King Nebuchadnezzar, supreme ruler of the Babylonian Empire, employed Daniel the faithful Jew as chief of magicians in his court as well as ruler of the province of Babylon. Daniel gained such position via his accurately interpreting the king's most baffling dreams.
One such dream warned Nebuchadnezzar that his pride would bring him judgment and discipline from Daniel's God. Daniel proclaims in 4.27, "Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."
Nebuchadnezzar did not heed the warning and the consequences were significant (Daniel 4:28-37):
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: “What have you done?”
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Mighty King Nebuchadnezzar is struck with some manner of deep psychosis by the hand of Most High and he lives the next seven years as some demented feral goat in the wilderness. I cannot imagine that he had too many friends during his little meltdown!
Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar had an epiphany. Perhaps the curse had simply run its course. Perhaps he finally tired of living in his private hell and just let go of his arrogant pride. For whatever reason or combination thereof, he finally lifted his eyes toward heaven and away from himself, and his sanity was restored.
Isn't that a universal Truth? When we tire of playing king or queen in our own lives, or in the lives of others, and simply acknowledge that our perceived power is meaningless and really offensive to Most High, we are freed to live in real prosperity under the benevolent, omniscient headship of God Almighty.
Nebuchadnezzar, following his mental and spiritual awakening, praises Most High, implicitly acknowledging his place well beneath the Deity. Then Nebuchadnezzar lays out the coup d' grace of this whole story: he testifies to the essential differences between Most High's Kingdom and all other human kingdoms. Most High's kingdom lasts forever. All human kingdoms come to an end. They are nothing before Him - they do not impress Him in the least. In fact, He gives them power and then retracts it at any holy whim (vv.32b, 36).
Nebuchadnezzar fades from biblical history as one who acknowledges the King of heaven and earth. He recognizes that he has no power that has not been given to him by the true King.
The Jewish people must have found great joy and vindication in this story. Though Nebuchadnezzar and his peerless army had destroyed their holy city, autonomy, place of worship, and carted many of them off to an unfamiliar pagan land, he was nary more than a puppet of Most High, and the powerful, greedy nation of his would soon come to an end.
It seems appropriate to view Nebuchadnezzar (and Babylon) as an archetype for all mighty rulers and all great nations. All nations - including America - are ruled by principalities and powers that drive them to greed, self-aggrandizement, and all manner of wickedness. They are motivated by seemingly innocent factors :self-defense and self-preservation. Spinning these motives for their citizens, great nations seek decent ends even if the means are bathed in wickedness.
The truth is that no nation is all bad or all good. The Lord continues to use nations for His purposes. For instance, American government has been the standard-bearer for worldwide governments to treat their citizens with respect, equality, dignity, and to give them a voice in the development of policy. That has the fingerprints of Most High all over it. The American government has also responded quite generously when other nations have experienced catastrophes and needed aid.
On the other hand, the default setting for all nations is always arrogant, unrepentant self-centeredness as witnessed in Nebuchadnezzar, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” All national leaders utter this same blasphemy - albeit with different words - and do it without qualm or recognition that they are living under a satanic illusion.
The rhetoric of nation and leader eventually take on religious significance. Remember: Nebuchadnezzar erected a monument to nation that was to be worshipped (3.1-6). The repercussions for not bowing down to the nation-god was death in a fiery furnace.
Fortunately, we Americans live in a nation where we are not required to bow down to Nation-God. Perhaps if we were required to, we would be less likely to actually do it, however. Though we are not mandated to worship Nation-God (Pseudo-YHWH), we sure have no qualms doing it. We are like the masses that bowed down to Nebuchadnezzar's ninety foot visage on the plains of Dura. We are unlike Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who could tell the difference between the real God and a real counterfeit.
Do we really think that Babylonian rhetoric was of any different substance than American rhetoric?
We are the greatest nation in the world!
We are the most powerful nation that has ever existed!
Our military might is unquenchable!
Our values are superior to those of others!
We should die and kill for our great nation!
God bless Babylon/America!
Like Babylon, we even have a symbol of worship: the flag.
It does not seem to me that Daniel is all that interested in critiquing the national religion. Pagans will worship who and where they will worship. He is interested in showing that powerful and wealthy people who revel in these things will be removed from their power. He is also interested in showing that a national religion is not for God's people, however. It is just as idolatrous as bowing down to Baal or Asherah or Vishnu. People who belong to YHWH Most High do not bow to Nation-God of Babylon nor to Pseudo-YHWH of America.
The American government is not Christian. Our nation is only Christian insofar as there are more self-identified Christians than there are say, atheists, Muslims, Hindus, and Wiccans. One might argue that our American way of life is indeed Christian because it was founded on some Christian principles. A few Christian principles become quickly irrelevant, however, when other Christian principles must compromised for the sake of self-preservation or continued prosperity.
The only government and nation that is Christian is the one that has as its head Christ Jesus and follows Him in selfless obedience. The only Christian nation is the one that lifts its eyes to heaven and renounces its pride. I'm having trouble seeing that in our nation or any other.
To love one's land and people is perfectly appropriate and respectful. To work for her well-being out of a call to discipleship is a divine call.
To bow at her altar because of her wealth and might, and to drink her poisonous rhetoric at the expense of the Gospel of Christ is the sin of Nebuchadnezzar. We should expect that God's response to our sin will therefore be no different than His response to Babylon's. They are no more.
We all must decide. Will it be the glory of Pseudo-YHWH I choose or will it be the suffering and self-sacrifice of the true King, Jesus Christ, to whom I bow down? We cannot choose both.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Clean or Unclean
I am contemplating this morning these words: "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean" (Acts 10:15). A voice offered these to Peter amidst a vision in which unclean animals were being lowered on a sheet from heaven.
In Peter's case, the Lord was communicating to him that Gentiles were no longer to be reviled and excluded but now pursued and included in the Lord's advancing kingdom (Acts 10:28). Jews and Gentiles would be sisters and brothers amongst the Lord's people: the Church.
In the OT, external factors contributed to one being unclean (contact with blood, a dead animal, a skin disease, etc.). Temporary separation, sacrifices, and rituals were necessary in order to restore a person to wholeness and community. Since Gentiles were not given to following Jewish purity rules, they had to be considered, of course, unclean.
Jesus reframed what constituted uncleanness.
What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " ~ Matthew 15:11
Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' " ~ Mark 7:15
He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' " ~ Mark 7:20-23
Preventing and circumventing uncleanness, said Jesus, was not about performing the right rituals. It was instead about a commitment to avoiding sinful thoughts, words, and practices. It was about fearless and truthful self-assessment. It was about receiving forgiveness for sins when committed.
Jesus' harshest critiques were reserved for ones who presented themselves as ritually clean because they did all the right religious things but who were in actuality unclean due to their abominable behavior toward others.
I wonder what parts of my life are unclean in the Lord’s eyes that I myself have not recognized. I wonder what I call impure that the Lord has made clean.
Have any ideas about this?
In Peter's case, the Lord was communicating to him that Gentiles were no longer to be reviled and excluded but now pursued and included in the Lord's advancing kingdom (Acts 10:28). Jews and Gentiles would be sisters and brothers amongst the Lord's people: the Church.
In the OT, external factors contributed to one being unclean (contact with blood, a dead animal, a skin disease, etc.). Temporary separation, sacrifices, and rituals were necessary in order to restore a person to wholeness and community. Since Gentiles were not given to following Jewish purity rules, they had to be considered, of course, unclean.
Jesus reframed what constituted uncleanness.
What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " ~ Matthew 15:11
Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' " ~ Mark 7:15
He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' " ~ Mark 7:20-23
Preventing and circumventing uncleanness, said Jesus, was not about performing the right rituals. It was instead about a commitment to avoiding sinful thoughts, words, and practices. It was about fearless and truthful self-assessment. It was about receiving forgiveness for sins when committed.
Jesus' harshest critiques were reserved for ones who presented themselves as ritually clean because they did all the right religious things but who were in actuality unclean due to their abominable behavior toward others.
I wonder what parts of my life are unclean in the Lord’s eyes that I myself have not recognized. I wonder what I call impure that the Lord has made clean.
Have any ideas about this?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Immigration 7
As I've studied and drawn on what I've learned previously, a few truths are apparent to me in regard to immigration:
1. It was often part of the experience of God's people (see Abram & Sarai, Jacob & sons, the Israelites in Egypt).
2. When the tables were turned and God's people were the ones who possessed the land, God recognized the vulnerability of other aliens and insisted that His people love and care for these immigrants. They were to do this because they themselves were once vulnerable immigrants.
3. God's people are not to fear losing place, privilege, or property. Everything belongs to God. We can trust Him to take care of us.
4. One characteristic of wickedness is oppressing aliens. One characteristic of righteous behavior is caring for aliens.
5. The spiritual ancestors of Mennonites, the Anabaptists, were perpetually aliens, chased out of one territory after another because of their beliefs.
When it comes to immigration, regardless of whether you live in the US, Canada, Paraguay, Kenya, or Indonesia, people who belong to Jesus are to treat strangers with kindness and hospitality. It is the Lord's will. We should, therefore, do just that.
It is time for us to hang up on political rhetoric in regard to immigration. It is time for us to take courageous action as followers of Jesus not the stances of Democrats, Republicans, or Tea Party-ists. It is time for us to surrender our cushy, smug place of believing this or that about immigration. It is time for us to practice hospitality.
1. It was often part of the experience of God's people (see Abram & Sarai, Jacob & sons, the Israelites in Egypt).
2. When the tables were turned and God's people were the ones who possessed the land, God recognized the vulnerability of other aliens and insisted that His people love and care for these immigrants. They were to do this because they themselves were once vulnerable immigrants.
3. God's people are not to fear losing place, privilege, or property. Everything belongs to God. We can trust Him to take care of us.
4. One characteristic of wickedness is oppressing aliens. One characteristic of righteous behavior is caring for aliens.
5. The spiritual ancestors of Mennonites, the Anabaptists, were perpetually aliens, chased out of one territory after another because of their beliefs.
When it comes to immigration, regardless of whether you live in the US, Canada, Paraguay, Kenya, or Indonesia, people who belong to Jesus are to treat strangers with kindness and hospitality. It is the Lord's will. We should, therefore, do just that.
It is time for us to hang up on political rhetoric in regard to immigration. It is time for us to take courageous action as followers of Jesus not the stances of Democrats, Republicans, or Tea Party-ists. It is time for us to surrender our cushy, smug place of believing this or that about immigration. It is time for us to practice hospitality.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Immigration 6
Those who are wicked display certain behaviors that define them thusly. I am wicked if I deny and hide my own sins. I am wicked if I murder my neighbor or seek to seduce his wife. I am wicked if am unable to follow the Lord in faith alone or if I turn to idols. I am wicked if I do not care for the needs of widows and orphans. And I am wicked if I oppress aliens.
Psalm 94:1-8
O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth.
Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve.
How long will the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked be jubilant?
They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting.
They crush your people, O LORD; they oppress your inheritance.
They slay the widow and the alien; they murder the fatherless.
They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed."
Take heed, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?
The wicked are proud, aggressive, violent, and show no apparent concern for those amongst them who are vulnerable.
Compare this to what we find in Psalm 146:7-9:
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord, in direct contradiction to the ways of the wicked, shows preference for those who are suffering and being mistreated by others. And He despises the behavior of people that causes such suffering. He wants us to be about what He is about.
The Prophet Malachi records the Lord's words of judgment in this regard (3:5):
"So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.
The way we treat others and give them opportunities for life is clearly important to the Lord. He desires for us to live by His standards, not by our cultural common sense, not by personal deductions informed by ruminations.
Anything less is wickedness.
Psalm 94:1-8
O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth.
Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve.
How long will the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked be jubilant?
They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting.
They crush your people, O LORD; they oppress your inheritance.
They slay the widow and the alien; they murder the fatherless.
They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed."
Take heed, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?
The wicked are proud, aggressive, violent, and show no apparent concern for those amongst them who are vulnerable.
Compare this to what we find in Psalm 146:7-9:
He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord, in direct contradiction to the ways of the wicked, shows preference for those who are suffering and being mistreated by others. And He despises the behavior of people that causes such suffering. He wants us to be about what He is about.
The Prophet Malachi records the Lord's words of judgment in this regard (3:5):
"So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty.
The way we treat others and give them opportunities for life is clearly important to the Lord. He desires for us to live by His standards, not by our cultural common sense, not by personal deductions informed by ruminations.
Anything less is wickedness.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Immigration 5
God commands His people to treat aliens with respect and love and to care for them because the Israelites themselves knew oppression and slavery.
Is there any other reason that He would command such?
Absolutely. God's command to treat aliens justly is a reminder to His people that what they possess by God's grace, they do not own.
The Lord reveals this fact to His people when they are tempted to cling too tightly to what the Lord has granted as a trust: "The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants" (Lev. 25:23). The land does not ultimately belong to anyone but the Lord. It is therefore not to be horded or regarded as a personal possession to the exclusion of others.
This certainly seems to be an attempt by the Lord to help His people reframe their conception of property. If I own my property, I can do with it whatever I please. If the Lord owns it and I am just a tenant, I need to care for what I have been lent, share it, and remember that Lord encourages me to be generous with what He has provided.
Pharaoh, as he impeded the Israelites from leaving Egypt, needed to be reminded that the earth belonged to the Lord and not to him. Ex. 9:29b - "The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's."
David reflected on this reality in Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it..."
We see this understanding in the NT, within the Spirit-led church of Jerusalem, even practiced in a radical way, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need" (Acts 2:44-45).
Jesus Himself was critical of the impact that possessions had on the lives of His followers, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Lk. 12:15). At the heart of this is surely the understanding that God's dominion is all-encompassing. Our possessions really aren't ours. If we insist that they are and hold fast to them, they end up possessing us.
So what does any of this have to do with immigration?
Behind any resistance to aliens living in a given land is fear from natives that what they now have will be taken away or diminished. If there are aliens receiving the good of the land, that will mean less for them. Instead of seeing the Lord as a God of abundance and blessings, we too often see God as one who is miserly, providing barely enough for survival, therefore we must cling tightly to our "possessions." Ironically, this seems to be a phenomenon more common in rich countries than in poor ones!
The Word of the Bible flies in the face of this ungodly selfish attitude. Instead, it constantly encourages trust in God and selfless generosity, and seldom encourages us to take care of what belongs to us. This is the radical, unrealistic, challenging Word of Truth, and it should shape every one of our attitudes and beliefs.
Next: What does it mean to oppress an alien?
Is there any other reason that He would command such?
Absolutely. God's command to treat aliens justly is a reminder to His people that what they possess by God's grace, they do not own.
The Lord reveals this fact to His people when they are tempted to cling too tightly to what the Lord has granted as a trust: "The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants" (Lev. 25:23). The land does not ultimately belong to anyone but the Lord. It is therefore not to be horded or regarded as a personal possession to the exclusion of others.
This certainly seems to be an attempt by the Lord to help His people reframe their conception of property. If I own my property, I can do with it whatever I please. If the Lord owns it and I am just a tenant, I need to care for what I have been lent, share it, and remember that Lord encourages me to be generous with what He has provided.
Pharaoh, as he impeded the Israelites from leaving Egypt, needed to be reminded that the earth belonged to the Lord and not to him. Ex. 9:29b - "The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's."
David reflected on this reality in Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it..."
We see this understanding in the NT, within the Spirit-led church of Jerusalem, even practiced in a radical way, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need" (Acts 2:44-45).
Jesus Himself was critical of the impact that possessions had on the lives of His followers, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Lk. 12:15). At the heart of this is surely the understanding that God's dominion is all-encompassing. Our possessions really aren't ours. If we insist that they are and hold fast to them, they end up possessing us.
So what does any of this have to do with immigration?
Behind any resistance to aliens living in a given land is fear from natives that what they now have will be taken away or diminished. If there are aliens receiving the good of the land, that will mean less for them. Instead of seeing the Lord as a God of abundance and blessings, we too often see God as one who is miserly, providing barely enough for survival, therefore we must cling tightly to our "possessions." Ironically, this seems to be a phenomenon more common in rich countries than in poor ones!
The Word of the Bible flies in the face of this ungodly selfish attitude. Instead, it constantly encourages trust in God and selfless generosity, and seldom encourages us to take care of what belongs to us. This is the radical, unrealistic, challenging Word of Truth, and it should shape every one of our attitudes and beliefs.
Next: What does it mean to oppress an alien?
Immigration 4
So far we have examined the matter of immigration during the age of the patriarchs from the perspective of God's people, noted the impact of being aliens on God's people, and briefly inspected the experience of Anabaptists as aliens in practically every setting they have ever found themselves in.
Let's focus now on the reality that aliens were an expected, normal part of Israelite culture.
At the institution of the Passover recognition, the Lord uttered these words to Moses (Ex. 12), "For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born." The assumption is that aliens (non-Israelites) will be living amongst the Israelites. The consequences of consuming foods containing yeast pertains to both the kin of Abram as well as those who are strangers.
This assumption is confirmed in Leviticus 24:22, "You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born." Israelites will have aliens amongst them and if they are living as a part of the Israelite culture, are to be come under both the privileges and responsibilities of God's Law.
The Lord knew that aliens were going to be naturally vulnerable living within Israelite parameters. He therefore set up guidelines to aid His people in relating to these folks. Check out this three-verse stretch in Exodus 22: "Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed. Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt. Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan."
In between a very strong admonition for the Israelites to stay away from false gods and a command to not abuse widows and orphans, the Lord instructs the Israelites to avoid mistreating aliens amongst them. Why? Because the Israelites themselves were once aliens themselves and were oppressed and enslaved by a tyrannical people. The Lord is making it clear that such behavior is not in keeping with the ways of righteousness and His people are to behave differently.
This command is so important to God that it is repeated in the very next chapter, "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt" (Ex. 23:9). For good measure, take to heart the words of Deuteronomy 24:17-18. Notice how the words of the OT often place widows, orphans, and aliens together. "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this."
Not only are God's people to avoid mistreating aliens, they are also to make special provisions for their well-being and are to love them. Such behavior leads to blessings from the Lord.
But that is not the only reason...
Let's focus now on the reality that aliens were an expected, normal part of Israelite culture.
At the institution of the Passover recognition, the Lord uttered these words to Moses (Ex. 12), "For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born." The assumption is that aliens (non-Israelites) will be living amongst the Israelites. The consequences of consuming foods containing yeast pertains to both the kin of Abram as well as those who are strangers.
This assumption is confirmed in Leviticus 24:22, "You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born." Israelites will have aliens amongst them and if they are living as a part of the Israelite culture, are to be come under both the privileges and responsibilities of God's Law.
The Lord knew that aliens were going to be naturally vulnerable living within Israelite parameters. He therefore set up guidelines to aid His people in relating to these folks. Check out this three-verse stretch in Exodus 22: "Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed. Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt. Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan."
In between a very strong admonition for the Israelites to stay away from false gods and a command to not abuse widows and orphans, the Lord instructs the Israelites to avoid mistreating aliens amongst them. Why? Because the Israelites themselves were once aliens themselves and were oppressed and enslaved by a tyrannical people. The Lord is making it clear that such behavior is not in keeping with the ways of righteousness and His people are to behave differently.
This command is so important to God that it is repeated in the very next chapter, "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt" (Ex. 23:9). For good measure, take to heart the words of Deuteronomy 24:17-18. Notice how the words of the OT often place widows, orphans, and aliens together. "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this."
Not only are God's people to avoid mistreating aliens, they are also to make special provisions for their well-being and are to love them. Such behavior leads to blessings from the Lord.
- Lev. 19:10, 33-34 - "Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."
- Dt. 10:18-19 - "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt."
- Dt. 14:28-29 - "At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands."
But that is not the only reason...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Immigration 3
As I wrote in Immigration 2, the Israelites of yore knew full well the severe challenges of being constantly nomadic.
So did our spiritual ancestors, the Anabaptists. Anabaptist groups emerged in Europe in the early 16th century amidst a hostile world. Because their doctrine differed from that of both Protestant and Catholic state-churches, they were persecuted in practically every locale. For instance, Anabaptists of the 1520’s were relentlessly hunted in their native Austria and mercilessly killed if caught. Many had no choice but to flee to the much safer Moravia and genuinely hope for religious liberty (Dyck 51-2). There they lived as tolerated aliens - at least for a spell.
For the next 200 or so years, Anabaptist groups were on the move. They relocated when the persecution they experienced in a particular setting became too severe to tolerate. This culminated with eventual mass migration from Europe and Russia to North and South America in several waves.
It was a group of Amish-Mennonites worn by petty persecution, the militarism of Europe, and poverty that made the voyage from Switzerland and France to the United States in 1834, eventually settling and subduing the wilds of early Fulton County, Ohio. These German-speakers were welcome to make their way as aliens in a land formerly lightly inhabited by Native Americans. For many Central Mennonites these settlers were direct blood kin.
The relationship between these Mennonites - who eventually dropped the Amish identity - and their neighbors was often uneasy in the past, particularly during war-time. As pacifists, they refused to enter military service for reasons of conscience. As a result, they were at times deemed cowardly and almost always seen as unpatriotic; less than ideal citizens.
This was a reminder to the NW Ohio Mennonites that though their families had lived in this nation for 100 years, they were yet revealed to be theological aliens during times of national conflict.
Next: God teaches Israel about aliens
So did our spiritual ancestors, the Anabaptists. Anabaptist groups emerged in Europe in the early 16th century amidst a hostile world. Because their doctrine differed from that of both Protestant and Catholic state-churches, they were persecuted in practically every locale. For instance, Anabaptists of the 1520’s were relentlessly hunted in their native Austria and mercilessly killed if caught. Many had no choice but to flee to the much safer Moravia and genuinely hope for religious liberty (Dyck 51-2). There they lived as tolerated aliens - at least for a spell.
For the next 200 or so years, Anabaptist groups were on the move. They relocated when the persecution they experienced in a particular setting became too severe to tolerate. This culminated with eventual mass migration from Europe and Russia to North and South America in several waves.
It was a group of Amish-Mennonites worn by petty persecution, the militarism of Europe, and poverty that made the voyage from Switzerland and France to the United States in 1834, eventually settling and subduing the wilds of early Fulton County, Ohio. These German-speakers were welcome to make their way as aliens in a land formerly lightly inhabited by Native Americans. For many Central Mennonites these settlers were direct blood kin.
The relationship between these Mennonites - who eventually dropped the Amish identity - and their neighbors was often uneasy in the past, particularly during war-time. As pacifists, they refused to enter military service for reasons of conscience. As a result, they were at times deemed cowardly and almost always seen as unpatriotic; less than ideal citizens.
This was a reminder to the NW Ohio Mennonites that though their families had lived in this nation for 100 years, they were yet revealed to be theological aliens during times of national conflict.
Next: God teaches Israel about aliens
Immigration 2
In Exodus, we find that Abram’s descendants have remained in Egypt, in Goshen. Joseph has truly spoken a prophetic word and now his family is prospering and multiplying in a foreign land (Ex. 1:5-13). These descendants of Abram, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph – the Israelites - are so successful that the Egyptians begin to fear them and take measures to control them (Ex. 1:8-14):
Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly.
We can see in this that the Israelites were made into slaves in order to curtail their population growth and to inhibit their becoming an internal enemy. Additionally, there is the clear message that though the Egyptian pharaoh feared what might happen if the Israelites conspired with enemies against him, he also feared what might happen if they were to leave Egypt (v.10). They were considered at once liability and asset.
Even to the time of Moses, the most important of all Israelite prophets, these people were still seen as aliens in a land they had inhabited for nearly 400 years (Ex. 2:14-22).
Moses himself understood what it meant to be an alien. After killing an Egyptian, he fled the land of his birth, Egypt, when Pharaoh sought to kill him for his crime. He took up living in Midian where, ironically, he was confused for an Egyptian (Ex. 2:19)!
Even when the Israelites were rescued by God from the chains of the Egyptians, they yet ended up spending another 40 years wandering around in the desert, plodding through and living on land that did not belong to them. For hundreds of years they were perpetual aliens completely dependent on the Lord.
Later, the Lord used the Israelites' experience as aliens to teach them how to treat people who became aliens in the land they came to possess by God's grace.
Next: the Anabaptists
Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly.
We can see in this that the Israelites were made into slaves in order to curtail their population growth and to inhibit their becoming an internal enemy. Additionally, there is the clear message that though the Egyptian pharaoh feared what might happen if the Israelites conspired with enemies against him, he also feared what might happen if they were to leave Egypt (v.10). They were considered at once liability and asset.
Even to the time of Moses, the most important of all Israelite prophets, these people were still seen as aliens in a land they had inhabited for nearly 400 years (Ex. 2:14-22).
Moses himself understood what it meant to be an alien. After killing an Egyptian, he fled the land of his birth, Egypt, when Pharaoh sought to kill him for his crime. He took up living in Midian where, ironically, he was confused for an Egyptian (Ex. 2:19)!
Even when the Israelites were rescued by God from the chains of the Egyptians, they yet ended up spending another 40 years wandering around in the desert, plodding through and living on land that did not belong to them. For hundreds of years they were perpetual aliens completely dependent on the Lord.
Later, the Lord used the Israelites' experience as aliens to teach them how to treat people who became aliens in the land they came to possess by God's grace.
Next: the Anabaptists
Immigration 1
It's been a while...
There is much hubbub in the media and in our denomination (Mennonite Church USA) in regard to the national impact of Latino immigration, particularly in the southwestern part of our country. This issue has been politicized to such an extent that it is hard to think about it without the voices of left and right wing pundits exploding in our heads. Perhaps this is the best reason to simply look at the Scriptures to discover what they have to say about the matter. I plan to do this in several parts, this first being an exploration of the issue in Genesis.
The terminology used in the OT for immigrant or refugee is alien, stranger, foreigner, or sojourner – depending on the translation. I will be using the terms alien and stranger below.
Abram was sent by the Lord from his homeland of Haran to Canaan (Gen. 12:1). Later he was told by God that the land that he was living in as an alien – Canaan - would become the eternal possession of his descendants (Gen 17:8). Before settling more permanently in Canaan, Abram was forced to move himself and his family to Egypt because of a severe famine (Gen. 12:10). Abram got booted out of Egypt because of the deceit he practiced in having Sarai tell the Egyptians that Abram was her brother and not her husband (Gen. 12:19). Subsequently, Abram (Abraham) spent the duration of his life living as an alien here and there in Canaan and dealing righteously with the hosts who allowed him to live in their lands.
Abram’s grandson, Jacob, was the head of Abram’s family line when famine struck the whole world (Gen. 41:57) and only Egypt had adequate food-stores. Jacob sent his sons to purchase food in Egypt so that the family might live. They were at the mercy of a mighty nation that was filled with necessary resources. Fortunately for Jacob’s sons, their long-lost brother, Joseph, was a brilliant official working for Pharaoh. He did have mercy on them, the whole family was saved, and eventually came to settle in Egypt because the severe famine lingered (Gen. 45:8-11). There they lived and worked as shepherds in a territory called Goshen.
It is interesting to note that Egyptians despised shepherds (Gen. 46:34). This was the reason that Jacob and family were relegated to Goshen: presumably to stay out of the way of the intolerant Egyptians.
In Genesis, it is clear that Abram and his family as wandering aliens were often dependent on the benevolence of powerful people on whose land they were living. It is also clear that Abram and his family most often attempted to be humbly conscientious of their predicament as aliens living in territory that belonged to others. They knew they were at the mercy of their hosts.
Next post: Exodus
There is much hubbub in the media and in our denomination (Mennonite Church USA) in regard to the national impact of Latino immigration, particularly in the southwestern part of our country. This issue has been politicized to such an extent that it is hard to think about it without the voices of left and right wing pundits exploding in our heads. Perhaps this is the best reason to simply look at the Scriptures to discover what they have to say about the matter. I plan to do this in several parts, this first being an exploration of the issue in Genesis.
The terminology used in the OT for immigrant or refugee is alien, stranger, foreigner, or sojourner – depending on the translation. I will be using the terms alien and stranger below.
Abram was sent by the Lord from his homeland of Haran to Canaan (Gen. 12:1). Later he was told by God that the land that he was living in as an alien – Canaan - would become the eternal possession of his descendants (Gen 17:8). Before settling more permanently in Canaan, Abram was forced to move himself and his family to Egypt because of a severe famine (Gen. 12:10). Abram got booted out of Egypt because of the deceit he practiced in having Sarai tell the Egyptians that Abram was her brother and not her husband (Gen. 12:19). Subsequently, Abram (Abraham) spent the duration of his life living as an alien here and there in Canaan and dealing righteously with the hosts who allowed him to live in their lands.
Abram’s grandson, Jacob, was the head of Abram’s family line when famine struck the whole world (Gen. 41:57) and only Egypt had adequate food-stores. Jacob sent his sons to purchase food in Egypt so that the family might live. They were at the mercy of a mighty nation that was filled with necessary resources. Fortunately for Jacob’s sons, their long-lost brother, Joseph, was a brilliant official working for Pharaoh. He did have mercy on them, the whole family was saved, and eventually came to settle in Egypt because the severe famine lingered (Gen. 45:8-11). There they lived and worked as shepherds in a territory called Goshen.
It is interesting to note that Egyptians despised shepherds (Gen. 46:34). This was the reason that Jacob and family were relegated to Goshen: presumably to stay out of the way of the intolerant Egyptians.
In Genesis, it is clear that Abram and his family as wandering aliens were often dependent on the benevolence of powerful people on whose land they were living. It is also clear that Abram and his family most often attempted to be humbly conscientious of their predicament as aliens living in territory that belonged to others. They knew they were at the mercy of their hosts.
Next post: Exodus
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Worship, Again
In the book of Malachi are described issues that the Lord has with His people. In Malachi 1, for instance, we learn that:
1. The people doubt that the Lord loves them (v.2);
2. The people do not honor Him as a Father should be honored (v.6);
3. The priests show contempt for His name (v.6);
4. They do this by allowing or even encouraging unacceptable offerings in the act of worship. That which is corrupted is offered instead of the first and the best that the Lord requires (vv.7-8);
5. The priests do not have their hearts in the right place for service to God (v.10);
6. The people show contempt for their offerings to God (vv.12-13);
7. The people offer corrupt sacrifices even though they have acceptable ones (vv.13b-14).
We see in all of this that all of the Lord's people have fallen into seeming apathy. The people have little interest in worshipping with hearts bursting with gratitude and love. The priests are little different. They do not guide themselves or the people into repentance.
In Malachi 2:1-9, the priests are again admonished. They need to listen to the Lord better. They are to re-set their hearts on the holy work of honoring Him (vv.1-2). In fact, the work of the priests is honoring, reverencing, and standing in awe of the Lord and teaching the people to do the same (vv.5-6).
The duration of Malachi 2 recognizes that idol worship and frivolous divorce within the community of believers causes the Lord to be slow to receive the worship of that community. We might say that sinful behavior amongst the Lord's people corrupted even the sacrifice of praise.
The time of Malachi reminds me of our day. Many of us have a really difficult time giving ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord in our worship. Because of this, our offerings are corrupt.
Likewise, priests like me have been too slow to call us to account as a community. I have tiptoed around the issue of worship just hoping that the matter will take care of itself. I reckon I need to start with my own repentance so that I have a clear conscience. But then I need to lead the people of my congregation to contrition and confession as well. I must honor, reverence, and stand in awe of the Lord and teach others to do the same.
Finally, we must all continue to root out sin in our own lives. We cannot continue to believe that our attitudes toward the Lord are untainted when we constantly strive for worldly things and partake of worldly activities.
It is time for us all to get down on our knees and ask for forgiveness. The Lord will restore us when we do, give us hearts of flesh, and our cups will overflow with joy that will become spasms of praise to Him.
Amen.
1. The people doubt that the Lord loves them (v.2);
2. The people do not honor Him as a Father should be honored (v.6);
3. The priests show contempt for His name (v.6);
4. They do this by allowing or even encouraging unacceptable offerings in the act of worship. That which is corrupted is offered instead of the first and the best that the Lord requires (vv.7-8);
5. The priests do not have their hearts in the right place for service to God (v.10);
6. The people show contempt for their offerings to God (vv.12-13);
7. The people offer corrupt sacrifices even though they have acceptable ones (vv.13b-14).
We see in all of this that all of the Lord's people have fallen into seeming apathy. The people have little interest in worshipping with hearts bursting with gratitude and love. The priests are little different. They do not guide themselves or the people into repentance.
In Malachi 2:1-9, the priests are again admonished. They need to listen to the Lord better. They are to re-set their hearts on the holy work of honoring Him (vv.1-2). In fact, the work of the priests is honoring, reverencing, and standing in awe of the Lord and teaching the people to do the same (vv.5-6).
The duration of Malachi 2 recognizes that idol worship and frivolous divorce within the community of believers causes the Lord to be slow to receive the worship of that community. We might say that sinful behavior amongst the Lord's people corrupted even the sacrifice of praise.
The time of Malachi reminds me of our day. Many of us have a really difficult time giving ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord in our worship. Because of this, our offerings are corrupt.
Likewise, priests like me have been too slow to call us to account as a community. I have tiptoed around the issue of worship just hoping that the matter will take care of itself. I reckon I need to start with my own repentance so that I have a clear conscience. But then I need to lead the people of my congregation to contrition and confession as well. I must honor, reverence, and stand in awe of the Lord and teach others to do the same.
Finally, we must all continue to root out sin in our own lives. We cannot continue to believe that our attitudes toward the Lord are untainted when we constantly strive for worldly things and partake of worldly activities.
It is time for us all to get down on our knees and ask for forgiveness. The Lord will restore us when we do, give us hearts of flesh, and our cups will overflow with joy that will become spasms of praise to Him.
Amen.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Worship
A Mennonite scholar recently wrote in regard to the American Church, "We are both in the world and of it." He meant that we are no longer just in the world out of necessity, to minister and to work, while maintaining a palpable identity as the people of God. Instead in our engagement with the world, the ideas of the world have become our ideas, the behaviors of the world have become our behaviors, and the values of the world have become our values. And now we have transported what we have learned into our homes and churches.
If this is indeed the case, we as churches have some serious reckoning to do. If we are truly taking our cues from what we learn and absorb in our culture, what we believe to be true is certainly skewed and inaccurate.
One example of this, in my estimation, is our attitude toward worship. Worship is by definition abandoning our souls, bodies, minds, and voices to the praise of God. It is freely and actively offering whatever we have to the Lord. It is necessarily (other) God-centered.
Unfortunately, we have learned from our culture that life is to be me-centered. Life is about a headlong pursuit of personal happiness, pleasure, and fulfillment. We find vestiges of this throughout worship.
Relatedly, our culture has taught us that we deserve to be entertained. So when we show up somewhere as a group (like a concert or movie), someone else is responsible for running the program and we simply sit back and watch. In this we have been taught to be passive observers and active only in either applauding what we like or criticizing what we do not. Our culture expects this response because things like concerts and movies are a product to be consumed and consumers who pay money have a right to be distinguishing about the products they purchase.
And now we take this approach with worship. We have so long taken this approach to our worship, in fact, that I do not believe we readily see it as being culturally formed instead of Spirit breathed or even incongruent with God's desires for us.
There are enormous and myriad problems with this consumer approach to worship:
If this is indeed the case, we as churches have some serious reckoning to do. If we are truly taking our cues from what we learn and absorb in our culture, what we believe to be true is certainly skewed and inaccurate.
One example of this, in my estimation, is our attitude toward worship. Worship is by definition abandoning our souls, bodies, minds, and voices to the praise of God. It is freely and actively offering whatever we have to the Lord. It is necessarily (other) God-centered.
Unfortunately, we have learned from our culture that life is to be me-centered. Life is about a headlong pursuit of personal happiness, pleasure, and fulfillment. We find vestiges of this throughout worship.
Relatedly, our culture has taught us that we deserve to be entertained. So when we show up somewhere as a group (like a concert or movie), someone else is responsible for running the program and we simply sit back and watch. In this we have been taught to be passive observers and active only in either applauding what we like or criticizing what we do not. Our culture expects this response because things like concerts and movies are a product to be consumed and consumers who pay money have a right to be distinguishing about the products they purchase.
And now we take this approach with worship. We have so long taken this approach to our worship, in fact, that I do not believe we readily see it as being culturally formed instead of Spirit breathed or even incongruent with God's desires for us.
There are enormous and myriad problems with this consumer approach to worship:
- It assumes that worship is a product that has been created to be consumed by people. We come to worship to get something.
- Very simply, it makes our being pleased the focus of our gathering. This is a violation of commandment numero uno, "You shall have no other gods before me."
- It assumes that we are doing God a favor by showing up at worship, giving a whole hour or two of our precious time. We might even pay attention...for a minute.
- It assumes that worship should conform to cultural standards in regard to entertainment (sitcom length, action, technology, movement, concert-strength music, comedy, etc.).
- It assumes that worship has something to do with personal preferences and, really, that is what matters. I can even get a new worship experience elsewhere if I am not pleased with the one currently being served me.
I wonder what worship would be like if we were to strip it bare of anything that reeked of our culture? I wonder what worship would be like if we only did those things that had biblical precedent? I wonder what worship would be like if it was centered on God instead of us? I wonder what worship would be like if we showed up for a single purpose: to proclaim our love for the One who has saved us.
Dreaming...
Jeff
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Memory
Before Kathy and I got married I required (this word may be a bit strong!) her to memorize the entire starting lineup for the 1987 Denver Broncos. She did. I thought this was a small price for her to pay in order to experience a lifetime of joy in my presence! Yeah.
I can still recall the everyday lineup for the Cincinnati Reds during the days of the Big Red Machine: 1st base- Tony Perez; 2nd base - Joe Morgan; shortstop - Dave Concepcion; 3rd base - Pete Rose; catcher - Johnny Bench; outfielders - George Foster, Cesar Geronimo, Ken Griffey, Sr.
Some of us can recall the circumstances of May 7, 1945. Some of us can remember the middle names of all the US presidents. Some of us know 50 Cent's three top hits. Yes, we are good at trivia.
And, yet, many of us know little or no scripture by heart.
Proverbs 7:1-3 reads:
"My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart."
I cannot get into the head of the author here but it seems to me that an implication of writing something on the tablet of one's heart is manifold. First, it means to remember what has been taught. Second, it means to embrace what has been taught. Third, it means to remember by virtue of intentional memorization.
We would do well to resurrect that practice of memorizing various scriptures. When we do, we locate the Word of God in a place where we can always find it. It is available to us, then, when we want to meditate or find comfort or wish to teach and exhort.
To know trivia is okay. To know scripture by heart is divine. May we all commit to the greater good.
I can still recall the everyday lineup for the Cincinnati Reds during the days of the Big Red Machine: 1st base- Tony Perez; 2nd base - Joe Morgan; shortstop - Dave Concepcion; 3rd base - Pete Rose; catcher - Johnny Bench; outfielders - George Foster, Cesar Geronimo, Ken Griffey, Sr.
Some of us can recall the circumstances of May 7, 1945. Some of us can remember the middle names of all the US presidents. Some of us know 50 Cent's three top hits. Yes, we are good at trivia.
And, yet, many of us know little or no scripture by heart.
Proverbs 7:1-3 reads:
"My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart."
I cannot get into the head of the author here but it seems to me that an implication of writing something on the tablet of one's heart is manifold. First, it means to remember what has been taught. Second, it means to embrace what has been taught. Third, it means to remember by virtue of intentional memorization.
We would do well to resurrect that practice of memorizing various scriptures. When we do, we locate the Word of God in a place where we can always find it. It is available to us, then, when we want to meditate or find comfort or wish to teach and exhort.
To know trivia is okay. To know scripture by heart is divine. May we all commit to the greater good.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Prophecy
We read these words in the latter part Isaiah 52:
"See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness— so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand."
It is commonly understood that this passage describes a holy servant of God that is to come. This servant will "act wisely." As a result, this servant will be "raised", "lifted up," and "highly exalted." Even though this servant is wise, he is rejected because of his appearance.
This rejection does not stop the servant from both blessing and taming the world. Salvation and truth will come through him.
It is also commonly understood amongst Christians that this passage specifically prophesies about Jesus of Nazareth. This allows us to interpret the Isaiah text as such: Jesus acted wisely by living a sinless life and dealing with his enemies in ethical ways. Ironically, he was crucified - lifted up into the air for the purpose of both killing and humiliating him.
The torture and means of execution that Jesus endured left him physically disfigured and marred. But this crucifixion which led to his death did not lead to permanent death nor humiliation. On the contrary, it led to his being exalted; raised to life by the Father, installed at the right hand of the Father, and worshiped by his followers.
Jesus' death and exaltation "sprinkle" the nations with the means for salvation. Though Jesus was a Jew from the insignificant land of Israel, the world and its leaders has now gained access to story of the one true God and His plan for rescuing all people.
Of course, these words flow easily from a Christian pastor and one who is thoroughly convinced of who Jesus was and is. Not so for everyone. Biblical prophecy has many contemporary naysayers who rely on in-depth scholarship for their opinions. Some of these naysayers would say that the Isaiah text should stand on its own and that making it christological is an exegetical error. Some would even say that they have no less faith in God than I.
What does it mean to interpret Jewish prophecy of the OT through the lenses of Christ Jesus? What does it mean for our faith if we do not?
~ Jeff
"See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness— so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand."
It is commonly understood that this passage describes a holy servant of God that is to come. This servant will "act wisely." As a result, this servant will be "raised", "lifted up," and "highly exalted." Even though this servant is wise, he is rejected because of his appearance.
This rejection does not stop the servant from both blessing and taming the world. Salvation and truth will come through him.
It is also commonly understood amongst Christians that this passage specifically prophesies about Jesus of Nazareth. This allows us to interpret the Isaiah text as such: Jesus acted wisely by living a sinless life and dealing with his enemies in ethical ways. Ironically, he was crucified - lifted up into the air for the purpose of both killing and humiliating him.
The torture and means of execution that Jesus endured left him physically disfigured and marred. But this crucifixion which led to his death did not lead to permanent death nor humiliation. On the contrary, it led to his being exalted; raised to life by the Father, installed at the right hand of the Father, and worshiped by his followers.
Jesus' death and exaltation "sprinkle" the nations with the means for salvation. Though Jesus was a Jew from the insignificant land of Israel, the world and its leaders has now gained access to story of the one true God and His plan for rescuing all people.
Of course, these words flow easily from a Christian pastor and one who is thoroughly convinced of who Jesus was and is. Not so for everyone. Biblical prophecy has many contemporary naysayers who rely on in-depth scholarship for their opinions. Some of these naysayers would say that the Isaiah text should stand on its own and that making it christological is an exegetical error. Some would even say that they have no less faith in God than I.
What does it mean to interpret Jewish prophecy of the OT through the lenses of Christ Jesus? What does it mean for our faith if we do not?
~ Jeff
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Word
The Bible has endured a good bit of critique in our post-modern society. Many scholars reject the notion that prophetic utterances actually foretold the future, but were actually written in a time after whatever had been foretold finally came to pass. Some scholars think that many of the words of Jesus that we find recorded in the gospels he actually never said. Some people hold that the Bible is bound to the past and does not have much to say that is relevant for modern people. A few even say that Paul's writings are not faithful at times to Jesus' message.
This suspicion of the Bible and its authenticity make us vulnerable. If we are like seeds planted on rocky soil in our faith, we may start losing ground in faith. We may actually fall away.
I do not expect biblical criticism to go away any time soon. I do wonder what we can take from it, however, and what we can do to maintain our firm grounding in Scripture at all once.
What is helpful about biblical critique? What is it that we must be wary of?
This suspicion of the Bible and its authenticity make us vulnerable. If we are like seeds planted on rocky soil in our faith, we may start losing ground in faith. We may actually fall away.
I do not expect biblical criticism to go away any time soon. I do wonder what we can take from it, however, and what we can do to maintain our firm grounding in Scripture at all once.
What is helpful about biblical critique? What is it that we must be wary of?
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Needs
Today is Maundy Thursday and I am thinking about needs. Jesus recognized needs in the crowds to whom He was ministering. He wanted to bless them in their feeling overburdened by the demands of the Pharisees and by the circumstances of life.
He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." The Lord offers rest.
It is funny then how we contemporaries are not all that interested in rest. We are suspicious that rest is superfluous and for lazy people. We may even recognize our need for rest but choose to put it off until the kids are grown, the mortgage is paid, the grandkids are grown, or the wheels fall off of our car. We may forgo rest because we do not want to be labeled as lazy.
After the Lord made the world, He rested. Kind of an absurd notion, isn't it? God, who spoke the whole universe into being, needed to rest. Does that mean that He needed to replenish expended energy? Probably not. It is more likely that He just needed to stop and reflect and enjoy what He had done.
Maybe this is part of the Lord's desire for us as well - that we would stop long enough to notice what He has done and to just be in His presence. In this we will be rejuvenated body, mind, and soul. Our needs will be met - needs we were not even aware we had! The Lord desires this; it is why He commanded that Sabbath be established.
And yet it is not easy to pull off. We have work to do after all. We have children to care for. We have books to read and vacations to take and yards to landscape. We have ministry to do. We have films to watch and concerts to enjoy and TV to dig and ballgames to attend. Is there really time to rest? Is it reasonable? Won't we miss out on something?
Rest in Jesus' arms is what we need. How do we discipline ourselves to receive it?
He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." The Lord offers rest.
It is funny then how we contemporaries are not all that interested in rest. We are suspicious that rest is superfluous and for lazy people. We may even recognize our need for rest but choose to put it off until the kids are grown, the mortgage is paid, the grandkids are grown, or the wheels fall off of our car. We may forgo rest because we do not want to be labeled as lazy.
After the Lord made the world, He rested. Kind of an absurd notion, isn't it? God, who spoke the whole universe into being, needed to rest. Does that mean that He needed to replenish expended energy? Probably not. It is more likely that He just needed to stop and reflect and enjoy what He had done.
Maybe this is part of the Lord's desire for us as well - that we would stop long enough to notice what He has done and to just be in His presence. In this we will be rejuvenated body, mind, and soul. Our needs will be met - needs we were not even aware we had! The Lord desires this; it is why He commanded that Sabbath be established.
And yet it is not easy to pull off. We have work to do after all. We have children to care for. We have books to read and vacations to take and yards to landscape. We have ministry to do. We have films to watch and concerts to enjoy and TV to dig and ballgames to attend. Is there really time to rest? Is it reasonable? Won't we miss out on something?
Rest in Jesus' arms is what we need. How do we discipline ourselves to receive it?
Friday, February 27, 2009
Scarcity or Abundance?
Just heard Dan Wiens from Mennonite Central Committee talk this evening on the myth of scarcity and its dreadful impact on those impoverished in our world.
The myth of scarcity is believing that there is not enough money nor resources to go around, and this is why there are people who are poor. Believing the myth leads to great fear within the individual. Such fear causes thoughts such as these to take root, "I am going to run out. I'm not going to have enough. I must protect what I have." This kind of thinking, in turn, leads to tightfistedness instead of generosity.
Ironically, the myth of scarcity is lodged in the ethos of American culture which, as we know, is exceptionally well-to-do. We who are rich are the ones who worry most about losing what we have! This is in contrast to the abjectly poor in Mozambique who insist on sharing the little they have to eat - greens and native tubers discovered here and there in the countryside - with a group of Americans who have come to visit them. They will have nothing for themselves and their children tomorrow but they share extravagantly and with joy anyway. Most of us could do this for weeks on end without a single trip to a supermarket.
I suppose we lay under the syndrome of the farmer who built bigger barns to keep what he had and to store up more for himself (Lk. 12:13-21). God called this fellow a name, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" Jesus finishes up his lesson by noting, "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
A key for us who follow Jesus is to discard our belief in scarcity and instead embrace a new and biblical belief in abundance. Check this out:
The myth of scarcity is believing that there is not enough money nor resources to go around, and this is why there are people who are poor. Believing the myth leads to great fear within the individual. Such fear causes thoughts such as these to take root, "I am going to run out. I'm not going to have enough. I must protect what I have." This kind of thinking, in turn, leads to tightfistedness instead of generosity.
Ironically, the myth of scarcity is lodged in the ethos of American culture which, as we know, is exceptionally well-to-do. We who are rich are the ones who worry most about losing what we have! This is in contrast to the abjectly poor in Mozambique who insist on sharing the little they have to eat - greens and native tubers discovered here and there in the countryside - with a group of Americans who have come to visit them. They will have nothing for themselves and their children tomorrow but they share extravagantly and with joy anyway. Most of us could do this for weeks on end without a single trip to a supermarket.
I suppose we lay under the syndrome of the farmer who built bigger barns to keep what he had and to store up more for himself (Lk. 12:13-21). God called this fellow a name, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" Jesus finishes up his lesson by noting, "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
A key for us who follow Jesus is to discard our belief in scarcity and instead embrace a new and biblical belief in abundance. Check this out:
- "See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance" ~ Job 36:31-32
- "How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights" ~ Psalm 36:7-8
- "You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance" ~ Psalm 65:9-11
- "You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing" ~ Psalm 145:16
Our God is about providing whatever is required for His Creation. He does not run out of gold and silver. He does not come up short on food or water or clothing. From thin air He can provide necessities for His children (Mk. 6:30-44). I think we believe this with our heads. I do not think we believe this with our hearts.
When we come to believe with our hearts that God is exceedingly generous, it frees us to be generous without worry. We can give and then we can give some more to those in need. And the Lord will replenish for us just what we need.
There is enough food in the world to feed the world. Distribution of food is the problem. Let us do our part in proclaiming the Lord's generosity by redistributing with joy, without fear, and with new confidence.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Evil III
I'm back already. I've been thinking more about this concept of evil being all about control. For instance, in biblical stories demons possess people against their will. The spiritual forces have control over behaviors.
The converse of this in the bible is the message that the Holy Spirit inhabits us when we are in relationship with Jesus. We become the temples of the Lord. If we give the Spirit permission and do not thwart His work, we are transformed over the course of years into Jesus' image and our behaviors become more like His. On the other hand, the Spirit does not work against our will. He will not control us. We can therefore choose disobedience.
God will not control us. What are the implications of this reality if indeed evil is about controlling human behavior and Good is not?
The converse of this in the bible is the message that the Holy Spirit inhabits us when we are in relationship with Jesus. We become the temples of the Lord. If we give the Spirit permission and do not thwart His work, we are transformed over the course of years into Jesus' image and our behaviors become more like His. On the other hand, the Spirit does not work against our will. He will not control us. We can therefore choose disobedience.
God will not control us. What are the implications of this reality if indeed evil is about controlling human behavior and Good is not?
Evil II
I surveyed the New Testament in its use of the word, "evil." Granted, this was not an exhaustive search. However, I think I can make a few accurate observations about the nature of the word.
First, evil describes certain human actions. For instance, in James 4.13-17 we read, "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." Knowing that it is wrong to boast and to not rely on God's purpose for our lives and doing it anyway is an act of evil.
Second, evil describes spiritual entities that inhabit and subdue human beings. They wrestle personal control from people, cause them to be less than the Lord has created them to be, and incite actions that bring harm to the possessed and to others around them. We might say that these entities are all about control. (Is that the very nature of evil?) "When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones" ~ Mk. 5.2-5.
Third, evil characterizes the essence of the adversary. Jesus euphemizes thusly, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" ~ Mt. 6.13.
Fourth, evil describes behaviors that find their genesis in rejecting Christ and/or in embracing that which is of the evil one. Jesus says in Mt. 15.19, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." A heart out of step with the Lord produces actions that are outside of the will of the Lord.
Fifth, and somewhat more obscure, is evil that is personality-driven and intent on sabotage. Take a look below:
Mt. 13.18-19, "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart." The evil one recognizes vulnerability in a person who is on the verge of faith. He does what he can to keep that person from choosing the Lord.
Listen to Jesus' prayer for His disciples, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" ~ Jn. 17.15. We can see in this that Jesus is concerned that His disciples will be hurt or misled by Satan and so He asks the Father to help them.
Romans 7.21-23, "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Conscious wickedness is here appearing to keep Paul from doing God's will. It is unclear whether this is in the form of temptation, battling wills, or, most likely, that part of Paul that awaits sanctification.
Ephesians 6.16, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." This reminds believers that life in the Lord is not without very real dangers. Trust in the Lord, however, is an antidote.
2 Thess. 3.3, "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." This final text seems to be frosting on the cake in regard to the idea that evil is real, intentional, and even bent on derailing us in faith.
Do you buy it?
My next question is about the reality of evil spirits - demons. Matthew through Acts are filled with stories of people being harassed or possessed by untoward spirits. The 21st century mind is relatively closed to this possibility. Have we really come to our senses in this regard?
First, evil describes certain human actions. For instance, in James 4.13-17 we read, "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." Knowing that it is wrong to boast and to not rely on God's purpose for our lives and doing it anyway is an act of evil.
Second, evil describes spiritual entities that inhabit and subdue human beings. They wrestle personal control from people, cause them to be less than the Lord has created them to be, and incite actions that bring harm to the possessed and to others around them. We might say that these entities are all about control. (Is that the very nature of evil?) "When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones" ~ Mk. 5.2-5.
Third, evil characterizes the essence of the adversary. Jesus euphemizes thusly, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" ~ Mt. 6.13.
Fourth, evil describes behaviors that find their genesis in rejecting Christ and/or in embracing that which is of the evil one. Jesus says in Mt. 15.19, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." A heart out of step with the Lord produces actions that are outside of the will of the Lord.
Fifth, and somewhat more obscure, is evil that is personality-driven and intent on sabotage. Take a look below:
Mt. 13.18-19, "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart." The evil one recognizes vulnerability in a person who is on the verge of faith. He does what he can to keep that person from choosing the Lord.
Listen to Jesus' prayer for His disciples, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" ~ Jn. 17.15. We can see in this that Jesus is concerned that His disciples will be hurt or misled by Satan and so He asks the Father to help them.
Romans 7.21-23, "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Conscious wickedness is here appearing to keep Paul from doing God's will. It is unclear whether this is in the form of temptation, battling wills, or, most likely, that part of Paul that awaits sanctification.
Ephesians 6.16, "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." This reminds believers that life in the Lord is not without very real dangers. Trust in the Lord, however, is an antidote.
2 Thess. 3.3, "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." This final text seems to be frosting on the cake in regard to the idea that evil is real, intentional, and even bent on derailing us in faith.
Do you buy it?
My next question is about the reality of evil spirits - demons. Matthew through Acts are filled with stories of people being harassed or possessed by untoward spirits. The 21st century mind is relatively closed to this possibility. Have we really come to our senses in this regard?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Evil
I have been thinking a lot lately about evil. As I look at the condition of our world and our lives, even the Church, I am more convinced that evil is a hyperactive, conscious and intentional force at work against us. There are times when I wonder if our enemy has been so effective in its work of deceiving us that we find ourselves all the way back in pre-flood Genesis: "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time" (Gen. 6.5). We really do struggle to resist the temptations sends our way.
As a younger man, I believed that evil was real but more the absence of good than a volitional power. I believed that when we choose not to do God's will the result will most often be problematic because we have ignored the Perfect Truth that aids us in escaping disasters. In my mind, evil was dependent on humans to make errors in order to cause problems. I thought it was kind of like water only getting into your basement if it was not sealed properly not because the water wanted to get into your basement.
Though I certainly believe that evil takes advantage of our moments of disobedience, I also now believe that evil charts its own course and plans its own plans and does not require the assistance of human fallibility in order to be destructive.
For instance, is it too far-fetched to believe that the devastating spread of malaria by mosquitoes is the result of a demonic plan? Humans are not responsible for malaria and yet it destroys gladly. Or how about the proliferation of depression in our nation? Often this malady is not the result of ungodly human choices but instead brain circuitry gone haywire and/or chemical imbalances. This seems like a wicked scheme to me or at the very least the culmination of our souls being pressed upon by evil for millenia.
Or how about personality disorders, especially those of the egotistic variety? A pathology such as a narcissism is destructive to sufferer and bystanders alike. Yet it is very resistant to any form of treatment or behavior modification. Further, it is clearly not simply the result of faulty nurture but involves other vague factors that are difficult to pinpoint. What would evil like more than to corrupt humans in such a way that they become a corrupting, disruptive influences on their own? A clever scheme indeed.
Ephesians 6 reads in part like this, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Seems evident to me from a scriptural perspective that evil is an intelligent, active force that is seeking to bring chaos out of God's order and for all people to perpetually dwell in fear in the valley of the shadow of death to their own detriment.
So what do you think? Is evil a real force or is it just the absence of good? Does it plot and plan or does it simply creep into the void when we disobey the Lord?
I will look forward to your wisdom!
Jeff
As a younger man, I believed that evil was real but more the absence of good than a volitional power. I believed that when we choose not to do God's will the result will most often be problematic because we have ignored the Perfect Truth that aids us in escaping disasters. In my mind, evil was dependent on humans to make errors in order to cause problems. I thought it was kind of like water only getting into your basement if it was not sealed properly not because the water wanted to get into your basement.
Though I certainly believe that evil takes advantage of our moments of disobedience, I also now believe that evil charts its own course and plans its own plans and does not require the assistance of human fallibility in order to be destructive.
For instance, is it too far-fetched to believe that the devastating spread of malaria by mosquitoes is the result of a demonic plan? Humans are not responsible for malaria and yet it destroys gladly. Or how about the proliferation of depression in our nation? Often this malady is not the result of ungodly human choices but instead brain circuitry gone haywire and/or chemical imbalances. This seems like a wicked scheme to me or at the very least the culmination of our souls being pressed upon by evil for millenia.
Or how about personality disorders, especially those of the egotistic variety? A pathology such as a narcissism is destructive to sufferer and bystanders alike. Yet it is very resistant to any form of treatment or behavior modification. Further, it is clearly not simply the result of faulty nurture but involves other vague factors that are difficult to pinpoint. What would evil like more than to corrupt humans in such a way that they become a corrupting, disruptive influences on their own? A clever scheme indeed.
Ephesians 6 reads in part like this, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Seems evident to me from a scriptural perspective that evil is an intelligent, active force that is seeking to bring chaos out of God's order and for all people to perpetually dwell in fear in the valley of the shadow of death to their own detriment.
So what do you think? Is evil a real force or is it just the absence of good? Does it plot and plan or does it simply creep into the void when we disobey the Lord?
I will look forward to your wisdom!
Jeff
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Unpreached Sermon
In light of the cancellation of our worship service this morning due to a water-line break, I am posting what my sermon might have sounded like.
“The American Reality”
Sermon – “Let Justice Roll” series #2 - Racism
Text: Galatians 3:26-29
Take a moment and answer "true" or "false" to the questions in this short quiz:
“The American Reality”
Sermon – “Let Justice Roll” series #2 - Racism
Text: Galatians 3:26-29
Take a moment and answer "true" or "false" to the questions in this short quiz:
- I am afraid if I am in a neighborhood that is predominantly a race other than my own.
- I am suspicious and tempted to call the police if I see an African-American walking in my neighborhood.
- I believe that racial separation is best for everyone.
- I occasionally use racial slurs like nigger or spic.
- I would be upset if a Chinese family moved in next door to me.
If you answered “true” to any of these questions, it is time to address prejudices lurking in your heart. This does not mean you are ready to join the KKK, but it may mean that there are areas of racial woundedness within you that require the Lord's healing touch. Keep this in mind as we move forward.
In writing to the church at Galatia, Paul is attempting to correct a false belief that has been introduced to it following his departure. The belief that was introduced by Judaizers was this: if non-Jewish believers really want to be saved, they must be circumcised and follow the whole Law of Moses. If they want to be saved they must become Jews.
Paul, a Jewish man himself, argues throughout this letter that being saved does not come from circumcision nor from becoming Jewish (Gal. 3:1-14). Instead, it comes from entering into a relationship with Christ Jesus, the messiah. We read in 3.26-29 how this relationship changes everything for the believer:
- Faith in Christ makes one a child of God (v.26).
- True faith in Christ leads to a change in character (v.27).
- Faith in Christ destroys barriers between people (v.28).
- A relationship with Christ Jesus leads to becoming a recipient of all of God’s promises (v.29).
We can see in this passage that our relationship with Christ gives us a new identity and new character. We are changed and take on the character of Christ.
The character of Christ, amongst other things, is love (Gal. 5:22), "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness..;" acceptance (Jn.4:9), "The Samaritan woman said to him, 'You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?' (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.);" forgiveness (Acts 5:31), "God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel;" and proximity (Phil. 4:5), "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." When we are in relationship with Christ, these are some of the fruits we bear.
In contrast, there is the character of evil. Galatians 5.19-21 reads, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” When we bear fruits such as hatred, discord, fits of rage, and dissensions, something other than the character of Christ is shining through.
This comes into play even as we consider our treatment of people of other races. If we treat them with contempt and hate and separation, we are not exhibiting Christ-likeness. And if we are not Christ-like in regard to race, the very authenticity of our faith in Jesus is brought into question.
I confess today that I am a recovering racist. In years past, I said and thought nasty and ignorant things about African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, Arabs; anyone who was not Anglo. I uttered hateful things like, “Speak English or die,” “They are taking over” and “Why can’t they stay in their own country?”
At some point, the Lord convicted me of this sinful behavior, and I repented of my wicked attitudes and asked God to restore my soul that had a gaping, pus-filled wound as a result of this untreated hatred I was harboring. I know that I have been forgiven of this evil and am more Christ-like as a result.
Many of us are indeed recovering racists though some of us persist in racist tendencies. To be clear, racism is prejudice against people of other races or belief that one race is superior to another. It should be noted, however, that racism has its greatest impact when the racist is a part of the dominant race in any particular culture. The combination of hate and power is lethal. This is what has made Anglo racism in America so destructive.
Early in American history, Anglos looked down upon Native Americans and treated them abominably, nearly wiping them from the face of the planet. At the same time, Anglos were enslavingAfricans and transporting them to this nation where they had no freedom and no rights whatsoever. When slavery was abolished, the attitudes left over from slavery did not change and separation and contempt ruled the day.
Fortunately, race relations have improved. And yet there remains percolating hatred that manifests itself amongst races. We see this in Anglo suspicion of anyone who is Middle Eastern. We see this in broad American negative attitudes toward Spanish-speaking immigrants. We see this in ugly prejudice toward those who are Jewish. We see this in our snobbery toward Pakistanis and Indians who have made their mark in commerce and other professions in this country.
It is time for we who are the church to close the door on racism. We can do this by refusing to give into hatred and by throwing ourselves headlong into an intimate relationship with Jesus. Our being in the arms of the Lord more fully cannot help but change the essence of our character and heal the wounds of hatred that we have harbored.
Practically speaking, we can engage in these behaviors:
- Repent of hatred that lingers or has been expressed openly in the past.
- Root out prejudices that emerge in our daily behaviors and attitudes.
- Intentionally seek out a relationship with someone of another race.
- Refuse to tell or listen to racial jokes, slurs, or stereotyping.
- Immerse yourself in another culture.
I agree with MLK that this country at its core provides an awesome opportunity for all people to thrive and to live in right relationships. What a shame, then, that Satan has enticed us to reject so often that very opportunity. Instead of being willing to share the blessing we have been granted with those around us, we snatch it away and try to keep it for ourselves as if there was not enough to go around. It is not too late. We can now shut the door on our hate-filled past and live out more fully in our hearts and actions the Kingdom values that our Lord has called us to.
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