A Respectful Response to Thin Theology

This week I had the opportunity to hear a presentation entitled "Who Wrote the Bible? The Surprising Findings of Modern Scholarship" by renown scholar Dr. Bert Ehrman, the Distinguished Chair of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina. I have to acknowledge that even though I have two masters degrees and have been an ordained minister for over 22 years, I certainly do not have the academic background that Dr. Ehrman has accumalated nor do I think at this stage in my life that I will. While there is no doubt that Dr. Ehrman's studies and work is the culmination of a lifelong process, attempts to discredit the Bible has been going on for centuries. I could get all huffy about comments made and start arguing points as well as questioning motives of why scholars such as Dr. Ehrman would take such a stance. Okay, I need to rephrase that because I did get all huffy, found many points to argue, and I have questioned his motives, but I did not stay that way long. Why? It is simple. The Word of God quickly responds to these attacks because the Spirit of God immediately reminds me that throughout scripture there are many instances of scripture interpreting scripture and passages supporting other passages. I am also reminded that through Hebrews 4:12 that "the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (NIV). The Word of God was preached in verbal form, lived out through the person of Jesus, and then given to us in a written form. In any of these forms, it is more powerful than any human tool. The Word of God is dynamic. It is always at work. It is capable of going where no other written word is capable of going. It reveals God's will and His ways. Therefore, I will not get upset about a scholar from Carolina or anywhere else that takes exception to what I have studied and what I believe nor will I take exception to what he has studied and what he believes. I believe it to be real. I believe it to be true. I believe it to be reliable and the foundation for my walk with Christ. It has changed me and continues to change me as I allow more of it in me. I am certain that it will change me in the future as well. It is my counsel, my lamp, my light, my fortress, my peace, and my choice to follow. I have learned that if challenges come up against the Bible as I have heard from many in the past, those challenges are short lived and once again the Word of God prevails. My response has to be based on the truth of the word as I have come to know it and how that truth has been proven over and over and over again. When I am told for example, that Peter could not have written the letters attributed to him in the New Testament because he was ignorant and could not read or write, my immediate response is that just shows me that God can use someone ordinary to do something extraordinary! The point is that the God of the Bible I love is a really big God and He is capable of turning ignorance into bliss. And I must add, that if ignorance is bliss, then I am a blister! Some folks think that just because this speaker is from Carolina, that he must speak truth because God did make the sky Carolina Blue. Being the NC State fan I have been all my life, my response is that while the sky may be Carolina Blue, the blood that was shed on Calvary for my sins is Wolfpack Red! It does not matter if Jesus is a Wolfpack fan, a Tarheel or even a Lees-McRae Bobcat. What does matter is that every book in the Bible as we have it points to His redeeming action for my sins, Dr. Ehrman's sins, your sins, and the sins of all. For me, that is all that matters. So I will continue to trust the Word of God and depend on it for my daily walk for the truths I have learned and I will rely on the truths I have yet to learn. I will also choose not to skate on thin theology but I will strive to live on the principles of grace that has been given to me and through love strive not to judge, condemn nor condone the beliefs of those with whom I do not agree. That is what I am going to do and how I am going to respond. What about you?

Coming Out

This phrase has been tested over the recent years. Our society has used it to say that someone is revealing something that perhaps has been hidden for some time. Confessions, lifestyles, confessions about lifestyles, thoughts, attitudes, and deep dark secrets are things that help us "come out." I stayed up late last night to witness with the world a coming out. Actually it was a coming out that had been worked on and planned for many days. Several people were involved as well as many different governmental agencies. Lots of professional people and blue collar workers came together so that this coming out could happen. In fact, in order to come out, one decided that he would have to go in and then stay for a while and then come out himself. Thirty-three Chilean miners had been trapped for 69 days. Dark, dusty, dungeon-like. They were held captive in a gloomy place that seemed hopeless and full of void. As I celebrated last night when the first miner was rescued from that dark hole, I cried as those who loved him, a son and a wife, joyfully cried when he was free from the captivity of darkness. When the 10th miner was rescued this morning and came out of that rescue capsule, I watched again with tears in my eyes as the scenario was the same as the first except the fact that this miner fell to his knees and thanked God for the privilege of seeing light, breathing fresh air, and being set free from captivity. Then I realized the parallels to my life. I have no clue what it is like to have been in captivity for 69 days, wondering if I was going to be rescued or set free. I have no clue what it is like to experience darkness for days upon days and to hear only the breathing and conversations of those with whom I shared such an ordeal. I have no clue what it would mean to be lifted out of such darkness into bright beaming light and hearing the sounds of those that love me welcome me home. No, I may not have a clue about those things. However, I do know what it means to be set free from a life of bondage and being held captive by my own sinfulness and shame. I know what it means to have a relationship with the One that decided before I was ever born to go into the dark and gloomy place to prepare for me a rescue capsule that would deliver me from the pit of darkness and bring me into Light. While NASA helped design the rescue capsule of durable metals, wheels, and teflon, God designed my rescue capsule out of rugged wood, three nails, and a hill called Calvary. By the way, coming out indicates that you are going into something else. The miners had to come out by doing something unconventional, getting in that strangely made rescue capsule. Hopefully, they will go on to a life that could be filled with thankfulness and appreciation being set free. Maybe it is time that I do the same. What about you?

Praying for Your Pastor

I am very appreciative of the many pastors that have been in my life who preach faithfully the truth of God's Word each and every week. This month is pastor appreciation month. Please take the time to tell them thank you and lift them up in prayer. Isaiah 52:7 reads "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring the good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns'."

How is your love life?

Seriously! There ain't no one here right now but me and you....so really...how is your love life? You and I come in contact with lots of people each day. For me as my day begins, I take our Chocolate Lab Hershee for a walk, but my mind already starts running. The first people I encounter those that know me best...my family. Often in my hurried approach to begin my day, my actions are quick and my love life gets slack. Then I rush the girls to school where I rush them into their respective classes and then I rush over to my office. I rush past housekeeping staff that have been working since 5:30 making our office clean and our bathrooms bearable. I rush open the door to my office and immediately check the red flashing light on my phone to see if there is a message. In the meantime, I am constantly looking at my Blackberry to check emails, texts, and messages there so I can be sure I am on top of it all. I rush through greeting co-workers. Then tasks, assignments and problems all begin battling for my time and attention. Then it is on like Donkey Kong throughout the rest of the day! My point is that my day is full of lots of things but it seems that love is last if not lost.

I am drawn to the familiar passage in I Corinthians 13 as I think about this and immediately I think of adjustments that are needed. More patience, more kindness, but less envious thinking, less boasting, less pride, and then I see the punchline: selfishness. My psychology professor at Mars Hill College many years ago shared with me that "selfishness was the sin that stinks all the way to heaven." All of the sudden, I realize that my selfishness stinks a raunchy smell that indeed has to stink all the way to heaven. It all goes back to choices I have made but ultimately my choice to how I spend time with my Creator. The overflow of the time I spend with my Creator will determine if I love patiently, with kindness, and possess the other characteristics of the love described in this great passage.

Maybe it is spiritual ADD, but all of the sudden my mind goes to a song by Larnelle Harris many years ago. Check out the passion of these words:
There He was just waiting,
in our old familiar place.
an empty spot beside Him,
where I used to wait
to be filled with strength and wisdom
for the battles of the day
I would have passed Him by again
if I didn't hear Him say...

I miss my time with you
those moments together
I need to be with you each day
and it hurts me to hear you say
you're too busy
busy trying to serve me
but how can you serve me
when your spirit's too empty
there's a longing in my heart
wanting more than just a part of you
it's true
I miss my time with you!

What do I have to offer
how can I truly care
my efforts have no meaning
when your presence isn't there
but you will provide the power
if I take the time to pray
I will stay right here beside Him
and you will never have to say... I miss my time with you.
How is your love life? Mine needs work.

Crazy about Crazy Love!

Tonight, our small group that is studying Francis Chan's CRAZY LOVE, had a couple special guests. It seems that while our assigned task was to discuss Chapter 2 that dealt with the idea that we have no control in life as to when we are going to leave this earth, God wanted us to spend some time with a couple that is living with the news of a terminal disease. We were able to ask questions to one that was diagnosed in April 2010 with a prognosis of living just 3 months. Well it doesn't take too much of a rocket scientist to realize that April was 6 months ago as we are now in the month of October. That isn't the point I want to make, but it does seem relevant to first of all that this appointed time, someone that was a complete stranger to our group was given a prognosis and has remained very much alive and was able to share as a brother in Christ some of what he has experienced. Many of us present comtemplated and wondered if our routines would change as a result of getting such news.

Here is what I was reminded of tonight:

• For the Christian, it doesn't matter if you are given 1 day or 100 years. It does matter in understanding that each breath is a gift from God. It does matter that God's word assures us that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). It does matter that God can give us the "peace that passes ALL understanding"(Phillippians 4:7).
• Routines are not necessarily a bad thing, but they need to be examined. Here is what I mean: Why do you do the things you do? Are you in a habit of daily quiet times that you are legalistic about? Or are you in the habit of a daily quiet time that builds upon truth and assures you of the hope we have in Christ (Colossians 2:2)? You see, the more you spend understanding God's truth, the more you can understand that His truth is reliable, dependable, and completely trustworthy! As you gain more and more understanding about the reliability of Scripture, you will be able to build on the peace that passes all understanding and realize more and more and more that God is in control!
• Meeting regularly with other Christians will help develop more and more assurance through the testimonies (Hebrews 10:25).
• The absolute worst thing through the eyes of those without Christ is death and the fear of death. The absolute worst thing that could happen in death for the Christian is to die and gloriously wake up in the arms of Christ. Trusting again in His word, Romans 8:28 reminds us that God can use ALL things for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

As for our guest members of our group tonight, God led them to be reunited with some old friends after 19 years which in turn allowed our small group to learn a whole lot more about a Great Big God that knows everything about what we are studying, when we are studying what we study, what we are feeling, and just what we need to know to be assured that He is faithful! As the old preacher once said, "If that doesn't fire you up, your wood is wet!" Funny thing, I remember scripture telling me that even if the wood is wet, my God can still make it burn!