Showing posts with label Unity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unity. Show all posts

Thursday, July 20, 2017

A Touch of Humor - Principles? - The Mad Theologian's Final Post


Which principles do you champion? Are these biblical principles? Have you made your principles most important because they are your principles?

***

This week, Wednesday July 19th, 2017, just a little after noon, the Mad Theologian's faith became sight. 

Mike Erich passed away at home after a long battle with cancer with his wife at his side. Mike was a brilliant man that will truly be missed at home, at church, and by all those who knew him. Mike was man of deep conviction about the things of the Lord and particularly God's Word which he diligently studied and wrote about. For Mike it has always been about the love of God shown to us in Christ's death on the cross and resurrection where we can find salvation. This is salvation offered freely. The Grace of God in Christ says come give me your sins and I will give you my righteousness. It has never been about what we can do to please God, but rather what God has done to save us. Mike's deepest desire for all people would be that they find salvation in Christ.

I have posted Mike's final cartoon. He was working on this cartoon the few days before his death and it seemed appropriate to post his last work just as he left it. I have added the questions below the cartoon as Mike would typically do. Mike was a man of principle and yet he always let his principles be subject to God's principles. While Mike definitely had his opinions, he always strove to grow into God's opinions about the world and grow in the love, peace, and unity demonstrated to us in Christ. Love people and do that in Grace of God.

Now Mike is with the Lord and I think he would want us to be of good courage. In fact, if he could, he would probably tell us about his move from earth to heaven with A Touch of Humor. I know he would definitely want us to "see" the Bible to understand his absence. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 "6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

Since becoming a believer in Christ Mike has had it as his highest value to follow and please Christ. And he has done well. Mike is now with the Lord, -and that is a good thing. If you are a follower of Christ then be of good courage, the absence is painful and yet short. Soon we all will get a chance to join Mike and please the Lord. Yesterday Mike's faith became sight.

Finally, if you are not a believer in Christ, Mike would tell you "Come." Come and follow Christ today.

Mike, we love and miss you and look forward to our reunion with you in heaven standing in the Grace of Christ.

Jared Jenkins

Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Genuine Love



What is love? People have many funny ideas about love. Many see it as some vague sentimental emotion. This emotion accepts anything and everything and would not dream of ever being critical. But this is not the Biblical concept of love. Rather, the Biblical concept is based on commitment and responsibility and putting the real good of another person before our own. In this, God’s love is our motivation and example. The ultimate expression of God’s love is that even when we were in rebellion against Him, the Father sent the Son to die for us (Romans 5:6-10; 1 John 4:9,10; John 3:16). Based on this we are motivated to live for God (1 John 4:19; 2 Corinthians 5:14,15; Luke 7:36-50). But it is important to note that God did not just shrug His shoulders regarding sin and say that it did not matter. There was a price that had to be paid, but God Himself paid it (1 Peter 2:24,25; Colossians 2:13-15; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Now the underlying principle of what God requires is love (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13,14). But the love He requires is the responsible, committed love not the vague emotional type.
  
What are the characteristics of this type of love? It is concerned about what is genuinely good and true (Romans 12:9; 1 Corinthians 13:6; Ephesians 4;15). This is at odds with our society’s current idea of love. But genuine love must be concerned with the welfare of the other person, not just what they happen to want. As a result, love is not hypocritical or fake but is an honest expression of who we are (Romans 12:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:18). God is not interested in some kind of act but in what is in our heart. The result of this type of love is to consider others and their welfare before our own (Romans 12:10; 1 Corinthians 13:5; Philippians 2:3,4). This is the essence of love, as shown by the Father giving His Son to save us from our sins. The result of this is humility, the refusal to do things to exalt myself, but to put God and others first (Romans 12:16, 1 Corinthians 13:4; Luke 14:7-11). This will result in our giving to meet the needs of others and sympathizing with their troubles and triumphs (Romans 12:13-15; 1 Corinthians 12:26,27; 1 John 3:17). Now there is a place for using wisdom in helping those in need, but we cannot let this be an excuse for refusing to carry out God’s commandment in this area. And ultimately love will lead us to the point of loving even our enemies (Romans 12:14; Matthew 5:43-48; 1 Corinthians 13:5). Now this love is not something we can work up ourselves (John 15:5; Romans 7:18; 8:8). Rather, it is the result of God working in us (2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29). But we need to understand what the real goal is so that we may embrace genuine Biblical love.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

High Expectations



We live in a culture which puts a high value on relationship and community. And we live in a culture which sorely lacks these. We can live in a neighborhood where we know no one. We can work in an office where we do little more than exchange greetings. Then we can go home and send our time on TV or the internet and avoid relating to any real person. Or else rushing around from this event to that, without spending any time relating to people. Perhaps we long for community because we lack it. But could it also be the other way around? C. S. Lewis says that when we put second things first, we not only lose the first thing, but the second thing we put in place of it. When we make something into an idol, we lose the real and proper value of that thing, which can only obtained by enjoying it in perspective.
  
The result of making too much of community is that we can look for the perfect community that does not really exist. And end up refusing to join real communities because they do not measure up. Or we can brood over times in the past when we have been hurt and be afraid to be involved again. These hurts may be real or perceived, but they are magnified by the expectations of a perfect experience. People can even begin to wonder if they are not somehow unworthy of real intimacy. Or we can go to the opposite extreme and try too hard. Nothing can drive people away so quickly as someone who pushes too quickly to a deep level of intimacy. Or we can become extremely needy people clinging to people who are not willing to give that kind of support. Now there are real needs that need to be met, but these can be exaggerated by the belief that community is the perfect solution to all our needs.

God has called us to community (Hebrews 10:24,25; Ephesians 4:1-5; Romans 15:5,6). But in approaching this, there are some important things to remember. This community is a fact; it is not something we bring about or work up, but is based on something higher than ourselves (1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Romans 12:4,5; Galatians 3:27-29), rooted in God’s love for us (Romans 5:6-8; John 3:16-18; Colossians 2:13,14). Also, we are sinners and have not yet arrived, and we should be careful of expecting from others a perfection they do not have (James 3:2; Philippians 3:12-16; Galatians 5:17). But ultimately, we need to get beyond the focus on our needs, even our need for community, to focus on the needs of others (Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 22:37-40; John 13:34,35). But this is only possible as we recognize God’s love, which has placed us in community. And as we do so, we will find our needs are met in turn; and we will grow in real community when we put God first.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Proper Use of the Tongue



The human tongue can be a powerful instrument for evil, as explained in James 3:1-12. But it can also be used for good. We can use it to encourage people (Hebrews 10:24,25; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:11). We may also need to correct people (Galatians 6:1; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Matthew 18:15-20). There are also instruction and evangelism, but to look at those is too much for one post. Now all these need to be done in love (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13,14).  

To encourage people we need to have sympathy (Romans 12:15,16; 1 Corinthians 12:24,25; 1 Peter 3:8). This can be hard, because if you really sympathize with someone, you hurt with them. We need to start by listening. If we do not listen to them, they will probably not hear what we have to say. But it is so much easier to come up with a quick cliché and walk away. A Bible verse can be used as a cliché for this purpose. Now I am not against using Bible verses to encourage people. But we need to show we care before we bring out the Bible verses. I remember one time I was in the hospital and I was visited by a pastor, a former pastor, and a pastor in training. They all read me some Scripture, but they spent time first talking and listening. After that, the Bible passages were a good thing.

Correction can be even more difficult. In this respect I am convinced it is important to follow Matthew 18:15-20 and to start with a meeting between the accused and the accuser. Also, the part about winning your brother implies there needs to be some give and take; an effort needs to be made to convince the person that they are wrong. There should be some effort made to give them a chance to present their side of the story (Proverbs 18:17; 25:8-10). But even if what they have done is indefensible, they may need clarification; they may need to know if their repentance and offer to change or make amends satisfies the accuser. There is no way they can do this through a third party. In the Old Testament the accusers of a person were to be the first ones to pick up the stones to stone them (Deuteronomy 17:7). Also, if the accusation was false there was to be an investigation to see if it was deliberate, and if so, the accuser got the penalty sought for the accused (Deuteronomy 19:15-21). The point is that anyone making an accusation against anyone should confront them openly and directly. Now it might be said this is hard, but making an accusation is meant to be hard. There is a place for passing over minor offenses (1 Peter 4:8). But if we need to correct anyone, we need to do it right.

There are many positive ways to use the tongue, but they must be used carefully to be done right.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)