Opinion – Page 3

What Should We Do When We Fail?

March 11, 2019 by Dudley Hall

It just popped up as a text on my smart phone. I read it and choked up.

Religion: "I've messed up. My dad is going to kill me."

Son-ship: "I've messed up. I'd better call my dad."

This accurately expresses the deepest heart-cry of both a failing child and a caring father. Every sane father wants his child to call when he/she is in trouble. There is no mire too messy to get in, if your child is in it. Every failing child wishes for a father who would understand, and get involved.

Literature is replete with examples of such stories. Maybe the most popular is the story of the "prodigal son." (Luke 15) The younger of two sons decides he is ready for independence and goes off on his own, making poor decisions, He ends up slopping pigs, hungry enough to eat the pig's food. All the while, the father watches and waits for his son’s call. As soon as he sees a tiny spec on the road home, the father runs with robe, shoes, ring, to invite the boy to the biggest feast ever.

That is the Father's heart.

A New Understanding of the Father

Why don't failing ones call dad? Why are so many still slopping around in a pig pen when there is welcoming Father awaiting? Could it be that alienation is preferable to risking rejection? We are never sure we will be rejected until we chance it. Maybe the thought of being finally and fully rejected is too much of a gamble. We instead insist on living in self-imposed isolation.

Maybe disappointing dad is too painful. We can't afford to lose whatever pride he might still have in us. We must keep up the appearance so he will approve us to some extent.

The prodigal must have fought with such thoughts when it became evident to him that his plan was not working. Maybe he thought his father expected him to make it on his own. Or maybe he thought he could outlast the failure and his dad would never know. He probably just couldn't entertain the thought that his dad would know what a mess he had made.

Shame makes a coward out of us all. The lies we believe when we've pushed his presence away are devastating. We are so self-conscious, we can't see reality. That is why the father ran toward the prodigal with a robe in his hand. His shame was covered by the father's robe.

It is why God came to Adam and Eve with skins for clothing when they were hiding behind bushes in the Garden of Eden. It is why God clothes us with the robe of righteousness that belongs to Jesus.

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The prodigal evidently became so miserable that he was willing to risk rejection. He still didn't understand his father's heart. He came with a deal. He planned to offer servitude for provisions. He was so surprised! No deals. No negotiations. Sons in the house must be sons in the house. The father offered full restoration. Undeserved, unmerited, unconditional, unending acceptance and partnership. It began to dawn on the son. "He knows! He loves!"

It is not probation. It is full son-ship. Partnership. A new robe to cover the shame. New ring to signify family authority. New shoes that identify family members. A new understanding of the Father.

Call Dad

Once when David was hiding in a cave from a crazed enemy, he called dad.

"With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him ... I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." -- Psalms 142:1-2, 5

Call him! He knows!

What Should We Do When We Fail?

March 11, 2019 by Dudley Hall

It just popped up as a text on my smart phone. I read it and choked up.

Religion: "I've messed up. My dad is going to kill me."

Son-ship: "I've messed up. I'd better call my dad."

That is the Father's heart.

A New Understanding of the Father

Maybe disappointing dad is too painful. We can't afford to lose whatever pride he might still have in us. We must keep up the appearance so he will approve us to some extent.

It is why God came to Adam and Eve with skins for clothing when they were hiding behind bushes in the Garden of Eden. It is why God clothes us with the robe of righteousness that belongs to Jesus.

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It is not probation. It is full son-ship. Partnership. A new robe to cover the shame. New ring to signify family authority. New shoes that identify family members. A new understanding of the Father.

Call Dad

Once when David was hiding in a cave from a crazed enemy, he called dad.

Call him! He knows!

The post What Should We Do When We Fail? appeared first on The Stream.

The Media and The Church

February 5, 2019 by Dudley Hall

President Trump has made his conflict with the media very public, though he has his own version. It is not the first time elected officials have fought with the media.

We are bombarded with the vitriol of the fighting. Many of my friends have stopped listening to any of the news outlets. It seems that anger and frustration are stirred any time we stop long enough to listen to the spin. The media are either blamed or praised for moving society ideologically according to an agenda commonly held by its proponents. It is inevitably biased according to the ideology being promoted.

Objectivity is an ideal, but is not achievable by biased people. What is reported is interpreted by those doing the reporting. Those who agree with the bias are glad, while those who disagree claim "foul." For some time now, the mainstream media has embraced an ideology far different than the one that held sway for centuries. Secularism has been exalted as the religion of the day. Some who are deeply disturbed by that direction are looking for an alternative media. There is one I suggest.

The Good News Media

God gave the church to the world as his media. The followers of Christ were and are commissioned to proclaim news -- good news. It is the news that gives a framework of interpreting all events in history. Understanding the story of creation, fall into sin, and redemption allows us to participate in earth's story in a meaningful way.

The church has been silenced by its own cowardice. Refusing to address the issues that matter in current society, it has been thwarted by the religion of secularism.

The problem we currently face is that the church has dropped the ball in this area. When no alternative voice is heard, the secular voice rules supreme.

The Form Without Power

The church has been silenced by its own cowardice. Refusing to address the issues that matter in current society, while claiming success in numbers and buildings, it has been thwarted by the religion of secularism. To become relevant, it has adopted a message of human compassion without divine power. This form without power is embarrassed by the claim that all are broken and that the resurrection of Jesus Christ can transform anyone. And an increasing number of people are leaving it because of this hollow message.

Reduced to a marginal role in a society that features civil government as the power to respect and fear, the church -- though still tolerated by some -- is mocked by many.

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Without competition in announcing news, the secular media are dominating the field. For a long time, movies and TV shows have depicted preachers as weird, judgmental, and irrelevant characters, while villains are heroes. The foibles of some TV preachers have added to the cynicism that makes mocking so easy. It is no wonder that recent surveys reflect a growing trend to disassociate with church-going.

But, beware! The true church is the body of Christ, and it is empowered by the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead.

Jesus put his reputation on the line when he declared that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church. Just as the demonic religion of the Jewish leaders and the tyrannical power of Roman government could not prevent Jesus from rising from the dead, neither can the intimidating forces of secularism keep down the true church, whose head is Jesus Christ the Lord.

God’s News Organization

God emphasizes the household of relationships rather than structures and rituals. He works through his children to bless all people.

God builds his church with his children, not programs and buildings. (Psalm 127) He works through human partners. He always has. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus testify that God has linked his work on earth to humans who relate to him as Father. In his gracious salvation, he offers all a second chance at a healthy childhood. All who receive Jesus as God's only solution to human alienation become children of God. (John 1:12-13)

God emphasizes the household of relationships rather than structures and rituals. He works through his children to bless all people. He gives them access to him and promises to hear their prayers. (John 14:13-14) Finally, everyone has a chance to enjoy a healthy family life where the inevitable wounds of natural family dysfunction are healed.

As the darkness of deception grows, the children are waking up, suiting up, and showing up. No longer afraid of being mocked, they are standing in the gates of the city, and proclaiming the radical good news that there is a way -- not only to heaven, but to living a life of meaning now. They are finding that their unity is not in race, ritual, or rage, but in sharing the same life with the Father and the Son.

It has happened before in history when most thought the church had gone out of business. It had just gone underground, only to explode into life that honors the one who is the head.

It is our time. The media are ruling now, but the source of news -- good news, is making his voice heard again. Listen, join the news service.

America! Pray for the Church

January 28, 2019 by Dudley Hall

Pray for America Flag Woman Prayer - 900

While many church leaders are encouraging their congregations to pray for the country, the country should be praying for the church.

Prayer is an intuitive response of humans when important things are threatened. It is an implicit recognition that we are finite. It is expressing a level of faith in a higher power or person. Some prayers are simple gasps of hope thrown heavenward. Others are thoughtful petitions aimed at communicating with God hoping for a response. Praying is good unless it is just a show of personal piety and a display of self-righteousness.

I sometimes wonder what people expect when they pray for the nation to be revived. Is God going to send a cloud full of angel dust to magically fix our ills?

Partnership With God

I think that if we understood how God has chosen to work on earth, we would want the church healthy and praying. Think about it. God has chosen to work on earth through human instrumentality. He has linked himself to humans in accomplishing his purposes on earth. His designation of Adam and Eve as his partners reveal his original intention. The biblical narrative tells how this has always been the way.

At any time, he could have intervened with angels, or he could have instituted another way of running the world, but he stayed true to his purpose. He chose Noah to build an ark to save a remnant when the world was so evil that it was destroyed. He chose Abraham to be the father of a family that would ultimately produce a son who would bring blessings on the earth instead of the curse of human disobedience. He chose Moses to lead God's people out of Egyptian bondage. He chose David to be the king of the nation. He chose Israel to be the vessel of blessing to the world.

Finally, he came as the ultimate God-man-partnership in Jesus. The Incarnation is God's declaration that human instrumentality is his way of working on earth.

Today People

Today, as always, he works through his own people to bless all people as they manage the earth. Those who have come to know God as Father through Jesus are his "today people." The church is that entity. They have been given the privilege of interceding for the world.

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Having been reconciled to God by the sacrifice of Jesus, they know that the core problem of society is separation from God. They know the message of reconciliation. They want the whole world to be reconciled to God, regaining what humanity lost in the Garden of Eden. They have a promise from Jesus that they can pray in his name and their prayers are heard. They share the life and mission of Jesus as his partners on earth.

In Fellowship With God

God blesses societies on earth when the people of those societies are liberated from the destructive fruit of separation. All people are designed to live in joyful fellowship with God, and when they are alienated, they are fraught with fears, and vulnerable to every demonic suggestion.

When the church prays, and offers the way of reconciliation, societies have hope. If all Americans knew the role of the church, they would be praying for the church to be revived. Peaceable and productive life on earth depends upon the health of the church.

A Healthy Church

Anyone can see that the visible church is not perfect. It is easy to criticize it for its failure. It is designed to show that God loves and forgives sinners; a safe place for anyone. It is made up of humans with all their weaknesses living with each other as forgiven children employed in God's mission to reconcile all to himself. The healthier it becomes the more effective it becomes. The welfare of any nation depends upon it.

Under the guise of "separation of church and state," rhetoric, some are trying to eliminate the church. They not only want its influence out of society, they want it out of existence. That is an obvious strategy from hell. Jesus has already said that "the gates of hell will not prevail against his church." (Matthew 16:18)

Pray for the Church

We pray with confidence that as members of his body, we are privileged to do his work. We pray that individuals who live in alienation from God and will see that he wants them; that he has provided a way for them through the Son; that they will find their role in blessing their own world with the freedom they have found; that their families and communities will see the light in the darkness; that behavior changes to fit their new identity; that laws will reflect the values of God's order -- to the glory of God.

America! Pray for the church. The nation depends on its health.

Christians Can!

January 10, 2019 by Dudley Hall

What I heard as a church-going youth was what Christians can't do. If you were serious about being a Christ-follower, there were things you had to stop doing or never even try. For an example, at my church, we couldn't smoke, drink, dance, watch R-rated movies, do drugs, be sexually active, gamble or curse, for a start.

My focus was not on what Christians can do. But that is where the good news lies.

Sharing in Jesus’ Life

There are some things that those who share in Christ's life can do that others can't.

Personally encountering the Spirit who raised Jesus from the grave enables such believers to act in concert with God's order, displaying his unique grace. They can obey his commands out of a heart of love rather than fear. In fact, they can see that each of his commands is an invitation to express the life they now share with him. Commands become opportunities to experience the supernatural nature of eternal life in daily interactions.

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Some would have us believe that Christians have no greater grace to deny sinful passions and unconditionally love their neighbor than unbelievers. Such a belief will inevitably lead to a disappointing effort to practice a holy life, and it offers an excuse for slip-shod ethics on the part of the believer. It places too much hope in human virtue apart from the special grace of regeneration.

Only those born of the Spirit can see the kingdom of heaven. (John 3:3) Only Jesus has lived the human life as it was designed. Only as we share his life now by the Spirit can we hope to imitate him.

We Needed a Champion

Human life was deeply flawed by the sin of Adam. Out of the disorder of that condition comes all sorts of chaos and destruction. We cannot rely on the virtues of a race of people characterized by enmity with God and ignorant of his ways.

Humans cannot win the battle against evil in their own strength. We are continually being confronted by an enemy who already has the scalps of innocent Adam and chosen Israel hanging from his belt. There had to be a champion who could represent Adam's race and Israel's nation.

He was tempted like Adam in the garden and Israel in the wilderness, but faced down the devil's whole arsenal of temptations. He then defeated the devil personally by fulfilling justice, erasing sin's penalty, killing sin's tyranny, mocking death's threat, and ascending to the place of original human stewardship.

We have died, been raised, and established as God's human agents of mercy. Our identity comes from his story, not ours.

The devil is not a rival to God's authority nor that of his agents. He is an imposter claiming power that he has lost and seeking to intimidate the children of God.

Let’s Do What We Can

Because we are his agents on earth, we shall be tempted by the cosmic enemy, but we do not identify ourselves by our temptations, not matter how insistent they are. We will be fed lies about our identity, our victimization and our value, but we have exchanged our personal story for his.

We have died, been raised, and established as God's human agents of mercy. Our identity comes from his story, not ours. We can admit our vulnerabilities, confess our sins, forsake our patterns of unbelief. We can forgive another from the heart. We can love as God loves. We can fulfill the law of Christ by bearing the burdens of others. We can rejoice at all times. We can give thanks in all things. We can prefer others above ourselves. We can please our Father as we humbly walk by faith.

Christians can. Let's do what we can do.

I Need Help

December 29, 2018 by Dudley Hall

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." -- Psalms 121:1-2

We all need help. Some are aware of it and others trudge on as if they are completely sufficient for every possibility. Those who are aware are faced with where they will look for help. The crowd of Israelites marching to Jerusalem to worship sang the song as recorded in Psalm 121. While it was common for people of that time to believe that their gods ruled from the majestic mountains that towered above everything, the people of Jehovah trusted the God who made the mountains.

He is not our maid who does what we demand. He is our Father who hears our cry and acts in our behalf in the best way at the best time.

He does not compete with the imagined gods of other religions. He is in a class byHhimself. He alone created all things. He alone governs what He created. He has a name. He is the God who made covenant with Israel. By His own initiative, He has assumed responsibility to be a Father to them. Without His watchful care, they will surely stumble and fall. He alone can establish them as secure. The song says, "He will not let your foot be moved." Israel can stand their ground because of the commitment of their God.

He is not a projection of human imagination -- a bigger version of man. He does not sleep. His care is perpetual. He provides shade from the rigors of the sun's heat, and protection from the mysterious influences of the moon and planets. He rules the day and the night. He ensures the sustainability of His people's faith. He watches them as they come and go. He is their God, and He cares about every detail of their lives.

A New Covenant Cry for Help

As we New Testament believers sing the song, we have further understanding of this dynamic. We cry for help from the One who not only made a covenant but ratified it by fulfilling the conditions we could never fulfill.

Jesus as our covenant mediator has kept covenant with the Father, and we are blessed with the fulfilled promise made to the obedient. We have no reason to look anywhere else for our help. He is our God and He cares for us. All the resources in creation are at His disposal to be used as He directs. We can stop looking to the gods that our culture has adopted for our help. We have a helper who waits for our call.

He is not our maid who does what we demand; He is our Father who hears our cry and acts in our behalf in the best way at the best time. If you are ready to admit you need help, look beyond the mountains to the creator and Father, and call.

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Is Santa Claus Our Projection of The Messiah?

December 13, 2018 by Dudley Hall

I earned some extra Christmas money during college days as I worked as a shopping-mall-Santa. It was good money, but it almost ruined the Christmas season for me. You can only listen to Christmas mall music so long, before you fall on the sword. And of course, there were the children who got so excited they couldn't control their bladder while sitting on my knee. It took a few years, but the joy of the season revived. I love the music, laughter, smiles, giving, and Santa.

I don't want to ruin the Santa experience for children, but it does bother me that many adults have not made the distinction between Santa and Jesus. I fear that the most common concept of Jesus is closer to Santa than to the Jesus who appears on the pages of the New Testament.

Jesus and Santa Claus

He was God who came as a human to give himself to rescue us from the bondage of the tri-fold tyranny of sin, self and Satan. He is not keeping a list of who is naughty or nice. We are all naughtier than we know. He doesn't reward the nice with gifts while leaving black coal in the stockings of the rest. Only the fully obedient gets the reward. Jesus, as a human, did that.

He doesn't just come to town periodically to judge and dispense gifts. He came to live with us in intimate fashion, 24/7. In fact, he made his people living stones in his permanent temple on earth.

He doesn't just consider our wish list with care. He gives us what we need -- even when we don't know it. His list of prepared gifts is astounding. We would settle for some temporal toys, while he brings eternal life with all its benefits.

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In an effort to be inclusive and inoffensive, Christians have quietly succumbed to a secularized Christmas. Santa typifies our concept of God as mythical, transactional (If we offer our goodness, he gives his gifts), and useful for the naive. The radical act of God becoming man is too much to comprehend. And after all, Santa usually ignores the "list" and gives good things to all who want a gift. So, God must not really be serious about our aligning with his design for living.

Surely we are not so naughty as to need a Savior to die in our stead. That is too bloody and violent. If he exists at all, he must just offer advice on how to be better people.

The Real Message of Christmas

The real message of Christmas is earthshaking. It is no wonder that the wise men traveled, the shepherds were amazed, and the angels sang. Santa is a laughable myth we can enjoy for a few days. Jesus is the Lord of all who gives us the Spirit that raised him from the dead and grants us joy forever.

Santa comes to town once a year. Jesus came to earth once, and nothing has been the same since. We can wink at Santa, but we worship when we see Jesus. And we don't have to wait until he comes again.

We Have a Gratitude Deficit

November 21, 2018 by Dudley Hall

Alarms are sounding all over in our society. It seems that every interest group is touting their version of the biggest crisis ever. Sadly, we become numb to so many alarms and drift off to sleep even though the noise is deafening.

I think I am detecting a crisis that may be at the root of most, if not all, the others. We are frustrated, lonely, disoriented, and depressed because of the lack of gratitude. Before you stop reading, hear me out. If I'm right, there is a solution. If it is more complicated than this, the hope for surviving the crisis is dim.

Content to Remain Victims

We are competing for the prize of who has been most victimized. Identifying with segments of society that have felt oppression, real or imagined, gives us a voice to demand attention.

While all segments may have been oppressed in one way or another, there are clearly groups that have experienced more injustice than others. In all cases, it is shocking to discover that we have so little control over what happens to us, but that we have a choice in how we respond. When we are content to remain victims and project that as our identity, certain dynamics kick into gear.

We can easily justify personal vengeance. We can even promote violence toward the perceived oppressor. We adopt an entitlement mentality demanding that our personal demands be met regardless of what it might cost others. Believing that our voice has not been heard sufficiently, we can justify shutting down all other voices. We don't want to discuss issues but vilify anyone who disagrees. We become disoriented as to truth and functional relationships because we have focused on ourselves. We stagger like a child trying to walk a crooked path while looking only at her shoes. We long to be with people but are afraid to interact with them for fear that their views might make us feel unsafe. We gather in the crowded coffee shop with earbuds so we can be lonely together.

It was ingratitude that started this crisis.

Denied Design

"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:21)

With no design, we have been at a loss to figure out how creation works. No wonder we wander.

This text is in the apostle Paul's explanation of why the gospel is needed by everyone. He explains that God made himself known in creation and conscience enough for humans to recognize him as God the creator and designer. But, in blind rebellion, we as a race chose to disregard him as such and refused to give thanks. That is, we refused to acknowledge that we are always the recipients, and never the source. Such a choice left the whole race alienated from God, incapable of making life work.

Without acknowledging the designer, we denied the design. With no design, we have been at a loss to figure out how creation works. In our disorientation, we have confused creation and creator, male and female, animals and humans, as well as truth and deception. No wonder we wander.

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With no God to guide according to a design, and no source to trust for our needs, we become gods -- but very small ones. We conclude that we are the only hope for addressing the problems of society and promote ourselves as saviors.

We are besought with what Nietzsche called "the will to power." We want desperately to be in control and will do remarkably bizarre things to achieve it. And even more desperate things to keep it.

It is such a tenuous grasp, however, since there is no truth beyond what we can discover for ourselves. We feel alone in the universe, and in our best moments, we tremble at how little we are in charge. Having very little to say, we scream, hoping the volume will cover the shallowness of our words.

The Fruit of Ingratitude

It is not hard to spot the symptoms of ingratitude.

It is reflected in disrespect for parents and parentage. Those who mock their parents and the ideal of parenting will suffer the lack of a secure identity. They will find respect difficult to give and receive.

It is also seen in the general disregard for authority. Structures like government, church, and family are considered outdated and malicious tools of historical oppression. The Bible is mocked or ignored by many who still contend they are Christians. It is their opinion supported by selective science that holds sway in personal decision-making. This leads to rampant dereliction of duty.

Ingratitude only focuses on what's for me. We don't even pay what we owe to those who teach us, protect us, and guide us.

There is disdain for paying taxes though we demand the government provide every comfort we demand. We demand that those who have more should divest themselves and equalize provision. Churches should fulfill our religious needs, but we should not be expected to participate in the upkeep of the ministries. Charities should help the poor, sick and afflicted, but someone else should fund them. Children should be educated, but teachers should be willing to sacrifice to get that done, without our help.

Ingratitude only focuses on what's for me. We don't even pay what we owe to those who teach us, protect us, and guide us. It produces a society of derelicts.

It is Time to Give Thanks

Is the answer, then, for us to just say thank you periodically? That is a good idea, but we all know how hypocritical we feel when we say thank you, and we really don't mean it. Like children at a birthday party being told to say thank you for their gifts when they are disappointed in what they were given, "thank you" is hollow.

Consider this. Jesus has shared his life with us. After his crucifixion and resurrection, he ascended to the right hand of the Father and sent the same Spirit who had filled him in his life and raised him in his death, to live in his people. Though he was the Son of God, he spent his life in gratitude to the Father for everything he had. He respected the authorities of his culture even though they were not perfectly reflecting the authority of heaven. He paid his taxes to the temple and to the government. He has given his life to us to enjoy now.

It is time to give thanks -- as a lifestyle. To do anything else is to live in delusion.

We have been given the same access to the Father that he had. We are loved by the same love that Jesus knew. We have been given his name to use against the powers that seek to destroy. We are the eternal recipients of a grace that supplies every need we shall ever have. We have his presence, his provision, his protection, and even participation, in his glorious mission on earth.

It is time to give thanks -- as a lifestyle. To do anything else is to live in delusion. He is God. He has given. We are his people. We have received. Such gratitude to God releases us to be grateful to all others who are his channels of grace.

"Be filled with the Spirit...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:18, 20)

A New Kind of Strength

November 15, 2018 by Dudley Hall

Our two-year-old grandson likes to flex his biceps and boast to me of how strong he is. He is a picture of the desires we all have. We would like to be strong in every area. It is our weaknesses that scare us. We instinctively try to hide or at least cover our vulnerability.

The problem lies in the true definition of strength. For many it is more like bullying and intimidating. The room gets awfully noisy when everyone is boasting of their own strength.

Jesus offers a new model of strength. To those who didn't get it, he looked like a victim, but he demonstrated what being strong is all about when he defeated death and ascended to rule over all.

Strength That’s Available to You

The apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Corinth describing the new kind of strength found in the shared life of the resurrected Jesus. It is known as Second Corinthians. He uses five illustrations to get his point across. First, in the introduction he mentions that God has used the weaknesses of his servants as an opportunity to give them a kind of comfort that is beyond human capability.

"Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:4)

They don't need to see how strong we are in ourselves. That only discourages them since they aren’t us. They need to know of a strength (comfort) that is available to them.

Since we are his image bearers, we are privileged to reflect a level of strength that is only made evident when we are weak in ourselves. We must get comfortable identifying what looks like weakness as strength. When we are weak he is strong. This gives hope to others who are weak and helpless. They don't need to see how strong we are in ourselves. That only discourages them since they aren't us. They need to know of a strength (comfort) that is available to them.

Captive for Christ

Second, he describes us as captives who emit an aroma of victory.

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere." (2 Corinthians 2:14)

The picture is of a conquering general leading his army, and the captives of his victory, through the streets of his city. To mask the smell of war, the air is filled with pleasant smells of perfume. The captives become a part of the parade. Paul is saying that we have been captured by the Lord and have no rights to demand. But we are made into his sons and enlisted in his mission to spread the aroma of hope to the whole world. We must get accustomed to being his captive. It is how we rule.

Shining God’s Light

Third, he describes us as earthen vessels that contain the treasure of his life. When we are broken in the presence of a world of death and darkness, his glory gets out.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)

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We should not be surprised to learn that we are led into places of affliction and suffering. Just as it was with Jesus on earth, we live for the sole purpose of extending his influence. We do not lose heart, because we are not measuring things the way the temporal world does. Like Stephen, we might get stoned while some unsuspecting "Saul" is watching -- and is later converted by the same light and life he saw on Stephen's face.

Refusing to Bring Reproach on the Gospel

Fourth, he says that we are only limited in our freedom by the desire to promote a clear gospel to those around.

"We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities.” (2 Corinthians 6:4)

Since we don't live to please ourselves, we refuse to bring reproach on the gospel by anything we might do to distract others from the pure truth of God's word.

Rejoicing in Weakness

Fifth, he declares that boasting on our part should be about our weaknesses rather than our strengths. This is after Paul had prayed that his thorn in the flesh would be removed. He knew God to be good, powerful and interested. So, he prayed for deliverance from some debilitating circumstance. God answered that his strength is magnified in Paul's weakness.

"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." (2 Corinthians 11:30)

Comparing our afflictions and weaknesses to glory is an eye opener. Afflictions are light and momentary. Glory is forever.

God does deliver us from all kinds of trouble. Sometimes he transforms the trouble by supplying more grace than the trouble can supply pain. After all, it is his grace that we want magnified, not our personal ease.

There is peace through strength -- when the strength comes from overwhelming grace. It is worth getting accustomed to. It is our calling. There is an entire eternity to enjoy the glory that shall be revealed. Comparing our afflictions and weaknesses to such glory is an eye opener. Afflictions are light and momentary. Glory is forever.

Pay What You Owe

October 14, 2018 by Dudley Hall

There seems to be some major confusion in our minds regarding what is free. My father told me at an early age that there is no free lunch. Somebody pays for it. Yet, there is the sentiment that some things are free.

Christians sometimes fall for such ideas because salvation is free for us. We forget that it was paid for by someone else. This distinction is especially important in our day when socialism is again raising its head and government welfare is so expensive. Please go with me for a few minutes into what the Bible says about it.

God’s Sovereign Love is Expressed in Delegated Authority

In the thirteenth chapter of Romans, Paul deals with our relationship with earthly authorities. This is in the section of the book that could be called the "how to apply" section.

For the first 11 chapters, Paul explained what God has done to have a people on earth who live as restored humans in partnership with him in blessing the earth.

In chapter 12, he tells us that our response to God's acts of grace is to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. He reminds us that it will require a whole new orientation of thought, because we are accustomed to thinking according to the values of our present culture. Our transformation in behavior comes from our minds being renewed to the new reality that has been created by the advent of Jesus who fulfills all promise and hope.

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Paul then begins to explain how we are to apply this new reality and what life in the newly inaugurated kingdom looks like. One of the issues he addresses is the whole concept of authority expressed through earthly structures. In other words, how do people who are citizens of the Kingdom of God relate to the kingdoms of the world.

We learn that God's sovereign love is expressed in delegating authority to various institutions for the benefit of the whole society. (Romans 13:1-8)

Submitting to Authority

It is vividly clear from scripture that God instituted the family as the cornerstone of human society and has given it authority to nurture and orient us to living with him in his family on his earth.

God's intention is that we get the basic lessons of life in the setting of a family where there is structure and mutual submission. Husbands are to lead as Christ leads in love. Wives are to respect God's order as joint heirs with their husbands. Parents are to rear their children with love and respect, as persons made in the image of God. Children learn how to respect authority first in the family.

The civil government is given authority to protect the citizens of society from wrong doers relating to their persons, their property, and their pursuit of their dreams. The Church is given authority to define truth and offer transformation to all persons who make up society.

Respecting these expressions of authority reflect a submission to ultimate authority. All earthly forms of authority are established by God, who rules over all. It is his mercy that grants to human instrumentality the privilege of managing life. God gives adequate authority to fulfill the role he has designed for each institution. If an institution tries to manage a part of society outside its jurisdiction, it is a form of tyranny. Refusal to honor the purpose and existence of earthly authority is a form of rebellion.

Sustaining the Structures of Society

Being a citizen of the transcendent Kingdom of God does not exempt us from our earthly responsibilities. We are part of creation and have a part in its development and its upkeep.

“Pay to all what is owed to them; taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whim revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” -- Romans 13:7

Any concept of welfare assistance that robs a person from participating in the upkeep of the structures of society is destructive to the person's soul, as well as to the sustainability of the structures. It violates God's design of humans and society. When we are the beneficiaries of the authority, we owe our part in sustaining it. We pay our taxes recognizing that we are enjoying the benefits of that revenue. Those who are so disenchanted with government that they refuse to pay or cheat to keep from paying should refuse to drive on the roads, never call the police, and never depend on the courts to protect their legal rights. They are stealing from those who are paying the bills.

We may object to such an approach to earthly authorities by pointing out how some of the humans who are in the place of authority are not good people, even sometimes evil. This is obviously true, but it doesn't cancel the purpose for the authority. History has proven that such persons will either be changed or be judged by the ultimate authority. God brings justice to all in his time. We can honor the authority without admiring the character of the individual representing it. We should never opt for anarchy. That is the goal of hell's forces. Chaos is hell's order.

We not only owe fiscal participation, we owe honor and respect. The current trend to dishonor executive, legislative, and judicial authority with vulgar and demeaning rhetoric because we don't like the person(s) holding the office is reprehensible, especially for citizens of the Kingdom of God.

Civil Responsibilities

In our society, we are blessed to have some voice in who sits in the seat of authority and even how that process is determined. That requires even more responsibility. When Paul wrote the letter to the church in Rome, Nero was representing the civil authority there. He was one of the most cruel and despotic leaders in history. We have plenty of corruption and ineptitude today, but not at that level -- and we have some say in changing it.

Maybe it is time to stop criticizing from afar, as if it were someone else's responsibility, and engage in honoring the institution of authority by infecting it with the eternal truth found in Christ. Before we conclude that the institution is demanding that we dishonor God thereby justifying civil disobedience, we should do our duty.

I encourage every citizen to exercise the right and responsibility to vote, but I ask every citizen to think first.

And it is not enough to just vote, though that is a high privilege and responsibility. First, think! What are the moral issues? Don't allow culture to convince you that because an issue has become political, that the church can't have a position. Political issues often reflect a moral position. Abortion is just one example. Murdering an innocent person is not just a political issue, and it is not the only issue that matters, but it cannot be ignored by shrugging our shoulders and mumbling something about the law of the land. We can change the laws -- and we should.

I encourage every citizen to exercise the right and responsibility to vote, but I ask every citizen to think first. Candidates will come and go. Laws that reflect morals affect society for a long time.

Pay What You Owe

It is a serious thing to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God living in the kingdoms of this earth. We have the assurance that our King is already on the throne and is ruling, even when it seems like evil is ascending. The judgment has already been decided.

We are privileged to carry out the purposes of our King amid societal struggle. We are not victims, and never shall be. Earth and heaven will ultimately see right prevail in every case. God's justice guarantees it.

We live with hope, confident that light is pushing the darkness back even while we suffer the pangs of a creation waiting for complete adoption. We might have to suffer persecution, and there might come a time for civil disobedience. For now, pay what you owe!

Am I a Bigot?

September 24, 2018 by Dudley Hall

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The guy in the t-shirt promoting abortion, the sexual revolution, social victimization, and open borders said that I was a misogynist, legalist, and racial bigot because I did not agree with his t-shirt. Am I?

Honestly, I felt the arrow. Maybe I harbor hidden bias. Perhaps I don't love the world as Jesus does. Then I remembered some verses from the apostle John that give perspective.

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. -- 1 John 3:18-19 (ESV)

Our own hearts are not infallible in evaluating our standing in righteousness. God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything. His verdict is the one that matters. (Now, there is a t-shirt for Christians: God's verdict matters.)

What Does Love Look Like?

What does it mean to love the world? Well, we know God does. What does his love look like?

First, he didn't allow the world to define love or what was needed. He looked beyond the deceptive thoughts of people bound in sin, and blind to true beauty, and gave the only gift that would free us and restore the glory of humans. He gave to meet the needs we had misidentified, so we could enjoy a greater liberty than we could imagine.

In order to prove my love, do I have to agree with everyone? It would be anything but authentic love to promote what I believe is destructive.

Second, he gave himself at great cost. It wasn't just a theory he was promoting. He didn't give a new ideology or fresh idea on how to structure society. He came into our dilemma and accepted the eternal consequences of our condition so that we could enter his condition as righteous before God.

Third, he loved us as people. Each of us has a unique story of need, though we share a common alienation from God because of sin. Jesus doesn't deal with us as a subset of society classified by our ethnicity, sex, or social standing. He loves persons!

Authentic Love

Someone asked me if my biblical worldview prevented my loving the LGBTQ community. Instead, it compels me to love the people who may identify or be classified by those letters.

I know and love many people who have been classified in this subset -- and I am eager and willing to love many more. I am just not sure what loving a subset of society means. In order to prove my love, do I have to agree with the particular agenda of that subset? It would be anything but authentic love to promote what I believe is destructive. If Jesus had loved like that, he would have abandoned us to our own wishes, consigning us to the misery of self-delusion forever. I can respect their right to believe without affirming their belief to be right.

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Jesus' love was expressed in that while we were yet bound in deception and ignorant of our desperate condition, he did what was necessary to set us free. (See Romans 5:8.) Love is costly, and it expresses itself in actions. It cares more for the condition of another than for our own comfort and ease. (See 1 Corinthians 13.)

If I listen to the angry voices telling me who I am, I will either shrink from being real, or I will strike back and lose my sense of peace. Either way, I will be weak and cowardly. Confidence comes from knowing God's verdict and accepting it as final. That frees me to see any person as created in the image of God, valuable and worth loving. It also releases me to hear God, my Father when he lovingly tells me that I have hidden bias he wants to eliminate. I like being loved like that, and I want that for everyone.

Christianity Works Only in Its Most Radical Form

September 17, 2018 by Dudley Hall

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After 30 excruciating minutes of expressing deep frustration with his personal life, Peter confessed, "I gave up on Christianity during college days. It just didn't work." He went on to describe how hard he tried to stay inside the moral boundaries as outlined in the teaching of the Christian church he attended, but never could. In an effort to be authentic, he decided to abandon the standards and live like most of his friends.

Peter is an example of the thousands of former churchgoers who now identify on religious surveys as "nones." The now have no affiliation with a church. Some wear that identity as a badge of freedom from religion.

A Broken Form of Christianity

It is now coming to light that the form of Christianity that has been promoted for several generations is not the form that Jesus taught and lived. From the Roman Catholic's sex abuse scandal to the slowly dying Protestant congregations, to the garish consumer-driven spectacle affecting Evangelicalism, the evidence seems to suggest that something isn't working.

Disciples like those who brought transformation to cultures in the early days of the church are few today -- and rarely noticed by the church culture. The model disciple today seems more interested in gaining and maintaining relevance to the culture, rather than offering an alternative to the steady march toward meaninglessness.

The agenda of secular society is gaining momentum while we Christians try not to be perceived as contrarians. We must not offend. We must not confront. We must lose or ignore our convictions. We must change our core beliefs. All the while, millions are fraught with life-destroying addictions, dysfunctional relationships, and twisted identities.

Only Full Abandonment Satisfies

When the popular brand of Christianity eliminated the power of transformation from its core, multitudes were doomed to live in their spiritually defective condition with nothing stronger than willpower to confront their afflictions. It is no wonder we have normalized behavior that is prohibited by both Scripture and common sense. If we can't change, we must adapt. We now call that progress.

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Early Christianity offered radically changed lives, as evidenced by the apostle Paul's comments:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

-- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV)

The early church was not a gathering of good people trying to be better. They were captivated by the One who was raised from the dead. They had been transformed by him.

But radical Christianity is not just for the extreme outcast of society. Even regular church attendees are often beset by disappointment with their level of spirituality. They are discovering that a partial buy-in cheats the seeker. Any hold-back denies the bounty of grace. Only full abandonment to God's love satisfies the yearning of the human soul, which was designed to be loved fully.

Living By the Spirit

Jesus describes a life far beyond external standards and man's ability to achieve them. He spoke of forgiving your enemies. Turning your cheek to insults. Eliminating hatred, anger, lust, greed and vengeance. He described disciples as lights in the darkness, salt in society, and houses built on a foundation that no storm can topple.

He commanded people to do things they couldn't so he could do those things for them and through them. "Stretch forth your hand," he commanded a man with a withered hand. "Lazarus come forth," he said to a dead man. Later, his apostles followed suit, giving instructions that can only be obeyed by those born of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from death. "Love without hypocrisy," "outdo one another in showing honor," "bless those who persecute you," "live in harmony with one another." The implication is that when a Christian does these things, it is coming out of his new life -- the one he shares with Jesus by means of the indwelling Spirit.

Those who are born of the Spirit are infused with a radical love that demonstrates a radical alternative kingdom.

These displays of love have death-defying power in them. This kind of love cannot be defeated. It annihilates hate. It exterminates fear. It will not stop at the edge of human hardness. It will still be reigning when all the ideologies of history lie bankrupt in the pit of shame.

It Took a Radical Act of God to Redeem Us

The form of Christianity that settles for theological propositions, transcendent principles, altruistic projects, and moralistic practices doesn't work!

It took a radical act of God to redeem us. It required a costly death, a miraculous resurrection, and a glorious ascension. Nothing short of that would have solved our problem. The radical act of grace demands a radical response of faith. God's grace toward us does not produce a half-hearted moralist who is trying to get better. Those who are born of the Spirit are infused with a radical love that demonstrates a radical alternative kingdom.

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God’s Sovereign Love is Expressed in Delegated Authority

Submitting to Authority

Sustaining the Structures of Society

Civil Responsibilities

Pay What You Owe

What Does Love Look Like?

Authentic Love

A Broken Form of Christianity

Only Full Abandonment Satisfies

Living By the Spirit

It Took a Radical Act of God to Redeem Us

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