Friday, 21 December 2007

• Ponderings

  16 days since my last post.  Here's what I've been thinking about:

  1.  As I've reflected on Hirsch's "The Forgotten Ways" over the past few weeks, one thing continues to bother me.  While I agree with the basics of Hirsch's model, one thing is still unclear to me.  Missional and emerging types, like Hirsch, like to talk about loving sinners, finding the image of God in people and teasing it out, being chummy with unbelievers, etc.  During my normal devotional readings over these past weeks I've seen time and time again where the Bible seems to warn believers of getting too close to the world.  Here are some examples: "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?  Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God" (James 4:4).  "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers" (Psalm 1:1).  "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person- such a man is an idolater- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  Therefore do not be partners with them" (Eph.5:5-7).  "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?...What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" (1Cor.6:14-15).  You get the idea.  I can see how people can read the Bible and come to the conclusion that they should have little interaction with unbelievers.  These Christians are then accused of being navel-gazers, unconcerned about the lost, wanting only to "huddle and cuddle", etc.  We tend to view the unbelieving world as unfortunate souls whom we should love.  The Bible often seems to view the unbelieving world as those who will get what they deserve; "the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (Rev.21:8).  Bottom line: it seems we are much cozier with the world than first century Christians were.  God's judgment is no longer part of our gospel.  Its all about accepting his love.  How do the rest of you see this?

  2.  Greg Boyd has a post on masturbation that I agree with.  Check it out if you dare.  Don't worry, you won't get warts if you click on the link. :)  Comments?

  3.  Our INSIGHT guys this year are heavy into war gaming (both computer games and board games).  I've never understood this and have never played a game since Atari came out.  How do Christians justify the hours spent gaming on a daily basis?  What's the point?  Is it entertainment?  If so, then it receives the same condemnation as other forms of distraction.  Is it mental stimulation?  If so, isn't that also a form of masturbation?  Gamers, defend yourselves!  Do any of you really believe that Jesus would play computer games? 

  4.  I'm not into Christmas this year.  Its like I'm not buying the hype any more.  I'm into Christ, but all the fluff of the season is rubbing me the wrong way this time around.  It seems like we use the season to soothe our troubled souls, an escape from the difficulty of our regular existence.  But the fact is that the cute little baby Jesus turned into a man who got into people's faces.  We don't want that Jesus.  We want the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a freakin' manger.  That Jesus doesn't confront us or challenge us; he just lays there and we can all come around and ooh and aah.  Christmas is for girls.  We guys like Easter.  Torture, blood, suffering, resurrection, getting the final word, giving Satan a smackdown!  Now we're talkin'.

  5. A former INSIGHT student is getting married tomorrow.  Congratulations to the ever-smiling Karen Malakin and my friend Todd who I'm assuming is doing the wedding.

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