This is an excellent blog post - it summarizes every truth eloquently.
Do you believe in Christ? Or do you “live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20)? The two do not necessarily mean the same thing, though if you are in fact doing the latter you are also thereby doing the former. (more)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Faith ALONE?
I've been thinking about this alot lately - this supposed "divide" about whether our salvation rests on faith ALONE, or faith and something else. Personally, I think it's a false argument for the majority of Christians, who realize that faith is active. The implications, for those that take things to extremes on either side are what bother me. Faith vs. works. Do we simply BELIEVE and that's it?. Or do we simply DO SOMETHING and that's it? Actually, the resounding answer is NO. To both questions. Christ died for us, so that we might live eternally through His sacrifice. That's not something we deserved, not something we even come close to "earning". Having an active faith has nothing to do with wanting to "earn" anything. It's being obedient. This has become clear to me in two examples that have been popping up alot in my mind lately. First is this....
When God told Noah that He was going to flood the earth, and that He was going to save Noah and his family, Noah didn't say "I don't need to build an ark, because God is going to save me! I have faith and that's enough!" I feel like so many of today's Christians take this stance. "I have faith! Jesus saved me, so that's it! End of story! Anything I do is a 'work' and we don't earn our way to heaven." I have spoken to some who take this so far as to say that BAPTISM isn't necessary for salvation, that the Eucharist isn't necessary for salvation, because it constitutes a "work", and if we have to do ANYTHING, then we're trying to earn our way to heaven. Ridiculous. Utter nonsense. Jesus was extremely clear about the role of both, and it's necessity to enter to the kingdom (John 3:5, John 6:53). Because Noah had faith, he was OBEDIENT to what God told him to do. And God told him how to build an ark to save him and his family. God told him to act, in order to receive the salvation that He was offering. Very specifically. Here's the size of the boat, here's what it needs to look like, and here's what you're going to do with it. God, the author of creation, knows that we are of flesh and blood. He does not act merely spiritually in our lives. He has given us concrete tools to receive His grace - God the author of our senses, has used His creation in order for us to see, and feel, and TOUCH a way to receive His grace in our lives. Through water, bread, and wine. Not figuratively. REALLY. Concretely. Because He knows that WE are concrete, and need Him concretely. He has told us that faith is necessary for salvation, and He has given us more than one means to His grace in order to increase that faith. When we respond to that call, we are merely accepting the help and grace He offers us, and are by no means, in no way, trying to "earn" our way to heaven. I have heard it said that those partaking of daily communion are merely working their way to Heaven. Jesus is truly offering Himself to those that wish it, to live INSIDE, to strengthen the faith of those receiving the eucharist. Why would we NOT take Him up on that offer? Jesus is offering Himself to us, and we say "No thanks, as long as I pray, I don't need it?" By what arrogance would we EVER refuse the help and grace that Christ offers us in our faith journey? Why would we EVER want to do only "enough to get by"???
In my mind, then, I've always seen "sola fide" as incomplete, and felt like what TRULY should be our dogma was "faith and obedience". After all, the demons "believe" in the Lordship of Christ. I was reminded this morning that demons not only recognize and "believe" in Christ, they OBEY Him as well. When Christ demanded something of the demons, they cowered in fear and obeyed (Matthew 8:16, 31). Even the mention of Christ's name sends the evil ones scurrying away. So maybe faith and obedience aren't the full picture. What is, then? Faith ALONE is not enough, and obedience alone (following the law for the law's sake) is not enough. There goes the entire faith vs. works argument. It's kaput. It is a false divide. So then, what remains? What is the fufillment of the law (Luke 10:27)? What did the demons lack? What does Jesus call us to do? On what will be judged someday? What IS GOD? LOVE. God sees the content of our heart, instills in us His essence, which is LOVE. It's the key to everything. And too often, in our theological disputes and desire to be "right", we forget the most important thing of all. LOVE.
1 Corinthians tells us "faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is LOVE."
When God told Noah that He was going to flood the earth, and that He was going to save Noah and his family, Noah didn't say "I don't need to build an ark, because God is going to save me! I have faith and that's enough!" I feel like so many of today's Christians take this stance. "I have faith! Jesus saved me, so that's it! End of story! Anything I do is a 'work' and we don't earn our way to heaven." I have spoken to some who take this so far as to say that BAPTISM isn't necessary for salvation, that the Eucharist isn't necessary for salvation, because it constitutes a "work", and if we have to do ANYTHING, then we're trying to earn our way to heaven. Ridiculous. Utter nonsense. Jesus was extremely clear about the role of both, and it's necessity to enter to the kingdom (John 3:5, John 6:53). Because Noah had faith, he was OBEDIENT to what God told him to do. And God told him how to build an ark to save him and his family. God told him to act, in order to receive the salvation that He was offering. Very specifically. Here's the size of the boat, here's what it needs to look like, and here's what you're going to do with it. God, the author of creation, knows that we are of flesh and blood. He does not act merely spiritually in our lives. He has given us concrete tools to receive His grace - God the author of our senses, has used His creation in order for us to see, and feel, and TOUCH a way to receive His grace in our lives. Through water, bread, and wine. Not figuratively. REALLY. Concretely. Because He knows that WE are concrete, and need Him concretely. He has told us that faith is necessary for salvation, and He has given us more than one means to His grace in order to increase that faith. When we respond to that call, we are merely accepting the help and grace He offers us, and are by no means, in no way, trying to "earn" our way to heaven. I have heard it said that those partaking of daily communion are merely working their way to Heaven. Jesus is truly offering Himself to those that wish it, to live INSIDE, to strengthen the faith of those receiving the eucharist. Why would we NOT take Him up on that offer? Jesus is offering Himself to us, and we say "No thanks, as long as I pray, I don't need it?" By what arrogance would we EVER refuse the help and grace that Christ offers us in our faith journey? Why would we EVER want to do only "enough to get by"???
In my mind, then, I've always seen "sola fide" as incomplete, and felt like what TRULY should be our dogma was "faith and obedience". After all, the demons "believe" in the Lordship of Christ. I was reminded this morning that demons not only recognize and "believe" in Christ, they OBEY Him as well. When Christ demanded something of the demons, they cowered in fear and obeyed (Matthew 8:16, 31). Even the mention of Christ's name sends the evil ones scurrying away. So maybe faith and obedience aren't the full picture. What is, then? Faith ALONE is not enough, and obedience alone (following the law for the law's sake) is not enough. There goes the entire faith vs. works argument. It's kaput. It is a false divide. So then, what remains? What is the fufillment of the law (Luke 10:27)? What did the demons lack? What does Jesus call us to do? On what will be judged someday? What IS GOD? LOVE. God sees the content of our heart, instills in us His essence, which is LOVE. It's the key to everything. And too often, in our theological disputes and desire to be "right", we forget the most important thing of all. LOVE.
1 Corinthians tells us "faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is LOVE."
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Just what I needed to hear....
This blog was literally an answer to a prayer I made yesterday.
http://wordincarnate.wordpress.com/2011/02/05/useful-servants/
http://wordincarnate.wordpress.com/2011/02/05/useful-servants/
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Out of the Mouths of Babes
Quinn was introspective on the way home from Cub Scouts last night. I have no idea where the following thoughts came from. They certainly seemed to spring from nowhere. But this was what he asked me from the back seat.....
Quinn: "Mom, why did Jesus say 'God, take this cup from me?"
I was really taken aback by this question. Number one, that he REMEMBERED that line from the Passion drama. He said he remembered it from the cartoon about Easter I had them watch. LAST YEAR. Just taken aback by that. And that it would stick in his head. And come out again, a year later, on the way home from cub scouts. Randomly. And that THIS single line had so much significance on so many levels. And that he was understanding my response.
Mom: "Well, what was going to happen right after that?"
Quinn: "He was going to die on the cross." Yup.
Mom: "Do you think that might've been scary?"
Quinn: "Yeah. But He didn't HAVE to do it. He could've stopped it."
Mom: "Yes. He didn't have to. But He did, because He loves us. Even though He was scared about it."
Quinn: "Why did he say a cup?"
Mom: "Well, what do we do during Communion each week? What do we drink out of the cup?"
Colby: "It's Jesus' blood! The bread is His body!" Yup.
Mom: "He was about to shed His blood for us. The blood that the wine turns into every Sunday. That we drink from the cup. So He can live inside us -- really, not just pretend".
Quinn: "Mom, do we earn our way to heaven?" Again... WHOA. Where is he getting this stuff?? Rob and I have been talking about this a whole lot, and maybe he overheard us, but usually we talk about it after the kids have gone to bed at night.
Mom: "Nope, Quinn. We don't. We can't. Our job is to have faith, to believe, in Jesus. And to love God with all our hearts. And love other people as ourselves."
Colby: "And Jesus!"
Mom: "Yup, and Jesus. Someday, God will show us how we lived our lives, and ask us if we loved Him and each other like He told us to."
Quinn: "Well, how can He tell us? He's in HEAVEN!"
Colby: "We have to use our imaginations, Quinn."
Mom: "Well, He tells us in the Bible. And when we pray, and we listen very carefully, sometimes He speaks to us. I think that's what you mean by imagination, Colby."
Quinn: "Mom, do we have birthdays in heaven?"
Mom: "Well, there's no time in heaven, so I don't know. But maybe the day we die here on earth is the day we celebrate our new birth in Heaven. Actually... no. The day we were BAPTISED is the day we enter into God's family, so that would be the day that would be our 'spiritual' birth in Heaven."
Quinn: "So, when was my baptism?"
Mom: "You and Colby were baptised on July 14th, when you were 5 days old. While you were in the intensive care unit at the hospital. And Reagan was baptised on March 25th, when she was 3 months old."
Quinn: "When was your baptism day?"
Mom: "I don't really know. I don't remember."
Quinn: "You'll have to ask Grandma Betty." Yes, I will.
Quinn: "Mom, how old is the oldest person?"
Mom: "About 120 years or so, I guess."
Quinn: "I don't think I'm going to live to be old."
Mom: "Why do you say that?"
Quinn: "Well, remember how I have an angel in my heart? Making it bigger?" OK.... This was in reference to something he said when he was FOUR... fully two years ago... that we haven't talked about SINCE. I blogged about it here. This was really starting to weird me out.
Mom: "No, Quinn, your heart is just fine. You are healthy. An angel helps you get stronger, helps you heal."
Then he was quiet the rest of the way home, leaving his mother to think and ponder about what just came out of the mouth of her six year old son.
Quinn: "Mom, why did Jesus say 'God, take this cup from me?"
I was really taken aback by this question. Number one, that he REMEMBERED that line from the Passion drama. He said he remembered it from the cartoon about Easter I had them watch. LAST YEAR. Just taken aback by that. And that it would stick in his head. And come out again, a year later, on the way home from cub scouts. Randomly. And that THIS single line had so much significance on so many levels. And that he was understanding my response.
Mom: "Well, what was going to happen right after that?"
Quinn: "He was going to die on the cross." Yup.
Mom: "Do you think that might've been scary?"
Quinn: "Yeah. But He didn't HAVE to do it. He could've stopped it."
Mom: "Yes. He didn't have to. But He did, because He loves us. Even though He was scared about it."
Quinn: "Why did he say a cup?"
Mom: "Well, what do we do during Communion each week? What do we drink out of the cup?"
Colby: "It's Jesus' blood! The bread is His body!" Yup.
Mom: "He was about to shed His blood for us. The blood that the wine turns into every Sunday. That we drink from the cup. So He can live inside us -- really, not just pretend".
Quinn: "Mom, do we earn our way to heaven?" Again... WHOA. Where is he getting this stuff?? Rob and I have been talking about this a whole lot, and maybe he overheard us, but usually we talk about it after the kids have gone to bed at night.
Mom: "Nope, Quinn. We don't. We can't. Our job is to have faith, to believe, in Jesus. And to love God with all our hearts. And love other people as ourselves."
Colby: "And Jesus!"
Mom: "Yup, and Jesus. Someday, God will show us how we lived our lives, and ask us if we loved Him and each other like He told us to."
Quinn: "Well, how can He tell us? He's in HEAVEN!"
Colby: "We have to use our imaginations, Quinn."
Mom: "Well, He tells us in the Bible. And when we pray, and we listen very carefully, sometimes He speaks to us. I think that's what you mean by imagination, Colby."
Quinn: "Mom, do we have birthdays in heaven?"
Mom: "Well, there's no time in heaven, so I don't know. But maybe the day we die here on earth is the day we celebrate our new birth in Heaven. Actually... no. The day we were BAPTISED is the day we enter into God's family, so that would be the day that would be our 'spiritual' birth in Heaven."
Quinn: "So, when was my baptism?"
Mom: "You and Colby were baptised on July 14th, when you were 5 days old. While you were in the intensive care unit at the hospital. And Reagan was baptised on March 25th, when she was 3 months old."
Quinn: "When was your baptism day?"
Mom: "I don't really know. I don't remember."
Quinn: "You'll have to ask Grandma Betty." Yes, I will.
Quinn: "Mom, how old is the oldest person?"
Mom: "About 120 years or so, I guess."
Quinn: "I don't think I'm going to live to be old."
Mom: "Why do you say that?"
Quinn: "Well, remember how I have an angel in my heart? Making it bigger?" OK.... This was in reference to something he said when he was FOUR... fully two years ago... that we haven't talked about SINCE. I blogged about it here. This was really starting to weird me out.
Mom: "No, Quinn, your heart is just fine. You are healthy. An angel helps you get stronger, helps you heal."
Then he was quiet the rest of the way home, leaving his mother to think and ponder about what just came out of the mouth of her six year old son.
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