All posts tagged God’s love

Lesson 17: The Last Days

by Scott Noon on October 29, 2011 in Doctrine with No comments

Let’s change plans. Juan’s questions, Bob’s observation, and e-mailers’ inquiries reveal people have questions about “The Last Days” Let me make a few short observations in hopes you will respond with your ideas.

Juan asks how we discern the “prophetic” aspect in Revelation and the rest of the Bible. I obviously reject the methods of those who treat the issue as an intellectual puzzle solved by pulling together verses, reading their opinions into them, and coming up with “predictions” which profit them in some way. It is far more honest to do what the Bible tells us to do.

For instance, the first 3 verses of Revelation tell us John is speaking about what is going to happen “very soon”. He says we can discern what that is by reading his auditory “prophecy” out loud in a group and letting it bless us. His title, “Apocalypse” reveals this will remove the veil covering reality, so we can know what is really going on.

If we follow his directions with a little help from studying what the words meant to his first century listeners, we come up with this story. When the veil is removed, we find Satan is behind the Roman Empire. That mighty power can not fulfill its promises to make eternal peace, because it says evil is good and good is evil. Its vast navy brings the earth’s resources to Rome, making her rich and all other nations poor. We then hear Rome will be destroyed very soon by her own lies and greed as the rest of the nations turn on her. However, the church need not despair, because when the veil is lifted, you also see God, not Rome rules the universe. He shall care for his people, giving them a new life without suffering and tears.

It seems to me Revelation’s “prophecy” is not so much specific “predictions” about particular events but rather general “promises” that give continual hope. It is like Jeremiah promising God would bring his people home to Jerusalem in 70 years. God did it, but in 50 years. Jeremiah’s “prediction” was wrong but his “promise” was fulfilled. So, too, John’s promise was fulfilled as Rome collapsed, and the Church remains to this day.

I think Juan is right that Revelation’s “prophecy” still speaks to our situation. We, too, discern its message by following John’s instructions. We should read it out loud in a group, listening as if God is speaking directly to us. Then we should share our responses.

That is not to say everyone will hear this “prophecy” in the same way. I have found young people just about always respond, “That’s us. That’s a picture of the Empire the United States has built.” Adults have seldom heard this. They hear a more general promise that evil will bring its own demise while good will triumph, because God brings justice when Christ rules. Well, to be honest, sometimes adults hear the “prophecy” demonizing our enemies and endorsing our own government. I find that twists scripture to rationalize our own sins in the manner of Dick Cheney’s Christmas card few years back which read “If a sparrow can not fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”

Pure intellect might respond to “prophecy” in fear. Faith responds in a hope that continues loving in spite of the situation around us. Does this make sense?

Lesson 8: Sin in Paul

by Scott Noon on October 29, 2011 in Doctrine with No comments

Not everyone agrees, but I think a terribly significant change takes place with Paul. He transforms the common story when he moves from a Hebraic to a universal vision. Previously it was the Exodus which remembered the Jews were slaves whom God rescued. Now it became the Cross when we all were helpless, sinners, and even enemies whom God in Christ saved (Romans 5: 6-11). He also altered the response from actions which care for those who are presently in need to faith active in love for all people, including our enemies. And, of course, in doing all this he changed the way we look at sin.
He not only captures the spirit of the entire history of salvation which proclaims God’s love rescues us from the suffering caused by humanity’s sin; he also paints a response which enables our faith to address situations millennia later. He describes it as being so caught up in Christ’s Spirit that we can not help ourselves. It is like falling in love. God so overwhelms us that we who were once slaves to sin are now slaves to righteousness (Romans 6: 20-23). Just as God’s Word gave life in creation, so the words of the Gospel make us new people. We are freed, nothing is unclean, all is lawful, although not everything is beneficial (I Corinthians 10: 23-30).

Paul calls the Spirit love. He writes, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given us” (Romans 5:5). Love is to imitate Christ, always returning good for evil. In the Christian community this means working for the common good by sharing the gifts God has granted and not always insisting on our own ways (Philippians 2: 1-15, I Corinthians 13). Paul believes this means constantly compensating for weaker members (Romans 14: 13-15:1).

Sin then is refusing God’s love for ourselves or placing stumbling blocks in the way of others receiving it (Romans 14: 13). It is also failure to love other people. Paul emphasizes this aspect by changing the Great Commandment. In the Old Testament it was to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Jesus added “and love your neighbor as yourself”. Now Paul reduces it to simply “love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5: 13,14, Romans 13: 8-10).

Christ’s life has become the standard for judging ones life. Because all fall short of his glory (Romans 3: 23), Christian individuals experience internal conflict that culminates in a confession acknowledging they do not do the good they want, but the evil they do not want (Romans 7: 14-24).
Paul’s fundamental message is helpful in defining modern sin. However, I find it disingenuous, if not dishonest, to pretend his definitions of particular 1st century sins can be totally applied to our 21st situation. That is to ignore the historical development which the Bible continually reports. It refuses to follow the Spirit into new understandings of love. You can appreciate the problem when modern science turns Paul’s argument against homosexuality against itself by showing it can involve a genetic condition. If that is so, neither Paul nor we can claim it is obviously against nature. (Romans 1: 18- 32).

Here are the questions Paul leaves me: 1) Is sin simply our confession that we have not done enough in Christianity’s continuing revolution against oppression? Does that become especially evident when we remember Christ Jesus’ life? 2) How far can we go in claiming “everything is lawful”? Does Paul really mean the old law is useless except for convicting us of sin?

← Older Entries