This is a question that I have asked myself, Not recently but I have asked it. So why should we go to church? What is the purpose of church? How did the church as we know it even get started? Was it an invention of ancient man or is there something more to it?
I have been reading a book by Wyane Grudem called systematic theology which is where I have gotten most of my information. In that book he details three main reasons for the church. But first lets answer the question what is church?
The greek word that is translated church in the New Testament means a gathering, assembly and congregation. Grudem says that the word gather in Duet. 4:10 is translated in the LXX as the word that means to summon an assembly. So grudem says there is evidence to suggest that God thought of his poeple Israel as a church. The church then is an assembly or group of believers from long ago until now and into the future.
So is that all it is? Just a bunch of people getting together? No. You learn about that Bible, have fellowship, learn about God, give money to support the kingdom on earth. In the articles to come I will talk about each of the points Grudem talks about.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thousand foot crutch.
This is the name of a popular Christian rock band however the band is not the subject of this post. The subject of this post is about crutches though. Specifically using God as our crutch. I have heard the people use this term in a derogatory way. They say that my "faith" is a crutch or that my belief in God is a crutch. Well first I have issues with the way people use the word faith today however that is not the subject of this post. But what about using God as a crutch? What does that mean or more specifically what do they mean by that?
Well again I am having to assume what they mean, however I think it is safe to assume that they mean that the belief in God somehow enables me, and others who believe in God, to cope with our world. In there view instead of just dealing with the harsh realities of this world and going about our lives enjoying ourselves and seeking our happiness in the things this life has to offer we must seek meaning and fulfillment in a supernatural being that no one has ever seen and there is very little evidence for. They have even said that if you do believe in God that this makes you less intelligent or even unreasonable. Well first I would have to disagree with there assertion that there is little or no evidence for God. That being said I have to somewhat agree that I do use God as a way to cope with this world, however this does not make me less intelligent or unreasonable.
I looked up this word, crutch, in the dictionary and one of the definitions caught my eye. Anything depended on for support was one of the definitions that was given. Just like when someone injures there leg they must have support to help them walk so we too having been damaged by sin need support from God and from his son Jesus Christ. That support can be achieved in several ways. First through regular reading of the scripture and through prayer. Finally in order for these things to be useful we must use them. It would be silly for us to go to a Doctor and receive crutches to help us walk and then have them hop out of the office with someone else caring their crutches for them.
However if you do not think you are injured it would stand to reason that you would not go to the doctor. And if you think that you are not damaged by sin it would also stand to reason that you would not seek a savior. We have been made in the image of God and as such have been given many things including moral character but as we can see the moral character of people is flawed. I think this is clear evidence for a need of a savior. We are broken and need a physician!
Well again I am having to assume what they mean, however I think it is safe to assume that they mean that the belief in God somehow enables me, and others who believe in God, to cope with our world. In there view instead of just dealing with the harsh realities of this world and going about our lives enjoying ourselves and seeking our happiness in the things this life has to offer we must seek meaning and fulfillment in a supernatural being that no one has ever seen and there is very little evidence for. They have even said that if you do believe in God that this makes you less intelligent or even unreasonable. Well first I would have to disagree with there assertion that there is little or no evidence for God. That being said I have to somewhat agree that I do use God as a way to cope with this world, however this does not make me less intelligent or unreasonable.
I looked up this word, crutch, in the dictionary and one of the definitions caught my eye. Anything depended on for support was one of the definitions that was given. Just like when someone injures there leg they must have support to help them walk so we too having been damaged by sin need support from God and from his son Jesus Christ. That support can be achieved in several ways. First through regular reading of the scripture and through prayer. Finally in order for these things to be useful we must use them. It would be silly for us to go to a Doctor and receive crutches to help us walk and then have them hop out of the office with someone else caring their crutches for them.
However if you do not think you are injured it would stand to reason that you would not go to the doctor. And if you think that you are not damaged by sin it would also stand to reason that you would not seek a savior. We have been made in the image of God and as such have been given many things including moral character but as we can see the moral character of people is flawed. I think this is clear evidence for a need of a savior. We are broken and need a physician!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
what is a shade tree theologian?
I did a search on google for shade tree theologian to see if I could find my blog and instead found a man by the name of Jean-Marc Ela. By the way I never found by blog! Mr. Ela was an
author of theology and philosophy. One of his books "African cry" has been called "the soundest illustration of liberation theology in sub Sahara Africa." He was also quoted as saying that people should adopt a "shade-tree theology" in which small groups of believers can gather together to interpret the gospel in the light of their own particular circumstances.
First I have to say that I do not subscribe to liberation theology. Second I do not think any one should interpret the gospel in light of their own circumstances. I don't see how this is any different than relativism. So what did I mean by shade tree theologian?
When I first thought of this I was reminded of the term shade tree mechanic. I always thought of someone like this as a guy with a bunch of cars around that he would work on because it was something he loved to do. It was enjoyable to him and he found satisfaction in restoring old broken down wrecks into something someone could use. This person had little formal training however through years of hands on experience he is very comfortable around the engine of some old clunker.
That being said I do not really live up to this analogy. While I like reading about theology and philosophy and how to apply it to our lives I do not have years of experience with these subjects. That is what I hope to gain through my own personal study, both private and academic and through conversations with normal everyday run-of-the-mill people, which I consider myself. I am not the brightest person you will meet. I am not the most charismatic or funny person either. As a matter of fact I am very average in just about every way you can imagine. I just want to know more about God, the Bible, peoples world views and how to help others discover what I have and to help them apply all this to their lives.
author of theology and philosophy. One of his books "African cry" has been called "the soundest illustration of liberation theology in sub Sahara Africa." He was also quoted as saying that people should adopt a "shade-tree theology" in which small groups of believers can gather together to interpret the gospel in the light of their own particular circumstances.
First I have to say that I do not subscribe to liberation theology. Second I do not think any one should interpret the gospel in light of their own circumstances. I don't see how this is any different than relativism. So what did I mean by shade tree theologian?
When I first thought of this I was reminded of the term shade tree mechanic. I always thought of someone like this as a guy with a bunch of cars around that he would work on because it was something he loved to do. It was enjoyable to him and he found satisfaction in restoring old broken down wrecks into something someone could use. This person had little formal training however through years of hands on experience he is very comfortable around the engine of some old clunker.
That being said I do not really live up to this analogy. While I like reading about theology and philosophy and how to apply it to our lives I do not have years of experience with these subjects. That is what I hope to gain through my own personal study, both private and academic and through conversations with normal everyday run-of-the-mill people, which I consider myself. I am not the brightest person you will meet. I am not the most charismatic or funny person either. As a matter of fact I am very average in just about every way you can imagine. I just want to know more about God, the Bible, peoples world views and how to help others discover what I have and to help them apply all this to their lives.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Are you happy with your life or just content?
I heard this question asked the other day and it's the word content that caught my attention. The way this person phrased the question I could tell that they viewed being content in a negative way and being happy in a positive way. I never got a chance to ask what she meant by the word content and now I can only guess at what she meant. How ever I think what she might have meant by content as opposed to being happy is this: contentment is when you put up with your circumstances. You wish something better for yourself and are looking forward to the day when you achieve the goals that you have set for yourself so that you may be happy. Happiness is the point where you leave your contentment behind. But is this the biblical view of contentment? I Then remembered that Paul said that he had learned to be content in all circumstances-Philippians 4:11.
Paul spent his entire life traveling around the country preaching the gospel and planting churches. He suffered many things in his travels. At the time Paul was writing to the Philippians he was a prisoner of Rome. In light of all this Paul is able to say I have learned to be content in all circumstances. The Greek word that is translated "content" means "to be self-sufficient or to be satisfied." I think Paul could be satisfied in his current situation because he was doing Gods will. It was Paul himself that said"to live is Christ and to die is gain." Paul wasn't concerned with the trappings of this life. He wasn't trying to build wealth or to get the newest technologies or even to become the most popular. Now granted all these things that I mentioned are more closely related to our lives today, However although these temptations looked different in Paul's day there were still temptations. We can follow all of the stuff that makes this life better and us"happy" or we can concentrate on what God wants us to do and accomplish. This is what Paul was doing. This is why he was content in his circumstances. Today there are a lot of things competing for our attention and all of them promise, whether directly or indirectly, to make us happy. My father once said "the more stuff you have the more you have to worry about." I have experienced what my father said that day. I know exactly what he meant now.
The way I see it happiness and contentment are not the opposite poles of a continuum. Being one does not mean you are not the other. You can be content in your present circumstances and still be happy. You can also be happy with your life and not be content, always chasing after more stuff. However if you are not content are you truly happy? I don't think you can be for any length of time. As Christians we must learn to be content with what ever God gives us and this will lead to happiness that will last for eternity. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth(Colossians 3:2).
Paul spent his entire life traveling around the country preaching the gospel and planting churches. He suffered many things in his travels. At the time Paul was writing to the Philippians he was a prisoner of Rome. In light of all this Paul is able to say I have learned to be content in all circumstances. The Greek word that is translated "content" means "to be self-sufficient or to be satisfied." I think Paul could be satisfied in his current situation because he was doing Gods will. It was Paul himself that said"to live is Christ and to die is gain." Paul wasn't concerned with the trappings of this life. He wasn't trying to build wealth or to get the newest technologies or even to become the most popular. Now granted all these things that I mentioned are more closely related to our lives today, However although these temptations looked different in Paul's day there were still temptations. We can follow all of the stuff that makes this life better and us"happy" or we can concentrate on what God wants us to do and accomplish. This is what Paul was doing. This is why he was content in his circumstances. Today there are a lot of things competing for our attention and all of them promise, whether directly or indirectly, to make us happy. My father once said "the more stuff you have the more you have to worry about." I have experienced what my father said that day. I know exactly what he meant now.
The way I see it happiness and contentment are not the opposite poles of a continuum. Being one does not mean you are not the other. You can be content in your present circumstances and still be happy. You can also be happy with your life and not be content, always chasing after more stuff. However if you are not content are you truly happy? I don't think you can be for any length of time. As Christians we must learn to be content with what ever God gives us and this will lead to happiness that will last for eternity. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth(Colossians 3:2).
Friday, July 24, 2009
Heartless?
This is a question that someone wrote to the KC star news paper. The questions are usually posted in the faith section on Saturdays and I thought I would take a shot at answering it.
Question: Is it true that some people are just heartless and can’t be changed?
Answer:
This is actually two questions. First is it true that some people are just heartless? Webster’s gives us the definition of heartless as: To be cruel or lacking feeling, and cruel is disposed to inflict pain. So the answer to the question is no, some people are not heartless, all are. All of us at one time or another has inflicted pain whether intentionally or unintentionally. We know that the opposite of cruelty is goodness as the Bible says in Romans 3:12 “All have turned away, together they have become useless; there is no one who does good, there is not even one.” This is not to say that humans can not do good, at least from a human perspective, but that apart from God our goodness is lacking.
This brings me to the second question, is it true that people can’t be changed? The answer to this question is also no, because people change all the time. They change their diets to become healthy, and they even change their behavior to bring about more favorable conditions in their public and private lives. However I think another question must be asked. That question is what kind of change can people accomplish?
This question gets to the heart of the matter. As humans we can accomplish only so much. When the Bible speaks of goodness or righteousness it has in mind the ultimate standard of righteousness. God is the ultimate rule of goodness and it is to this level that we must attain to be truly good. However there is a problem. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We sin when we do not live up to God’s standard of righteousness. So if we all have sinned and fall short of his glory which is righteousness then how are we ever expected to do good? The answer is with Jesus. God has given us the gift of his son that we may be “…justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). This is the gospel, the good news of the Bible and the bulk of the Christian message. We have been redeemed by the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. It is “…by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift…” (Eph. 2:8) Only through Christ can we be considered a new creation, that is a creation that is righteous and good, and be reconciled to God (2Cor. 5:17). And only through the process that Christians call sanctification can we hope to be changed into Christ likeness. So while people can change the only change that matters is the change in our standing before him that can only be achieved by Christ’s work on the cross.
Question: Is it true that some people are just heartless and can’t be changed?
Answer:
This is actually two questions. First is it true that some people are just heartless? Webster’s gives us the definition of heartless as: To be cruel or lacking feeling, and cruel is disposed to inflict pain. So the answer to the question is no, some people are not heartless, all are. All of us at one time or another has inflicted pain whether intentionally or unintentionally. We know that the opposite of cruelty is goodness as the Bible says in Romans 3:12 “All have turned away, together they have become useless; there is no one who does good, there is not even one.” This is not to say that humans can not do good, at least from a human perspective, but that apart from God our goodness is lacking.
This brings me to the second question, is it true that people can’t be changed? The answer to this question is also no, because people change all the time. They change their diets to become healthy, and they even change their behavior to bring about more favorable conditions in their public and private lives. However I think another question must be asked. That question is what kind of change can people accomplish?
This question gets to the heart of the matter. As humans we can accomplish only so much. When the Bible speaks of goodness or righteousness it has in mind the ultimate standard of righteousness. God is the ultimate rule of goodness and it is to this level that we must attain to be truly good. However there is a problem. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We sin when we do not live up to God’s standard of righteousness. So if we all have sinned and fall short of his glory which is righteousness then how are we ever expected to do good? The answer is with Jesus. God has given us the gift of his son that we may be “…justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). This is the gospel, the good news of the Bible and the bulk of the Christian message. We have been redeemed by the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. It is “…by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift…” (Eph. 2:8) Only through Christ can we be considered a new creation, that is a creation that is righteous and good, and be reconciled to God (2Cor. 5:17). And only through the process that Christians call sanctification can we hope to be changed into Christ likeness. So while people can change the only change that matters is the change in our standing before him that can only be achieved by Christ’s work on the cross.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Miss USA
I heard a gay activist on Bill OReilly say the other day that the reason Miss. California did not win was because she said That she did not agree with gay marriage. OReilly said that this was suppression of her freedom of speech. The activist said that we vote all the time for or against someone based on what they say.
Well I have to agree with the gay guy. We do vote in all kinds of people in all kinds of positions based on what they say and the majority of people who agree with that person vote them into that position. Our President ,who consequently agrees with Miss. California, was voted into office this way. So I got to thinking is this the best way to elect a leader of our country? The person with the best oratory skills wins? Or maybe add a swimsuit portion then maybe McCain/Palin would have won!
Politicians are opportunists. Like a rudderless ship there course changes with the winds of popular opinion. They look for any port that will accept them and to assure this acceptance they blend in with the people who have the loudest voice.
Is this what we Christians are putting our Trust in? Do we really want to trust in people who's worldview depends on getting the majority of votes? Please do not misunderstand me. I am not calling for all Christians to stop voting. I think we should involve our self with politics. If the Bible says that all governments were established by God then that means ours is as well. Even the election of President Obama. And we should pray for him and all his cabinet. And since God has ordained this government, and we can participate in our government, we should. But put your trust not in the politicians but in the Lord Jesus Christ who has ordained them to this position.
Well I have to agree with the gay guy. We do vote in all kinds of people in all kinds of positions based on what they say and the majority of people who agree with that person vote them into that position. Our President ,who consequently agrees with Miss. California, was voted into office this way. So I got to thinking is this the best way to elect a leader of our country? The person with the best oratory skills wins? Or maybe add a swimsuit portion then maybe McCain/Palin would have won!
Politicians are opportunists. Like a rudderless ship there course changes with the winds of popular opinion. They look for any port that will accept them and to assure this acceptance they blend in with the people who have the loudest voice.
Is this what we Christians are putting our Trust in? Do we really want to trust in people who's worldview depends on getting the majority of votes? Please do not misunderstand me. I am not calling for all Christians to stop voting. I think we should involve our self with politics. If the Bible says that all governments were established by God then that means ours is as well. Even the election of President Obama. And we should pray for him and all his cabinet. And since God has ordained this government, and we can participate in our government, we should. But put your trust not in the politicians but in the Lord Jesus Christ who has ordained them to this position.
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