God, We Lament

Only a day since Hurricane Katrina has passed, we are now beginning to see the horrible destruction, the enormous loss of life, and the vast amount of suffering that many people will endure and be haunted by for a long, long time.

Most of us do not even know what it is like to endure a hurricane and the terrific damage such a disaster brings. But some of us, perhaps even most of us, know and understand what it is like to suffer, to be hurt in not only a physical manner but also emotionally and spiritually. There are no words to say that bring comfort to the loss of life, to the destruction brought upon all of the survivors, and to the many that have been left virtually homeless.

What we can do is voice our complaint to God just as Israel did. We can pour out our Lament to the God who has brought redemption in the past in hope and anticipation that he will once again bring redemption. Psalm 60 was a communal lament of Israel that not only chronicled their distress amidst the suffering but also the anticipation of hope. Israel’s enemy was the surrounding nations; our enemy is the death and destruction brought by the hurricane. So let us lament:

“You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us; you have been angry – now restore us! You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking. You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger. But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered. God has spoken from his sanctuary; “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter. Moab is my washbasin, on Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.”
– Psalm 60, TNIV

Hurricane Katrina

If you would like to read a good post about Hurricane Katrina, I found this post by Larry James to be worth the read and thought. See: http://www.larryjamesurbandaily.blogspot.com

I Struggle

I live in Memphis which has the highest percentage of poor people among the major urban dwellings of the United States. The neighborhood in which I live is not the worst in poverty but it certainly is not rich. You might describe it as a low, working-class economy. As a result it is not surprising to see occasionally people that society describes as a "transient-homeless-begging-bum." But I take serious (or at least try to) the second greatest command to love my neighbor as myself and I realize that even the beggars of the street are my neighbor.

So early this morning I went and filled my vehicle up with Gasoline and while I was at the gas station, I noticed this man who was walking up to everybody but seemed to be walking away from the people as fast as he approached them. I called out to the man and told him that he looked like he needed help or something, and then asked if I could help him. He said that his car was out of Gas and needed to get to Marion, AR (which is a suburb of Memphis across the river). I quickly thought “here we go again.” I wanted to know first whether he really was the driver of the car and asked for his name first and then if he would show me his driver’s license (not that I was not willing to help, but I also don’t like the idea of someone thinking that they can lie and try to con me in order to get money). His name was Carl! He then responded to me saying, that he was not looking for cash rather just asked if I could pay for $15 dollars of gas on my bank card (which I was using to pay for my own gas). I told him that I would, but that he had to pull his car up to the pump and let me pump the gas for him and so I did.

I think he legitimately needed help with some gas money, but I am not sure. Maybe he was just another “transient-homeless-begging-bum” that had a car and was using it to take advantage of someone else’s generosity. I don’t know but I know that often Jesus had people who came to him just for what he could do for them, not caring one bit about Jesus and occasionally I imagine they took advantage of Jesus’ generosity too. So since I take seriously (or again, at least try too) the call to follow Jesus and live my life like he lived his, I feel a burden to help such people when they ask.

I struggle however, in knowing how to help such people. There is not a week that goes by in which I do not meet someone in the store parking lot of gas station parking lot who needs a little help. It is almost like I have a neon light flashing above my head saying “ask me for help.” Many of these people really only want cash to fuel an unhealthy lifestyle (I refuse to give cash to anyone), but some of them will simply let me by them a sandwich (those kind you find in the gas-station coolers) and a soda-pop or cup of coffee. But I still struggle, because my wife and I live on a small budget since I am a full-time graduate student and we also have a daughter to take care of. Our money also needs to be used to pay bill, buy groceries, etc… So I struggle and the struggle continues on.

What bothers me is the fact that Carl had spoken to many other people and was simply turned away, without any of those people even taking the time to find out what sort of help he needed and whether or not they could help him. Why does that bother me so much? Because I live in Memphis, the city also dubbed as the “Belt Buckle of the Bible Belt.” I take it that this means many Memphians consider themselves to be Christian. I presume that I was not the only confessing Christian that Carl spoke to and that bothers me. It bothers me that many Confessing Christians teach say “don’t drink, don’t swear, don’t…” while at the same time they ignore their neighbor(s) need. It bothers me also, because there are plenty of times that I still ignore my neighbor(s) need, foolishly telling myself that I am to busy, that someone else will help them, that the individual is just looking for “drug money,” etc…

I wish Christians, I included, would stop thinking of the people less fortunate than us who approach us on the street as nothing more than a “transient-homeless-begging-bum.” We need to remind ourselves that God created them too and he still loves them too – as much as he loves us.

But I still struggle. So I invite you to post comments on how we as Christians can help those we meet on a daily basis with their needs. I invite you to post on how we can encourage each other to not become hard-hearted by the many people who will try to take advantage of our willingness to love our neighbor as our self.

I am Christian

I don’t want to be associated with the political left in the United States of America because it seems hell-bent on driving God from our culture, because it trivializes the value and rights of one human life for the rights of others producing thousands of aborted lives – not just life, but children – every year, because it wants to push the boundaries of morality so that every personal lust and indulgence is tolerated, and if that is not enough reason, take notice of the Hollywood ideology.

Most of the people who run in my circle agree with me that the left side is wrong. Yet it seems that at least some who associate in the same circle with me are able to see the error of the left but unable to recognize the error of the political right.

I don’t want to be associated with the political right in the United States of America because it seems hell-bent on viewing war and military violence as an acceptable solution to international trouble in any and all situations (while it is debatable whether Christians should be pacifistic, just-war means that violent military engagements should only be the last course), because it calls a preemptive military strike “justice” but seems less concerned about non-violent means to justice and talks little about bringing justice among the third world environments, because it selectively champions a capitalistic philosophy that allows the rich to get richer while the majority of the world suffers in utter poverty, because it blatantly blurs the distinction between Patriotic Americanism and Christianity so that one supposedly cannot be a Christian unless they champion the cause of traditional Americanism (“God bless America?” How about “God bless the World!”), because it believes in a very ethnocentric fashion that a democratic government is the only right form of government and the only government in which human freedom can endure (Jesus was always free and yet never lived in a country where a Jew had complete freedom), and if that is not enough reason, listen to the ideology of Pat Robertson and the other fundamentalist (need I say more).

So what am I to do? Here is a “novel” idea, I will be completely other and simply try to be a Christian. I will be a Christian theologically, morally, ethically, and politically, nothing more and nothing less – and I will not be silent in my faith.

Now I know that defining exactly what being a Christian means is highly debated. But maybe I can start by just trying to live my life here on earth like Jesus lived his life here on earth. No easy task! But I must try!

So I ask is it possible to hate and oppose all forms of godlessness, immorality, the unethical treatment of unborn children, violence (both foreign and abroad), materialism, the poverty and suffering of others – while loving and championing peace over violence, the value of all human life (born and unborn, racial and ethnic), the equality of all people, a moral and ethical valued society, the need for continued justice among the poverty and suffering societies, racial and ethnic, and the acknowledgment of one God who not only has created all living organisms but is also the only hope for a world where evil and suffering lurk in every corner?

Jesus did and now calls me too as well, so that is why I simple want to be Christian!

A High but Humble View of Baptism, Part 2

The Humble View
- - - -
In my last post I argued for a “high” view of water baptism (immersion) that essentially understands and practices baptism as a necessary process in receiving God’s free gift of salvation in Christ. For some who agree with me, there is a tendency to make baptism the platform for which a rendered judgment of “not-saved” and “not part of Christ’s church” is made upon all others who confess Christ but disagree with and/or do not practice my view of baptism. This means that in order to be a Christian, an individual must not only trust God and obey him to the best of their understanding but also must possess correct knowledge (epistemic certainty) concerning the doctrine of baptism Therefore I want to say a word about what I like to call a “humble” view of baptism.

Am I correct in my understanding of baptism? I think so! In fact, I not only think so but I also think that my understanding is based upon a sound, well reasoned, and coherent interpretation of scripture. If I am right, where does that leave those with a different theological understanding and practice? Are they still Christians or are they still facing God’s wrathful judgment?

I italicized the word “interpretation” in the above paragraph for a reason and that is because I must recognize that no matter how correct I believe I am it is still an interpretation of scripture. Since it is an interpretation, one among many others, I must be humble and admit that I still could be wrong. That’s right, I am a fallible thinker and I just might be wrong. What if I am wrong? I asked this question to a professor of mine one time and he replied that if I am wrong, then there will be more people in heaven with us (those of us who understand and practice baptism with correct knowledge). But wait a minute, if I am wrong and being a Christian requires correct knowledge about baptism, then I am the one who is lost because I am the one with incorrect knowledge.

But I am rejecting such a “modern” notion. Making correct knowledge of baptism the standard, means that I must place an awful amount of faith in my human ability to reason (do we need reminding that our human mind is prone to error?). Furthermore, that makes salvation more dependent upon the ability of the human mind than on God, who can save people who seek his grace despite their particular misunderstandings and ignorance. And I, for one, am one of those people full of much ignorance and many misunderstandings.

Perhaps this is why Luke was able to identify the people in Acts 19 who had not been baptized with the baptism in the name of Jesus (and therefore had not received the Holy Spirit) still as “disciples” and as “believers” (Luke’s code word for “Christian”). This is because they were still seeking God and submissive to the will of God inasmuch as they understood.

Does God command baptism? Absolutely, and it is never an option. But is God bound by his word in such a way that he can never change in light of historical developments that have become so engrained in the thinking of contemporary people? When people seek to please God through a practice and believe that their practice is correct even though it actually is wrong, can God still be accepting in spite of unknown error? To answer negatively not only binds God but it seems to make God a legalist. In the Old Testament, sinners we to seek forgiveness through the priest but Jesus broke that law and forgave a man so that everyone else would know that God has the right to forgive whomever he wants whenever he wants (Mark 2.1-12). It seems that we should be careful not to be deciding for God who exactly God can save and cannot save.

So getting back to the beginning, I believe God is active in transforming those who submit to him in baptism from a dead life to a living life in Christ. That I believe is a high view of baptism that takes seriously the practice as an important step in the path to eternal communion with God. Because that is what I believe scripture teaches, that is what I must practice and teach others to practice – the “high” view of baptism. But because I could be wrong, I want to practice the “humble” view of baptism, and not be judging other Christians who differ but instead embracing them as brother and sister in Christ and allow God to judge them. Besides, God will do a better job of judging than I could ever begin to do. Furthermore, it is hard enough for me to live out my own baptism on a daily basis without worrying about judging others.

A High but Humble View of Baptism, Part 1

The High View
- - - - Is it possible to believe that when scripture says water baptism (immersion) is “for the forgiveness of sins” and to “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2.38) that it actually means just that? I think so! That is why the Apostle Paul taught in Romans 6.3-7 that Christians are those who have been…

...baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death… [and] therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaved to sin – because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (TNIV)

It seems like Paul was pretty explicit concerning baptism. Wow! Once a person believes that Jesus is the Christ, they must then follow Jesus to death and loose their life (to use the idea of Mark 8.34-35) so that God can raise them into the resurrected Jesus. Yes! And it is God who does the work, just as it was God who did the work (the causal agent) in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What is the human role? SUBMISSION to God’s will, submission to God being allowed to baptize the subject into Jesus Christ. That’s right, from God’s point of view we do not baptize rather we are the ones baptized. God is the active agent and we are the passive agents. And in baptism, God is actually, not symbolically, transforming the sinner from a fallen life controlled by sin to a new eternal life marked by the Holy Spirit and experienced now in part but will be experienced in whole when Christ Jesus returns to claim his church. Thus baptism is eschatological.

The strongest objection to the above is that this is a work oriented or human achieved salvation that denies the grace of God experienced only by faith. However, I see baptism as a gift of God’s grace. That is, God actually has given the sinner a road to life in Christ – but instead of the sinner traveling that road on their own, they must allow God to transport them. Therefore baptism is not only a gift of grace from God, but it also is an act of faith on the part of the sinner – so much so that we, who still live in a mortal body, will never know the outcome of our baptism fully until Christ returns and we experience eternal life in the full aspect. Only in the resurrection of Christ do we see the future, our future in Christ. But to presently live that future in Christ is to live by faith. Baptism only becomes a work of salvation when one thinks that salvation is deserved because we have been baptized or when we divorce the practice from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God is calling on all who confess Jesus as the Christ, the crucified and resurrected Lord and Savior, to come and die in baptism and allow God to raise them up into an eternal life in Christ Jesus!

Holiness and Ministry

This was originally posted on another blog in response to a blog entry (see: www.griffithfamilymission.com).

If finding ourselves as Christians among those who are considered to be dysfunctional, poor, sinful, needy, etc..., means that we are defiling ourselves and not being holy, and then Jesus defiled himself and was not holy. However, I doubt that many Christians want to entertain such a thought. So then do we need to agree with other 'Christians' on matters of doctrine in order to serve in the name of Jesus Christ with them? If Jesus was willing to call twelve men to work alongside of him (and these twelve men hardly shared the same kingdom values of Jesus at that time), and then tell his disciples to back off the person(s) not belonging to Jesus' group who was driving out demons in the name of Jesus (Mk. 9.38-39), then we surely have it back words when we chastise or refuse to serve alongside of other imperfect people who serve in the name of Jesus.

Where does that leave holiness? When we refuse to minister to someone because of their beliefs, lifestyle, ethnic and racial background, economic position, etc..., and yet this is who Jesus ministered too and he was considered holy – I think any refusal to minister to such people speaks volumes about our holiness, our lack of!

The Common Eucharist

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, for which we Christians remember and celebrate in the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper, Communion), is the good news (also called “Gospel”) for all people. The good news is that in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the kingdom of God has already come but it is not yet fully realized and will only be fully realized when Jesus returns placing all of the powers of the world under his feet. This is eschatology and thus in the Eucharist, we remember and celebrate an eschatological event. We remember and celebrate the Eucharist as it is in heaven and how it will be when the kingdom of God, for which we already belong too, is fully realized.

If the death, burial, and resurrection, was a non-discriminating event that sought to remove all worldly distinctions that exist between people (Rom. 1:16), then the moral/ethic of the Eucharist must also be non-discriminating as well (1 Cor. 11:26). Therefore as Christians celebrate the Eucharist the worldly distinctions such as rich and poor, educated and non-educated, male and female, racial and ethnic, American and non-American, etc… should cease! The moral/ethic of the Eucharist is not limited to only that moment when we “eat of the bread and drink of the cup” rather it goes with us as we share this common-communion throughout our daily lives.

There is a church which practices such a Eucharistic communion. We read about it in Acts 2:42-47:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and miraculous signs done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day the continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their home and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (TNIV)

Is it any wonder why a church like this was such an incredible witness and missional group of people for the crucified but resurrected Jesus Christ?