Light and Dark Theology

I do not believe in gray, either you are in the light or in the dark. There is nothing that is gray. If you are in the dark, there is no light. If you are in the light there is no darkness. How do you draw a boundary between the darkness and the light? Is it a fine line? Or a spectrum? Well for light there is the rainbow spectrum of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Indigo, Blue, and Violet. Yet each of these colors are all light.

There is also a matter of measuring the intensity of the light usually in watts. Does a 40 watt bulb light bring light into a room just like a 150 watt bulb? Once the light is on, is the room then light and no longer dark regardless of the intensity of light?

That is how I look at the room, light and dark do not coexist, you are either in a room that is in the light or in a room that is not in light, which is the dark.

As it relates to Theology, the study of God, which yields knowledge about God that should spur one toward wisdom, the application of that knowledge. Either the bible is in the light and teaches about God or in the dark and distorts God? It is either inerrant and infallible in all its content or it is not? Either the bible is true or it is not true? It can not be halfway true. Every half truth is a lie. So why trust any of it? Or which part do I trust?

The Liberty Christians have in Christ, is living in the light. There is no darkness in the liberty Christ gives. Christ liberates from sin and death, the expressions of darkness. So Christian Liberty is not living in gray areas and light areas. It is only living in the light.

If it is gray, that is darkness. My paraphrase of James 2:10 “If you break even one point of the law, you are guilty of all.” For me, the Bible is teaching that gray is a rational way to ignore a little darkness or sin, and gray is darkness and not light.

Beyond My Theological Label

As you can tell I have taken a break from writing my book, and have returned to the world of web logs at least for a while. Recent events in my life have urged me to turn the mirror on myself. My next entries will be self exams beginning here.

As important as my theology is, it is not as important as my humility in accepting correction for all my bad theological positions. By theology I mean what most consider religious ideas and practices that come from those ideas including but not limited to my view of man, my view of God and my study of God. Whatever my theological label may be that current label is not important. The real question is, Can I change my theology, if it is exposed as being incorrect, or am I too stubborn and proud to let go of that label? Am I meek in accepting correction for all my bad theological positions? Part of my theology is that the only source for correcting my wrong theology is God. My theological position is that the only reliable and authoritative source for God’s position is the Holy Bible.

If I wear my theological label without meekness, it can hold me captive and keep me from growing into deeper fellowship with the Lord and from a right relationship with God. For me, the right relationship with God is the most important part of anyone’s theology. The Bible reveals God as the Creator, the Judge, the King of Israel, the Holy One, in summary the Sovereign of the Universe, these revelations about God begin in the Old Testament with the patriarchs, continue through the Law, and on into the Prophets. All of these attributes of God help me in getting the right relationship of submission to God. It is not submission out of fear or being intimidated by the Almighty. My right relationship with God is perfectly revealed in Jesus; It is a relationship of a parent and child. It is a voluntary submission to authority because of the love, I have for my Father. It is by faith in Jesus, that I become spiritually born and join His family as an adopted son. This does not remove the other attributes of God, it only creates a personal affection between me, an adopted child and Him, my Father. This is the right relationship with God. Parent and child. Not equals.

It is true that the Bible also teaches me that God the Son, Jesus, is my friend. One who walks along side me in life. It also teaches me that Jesus became like me, human and frail. But unlike me, as God the Son, He was able to resist temptation overcoming sin and its consequence of death found in the grave. The only victory I have against these two foes, of sin and death, is the sacrifice of my Friend. The One who came along side me and took my place in punishment, so I could receive His reward of obedience. Greater love has no man, but he that lays down his life for a friend. But does that friendship include sharing in the suffering as well as the good times. Would I walk along side my friend on His way to the cross, or abandon Him? So if I like to think of God the Son, as my friend I must also consider that friendship is more than picnics on sunny days in the park. There are also the cold stormy evenings in the wilderness. But Jesus promised me, He would never leave me or forsake me whether in the feasts of picnics or the famines of the wilderness. So Jesus is my truest friend, but am I a true friend to Him? I can do all things through Christ. I can do nothing without Him.

Prayer of my soul

My prayer to the Lord.

“When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
I was brutish and ignorant;
I was like a beast toward you.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.” –Psalm 73:21-28 (English Standard Version)

The Teal Notebook

It is far too complex and the wounds have not healed from all the storms of life that have been blowing around me, but I am left with questions.  I am also left with wounds that only the Lord can help me heal.  The wounds are only collateral damage.  But, I still need a time of quietness so I can heal.  Eventually I will find the Glory of God in the scars left behind.  For scars are the witness and reminder that God heals our wounds.  It is the scars on my Redeemer’s hands and feet that remind me of how much God loves me.  Those scars should be mine, but they are carried by my Savior.  I still need that time of quietness so I can hear and respond with obedience to my God.

The cold order of events.

1. New Teaching Pastor begins ministry.

2. My help was requested in a minor leadership role.

3. Teaching Pastor resigns.

4. Other Pastor requests my continued help in a minor leadership role.

5. Personal difficulties and family concerns led me to resign from my minor leadership role.

6. Those same concerns led me to begin a journey of discovery.  Where do I fit into the Kingdom of God?  Where does my King want me to be?

7.  What lessons do I take from this?

I have a one-inch teal notebook (well I have been told it is teal, I don’t really know what color it is) with my notes from my two month tour of minor leadership.  What do I do with those notes.

a) Burn them.

b) File them away to be forgotten.

c) Carefully examine them.

Well, I should carefully examine them and see what lesson I can take from them, and apply them for all future leadership in my life.  The best place to start applying these leadership lessons would be in my own home.  Even scripture teaches us this. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” (English Standard Version)

The Church

My view of church is that it should center on God using the Bible as the defined boundary.  Staying as near to the center as possible.  The character of God is so immeasurable a lifetime of seeking God is not enough to even scratch the surface.  Church should encourage and facilitate the center of the gospel: God.  It should not probe around the edges or fringes of the gospel.

Essentially, church should keep the main thing, the main thing: God.

Understanding that the only trustworthy source that reveals God is the Bible.  All other books and ideas can distract and should not be explored in church.  Individuals have freedom and liberty to explore whatever they wish, but the community should stay centered on God and not hang out on the edges.  Whatever edge they may prefer to linger around.  The church should promote the center, God, not the edge.

Psalm 23

This message from the Lord, gives me comfort, may it comfort you if you are also in distress.

Psalm 23

The LORD Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Calming music for the mind and heart

Thank you, Pastor John Piper for enriching my life with the illumination of the word of the Lord with a timely message.  Truly the Psalms are to be a way to think and feel about God in all circumstances of life.

Psalm 42

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.

As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”

When I remember these things,
I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go with the multitude;
I went with them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;
All Your waves and billows have gone over me.
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life.

I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Spiritual Authority

I am taking a short break from spending my time in writing my book to post the following message.

There is a false teaching and attitude that has been circulating around the Christian community that fosters sin and rebellion.  It is an evil taint and twisting of scripture.

It is one that I have encountered this week while studying Galatians.  It is one that has been tugging on me since February when I first encountered it when reading about the beliefs of a ministry on the internet.  It is very close to home right now, and I am grieved over it.  Many churches and ministries fondle this passage to promote the human notion of equality within community and even within governance.

The passage:

” For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” — Galatians 3:26-29

Many have wrongly taken this passage to mean that everyone is equal as Christians.  It does not matter if you are male or female, young or old, we are all equal.  There are no barriers between us any more.  What a man can do or want to do, A woman can also do.  The authority of a bishop or pastor is no greater than the member.  We are all equals in authority.  This is a heresy and goes against the context of this passage and against the rest of scripture.  It is true that all who come to Christ are equally redeemed from their sins and enjoy the abundant new life God gives, but it does not mean that all are equal.

This passage needs to be coupled with the following particularly as it relates to roles within the church.

” For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” — Romans 12:3-8

When both scriptures are rightly applied, the Holy Spirit is instructing Christians that not all members have the same function.  This particularly applies to other passages of scripture that forbid women being pastors, overseers, bishops, or elders. see 1 timothy 3:1; Titus 1:6.  This is a hard saying for some, but one I must say.  The church is not a community of equals.  God appoints Pastors to watch over them and Deacons to care for them.  As spiritual authorities and leaders they have been delegated authority by God and been given gifts to watch over the members, members need so show them obedience and submission, just as Jesus showed us in the garden before he went to the cross to bear our sins.  He submitted and was obedient.

Members need to submit and be obedient to our God appointed spiritual leaders.

Repent Christian of your rebellious heart;

Seek Forgiveness from your Spiritual Leader now–Do not wait, Again I say NOW!.

Humble yourself before God and His appointed and delegated authority.

Your Brother in Christ.

The Gospel, Me-centered or God-centered?

The link below is a series of charts (.pdf) that compare the me-centered Gospel to the God-centered Gospel.  It is research that I am using while I am writing a book, but was very interesting, so I share it here.

View of God

Update — June 12, 2006

I am still working on writing a book. So far I have the introduction and part of chapter one complete. About 3500 words. Still much more to go. The average book is 330 pages with about 82,000 words. So I am aiming for one about one-third that size. It is as challenging as I thought it would be. But rewarding.

The working title is: Thank You, God.