1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
9 ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν· 10 ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται.
This is one of those passages that gives great difficulty to the cessationist. Basically, the argument hinges on the identify of τὸ τέλειον. What is "the perfect?"
One argument is that "the perfect" is the completed canon of scripture. Once that was finished the sign gifts ceased. No one doubts that Paul and others practiced the gifts. The question is whether they are still active today. I wrote a short paper on this for my Pastoral Theology class.
My take is that the perfect refers to the second coming of Christ. I think that makes the most sense out of the rest of the passage. How do we look at the completed canon "face to face?" Good men differ on this though.
So why bring this up in a blog that is generally devotional? I think it is important for all of us to consider the gifts of the Spirit. I know that I need to consider my relationship with Him. I tend to be more "heady" and academic in my approach to knowing God. Understanding that He really does work through me gives me a connection to Him in a more personal way. This is something that I am just starting to think through.
I do not think that you need to manifest the "sign gifts" to have a close relationship with God. However, I also know that these three chapters (1Cor 12-14) speak to God working through the believer in a very powerful and personal way. I would love to experience some of that, but if I don't I still know that He is God and that knowledge gives me great peace.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Seeking the Gifts
1 Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
31 ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ μείζονα. Καὶ ἔτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῖν δείκνυμι.
This is the last verse in chapter 12. Paul has spent the whole chapter describing the various gifts and how one should not be envious of another's gifts. Some may have more flashy gifts than others, but all the gifts are necessary for the proper functioning of the body. I won't get into the cessationist debate here, but in short I would say that my position is "cautiously open." I have heard too many stories to completely dismiss the existence of the "sign gifts" today, but I also want to be cautious about it since I have not experienced them personally and I know how this can be abused.
My point today is simply to focus on the last verse. Anyone who has been to a Christian wedding is likely to have heard 1 Corinthians 13 read. This verse provides the context for that chapter. It's not really about loving relationships in the sense that it is usually taken. Instead, it refers to the "still more excellent way" or ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν. According to Thayer, the word ὑπερβολὴν most properly means "throwing beyond," but metaphorically it means "beyond measure, exceedingly, preeminently."
What is that way? The way of love. In other words, before we worry about gifts of healing, tongues, etc, let's worry about loving one another. They will know us by our love, right? Good for you if you've truly experienced a sign gift. However, none of those are as important as love.
31 ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ μείζονα. Καὶ ἔτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῖν δείκνυμι.
This is the last verse in chapter 12. Paul has spent the whole chapter describing the various gifts and how one should not be envious of another's gifts. Some may have more flashy gifts than others, but all the gifts are necessary for the proper functioning of the body. I won't get into the cessationist debate here, but in short I would say that my position is "cautiously open." I have heard too many stories to completely dismiss the existence of the "sign gifts" today, but I also want to be cautious about it since I have not experienced them personally and I know how this can be abused.
My point today is simply to focus on the last verse. Anyone who has been to a Christian wedding is likely to have heard 1 Corinthians 13 read. This verse provides the context for that chapter. It's not really about loving relationships in the sense that it is usually taken. Instead, it refers to the "still more excellent way" or ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν. According to Thayer, the word ὑπερβολὴν most properly means "throwing beyond," but metaphorically it means "beyond measure, exceedingly, preeminently."
What is that way? The way of love. In other words, before we worry about gifts of healing, tongues, etc, let's worry about loving one another. They will know us by our love, right? Good for you if you've truly experienced a sign gift. However, none of those are as important as love.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Creation Order
1 Corinthians 11:8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
8 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀνὴρ ἐκ γυναικὸς ἀλλὰ γυνὴ ἐξ ἀνδρός· 9 καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐκτίσθη ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα ἀλλὰ γυνὴ διὰ τὸν ἄνδρα.
This is part of a very difficult passage of Scripture. There is a ton of debate as to what this is all about. I won't get into the deep weeds with this, but I can tell you that I did a whole paper looking at the different opinions. You can read it at your leisure if you are so inclined. It was the third big paper I did at seminary, so take it with a grain of salt.
At any rate, what I find fascinating is that much ink is spilled over the matter of men and women. Nobody gave this much thought before the feminist movement and now there is even a whole branch of theology known as feminist theology. The reason I find it fascinating is because we spend so much time worrying about a problem that is only 40 years old. That's a drop in the bucket of church history.
It is clear that Paul makes an appeal to the order of creation. Apparently there is some reason why man was created first. Paul sees that as significant. We may not on our own, but he does. Therefore, we should take this seriously. This is the cornerstone of the complementarian viewpoint regarding men and women. Women are not in any way inferior to men, but they are different. There is something about the order of creation. We will revisit this later, but it's also why Paul does not allow women to be elders or pastors in churches.
This is one of those issues that is fairly simple if we just look at God's Word and not try to eisegete our own ideas into it. My goal is to do that with all of God's Word, amen?
8 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀνὴρ ἐκ γυναικὸς ἀλλὰ γυνὴ ἐξ ἀνδρός· 9 καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐκτίσθη ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα ἀλλὰ γυνὴ διὰ τὸν ἄνδρα.
This is part of a very difficult passage of Scripture. There is a ton of debate as to what this is all about. I won't get into the deep weeds with this, but I can tell you that I did a whole paper looking at the different opinions. You can read it at your leisure if you are so inclined. It was the third big paper I did at seminary, so take it with a grain of salt.
At any rate, what I find fascinating is that much ink is spilled over the matter of men and women. Nobody gave this much thought before the feminist movement and now there is even a whole branch of theology known as feminist theology. The reason I find it fascinating is because we spend so much time worrying about a problem that is only 40 years old. That's a drop in the bucket of church history.
It is clear that Paul makes an appeal to the order of creation. Apparently there is some reason why man was created first. Paul sees that as significant. We may not on our own, but he does. Therefore, we should take this seriously. This is the cornerstone of the complementarian viewpoint regarding men and women. Women are not in any way inferior to men, but they are different. There is something about the order of creation. We will revisit this later, but it's also why Paul does not allow women to be elders or pastors in churches.
This is one of those issues that is fairly simple if we just look at God's Word and not try to eisegete our own ideas into it. My goal is to do that with all of God's Word, amen?
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Literal Hermeneutics
1 Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
4 καὶ πάντες τὸ αὐτὸ πνευματικὸν ἔπιον πόμα· ἔπινον γὰρ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας, ἡ πέτρα δὲ ἦν ὁ Χριστός.
Much is said in my circles about reading the Bible and particularly the Old Testament literally. I'm all for that. After all, if we allegorize too much then we risk putting words into the mouths of the Old Testament authors. We need to go to the plain sense of Scripture whenever possible.
However, Paul presents a difficulty for us here. It would seem that perhaps the Covenantal Theologians are on to something. Perhaps the Old Testament is all about Jesus after all. When you read the Exodus account, do you see the rock that gave them water as a type of Christ? Would you unless you read this passage? I probably wouldn't either. But Paul does, doesn't he?
This tells me that there is something to finding Christ all over the Old Testament. However, we must be cautious with this too. Paul wrote this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The text is illuminated to us by the Holy Spirit, but I'm not sure that we can take hermeneutical leaps like this. What do you think?
4 καὶ πάντες τὸ αὐτὸ πνευματικὸν ἔπιον πόμα· ἔπινον γὰρ ἐκ πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας, ἡ πέτρα δὲ ἦν ὁ Χριστός.
Much is said in my circles about reading the Bible and particularly the Old Testament literally. I'm all for that. After all, if we allegorize too much then we risk putting words into the mouths of the Old Testament authors. We need to go to the plain sense of Scripture whenever possible.
However, Paul presents a difficulty for us here. It would seem that perhaps the Covenantal Theologians are on to something. Perhaps the Old Testament is all about Jesus after all. When you read the Exodus account, do you see the rock that gave them water as a type of Christ? Would you unless you read this passage? I probably wouldn't either. But Paul does, doesn't he?
This tells me that there is something to finding Christ all over the Old Testament. However, we must be cautious with this too. Paul wrote this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The text is illuminated to us by the Holy Spirit, but I'm not sure that we can take hermeneutical leaps like this. What do you think?
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Walk the Walk
1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
20 οὐ γὰρ ἐν λόγῳ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλ᾽ ἐν δυνάμει.
This is one of those verses that I find it easy to read past. However, I think that it is something that we would do well to pay attention to. It's very easy to talk the talk of the Christian. In fact, there is a whole industry dedicated to this. We can go to Lifeway and buy all kinds of trinkets to help remind us of the language. We can see what we are supposed to do and how we are to sound. Plus, we have syndicated Christian radio to remind us of the lingo.
But that's not what it is all about. The kingdom of God is about action. It's about how we live, not just what we say. It is important to have a confession of faith. In fact, that's the beginning. But that is just the beginning. What do we do after that? Do we walk authentically or do we just talk about it?
I am great at talking about golf, for example. I know how a swing should look. I know the lingo. I know the right way to approach various shots. There is just one problem -- I'm not very good at it. Sadly, I'm afraid that many professing Christians are the same way about the faith. Let's walk in power, amen?
20 οὐ γὰρ ἐν λόγῳ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλ᾽ ἐν δυνάμει.
This is one of those verses that I find it easy to read past. However, I think that it is something that we would do well to pay attention to. It's very easy to talk the talk of the Christian. In fact, there is a whole industry dedicated to this. We can go to Lifeway and buy all kinds of trinkets to help remind us of the language. We can see what we are supposed to do and how we are to sound. Plus, we have syndicated Christian radio to remind us of the lingo.
But that's not what it is all about. The kingdom of God is about action. It's about how we live, not just what we say. It is important to have a confession of faith. In fact, that's the beginning. But that is just the beginning. What do we do after that? Do we walk authentically or do we just talk about it?
I am great at talking about golf, for example. I know how a swing should look. I know the lingo. I know the right way to approach various shots. There is just one problem -- I'm not very good at it. Sadly, I'm afraid that many professing Christians are the same way about the faith. Let's walk in power, amen?
Friday, June 18, 2010
True Understanding
1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
14 ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ· μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστιν καὶ οὐ δύναται γνῶναι, ὅτι πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται.
This verse is a great comfort to me, though it is mainly a comfort in frustration. By that I mean that I have had what I consider to be very logical conversations with folks who do not believe. I can lay out all the rational arguments I want. I can be as rational as I want. But no matter how rational I am they do not believe. This verse explains why.
On our own we cannot truly understand God's Word. We need the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Why is that? They are πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται. In other words, they are understood spiritually. It is not something that we can just understand rationally. We need God's Spirit to help us understand spiritual things.
If you're a believer I hope that this gives you some comfort and that it also increases your zeal for prayer. If you're not a believer, my prayer is that God would open up your spiritual eyes so that you can begin to appropriate the gospel of Jesus Christ.
14 ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ· μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστιν καὶ οὐ δύναται γνῶναι, ὅτι πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται.
This verse is a great comfort to me, though it is mainly a comfort in frustration. By that I mean that I have had what I consider to be very logical conversations with folks who do not believe. I can lay out all the rational arguments I want. I can be as rational as I want. But no matter how rational I am they do not believe. This verse explains why.
On our own we cannot truly understand God's Word. We need the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Why is that? They are πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται. In other words, they are understood spiritually. It is not something that we can just understand rationally. We need God's Spirit to help us understand spiritual things.
If you're a believer I hope that this gives you some comfort and that it also increases your zeal for prayer. If you're not a believer, my prayer is that God would open up your spiritual eyes so that you can begin to appropriate the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Avoiding Divisions
Romans 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
17 Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ ἐκκλίνετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν·
Romans 16 is a very happy chapter as Paul speaks so well of so many people and sends them his greetings. It's always had a special place for me just because I can see my name in the Bible. That's nice and all, but hardly very deep.
This verse stands out rather starkly in the middle of the chapter. Paul takes time out to Παρακαλῶ. This word has the sense of exhorting or asking earnestly. In other words, Paul isn't just making a suggestion here. He wants them to consider this. But what does he ask them to consider? They need to be careful about those who are causing problems relative to the doctrine that these folks have been taught. Anyone concerned about orthodoxy can give a hearty "amen" to this, right?
However, I can also see how this verse can be twisted if we're not careful. This would be a great verse to use to maintain control over a congregation. Let's say that someone was at a very fundamentalist, KJV-only country Baptist church and the pastor was teaching something that seemed biblical with a verse out of context, but was wrong when examined either systematically or biblically. Now let's say that one or two congregants are reading their Bibles faithfully and they begin to see the problem with the pastor's theology. They bring this up in Sunday school. What is likely to happen?
I bet you dollars to doughnuts that this verse gets used. These two faithful men would likely get corrected or outright ousted because they are causing division. Heaven forbid someone goes to seminary and starts to question the text behind the KJV. Talk about creating a stumbling block!
I am not trying to make a caricature of all churches like this. I simply give this as an example. The same thing can happen at big urban churches as well. It can happen in parachurch organizations, as I know from my own experience. We certainly need to guard our doctrine, but we also don't want to have a cult-like mentality that we are right and the rest of the world is full of wolves out to get us.
I'm not quite sure how to balance all of this out though. Any ideas?
17 Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ ἐκκλίνετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν·
Romans 16 is a very happy chapter as Paul speaks so well of so many people and sends them his greetings. It's always had a special place for me just because I can see my name in the Bible. That's nice and all, but hardly very deep.
This verse stands out rather starkly in the middle of the chapter. Paul takes time out to Παρακαλῶ. This word has the sense of exhorting or asking earnestly. In other words, Paul isn't just making a suggestion here. He wants them to consider this. But what does he ask them to consider? They need to be careful about those who are causing problems relative to the doctrine that these folks have been taught. Anyone concerned about orthodoxy can give a hearty "amen" to this, right?
However, I can also see how this verse can be twisted if we're not careful. This would be a great verse to use to maintain control over a congregation. Let's say that someone was at a very fundamentalist, KJV-only country Baptist church and the pastor was teaching something that seemed biblical with a verse out of context, but was wrong when examined either systematically or biblically. Now let's say that one or two congregants are reading their Bibles faithfully and they begin to see the problem with the pastor's theology. They bring this up in Sunday school. What is likely to happen?
I bet you dollars to doughnuts that this verse gets used. These two faithful men would likely get corrected or outright ousted because they are causing division. Heaven forbid someone goes to seminary and starts to question the text behind the KJV. Talk about creating a stumbling block!
I am not trying to make a caricature of all churches like this. I simply give this as an example. The same thing can happen at big urban churches as well. It can happen in parachurch organizations, as I know from my own experience. We certainly need to guard our doctrine, but we also don't want to have a cult-like mentality that we are right and the rest of the world is full of wolves out to get us.
I'm not quite sure how to balance all of this out though. Any ideas?
Monday, June 14, 2010
Gateway to Legalism
Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
13 Μηκέτι οὖν ἀλλήλους κρίνωμεν· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο κρίνατε μᾶλλον, τὸ μὴ τιθέναι πρόσκομμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἢ σκάνδαλον.
Romans 14 may be the favorite chapter of those who are very conservative in their practice, but generally only after their culture. For example, go into a reasonable Baptist church and you will likely not find anyone drinking wine at their dinner parties. The Baptist culture is such that they typically abstain from alcohol. If they are reasonable in their bible reading, they will admit that they do not see any biblical mandate forbidding the consumption of alcohol, but they suggest that we suspend this Christian liberty for the sake of any weaker brothers.
I am certainly in favor of that. I would have a hard time with someone watching various shows around me because I am certainly a weaker brother when it comes to lust. I would never drink around someone who once struggled with alcohol. It just would not be nice. However, I would like to see this verse applied uniformly.
Let's not drink coffee around someone who once struggled with caffeine addiction. Let's not provide dessert to someone who struggles with gluttony. Let's not have any corporate singing around someone who struggles with the desire for the praise of man and has a good voice. And so on.
As my examples show, this quickly runs off to absurdity. I think we should be careful when we know that someone around us struggles with some temptation. I would expect the same courtesy. Paul writes this chapter to those who are aware of another's struggle. He tells them not to be a hindrance to those who struggle. That is a very loving attitude.
My theory is that the application of this verse is really a way of justifying a culture of certain rules. I hate to call it legalism because by definition legalism is trying to earn your salvation. However, it does tend to set up a two-class system where the sincere believers do things one way while the immature do them another. Let's not fall into that trap, but let's enjoy the good gifts God gave us in moderation while producing the fruit of self-control.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Who's In Charge?
Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
1 Πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχούσαις ὑποτασσέσθω. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ θεοῦ, αἱ δὲ οὖσαι ὑπὸ θεοῦ τεταγμέναι εἰσίν.
This is one of those passages that some of us wish we didn't have to read. But it's in there and we have to deal with it. Our country elected one of the most pro-abortion candidates in history. He also had no executive experience coming into the office. He is a product of the Chicago political machine, which is notoriously corrupt. Since taking office he has expanded the US government and shot us deeper into debt like a rocket. I find very little redeeming in what he has done so far.
And yet we have this verse. He is in power because God put him in power. Perhaps it's a form of judgment on our country. Perhaps her is going to do something great that we conservatives cannot foresee. I don't claim to know why God put him in power, but there he is. And we have to deal with Romans 13.
Keep in mind that Paul wrote this during the reign of Nero. Most people have heard of Nero supposedly setting the fire in Rome and then fiddling while Rome burned. Did you know that he liked to use Christians as tiki torches in his garden? He was an unspeakably cruel man. Despite that, Paul wrote this verse.
No matter how bad our President and Congress become they will likely never hold a candle to Nero. We must be subject to them. The only time we can disobey them is if they try to force us to do something antibiblical. For example, if I were forbidden from reading my Bible or talking about it I would have to disobey. But being forced to get health insurance is not antibiblical, as far as I can tell. Ultimately we must remember that οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ θεοῦ. It all comes from Him.
1 Πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἐξουσίαις ὑπερεχούσαις ὑποτασσέσθω. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ θεοῦ, αἱ δὲ οὖσαι ὑπὸ θεοῦ τεταγμέναι εἰσίν.
This is one of those passages that some of us wish we didn't have to read. But it's in there and we have to deal with it. Our country elected one of the most pro-abortion candidates in history. He also had no executive experience coming into the office. He is a product of the Chicago political machine, which is notoriously corrupt. Since taking office he has expanded the US government and shot us deeper into debt like a rocket. I find very little redeeming in what he has done so far.
And yet we have this verse. He is in power because God put him in power. Perhaps it's a form of judgment on our country. Perhaps her is going to do something great that we conservatives cannot foresee. I don't claim to know why God put him in power, but there he is. And we have to deal with Romans 13.
Keep in mind that Paul wrote this during the reign of Nero. Most people have heard of Nero supposedly setting the fire in Rome and then fiddling while Rome burned. Did you know that he liked to use Christians as tiki torches in his garden? He was an unspeakably cruel man. Despite that, Paul wrote this verse.
No matter how bad our President and Congress become they will likely never hold a candle to Nero. We must be subject to them. The only time we can disobey them is if they try to force us to do something antibiblical. For example, if I were forbidden from reading my Bible or talking about it I would have to disobey. But being forced to get health insurance is not antibiblical, as far as I can tell. Ultimately we must remember that οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ θεοῦ. It all comes from Him.
Friday, June 11, 2010
God's Will
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
2 καὶ μὴ συσχηματίζεσθε τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ μεταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοὸς εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον.
We're getting to the didactic part of Romans now. Paul has built his case about who Jesus is and why it is important to know Him. Now he is getting to instruction for the believer. As I often hear on one of my favorite podcasts, we need the indicative before the imperative. Here Paul give us an imperative that sheds great light on one of the common mysteries of the Christian walk. How do we know God's will?
We sometimes get stuck when we think that there is a trick to discerning God's will. We wonder if there is some kind of Christian equivalent of a Ouija board or reading tea leaves. Do we hear a voice? Do we open the Bible up to some random section and read what it has to say? What do we do?
Paul makes it clear that it is both simpler and much more difficult. Discerning God's will is not something that comes from outside of ourselves. It comes from personal transformation. We do this by sitting under biblical preaching, reading our Bibles, and doing what the Spirit tells us through the means God appointed for our instruction.
For example, if I'm a young man having sex with my girlfriend and am having trouble discerning God's will for my life, I need to start by cutting off the fornication. God's will for the believer starts with sanctification. We need to "get our minds right," to quote the warden in "Cool Hand Luke." This is where knowing God's will begins. Then as our minds our transformed we find that we want what He wants. It's a package deal.
Where are you with this? Are you being transformed by the Word of God or are you conforming to the world? We see here that τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ can be described as being τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον. How can we ever know what is "good and acceptable and perfect" if we don't have transformed minds?
2 καὶ μὴ συσχηματίζεσθε τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ μεταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοὸς εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον.
We're getting to the didactic part of Romans now. Paul has built his case about who Jesus is and why it is important to know Him. Now he is getting to instruction for the believer. As I often hear on one of my favorite podcasts, we need the indicative before the imperative. Here Paul give us an imperative that sheds great light on one of the common mysteries of the Christian walk. How do we know God's will?
We sometimes get stuck when we think that there is a trick to discerning God's will. We wonder if there is some kind of Christian equivalent of a Ouija board or reading tea leaves. Do we hear a voice? Do we open the Bible up to some random section and read what it has to say? What do we do?
Paul makes it clear that it is both simpler and much more difficult. Discerning God's will is not something that comes from outside of ourselves. It comes from personal transformation. We do this by sitting under biblical preaching, reading our Bibles, and doing what the Spirit tells us through the means God appointed for our instruction.
For example, if I'm a young man having sex with my girlfriend and am having trouble discerning God's will for my life, I need to start by cutting off the fornication. God's will for the believer starts with sanctification. We need to "get our minds right," to quote the warden in "Cool Hand Luke." This is where knowing God's will begins. Then as our minds our transformed we find that we want what He wants. It's a package deal.
Where are you with this? Are you being transformed by the Word of God or are you conforming to the world? We see here that τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ can be described as being τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον. How can we ever know what is "good and acceptable and perfect" if we don't have transformed minds?
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Receiving Gifts
Romans 11:35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
35 ἢ τίς προέδωκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ; 36 ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα· αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν.
I am finding that blogging through Romans a chapter at a time is nearly impossible. Therefore, I find myself focusing on the final verse in some chapters. This is one of them. Chapter 11 has been about how there is a native root and vine (Israel) into which wild branches (Gentiles) have been grafted. Basically, Paul is telling the Jews how salvation in Christ works. While this chapter is addressed primarily to Jews, as a Gentile it fills me with awe.
Look back at the Old Testament and you will see why I react this way. The Old Testament tells the sad story of God's unfaithful people. He set them apart to be His and put them in situations where it was clearly only by His grace that they survived and thrived. Yet they missed Messiah when He came to earth the first time and now Paul is explaining their need for Him. Meanwhile, as a Gentile who has come to know Messiah as my Lord, I am amazed that God would look to someone such as me for salvation. This would have been pretty much unthinkable in first-century Palestine because everyone knew that the Jews were the people of God and the Gentiles were uncircumcised heathens.
This is why I focus on these two verses. If you know Christ you have been given a gift that you can never repay. Some focus on works as a way of paying God back. You can't do that so don't try. We do works out of gratitude for our salvation, not as a means of recompense. It is a gift. It is a gift that even a first-semester Greek student should be able to understand: ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα. Everything is from Him. What is the proper response? αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. He deserves all the glory.
Where are you? Are you a wild branch rejoicing at being grafted onto the true Vine? Or are you a wild branch still on your own tree? Are you cut off from the true Vine? Come to the Vinedresser and He will take care of you.
35 ἢ τίς προέδωκεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνταποδοθήσεται αὐτῷ; 36 ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα· αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν.
I am finding that blogging through Romans a chapter at a time is nearly impossible. Therefore, I find myself focusing on the final verse in some chapters. This is one of them. Chapter 11 has been about how there is a native root and vine (Israel) into which wild branches (Gentiles) have been grafted. Basically, Paul is telling the Jews how salvation in Christ works. While this chapter is addressed primarily to Jews, as a Gentile it fills me with awe.
Look back at the Old Testament and you will see why I react this way. The Old Testament tells the sad story of God's unfaithful people. He set them apart to be His and put them in situations where it was clearly only by His grace that they survived and thrived. Yet they missed Messiah when He came to earth the first time and now Paul is explaining their need for Him. Meanwhile, as a Gentile who has come to know Messiah as my Lord, I am amazed that God would look to someone such as me for salvation. This would have been pretty much unthinkable in first-century Palestine because everyone knew that the Jews were the people of God and the Gentiles were uncircumcised heathens.
This is why I focus on these two verses. If you know Christ you have been given a gift that you can never repay. Some focus on works as a way of paying God back. You can't do that so don't try. We do works out of gratitude for our salvation, not as a means of recompense. It is a gift. It is a gift that even a first-semester Greek student should be able to understand: ὅτι ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα. Everything is from Him. What is the proper response? αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. He deserves all the glory.
Where are you? Are you a wild branch rejoicing at being grafted onto the true Vine? Or are you a wild branch still on your own tree? Are you cut off from the true Vine? Come to the Vinedresser and He will take care of you.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Confess!
Romans 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
8 ἀλλὰ τί λέγει; ἐγγύς σου τὸ ῥῆμά ἐστιν ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς πίστεως ὃ κηρύσσομεν. 9 ὅτι ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς ἐν τῷ στόματί σου κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ·
Paul is making a case for the Jews here. In this chapter he explains how they need Jesus just as much as the Gentiles. Being the offspring of Abraham does not get them into heaven. They need to acknowledge Messiah, who is Jesus. The Jews believed neither of the conditions in verse 9. The construct ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς is a third-class condition which means basically what we have in English. Confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection will lead to salvation.
Sadly, some have twisted this verse to propose a salvation with no change on the part of the hearer. This can be seen in the kind of revivalist preaching of someone like a Charles Finney. Let's just get people to make a confession of faith and then we'll move on. But if we look at this more closely we see that this is a lot more than simply praying a prayer. Fundamentally, it is true that a single prayer can lead to salvation. But what must the prayer be? It is confessing (not asking) Jesus as Lord. That means that His commandments become binding on us. This cannot be a true confession if we simply go on living as if nothing ever happened.
Where are you? Have you made this confession of faith? If so, how has it changed your life? If you can't point to any difference at all then what does "Jesus as Lord" really mean to you? Probably nothing. If that is the case then I urge you to reexamine your heart today.
8 ἀλλὰ τί λέγει; ἐγγύς σου τὸ ῥῆμά ἐστιν ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς πίστεως ὃ κηρύσσομεν. 9 ὅτι ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς ἐν τῷ στόματί σου κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ·
Paul is making a case for the Jews here. In this chapter he explains how they need Jesus just as much as the Gentiles. Being the offspring of Abraham does not get them into heaven. They need to acknowledge Messiah, who is Jesus. The Jews believed neither of the conditions in verse 9. The construct ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς is a third-class condition which means basically what we have in English. Confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection will lead to salvation.
Sadly, some have twisted this verse to propose a salvation with no change on the part of the hearer. This can be seen in the kind of revivalist preaching of someone like a Charles Finney. Let's just get people to make a confession of faith and then we'll move on. But if we look at this more closely we see that this is a lot more than simply praying a prayer. Fundamentally, it is true that a single prayer can lead to salvation. But what must the prayer be? It is confessing (not asking) Jesus as Lord. That means that His commandments become binding on us. This cannot be a true confession if we simply go on living as if nothing ever happened.
Where are you? Have you made this confession of faith? If so, how has it changed your life? If you can't point to any difference at all then what does "Jesus as Lord" really mean to you? Probably nothing. If that is the case then I urge you to reexamine your heart today.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
The Ultimate Question
Romans 9:20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"
20 ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι· τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;
This is one of my favorite verses for a lot of reasons. One is that it is part of Paul's defense of divine election. It is normal to ask the question of how it can be fair that God would choose some for glory and some He does not. This is Paul's response. The passage continues with a metaphor about pottery. A potter can do whatever he wants with a lump of clay. One lump can become a beautiful vase and another can become a chamber pot. The clay does not get any say in the matter.
I also think that the phrase τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ goes even deeper. This word ἀνταποκρινόμενος is something of a mouthful. It's a present middle participle. The middle voice is difficult to pin down, but the lexicons I have in BibleWorks tell me that this translation is accurate. It has the idea of contradicting or speaking against. I think of interactions we have with our 6 year-old daughter. It's not very pretty when she talks back and we are not beyond the "because I said so" argument. Why? Because we're her parents and we have authority over her.
We would do well to remember this when we are ready to shake our fists at God. We see something like a Katrina, a tsunami, or even the oil spill in the Gulf and wonder why He lets things like that happen. The easy answer is to take someone to Genesis 3 and point to the fall. But that raises the deeper question of why God gave Adam and Eve free will to fall. He had to have known that they were going to fall, right? Why did He let that happen?
Google John Piper and you will get some very satisfactory answers on this. It all comes back to God's glory. He is more glorified in Christ than He would have been with Adam and Eve as automatons with no choice. And if that is still confusing (rightly so!) then we get back to this verse. Things happen in this world and it operates in ways that confuse us. Who are we to answer back to God?
20 ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι· τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;
This is one of my favorite verses for a lot of reasons. One is that it is part of Paul's defense of divine election. It is normal to ask the question of how it can be fair that God would choose some for glory and some He does not. This is Paul's response. The passage continues with a metaphor about pottery. A potter can do whatever he wants with a lump of clay. One lump can become a beautiful vase and another can become a chamber pot. The clay does not get any say in the matter.
I also think that the phrase τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ goes even deeper. This word ἀνταποκρινόμενος is something of a mouthful. It's a present middle participle. The middle voice is difficult to pin down, but the lexicons I have in BibleWorks tell me that this translation is accurate. It has the idea of contradicting or speaking against. I think of interactions we have with our 6 year-old daughter. It's not very pretty when she talks back and we are not beyond the "because I said so" argument. Why? Because we're her parents and we have authority over her.
We would do well to remember this when we are ready to shake our fists at God. We see something like a Katrina, a tsunami, or even the oil spill in the Gulf and wonder why He lets things like that happen. The easy answer is to take someone to Genesis 3 and point to the fall. But that raises the deeper question of why God gave Adam and Eve free will to fall. He had to have known that they were going to fall, right? Why did He let that happen?
Google John Piper and you will get some very satisfactory answers on this. It all comes back to God's glory. He is more glorified in Christ than He would have been with Adam and Eve as automatons with no choice. And if that is still confusing (rightly so!) then we get back to this verse. Things happen in this world and it operates in ways that confuse us. Who are we to answer back to God?
Monday, June 07, 2010
The Most Powerful Ally
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
31 Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα; εἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τίς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν;
I had a great time reflecting on this verse this morning. There are times to get into the deep issues brought up by the preceding verses. I was floored the first time I heard about the ordo salutis. I completely buy into it. However, that did not feed my soul this morning. What fed my soul was contemplating this verse. God is for me. Who can be against me?
Do you think much about this? Do you think about it as you battle against temptation and sin? Do you think about it as you wonder how you're going to get through the day? Life certainly can be overwhelming. But God is ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. The word ὑπὲρ quite literally tells us that God is acting on our behalf. How can we doubt that everything is ultimately for our good?
Of course, this does not mean that things will always work out how we think they should. Far from it. But God is for us. Who can hurt us when we have God on our side? I can't think of anyone who is more powerful than God, can you? Those of us who know and follow Christ can make this claim. How about you?
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Need a Deliverer
Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
24 Ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος· τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου; 25 χάρις δὲ τῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν. Ἄρα οὖν αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τῷ μὲν νοῒ δουλεύω νόμῳ θεοῦ τῇ δὲ σαρκὶ νόμῳ ἁμαρτίας.
This can be a pretty difficult chapter to figure out. Is Paul speaking in terms of how he is currently struggling or how he once struggled? I think that he is painfully aware of his sin and realizes just how desperately he needs Christ to be free from this bondage. This is something that we all need to consider.
It also flies in the face of what passes for the theology of sanctification in many evangelical circles. As we grow in Christ we should indeed grow in godliness. If we're not making some progress then there is a real problem. However, we also don't want to let our actions define our standing before the Lord. Our hope is built on Christ's righteousness, not our own. We make a grave error when we forget this and try to live based on our own works.
I know this all too well. My battles with my eyes and stomach are ongoing. They are certainly much easier than they once were. I don't consider myself in bondage anymore. However, I also know that I cannot let stumbles discourage me too much. If I base everything on my performance I am going to be very depressed.
Along with Paul I ask τίς με ῥύσεται? My answer is the same as his -- Christ Jesus my Lord. What's your answer?
24 Ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος· τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου; 25 χάρις δὲ τῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν. Ἄρα οὖν αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τῷ μὲν νοῒ δουλεύω νόμῳ θεοῦ τῇ δὲ σαρκὶ νόμῳ ἁμαρτίας.
This can be a pretty difficult chapter to figure out. Is Paul speaking in terms of how he is currently struggling or how he once struggled? I think that he is painfully aware of his sin and realizes just how desperately he needs Christ to be free from this bondage. This is something that we all need to consider.
It also flies in the face of what passes for the theology of sanctification in many evangelical circles. As we grow in Christ we should indeed grow in godliness. If we're not making some progress then there is a real problem. However, we also don't want to let our actions define our standing before the Lord. Our hope is built on Christ's righteousness, not our own. We make a grave error when we forget this and try to live based on our own works.
I know this all too well. My battles with my eyes and stomach are ongoing. They are certainly much easier than they once were. I don't consider myself in bondage anymore. However, I also know that I cannot let stumbles discourage me too much. If I base everything on my performance I am going to be very depressed.
Along with Paul I ask τίς με ῥύσεται? My answer is the same as his -- Christ Jesus my Lord. What's your answer?
Friday, June 04, 2010
Sanctification
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
1 Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ἐπιμένωμεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσῃ; 2 μὴ γένοιτο. οἵτινες ἀπεθάνομεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, πῶς ἔτι ζήσομεν ἐν αὐτῇ;
The trouble with going through Romans is that I feel like these passages are so overdone and over-commented upon. However, that's because they are so good. Like any good pastor, Paul anticipates the objections of his audience and addresses them. This is such a huge one for so many of us. Should we remain in sin so that God is glorified in His grace toward us? μὴ γένοιτο! That's a little phrase you see Paul use and it means very literally, "may it never be." It's extremely emphatic.
So what do we do with this? The first thing is to remember that repentance and sanctification are a part of salvation. I'm not sure why exactly, but I've noticed a lot of ink in the blogosphere lately about Charles Finney and his methods. I guess it's because they are still alive and well in many churches today. We have him to thank for the altar call. Now I'm all for challenging people to make a response to the gospel. However, I also am for explaining the whole gospel to people.
The gospel is not about moralism or keeping rules. Nor is it about living however we want. Our changed lives are a response to God's grace. Once we really understand what we've been saved from (sin and death) and what we've been saved to (holiness and life) then how can we do anything but live in a way that is according to His Word? Of course we'll fail from time to time, but shouldn't that be the desire of our hearts? I sure hope so.
1 Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ἐπιμένωμεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσῃ; 2 μὴ γένοιτο. οἵτινες ἀπεθάνομεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, πῶς ἔτι ζήσομεν ἐν αὐτῇ;
The trouble with going through Romans is that I feel like these passages are so overdone and over-commented upon. However, that's because they are so good. Like any good pastor, Paul anticipates the objections of his audience and addresses them. This is such a huge one for so many of us. Should we remain in sin so that God is glorified in His grace toward us? μὴ γένοιτο! That's a little phrase you see Paul use and it means very literally, "may it never be." It's extremely emphatic.
So what do we do with this? The first thing is to remember that repentance and sanctification are a part of salvation. I'm not sure why exactly, but I've noticed a lot of ink in the blogosphere lately about Charles Finney and his methods. I guess it's because they are still alive and well in many churches today. We have him to thank for the altar call. Now I'm all for challenging people to make a response to the gospel. However, I also am for explaining the whole gospel to people.
The gospel is not about moralism or keeping rules. Nor is it about living however we want. Our changed lives are a response to God's grace. Once we really understand what we've been saved from (sin and death) and what we've been saved to (holiness and life) then how can we do anything but live in a way that is according to His Word? Of course we'll fail from time to time, but shouldn't that be the desire of our hearts? I sure hope so.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Undeserved Freedom
Romans 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
7 μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν· 8 συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν.
Romans 5 is one of the Calvinist's favorite chapters. Here we see the nature of mankind. It's not a pretty picture, is it? As Paul continues his argument in this chapter we see that man inherits Adam's sin. We are sinners by nature and by choice. We deserve nothing but God's righteous wrath.
But in these two wonderful verses we see a strange truth. Instead of giving us what we deserve, Christ came to earth to die for sinners. Keep in mind that Paul is writing to saints here. He is saying that while those saints were still sinners Christ came to die for them. Paul should know since he committed more than his fair share of sin while he was still Saul. The construction of ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν uses an infinitive and an adjective to show that they were in the state of being sinners.
Think about this from the perspective of Paul's argument. Let's say that you just witnessed someone commit a cold-blooded premeditated murder. How eager would you be to help this person out? How eager would you be to die for that person? If you're anything like me, you would want to do whatever you could to bring this person to justice. In many states that person would get the death penalty. Would you die in behalf of that person? I know that would not be my instinct.
Yet that is what Christ did on the cross. We were dead in our sins, but He died to make us alive with Him. We do not deserve this, but it is our gift for the taking. There is a cost to following Him, but is any cost higher than the death penalty?
7 μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν· 8 συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν.
Romans 5 is one of the Calvinist's favorite chapters. Here we see the nature of mankind. It's not a pretty picture, is it? As Paul continues his argument in this chapter we see that man inherits Adam's sin. We are sinners by nature and by choice. We deserve nothing but God's righteous wrath.
But in these two wonderful verses we see a strange truth. Instead of giving us what we deserve, Christ came to earth to die for sinners. Keep in mind that Paul is writing to saints here. He is saying that while those saints were still sinners Christ came to die for them. Paul should know since he committed more than his fair share of sin while he was still Saul. The construction of ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὄντων ἡμῶν uses an infinitive and an adjective to show that they were in the state of being sinners.
Think about this from the perspective of Paul's argument. Let's say that you just witnessed someone commit a cold-blooded premeditated murder. How eager would you be to help this person out? How eager would you be to die for that person? If you're anything like me, you would want to do whatever you could to bring this person to justice. In many states that person would get the death penalty. Would you die in behalf of that person? I know that would not be my instinct.
Yet that is what Christ did on the cross. We were dead in our sins, but He died to make us alive with Him. We do not deserve this, but it is our gift for the taking. There is a cost to following Him, but is any cost higher than the death penalty?
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Seeker-Sensitive
Romans 3:9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
9 Τί οὖν; προεχόμεθα; οὐ πάντως· προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφ᾽ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι, 10 καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς, 11 οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνίων, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν.
This is a very famous passage that is often quoted to show our need for the gospel. I find it fascinating that Paul includes the Jews as well. I understand that it is often difficult to witness to Jews because they do not see their need for salvation through Christ's sacrifice. They see themselves as under the Abrahamic Covenant and therefore they do not need a savior. Messiah will someday come to free them from their political bondage, but they do not need Him for their spiritual needs. Paul contradicts this point right here.
He also makes a point against the term used to describe churches like mine. He says that οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν. The word ὁ ἐκζητῶν is an active participle. What he is saying is that by nature we do not seek after God. No one is actively looking for God unless that person has a regenerated heart. Why not? No one is righteous and no one understands.
It is good to have spiritual conversations with people. It is good to witness. In fact, it is vital to witness. But it is also important to understand that we will never win anyone with concessions to what they seek. They don't know what they are really looking for. They really want God, but they aren't really seeking Him. We must witness for sure, but we must first pray. Conversion is a supernatural act.
I think my church does a pretty good job of walking the line with this. I just think that the term "seeker-sensitive" is unfortunate because it is antibiblical. I'd prefer words like "contemporary," "comfortable," "welcoming," or even "contemporvant" over seeker-sensitive.
9 Τί οὖν; προεχόμεθα; οὐ πάντως· προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφ᾽ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι, 10 καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς, 11 οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνίων, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν.
This is a very famous passage that is often quoted to show our need for the gospel. I find it fascinating that Paul includes the Jews as well. I understand that it is often difficult to witness to Jews because they do not see their need for salvation through Christ's sacrifice. They see themselves as under the Abrahamic Covenant and therefore they do not need a savior. Messiah will someday come to free them from their political bondage, but they do not need Him for their spiritual needs. Paul contradicts this point right here.
He also makes a point against the term used to describe churches like mine. He says that οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν. The word ὁ ἐκζητῶν is an active participle. What he is saying is that by nature we do not seek after God. No one is actively looking for God unless that person has a regenerated heart. Why not? No one is righteous and no one understands.
It is good to have spiritual conversations with people. It is good to witness. In fact, it is vital to witness. But it is also important to understand that we will never win anyone with concessions to what they seek. They don't know what they are really looking for. They really want God, but they aren't really seeking Him. We must witness for sure, but we must first pray. Conversion is a supernatural act.
I think my church does a pretty good job of walking the line with this. I just think that the term "seeker-sensitive" is unfortunate because it is antibiblical. I'd prefer words like "contemporary," "comfortable," "welcoming," or even "contemporvant" over seeker-sensitive.
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