Typically, it is not my intent to use this blog for subjects that are more of a "personal" tone as opposed to theological, biblical, or ministerial subjects. In this case, however, the lines have overlapped.
In three days my wife and I will be celebrating five years of marriage. In those five years we have had some great times together and some very, very difficult times as well. So, what keeps it all together?
Well, contrary to what I heard someone say marriage was defined by in the last six months or so (that marriage is merely a covenant NOT based on love because love is a fleeting emotion, as I understood them to say), it IS love. I, however, am not talking about the kind of "love" that is fleeting because that is not truly love; infatuation, obsession, "the warm fuzzies," whatever you call it, if it's fleeting, IT'S NOT LOVE!!!! In biblical terms, yes, marriage is based on a covenant between two people. But that covenant is not merely a formal, legal covenant; if it were, that would legitimize the mindset that is already prevalent in our culture and our churches: "If it doesn't work out, we'll just dissolve it and move on." Such a mind set is couched in legal, rather than, truly, covenantal terms. A true covenant is a commitment to love (the Old Testament provides a consistent picture that covenants are based on love as God's covenant with his people is based on love; see the following: Deut. 7:9, 12; 1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chron. 6:14; Neh. 1:5; Daniel 9:4).
Again, biblically defined, love is setting aside one's own interest and elevating the greatest need (not want) of the person which you are loving (NOTE: in referencing "greatest need" I am not talking about "love languages" or purely "emotional needs" as the greatest need). I am talking about having to make hard decisions, particularly as a husband, that can cause great pain in the lives of family members and are, at the same time, what is absolutely best for the present and future. I am talking about agape in the daily life of our marriages. To see what "agape" looks like in attitude and action, see I Corinthians 13 or ponder the what Ephesians 5:25 and following says regarding Husbands loving their wives as "Christ loved the church." If we fail in any respect to love our wives as Christ loved the church, we are taking for granted the Gospel and the blessing God has given us in our wives (prov. 18:22).
I must admit that I cannot claim to have, in any manner, lived up to all that I am proposing above nor that I have even gotten close. I have spent many days being rife with guilt over the realization that I am woefully self-centered. Nonetheless, I must aim for what I know to be true, as we all should, for God's glory and the love of our wives and sons and daughters.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Biblical counseling with a big "B" or a little "b" part 2: the world's wisdom or God's truth?
A couple of weeks ago I recounted a conversation that included the following ideas: counseling can/should be conducted with a little bit of the Bible as opposed to a lot; and, that man's opinions are somehow the same as a pastor, teacher, counselor in a local church rendering a particular interpretation of Scripture.
To start, if we claim to be Christ followers and are submitting our lives under the authority of (a) Jesus Christ and (b) His Word (the Bible, both Old and New Testaments), does that not require us to give our full allegiance to Jesus Christ? Jesus, when referring to money, makes it clear that man cannot serve two masters. Is this not also true when referring to a world view or perspective on life? To say that one can be a believer and then teach others with a Bible + something else theology is to be disloyal, disobedient, and, in some cases, heretical. Either you are submitted to Jesus and His Word or you are not. This is an indictment against us all at some point or another I am sure as we constantly work to filter those teachings which are of this world and those which are sound and in accordance with God's Word.
Secondly, man's opinions are irrelevant to biblical teaching or counseling, if one is truly counseling and teaching biblically. If one is counseling, teaching or preaching biblically the following can/should be expected: he/she is submitted, fully, to Christ and His Word; he/she seeks to discern what the Bible says through an intensive study of the original languages (Greek/Hebrew); he/she prays seeking God's instruction through the Holy Spirit to rightly discern what God's Word says; he/she measures God's Word against God's Word to see how other verses or passages address the question/issue/teaching at hand; he/she tests their understanding against other believers who exhibit a responsible handling of God's Word; he/she may consider the writings of others specific to the issue/verse/passage at hand to further consider the plausibility or implausibility of their conclusions; he/she subjects their conclusions to the question of whether that conclusion glorifies God and is true to the whole counsel of Scripture. The point, then, is to avoid merely giving one's own opinion and to understand and expound upon what God's Word truly says and what it means for our lives today.
Man's opinion, after all, is what put humanity in the position to need a Savior (see Genesis 3 and the fall of man, "Did God really say...?"). Therefore, we need to seek God's truth and avoid worldly, human wisdom at all costs (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16).
To start, if we claim to be Christ followers and are submitting our lives under the authority of (a) Jesus Christ and (b) His Word (the Bible, both Old and New Testaments), does that not require us to give our full allegiance to Jesus Christ? Jesus, when referring to money, makes it clear that man cannot serve two masters. Is this not also true when referring to a world view or perspective on life? To say that one can be a believer and then teach others with a Bible + something else theology is to be disloyal, disobedient, and, in some cases, heretical. Either you are submitted to Jesus and His Word or you are not. This is an indictment against us all at some point or another I am sure as we constantly work to filter those teachings which are of this world and those which are sound and in accordance with God's Word.
Secondly, man's opinions are irrelevant to biblical teaching or counseling, if one is truly counseling and teaching biblically. If one is counseling, teaching or preaching biblically the following can/should be expected: he/she is submitted, fully, to Christ and His Word; he/she seeks to discern what the Bible says through an intensive study of the original languages (Greek/Hebrew); he/she prays seeking God's instruction through the Holy Spirit to rightly discern what God's Word says; he/she measures God's Word against God's Word to see how other verses or passages address the question/issue/teaching at hand; he/she tests their understanding against other believers who exhibit a responsible handling of God's Word; he/she may consider the writings of others specific to the issue/verse/passage at hand to further consider the plausibility or implausibility of their conclusions; he/she subjects their conclusions to the question of whether that conclusion glorifies God and is true to the whole counsel of Scripture. The point, then, is to avoid merely giving one's own opinion and to understand and expound upon what God's Word truly says and what it means for our lives today.
Man's opinion, after all, is what put humanity in the position to need a Savior (see Genesis 3 and the fall of man, "Did God really say...?"). Therefore, we need to seek God's truth and avoid worldly, human wisdom at all costs (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16).
Read the instructions.
Moments ago I was discussing a blog post with a close friend and my thoughts on some of the responses. My friend made use of an illustration that could not be more true regarding many who claim to be Christians, my self included.
The illustration went like this: Men, when they get something new out of the box, they often fail to read the instructions; many Christians are no different.
This could be further expounded upon in the sense that when we fail to read the instructions we end up having to back track, taking apart what we started to the point that we initially "messed up." Then, resuming our attempt at assembling whatever it is that necessitates our attention.
This illustration is oh so telling of our dealings with the Christian life. We claim to follow Christ because, maybe Jesus or a particular verse in the Bible makes us feel better or addresses some immediate need of our life. Then, we put Jesus and His Word back on the shelf when we are no longer in need only to return when we sinfully mis-assemble our life or the lives of others.
The moral of the story: consistently read the instructions (the Bible) and we will be less likely to continue having to fix this and fix that. After all, life promises us plenty of suffering and difficulty without us adding on top of it all by "shooting ourselves in the foot."
Then again, I have to wonder, if the living of our lives as Christ followers is to be for God's glory, not our own, and in service of our Lord Jesus and other people, is the moral of the story really the point? If our aim was/is to glorify God, then our relationship with him and with other people would be less fraught with sin and the need to "fix it" all the time. If our aim is simply not having to fix our lives and ridding our selves of the consequences, that seems, still, less than what God desires and, still, centered on ourselves rather than God and others.
The illustration went like this: Men, when they get something new out of the box, they often fail to read the instructions; many Christians are no different.
This could be further expounded upon in the sense that when we fail to read the instructions we end up having to back track, taking apart what we started to the point that we initially "messed up." Then, resuming our attempt at assembling whatever it is that necessitates our attention.
This illustration is oh so telling of our dealings with the Christian life. We claim to follow Christ because, maybe Jesus or a particular verse in the Bible makes us feel better or addresses some immediate need of our life. Then, we put Jesus and His Word back on the shelf when we are no longer in need only to return when we sinfully mis-assemble our life or the lives of others.
The moral of the story: consistently read the instructions (the Bible) and we will be less likely to continue having to fix this and fix that. After all, life promises us plenty of suffering and difficulty without us adding on top of it all by "shooting ourselves in the foot."
Then again, I have to wonder, if the living of our lives as Christ followers is to be for God's glory, not our own, and in service of our Lord Jesus and other people, is the moral of the story really the point? If our aim was/is to glorify God, then our relationship with him and with other people would be less fraught with sin and the need to "fix it" all the time. If our aim is simply not having to fix our lives and ridding our selves of the consequences, that seems, still, less than what God desires and, still, centered on ourselves rather than God and others.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The Ugly Cross
Yesterday I made an interesting discovery. While searching the web for "ugly" crosses of the wooden, handmade sort, I stumbled upon a blog posted by a professor from Abilene Christian, Dr. Richard Beck. Dr. Beck has been posting a series of blogs concerning the "Theology of Ugly." Part four of his series is entitled, "The Ugly Cross." This immediately caught my attention which quickly turned to intrigue as I read his post, examining the paintings he included, and the questions that followed.
Why was I so intrigued? Becuase in most cases, our current church culture/society and culture/society at large has "prettied" up or "sanitized" the cross. It has become a faddish emblem of sorts such that I have seen numerous articles of womens clothing (t-shirts and tanks) with rhinestone crosses on the front, noticed its popularity as a home decor piece in various designs, shapes and sizes, and the various designs of gold or sterling silver crosses as jewelry. If I am observing correctly, in many of these cases, not all, the cross has become just another thing to wear or exhibit with little thought given to its significance.
I must admit that in responding to my initial reading and thinking about Dr. Beck's post, I found myself chiding those who quickly embrace the beauty of the cross without embracing, recognizing or understanding the "ugly" of the cross. After thinking further, I found myself appreciating all the more the beauty of the cross. What I further realized, though, is that in order for us to fully appreciate the beauty of the cross we must first appreciate the fullness of the "ugly" involved. "Whatever do you mean?" you might ask. Well I am glad you asked. The ugly of the cross is the curse that it represents, an indictment, a conviction, a sentence of death. The ugly of the cross exhibits shame and mockery of the crucified as he hangs upon the cross in nakedness, subject to scorn and ridicule. But, alas, the beauty that only Christ alone can bring about. Jesus Christ, as the resurrected, risen Son of God took all that is ugly about the cross and he turned it on its head and he scorned it. By the power of His Father he was resurrected, risen from the grave overcoming the death, scorn, shame, judgment and forsakeness that was cast upon him as a result of our sin. In this there is the greatest beauty! For what was death became life and it is that resurrection life that is offered to those who recognize their death sentence as imminent because of their sin, yet, inherit eternal life as a co-heir with the Son of God by unmerited grace, through faith in Him.
Oh!! What beauty that Christ, a spotless lamb was beaten, shamed, scorned, and slaughtered for all to see yet he scorned it all, rolled away the stone and left an empty, yes, empty tomb!! This left us with a promise for life that should we embrace faith in Christ we will one day rise at the trumpet blast and the calling forth of our Lord and live with him in the New Jerusalem.
Please visit Dr. Beck's post for a provocative consideration of the cross: http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2008/04/ugly-part-4-ugly-cross.html.
Brian
Why was I so intrigued? Becuase in most cases, our current church culture/society and culture/society at large has "prettied" up or "sanitized" the cross. It has become a faddish emblem of sorts such that I have seen numerous articles of womens clothing (t-shirts and tanks) with rhinestone crosses on the front, noticed its popularity as a home decor piece in various designs, shapes and sizes, and the various designs of gold or sterling silver crosses as jewelry. If I am observing correctly, in many of these cases, not all, the cross has become just another thing to wear or exhibit with little thought given to its significance.
I must admit that in responding to my initial reading and thinking about Dr. Beck's post, I found myself chiding those who quickly embrace the beauty of the cross without embracing, recognizing or understanding the "ugly" of the cross. After thinking further, I found myself appreciating all the more the beauty of the cross. What I further realized, though, is that in order for us to fully appreciate the beauty of the cross we must first appreciate the fullness of the "ugly" involved. "Whatever do you mean?" you might ask. Well I am glad you asked. The ugly of the cross is the curse that it represents, an indictment, a conviction, a sentence of death. The ugly of the cross exhibits shame and mockery of the crucified as he hangs upon the cross in nakedness, subject to scorn and ridicule. But, alas, the beauty that only Christ alone can bring about. Jesus Christ, as the resurrected, risen Son of God took all that is ugly about the cross and he turned it on its head and he scorned it. By the power of His Father he was resurrected, risen from the grave overcoming the death, scorn, shame, judgment and forsakeness that was cast upon him as a result of our sin. In this there is the greatest beauty! For what was death became life and it is that resurrection life that is offered to those who recognize their death sentence as imminent because of their sin, yet, inherit eternal life as a co-heir with the Son of God by unmerited grace, through faith in Him.
Oh!! What beauty that Christ, a spotless lamb was beaten, shamed, scorned, and slaughtered for all to see yet he scorned it all, rolled away the stone and left an empty, yes, empty tomb!! This left us with a promise for life that should we embrace faith in Christ we will one day rise at the trumpet blast and the calling forth of our Lord and live with him in the New Jerusalem.
Please visit Dr. Beck's post for a provocative consideration of the cross: http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2008/04/ugly-part-4-ugly-cross.html.
Brian
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
What's on your mind?
In creating this blog, one of my intentions is to address issues in our culture that relate to one's faith or belief. If you visit this blog and have questions about who Jesus is, belief in God, what happens after death, the Bible, or any other issue of culture and faith, please submit them by comment and I or a guest blogger will attempt to answer/address your questions. I say we will attempt to answer/address because I am very aware that my/our knowledge is limited; however, we will do our best to find an answer(s) to your question or comment. Thanks for visiting All 4 His Glory!
Biblical counseling, with a big "B" or a little "b"?
In reflecting upon a conversation that was recounted to me by a close friend, I felt compelled to blog on the issue that was discussed. My friend, who will remain anonymous, had a conversation with a co-worker who is a fellow seminarian. This co-worker, who will also remain anonymous, posited a particular train of thought in regards to counseling. The thought was that counseling can/should be conducted using a little "b" as opposed to a big "B." What does that mean? The point was that counseling should be conducted with a little bit of Bible (thus the little "b") as opposed to a lot of Bible or the Bible alone (thus the big "B"). The co-worker went on to comment that counseling is based more on the offering of one's opinion to someone than any referent of objective (as opposed to subjective) or absolute truth. More on this later but, what happened to Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
More on purpose...
Why blog? Some blog to share the lives of their family with others, some blog for fun, some blog for business, some blog as a creative outlet, you fill in the blank. The purpose of this blog, so I hope, is to serve as a creative outlet for myself and others to share and discuss matters of the Christian faith. It is also for those of you who might find your way to this blog and be of a different faith or claim no faith at all to ask questions about the Christian faith and engage in honest dialogue about who Jesus is, why he lived and died, the Bible and its enduring truth for our lives; there is much more that could be added here, these subjects are merely examples. Whether you believe in Jesus and follow his teachings, you follow another god (notice little "g" for there is only one, true God [big "g"]), or you claim to follow no god at all, the purpose of this blog is to honestly examine our lives and God's Word so that He may be glorified, others may come to a saving knowledge of the truth, and the church (those who believe in Jesus and are part of God's family) may be edified, built up and equipped to serve Him.
Under Construction
Today is Day 1, I am joining the ranks of "bloggers" worldwide. Please forgive the lack of content and the simple layout as I am just getting started. I will continue to update the blog with new content as I am able and hope to develop a more engaging layout by the start of the summer.
Just to satisfy any questions you may have as to the purpose of this blog, though it is a personal blog, it is my intent for this blog to serve a distinct and greater purpose: to glorify God whatever content may be posted.
Just to satisfy any questions you may have as to the purpose of this blog, though it is a personal blog, it is my intent for this blog to serve a distinct and greater purpose: to glorify God whatever content may be posted.
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