Memorial Day reflections

Reflecting on Memorial Day this year has been a bit different. This day was originally called “Decoration Day” instituted by General John Logan of the US Army of the Grand Republic in 1868. The idea was to decorate the graves of Union soldiers in honor of their service. Confederate soldiers were honored state to state on various days, and it wasn’t until after WW I that the whole country focused together.

I had the opportunity to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg about two months ago and with that fresh in my memory, I was struck by the strangeness of the situation. Everywhere you looked there were statues, plaques, or monuments commemorating various aspects and participants in the Battle, both Union and Confederate. It was ironic to read (my paraphrase), for example:

“Here is where so and so’s battalion of the Army of Northern Virginia fired massive amounts of cannon balls upon the Union lines blowing them to smithereens.”

Then you go down the hill and there is a plaque that says,

“Here is where so and so’s battalion of the Grand Army of the Potomac received heavy casualties…”

Doesn’t this seem a little strange to you? Commemorations of both sides of a conflict on the same battlefield? I suppose it has something to do with this being a “War between the States” and so all sides are represented. Still, let’s look at this in another way.

“Here is where we killed them.”

“Here is where we got killed.”

I am at a loss when it comes to the horror of war. I have a combination within me of revulsion and anger mixed with honor, grief, confusion, helplessness and quiet determination.

God have mercy on us all. Lord Jesus, come.

the crusades and the internet

I saw the movie The Kingdom of Heaven the other day and it reminded me of the internet. Here is how I made that connection.

The film depicts one of the Crusades, the second specifically, and it has its interesting moments. Historically, however, it had a bit to be desired. So what does one do? Up until about ten years ago, one would go down to the local library and see if one could find anything on the Crusades. Or perhaps, if you knew a pastor, he/she might have a book on medieval history you could borrow. Options have slightly expanded.

I first went to a film review sight that has a faith theme called “Decent Films Guide.” From there I was linked to an excellent article giving a brief summary of the Crusades. Having studied the Crusades myself and being frequently disappointed by the misinformation and the misunderstanding of the evidence of what actually happened it is refreshing to hear from a Crusade historian. For those who address the connections between Islam and conflicts today, including the meaning of the Crusades, this brief article would be a huge corrective for assumptions made without carefully following the evidence. If only some journalists would take a little time to explore.

You still have to examine your sources when it comes to information you glean from the internet. If you take your time giving a careful read and comparison, it is usually very possible to arrive at some conclusions on what is revisionist and what is straightforward in regards to history.

human embryo

A word on human embryos. What is a human embryo? Is it a thing? No, embryo is a stage of development. It is a term for a stage of development identical to infant, toddler, adolescent and such. A human embryo is a human being at an early stage of his/her life. The word “ontology” is helpful here.

Ontology- the study of existence or being.

Does an embryo exist?

What is a human embryo? A developing human being. A human embryo doesn’t develop into a rabbit or a squirrel. Rabbit embryos are developing rabbits, and squirrel embryos are developing squirrels. A human embryo is a developing human. This distinction is important. Why?

We hear the phrase, “potential human being” used for human embryos, but that is incorrect terminology, ontologically. Embryo is a stage of development, and so a human embryo is ontologically a “human being with potential,” or more specifically a human embryo is a human being at the embryonic stage of development with potential, like a human being at the infancy stage with potential.

what I think

When I am spiritual but not religious, in decision-making I am identical to an atheist. Whatever I think is my guide. Here are my filters.

Follow your heart- What exactly does this mean? Go by my instinct? Go by my feelings? It is very difficult for me to see how you could make a decision of any consequence when you act on something as arbitrary as how I feel. Without principles and values it is like going to a physician because I am feeling miserable and having him/her say, “I sense it might be this. Let’s do surgery on Monday.”

Do what you wish, as long as it doesn’t harm someone else- What is harm? Does this mean it is not good for another? Then what is good? How do you decide this? What if your actions harm you? Is it wrong to hurt yourself on purpose? Without standards I have no idea how you can make a decision on what is harmful.

Do what is legal- What is legal? Based on the law. What do you base the laws on? Principles and values. Who decides the principles and values? Do we ask the lawmakers to follow their heart? Do we ask them to decide based on what doesn’t hurt someone else?

It is an illusion to think we can have any order and meaning in public life without standards and principles as benchmarks. How can we live in community if whatever I think is my guide?

spiritual, but not religious?

“I am very spiritual, I am just not religious.”

What does someone mean when they say this? Ask them. Chances are you will not receive a principled, reasonable answer based on evidence. Chances are you will receive an emotional and experiential response based on feeling.

When someone says they are “spiritual, not religious” it generally means they follow one of these religions.

• 
  All of life and creation is connected somehow and one becomes one with the universe. This is called, “monism.”
  
• They believe in a God or gods, but they don’t wish to explore too deeply. This is called, “theism.”
  
  

What is the common denominator in these viewpoints? Let’s look at some basic questions concerning reality.

What is the meaning of life?
What is my purpose in life?
What is good?
How do I become a good person?

Logically, you need a coherent system of beliefs in order to answer these questions. You have to have benchmarks to compare. Why do you believe what you believe?

Here is where it gets sticky. You can compare and contrast worldviews, but you have to do the work. Monism is simply a worldview. So is theism. If someone says “they aren’t religious they are spiritual” it is arguing, “I have a worldview but it is not like other worldviews.”

Generally, this usually means, “I haven’t really thought this out.” Why wouldn’t someone think this out? Perhaps their greatest religious principle is to not provide any opportunity for someone to be offended by their point of view. But that’s just the challenge, isn’t it? They have a point of view. To say “all is one” is an absolute truth statement. To say “there is a god or are gods but I don’t believe in following any specific religion” is a truth statement. What is your evidence that it is that rather than something else?

Maybe what is really going on is I don’t want to be responsible for how I live my life. If I make any value judgments about myself I will necessarily be calling myself into question. I will live by my feelings and react to how others respond to me.

However, because you have the consciousness to even consider these questions, making choices by instinct is not a viable option. If you don’t want to impose your views on others you cannot live in community because by simply being present with others you will influence them. Human relations and the decision making process don’t occur in a vacuum. Your choices are guaranteed to have some kind of effect on those around you.

You do justice to other human beings by examining the evidence in as thorough a fashion as possible to inform your choices. Your effect on my life can have tremendous impact. By not thinking deeply about the key questions of meaning, purpose, and goodness, I respectfully submit, you do me a disservice.

my genes made me do it?

One of the things that the movie, What the Bleep…, really emphasizes is the evidence against determinism. Determinism would state that free will is an illusion. The most prevalent deterministic viewpoint today is that we humans are “prewired” to think a certain way and act a certain way depending on our genetic, neurological, and physiological makeup. Instead of, “The devil made me do it,” of Flip Wilson days, “My genes/ neurons/ hormones/ etc. made me do it.”

But not so fast. Two things to be said. One obvious. There is a gap between stimulus and response. We can choose not to do what our physiological makeup is signaling us to do. Second, according to brain research, we can actually “rewire” those loops through our thinking. Much of the discussion in the film is about addictions. Breaking the physical patterns supposedly predetermined is possible.

As evidence is gathered on all of this, it might be helpful to remember what another said about it.

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

what the #$*! do I know?

I watched “What the Bleep Do We Know?” last night. It is a movie with some amazing graphics having to do with quantum physics and brain research. Now, you have to realize it was actually entertaining, following a storyline with actress Marlee Matlin, as she has an “Alice in Wonderland” kind of adventure interspersed with commentary from various scientists in quantum physics and neurology, with a mystic thrown in.

I know enough about quantum physics and neurology to say when you stuck to the sciences they followed the evidence and made a case. The challenge was when philosophy and mysticism were added ingredients. Pretty much standard Hinduism in a quantum package. For a good analysis go to the Reasons to Believe discussion (05-03-05) of the movie.

Within the movie there is a not so subtle critique of “organized” religion, in particular the writer’s slant on Roman Catholicism. The science appears so well thought out and then you have the “horny” priest scoping out babes. Give me a timeout with Catholics for awhile. Is there any film maker who is ever going to have a Muslim imam slamming down a few shots of raki and then hitting on some 16 year olds?

So, here is my question. How can those who know so much understand so little about something that is so important? Basic and essential questions are asked like,

Why am I here?
What is the meaning of life?
What happens to me after I die?

Throw in some great computer generated animation, a bit of humor, the obscure theologian who doesn’t trust in a normal, straight forward view of God, and what do you have?

New package. Same old questions. Same old answers.

Come on folks, let’s follow all the evidence, but then again, what the #$*! do I know?”

1 Cor. 3:19 (NLT)
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,

"God catches those who think they are wise
in their own cleverness."

kids today

Yesterday I was a little nostalgic about my activities as a teen and how it doesn’t really reflect our own children. What do they do? Well, it is similar in some ways, just different settings.

Going over to a friend’s house is still a viable option. We just have to drop off and pick up. Or in our case, the friends spend an awful lot of time here. It seems like kids sleep over more today. There are weekends when I think we have a youth hostel going on.

There is still much basketball in our boys lives, it’s just outside in the back alley, rather than the park. Actually that is a plus, because if our twins fight too much, I can yell from the house to knock it off.

IMing is a reality for our teens. Way more talking than we did; the phone was restricted in my teenage household. Gossip is gossip and so there are reminders from me about bagging on other kids and so on. No chat rooms allowed, however. I just seems a little too bizarre for me. Call me old fashioned, but if I am holding a conversation with someone I don’t know, I want to look them in the eye.

The lack of grandparents is a pain. My parents and my wives parents are all alive. It is great to see them once of twice a year, but it is nothing like dropping in, whenever. The only plus I see is our church community is our “tribe” and so our children have many “aunts” and “uncles” who are in their lives to encourage them, listen, and give them other adult models. Not the same as my parents or my in-laws, but it will have to do.

It seems like our kids have way more homework than we ever did. I was in a similar “magnet” type program as our daughter, but I don’t remember carrying near the load of homework. Maybe I did have a lot of homework, but I am just suppressing the memory. I also don’t remember carrying so many books around. You grab one of our teen’s backpacks and it’s like a Gold’s Gym workout. What’s up with that?

When I am thinking of raising teens today, what strikes me most is the circumstances of our life have brought us into our kids lives way more than I remember my parents spending time with me. They weren’t negligent or anything, far from it, but we talk and share activities way more now than I remember ever doing with my mom and dad. My wife and I make it a point to be a presence in the lives of our kids in tons of different ways. It just makes sense.

A gardener doesn’t plant seeds and walk away. You have to do some tilling, weeding, watering, and as the flowers grow, you just stand back and do a large amount of admiring. Alright, that’s enough touchy-feely for me. I just thank God for every minute I get with the offspring.

teen then

What do you want to do? Classic question. It doesn’t matter what age you are. I remember most vividly as a teenager.

“What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know what do you want to do?”

As a teen, here were my options.

• Go play basketball at the school.
• Go play basketball at the park.
• Go play basketball at the rec center.
• Go ride bikes.
• Go mess around by the pond at my grandparents house.
• Go listen to records at a friend’s house.
• Go shoot pool at a friend’s house.
• Go talk to a variety of kid’s in the neighborhood.

If alone, and not doing any of the above?

• Go read.

We are raising three teens right now. Let’s try my list on them.

Go play basketball at the school- they would have to jump the fence and might get jumped.

Go play basketball at the park- What park? Also, might get jumped.

Go play basketball at the rec center- It’s all leagues now.

Go ride bikes- Where? With cars coming by at 60 in a 35 zone?

Go mess around at their grandparent’s home- Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota or Florida? Where and when?

Go listen to records- still an option, only CD’s or mp3’s on the computer.

Go shoot pool- Does that have a game controller attached?

Go talk to a variety of kid’s in the neighborhood- who would that be? The few teenagers who are close go to all different schools. Our kids know 3 friends who are within walking distance. Though they don’t walk. Here comes the mantra again. Might get jumped.

Teenagers don’t change much. The world around them does. What do they do?

Stay tuned.

let's clear things up

Wow, the controversy brewing in Kansas concerning the theory of evolution sure brings out a lot of logical fallacies. I am very aware of the specific controversies surrounding this, as I am familiar with the work of Discovery Institute, the leading proponent of intelligent design. I read an editorial in the New York Times concerning these events, and I counted five in a brief piece. Whenever someone resorts to logical fallacy, keep moving ahead with your argument!

Besides the fallacies, it was a highlight to me to see the use of a phrase first used in context with this issue in the famous quote by Richard Lowentin, Harvard University geneticist.

We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism.

It is not that the methods and institutions of science compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations no matter how counterintuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door. (my bold)

Here is a line from yesterday’s editorial,

Although the chief critics say they do not seek to require the teaching of intelligent design, they add the qualifier "at this point in time." Once their foot is in the door, the way will be open.

Using logical fallacy and making unsubstantiated claims bodes well for the work of those questioning some of the “givens” of the Darwinian evolution model. I seem to recall a line from Shakespeare,

Methinks thou dost protest too much.

This is getting more and more interesting.

it's all religion

“a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith”

This is one of the definitions for the word “religion” from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Everyone has a religion. Everyone has a system of beliefs held with ardor (today’s buzz word, “passion”) and faith.

An atheist is no exception. Your belief system is one of two things. Either everything that appears to exist is simply an illusion, or everything that exists comes about by random, purposeless chance. These are systems of belief held by some with ardor and faith.

Illusion is just that. An illusion. There is no evidence to consider. With this kind of atheism, you just accept it as fact and then you are done with it.

Not so with atheism based on the idea that everything that exists comes about by chance. There is a way to follow the evidence. One way to test the theory that everything comes about in a random and purposeless fashion is to see if there is any inference of design in the universe. What is the weight of the evidence? Does it appear more likely that something happened randomly or more likely that something is designed? We can make that distinction.

We know about human design. The computer on my lap right at this very moment appears to have been designed by someone. It would be illogical for me to think that atoms in the universe just connected in a random way and produced this machine. But what if there were machines in the natural world that appear designed, too? What would be a reasonable conclusion?

Consider this.

yes, everything

Col. 3:17 (NLT)
And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.

A disciple is a representative of Jesus in every area of life. Every action taken and every word spoken is done, literally, “in the name of Jesus.” This doesn’t mean we are just modeling the “Jesus” life, but it is also under the power and character of Jesus. What we do can be as he would do it if he were us in any situation. What we say will be as if he spoke those words in the same circumstance.

How do we become that kind of person? We have seen in the prior 16 verses. By losing ourselves in Jesus. Hidden with him, we no longer abide by human nature standards. We are no longer slaves to our desires. Our attitudes and actions are totally our responsibility. “Response + ability.” We have the ability to respond to whatever life brings around the corner because we are already living in the new life where impulse, desire, and rights are replaced by the character of Jesus, the only one who lives in true reality. We are designed to live in the Kingdom now. Where his reality becomes ours.

What are we left with? That generosity thing again. Give thanks. Living every moment of our lives thinking, “I can’t believe I am here and this is happening to me. How awesome is it to be ready and able.” When we face challenges and hardships saying, “Thanks Jesus. I can’t wait to see your next move.” When we face favor and unusual blessing saying, “Wow, I know I don’t deserve this, but you deserve my gratitude, so, ‘Thanks, Lord.’”

If this seems like a strange way to live, “all the while giving thanks,” it is just because we haven’t sold out knowing that Jesus is in charge of it all. This is the day to say,

“I give up. It’s your life, Jesus. I’m just going along for the ride.”

sing away

Col. 3:16 (NLT)
Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

The words of Christ are the Bible, not just the words recorded in the Gospels. The use of these words begins with knowing them. They are to ‘live in our hearts.’ Again, it is our choices that come from our will, that reflect our heart. If the words of Jesus take up residence as a filter for our decisions, wisdom is the result. We can then use the guidance we gain from knowing God’s Word in teaching and counseling others. This means there is nothing new that you could learn that is not already addressed generally in the Bible.

There is new specific information that we might discover, but it is to be weighed with the general wisdom of the Bible. What the Bible has to say about our managing life on earth as stewards of God, for example, has much to say about the issues of our time from cloning to the environment, harvesting embryos to euthanasia. This is why the thought of a Christian purposely not using the filter of the Bible in decision-making would ludicrous. Peter said it well.

“Lord to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life.” (John 6:68)

Then Paul says fill your life with gratitude measured by the songs you sing. Interesting instruction. All kinds of songs. Celebration. Praise. What is most interesting is that the literal connotation of this instruction is to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach and counsel each other. The King James Version of the Bible keeps this context.

“….teaching and admonishing each other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” (KJV)

Some of the most influential teaching of the Bible is delivered through song. From yesterday’s “Amazing Grace” to today’s “Better is One Day,” to tomorrow’s new songs our children will write, God is glorified. Also, singing is one of the best ways to memorize the Bible, as we have always known, and as projects like Bible Song Sunday School are rediscovering. With a mind filled with music, and music filled with the Word of Jesus, there isn’t much room for the thought that leads to sinful action.

peace and gratitude

Col. 3:15 (NLT)
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Let’s look at words. “Peace” comes from a word meaning to “umpire.” “Give a prize in the end.” Peace is the outcome of Jesus declaring us “innocent” in the eyes of God. Then what do we do?

The word “heart” and “will” may be interchanged here. Our “will” dictates the choices we make. When Jesus rules our choices, the peace we obtain from being forgiven is the fuel for us to live on in community with other disciples. Then we can live in peace together and be a model for the world. Our differences don’t separate us from the peace we share when Jesus rules our choices.

This doesn’t mean we have warm fuzzy feelings for each other and approve of all viewpoints in the Christian family. There are some real differences. It does mean we find ways to focus on what we have in common. What is the core?

Jesus is God raised from the dead and ruling in his Kingdom now, giving access to that Kingdom life to all who have confidence in him to rule in their own lives. If you give your heart, your will, your choices over to the fact of the resurrection and the rule of Jesus now, then there is only one lifestyle left. Thankfulness. It seems like Paul’s little throw-away phrase, but it wraps everything together.

“(‘By the way,’) And always be thankful.”

Gratitude is the pillar of reality. Do you want to live the good life? Build it on gratitude for what Jesus has done, is doing, and will do forever. Christians who focus on what is wrong with the world are looking in the wrong direction. It becomes an obsession. This appears to happen in two ways. Obsessing on the personal choices and lifestyles of those who don’t follow Jesus or obsessing on the human institutions and structures that are the seat of temporary control of this world. Note how related this is to the ways of sin Paul spoke of earlier. Pursuing pleasure (“I want what I want when I want it”) or pursuing control (“It’s my world”).

There is only one cause worthy of a Christian’s full passion. Learning from Jesus in any way available to become the kind of person he would be if he were me in any given situation. A situation I can face in gratitude because I know Jesus is in charge.

to will the good

Col. 3:14 (NLT)
And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Love is the universal clothing we are invited to wear. It is a summary act. If you love, then you are kind, patient, etc. (1 Corinthians 13) What is love?

Love is to will the good of the other and act upon it.

Note two assumptions are made when you think of “love.” First, you know what good is and second love ultimately rests in action.

What is good? That is a key question when comparing worldviews. What is a good life in Christianity?

In Christianity one would say the good life is living in the Kingdom of God now. This is where the action of love comes into play. The practical application of love is to think “what would Jesus do if he were me in this situation?” and act upon it. The “good” is what he would do under my circumstances.

This is different than the typical way “love” is defined in society. “Love” is generally a feeling of pleasure towards. I “love” my wife. I “love” pepperoni pizza. You can quickly see how confusion can set in.

From a Christian context, to will the good of another and act upon it will not necessarily be pleasurable for the other. I love my children and there are times I deny them their pursuit of pleasure because it is not healthy for them according to the ways of God.

For example, I know it “feels good” for our daughter to use sarcasm toward one of her brothers but I don’t permit it. Her pleasure in this would not be healthy. When I say, “Stop,” I am acting out of love.

There is a lot of behavior that may bring pleasure that is no healthy. We have seen this in Paul’s opening remarks about sexual and other behavioral sin. The most loving thing a person can do in these situations is to be an influence on someone moving away from sexual sin and away from the will to control.

no offense

Col. 3:13 (NLT)
You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

If we are to be a light of the world, (Matthew 5:14-15) then we are going to be spending time in the world. Not just individually, but with fellow Christians. When we are together, we want to model the five attributes of kindness, patience, humility, gentleness, and tenderhearted mercy toward each other. What is the secret ingredient to being able to live these qualities amongst ourselves? Forgiveness and non-offense.

Forgiveness is being gracious. Giving grace. Willing the good of another even if they have wronged you. The way to approach forgiveness according to Paul, is to “make allowance for each other’s faults.” This is an interesting phrase. Literally, “to put up with the other’s faults.”

What this assumes is I have to know you well enough to know what your faults are. We must be in community with each other and not withdraw from one another. So our boundaries are wide. We don’t set up standards of behavior for others that are narrow and rigid. In fact, the more Jesus rules in our lives the less likely it is we will take offense. If you know you are hidden with Christ, how can someone offend you? Not that they can’t say or do something that is offensive, but that you are not required to take offense.

Even when your boundaries of gracious acceptance are wide, forgiveness is still necessary. If someone knows they have said or done something offensive and they seek your forgiveness, you can move to restore your relationship by forgiving for their sake. So they know they are forgiven. There is an art to let another know they are in a restored relationship with you. This mimics the forgiveness God makes available for all.

When I am thinking about this whole forgiveness and offense issue, it strikes me that we need to know each other well enough that we don’t do anything that we know is likely to bring out offensive behavior in them. We don’t set them up for failure, as it were. So, the life of a disciple is not only knowing yourself and your weaknesses, but knowing others and their weaknesses. You avoid putting them in an offensive position in the first place. How? Back to kindness, patience, humility, gentleness, and tenderhearted mercy.

Ahhh. See how this works?

housewives aren't the only ones who will be desperate

Col. 3:12 (NLT)
Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

When we are reading these words we put ourselves into the text. Paul says, “We’re chosen,” well then, we are chosen.

For what? “To be the holy people whom he loves.” The object of God’s loving intention.

Describe what being holy looks like? People who make choices that show:

• tenderhearted mercy
  
• kindness
  
• humility
  
• gentleness
  
• patience
  

Notice we have five attributes going again. Only this time we want them. When you look at this list you realize if you have these qualities you have a tremendous amount of leverage with others, voluntarily. People may be attracted to you for what they can get out of you sexually, and they might be manipulated by you through your controlling behavior. But there is nothing like the influence you have when you are the "best-dressed.”

“Clothe yourself with qualities that will make you the kind of person people desperately want to hang around with.”

You think there are only “Desperate Housewives?” Wait until the tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience kicks in. Who can resist you?

no distinctions

Col. 3:11 (NLT)
In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

When you trust in Jesus and are clothed by him, you have a new life. You can follow Jesus. The sins that would weigh you down become meaningless to who you are. They no longer define you. You are defined by your clothing. Jesus wrapped.

The result of being in Jesus is a new life where you are capable of denying unhealthy desires and the need to control. No more using people or manipulating people. So, what are the end results? Your new life connects you to a community. Where others who have put on Christ share your life. Together, you begin to mirror how Jesus would live if he were you.

The first thing that happens in this new life is distinctions that separate disappear. Our human categories no longer apply. Sin doesn’t define us, and neither does what we are before we connect to Christ. The categories Paul uses are ones that make a clear separation of people pursuing God in his day. Jew and everyone else. Those who become Jewish before they come to Christ, and those who don’t. Those who are a specific cultural group, “uncivilized,” literally, “Scythian.” These are the mean and nasty, uncouth ones of Paul’s day. Must be like the “Siths” of Star Wars! Coming to a theater near you. And those who are separated by circumstances in life. Slave or non-slave. When you are clothed with Jesus, you are hidden with him. Those who choose the new life live the new life.

Disciples of Jesus show the new life by defining who they are by what they hold in common with each other. They don’t need laws that tell them not to discriminate. How do you make a distinction with Jesus being compared to Jesus?

I have always been wary of Christian organizations that make use of human distinctions when governing their group. Quotas of so many men or so many women, so many people of one race or one culture or another. Do we trust each other to serve each other? If we have been clothed with Jesus, why do we still focus on human differences?

No, Paul shows us what true reality really looks like, when you watch disciples in action with each other. His description is coming up.

new clothes

Col. 3:9-10 (NLT)
Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all its wicked deeds. [10] In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.

It would be a cruel God indeed who would tell us we must not sin and then not give us the capacity to not sin. The God of Jesus offers a remedy. When we connect to Jesus we are a new creation. We are no longer bound to our human desires for pleasure and control.

The metaphor Paul uses is powerful. Who hasn’t stripped off some really filthy clothes, took a long hot shower, and put on some clean sweats, smelling the fabric softener when you pull the sweatshirt over your head? Or getting into fresh clean pajamas? Maybe you just returned from a long tent camping trip, where there were showers. Maybe you were out in the yard digging all day. Whatever the case, just get out of those smelly, dirty clothes, and wrap yourself in the new.

This is not a once in a lifetime thing. It keeps going on all our earthly life. We continue to become newer and newer as we “arrange and rearrange our lives as apprentices of our Master Teacher Jesus to learn from him all that we can to become the kind of people who can do what he would do in any situation of our lives if he were us.” (Dallas Willard)

This is why the life of discipleship is not giving in to the need for pleasure and the need to control, and the corresponding despair that will surely come when they begin to destroy you. This is why being a disciple is being a hope-filled person, or a “hope-wrapped” person, as it were. Clothing yourself (your choice) for what is to come.

degradation of manipulation

Col. 3:8-9a (NLT)
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. [9] Don't lie to each other…

Now Paul does round two for sins. These are the second group of five he speaks of, and then he throws in lying. Here we have anger and rage, first. Anger is the emotion of choice for those who don’t get their way. It is a classic response to not being in control. Rage, literally, “breathing hard,” is when anger goes nuts. Rage is just giving in to everything that is in you that wants to be God.

Malicious behavior, slander (literally, “blasphemy”), and dirty language (“shameful speech”). Again, all of this has to do with control. “When God is not in control of our lives, our lives are out of control.” (John Maxwell) Is there a difference between the first group of sexual sins and the second group of emotional sins? One is about giving in to our desire and drive for pleasure, and the other is giving in to our need to be in control.

We use anger, rage, malicious behavior, etc. as a tool to get the upper hand over someone else. If we can’t make our case in a principled, reasonable fashion, then we kick these sins into gear. Or maybe we never intended to reason. Emotional sin is a quick shortcut to actually seeking the truth.

When we allow personal desire for pleasure to rule our lives we are cursed to a life of immaturity. When we allow the second list of sins to shackle us, we are cursed to a life of manipulation. Both lists are front and center in our culture today.

Paul points this all out as a lie. We are simply lying to each other when we try to change reality into what we want. To be healthy, we need to be stripped of all of these allusions. Pursuit of pleasure, and doing what we “feel” like sexually, even if it goes against God’s plan, is just going to ruin us. If not now, some day. Using anger and rage and other emotional sin to try to control others is a dead end, as well.

But Paul introduces us to the real world. Tomorrow.

unprotected

I am continuing my posts on Colossians 3, a key section of the Bible for living as a disciple in the real world, which is, of course, God’s world to begin with.

Col. 3:6-7 (NLT)
God's terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. [7] You used to do them when your life was still part of this world.

Paul pauses here from his “state of the union” address on life lived from natural human desires, or life lived through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Chances are we don’t think much about God being angry. After all, this isn’t the Middle Ages of Martin Luther where he cowered in his tiny monk cell thinking God was just waiting for him to mess up so he could get zapped. But, Luther discovered the God of trust reading from Romans 1:17, where Paul quotes from Habakkuk 2:4.

Romans 1:17 (NLT)
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."

We are made right with God through connecting with Jesus. The angry God frees us from the consequences of our sin, in this life and in eternal life. What is this all about?

God is consumed with anger when we ignore him and die to his ways rather than follow him and die to our human nature, which is to follow our own desire wherever it will take us. We cannot be trusted with our own healthy living, as Paul has given many examples of what people will live like apart from God. So, if God is so mad, why doesn’t he just get over it? Why doesn’t he just let us live and let live?

First, God's anger is not wrong. He can be trusted with anger because he is in control. It is not like our anger, which we will address tomorrow. God can feel however he wants about what he creates. In a way, I suppose, God has set himself up for frustration because he has given us free will. We can reject him.

Second, God knows what he has in store for us and so it upsets him when we don’t do what is good for us. Follow him. But, notice Paul says, “You used to do them…”

The assumption, thus far, is we are not bound to sexual sin and greed. And if we honestly admit they are sins, struggle with them, repent of them, and open ourselves up for his healing, we are freed from the long term consequences of what we deserve.

Paul’s warning here is when we say sin is not sin, don’t struggle with it, and are not driven to Christ for forgiveness. When sin is not considered sin, we are exposed to God’s righteousness unprotected by Jesus, which is his wrath. To not know God and his forgiveness is to know God's anger, eventually.

more sex and stuff

In the last post I talked about the ways Paul portrays sexual sin. Sexual sin is real and it is present and, like all other sin, it is about who is in charge. Are my desires in charge or is God in charge of my desires? God sets up sexual intimacy to build on the foundation of the complementary relationship of a husband and wife. Sexual desire plays an important role in God’s design as “completing one another” goes to the very core of our humanity. One “being” or “person,” as Jesus has in mind (Matthew 19:6). God designs us, and when he is in the driver’s seat, it is OK to go on the journey. If our desires take over and we go in different directions, we are no longer living in his reality. Sexual sin is not part of the real life God designs for us. Then Paul takes it further.

“Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry.”

What are these good things? “Stuff,” more than anything. Does your stuff and all that surrounds it become an obsessive focus in your life? Sexual sin is real and it is prevalent. The videotape of the mind is running. So is being obsessive with stuff.

Like sexual sin, material obsession knows no boundaries of humanity. The rich and the poor, and everyone in between partake in equal opportunity material obsession. The drive for more if you have little or much takes over.

I always find it interesting when people design theologies that focus only on the wealthy when it comes to being obsessed over stuff. Either they have never been poor or have never known poor people, but the fact is it takes supernatural intervention is say, “Enough,” regardless of your circumstances in life.

The sin here is a matter of security more than anything else. If your security is focused on anything but Jesus first, you are going to have issues with God. We hear a lot about social security, and 401 K’s and the like, but there is only one form of security that lasts. “Hidden with Christ in God,” under the power of the Holy Spirit.

The 3 in 1 plan.