what if...

What if.....
What if the world is looking for a safe place to ask questions rather than a place which claims all the answers?


What if faith is more about living in the tension and uncertainty than having control?

What if the Gospel is not about who is in and who is out but rather about the Kingdom encompassing everyone?

What if Christianity is about bringing God to everyone, not having people come to God?

What if God is found in the doubts?

What if Jesus really meant love your enemies, repay evil with good, blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are the meek?



What if....

Burning buildings, drowning victims.......and evangelism-- part 2

I remember clearly the calls to evangelize given by speakers as they used the burning building or drowning victim illustrations. As stated in my last post, I find stating unbelievers are in a burning building and it is the Christian's job to warn them of the danger puts the emphasis on the conversion, not on discipleship.
I also think these illustrations to motivate evangelism also inspire a "talk at ya and convince ya" type of evangelism.  I need to tell you from safety that you are drowning or in a burning building. I need to point out your sin to convince you that you are a sinner and you need a savior. The Roman Road approach. While I am certain there are many who have been converted by this manner, I just don't see this in Scripture.
Philippians 2 tells us to have the same attitude or mind that Christ had--who was God but didn't claim hold to his rights as God but instead humbled himself as a servant even unto death. The picture I see in Philippians is Jesus jumping into the water or running into the building. God didn't shout how sinful we are from heaven then jump down to die on the Cross and rise again. Instead, as John's Gospel states, The Word tabernacled with us. God made his dwelling with us, walked among us so we could see his glory.  And swept a bunch of people along for the journey of salvation. I wonder if Christians adopted the Philippians 2 attitude in their evangelism if the world would look a little differently.

Burning buildings, drowning victims.......and evangelism

In a conversation on Facebook, a person stated he believed he must point out people's sins in order to love. He then used the illustration of a burning building. If a person was in a burning building, is it loving to tell them everything is ok or to tell them to get out because the building is on fire? When I asked why are there only two options to love--pointing out sin or telling everyone everything is ok, he asked what the third option is in the illustration of the burning building. Perhaps the answer to that is going into the burning building and helping the person out. His response was the person doesn't believe the building is burning or that they need a way out. So his way to love is to tell a person the house is on fire. If they don't listen, he moves on to the next house.
I have heard this illustration before. A preacher attempts to motivate his listeners to evangelize by employing the illustration of the burning building. The unsaved are in a burning building. You as the Christian must warn them of the fire and offer them Christ as the answer. Or the preacher used the drowning illustration. We Christians are in a boat and all around us in the water are lost souls drowning. Jesus is the life preserver. 
Is this the best illustration for evangelism? The emphasis falls on the moment of conversion. The object of salvation is to save someone from Hell. Yet when I read Scripture, I never find conversion to be central to the Gospel. I find discipleship to be the emphasis. I find God is interested in re-creating me from a self centered being to a God-centered being. I am reborn and must learn to walk again in steps of a peace which seeks everyone's wholeness and talk again using the language of self sacrificial love. 
In my experience, we are not in a burning building but on a journey. God wishes to join us on this journey, invade our space, and redeem all of the journey. I am not saved from my sins in some vague eternity. I am saved from sins now and forever. The journey is redeemed. That which would break me on my journey or break others through my journey, God offers healing and wholeness. At some point in this journey, I joined God's Story, not to get to Heaven, but to bring Heaven to me. The Presence of God is mine in the here and now.
So does the burning building or the drowning victim imagery inspire you to evangelize? What imagery would you use to paint the picture of what God is doing in your life?

all you need is love.....part 3

So the last two blogs were about I Corinthians 13.  I find it interesting the love chapter is found in a letter to the church at Corinth, not Philippi. The Philippian Church was a persecuted church and Paul had very kind words for them as they lived the Gospel in the midst of hard circumstances. But the love chapter goes to Corinth--the church which is divided (I was baptized by Paul, I was baptized by Apollos) and a church which loved its rituals (spiritual gifts) more than people. They get the love chapter. And the Love chapter does not talk anything about agreeing with each other. Instead, it promises we will not see things eye to eye here. No we are reminded that right now, we are seeing things dimly. And because we see things dimly, perhaps a love which is patient, kind, not rude, seeks the best for the other person, does not boast in being right, rejoices in justice not evil is the kind of love which we are called to.
Interestingly enough, I have been in a conversation on my friend's facebook wall about responding to atheists who "blaspheme" God. One person insists the loving thing to do is to point out they are in a burning building, point out their sin and if they don't respond move on to the next house. I asked if love always has to point out the sin. He responded it was either that or embracing sin and saying all things are fine.
Is there a love in between those two extremes? Is there an act of love between pointing out sin or saying everything is fine? Have we lost our God given creativity if we can only see two sides to love?
Is this life really a burning building and we need to accept Jesus to get out of the burning building of sin? Or is life a journey where we are shaped by the encounters with a loving God who patiently waits for us, calls to us, walks with us until we respond? Perhaps I see things too simplistically. I know I only see things dimly.  But from my experience, God seems to take the scenic route. If its a burning building, God doesn't seem to be in a hurry in my life or the lives of anyone around me. The only answer I keep hearing is: love any ways.

All you need is love....part 2

 I shared on FB and in my last post, Rachel Held Evans' blog: http://rachelheldevans.com/guest-post-david-nilsen, which made me think of some of the conversations I have had over controversial issues. The question about love--whether love condones or agrees with the other side, how do we love?--has come up on many occasions.  In my last post, I stated how agape love is a love which chooses to love. So I thought I would continue with the type of love we are to choose.  How do we love those who differ from us theologically, socially, or politically? As Christ has loved us is the simple, straightforward answer. If that is too abstract--you know--loving to death people who were his enemies, we can look at I Corinthians 13:
Love is patient and kind. Love bears,  calmly endures even opposing views, pain, mistakes. Love responds not with labels which push people away, put others down, mock the opposing view but responds with kindness.
Love is not jealous, boastful or proud.  Love does not abandon someone who agrees with us some points when they differ from us on a controversial issue. You know, the Christian who believes Jesus is Lord but does not support the literal 6 days of Creation or has a different view on homosexuality or is a *gasp* Democrat or a Republican. Love does not get jealous of the other camp and disown the Christian as a brother or sister in Christ. Love does not boast. Love is not proud. Love doesn't have to have all the answers and can discuss issues without acting like it is my way or you're completely wrong.
Love is not rude. Love does not call names or throw labels around. Love does not invite people to mock other people. Love does not mock others.
Love does not demand its own way. Love does not require the other person to be completely persuaded to my point of view. Love allows the other person to choose and remain in relationship.
Love is not irritable. Love is not offended when someone disagrees with me.
Love keeps no records when it has been wronged. Love doesn't let the wrongs someone has done define who they are, allowing them to still have a voice into other people's lives, into my own life.
Love is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever truth wins out. And so, even when a beloved pastor or church leader is leading a mega church and doing wonderful ministry, when he is unjust in his treatment of any other human being, love does not rejoice. The wrong someone does in no way negates the good. But the good does not negate the bad. Let us call each other to a higher standard of love.
Love never gives up. Love doesn't unfriend or leave a fellowship lightly.
Love never loses faith. I can love those who differ from me theologically, politically knowing that God's love wins. God will correct them or God will correct me, perhaps not in this conversation or life. But I have faith, God wins. God's promise is true--those who seek God will find God and be conformed to the image of Christ.
Love is always hopeful. Love expects the best out of others. Love doesn't assume because someone believes a certain way about a theological, political or social issue that they don't love God and don't believe Scripture. Love gives them the benefit of the doubt.
Love endures through all circumstances.
In this list, we do not find love agrees 100% all the time. In fact, the list has more to do with how we deal with each other in times of disagreement and hardship--being patient, kind, not being rude, not keeping record of wrong.
Let us choose to love--no matter what.

All you need is love.....part one

All you need is love.  So why is it so hard? I have been part of dialogs between friends, on line, on blogs, etc. where the tensions rise and accusations are hurled. In the middle of a heated discussion, someone will call people to love. Another will say "love the sinner, hate the sin." And then someone will ask, "how can we love someone who is in opposition to Scripture?" And yet another will state, "we cannot condone this lifestyle or these actions, or this sin. Christianity is not a feel good, hippie religion." Why is love so difficult? When Christ says "love your enemies," what did he mean?
I think part of the problem is our English.
I love ice cream. So obviously, when ice cream is served I am going to partake.
I love hockey. So obviously, I condone hockey games.
I love my sister. I accept her.
We use the term love for silly, temporary things and for deep, eternal matters. Our culture portrays another version of love which a highly sexual one. And so our understanding of love is blurred in our culture and by our language.
But the Greek, which the New Testament was written in, has more than one term for love. I am going to focus on the term agape, the love of God in the Septuagint and the New Testament, because we are to love others as Christ has loved us. It is the agape love we are to show.
I have often heard preachers discuss how agape love is the unconditional love. When I was in seminary, I did a word study through Kittle's Theological Dictionary on the term agape. Kittle looks at each word in the New Testament in the context of the culture--how did the Greek people in history and the contemporaries of Jesus use the word, in the context of the Septuagint and the Old Testament (the Jewish translators chose specific Greek words for specific Hebrew and Aramaic words when they translated), and in the context of the New Testament--how has the author of the Scripture used the term in other places or other NT authors used the term. I found the term agape is more than just unconditional love. The Jewish translators used the term agape for the love of God or the Hesed in the Septuagint because it is a choice love. While the other terms for love in Greek mean affection or brotherly love, agape denotes choice. God chose Israel out of all the other nations to love. God chose to love Israel, even though they turned from God, God chose them, loved them, and used them to bring the Messiah.
So how do we love people we disagree with theologically, politically, socially? Its a choice! We choose to love first whether the person will agree with us or disagree. We choose love before we know where they stand. Rachel Held Evans had an interesting post on the subject of disagreeing theologically with people: http://rachelheldevans.com/guest-post-david-nilsen  Choosing to love is to give people the benefit of the doubt and allow them to voice their view. That will be a discussion for the next post.

Hell and God's ways

Earlier this week, I was at a table with colleagues and the discussion came around to a new book about Hell, responding to Rob Bell's book, "Love Wins." I can't remember the author or the name of the book in rebuttal. All I recall is my colleague highlighting the argument which reinforced his understanding of Hell. So this blog is not a defense of either books, since I have not read either, but a discussion on my friend's argument. My colleague stated the argument which he agreed with was the thought that God's ways are higher than our ways--Isaiah 55:9. And so when we have a problem with God sending someone to Hell, God's ways are higher than our ways.
I have a couple of issues with this argument.
1. Using Isaiah 55:9 in this manner is an easy way out. If you don't agree with me, "well, you know God's ways are higher than our ways, so it may not sound right to you." Those who disagree with the author or my friend's view of Hell could use the same argument against them. "I know you believe that only those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will be saved, but God can pardon who ever he wants. You know God's ways are higher than our ways." I do not believe we can have complete understanding this side of Glory of all spiritual truths but I don't think we can simply dismiss different views with "God's ways are higher than ours."
2. What is the context of Isaiah 55:9? Isaiah 55 begins "if anyone is thirsty, come and drink." It is an invitation to come back to God. Turn from your wicked ways. Verse 7--right before the "my thoughts are above your thoughts, my ways are above your ways," states, "God will abundantly pardon." What? God's thoughts and ways are above ours.....in the context of God will abundantly pardon. It is not our way to pardon so greatly. It is not in our way to expect to be pardoned for the wrong we have done. But it is God's way. Now this is in no way near a complete exegesis of Isaiah 55. But I think we need to look at the context of a verse before we quote it to back our position. We can and should respect the Bible more than simply using it as a bunch of loosely connected Proverbs we can whip out whenever we need a defense or even a word of encouragement. God's story is much bigger than mere snippets.
So those are my thoughts on my friend's defense on his view of Hell. No, I didn't share it with him at the time. There were an awful lot of social dynamics at play and well, lets say I wasn't comfortable. But I share it with you. What is your take on Isaiah 55 and how we use verse 8-9?