God’s “sovereignty requires that He be absolutely free, which means simply that He must be free to do whatever He wills to do anywhere at any time to carry out His eternal purpose.” –Tozer But the inscrutability of God is that He has taken his ultimate freedom and surrendered this freedom to His creation. Freedom in the modern day means that one has a right to follow one’s basic, positive nature. But God surrendered His freedom to accomplish His perfect will on earth to humanity. He took some of the most lively part of His creation and limited His own access to it, limiting his rights to openly act on the earth. And he gave over this freedom to the hands of an unworthy, weak creation.
It is this very act that Satan doesn’t understand and rebels against. Satan tested humanity right at the beginning and found them unworthy. Satan continues to test our best and brightest, and finds them all filled with sin, selfish, and lacking true understanding and mercy. Humanity—because of the powerful nature to imitate that which surrounds them—has copied Satan in despising the weak, and rejecting the unworthy, immediately punishing them as soon as they are found. The very rebellion that Satan acts upon humanity to dethrone them from their high place, is that which makes our planet unlivable—judgment of the weak, and calling unworthy those whom God has given rule.
Instead, God invites us, in His gentle way, to follow Jesus. To grant even the unworthy mercy. To offer forgiveness to those who have rebelled. To give up one’s own rights so that the weak might have power and wholeness. To surrender the unnecessary punishment, but instead to be respectful and welcoming so that humanity might imitate God and not Satan.
Showing posts with label The Knowledge of the Holy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Knowledge of the Holy. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Misunderstood Sovereignty
I think one of the great confusions about God in theology, and what causes the greatest amount of problems, is God’s sovereignty. The basic approach of Christian theology since Augustine, and finalized in the disciples of Calvin, is God’s control over every aspect of creation. Nothing gets done without God’s authority and approval. Of course, this approach to God falls into difficulties when seeing terrible events happen in which many thousands of people die. How can God, who is supposed to love every single person individually, personally approve of a mass killing of those He is tender-hearted about? I don’t want to get into the complex arguments about how this could be, and some of the greatest Christian literature has been written on this subject. My approach, personally, is that our whole conception of God is wrong.
It begins with a wrong idea of what sovereignty is. Somehow, we consider God’s sovereignty to be different than human sovereignty. This would make sense, since, as we have seen, God is considered to be containing all the power of the universe, in all place, knowing all things both possible and actual, active in sustaining all the universe. Such a being, when considered to be sovereign, would be rightly considered in complete control of every event in the universe. However, as we have also seen, the God of the Bible is not exactly the same as this perfect theological picture of God. God can do whatever He wants, but that doesn’t mean that He exerts all power that exists. God can know whatever He wants, and can be wherever He wants, but this does not mean that He is at all places at the same time. God is existing both before and after human history, but this doesn’t mean that God never had a beginning. God’s needs are limited, but it can be shown that He needs us, if only emotionally, which emotions such as anger and jealousy and love we must affirm that God has or else deny the whole of Scripture.
Even so, biblically, we must limit God’s sovereignty. This statement can get me in trouble, because, of course, biblically we must affirm that God is the creator of the universe, and thus He holds the complete right to rule the universe. That I absolutely affirm. But Scripture also affirms that God has surrendered His sovereignty—His rule—of the earth and all it contains to humanity (Genesis 1, Psalm 8). Humanity is now the sovereign one over all the earth, and humanity has surrendered that sovereignty to governments. Thus, the governments act in God’s stead as ruler over the earth.
Is God still sovereign? Absolutely. If a government steps too far out of line of God’s will, then God steps in and takes the government out—as described in Psalm 82, and seen in Genesis 18-19. And if the whole world abuses those whom God protects, then God will take over the whole world again—and this is what is prayed for in “Thy kingdom come” and described in detail in Revelation. Part of the hope of the believer is God’s direct rule over the earth, through Jesus, without anyone else as mediator between the earth and God.
Why do disasters happen? Because they do. The earth isn’t completely stable, and disasters will always happen. God might prevent them, if He is asked to. And He might help more, if He is asked. But God will not move amidst a government who doesn’t seek Him. And God will not protect a nation who isn’t interested in doing His will—which is all of them, without exception. God is much like a parent who releases his child to go out into the world on their own. The child will suffer much and face terrible trials, but as long as the child says, “I’ll do it myself”, the parent will let them.
The exception is supposed to be the people of Jesus. Jesus was fully in tune with His Father, only doing as He pleases, seeking His will and relying on Him alone. The people of Jesus are supposed to have a relationship with God like that. God is to be fully sovereign over those who release their sovereignty to Him. But as long as we, who claim to follow Jesus, retain our sovereignty, and deny God His proper place, then we will never experience God’s love and power. Disasters will still happen and we will have to face them on our own. The more we release ourselves to trusting God, then the more we will experience God’s care for us.
How is it, then, that those who trust God suffer so much? Because we live in churches, in cities, under governments that do not trust God or surrender their sovereignty to Him. We are under the rulership of toddlers who think that they can do whatever they please. In some cases, those who fully trust the Lord are sacrificed for the sake of others so that they might trust God. This is what happened to Jesus, and many of us suffer because God specifically is asking us to stand in the gap for those who need His help so much.
But there are also many who suffer because the ones truly in charge of the world are toddlers who have to do things themselves, not under the guidance of God’s wisdom, with the focus of God’s mercy or the unbelievable magnitude of God’s power. Trusters of God are just as likely to be in a natural disaster, because those who rule the area are not asking God for help. This isn’t some spite by God, but simply a natural event that God could have prevented if people relied on prayer rather than their own power. Trusters of God are just as likely to die in a war as anyone else, because war is a sign of people not trusting in God, but their own power, and as long as war exists then everyone is threatened. Trusters of God are just as likely to suffer poverty as anyone else, because the governments of this world are more interested in denying their own responsibility and asserting others’ responsibility rather than relying on God’s mercy.
This is why we need Jesus to rule the world. He is the only human who can see clearly with God’s power and mercy. Churches talk about God’s sovereignty, but act as if He is powerless and must work through them. Governments talk about mercy, but they neglect the needy in their own nations and the world, because they don’t really believe in God’s mercy. Jesus demonstrated through His ministry God’s unbelievable power and His mercy. And through His death he paved the way for us to live in it.
It begins with a wrong idea of what sovereignty is. Somehow, we consider God’s sovereignty to be different than human sovereignty. This would make sense, since, as we have seen, God is considered to be containing all the power of the universe, in all place, knowing all things both possible and actual, active in sustaining all the universe. Such a being, when considered to be sovereign, would be rightly considered in complete control of every event in the universe. However, as we have also seen, the God of the Bible is not exactly the same as this perfect theological picture of God. God can do whatever He wants, but that doesn’t mean that He exerts all power that exists. God can know whatever He wants, and can be wherever He wants, but this does not mean that He is at all places at the same time. God is existing both before and after human history, but this doesn’t mean that God never had a beginning. God’s needs are limited, but it can be shown that He needs us, if only emotionally, which emotions such as anger and jealousy and love we must affirm that God has or else deny the whole of Scripture.
Even so, biblically, we must limit God’s sovereignty. This statement can get me in trouble, because, of course, biblically we must affirm that God is the creator of the universe, and thus He holds the complete right to rule the universe. That I absolutely affirm. But Scripture also affirms that God has surrendered His sovereignty—His rule—of the earth and all it contains to humanity (Genesis 1, Psalm 8). Humanity is now the sovereign one over all the earth, and humanity has surrendered that sovereignty to governments. Thus, the governments act in God’s stead as ruler over the earth.
Is God still sovereign? Absolutely. If a government steps too far out of line of God’s will, then God steps in and takes the government out—as described in Psalm 82, and seen in Genesis 18-19. And if the whole world abuses those whom God protects, then God will take over the whole world again—and this is what is prayed for in “Thy kingdom come” and described in detail in Revelation. Part of the hope of the believer is God’s direct rule over the earth, through Jesus, without anyone else as mediator between the earth and God.
Why do disasters happen? Because they do. The earth isn’t completely stable, and disasters will always happen. God might prevent them, if He is asked to. And He might help more, if He is asked. But God will not move amidst a government who doesn’t seek Him. And God will not protect a nation who isn’t interested in doing His will—which is all of them, without exception. God is much like a parent who releases his child to go out into the world on their own. The child will suffer much and face terrible trials, but as long as the child says, “I’ll do it myself”, the parent will let them.
The exception is supposed to be the people of Jesus. Jesus was fully in tune with His Father, only doing as He pleases, seeking His will and relying on Him alone. The people of Jesus are supposed to have a relationship with God like that. God is to be fully sovereign over those who release their sovereignty to Him. But as long as we, who claim to follow Jesus, retain our sovereignty, and deny God His proper place, then we will never experience God’s love and power. Disasters will still happen and we will have to face them on our own. The more we release ourselves to trusting God, then the more we will experience God’s care for us.
How is it, then, that those who trust God suffer so much? Because we live in churches, in cities, under governments that do not trust God or surrender their sovereignty to Him. We are under the rulership of toddlers who think that they can do whatever they please. In some cases, those who fully trust the Lord are sacrificed for the sake of others so that they might trust God. This is what happened to Jesus, and many of us suffer because God specifically is asking us to stand in the gap for those who need His help so much.
But there are also many who suffer because the ones truly in charge of the world are toddlers who have to do things themselves, not under the guidance of God’s wisdom, with the focus of God’s mercy or the unbelievable magnitude of God’s power. Trusters of God are just as likely to be in a natural disaster, because those who rule the area are not asking God for help. This isn’t some spite by God, but simply a natural event that God could have prevented if people relied on prayer rather than their own power. Trusters of God are just as likely to die in a war as anyone else, because war is a sign of people not trusting in God, but their own power, and as long as war exists then everyone is threatened. Trusters of God are just as likely to suffer poverty as anyone else, because the governments of this world are more interested in denying their own responsibility and asserting others’ responsibility rather than relying on God’s mercy.
This is why we need Jesus to rule the world. He is the only human who can see clearly with God’s power and mercy. Churches talk about God’s sovereignty, but act as if He is powerless and must work through them. Governments talk about mercy, but they neglect the needy in their own nations and the world, because they don’t really believe in God’s mercy. Jesus demonstrated through His ministry God’s unbelievable power and His mercy. And through His death he paved the way for us to live in it.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Holiness
It is relatively well known that the Hebrew word for “holy” is rooted in the idea of “separation”. In other words, God’s holiness is His difference from the human world. God is both above all creation, but He is also more pure than all creation. And this is found in His love. He is faithful in a way that nothing of creation is, He is consistently merciful in a way not even the best of humans can achieve. God is unique above all else.
But it is interesting to note the English root of “holy”—halig—means “whole, well, healthy”. This is holiness from the human perspective. That to take on God’s holiness in the human realm is to take on health and strength. To refuse to embrace forgiveness is to refuse well-being. To reject kindness is to embrace sickness. We need to be like God’s otherworldliness in order to be whole.
But it is interesting to note the English root of “holy”—halig—means “whole, well, healthy”. This is holiness from the human perspective. That to take on God’s holiness in the human realm is to take on health and strength. To refuse to embrace forgiveness is to refuse well-being. To reject kindness is to embrace sickness. We need to be like God’s otherworldliness in order to be whole.
An Angry God?
“Many think of God as far removed, gloomy and mightily displeased with everything, gazing down in a mood of fixed apathy upon a world in which He has long ago lost interest; but this is to think erroneously. True, God hates sin and can never look with pleasure upon iniquity, but where men seek to do God’s will He responds in genuine affection.” –Tozer
Although tainted with sin, God still gains pleasure at His creation. If His creation was not still the object of His love and desire, He would not have sent His Son to die for it.
Although tainted with sin, God still gains pleasure at His creation. If His creation was not still the object of His love and desire, He would not have sent His Son to die for it.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Grace, Grace, God's Grace
Grace “…is a self-existent principle inherent in the divine nature and appears to us as a self-caused propensity to pity the wretched, spare the guilty, welcome the outcast and bring into favor those who were before under just disapprobation.” –Tozer
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Will the Real Grace Please Stand Up?
“We may plead for mercy for a lifetime in unbelief, and at the end of our days be still no more than sadly hopeful that we shall somewhere, sometime, receive it. This is to starve to death just outside the banquet hall in which we have been warmly invited. Or we may, if we will, lay hold on the mercy of God by faith, enter the hall, and sit down with the bold and avid souls who will not allow diffidence and unbelief to keep them from the feast of fat things prepared for them.” –Tozer
This statement is so true, and yet possibly misleading. Protestants often declare the grace and mercy of God, but deny the word of God that supplies it. The only thing between God’s grace and ourselves is faith—this do Protestants rightly assert. However, along with that grace is the reception of God’s word of repentance. If we are still seeking the salvation of the world—wealth and fame and comfort and joy in this world and the people of this world, then we will not obtain God’s grace, for God’s grace is not granting us these things. But if we seek the wealth of God’s kingdom, the fame before God’s throne and the comfort of being embraced by Jesus, that is found in God and its fullness is great and will overpower all our doubts.
This statement is so true, and yet possibly misleading. Protestants often declare the grace and mercy of God, but deny the word of God that supplies it. The only thing between God’s grace and ourselves is faith—this do Protestants rightly assert. However, along with that grace is the reception of God’s word of repentance. If we are still seeking the salvation of the world—wealth and fame and comfort and joy in this world and the people of this world, then we will not obtain God’s grace, for God’s grace is not granting us these things. But if we seek the wealth of God’s kingdom, the fame before God’s throne and the comfort of being embraced by Jesus, that is found in God and its fullness is great and will overpower all our doubts.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Two Gods?
“We should banish from our minds forever the common but erroneous notion that justice and judgment characterize the God of Israel, while mercy and grace belong to the Lord of the church…. God speaks in both dispensations and what He speaks agrees with what He is. Wherever and whenever God appears to men, He acts like Himself.” –Tozer
An Eternal Perspective
When we arrive in God’s kingdom, “…what right will we have to be there? Did we not in our sins take part in that unholy rebellion which rashly sought to dethrone the glorious King of creation? And did we not in times past walk according the course of this world, according to the evil prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience? And did we not all at once live in the lusts of our flesh? And were we not children of wrath, even as others?
"But we who were one time enemies and alienated in our minds through wicked works shall then see God face to face and His name shall be on our foreheads. We who earned banishment shall enjoy communion; we who deserve the pains of hell shall know the bliss of heaven. And all through the tender mercy of God.” –Tozer
"But we who were one time enemies and alienated in our minds through wicked works shall then see God face to face and His name shall be on our foreheads. We who earned banishment shall enjoy communion; we who deserve the pains of hell shall know the bliss of heaven. And all through the tender mercy of God.” –Tozer
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A Kingdom of Justice
Jesus’ death provides justice by establishing a kingdom of justice.
This kingdom is not the “church”, which is the institutions of the church established over centuries. Rather, Jesus’ kingdom of justice is made up of those who act in accord with His atonement—people taking up their cross, sacrificing themselves to display the injustice of humanity and to do good for one’s fellow human. Those who surrender themselves for the sake of the poor, and will stand up for God while allowing themselves to be destroyed for it.
This is not a matter of works, or our own effort, but the work of God within us, that we agree with and abide by.
This kingdom is not the “church”, which is the institutions of the church established over centuries. Rather, Jesus’ kingdom of justice is made up of those who act in accord with His atonement—people taking up their cross, sacrificing themselves to display the injustice of humanity and to do good for one’s fellow human. Those who surrender themselves for the sake of the poor, and will stand up for God while allowing themselves to be destroyed for it.
This is not a matter of works, or our own effort, but the work of God within us, that we agree with and abide by.
A.W. Tozer on God's Justice
“Justice embodies the idea of moral equity, and iniquity is the exact opposite; it is in-equity, the absence of equality from human thoughts and acts.” –Tozer
“God’s compassion flows out of his goodness and goodness without justice is not goodness. God spares us because He is good, but He could not be good if He were not just.” -Tozer
“God’s compassion flows out of his goodness and goodness without justice is not goodness. God spares us because He is good, but He could not be good if He were not just.” -Tozer
Jesus and Justice
My favorite passage about the justice of the Messiah is Isaiah 11:1-10
Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. Then in that day The nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.
Jesus will come with justice and he will grant justice to everyone, and the poor will finally get what they need and be treated fairly. Those who oppressed the poor will get what they deserve. There will be peace everywhere, and even the animals will be at peace because their needs are met. And all nations will acknowledge Yahweh as God and Lord.
Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. Then in that day The nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.
Jesus will come with justice and he will grant justice to everyone, and the poor will finally get what they need and be treated fairly. Those who oppressed the poor will get what they deserve. There will be peace everywhere, and even the animals will be at peace because their needs are met. And all nations will acknowledge Yahweh as God and Lord.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Justice and Righteousness
In the ancient scriptural languages, “righteousness” and “justice” are the same word. Thus, there is no division of meaning between “the just” and “the righteous.”
In our concept of justice, it is a complex notion that has to do with law and the community good. Righteousness, on the other hand, has to do with being religiously right, doing what is right before God. Well, no wonder then that there is no division in the ancient world—no matter what society one lives in. There was no notion of secular justice, of justice without God in any ancient society. To act well for the community, one is acting well before God as well.
Plato, in his Republic, perhaps is the first to separate God from justice, and to only look at the idea itself, outside the idea of “might makes right”. Jesus, however, also separated authority from justice—recognizing that God’s justice isn’t always the same as an authority’s idea of justice. Authorities often act in opposition to God’s justice and a remarkable act must take place to establish God’s justice as primary.
In our concept of justice, it is a complex notion that has to do with law and the community good. Righteousness, on the other hand, has to do with being religiously right, doing what is right before God. Well, no wonder then that there is no division in the ancient world—no matter what society one lives in. There was no notion of secular justice, of justice without God in any ancient society. To act well for the community, one is acting well before God as well.
Plato, in his Republic, perhaps is the first to separate God from justice, and to only look at the idea itself, outside the idea of “might makes right”. Jesus, however, also separated authority from justice—recognizing that God’s justice isn’t always the same as an authority’s idea of justice. Authorities often act in opposition to God’s justice and a remarkable act must take place to establish God’s justice as primary.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Our Attitude and God's Character
“The hypocritical, the basically insincere, will find God cold and aloof, as they once found Jesus; but the penitent will find Him merciful; the self-condemned will find Him generous and kind. To the frightened He is friendly, to the poor in spirit He is forgiving, to the ignorant, considerate; to the weak, gentle; to the stranger, hospitable. By our own attitudes we may determine our reception by Him.” –Tozer
The Foundation of Goodness
God is not good because goodness is the greatest power of the universe to which God bows down as the ultimate supreme being. Rather, goodness and love is the basis of who God truly is, and so every foundation block of the universe is founded on that basic character of the Creator. The universe can only truly work if functioning on the basis of the character of the Being of creation itself.
The point of the story of Adam and Eve is not that humanity rejected the leadership of God, or that they just disobeyed God. Rather, they rejected His goodness, His bounty, His love. They rejected what is good to see a balance between benevolence and selfishness, between love and apathy, between good and evil.
Creation was not built on a balance, but on radical goodness. All has been out of balance because the center of gravity has shifted. And every single one of us, to a person, has chosen almost every day to accept this compromise with evil and selfishness, rather than completely surrendering to love and trusting that God would take care of us. God, cause us to repent!
The point of the story of Adam and Eve is not that humanity rejected the leadership of God, or that they just disobeyed God. Rather, they rejected His goodness, His bounty, His love. They rejected what is good to see a balance between benevolence and selfishness, between love and apathy, between good and evil.
Creation was not built on a balance, but on radical goodness. All has been out of balance because the center of gravity has shifted. And every single one of us, to a person, has chosen almost every day to accept this compromise with evil and selfishness, rather than completely surrendering to love and trusting that God would take care of us. God, cause us to repent!
The Goodness of God
“God…takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people. That God is good is taught or implied on every page of the Bible and must be received as an article of faith as impregnable as the throne of God. It is a foundation stone for all sound thought about God and is necessary to moral sanity.” –Tozer
Unchanging
God does not change, nor has He ever changed. There is not an “Old Testament god” and a “New Testament god”. There is mercy in the Hebrew scriptures, and grace and forgiveness. And there is judgment and destruction in the New. God has not changed—rather the human focus on God becomes clearer in the New Testament because of the revelation of Jesus.
Jesus knows God so much better than Moses or David or even Abraham. Jesus is unified with God in a way no other human can appreciate or dream of. In this way, Jesus communicates God better and clearer than anyone ever has. And so we can have a better idea of who God really is under Jesus than has ever been the case before Him.
Jesus knows God so much better than Moses or David or even Abraham. Jesus is unified with God in a way no other human can appreciate or dream of. In this way, Jesus communicates God better and clearer than anyone ever has. And so we can have a better idea of who God really is under Jesus than has ever been the case before Him.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
God's Wholeness
In light of these eight characteristics of God, Tozer’s words are all the more true: “God’s attributes are not isolated traits of His character but facets of His unitary being. They are not things-in-themselves; they are, rather, thoughts by which we think of God, aspects of a perfect whole, names given to whatever we know to be true of the Godhead. To have a correct understanding of the attributes it is necessary that we see them all as one.”
God is not wavering back and forth between different characteristics. If God struggles, it is only because humanity is so far from realizing His ideal, His perfect nature, His perfect leadership on earth. God is often on the edge of destroying His work, because it has progressed so far from His creation, so far from the merciful-faithful-generous-true. God’s justice is always put to the test because of humanity’s rejection of God’s ways. But God does not repent of His faithfulness because of this. He does not back off from His mercy when acting in justice. Rather, God is a whole. If it seems that God is willy-nilly, it is not God who is that, but God’s creation.
God is not wavering back and forth between different characteristics. If God struggles, it is only because humanity is so far from realizing His ideal, His perfect nature, His perfect leadership on earth. God is often on the edge of destroying His work, because it has progressed so far from His creation, so far from the merciful-faithful-generous-true. God’s justice is always put to the test because of humanity’s rejection of God’s ways. But God does not repent of His faithfulness because of this. He does not back off from His mercy when acting in justice. Rather, God is a whole. If it seems that God is willy-nilly, it is not God who is that, but God’s creation.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Unity With God
The deepest relationship with God that is mentioned in Scripture is not what most mystics talk about, a vision of the Most High, glorious, revealing deep mysteries. That is still on the level of knowledge, of intellectual stimulation. The deepest relationship with God is unity with God. This has been mentioned by a few mystics—Meister Eckhart for one, and some of the mystics collected in the Eastern Orthodox text, the Philokalia. They use the text in John 17 as their proof-text:
"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one.”
So Jesus prays that we, his disciples, might be in God, even as the Son and the Father are one. Because most theologians focus on the unity of God as a nature of God’s being, then the mystics assume that some would take part in God’s very being, His nature. Of course, this can get a mystic in trouble, because God’s being is so other than human. But the unity that Jesus is talking about here, I am certain is not speaking of the being of God. First of all, this unity is something that all the disciples could share, not just a few individuals. Secondly, the unity is not just shared with the Godhead, but amidst the disciples themselves. There is something mystic going on here, but it does not have to do with God’s nature. Which may indicate that the oneness between the Father and the Son, in this context, is not speaking of God’s being at all.
What could the oneness between the Father and the Son be? Something in which the disciples can share? One of the most powerful statements in John about the unity between the Son and the Father is in John 5: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
In this passage, Jesus does not focus on the Son having the same being of the Father, but the same will. In other words, the Father communicates his will to the Son and the Son does it without question. Because of this, the Son and the Father share other things: judgment, because the Son will always act in the Father’s will; miracles, because the Son acts according to the Father’s mercy; and glory, because the Son is the arm of the Father in doing the works of the Father. Thus, in this passage, Jesus does not emphasize sharing in the being of the Father, but the character and will of the Father. Jesus is completely obedient to the Father and he is of the same character as the Father.
If we think about it, this must be the source of unity between the church and the Godhead. The church is unified in doing the will of the Father and in acting out the character of the Father. Certainly humanity, no matter how sanctified, could never participate in the omnipotence or omniscience of the Father, although the Father might give us glimpses of this by acting according to the power of the Spirit. Rather, we are to be acting in accord with the character of the Father.
"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one.”
So Jesus prays that we, his disciples, might be in God, even as the Son and the Father are one. Because most theologians focus on the unity of God as a nature of God’s being, then the mystics assume that some would take part in God’s very being, His nature. Of course, this can get a mystic in trouble, because God’s being is so other than human. But the unity that Jesus is talking about here, I am certain is not speaking of the being of God. First of all, this unity is something that all the disciples could share, not just a few individuals. Secondly, the unity is not just shared with the Godhead, but amidst the disciples themselves. There is something mystic going on here, but it does not have to do with God’s nature. Which may indicate that the oneness between the Father and the Son, in this context, is not speaking of God’s being at all.
What could the oneness between the Father and the Son be? Something in which the disciples can share? One of the most powerful statements in John about the unity between the Son and the Father is in John 5: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
In this passage, Jesus does not focus on the Son having the same being of the Father, but the same will. In other words, the Father communicates his will to the Son and the Son does it without question. Because of this, the Son and the Father share other things: judgment, because the Son will always act in the Father’s will; miracles, because the Son acts according to the Father’s mercy; and glory, because the Son is the arm of the Father in doing the works of the Father. Thus, in this passage, Jesus does not emphasize sharing in the being of the Father, but the character and will of the Father. Jesus is completely obedient to the Father and he is of the same character as the Father.
If we think about it, this must be the source of unity between the church and the Godhead. The church is unified in doing the will of the Father and in acting out the character of the Father. Certainly humanity, no matter how sanctified, could never participate in the omnipotence or omniscience of the Father, although the Father might give us glimpses of this by acting according to the power of the Spirit. Rather, we are to be acting in accord with the character of the Father.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Proper Study of God
In Tozer’s book, we head directly into God’s character, which I believe is the proper study of theology proper. God’s being, much of it, is a mystery. We need to know of God’s strength, God’s creation, God’s knowledge, otherwise we could be entrusting ourselves to a weakling. But the focus of our knowledge of God is found in the most repeated creed in Scripture:
"The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.>\" Exodus 34:6-7
It doesn’t focus on God’s power or might, but on who God is like. And it is this that we will focus on for the rest of our time with Tozer.
"The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.>\" Exodus 34:6-7
It doesn’t focus on God’s power or might, but on who God is like. And it is this that we will focus on for the rest of our time with Tozer.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Omnipresence
On God’s omnipresence, Tozer says: “Few other truths are taught in the Scriptures with as great clarity…” This only goes to show, as much as I love Tozer, that he is a better student of theology than of Scripture. Scripture does say that God is “near to those who fear Him” and also He is “near to the brokenhearted.” Jesus said to his disciples that he would be “with you even to the end of the age.” So we can be assured that God is with His people who truly love Him and need Him.
Scripture also says that God spirit speaks to the world “concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.” Thus, the Spirit communicates to every person, good or bad, what is true. It also says in Psalm 139, in speaking of God’s complete knowledge, that God can go wherever He wishes, and that nothing is hidden from Him.
However, all this together does not equal the doctrine of omnipresence, which is God’s presence in every place at the same time. Scripture does not teach that. It says that God’s representatives, angels, are in many places, wherever God sends them. God’s Spirit is in His people. And God can see and know all things that happen. But not that God is, like some pantheistic ghost, hovering over every inch of the universe. If so, then I must question the independent sovereignty of God’s creation, which is declared in Psalm 8. If God is, somehow, in all places, then there cannot truly be independence, and there cannot truly be freedom to do as we please.
Nevertheless, if we are seeking God, God is there. If we are repenting, God is there. If we are loving in Jesus’ name, God is there. If we are crying out for help, God is there. If we are downcast in soul, God is there. God may not be in every inch of space, but God is there when we need Him. That’s what’s important
Scripture also says that God spirit speaks to the world “concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.” Thus, the Spirit communicates to every person, good or bad, what is true. It also says in Psalm 139, in speaking of God’s complete knowledge, that God can go wherever He wishes, and that nothing is hidden from Him.
However, all this together does not equal the doctrine of omnipresence, which is God’s presence in every place at the same time. Scripture does not teach that. It says that God’s representatives, angels, are in many places, wherever God sends them. God’s Spirit is in His people. And God can see and know all things that happen. But not that God is, like some pantheistic ghost, hovering over every inch of the universe. If so, then I must question the independent sovereignty of God’s creation, which is declared in Psalm 8. If God is, somehow, in all places, then there cannot truly be independence, and there cannot truly be freedom to do as we please.
Nevertheless, if we are seeking God, God is there. If we are repenting, God is there. If we are loving in Jesus’ name, God is there. If we are crying out for help, God is there. If we are downcast in soul, God is there. God may not be in every inch of space, but God is there when we need Him. That’s what’s important
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