Head in the Clouds

Posted on May 4, 2012 by JohnJ

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:9-11 NASB

When I walked out of work today into a bright late afternoon I was presented with a magnificent sky. I marveled at a huge cloud formation having a dark circular shape with a very large hole and perfectly in the center revealing the sun blasting forth in a white blinding brilliance. It was late afternoon and the sun was just over half way to the horizon. This formation took up about a quarter of the western sky. It was awesome. We get a lot of amazing cloud formations here in coastal Savannah. The sky this close to the Atlantic is an ever changing beauty. Every time I see one of these skies I’m transported back to the the book of Acts and the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. I look up in wonder at these skies and think “this would be a perfect cloud formation from which our Lord to descend.” I continue my gaze in expectant hope wondering “is this the time, oh Lord?” But it isn’t. And I’m disappointed. But I continue to ponder the words of the angel to the disciples, waiting for Him to return in the same way in which He left.

To the early church this was a highly anticipated event, one they thought would occur fairly soon. I’m reading Philip Schaff’s History of the Christian Church and volume 2 pertains to the years 100 through 325 A.D., or the anti-Nicene period, the period right after all the Apostles had died to the conversion of the Emperor Constantine and the Nicene Counsel. Section 158 of this volume deals with Chilianism, chilian being Greek for “thousand years.” Millennialism is another term. The early church kept alive this hope of a physical thousand year reign of Christ on earth to help them survive during the often horrific period of persecution. The Jews had a Chiliastic hope based on some traditions and apocryphal writings. The Christians had Scriptural support in some things our Lord said and the Apocalypse, mainly the one passage, Revelation 20:1-6, which Schaff describes as “hieroglyphic” probably for its variety of interpretation, though most people are quite certain of their own. 1

The early church Fathers were on both sides of the issue. Barnabas, Papias of Hierapolis, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian taught a real one-thousand year reign of Christ, differing only in details. Others fought the idea as a “Jewish dream,” and tainted by Gnosticism and Montanism, and instead treating end-times prophesies in more spiritual terms. Origen and Augustine were major opponents who figured the millennium started with the Resurrection, and that Christ was currently reigning on earth in His Church. Amusingly, this later caused many to look for the the approaching final judgement as the first millennium of the Church Age drew to a close.

But just as the persecution of the early church spurred millennial hopes, the triumph of the church over pagan society after Emperor Constantine converted and legalized Christianity cause millennial hopes to wane. The Church was an accepted part of society, and emphasized living today over quixotic hopes for tomorrow. An antagonism towards a millennial reign of Christ and His church lasted even into the Protestant Reformation. Five hundred years later of course we have church denominations and theological seminaries founded on some version of millennial theology.

I for one greatly anticipate, along with the original disciples, the promised return of Christ for His church, whenever and wherever this may occur. The glorious night time sky and spectacular daytime skies continue to look like perfect backdrops for the most highly anticipated event in post Resurrection church history.

So as Jack Horkheimer always said, I say to you, “Keep looking up.”

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1 By way of explanation I’ll quote Schaff’s footnote. “Rev. 20:1-6. This is the only strictly millennarian passage in the whole Bible. Commentators are still divided as to the literal or symbolical meaning of the millennium, and as to its beginning in the past or in the future. But a number of other passages are drawn into the service of the millennarian theory, as affording indirect support, especially Isa. 11:4-9; Acts 3:21; Rom. 11:15. Modern Pre-millennarians also appeal to what they call the unfulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament regarding the restoration of the Jews in the holy land. But the ancient Chiliasts applied those prophecies to the Christian church as the true Israel.”

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What the Bible Teaches, by R.A. Torrey, Chapter 10 – Righteousness

Posted on May 3, 2012 by JohnJ

This the 10th installment of a review of RA Torrey’s 1898 publication What The Bible Teaches. See all of Lex’s posts here. A PDF copy of the book can be downloaded here. You are welcome and encouraged to join the discussion.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OR JUSTICE OF GOD

The theology of righteousness is wrapped in the mantle of the holiness of God, which we recently discussed. God’s righteousness means that He knows what is right and has the will and the power to do right. What’s more, He can’t do anything that is not right, there is no mixture of bad or evil in God. This has implications for His creation. His morals, what He’s determined as right and wrong, is imposed on mankind for its benefit. Evil is punished, good is praised.

People, on the other hand, without guidance can’t differentiate an absolute right and wrong, only that some concept of right and wrong exists. Man has determined that he is independent of every power and authority in creation, and can make his own laws and morals. But without foundation each man’s truth conflicts one with another and leads to confusion and chaos. Which is why Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Did he really want to know? Did he even care?

This gap between God’s righteousness and man’s willful autonomy is bridged through God’s reaching out to us with the redemptive power of forgiveness, as seen in the Old Testament through the sacrificial system that served as a covering for sin. And this looked forward to the final sacrifice of the Lamb of God, that would take away, not just cover, the sin of the world, in Jesus Christ. In the most miraculous way by the substitution of Jesus’ death on the cross, those who accept the free gift of this marvelous atonement can be cloaked in the righteousness of Christ. Read what Paul says in Romans 4:4, “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” And in Romans 8:10, “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” Paul has a lot to say in Romans about what righteousness is and how it affects us.

And how it affects us is a key element in that it is really supposed to affect our daily lives. Paul again in Romans, 6:19, “For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness [before being saved], resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.” Our behavior should reflect our new standing in righteousness by doing what is right.

This is nothing new, it is an application of the Old Testament theology of righteousness. In the simplest of terms old prophet Micah stated the bottom line. “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic. 6:8) But that man has none of his own is emphatically stated by Isaiah, chapter 64:6 “all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” But how difficult is it for us to see that all our own attempts to be good and do good can’t by themselves redeem us in God’s eyes.

And it is God’s eyes that count. I love what king Jehoshaphat told his judges, trying to establish some desperately needed reforms in Judah. “Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the Lord, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. Respect the Lord and make careful decisions, for the Lord our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.” (2 Chr. 19:6,7) And verses 9-10, “He said to the judges, ‘Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD who is with you when you render judgment. Now then let the fear of the LORD be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the LORD our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.'” A very appropriate message for our own world. It’s marvelous how what was said thousands of years ago is crucially relevant to society today.

God’s righteousness is a fearsome thing to the unsaved, but a treasure and protection for the saved. It should drive the one towards God and stimulate the other to walk pleasing to Him. We should remember that “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 14:17) The Pharisees thought it was the former. So do most people today. Jesus tells us our righteousness should surpass that of the Pharisees. (Matt.5:20) What is impossible with man can be possible through God.

[Scriptures taken from the New American Standard Bible © 1995]

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What the Bible Teaches, by R.A. Torrey, Chapter 9

Posted on April 26, 2012 by JohnJ

Lex is discussing this Thursday that God is Love in Chapter 9.

“Scripture suggests that love is not something we feel, it’s something that we do. It takes effort.”

Make a little effort and read her post and add a comment and join the conversation.

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Blessed are the Depressed

Posted on April 22, 2012 by JohnJ


“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Mathew 5:3

I tried to avoid writing this post, but what happened Friday afternoon made me rethink. Something I’ve never done in all my forty-something years of work. It was the end of the day, and the pressures of the Purchasing Department were catching up with me, and I felt in a bit of a funk. Purchasing can often be a cut-throat occupation anyway. Sometimes the ever increasing workload, the never ending emails, voice-mails, requisitions, problem solving, information correcting, parts research, reports processing, the demands from technicians trying to get a customer’s product out the door, the pressures of the constant impossible requests, can get to me. This afternoon was one for the books. So in this funk I attended a brief meeting, then walking back to my desk all I could think was that I had only a few short minutes to do what I was told had to be done before that highly anticipated Friday afternoon 4:30 quitting time arrived. I finished what was required, closed up my desk and walked quietly, steadfastly, in a bit of a cloud, out of the office, passing my manager on the way quietly mumbling an acknowledgement. The drive home helped me unwind somewhat. It was only within a mile from home that I looked clearly at the dashboard clock and read 4:15 pm. FOUR fifteen?! I almost did one of those famous double-takes. Did I really leave work an hour early?! I’m sure when I explain this to my boss on Monday he’ll look at it as an amusing story.

Depression runs in my family to some degree. I realize I’ve struggled with it off and on since high school. Only for but for a short period of my life I’ve battled it. Getting saved in 1976, attending a Christian college, getting married, these were a string of successful years of joy and challenge. But you play the cards you’re dealt and make the decisions you feel you must, and no, we were not promised a rose garden. My depression isn’t completely debilitating. I think can cope with it successfully. Should I take medication? Maybe. I don’t think so, I’m not thrilled with the idea of taking such a daily prescription being wary of side effects. I think I’m dealing with it to an acceptable degree. I know the Lord and His awesome grace in my life. I have a loving supportive wife who stands by me. I even have the joy of three amazing cats. Is this enough to cope? Sometimes I’m not sure. Most times I believe it is.

Jesus told an audience that blessed are the poor in spirit, quite a radical idea, as most of His were. Who are these poor in spirit and why are they blessed? I think they are blessed because they know, more so than the proud and the self-confident, that life oftentimes requires more strength, more wisdom, more tenacity than the human soul alone possesses. They can be more sensitive to the calling of their Heavenly Father. They can understand more than many the need for assistance, the kind of assistance necessary to deal with life that can’t come from family or friends, society or government, occupation or hobbies; that can only come from One who truly understands what we are going through. (See Hebrews 4:15-16) He sees every one of us going through our trials with a great deal of compassion and care. Hear His heartfelt emotional plea to His people just before His passion when He said, “How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.” (Matt. 23:37) It breaks His heart to see what His people go through and is more than ready to assist us if we let Him. And we do go through a lot down here on this earth. Who doesn’t sometimes feel that it’s all a bit too much? The depressed certainly can.

And who really wouldn’t agree with Paul, when they truly know the awesome power and majesty of our amazing Creator and Redeemer, as did that Apostle who wrote to the Philippians about his own desire “to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better.” (Phil. 1:23) Did Paul too sometimes struggle with depression to the degree that he wanted to escape the weary madness of this world and enter his rest? Considering everything that man endured (just read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28) it would be completely understandable. Then there are these words of Jesus from the Gospel of John, spoken again just before He was led away to be crucified, “he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.” (John 12:25) Sounds like He’s describing the poor in spirit to me. But it’s a statement from the perspective of knowing exactly what is meaningful and lasting in this world, made under the duress of impending adversity. Something the poor in spirit are likely to appreciate.

I hesitate to write this knowing the stigma that can accompany such an admission. Writing a blog no-one reads has its advantages. But really, there are worse things in life of which I could be guilty besides depression. I’m still functional, putting on a confident face at work, getting excellent reviews, and in the world. I only speak for myself, of course, since I know there are others that are dealing with many more pressures than I. And I understand that sometimes stronger measures are needed to cope. But for myself, I just have my own little quirks to deal with. It helps to know them, admit them, so I can be honest with myself and deal with them intelligently. And know I need to continually surrender to Him who has the power to save, to support, and to sanctify.

So in spite of the difficulties of depression, or being poor in spirit, I still consider myself blessed, knowing that I have a place in the kingdom of heaven, having a mansion prepared by my Lord awaiting. (John 14:2)

[Scriptures taken from the New American Standard Bible © 1995]

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What the Bible Teaches, R.A. Torrey – Chapter 8

Posted on April 19, 2012 by JohnJ

This the 8th installment of a review of RA Torrey’s 1898 publication What The Bible Teaches. See all of Lex’s posts here. A PDF copy of the book can be downloaded here. You are welcome and encouraged to join the discussion.

Chapter 8. THE HOLINESS OF GOD

Torrey now covers the topic of the holiness of God. Wow! No wonder it takes six pages, more pages than the previous chapters; he could have taken sixty. There are a lot of Scriptures that detail God’s holiness in its many facets. So with a required brevity so you don’t abandon me I’ll summarize: God’s holiness is “absolute,” there is no mixture of darkness in His light. This means He hates sin (but fortunately loves the sinner), He delights in righteousness and purity (yes, delight and good times can be had in purity–the sinner is not the only one who can have fun). God never thinks or acts in any way sinful or impure. Man’s sinfulness has created an immense gulf between himself and the Lord, and this sin must be punished. But the punishment due can be substituted if man will surrender and accept the free gift in His Son’s atonement on the cross.

The practical effects of God’s holiness are: mankind now can truly devote himself to service to God and can behave toward God in genuine reverence and in subservience; even the angels exhibit deference to God’s holiness. And His holiness puts our human condition in perspective.

That’s the summary of Torrey’s outline, now some thoughts.

That God is holy is without question, after all He is called the Holy One of Israel throughout the Old Testament (32 times from 2 Kings to Ezekiel). Torrey lists a lot of verses in support, I’m sure you can recall some off the top of your head. But from the first page of Genesis to the last page of Revelation, paramount to everything that is written is God’s holiness, in His behavior, in His creation, in His plans and His will. When man in a moment of weakness deviated from his initial state of purity that decision threw into the most stark relief the resulting gulf between God’s goodness and what now passed for man’s goodness.

That God must be absolutely holy is of supreme importance to humanity, since should there be no such thing as an immutably holy God there can be no such thing as morality, right or wrong, or justice, for lack of foundation. These concepts would then be defined however each individual desired, just as in the days of the Judges when “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” An orderly society would be an impossibility collapsing in chaos; I could poke your eye out, pillage your possessions, ravish your women, torch your village, whatever I thought was good for me. There could be no such thing as truth, everyone would decide his own truth. But it is impossible for humanity to prosper that way. And so we find a significant percentage of humanity currently living inside each his own bubble of morality to the detriment of the health and safety of his neighbor. And society today continues to crumble, just as civilizations have come and gone throughout history. When push comes to shove we all would admit there has to be some final arbiter of right and wrong, of justice and truth. And this can only come outside and independent of mankind. And that requires a God who must be holy in the absolute.

So it is the impact of God’s holiness that is of consequence to all of His creation, as evidenced in the Fall. The first example is Adam and Eve making what would at first blush seem like a simple dietary decision, “Let’s eat fruit.” (Gen. 3) How could a seemingly innocuous act of eating a piece of fruit have cataclysmic consequences? But when Eve, against her better judgment, took a bite and shared with her husband all creation was altered in the most dreadful and destructive way. God said “do not eat,” and told them what would happen if they did, but in a moment of weakness they disregarded His Holiness and disobeyed and we continue to pay the price.

For another example, Genesis 6:5-7 describes the decision God made when the people of the earth just got too carried away in their evil. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” So He sent a flood to wash away the desecration that mankind had become, saving only the tiniest remnant to start fresh. One can look at the world today and wonder just how sickening their evil must have been as opposed to the disgust that you’d think He’d feel now over what this world has become. But in contrast to those times there is His Church that today ameliorates somewhat the level of evil on earth. So at least we’ve got that going for us. At least to the degree that those in His Church are worth their salt (Matt. 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”)

Which brings me to the sensitivity of man of truly understanding God’s holiness and His intolerance of sin and rebellion. We seem to suppress to an amazing degree this comprehension in our day to day lives by living as if His holiness matters little evidenced by the things that fill our waking hours. The story of Moses on Mount Sinai is a perfect example. The short version: while Moses was 40 days on the mountain with God (Exodus chapter 32) Israel got impatient and gave up on them both deciding to create their own “gods” they could follow, and this right after they were given the Ten Commandments (Exodus chapter 20). God sees what they’ve done and tells Moses that He is going to destroy them all and will make from him a new nation–a most tempting offer to a lesser man. Moses doesn’t seem to comprehend the sin that could make the Lord say such a thing and pleads with God for restraint, and he returns to the foot of the mountain only to see for himself just how badly the people have strayed. So in a rage he smashes the tablets and grinds up the idols and makes the people drink it–so now he understands a bit better that God’s holiness must be taken seriously. It is quite a revelation to Moses, one of those “ah-hah!” moments. It should teach us that we need to be vigilant; that if we aren’t careful, little by little the unholy and profane will creep into our lives and will have a detrimental effect on our relationship and walk with God. We need to be sensitive to just how holy God really is. The indwelling Holy Spirit is what assists.

So how should God’s holiness influence our daily decisions and choices? How about the TV shows we watch, the books and magazines we read, the jokes we share, the web sites we visit, the thoughts on which we dwell, the attitudes we manifest? Paul gives a hint in Colossians chapter 3: Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. . . . Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. . . . put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him[.] These are all actions we perform when we determine that it is important to be like Christ.

There is supposed to be a difference in behavior of the one who has been born of His spirit and the one who is still enslaved to sin. It’s a matter of perspective, and of truly seeing God in the beauty of His holiness, and emulating Him because we love Him. Paul’s words from Philippians should help, Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Phil. 4:8) The reasons we should dwell on these things is obvious. Because He wants us to be holy since He is holy. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:15-16 quoting Lev 11:44.)

[Scriptures taken from the New American Standard Bible © 1995]

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