October snow

It's snowing... and I wish this wonderful stove belonged in my apartment. But I'm thankful I have blankets to snuggle up with, coffee to sip, good books to read, dear friends to talk to, Mannheim Steamroller to listen to, and yes, I'm thankful for a thesis to be writing.

Broken

Right now I'm watching Titanic (my first time EVER). The unsinkable boat sunk. Things and people break no matter how strong they are. Simple right? I just got in a car accident a couple nights ago. My car is ugly, crushed, and broken. Right now severe flooding threatens Bangkok. People's lives are wrecked, destroyed, and devastated.

John 16:33 says," These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world". Our story doesn't end in our tribulations. Because of God's grace, we have more than our brokeness. God has redeemed our ugly and devastated lives. His goodness transcends all circumstances. Looking at my distorted car reminds me of what I am. I am broken and unworthy. But my worth doesn't come from my outer appearance. My car still runs despite its seemingly worthless exterior and I find value in it. Because of God's grace, I have worth despite my failures and ugly sinfulness. But I only exist and breath because of Him. On my own, I can't make myself beautiful and worthy just as my car can't fix itself.

But there is beauty in acknowledging and embracing our brokeness. Not hiding it or attempting to cover it because we want to look perfect. When we see our utter unworthiness, only then, can we also be aware of our complete reliance on God's perfect grace to give us value and redemption. Exposing our imperfections brings God glory. It displays His grace in our complete inadequacy. Grace. You did nothing to earn it. Let's stop pretending to be perfect and mask our broken pieces because what that's really saying is, "I'm whole. I'm beautiful. I'm self-sufficient. I don't need God." When we show our broken pieces and how we are nothing, we are ugly, and we are absolutely dependent we are also showing the redemptive grace of an all mighty God. We should rejoice in our broken pieces rather than hiding them in shame, bringing God glory and not ourselves.

Isaiah 43:1-4 says,

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name; you are Mine!
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you."

The writer is speaking of God's relationship with Israel but we too, through Christ, can be adopted into God's family and be redeemed as Israel was. God doesn't offer a "good life" without hardships and heartaches but He does promise to be faithful, good, and merciful. God never fails no matter what our circumstances may be.

Learning to venture. Venturing to learn.

I recently read Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions?:Jesus, Revelation & Religious Traditions by Gerald R. McDermott for Apologetics. This book was written for the purpose of examining evangelical’s theology on truth and revelation. The author is not questioning our means of salvation or suggesting universalism but rather he is suggesting that truth about God and human nature can be found among various beliefs. God has revealed himself in many ways to all people and this manifestation of God can be found throughout world religions. The author defines what he means by revelation and then gives Biblical and theological reasons to support his beliefs. He then takes a closer look at a couple world religions and analyzes what we as evangelical believers can glean from them. He does not give an exhaustive description of what can be learned but rather gets the reader thinking with the hopes of the reader continuing his search for God’s truth woven in among the world’s religions.

“This book…argues that if Saint Augustine learned from Neo-Platonism to better understand the gospel, if Thomas Aquinas learned from Aristotle to better understand the Scriptures, and if John Calvin learned from Renaissance humanism, perhaps evangelicals may be able to learn from the Buddha--and other great religious thinkers and traditions--things that can help them more clearly understand God's revelation in Christ” (12). Has God revealed things to other religions that are not contained in Christianity? Does this mean there is another provisional revelation outside of Christ? Is the redemptive work of Christ and the Scriptures not all there is? Are other world religions compatible with Christianity?

These have been some of the questions that have risen in my mind throughout reading this book. However, McDermott does not challenge the fact that salvation comes through Christ alone. He merely entertains the idea that perhaps God has enabled all humans with the knowledge of Him, which is then expressed different ways through different religions. He is not insinuating that there are multiple paths to heaven but rather is saying that insight can be gained from them. Religions are, after all, human creations to interpret the world and our existence. Because God has created each human with innate knowledge of a greater being and the unquenchable desire for Him, how then would truths of God not be found within these man made constructs? Yes, they are flawed and do not bring reconciliation to God but these humans attempts to strive for meaning and redemption have truths within that cannot be man made.

What can we learn from Buddhists? “…their experience of the distance between ordinary perception and reality can help check our natural presumption when talking about God… they also confirm the Bible’s picture of this cosmos and ourselves as radically dependent on God” (136, 141). What can we learn from Daoism? “…they can …help us understand the biblical paradox that God produces strength through human weakness” (165). What can we learn through Confucius? “We need to return [to Christ rather thanli] because we typically ignore the call of conscience to act with consideration of duty to others” (179). What can we through the teachings of Muhammad and the religion of Islam? Submission to God, creation as a theater of God’s glory, regular and theocentric prayer, charity to the poor, and making our faith public, just to name a few (194-202).

These truths are certainly not invented or producible by humans but are reproducible because they invariably come from God. As Western Christians, we have a tendency to live like we have all the answers and have nothing to gain from other religions. I firmly believe that I have received both general and specificrevelation and have been redeemed by Christ who is the only One who can reconcile me to God. I also agree with McDermott and believe I have much to learn about God and myself through other religions’ incomplete attempts to reach Him.

Elpis [HOPE]

Sometimes you don't expect things to stick with you. These things become (in education lingo), enduring understands. Sometimes these are things your teachers intend for you to learn and remember but often, for me at least, they are things that somehow connect between my head and my heart when I least expect. One of these moments was during my Romans class with Tom Allen last semester. We were studying the meaning of elpis, greek for hope. In our culture, we define "hope" as wishful thinking. Wikipedia (not a reliable educational resource but certainly a reliable source for understanding how our society defines terms) says hope is "the emotional state which promotes the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life". However, the greek word elpis involves confident expectation for the future. The Biblical definition of "hope" is waiting confidently for future glorification with perseverance. No where does this definition leave room for half hearted wishful anticipations. We need to be actively displaying persistent discipline in the face of adversity.

Romans 5:3-5

"We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint."