Christianity

•

This is an "NLP" term that I have heard in reference to Christianity. It took me a while to understand it, but I'm getting there.

"The map is not the territory."

What does this mean? To me, it means that it doesn't really matter how long you look at the map, the map is not a substitute for experiencing the territory.

I can show you a google map of Lake Tahoe. I can even link to a satellite photo.

I can show you this:

and I can show you this: (I like this one from the air, because you can clearly see the airstrip and I had seen a little plane landing there)...

But are the maps and the photos identical to feeling the sun on your face and the sound of the skis and taste of the snow when you fall face first into the snowbank?  Is looking at the satellite image the same as listening to the wind in the trees and feeling it in your face as you move down the (bunny) hill?
We would all agree...yes. Of course. Reading is not the same as living.

"The map is not the territory."

In the same way, reading is not the same as doing. I had never been on downhill skis before. I read instructions and I read websites and I listened to descriptions and directions.

But that "map" is not the territory either. Reading and listening is not the same as having somebody ski in front of you, showing you, guiding you, reminding you of everything you had heard and read, encouraging you to "do as I do".

"The map is not the territory."

Here is where I apply it to a Christian walk. "The map is not the territory." Scripture can be compared to the map

(and please, don't attempt any accusation that I'm lessening the authority of Scripture by making it into a mere "map"...for more reading about my views of Scripture, see

Anyway..."The map is not the territory".

Scripture is the revelation of God, the Written Word, God's Word to His bride. **Somewhat** akin to reading love letters when you could be in your sweetie's arms.  (But only "somewhat" because the Spirit indwells us to teach us what the Word is telling us.)

The Bible is like the map and life is like the territory.

The Bible tells us how to life and the Spirit teaches us how to apply it (like the stuff I read about skiing and my friend telling me how to apply it.  And (like the one who showed me "how to") Scripture also tells us about examples to follow.

At the top of the list (In Scripture) is Christ - to be "Christ-like" is what we strive for.

1 Peter 2:21
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

We also Scripture telling us about human examples to follow.

Philippians 3:17
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

1 Thessalonians 1:7
so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

2 Thessalonians 3:9
It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

James 5:10
As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

1 Peter 5:3
not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

These are examples to imitate.

2 Thessalonians 3:7
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,

Hebrews 13:7
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

(side note:  the Greek word is transliterated "mimeomai" - like mimic...mime.)

We might call those we "imitate" as examples "role models"- although that role is more encompassing in a personal relationship.  Scripture says to consider the outcomes of our leaders lives...and imitate their faith.

We are told to find examples...consider the outcomes...and imitate.

• 12 Comments

•

I'm finding that I don't like the word "subordinationism". There are better words to describe the belief that we're talking about. However...that appears to be the "word of the day".

Craig Keener (an egalitarian) wrote a rather long article: "Is subordination within the Trinity really heresy? A study of John 5:18 in context."
In the opening page he writes:

Nor, in fact, do Christological views coincide as closely with views on gender roles as some of the advocates of either position claim. Thus, for example, I frequently talk with Christians who espouse a complementarian view of gender roles while expressing surprise that anyone would deny the full equality in all respects of the Father and the Son. By contrast, I and some other scholars I know who support a very broad range of women's ministry affirm the Son's subordination to the Father. To be sure, that subordination may be voluntary, and we do not draw from it the same conclusions many of our complementarian colleagues do; but the fact remains that one's view on gender roles does not enable one to predict one's view of relations within the Trinity, or vice-versa. I do see evidence for the Son's subordination to the Father in rank; I also believe that evangelicals who differ on the matter should do so charitably. (emphasis mine)

The article begins at John 5:18

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (ESV) (emphasis mine)

(A) Does Jesus Claim "Equality"? (5:18)

Jesus is "God the Son", but He is also acting as an agent for the Father. Keener makes the point that when we say that Christ as claiming equality with the Father in this passage, we are following the logic of Christ's enemies, not the actual words of Christ. Yes...clearly Christ is communicating His deity in this passage, but equality of roles with the Father? Keener believes not:

But while Jesus claims deity at various points in this gospel (e.g., 8:58; 20:2829), he also denies equality of rank with his Father. This is particularly clear in his response to those who think he has claimed such equality (5:19-30). Jesus does this by calling attention to his role as Son and agent. (emphasis mine).

In verses 19-23 we see the following points

  • Jesus is following the example of His Father
  • Jesus is saying that He can do nothing of His own accord
  • Jesus has been given authority by His Father

Nowhere in this passage does Christ claim equality - He claims Sonship, with delegated authority and obedience.

(B) Jesus as God Son

Keener brings up a point that I had not heard of or thought of. Jesus was obediently following His Father's example. In the Jewish culture, how did a son learn his trade? By following his father's example - apprenticeship.

Nevertheless, this part of the discourse is framed with Jesus' claim not to act "from himself," or on his own initiative or authority (5:19, 30),25 fitting the Jewish conception of the agent who carries out his commission? Jesus elsewhere emphasizes that he does nothing "from himself" (5:30; 7:17-18, 28; 8:28, 42; 14:10), as the Spirit does not (16:13), and that the disciples cannot produce anything profitable from themselves (15:5).

(c) Jesus as God's Agent

In this section, Keener touches on the argument that yes-Christ was subordinate for the duration of His incarnation. But Keener points out that since Christ was "sent", that the submission started (at least) a little while before His birth.

Also, as a "representative agent" He carried the full authority of the Sender. This was in accordance with the time;

Agency represented commission and authorization, the sense of the concept which provides a broad conceptual background for early Christian agency. In many cases, at least in our later sources, the agent's own legal status was comparatively low. Indeed, under rabbinic rulings, even slaves were permitted to fill the position.32 Yet agents bore representative authority, because they acted on the authority of the one who sent them. Thus perhaps the most common rabbinic maxim concerning a person's agent is that "he is equivalent to the person himself."33 In the broader Mediterranean world envoys or messengers were backed by the full authority of those they represented. (...)

Even when one sent one's son (Mark 12:6), the messenger position was necessarily one of subordination to the sender. Although the concept of agency implies subordination, it also stresses Jesus' functional equality with the Father in terms of humanity's required response: he must be honored and believed in the same way as must be the Father whose representative he is (e.g., Tohn 5:23; 6:29).

(and I'm just a third of the way through the article...)

We have the framework for Christ's submission, obedience, subordination, and agency for the duration of His ministry while He walked this planet - and (at least a little) prior to.
Still...that does not provide proof that this submission is eternal.

Next up: section II: 1 Corinthians 15:28.

• 11 Comments

•

Q: What is "subordinationism"?

A: Very simply put (and there are many nuances), subordinationism is the belief that there is a hierarchy within the Godhead (Trinity) that has the Father as the head, with the Son and the Spirit flowing from the Father and in an equal, but submissive role. The main reason for this little series of posts is the way that it relates to the conversation on gender roles - I'm not sure that it plays a huge part, but the conversation did spark my curiosity.

Q: Is this the heresy of "Arianism"?

A: No. What was defined as heresy at the Council of Nicea

  • Arianism taught that Christ is a created being - of "like substance", but not the "same substance" - sort of a "lesser god" or "created god".
  • Arianism denied the full deity of Christ.
  • Ariansim denies that the Son is of one essence, nature, or substance with God; He is not consubstantial (homoousios) with the Father, and therefore not like Him, or equal in dignity, or co-eternal, or within the real sphere of Deity.

Q: What is different about the two?

A: Subordinationism declares that each member of the Trinity are individual persons, yet fully unified in will and purpose; each member of the Trinity is fully God.  James White, in "The Forgotten Trinity" puts in this way: There is One "WHAT" (the Godhead/Trinity).  Within that one WHAT, there are three "WHOS" (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).  To deny that the persons of the Trinity are indeed three persons, is a denial of the Trinity that is known as "modalism" - held to by "Oneness" churches.
The Son and the Spirit are "generated" from the Father, yet all three are eternal and fully God and fully equal in person, dignity and deity. Are we confused yet? This is why the Trinity is called a "mystery".

Other helpful terms:

"ekporeusis"

"The monarchy of the Father"

"filioque"

"Eternal Sonship"

It is a mistake to confuse the belief of eternal submission with the heresy of Arianism.

•

In no discernible order:

  • for Godly leaders in my life
  • for God's hand on the leaders of the world, godly and ungodly
  • for my family; whether they be by blood, by marriage, by Christ or by love
  • for my home, cozy and warm
  • for the smell of the turkey (those who are familiar with anosmia know the significance of my ability to detect a faint whiff of turkey)
  • for the continued relative health of my parents
  • for the work God continues to do in my life
  • for the family Christmas, coming up just next week, with my parents here!
  • for life, liberty and freedom
  • for the work of Christ on the cross, the sovereignty of God, for salvation for those who believe
  • for my children; those living and those waiting for me
  • for my job and my ability to help
  • for my health
  • for my love

• 5 Comments

•

Indeed. My computer is running slow (not sure if it's the router or the computer; I'm going to take it to an internet cafe later and see if it runs slowly there).

I'm late on the post, I'm late on the Carnival, I'm late on homework and studying. Go figure.

The beauty of patience is that God seems to give us lots of opportunities to practice! And when we fall with lack of patience, He seem to give us the perfect opportunity to repent!

My class has a young woman in a wheel chair (CP). I was trying to get her ready to swim (admittedly she was being lazy more so than incapable because I know what she's capable of). After finally getting her suit on, she looked up at me and said, "Am I too much trouble for you?"...oh...melting heart...

I think that (as a rule), the more opportunities I have to be patient (read, the more trying life is), the better I get at patience.

(Another life lesson)

More and more professors are using the internet for classes - my Spanish professor posts grade, study guides and assignments on "blackboard". In my other classes, when I take a test, I know that when I go into the class next week I'll find out what my grade was. In Spanish, handed in an assignment on Thursday afternoon and here I am on Saturday morning, tapping my foot, 'why isn't my grade up yet!?!?!" In any other class, I'd be happily waiting until the next week. But the internet is instant and I'm impatiently waiting for my professor to be instant also.

Once I "got this", it's a lot easier to wait.

Patience is a fruit...waiting for fruit takes patience. If you try to force it (fruit) you end up with a mess. Think of the last time you bit into an apple that hadn't had time to ripen.

This is sort of a catch-22. If you want patience, then you have to be patient. A long time ago I had a kid's tape (it's not even available on iTunes now). Rappin Rabbit's Christian Habits.

"I have waited long enough...give me some of that patience stuff!"

god bless!

• 1 Comment

•

John Piper's son, Abraham and his wife, Molly lost their baby, Felicity.

In the hopes that you will pray for us, I’ll give you the news about Abraham’s daughter. Abraham is my son who serves as the Web Content Manager for Desiring God. He and Molly were expecting their second child on Sunday, September 23. Molly was big and healthy. Everyone was happy and excited about Orison’s little sister.

There had been no movement since Thursday. Molly had read this was nothing unusual, but the doctor said she could come for a check-up if she wished. Saturday morning (September 22) they went to Hennepin County Medical Center. No heart beat. Ultrasound confirms: the baby is dead

Please join in prayer for this family.

My friend, Phil asked me to look at the Scripture references that Piper cited and asked (since I also lost a child in this way - but earlier) if he did and said the right thing.

In situations like this, who you are talking to could change how you approach them. I can only assume that since Piper is "dad" to this couple, he knows them well enough to know what it is that they will need at this time. I would comfort a strong believing couple differently than I would new believers and I'd comfort believers differently than unbelievers.

In this case, I believe that believing couples can find comfort in all of these passages,, although there are certainly better passages to use than the 2 Samuel passage - I would most likely NOT have used that (not criticizing - John Piper is a man who is grieving and doing the best that he can).

2 Samuel 12:15-23 - this is the passages that tells us about when David lost his son. He fasted and prayed until the child was dead, and then he got up and ate. The reason that I would not have used this passage is that I believe the message is not that "life will go on", but rather that the child was taken as punishment from God. David had hoped to bring God's mercy by fasting and praying, but when the child died, David took the punishment as righteous.

If a person has done nothing wrong, there is no reason to add guilt; but if they have, this passage gives hope of seeing them again.

John 9:1-3 - This is a good passage - a reminder that we live in a lost and dying world - all of our existence is intended to bring glory to God and that (although sometimes these things can be traced back to our actions) many times there is nothing we could have done (or not done) to change the outcome. The thought that it is "not our fault" can be very comforting.

1 Corinthians 15:58 - Keep on keeping on - our labor is not in vain. I understand this, but...

These are passages that I would use, and have used:

Isaiah 53: 3-4
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.

Christ knows what grief is about - and if we put our burdens onto Him, He will help us to bear them.

John 11:35

Jesus wept.

The shortest verse in the Bible - and for me, one of the most meaningful. Lazarus was dead and his sisters were grieving. Jesus knew that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, and yet He wept.

Why? Because His friends were hurting. In the same way, He sees our grief and pain - and weeps along with us.

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Know - KNOW that you have an entire church family who is ready to stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart and weep with you.

Know this. My prayers are with you.

•

My daughter learned an important lesson last night - always remember your cell phone.

She was at church (I came home - my bad) and when I tried to leave to pick her up I had a flat tire. I tried to call her, but the back seat rang.

I tried to call the church, but all the phones go through the main switchboard, which was closed, so I couldn't get through.

I tried to call her friend, but she didn't answer her phone and by the time she did, she was home.

This was my son's first time at changing a tire and he had trouble with the jack, then he had trouble getting the tire off. He did eventually get it done - and he understood my point in making him do it - this way his first tire change was in our driveway, not on the highway.

My daughter called, "Mom - are you coming to get me?"

I explained and reminded her that this was one of the reasons that I want her to carry her phone. Always. Someday, it might be her lifeline.

I think that we treat God like that sometimes. He's nice to have around when we think we might need Him, but otherwise, He's like that lifeline.

The more we depend on Him (even when times are good), the more we'll lean on Him first when times are not so good.

•

I remember a time when my husband was sick that I referred to myself as "Mrs. Job". Life was just overwhelming.

My husband was sick, my son wasn't doing well in school, my father-in-law passed away, my mother-in-law passed away, my dad had heart surgery. Then, there was the "other" diagnosis my husband had. Primary sclerosing cholangitis. At one point, I had told a counselor I was seeing that maybe the hardest thing was knowing that he could live for 15 more years and never be any healthier than he was at that point. (2 weeks later we were told that 6 months would be a stretch - talk about feeling guilty)

Anyway - reading Job - these 18 months for me were really nothing like Job's life. And he didn't know why.

I was never told that all this was a result of my sin. Job was.

What I have learned is that there is always a purpose. It might not always be obvious - other times it's obvious but we might not like it. But there is always a purpose.

God has "pruned" me - but has never left me hanging.

Where I am in Job - he feels like he's been left hanging - but we know the rest of the story. Right now, we may feel like we've been left hanging - try to remember that God knows the rest of the story.