we respond with justice? Is it possible to respond with both at the same time? How do we know which one is appropriate for a given situation? Which one will bring about the desired end which God has in mind, of restoring that person to Himself?
Disconnected from the full knowledge of God's will here in the world, we will mess this up. We will be gracious when justice was called for, and vice versa. We will find ourselves gravitating toward one end of the spectrum more frequently than the other. Since we are not Jesus or God, we simply cannot know perfectly what is the appropriate thing to do in every situation.
I'm planning to look more at some of these tensions in matters of our faith next week. I hope you'll stick around and follow them, and chime in with any thoughts you may have along the way.
Grace is giving someone something that they have not earned or deserved. Sometimes this means providing something for them that they need, and at other times it involves our attitude toward them. For example, we may give a meaningful, valuable gift to someone, knowing it's something they really way (first part of the previous sentence), or we give someone care, concern, or even love and compassion, even if their actions and words indicate that they should receive something else (our attitude).
And yet, as we read through the Bible, we also encounter a God who is a just God. There are consequences to our actions, words, and choices in life, and not all of those consequences are ones filled with His grace. For some, there was indeed a due price that came upon them. This really is something we shouldn't be surprised at. God is a God of justice.
So we find a tension in our faith, and in the practice of our faith. When do we respond with grace, and when do we respond with justice? Is it possible to respond with both at the same time? How do we know which one is appropriate for a given situation? Which one will bring about the desired end which God has in mind, of restoring that person to Himself?
Disconnected from the full knowledge of God's will here in the world, we will mess this up. We will be gracious when justice was called for, and vice versa. We will find ourselves gravitating toward one end of the spectrum more frequently than the other. Since we are not Jesus or God, we simply cannot know perfectly what is the appropriate thing to do in every situation.
I'm planning to look more at some of these tensions in matters of our faith next week. I hope you'll stick around and follow them, and chime in with any thoughts you may have along the way.
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