Category: Jesus

Christian Pacifism

On the Turning Away…

On September 9, 1980, five years after the Vietnam War and a mere four years from the celebration of America’s Bicentennial, an activist group called the Plowshares Eight broke into a General Electric plant in Pennsylvania and hammered violently on the nose cones destined to cap nuclear warheads. This was not the first kinetic protest for at least two of the activists, the brothers Daniel and Philip Berrigan. The Berrigans were well known among the Catholic antiwar and antiviolence community, following the tradition forged by others like Justin Martyr and Dorothy Day before them. Pacifism rooted in their Christian faith could not exist as mere doctrine or theory; for these men and women it must move from Word to action.

Christian pacifism is more than opposition to war; it is an intentional assumption of the reality of the peaceable Kingdom of God as inaugurated by the coming of Jesus. Shalom is the pervasive state of being in that kingdom as the Bible describes it, and the pacifist insists we are to labor for that peace in every situation, regardless of the personal cost. Because the pacifists within the Church usually gain the ‘activist’ label and seen as outliers from the rest of millions of believers, the central question to be addressed is not why they govern their lives by a biblical principle of peace at all costs, but what interpretative framework has enabled most Christians to respond indifferently to this issue and view non-violence as an optional belief?

The Berrigans did not root their pacifist worldview in philosophy alone. They interpreted the Bible as though it meant what it said and that the word of God demanded obedience and action. The Plowshares movement involved in the Pennsylvania protest took its name from the beautiful passage in Isaiah chapter 2 [cf. Micah 4:1-5] about the peace of the Kingdom welcoming all people to come under its comforting protection. Verse 4 paints a powerful picture of the core of this divine promise:

4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

Isaiah 2:4

Father Daniel pointed to this verse as his authority to action, to be moved toward “doing it.” (Kierkegaard). “To the Plowshares community, this text of Isaiah has been a summons—a vigorous word, a word that sets the human in motion.”  [1]

Isaiah’s prophetic allusion to future kingdom peace is not a one-off reference. A handful of chapters later, he prophesies that the warrior’s tools will again no longer be necessary, saying, “Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.” [Isaiah 9:5] The prophecy does not end with just foretelling peace at some undefined point; it continues saying that this peace will come with the Messiah:

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

As Jesus makes his gospel announcement then, “The kingdom of God has come near” [Mark 1:15], believers should see prophecy fulfillment and take to heart both the present reality of that kingdom and the different life expected of its citizens. If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, then the lives of his people are to be marked by shalom. The pacifist presses this claim to its logical end: there can be no situation in which violence can be the solution to any situation for the Christian.

It is the authority of Scripture and its application to life that separates Christian pacifism from its secular-humanist counterpart. In simple terms, the humanist chooses the path of pacifism because the consequences of violence and war are damaging to other humans, both aggressor and defender alike. The argument assumes that all people can see this harm and come to the same ethical position, wanting to avoid the pain of violence, everyone living happily counting on everyone else wanting them to live happily. Fallen human nature, however, inveighs against this. The Christian pacifist is more clear-eyed about the damaged souls of humanity and obeys a different authority; he or she takes Jesus and His kingdom seriously and obeys the imperative to ‘turn [to them] the other cheek also” and seeks the blessing of being a ‘peacemaker.’

Father Berrigan’s application of Isaiah 2:4 reveals a core tenet of the committed pacifists within the Church: they hold firmly to the belief that the kingdom of God is a present reality in the world right now, even though it is not yet fully realized. This immediacy of the Kingdom of God is to prompt an urgency in the believer to live by kingdom values and ethics now and witness to this truth. A specific ‘existential’ hermeneutic is in view here, best explained by Kierkegaard [2] and his description of the Bible as a mirror. He argued the scriptures are perfectly clear, and the Bible presents truth in such a way that it should provoke a radical, life-changing response in the believer. To read the words of Jesus concerning non-violence and the seeking of peace is to hear a command to citizens of the Kingdom to live their lives in a like fashion. In the same stream of thought, Kierkegaard says that Jesus is not a historical figure simply to be admired; He is a prototype for Christian living. The Lord’s portrait in Scripture is given as it is to move us to imitate His life. If Jesus was non-violent and seeking peace in all He does, so must we. From this hermeneutic, the philosopher insists, believers must reach the conclusion that taking a life in war (or other violent action) is inconsistent with kingdom values and the teaching of Jesus. From this hermeneutic a pacifist is born.

As with many of the modern applications of biblical truth to the life of a believer, the interpretive framework one brings to the teachings of Christ is going to be a major determinant of what position you take on pacifism, and to a further extent, general non-violence. Shalom-Peace is a holistic concept extending beyond the lack of war or physical violence. In the biblical sense, the idea of wholeness communicated by shalom expands our idea of how we will pursue peace; it includes the principle of non-violence but justice as well. Will the same invitation to sacrifice your other cheek call you to sacrifice your treasure, time, and life to see similarly violent injustices continue unabated? A pacifist can insist that they will not join the military and kill another human being in war while still turning a blind eye to the oppression and discrimination that visits equally detrimental violence on those same people. Jesus is clear that citizens of His kingdom will live differently. Their lives, marked by kingdom principles, will serve as a winsome invitation for others to commit to Jesus and have their lives shaped by the same values. Early church father Tertullian offers further reasoning attributed to the redemptive project of which the kingdom is a part. He teaches Christians dare not take the life of a person whom Christ purposes to redeem.

Unlike the clear prohibition against murder in the Ten Commandments­­–“You shall not murder.” [Exodus 20:13]–the Messiah gives no such direct command. Instead (cf. Kierkegaard), Jesus offers Christians the prototype of His life of peace, a life that was studiously non-violent, modeling the ideal for citizens of the Kingdom of God. The kingdom principles He teaches are embodied in the life He leads, teaching His followers that this life is not only possible but desirable. There are many avenues to peace and even to the well-being of shalom. Pacifism in the Christian community chooses that path which they interpret as most closely adhering to the Lord’s teachings and the model of His life. Many within the kingdom will not elect to walk that same path, but there is much to be gained by giving their framework and principles a second look.

Notes:

[1] Isaiah. Berrigan, Daniel. Fortress Press.

[2] cf: Christian Discourses and Works of Love, Kierkegaard, Soren

The Greatest Love

A Rolling Stone Sings of God’s Love || Warren Rachele

[Originally published in the Times-News during the Time of Covid, 2020]

The most familiar verse in the Bible reads “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus says this to a man who is trying to understand the Messiah. He went on to describe his mission in the next sentence, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Life and love are the essence of Easter.

When Jesus said these memorable words, his crucifixion was still some distance in the future and the way God would ‘give’ the son still a mystery. The degree of sacrificial love that motivated the gift, however, was not. The two letters of ‘so’ describe the great extent to which God loved the creation and all in it. The love would not be measured in a blanket forgiveness and not in requiring the rebellious humans to earn it. Instead, the promise of forgiveness and salvation would be fulfilled by one perfect sacrifice, a sacrifice that was pure and unblemished, a sacrifice that human effort could not attain. The price of redemption would be the life of the Son of God, the Messiah Jesus.

The love of Easter is not merely an emotion. Emotional love is subject to change, it can be influenced by circumstance, it can be lost in an instant.  The love that God has for his creation is none of those things. It is a facet of his character, a state of being. God’s love for the world is unchanging and unwavering. It cannot be earned nor can any human action result in its termination. The measure of this love is nearly beyond human ability to understand. Despite this, the full measure of God’s love is seen in the most horrific act in history, the crucifixion the Messiah Jesus.

How is this love? The rebellion of humanity in the earliest days of history create a chasm between creator and creation so wide that it cannot be bridged by any human effort. God, loving the world and its inhabitants so deeply, longs to close this divide, to be united in peace once again. He knows that without action on his part, his creatures are lost. In their pitiful state they cannot make restitution or pay a sufficient penalty, and try as they might humanity can never leap, fly, swim or find any way of transporting themselves to the other side. If this dark expanse is to be crossed, it will have to be done by God himself.

The paradox of the good news is that God, in the depths of his love, takes it upon himself to pay this penalty owed by humankind. His holy nature does not permit the option of dismissing the charges, a penalty is due in equal measure to that holiness. No human work can make a dent in that debt and so, out of an immeasurable love, God sends His Son to be the payment for the debt. The sobering truth in that good news? The debt could only be satisfied by sacrifice, the blood of Jesus on the cross paying the cost in full.

This ‘giving of his son’ would become the measure by which love is measured. As the cross grew nearer, Jesus described its heights, the personal challenge for his followers, telling them that “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” More than a challenge, his followers realized the judicial change that would be brought about, they would be friends and no longer enemies of God. The gulf would be bridged and the lost would be able to make their way home.

If it ended at the cross, this love would be unmatched. God had a higher expression of love to give though. The debt paid on the cross became the new life of Easter morning when the Messiah rose from the tomb. The perfect judge who paid the penalty himself rose as he had assured, condemnation behind and new life in full ahead. Easter became two parts of the same story, horror and celebration, mourning and joy. The rise of the sun on Easter morning brings all the promises of the Savior to light. Forgiveness came through the cross for those who would believe. For his friends, Jesus’ death became life in full. No greater love has ever been shown, nor will it be again. The love of Easter assures us of that.

Blessed by What Others Have Missed

What Others Have Missed

In my 2023 reading review, I mentioned I purchased many of my books from the used marketplace. When I do so, I always try to purchase the best condition possible, balancing the used price against the purchase of a new volume. When the book arrives in my mailbox, many times I cut open the vinyl package to find a book in better condition than expected; in several instances, the book has never been opened and is clearly unread. This is exciting for sure, but always makes me wonder why the original owner purchased the book but never found the time or the interest to read it. In some cases, the book may have passed through multiple owners before arriving in my office, no one having opened it along the way. In the picture that accompanies this essay, you see the cover of Tim Keller’s book “Jesus the King” adorned with a small orange Goodwill sticker. The excellent book was unopened when I received it and folded back of the covers for the first time, but before that it had touched down in at least two places. Someone had someone had originally purchased it, I presume interested in the content, but for whatever reason they had never got around to reading the book, eventually piling it in with a number of other books and donating it to Goodwill, where it was priced and put out for purchase. Drawing no interest in the store, the volume was scooped up by Thriftbooks and, listed in excellent condition, I purchased it for a price less than the new equivalent, opened it, read it and entered it into my library.

Because I’ve read the book, I know the value of the content beyond the little information offered in the back–cover blurb. As I handle the book, I wonder, why did someone purchase the volume only to relegate it to the “to-be-read” pile long enough to later discard it, all of its insight unrealized. Looking at my own piles of books waiting to be enjoyed, it makes me wonder if the topic was no longer of interest. Perhaps a more insightful book had come into the owner’s possession. It might’ve been a time constraint, something all readers are familiar with. To gain the most from a book, new or used, demands intentional reading. It requires that we mull over the author’s ideas. It demands that we consider the notes and references, in many cases, we need to add our own marginalia, footnotes and summaries. Maybe life had made demands on the first owner that made the challenge of this book impossible to surmount. Whatever the reason or cause, I benefit from discovering what others have missed.

I don’t remember what prompted me to purchase Keller’s book, whether it was a serendipitous search result as I looked for another specific book, or, as is most often the case, it was added to my reading list through a footnote or endnote in another book. Whether the condition had been like-new as I received, or well-loved, as many other books I’ve purchased have been, I am enriched because I opened the cover and read and considered the words and spent the time to think about where the ideas fit in my life, what previous knowledge hook they attach to. Not every volume will be a treasure. Some of our own books, that we purchased new, excited to read them, don’t hold up past the first couple of chapters. They find their way to the ARC or Goodwill, and later perhaps to Thriftbooks as a part of a volume purchase. In those cases, someone may pick up your book, look at the unfolded spine or the stiffness of the hardcover binding and wonder why you didn’t read the book, why you lost interest, what interrupted your reading time. Whatever the reason we pass the book on, it’s good to know that someone else may get the chance to discover what we missed.

Planting Seeds of New Life in Prayer

Matthew Henry wrote, “When God intends great mercy for His people, the first thing He does is to set them praying.” History affirms this maxim, as the great revivals that God has sparked around the world have always been launched by prayer. There may have been grand movements of Christians joined in crying out to God that brought the revival, but it hasn’t always been so. In countless instances, the hearts of just a handful of people united to plead with God for new life in their community, their country or their church were the passion to which God responded. It is not the size of the group praying that matters as much as the depth of that group’s heart. They need this depth for the perseverance in petition that renewal often requires. God does not put a shot-clock on these prayers, and He may respond to them at once, or it’s more likely that revival comes after a season of souls persevering in long hours of communal prayer.

God uses our commitment to prayer to prepare us for receiving the life-giving power of the Spirit, and this preparation is two-fold. He first sets out to prepare our hearts to burn for revival. The Christian must be able to see the dry bones of the church or the distracted hearts of their community and then believe that spiritual life can come to them if God moves. This hope is the second area in which the heart is prepared because these prayers for new life can require extraordinary perseverance. Revival may appear like a single cloud on the horizon, no bigger that a fist, and prayer warriors must be patient in the time it takes to blossom into a drenching storm pouring down torrents of living water. Without preparation, our hearts would often fail to have the vision needed or the strength to carry on when answer is not immediately forthcoming.

“From the day of Pentecost, there has been not one great spiritual awakening, in any land, which has not begun in a union of prayer, if only [among] two or three. No such outward, upward movement has continued after such prayer meetings have declined.”

A.T. Pierson

The prepared heart prays in complete honesty [JAS 5:16]. Christians recognize that the spiritual vitality of their church is not what it should be and the prayers that issue forth confess as much to God. Sin, cold fellowship, poor leadership – whatever the list of known deficits holds is boldly and openly laid before the Lord for his correction. Genuine repentance in revival prayer forges a heart soft and malleable for God to turn and shape, addressing these things so that new life does not germinate in rocky soil where it cannot flourish. When we pray for our community and for salvation to come, we are open with God about those areas in which we have not reached out or cared for. He may take the first step of turning our attention to knowing our neighbors and serving this community before He sends the Spirit with revival for the hearts of the lost. Honesty starts in the humbled heart, and a humbled heart is prepared by God and committed to Him above all other things.

Longing for Revival

I passionately believe in the possibility of renewal in the church, particularly the legacy church where the devotion to the Missio Dei has grown cold in favor of comfort and familiarity. I believe that the best way, but not the only, for revival to come to the church is through a return to first principles, a devotion to prayer and worship.

As a matter of regular meditation, I consider the list of things I believe:

  • The eternal God of the Bible created, sustains, and has a purpose for the universe and my life within it
  • Jesus gave His life to atone for the sins of the world (Mark 10:45) and by vesting belief in Him, people are saved (1 Corinthians 1:21)
  • The Holy Spirit of Christ miraculously indwells redeemed people (1 Corinthians 6:19)
  • The Colorado Rockies will win the World Series (someday, no scripture reference)
  • Many churches need and can have revival

I passionately believe in the possibility of renewal in the church, particularly the legacy church where the devotion to the Missio Dei has grown cold in favor of comfort and familiarity. I believe that the best way, but not the only, for revival to come to the church is through a return to first principles, a devotion to prayer and worship. A renewed sense of the mission of disciple-making results from the first sparks of spiritual life that ignite, giving evidence to my belief. I believe these things are Scripture honoring and God glorifying.

There are doubtless many reasons that churches fall into decline, some beyond their control. As we talk about revival, it’s important to distinguish between spiritual and material poverty as a contributing factor. Geographic factors and demographic shifts can be the reasons that churches find themselves in material decline, making closure a choice that has to be made. We can identify numerous other external factors as reasons for the death of a church, and we need to be clear-eyed in assessing these realities. Conversely, spiritual decline has but a single source, the dimming of the passion of the members of a body for the gospel mission. Jesus spoke of this as forsaking “your first love” (Revelation 2:4).

While external factors may be beyond the control of a local church, the spiritual fire they exhibit is not. I believe that the Lord’s promise to be with His Church always (Matthew 28:20) assures us that any spiritual spark can be fanned into a roaring flame through His power. What does it require? I believe this inferno lies at the juncture of a return to heartfelt worship and the restoration of the Church as a house of prayer. Does this guarantee revival? Perhaps not, but it ensures that any ministry that emanates from a church is glorifying to God.

The Growth Gospel

There is no place nor social context in which the gospel of Jesus Christ is not true. From East to West, from the highest height to the deepest depth, there is no place where the Gospel is not good news. When the Lord commissioned His church to take that good news to the nations, He knew this to be true and permitted no artificial boundaries:

gospelGrowth“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

This is good news for us at home among our local church family and our neighbors, and it’s also good news for us in our missional efforts in the neighborhood andd abroad. The good news of the mercy and love of God as seen in the sacrifice and resurrection of His Son remains consistent for every human being. None is excluded, no one is separated from the promise, no sin is too great, no reprobation too deep that cannot be forgiven in the atonement of Christ.

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12–13

Truth demands action on our part. Our commission is not just to maintain the base camp, to keep the campfire stoked. We have trusted in the gospel and know the blessing of forgiveness and our restored relationship with God. Considering this, we must be carriers of the gospel so that others can experience the same relief and the same blessing. What was true of the gospel in the first century is true today, perhaps even more so, given the multitude of communication channels and the ability to put ourselves within the borders of all nations.

All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth. Colossians 1:6

Plant a seed, trust in the power of the spirit to water and nurture it and pray for the gospel to grow.

 

Book Review | Reappearing Church by Mark Sayers

To Be Sipped and Not Gulped…

indexWhat if the cultural bottom is just the first step up in revival for Christ’s Church? The answer forms the premise of Mark Sayers’ new book ‘Reappearing Church’. Using biblical and historical precedent, Sayers proposes that the small devoted ‘remnant’ (cf. Isaiah) not given over to the suffocating culture can be the spark of a renewal movement. I will always remember his memorable culturally current description of the next step: revival is renewal gone viral.

Sayers is one of the Church’s cultural prophets who brings a bridge of a sociological viewpoint to God’s people. The culture is a challenge to be sure, but when it is understood we find that God has already given His people assurance that it can be overcome by his presence. The Revival that is needed will not come through legislation or cultural surrender as so many are wont to do. It will come through a small remnant who trust in the transformative process of the presence of God.

Sayers is a rare gift to the church. His writing is not of the 12-step genre. Rather, he is a deep thinker who invites the reader to join him in a meditative examination of the air we breathe. The only how-to included in the volume is the introduction which suggests that we gather a small cell of like-minded revivalists around us to pray through the material. Beyond that, the chapters give small bites to savor on the way to personal transformation. ‘Reappearing Church’ is not a fast read. You will want to slow down and think and pray deeply about each of individual subjects. Read it as your invitation to join the Remnant.

Gospel Blessing: The Gospel Calls Us

“…God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

Our calling as Christians from death to life is a blessing of the gospel. We would know no hope and remain in rebellion with God without the gracious intervention of the Holy Spirit of Christ moving us to respond to the good news. So oppressed by the deleterious effects of sin in our lives are we that only the divine Gospel power has the ability to break us free (1 Cor 2:14). The Bible bears witness to the Lord’s own invitation to salvation, the message often falling on spiritually deaf ears.

“…Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”  1 Thessalonians 1:5

The blessing of calling overcomes our inability to respond. The gospel message is proclaimed verbally, inviting the listener to repent of their sin and be saved. This sin, however, blinds and deafens us. The louder sound that convinces us that we are not that bad and certainly worthy of heaven prevents us from hearing and responding to the humility of repentance. Our eyes are blinded by the self-idolatry of our independence, not needing or wanting the Creator to be involved in our existence.

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.”  (John 6:44)

Recognizing our helplessness, God mercifully goes beyond the general, external call and calls us. In His time and way, God effectually calls us internally to respond (1 Co 1:9). The Holy Spirit gently sharpens the vision and hearing of the stubborn soul, turning the heart back toward God. The Gospel invitation suddenly reverberates with hope. The formerly blind eyes can see gift before them. Ears that were deaf can hear the gentle voice of God inviting the soul to come and relinquish one’s burden and be saved.

What a blessing!

The Gospel is Grace

The Gospel of IS Grace

“From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.”     John 1:16 – 18

The Gospel is sometimes referred to as the gospel of grace. There is a tremendous amount of truth in that label, but it can also lead to a diminishing of the fullness of the gospel. Our elementary school grammar lessons taught us that a preposition connects a modifying word, an adjective or adverb, to a noun. The purpose of this construct is to give the reader or listener a more detailed definition of that down. This is why it is so important to be cautious in selecting those words that we attach to gospel. The Good News needs no modification. That God, in his great mercy, intervened in history to reconcile humankind to himself is the greatest news that one could ever receive. That this invitation to reconciliation is addressed to everyone takes your breath away.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…”     John 3:36

The Gospel is power; power to save, power to regenerate, power to make holy that which is unholy. (Rom 1:16-17). The Gospel is not just words or an idea or a theological concept, the Gospel is divine power. It is the incarnation of God’s grace, it is alive and growing. The apostle Paul writes to the church at Colosse, “all over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.” (Colossians 1:6)

“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”     Matthew 6:45

The grace of God is made manifest in his benevolent care for his creation, despite the fact that it has rebelled against Him. The result of this common grace should be the universal recognition that God is present and active in the world. It should result in gratitude as God demonstrates his goodness to all but the rebellious mind is devoted to denying these truths by any means possible.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”     Hebrews 4:16

Our greatest need has been addressed in the Gospel. Salvation comes by grace; salvation comes by the power of the gospel. The Gospel is God’s merciful grace embodied.  The Gospel IS grace.