TILL HE COMES Blog

Justification: God’s Plan & Paul’s Vision (IVP: 2009) is N.T. Wright’s attempt to explain once again his view on Paul’s use of justification. He wrote it as a summary of his view, and as a response to critics (primarily John Piper) who seem to not understand what he is saying.

The book is written with ironic humor and remarkable restraint, but the most amazing feature is the Biblical paradigm shift that Wright presents to his readers regarding justification. Though most of what Wright explains in this book he has written elsewhere, this book puts it all together in nice, orderly fashion, so that even if one does not agree with Wright, we can hope that they will now be able to critique his view with understanding.

As for myself, I am not yet fully persuaded of Wright’s view. His basic view is that justification is God’s law-court declaration that a person is in right standing (so far, so good) with God’s covenant. It’s that covenant part that raises questions, particularly since Wright’s definition of justification does away with the doctrine of imputed righteousness. Wright does not believe that through justification we receive the righteousness of Christ (p. 135).

And yet, what Wright takes away with one hand, he gives back with another. Wright argues that issues related to deliverance from the penalty and power of sin in our lives come through resurrection, not through justification (pp. 231-235). This, however, though a major doctrine, is a minor point in Wright’s book.

His main concern is to show how his view of justification makes more sense of the Pauline passages that speak of it. And with this, he is more than a conqueror. If, for example, you’ve ever struggled with what Romans 9-11 has to do with the rest of the letter, Wright’s view makes these chapters not only fit within the flow of Paul’s argument, but actually become the pinnacle and the climax of Romans. Wright’s strength in this is due to his insistence on reading the biblical text, not with twenty-first century eyes and sixteenth-century questions, but with first-century eyes and first-century questions. This, it seems to me, is the best way to read and study Scripture, and Wright does an excellent job leading the way.

If you want to understand some of the nuances to the current debate on justification, I recommend this book. If, however, you want to understand the thought flow of some of Paul’s letters (like Galatians, Ephesians, and Romans), this book must not be ignored. Take it up, and read.

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Each one of us, every day, are surrounded by hell. Children getting sold as sex slaves. Terrorists trying to blow people up. Fathers losing their jobs and getting kicked out of their homes. Couples going through painful breakups. Desperate women selling themselves just to pay the rent. Alcoholism, drug addiction, greed. Even in churches, hell is present with the backbiting, slander, and jealous quarrels that so often go on.

And just as Jesus came to a sinful world, He wants us to follow Him into places where sin and it’s consequences abound. Why? To offer love, hope, and forgiveness. I believe Jesus wants His followers to go to hell.

Who in your neighborhood is in the hell of loneliness? Can’t you reach out to them and offer some companionship? Who just got laid off at work and can’t pay rent? Are you able to call them up, and offer to have them live with you? Maybe they need a car, or meals several times a week. Maybe you can get involved in stopping the child sex slave industry which is growing here in the United States.  Maybe you can support adoption efforts, or show concern (rather than condemnation) for prostitutes and strippers.

The possibilities are endless. But if we are following Jesus, the last thing He wants is for us to be comfortable with our routine of attending church, reading our Bibles, and praying. He wants us to get out there, to people caught in the ways of hell, and reveal to them the ways of heaven.

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“Go to church and sin!
    Attend Bible studies and multiply your sins!
Volunteer to clean the church.
   Faithfully tithe your 10%.
Praise Jesus for all He has given you.
   Thank God for your many blessings.
For these are the things, Oh Christian, you love to do,”
    says the Lord God.  

“I hate your pot lucks.
    Nor do I delight in your Christian concerts.
Though you give generously to support the building fund,
   And donate faithfully to the Christian organizations,
I will not even look at these many gifts.

“Cease your many sermons,
    Stop writing your faithful blog.
Get out of your pew,
   Put away all your Christian books.

“When you fast, I will not listen.
   Though you cry out, I will not hear.
I will not accept your offerings
   And sacrifices of praise.

“Take away from me the noise of your many songs,
   Your numerous prayers are an abomination!
Quit playing the guitars, banging on the drums, 
   And raising your hands in praise.
Stop trampling the parking lots 
   In your eagerness to get to church.

“Sunday morning, Sunday night.
    Wednesday evening, Friday morning.
I hate all your meetings.
   I despise your numerous studies.
They are all evil in my sight.

“Instead, let justice roll down like a waterfall,
    And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
   I want you do justice, love kindness,
And walk humbly with your God.”

———————————

Offended? Try these:
Isaiah 1:12-13
Amos 4:4-5
Amos 5:21-24
Jeremiah 14:12
Hosea 6:6
Micah 6:6-8

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I have long thought that nothing in culture is so good that it can be accepted “as is.” Also, nothing in culture is so twisted and evil that it is beyond the scope of redemption. God can take anything and turn it around to bring glory to Him. God can take anybody and raise them up to glory and honor. Each one of us is the perfect example.

However, while I believe that everything is redeemable, not every aspect about everything can be redeemed.  

Last week, I read the following comment by N. T. Wright who says it much better than I: “Christians are neither chameleons, changing color to suit their surroundings, nor rhinoceroses, ready to charge at anything in sight. There is no straightforward transference between any item of ordinary culture and the gospel since all has been distorted by evil; but likewise there is nothing so twisted that it cannot be redeemed, and nothing evil in itself.” (p 7).

So look around. Who have you given up on? Who is “beyond reach”? Who is “too far gone”? What places, countries, customs, events, holidays, and festivals have you written off as “of the devil”? Take those, and begin to think and pray about how God might want to redeem them for Himself.

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Today in the M’Cheyne reading plan, I read Numbers 17-18. This section (actually, chapters 16-18) of Scripture has been bothering me recently because of the frequent struggles church leaders have with others in the church who either are leaders or want to be leaders. I’m sure all of us who have been involved in any sort of ministry position have experienced such tensions in ministry leadership. I know I have…and am.

I have often thought how nice it would be to call for a “prophet’s duel” as we read about in 1 Kings 18 or here in Numbers 16-17, just to see who is really right.

If you have ever been in such situations, you have probably caught yourself thinking, ”Lord, may the ground swallow them up!” If you haven’t thought something similar, well, you are better than I.

You see, we leaders have the idea that we are like Moses, and all those who challenge our position are like the rebellious family of Korah. We preach sermons based on the Psalm 105:14-15: “Touch not the Lord’s anointed” and how we are “above reproach” and so should not be reproached.

Talk about an egocentric reading! If we really want to plug in people to Numbers 16-17 (which I am not sure is the right way to “apply” this text), I think it is safest to say that all of us, church leaders and pastors included, are the rebellious family of Korah, and Jesus is Moses. As we fight among ourselves for positions of power and authority, we are like Korah, trying to take for ourselves what belongs to Jesus only.

So are you experiencing power struggles in your church? For proper perspective, don’t read yourself in Moses. Read yourself into Korah, and see how that changes your dealings with “the others.”

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One of the things I try to do in following Jesus is spend time reading Scripture. It is certainly more difficult now than when I was a pastor, but the struggle to “fit it in” is helping me learn just how difficult (and important) Bible reading is for the ”working Joe.”

About six years ago, I started using the M’Cheyne Bible Reading plan. I certainly have not done it completely all six years, but I find it one of the best plans available because of the variety of readings it gives me every day.

Anyway, I think that one thing I might do occasionally is post a few comments on this blog for the reading from that day. That way, if you are reading along the same plan, what I write here will sync with what you were reading that day.

Today, one of the chapters in the reading was Psalm 53. It begins with a quite famous verse: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

Lots of Christians love to use this verse to bash atheists. “Look!” they say. “The Bible says that atheists are fools! How can they be so ignorant as to not see that all creation speaks of the existence of God?” Then the Christian turns to Romans 1, or to some of the logical arguments for the existence of God.

However, this reading of the text is probably not what David had in mind. He was not writing against atheism. After all, atheism is really only a few hundred years old. Prior to the Enlightenment, everyone believed in the existence of some sort of god or gods. So Psalm 53:1 has nothing to do with atheism.

Rather, the author is writing against the person who chooses to live “as if” God were absent, not caring what we do, not watching over our lives. It is the one who believes God exists, but refuses to read God’s Word, listen to God’s voice, and instead, simply does what one pleases, without any thought of what God might desire.

In other words, who is the fool in view? It is the one who believes God exists, but refuses to obey what He says.  And if you read the rest of Psalm 53, that is what the Psalm is all about: the foolishness of disobeying God. When viewed this way, the biggest fools of all are those of us (myself included) who pray to God, and read His Word, but do not do what He says.

This truth is also explained in passages like Matthew 7:24-29 and James 1;22-25.

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I read this on the Glocalnet blog today:

Hooray for Leadership Journal in their most recent issue!!!! Rock on Marshal Shelley!!!! They have an article entitled “Ministry Lessons from a Muslim – His Unexpected Message to Church Leaders: fully embrace your Christian Identity.” This is the most “progressive” journal for Ministers in existence. I both read it and have been in it, yet two things stand out to me in the title. First, “a Muslim” – not Eboo. This is probably the first time there has been an article about “a Muslim” and what he would say to Christian leaders. Being the best magazine there is on “pastoring” in America, what does that say about our understanding the world, other religions, and our ability to communicate with one another? The second thing is “embrace your Christian Identity” – as radical as that might sound – I hear that a lot around the world from my friends who are Muslim. They believe that following Jesus as prescribed in the New Testament would be incredible.

Eboo talks about four responses to our world of faith:

First, there are those who live in the bubble – they want only to be around people of their own religion and to communicate to each other. The problem is, the bubble sooner or later always burst and people are left with no where to go.

Second, there are those who are barriers – they view religion as us against them and it’s all out competition. This is why I talk about planting the seed of the Gospel and how it grows, and we don’t have to force it. Any religion that has to be forced upon someone, through coercion or guns is destined to die sooner or later. Truth doesn’t emanate from force, but thought.

Third, there are those who would bomb. Terrorism and/or war is the way to move your religion forward and demolish others.

Fourth, there are those who would build a bridge. The bridge would allow us to work, talk, communicate, and understand one another. This is the hope of the future. This is what Eboo is doing.

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Many years ago, as I walked along the Path, I stumbled over some truth. I was happy to see it, though not surprised, for it was what I was searching for.

I picked it up, put it in my pocket, and walked along, whistling a happy tune.

Now, many years later, and miles down the road, I pulled the truth back out, to admire it once again.

Upon my examination, I was surprised to find that the truth had lost its meaning. It no longer made sense, or had significance.

I considered tossing the truth aside, but instead, I sighed, shrugged my shoulders, and redeposited the truth into my pocket. After all, I reasoned, if it was true once, it must still be true today. And even if not, maybe it will be true again.

So with truth confidently in my pocket, I carried on, whistling a happy tune.

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Here is something someone wrote to me recently. There are some great thoughts, great questions, and amazing insights. She is the wisest woman I know.

The last three years have been the hardest to comprehend. Why does it have to be so hard to follow Christ? Why do we have to be so badly broken to understand who He is? Why does it have to hurt in order to make sense? Why do we need to get totally lost before we can begin our trek home? Why must we get so mad at the very one who encompasses love?

2005-2008 was my journey of discovering these questions. Notice I said “questions” and not answers. The answers I believe are coming slowly and will continue to come as I try to understand just who God is.

Honestly, I actually have more respect for Him now than I did when I saw Him as only this great loving God who sent His Son to die for me. Now I see Him as much more complex than before. Answers are not just black and white. What seems best isn’t usually really best because His plan for us is beyond what we think as complex. He sees our souls, hearts. We can’t even begin to understand what that means.

But what I do know is what He has done to me through all of this pain, hurt, anger, and frustration. He has opened my eyes to what he wants His church to be, me to be, and who He is.

He really can change our life overnight, for the worse or better. But even the worse in the end is for His glory still.

If you have never gone through a time of being totally mad and angry at God I suggest you need to allow yourself the opportunity. I know that most Christians will say this is bad or unchristian or blasphamous, but I disagree. I think if you allow yourself to be honest enough with yourself to be honest with God, then you will awaken a part of you that God is trying to get through to.

So take off the mask of churchgoer and take a serious look at who church says that god is. If that God doesn’t satisfy you, get honest with yourself and God, get angry, get mad and cry out. Let Him show you who He really is.

Now I caution you, this will HURT immensly. Try to see it as heart surgery without the anesthesia (Yes, that bad). And it will last different lengths for all of us, but the healing process is incredible (And I have only just begun).

You will see His love for you in so many new ways and you’ll never look and HIm the same again. and you just may be able to sing those cheesy Christian worship songs and mean it (OK, maybe not the cheesy ones). But only because He is so much greater than those songs can even begin to describe.

God is complex and His way is not the easy way. But it is rewarding, even if it only feels like that one week every three years.

So anyways here is my heart summing up what God is teaching me, what do you think?

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