Augustine and the City of God

    The opening words of the Bible (Gen 1:1) reveal the dualistic cosmic reality we live in as human beings: "In the beginning God created the heavens [i.e. the invisible realm] and the earth [i.e. the visible realm, including the planets and stars]." Accordingly, human history can only be truly understood when both cosmic realms are duly considered (cf. Col 1:16).
    Consistent with this worldview, centuries ago Augustine (354-430 AD) diligently searched his Bible for real-life wisdom, eventually writing a classic masterpiece titled, The City of God. A large book, most Christians today are intimidated by it. However, one contemporary scholar, Dr. Nick Needham, has provided us with a one-hour-long lecture (includes a Q&A session) that summarizes this priceless book (link below). Here are two gems from this invaluable lecture:    

 " . . . Augustine says, that we must step back from the immediate historical event to look at the broad sweep of history. What is history all about?  How can we understand any event in history, if we don't understand what history itself is? So what is history? It is, says Augustine, a tale of two cities, two cities in conflict. If we do not grasp that, we won't understand the driving force behind human history. And, if we don't understand what is driving history, we won't be able to have any appreciation for the real significance of anything in history."

"Relate yourself relatively to the relative and absolutely to the absolute. The soul-destroying error of utopian dreamers is they relate themselves absolutely to the relative." 

Link to Dr. Nick Needham's lecture: Augustine and the City of God.

Framing Our Prayers and the Psalter

   "The Psalter is the vicarious prayer of Christ for his Church. Now that Christ is with the Father, the new humanity of Christ, the Body of Christ on earth, continues to pray his prayer to the end of time. This prayer belongs, not to the individual member, but to the whole Body of Christ. Only in the whole Christ does the whole Psalter become a reality, a whole which the individual can never fully comprehend and call his own. That is why the prayer of the psalms belongs in a peculiar way to the fellowship. Even if a verse or a psalm is not one's own prayer, it is nevertheless the prayer of another member of the fellowship; so it is quite certainly the prayer of the true Man Jesus Christ and his Body on earth.
    In the Psalter we learn to pray on the basis of Christ's prayer. The Psalter is the great school of prayer.
   Here we learn, first, what prayer means. It means praying according to the Word of God, on the basis of promises. Christian prayer takes its stand on the solid ground of the revealed Word and has nothing to do with vague, self-seeking vagaries. We pray on the basis of the prayer of the true Man Jesus Christ. This is what the Scripture means when it says that the Holy Spirit prays in us and for us, that Christ prays for us, that we can pray aright to God only in the name of Jesus Christ."

(Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community. New York: HarperOne. 1954. 46-47.)

Drifting Off Course Into Impersonalization

Pilgrim's Progress: Christian Recovering His Lost Roll (i.e. the Scriptures)

    Christian churches throughout the centuries have always seriously struggled to remain faithful to Christ's "new" commandment (Jn 13:34-35). Accordingly, within a church even good things, like the defense of orthodox thinking, can become inordinately situated in the place of love, a greater thing (Rev 2:1-7; 1 Cor 13:13). This is where Eugene Peterson, who I've quoted below at length, offers us some very insightful wisdom. The context: he's addressing threads of thought regarding love woven into the biblical book of 1 John.

   “A primary task of the community of Jesus is to maintain this lifelong cultivation of love in all the messiness of its families, neighborhoods, congregations, and missions. Love is intricate, demanding, glorious, deeply human, and God-honoring, but — and here’s the thing — never a finished product, never an accomplishment, always flawed in some degree or other. So why define our identity in terms that can never be satisfied? There are so many easier ways to give meaning and significance to our human condition: giving assent to a creed or keeping a prescribed moral code are the most common in congregations.
     Belief and behavior are essential, but as the defining mark of the Christian they lack one thing — relationship. They are both prone to abstractions or programs. Abstractions (learning right belief) are good; programs (learning right behavior) are good; but it is also possible to master the abstractions and carry out the programs impersonally. In fact, it is far easier if it is done impersonally.
     Teaching people to think rightly and accurately is largely a cognitive process. We learn the right words and acquire the appropriate images for thinking about, imagining, and responding to God in Christ. All this is important. Still, it is possible, and not only possible but common, to think rightly and live badly, live impersonally. Knowledge does not turn into acts of love automatically.
     Training people to behave morally is largely a programmatic process. We are trained in right responses, in keeping assigned rules, in respecting boundaries, in avoiding danger and fulfilling goals. But again, it is possible, and not only possible but common, to behave impeccably but live badly, live selfishly.
     We have an abundance of educational courses for teaching right thinking about God in the community — Bible studies, catechetical curricula, Sunday School classes. And we have many imaginative programs for training in behaviors that are obedient to the scriptural commands to help and heal, form missions, and evangelize the world. But whoever heard of a class on love? And whoever heard of a love program? And the reason is that love cannot be reduced to what can be taught in a classroom or what can be formulated in a program.
     The attractiveness of a class is that it simplifies by excluding everything but the subject involved. There is nothing wrong with this, as such, and much that is good. We need to get our thinking straight, know who we are and what we are dealing with. The classroom deals primarily with concepts and understanding. But learning to love can’t be reduced to ideas about love.
    The attractiveness of a program is that it simplifies by depersonalizing: get everyone doing the same thing for the same goal. There is nothing wrong with this, as such, and much that is good. It can help us to accomplish agreed upon things in the community to the glory of God. But the practice of love is nothing if not personal. You can’t simplify it into a function.
     What is dangerous is not ideas but the academic mind that abstracts both things and people from particular relationships into concepts. And what is dangerous is not programs but the programmatic mind that routinely sets aside the personal in order to more efficiently achieve an impersonal cause. These are not only dangerous but sacrilegious, for it is precisely relational particularities and personal intimacies that are at the center of our God-given, Holy Spirit– formed identities as the beloved who are commanded to love.”

Peterson, Eugene H. Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology (pp. 313-314). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Kindle Edition.

Less Contempt and More Civility Please

"I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House"

"John McCain is not a war hero"

    I’m a person who deeply cares about relationships, so I study every facet of them. Relationships are valuable and fragile, and most of us know that they can be surprisingly fractured, often beyond repair. Relational estrangements abound all around us, ranging from toxic friendships to nasty divorces to political brawls to religious jihads to all-out wars. And, somewhere along the line, all of us, in one way or the other, get caught in the crossfire of such devastating, gut-wrenching experiences.

    Interestingly, some of the most insightful relational experts I’ve read indicate that there is one telltale sign that often signals the beginning of the end of a relationship: contempt. When contempt surfaces amid any disagreement, the intemperate contenders “take the gloves off,” so to speak. And, unless the gloves are put back on soon, all hell usually breaks loose. This is what I see increasingly happening in American politics and culture, both on the left and the right. Vigorous disagreement (a good, healthy thing) degenerating into malicious contempt (something ominous and dangerous).

    So I entreat you, as a fellow-American, whether you claim to be part of some declared moral majority on the left, or some declared moral majority on the right (or somewhere in between), keep your contempt to yourself. And if you haven’t kept your contempt to yourself, put the gloves back on before our country implodes.

Rethinking Life After Death & Eternal Life

John 5:24
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

What does it mean to have "eternal life" (something commonly misunderstood in American Christianity)?

 

Ministry and Dependence

 

"God can achieve His purpose either through the absence of human power and resources, or abandonment of reliance on them. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on Him made possible the unique display of His power and grace. He chose and used somebodies only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources." (Oswald Chambers)

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:26-31).

More Denial or More Wisdom?

 "To drive well, you have to keep your eyes skinned to notice exactly what it is in front of you. To live wisely, you have to be clear-sighted and realistic–ruthlessly so–in looking at life as it is. Wisdom will not go with comforting illusions, false sentiment, or the use of rose-coloured spectacles. Most of us live in a dream world, with our heads in the clouds and our feet off the ground; we never see the world, and our lives in it, as they really are. This deep-seated, sin-bred unrealism is one reason why there is so little wisdom among us–even the soundest and most orthodox of us. It takes more than sound doctrine to cure us of unrealism. There is, however, one book in Scripture that is expressly designed to turn us into realist: and that is the book of Ecclesiastes." (J.I. Packer, Knowing God: God's Wisdom and Ours, pg. 93)

Origin of the Term "Gospel" (i.e. Good News)

"To proclaim the good news of Israel's success in battle was to proclaim God's triumph over God's enemies. Believing credit for the victory belonged to God, the Israelites' proclamation of the good news of victory was, in fact, proclamation about God" (Holman Bible Dictionary).

"The epicenter of the Book of God—the Gospels—is nothing less than a victory narrative. Gospels were a common literary form in the ancient Near East. Whenever a great king won a major victory, he commissioned the writing of a gospel—a vivid retelling of the good news of the vanquished enemy and the victorious king. This glorious good news was told again and again, often from multiple points of views, to exalt the king and encourage his people [hence, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John]" (Robert W. Kellemen).

Another Link: The Gospel of the Kingdom

The Problem of Happiness, Part 5

   In my last post, I utilized the book of John, chapter 17, to demonstrate that Jesus perceived the cosmos as having two, overlapping, co-existing realms: a heavenly, invisible realm and an earthly, visible one. Moreover, I also proposed that maintaining a firm, fixed conviction of this two-realm view of the cosmos is vital, as many people (even professing Christians) live like the cosmos has been reduced to what they can perceive with their five bodily senses. Furthermore, I indicated that this is precisely where many of us lose our spiritual way. In reality, our "faith" is rooted in our own, uninformed, spiritual blurriness (even if we highly respect the Bible), and our happiness-hungry hearts and minds are myopic, primarily focusing on earthly realities and priorities. Consequently, we desperately need a life-map to happiness from a Source of wisdom higher than ourselves.
   Accordingly, how would such a spiritually disoriented person begin wisely pursuing God's will in his or her endless search for lasting happiness? Well, such a new beginning would first involve clearly understanding some basic truths that God has revealed in the Bible. The Bible, God's inspired revelation of His will (2 Tim 3:16), indicates that such a pursuit begins with faith (Heb 11:6), and that true faith must be rooted in what God has revealed, via His Son, in His written Word (Jn 1:1, 14; 5:24; Rom 10:17). Moreover, true faith is not a subjective leap in the dark; instead, it is an objective leap in the light (2 Pet 1:19, 20-21; Ps 119:105). Furthermore, true faith apprehends that the cosmos is comprised of two, overlapping, co-existing realms: a heavenly, invisible realm and an earthly, visible one (Heb 11:1-3). Finally, true faith is evidenced by the opening of a spiritual eye that has been born from above of God's Spirit (Jn 3:3, 5-8), an eye-opening experience that radically shifts one's spiritual perspective (2 Cor 4:18). This is what is initially involved with being numbered among God's blessed, covenant people (Jn 17:6, 7-8). 
    Further, having such an opened eye of faith will also continue to radically alter a person's worldview and priorities (2 Cor 5:7). The Scriptures teach that true faith will persevere, perpetually resting in and on God's heavenly, enthroned Son (Jn 14:6; 15:2, 4-5, 6; Col 3:1-4; Phil 2:9-11). Moreover, such a vigorous faith will also be authenticated by a humble, contrite heart that wisely repents, a heart ever bent on submitting to God's revealed will (Isa 66:2; Heb 12:1-2; Jn 3:36; Mt 6:10).

   In conclusion, it is in this spiritual soil, so to speak, that true faith thrives. And, true faith, born of God's Spirit and born from above, is marked by: a happiness-hungry heart and mind that is primarily bent toward vertical, heavenly priorities (Mt 6:19-20); an open eye of faith that is illumined and healthy (Mt 6:22-23); and a sober, spiritual perspective that acknowledges the impossibility of simultaneously pursuing two primary life-treasures (Mt 6:21, 24). And, this is how a true believer, by faith, begins realizing a divine, heavenly joy that is but a foretaste of ultimate human blessedness and bliss (Jn 17:13; 1 Pet 1:8-9).

Note: This post is the last in a series of posts entitled, "The Problem of Happiness." On Sunday evenings, as part of the ministry of Park Woods Presbyterian Church, I'm currently leading a Bible-study/Fellowship on this topic. These weekly Bible studies are an even deeper look at The Problem of Happiness, so if you are interested in a fuller treatment of this subject, access the more elaborate study notes here: "Problem of Happiness" study notes. 

The Problem of Happiness, Part 4

    In my last post, I explored the dynamics of our perpetual quests for lasting happiness. Accordingly, I wrote about the discouragements we all face in the happiness-seeking cycles of our lives, and I also expressed how elusive happiness can be to both find and maintain. Finally, I wrote that all these frustrating happiness-seeking cycles can eventually lead us into a disappointing darkness; yet, ironically, such an unpleasant destination might just cause us to shift our happiness-hungry hearts and minds toward vertical, heavenly realities.
   In the book of John, chapter 17, Jesus' high priestly prayer to His Heavenly Father repeatedly infers that Jesus perceives the cosmos as having two, overlapping, co-existing realms: a heavenly, invisible realm and an earthly, visible one (e.g. Jn 17:7-8 cf. Gen 1:1; Col 1:15-16). In fact, within this prayer, Jesus discloses that He has been sent to earth on a heavenly mission that is ultimately aimed at reconciling and reuniting these two alienated realms (Jn 17:4 cf. Mt 28:18; Col 1:20; Eph 1:10; Rev 21:1-2).
   Accordingly, maintaining a firm, fixed conviction of this two-realm view of the cosmos is vital, as many people (even professing Christians) live as though there is but one earthly, visible realm; multitudes of people live as though the only world that truly exists is the one they can perceive with their five bodily senses. However, per the Scriptures, this is what the "fool" (in contrast to the wise) says in his heart (Ps 14:1), even if he's not a card-carrying atheist.
   And, unfortunately, this is precisely where many of us lose our spiritual way. In reality, our "faith" is rooted in our own, uninformed, spiritual blurriness (even if we highly respect the Bible), and our happiness-hungry hearts and minds are myopic, primarily focusing on earthly realities and priorities. So, whether we are blind (unbelieving) or nearsighted (believing), per the Scriptures, we would do well to re-consider our worldviews and re-align our priorities (Jn 5:39-40).
   In addition, if we only perceive the world corporeally, via our five senses, in reality, we are also maintaining a worldview that is perilously inadequate and incomplete (cf. Rom 1:18, 19-20; 1 Tim 1:17; Heb 11:27). And, perhaps most tragically, we are snubbing cosmic truths that are connected to a divine joy that we all desperately need, a heavenly joy that is indispensably connected to ultimate human blessedness and bliss (Jn 17:13).

Note: This post is one in a series of posts entitled, "The Problem of Happiness." Sometime soon I'll post another installment, so be sure to come back and finish reading the series. On Sunday evenings, as part of the ministry of Park Woods Presbyterian Church, I'm currently leading a Bible-study/Fellowship on this topic. These weekly Bible studies are an even deeper look at The Problem of Happiness, so if you are interested in a fuller treatment of this subject, access the more elaborate study notes here: comprehensive "Problem of Happiness" study notes.