"Too many people confuse 'simple, childlike faith' with 'simplistic, childish faith.' Theology-even professional theology-does not deny the necessity of humble acceptance of God's message to humankind in Jesus Christ and the scriptural narrative about him. It does, however, push beyond blind and unquestioning acceptance of any and every interpretation of that message that happens to sound spiritual and comforting." -Roger E. Olson (Who Needs Theology?: An Invitation to the Study of God)
I have a feeling that sometimes, just sometimes, God looks down at His people and shakes His head. I'm not saying He regrets our existence; I feel like He thinks that we missed the entire point of His Word.
In Matthew 18, Jesus told us that we must become like little children to make it into the Kingdom of Heaven. And from the looks of it, some of us got the right idea; others, I feel, took the little children aspect a little too seriously.
"Our God is awesome!" "We worship One God, and His name is Jesus!" "Pentecostal is the only way to God!"All those Trinitarian three-god-worshippers can go to..."
You get the point.
What I'm getting at is that I feel that portion of Scripture has been horribly misquoted on more than one occasion. We're not little children in the sense of humility and undying devotion; we're more like the spoiled brats who refuse to clean up after themselves.
The same book I quoted at the beginning refers to this mindset at "folk theology." People are more comfortable hearing the same message in different formats and singing the same empty worship songs every Sunday than truly thinking outside of the box when it comes to God.
Is it heretical to question? Absolutely not. But don't say that to the folk theologians. According to them, the mere mentioning of hermeneutical discrepancies makes you a heathen, for the Bible is true, no questions asked! If Pastor said it, then there's no reason to doubt it.
Yes, I am being extremely heretical to some of you now, but just so you know, I'm not doubting my pastor's legitimacy; I simply want to understand it better and if the message doesn't mesh, it will most likely stick out.
I think what Jesus was trying to get across was the importance of humility and surrender, not stupidity and self-glorification. He wants us to follow him with childlike wonder, not complete disregard for everyone and everything around us.
As for me, I love Christ and every day is an attempt to be more and more like Him. And to do this, I must humble myself, but I don't have to become a complete moron to do so. Instead of treating the Word like a joint by taking a puff and passing it on to the next person (analogy, people, analogy), I want to learn more from it and know why I believe what I believe.
That is all. No heresy, no blasphemy. Just someone who lives to understand His Word a little better each day.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
A Modest Proposition
As the weddings begin to pour in this summer, it makes me think, not on the two people being joined in holy matrimony, but rather the participants, seeing as how I will be a groomsman in one of the many wonderful unions this summer. It's a happy moment for everyone who saw this moment coming for the two people being wed and a bittersweet one for those who wish they would've made their move on either the bride or groom sooner.
But I sense discrimination in all of this. Not that the bride has to do a majority of the planning or that groom does nothing hardly, bur rather this factor: the flower girl. She prances down the aisle spreading flowers every where. And above all, she's a girl.
Here's my modest proposition (because I don't wish for Jonathan Swift* to rise from the grave and sue me): flower boy. I'm not suggesting he put on the girls' dress for this occasion, unless you choose to do so. Don't worry: he and his therapist will be laughing about it twenty years down the road.
But boys don't aren't graceful like girls; they don't know how to handle flowers.
I come with a rebuttal to that argument that consists of a three sets of two words: Valentine's Day. Mother's Day. Birth Day. We've been handling flowers for a long time, and during these times, we're usually being gentle with them. This time, we'll be throwing them, which I'm pretty sure we'd be good at doing.
In short, I think it's time for a revolution, where everybody has a choice to do what they want to do in the wedding. If the men want to be bridesmen and the women want to be groomsmaids, then so be it. If the ring-bearer wants to be a ring catapulter (given he/she has good aim), then let them. The bride and groom already having their fun; it's time that the other participants are given a choice to do what THEY want to do.
I wish to start this, beginning with a flower boy.
*Jonathan Swift is the author of the essay A Modest Proposal which serves loosely as the inspiration for this post. He's the guy who wrote Gulliver's Travels, if you're still lost.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
"But have not love.."
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." I Corinthians 13:1-3
Brother, sister, Mr. Big-Shot-Preacher, Mrs. Never-Do-Wrong, I have news: it IS all about love.We have a message to share, a task to be completed, an objective to be reached, but if there is no love, then it is nothing. If we focus on the ramifications of sin rather than the grace that washes it away entirely, then what is our purpose?
They already know; we've let them know many a time through our arrogant display of self-glorification and our shameless rebuking.
We ask ourselves: why doesn't a dark world accept the Light? Because we've placed it too high for them to reach. We've turned it into an exclusive club membership that only the perfect and spotless can attain.
Why don't they want what we have?
I respond with another question: why would they want what they see? Fools announcing their offerings with the sound of a trumpet, standing on the street corners praying empty phrases, and fasting with disfigured faces.
They love the Shepherd, but are terrified by His flock.
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 13:4-7
Have we forgotten what love is? When did kindness take a backseat to fear-mongering? We've muddled our original purpose with pride and elitism as a lost world watches on like a lonely, dejected child. Our popularity contests have not only alienated them, but made them bitter and resentful.
And all in the name of the One who loves them just as much. We have ignored the fact that He sent His only Son so they wouldn't perish, but have eternal life in Him.
"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 13:8-12
Everything we put stock in will eventually vanish, but love is eternal. Prophecies and tongues can only last so long, for a day will come when all of that will meaningless. The declarations of prophets past will have been completed and tongues will be nothing but meaningless drivel.
Like children, our knowledge is only partial. And even as adults, our knowledge is not full. All we know, see, and think we understand is observed through a dark window, yet we take this and act like we have the one important revelation.
But love, this requires no in-depth observation. No analysis. No background checks. Our Saviour knew about us before we came into existence, yet paid for our wrongdoings in such a grotesque manner. All He requests is that we show this love to our brothers and sisters.
We can preach the greatest sermon or sing the greatest song, but have not love, it is nothing.
"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 13:13
Brother, sister, Mr. Big-Shot-Preacher, Mrs. Never-Do-Wrong, I have news: it IS all about love.We have a message to share, a task to be completed, an objective to be reached, but if there is no love, then it is nothing. If we focus on the ramifications of sin rather than the grace that washes it away entirely, then what is our purpose?
They already know; we've let them know many a time through our arrogant display of self-glorification and our shameless rebuking.
We ask ourselves: why doesn't a dark world accept the Light? Because we've placed it too high for them to reach. We've turned it into an exclusive club membership that only the perfect and spotless can attain.
Why don't they want what we have?
I respond with another question: why would they want what they see? Fools announcing their offerings with the sound of a trumpet, standing on the street corners praying empty phrases, and fasting with disfigured faces.
They love the Shepherd, but are terrified by His flock.
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 13:4-7
Have we forgotten what love is? When did kindness take a backseat to fear-mongering? We've muddled our original purpose with pride and elitism as a lost world watches on like a lonely, dejected child. Our popularity contests have not only alienated them, but made them bitter and resentful.
And all in the name of the One who loves them just as much. We have ignored the fact that He sent His only Son so they wouldn't perish, but have eternal life in Him.
"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 13:8-12
Everything we put stock in will eventually vanish, but love is eternal. Prophecies and tongues can only last so long, for a day will come when all of that will meaningless. The declarations of prophets past will have been completed and tongues will be nothing but meaningless drivel.
Like children, our knowledge is only partial. And even as adults, our knowledge is not full. All we know, see, and think we understand is observed through a dark window, yet we take this and act like we have the one important revelation.
But love, this requires no in-depth observation. No analysis. No background checks. Our Saviour knew about us before we came into existence, yet paid for our wrongdoings in such a grotesque manner. All He requests is that we show this love to our brothers and sisters.
We can preach the greatest sermon or sing the greatest song, but have not love, it is nothing.
"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 13:13
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