Living in a non-Christian Nation

Before you get mad, hear me out here. Jeremiah 29:11 holds these oft spoken words: "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Great words. Very encouraging. Most of the time taken out of context.

In reading Justice in the Burbs by Will and Lisa Sampson they made an excellent point about this passage and in a larger picture the privilege it is to live in such a non-Christian place. A few verses earlier Jeremiah writes this: "And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will also have peace." (v. 7) So there is something very connected between being exiled to a place/land that is not your own...in a sense being an alien, a foreigner, or resident of someplace that is not your true home.

That's us today here where we are. We're not home (eternity), but we're in exile here. God has placed you and I where we live and wants to use us to bring peace to the places where we are. As we work toward that end we too find peace. Both are intimately connected. Instead of the constant desire to be removed from such non-Christian surroundings we should be praying for the peace of our surroundings.

I experience this in my neighborhood. There are few of faith that I know of and there are plenty of people in need of Jesus. Awhile ago it become tempting for us to move away to a more secluded place where we would in fact not see many people...but at least it would be peaceful for us! The house deal fell through, and I'm thankful. In spite of difficulties sometimes in the neighborhood we are very blessed to be here among some really good people. Yeah, they aren't Christians, but so what?! I have the opportunity to serve some really good folks and share the love and reality of Christ with them.

All this said I say "look where you are." Where has God placed you in exile? With whom should you be working for peace. The Kingdom of God for any true follower of Christ works towards this end of serving those who he's exiled to/with. So how does that play out for you.

The other day, it played out for me by mowing my neighbors lawn and having him share some wax with me for my car. Sounds hard, huh?

What's the Standard? Holiness pt. 3

I'm torn a bit with what I'm currently reading/studying regarding the Christian and holiness. To my tradition (Anabaptist/Brethren in Christ) this is a significant doctrine. I just received an e-mail from a publication yesterday regarding the lack of understanding of holiness in the American Church. I see a few issues with why that may be...

First, I'm not sure if there's an adequate understanding of what holiness actually is. My assumption would be many associate the doctrine with the generations past who viewed it as what we don't do because we're a Christian. So we don't dance, don't drink, don't smoke, don't do whatever. So holiness then becomes defined on what we're not instead of what we are.

Here is the crux. Do I want to define myself by what I'm not? If I do, it's a pretty big turnoff to Jesus, don't you think? So I'm not homosexual. I'm not a drunk. I'm not greedy (I try not to be). Etc. Get the idea? You've now just considered yourself better than all descriptions of people above. I'm thinking a better way to look at holiness is not by a standard of what we don't do, but rather by a mark of who we are, of character...and that character of Christ.

Being like God...like Jesus...is the basis for what holiness is. Jesus loved the poor, healed the sick, was patient with the ignorant (disciples), etc. True holiness is following the example of Jesus. It's being about what he was about for the sake of reflecting the character of God...becoming more and more like Jesus who was the perfect reflection of His father. It is therefore not about what we shouldn't do, but what we should be doing in obedience.

Are we afraid to talk this way in terms of obedience? There's a great tension in the Christian faith between grace and all out radical devotion to Jesus. Somewhere there's a great point in the farther right sort of the spectrum where we are wholly devoted to Christ but at the same time realize there is more than enough grace for our failures. Living the radically devoted life I believe is more life giving to a person that soaking up all the grace and just believing in a Jesus who constantly forgives. The greater Jesus is the one who transforms while sustaining us at the same time with that grace. Romans 6-8 is great in painting such a picture.

More to come on this. Next I want to look at the Spirit and Holiness...

Great New Resource!

I know, the last thing you think you need is another Bible, but the International Bible Society has put out something I think you should take a look at. It's called The Books of the Bible.

Typically Bibles are divided by chapters and verses. Because of this we tend to read things in a more separated fashion. The words become compartmentalized a little. It certainly helps with memorization, but it hinders reading the Bible as it was written...without chapters and verses...as a story. So in this Bible the chapters and verses have been removed. They have also combined books of the Bible that have traditionally been linked together (for example: Luke-Acts). The New Testament is laid out differently as well. Luke-Acts is linked with the other New Testament books written to a Gentile audience, while Matthew is followed other New Testament books written to a Jewish audience. The gospel of John is followed by the letters of John. Overall, it helps you get the story of the Story. It's a more continuous read great for devotional life. It brings things alive in a new way.

The new Bible is pretty cheap, so if you have a few extra bucks click on the link and go get yourselves one!