The Constantinian Shift

The “Constantinian Shift” is a term used by some groups to describe the changes in the theology of the Christian church in the 4^th century. It is generally agreed that the dramatic changes in Roman political stances towards Christianity were the primary catalyst for this period of self-redefinition.

In short, it appears to have happened something like this: Over 200 years of marginalization and persecution by the Roman Empire were easy to explain. Jesus told them this would happen. The Apostles echoed it. Both Jesus and the Apostles explained that these things would precede His return, the establishment of the Kingdom of God, and the resurrection of the dead. The threat of death by the Empire had an answer – resurrection and eternal life!

In the early 4^th century, Constantine I not only ended a long period of Roman persecution of Christians but made Christianity the official cult of Rome. The change in status and privilege in the Empire was a confusing time for Christians. No longer could they easily locate themselves in these familiar exhortations to endure persecution and marginalization. Soon, the Blessed Hope taught by the Apostles lost the centrality it once held in the life of the early church. The return of Jesus and the resurrection from the dead became practically irrelevant and were soon the focus only of a few religious creeds.

Lastly, the church became concerned (if not obsessed) with retaining and fortifying its privileged status within the Empire. The Blessed Hope gave way to the present hope of ensuring safety and influence for Christians. “It is for the good of the world that the Church prospers”, they said. This sentiment solidified the shift and would create a centuries-long rift between much of the church and the lives and teachings its first Apostles.

This shift in theology and its effects are still felt strongly in our modern Western context. May God grant us the “Maranatha!” cry again.

Richard Hays’ 7 Reasons Why the Church Needs Eschatology

I have been silent on the interwebs lately. I have been doing lots of prep for an upcoming course. I recently found this and wanted to share it. It is a summary of an article that I read recently. The summary is from a post by Michael F. Bird. The original article is by Richard B. Hays, the former dean of Duke Divinity School.

This portion of the article argues that the loss of apocalyptic preaching has damaged the church in many areas. I agree with Hays on this point and found the article to be very edifying. I pray this is a blessing to you all as well.

1. The church needs apocalyptic eschatology to carry Israel’s story forward. Without a future oriented hope one cannot affirm God’s faithfulness to Israel and God’s covenantal promises become unintelligible. Or even worse, a faithless God means we have fickle deity whom we cannot be sure about. God intends to vindicate his people (Deut 32:36) at the appointed time when the Redeemer comes to Zion (Isa 59:20). These promises find their proleptic fulfillment in Jesus Christ in the church as a prefiguration of the eschatological people of God, which is a sign in itself of the full divine embracing (proslēmpsis) of eschatological Israel.
2. The church needs apocalyptic eschatology for interpreting the cross as a saving event for the world. If we are to grasp the centrality of the cross, then we must see it as more than a propitiatory sacrifice for the forgiveness of the sins of individuals. The cross should be interpreted as an atoning even within a larger apocalyptic narrative where God destroys the powers of the old order and inaugurates the new creation (Gal 6:14-16).
3. The church needs apocalyptic eschatology for the gospel’s political critique of pagan culture. The biting edge to Christian eschatology is that Jesus is the Lord to whom every leader and government will one day bow (Phil 2:9-11). Christian apocalypticism reminds us that Caesar’s power (in whatever form it takes) might claim to be totalitarian, but in fact it is transient. Christian loyalty to the Lord means resistance to the power, politics, and pleasures of the world around us. If we train our eyes on the ultimate reversal of fortunes then we will never become accommodated or complacent with the status quo in an unjust world.
4. The church needs apocalyptic eschatology to resist ecclesial complacency and triumphalism. The looming reality of a final judgment – a judgment that begins with the church – strikes a chord because it prevents the church from having grandiose concepts of its own importance (see 2 Cor 5:11–6:2). The church is a provisional servant of God, a life boat between shipwreck and salvage, and so must avoid becoming fat, sleepy, or abusive.
5. The church needs apocalyptic eschatology in order to affirm the body. Apocalyptic eschatology is in one sense dualistic between certain temporal and spatial entities (e.g., heaven vs. earth, future vs. present, etc.). However, that dualism is never annunciated as a radical rejection of the material world in toto. For apocalyptic eschatology looks forward the the Creator’s redemption and renewal of the created order and his refusal to abandon it to decay. God redeems what he creates. That is why Christians look forward to the resurrection of the flesh and not to the immortality of the soul (1 Cor 15:35-58).
6. The church needs apocalyptic eschatology to ground its mission. The resurrection and ascension of Jesus was a sign that Israel’s restoration was indeed at hand (Acts 1:11). Yet it was also a call to engage in witness to the expanding kingdom. That witnessing inevitably brings the witnesses into conflict with a world hostile to the message of the lordship of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit empowers the church and forms the community as a missional organism that works out God’s purposes for redemption and judgment. Without this endtime perspective the content and urgency of the Christian mission is greatly retarded.
7. The church needs apocalyptic eschatology to speak with integrity about suffering and death. Those armed with an apocalyptic eschatology need not live in denial of the sufferings of this age and the groaning that accompany it. Cynicism nor despair takes over Christians because they know that their telos is the resurrection of their body assured by the resurrection of Jesus’ body. Christians therefore know how to grieve with hope in the face of the horror of death knowing that every tear will one day be wiped away their eyes in the new creation.

Expert from Michael Bird’s post on article by Richard Hays. His post can be found here: http://euangelizomai.blogspot.com/2011/03/richard-hays-on-why-we-need-eschatology.html

Original article: Richard B. Hays, “‘Why Do You Stand Looking Up Toward Heaven?’ New Testament Eschatology at the Turn of the Millennium,” inTheology at the Turn of the Millennium, eds. L.G. Jones and J.J. Buckley (Oxford: Blackwell, 2001), 113-33.

The Kingdom Question – Enjoy, Enforce, or Endure?

For a good portion of the past 2,000 years, one’s belief regarding the millennium determined much of the way they interpreted the Scriptures.[1] However, the past 50 years have seen a substantial change in the way the reign of Christ is generally perceived. Following a long period of dialog within Christian academic circles which explored Jesus as a historical person within an actual historical setting, a ‘middle ground’ reading of Jesus’ view of the Kingdom of God developed.

In the true spirit of academia this ‘sensible middle ground’ was to reject both a consistent eschatology[2], which viewed Jesus’ teachings as consistent with the apocalyptic prophets of Israel, as well as the realized eschatology[3] which held that Jesus’ teachings affirmed a realizing (spiritualization) of all of the things spoken by the Jewish prophets. Rather, they[4] concluded that the things that the prophets have said are both consistent (maintaining their same sense, and thus future) and realized (they have ‘in some sense’ been spiritualized, and are thus past/present) – thus, the familiar term ‘already, but not yet’. This differs from the sole discussion of Revelation 20 in that it encompasses the entire body of oracles given to Israel in the Old Testament more directly. What of the last things promised to Israel?

Obviously, this consensus has come to define the way that the Bible is read. From the academic’s scrutiny down to grandma’s daily Bible devotional, the ‘already, but not yet’ kingdom has become the subconscious decoder ring (picture Ralphie in front of the radio about to discover Little Orphan Annie’s secret message) for the Bible. It has become pre-supposed when we approach the Bible that the mystery of the NT was inaugurated (started, but not yet consummated) eschatology.

Perhaps the both/and kingdom’s popularity is due partly to its versatility in overcoming objections to the Johnny-come lately teachings that have come to define popular Western Christian movements. An inaugurated eschatology, after all, is not explicitly defined in the Scripture – and so it is likewise free from constraints. Many criticize the so-called ‘Manifest Sons of God’ doctrines which have made inroads into most of the larger Charismatic movements in the West. But on some level we must ask, ‘Why not?’ ‘Who says?’ After all, Jewish apocalyptic expectation is filled with descriptors of the glory which will rest on the saints in the age to come. If their eschatological hope has been inaugurated ‘in some way’, then who is to say that it has not been inaugurated ‘in this way’? I think we rely much more upon the sensibleness of Christian teachers than the authors of the Bible. ‘Its true there are not clearly defined parameters, but please don’t trespass them.’

This framework is largely responsible for the obsolete use of the millennium as a hermeneutical anchor. The inaugurate framework affords Amillennialism the ability to generally affirm the hope of the prophets while somehow realizing/spiritualizing them all now with the exception of the resurrection of the body (and sometimes a new earth).[5] Likewise, Historical Pre-millennialism[6] (Ladd’s framework for inaugurated eschatology) views the Kingdom of God as preceded by the second coming of Jesus…except when it isn’t, because sometimes it is just such a bother! See for example how effortlessly George Ladd, the godfather of inaugurated eschatology and the Historical Premillennial framework, explains away some of the constraints of an actual Premillennialism.

“The Old Testament must be interpreted by the New Testament. In principle it is quite possible that the prophecies addressed originally to literal Israel describing physical blessings have their fulfillment exclusively in the spiritual blessings enjoyed by the church. It is also possible that the Old Testament expectation of a kingdom on earth could be reinterpreted by the New Testament altogether of blessings in the spiritual realm..” [7]

You see what he did there? This is Ladd’s PRE-millennialism. Scholarship at its finest…

What then does this actually boil down to? If it isn’t a millennium issue, what is the pertinent issue now? I suggest that it is the same issue that it has always been – enduring faith. After removing the fog of millennial allegiance what distinctions actually separate one reading of the Scriptures from another? The way I see it, there are only three options for the way that we can relate to the promises made by God. When considering the promises made by God to the Patriarchs and through the prophets either we will enjoy, enforce, or endure.

If they have already been spiritually realized, then we should enjoy this present age to the fullest. After all, if all that actually awaits us in the future is heaven – which was never spoken of by the prophets of Israel – then we should anticipate our best life now and our best life then. This is typified now in the Preterist/partial Preterist view. The only task at hand for the Christian is the task of realizing what has already happened, and reality the way it truly is. (Hello Gnosticism!)

If, on the other hand, they have only been partially realized – and even more, their realization relies upon human effort – then we must live to enforce those things spoken by the prophets. This always ends up being the end game for the inaugurated eschatology group. Some reject the aggressive language of ‘dominion’ and ‘takeover’ while some openly acknowledge dominion and enforcing the divine promises as their ministry agenda.[8] However, the language – as we have seen – matters little when it comes to how we interact with the promises of God these days. This view typically drives most of the larger Kingdom Now movements.

The final option can be seen, in my opinion, in the most straightforward reading of the Apostolic writings. The present age and the age to come were both logically and experientially distinct. The framework of ‘this (present) age’ vs. ‘the age to come’ is carried over from the OT to the NT (cf. Mt. 12.32-36, Lk. 14:14-15, Lk. 20:34-36, Tt. 2:11-13). Thus, the present age can be defined by enduring/waiting until the eschatological/apocalyptic arrival of all the prophets have spoken of. This seems it is the only possible explanation of Peter’s exhortation to ‘fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ’ (I Pet. 1:13).

The present age has its ups and downs, to be sure. However, to interpret these as the coming and going of the promises from the OT undermines a straightforward reading of the all of the Scriptures from where I sit. The very things (no redefined terms here) hoped for by the Pharisees were also the substance of Paul’s hope. (cf. Acts 24:14f) As a result, Paul takes for granted that his ‘present sufferings’ (Rom. 8:18) are not worth comparing to the glory that ‘will be revealed’ in him. Lest we think he awaits an inaugurated ‘glory’ in the present age, the deliverance for which he ‘waits eagerly’ (Rom. 8:23) is the ‘redemption of his body’ in the resurrection. Likewise, the ‘momentary, light afflictions’ which he and the Apostles were experiencing in the present age were contrasted with the ‘eternal weight of glory’. (2 Cor. 4:16f)

The Apostles also seemed to view the lives of the OT saints as exemplary since they ‘gained approval for their faith’ while not receiving ‘what was promised.’ (Heb. 11:39) This assumes a waiting/enduring relationship with what was promised. These, then became a ‘cloud’ (or a throng/crowd) bearing witness to us. (Heb. 12:1) This framework would also assume that they believed that things promised were guaranteed eschatologically to those who ‘endured until the end‘ (cf. Mt. 10:22; Mt. 24:13; Jm. 1:12; Re. 2:7, 10, 17, 26) in their faith.

The life of Jesus was also commonly communicated along prototypical terms, but never aimlessly. Rather His example is always communicated in terms of the way that he endured pain, suffering, and mistreatment while he entrusted His life to God, assured that He would do what He had promised. (cf. I Pe. 2:21ff, 4:1ff, 4:12ff)

So, when faced with the more pressing question regarding the Jewish apocalyptic hope, it seems that both the enjoyment view and the enforcing view lack support. Furthermore, all of the explicit language of the NT maintains the view of the OT that God’s Arm alone will bring redemption. Human effort to bring about the promises of God is condemned repeatedly both by Jesus (cf. Lk. 17:22-24) and by Paul (cf. Rom. 4:20-22). The work of bringing the Kingdom is exclusively God’s. No effort, whether apart from God nor in synergy with God, is able to bring about what God has foretold (Is. 63:5). While it is clear that a significant portion of redemption was the ‘dealing with sin’ by means of a divine atonement (Heb. 9:28), it is equally clear that the things for which the forgiveness of sin qualifies us were viewed as future by NT authors. In my view, this especially disqualifies the enforcing view of the Kingdom of God.

In conclusion, in dealing with the body of Jewish oracles following the death and resurrection of the Messiah three views have emerged in the last century. Either those oracles have been realized/spiritualized and we are now enjoying them, they have been inaugurated and should then be enforced to bring them about more fully, or they maintain their consistent meaning and we should endure until their guaranteed arrival at the return of Jesus. In my reading of the NT, its authors seem to unanimously confirm the latter.

[1] Although the terms associated with millennial belief (i.e. ‘amillennial’, ‘premillennial’, etc…) are relatively new, as early as the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries teachers used disbelief in an earthy, spatial Kingdom in order to introduce new frameworks for understanding the Scriptures as a whole. See Clement of Alexandria, Origen.

[2] See Albert Schweitzer, Quest of the Historical Jesus; Johannes Weiss, Jesus’ Proclamation of the Kingdom of God.

[3] See C.H. Dodd, Parables of the Kingdom

[4] Oscar Cullman is usually credited with first laying out this framework, but George Ladd is best known for popularizing it.

[5] See N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope

[6] See G.E. Ladd, The Presence of the Future

[7] G.E. Ladd, “Revelation 20 and the Millennium,” Review and Expositor 57, 1960

[8] See Peter Wagner, Dominion!

Paris, Islam, and the Threat of Things to Come

This is a rare post on a hot topic. My heart is heavy with much of the world as I read about the events in France and Beirut. I think that we all intuit that, while the death toll is horrific, it signifies something even more ominous for the rest of the world – certainly for the Middle East and the Western world. Many defenders of Islam will most certainly be confronted with the obvious question once again – is this a valid expression of the doctrines of Islam or a radicalized form of an otherwise peaceful philosophy? At the same time, many followers of Jesus will have their own questions to wrestle through. I hope to shed some light on these questions.

In the early part of the 7^th century a young man, born and raised in a city known as a regional center of idol worship, was alone in a cave on the Arabian Peninsula when he began to receive ‘revelations’ from a voice – the voice of a demon. This young man was, of course, Mohammed – the prophet of Islam. The influence of this man or of these revelations on the earth since then is difficult to measure since the bloodstained inauguration of his new religion.

For the better part of the past 1,400 years nearly every man, woman, and child in the Middle Eastern region have been born and raised into this way of life and philosophy with little or no other options to consider. In the ancient world no one paused during their upbringing or formative years to consider what they would do with their lives. They would do what their fathers did. If their father was a farmer, then they would be farmers; if a slave, then they would be slaves; if a trader, then they would be traders. Likewise, young people don’t wake up in the Middle East to consider what religious system they will follow – even within the various streams of Islam – they will do what their fathers do.

While idolatry in all of its forms bears the same guilt and ultimately the same punishment before God, this unique collection of demonic doctrines have systematically shielded nearly a quarter of the population of the earth with the threat of suffering and death from virtually any witness of the Gospel. I think that this is what we all feel – the doctrines of violence, Jihad, invasion, subjugation, and terror. They feel closer now. We feel even more vulnerable now. And rightfully so – we are more vulnerable.

The reason for my blog is that the two differing views I have heard voiced by fellow believers on the internet (although my contact with social forums is very limited) are both short-sighted in my opinion. On the one hand, Christian non-violence is a foolish doctrine which attempts to apply the teachings of Jesus to politics by universalizing and Spiritualizing the Biblical teachings of the Kingdom of God. An example of this would be the attempted application of the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount (spoken to individuals on how they use their money, time, mistreatment, etc…) to the economic and foreign policies of your particular nation. (The foolishness of these ideas perhaps merits another blog, but for now it doesn’t serve my purpose to speak in detail about it.)

I think that this view sounds appealing to some because of the hateful stench of the contrary view. This second view primarily uses logic to nulify the misapplied passages of Scripture, and in the name of pragmatism and reason misapplies other passages (if they are quoted at all) to justify the great common goal which unites the atheist and the evangelical alike – preserving our own blood from being shed at all cost. I am not commenting on the wisdom or necessity of America or France to respond militarily to ISIS. I am questioning, what do the followers of Jesus of Nazareth have to do with the choices of these men or their consequences? We are destined to live forever in the glory of our Father.

What then of the Arab man or woman who was born without options? Has God made a way for this seemingly impenetrable barrier around Islam to be breached with the hope of eternal life? He has, but it is costly.

My accountability before God to follow Jesus has nothing to do with the political stances of the nation within which I live. It does, however, have everything to do with what I do when faced with the threat of my blood (or the blood of my family) being shed by evil men.

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (Jn 12:23–26 NIV)

The Son of Man had an hour that was approaching – the hour to be glorified. His glorification will produce many seeds after His own kind. Assuming his disciples would be among these, he instructs that if they choose to love their own lives when their hour would come then they would lose them. If they hated their life in this world/age, however, they would keep it for eternal life. If anyone wants to serve Jesus they must follow Him. Where he is (context indicates the cross), his servant will be there too – suffering for the sake of wicked and violent men inheriting everlasting life.

Brothers, the world knows nothing of this. Just like the young Arab, we are all born into a system which assumes the goal of life is to have your best life now. The Bible is a large book with many words. You can find any manner of word combinations in its text which appear to justify our sacred human right of self-love and self-preservation. However, you won’t find a crucified Messiah justifying anyone who lived with this aim on the Last Day.

When the threat of these violent men comes to our doorstep (and don’t think that God will save us from it because of the greatness or virtue of America) will this commitment to ourselves lead us to be ‘ashamed of Him’ (His conduct when confronted with the violent and unjust threat to His own life) and ‘His words’ (the proclamation of the Gospel to evil and violent men)? He will be ashamed of such men before His Father. (Lk. 9:26)

Or do we imagine that we will fight off the threat of violence and persecutions until one day, perchance, a random threat slips through the government’s watchful eye and we must take the bullet to the head while affirming belief in Jesus? Jesus’ response:

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. (Jn 12:27 NIV)

What will we say when our hour comes? The answer is this – what do we do now when the threat of our hour looms? What do we do as we are faced once again with the fact that believers in other parts of the world actually have to follow Jesus, His words, and His example, while for us it is optional – an option that we seldom choose. Even more, if you want the admiration of your peers and Twitter followers, some special insight which excuses our refusal to follow Jesus to the cross will most certainly do the trick. Do we pity the pastor in Iraq or do we covet his place? Who is to be pitied here? My words are sharp, because once again the American church is confronted with the great and ultimate question – Is following Jesus the first choice, or is it the last resort?

I fear that we all know the answer to this question. Oh, that God would grant us to have no more options. I pray that being joined to Jesus in His suffering wouldn’t be viewed as a dreaded punishment, but the gracious gift given by God that we might share in the glory of His resurrection. (Phil. 3:10-11) That it would be granted to us ‘not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,’ (Php 1:29), and that we would be willing take up our own place in ‘filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions’ (Col. 1:24)…all for sake of Jesus’ name being proclaimed to wicked and violent men.

The threat of radical Islam is real. The risk of American blood being shed on American soil in your lifetime is legitimate. Choose wisely how you set the aim of your heart in light of the far off danger – it is how you will respond when the hour comes. Will you say, ‘Father, save us from this hour?’ Or do you believe, like the Lord Jesus did that, ‘for this very purpose you have come to this hour’. And so pray, ‘Father! Glorify your name’ (Jn. 12:27-28) in the American church!

The Prophetic Tradition and the Giving of the Spirit

The Spirit and the Prophets

Within early Jewish tradition the Holy Spirit had an unambiguous role. The Holy Spirit was the agent given by God by which He would direct the assembly. The Spirit rested upon Moses (Num. 11:17), upon the judges of Israel (Jdg. 3:10), and later upon David (Ps. 51:11). It could also be said that the Spirit was given to the prophets to do the work of a prophet. The link between the Holy Spirit and the prophet was so concrete in the Jewish mind that early Jewish literature uses ‘Holy Spirit’ and ‘Spirit of prophecy’ synonymously.

The Spirit was given both to instruct the prophets and to strengthen them to proclaim the message from God. Strength from God was vital to the prophetic calling since the message of the prophets was not only contrary to that of the more popular counselors and false prophets, but because the message also highlighted the guilt of the nation before God and called them to repentance.

Moreover, there is no other setting in which the stories of the prophets are communicated to us. The prophets appear exclusively amidst the backdrop of rampant idolatry and injustice with each scene concluding in a similar manner – the marginalization, persecution, and often martyrdom of the prophet. That such a response was anticipated is evident by the reluctance of the prophets when commissioned by God to deliver His message.

Jesus and the Prophetic Tradition

The life of Jesus is presented within the same tradition and is communicated along these same lines. His ministry began with a public receiving of the Holy Spirit, which would have been understood in no uncertain terms by those in attendance at his baptism – he was a prophet from God. He appears in the same setting as the prophets before him, has a message of cultural confrontation, calls the nation back to God, is rejected, and ultimately killed.

Jesus also encouraged his disciples to view themselves within this same prophetic tradition. A life of difficulty and rejection awaited them, just as it had the prophets before them.

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Mt 5:10–12 NIV)

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.’ (Jn 15:18–20 NIV)

Also drawing from the prophetic traditions of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, they were to understand that there would be false prophets (Matt. 24:10f). False prophets appeared as sheep, but were inwardly ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15). This was the implicit setting for their own calling. They were sent as sheep – like the prophets before them – amidst a culture of wolves – the false prophets. (Matt. 10:15)

Yet, their role as true messengers from God did not rely merely upon their association with him. They too, after being sent as apostles (Luke 6:12) were warned by him (Luke 6:20 ‘And turning his gaze towards his disciples , He began to say…’) to purge their own witness of those outward signs which were the distinguishing mark of the false prophets.

²⁶ Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. (Lk 6:26 NIV)

Their own calling, like the prophets before them, would assume rejection and suffering.

²² Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. ²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. (Lk 6:22–23 NIV)

Thus, this pattern of life, marked by disagreement, marginalization, persecution, and martyrdom came to define the lives of John the Baptist, Jesus, Stephen, Paul, and the other Apostles. It was the apostolic ‘way of life’ (I Cor. 4:17) – not merely because it was the way in which the apostles lived, but because it was the way of life taught by the apostles.

Paul urges and warns the Corinthians against a foreign pattern of life. The things which marked Paul as a prophet/apostle sent by God were not merely marks of apostleship, but rather a way of life to be imitated.

⁹ For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ… We are weak… we are dishonored! ¹¹ To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. ¹² We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³ when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment. ¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. ¹⁵ Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. ¹⁶ Therefore I urge you to imitate me. (1 Co 4:9–16 NIV)

Paul, likewise, reassured the suffering assembly in Thessalonica that they were ‘destined for those things’ (I Thes. 3:3f) as faithful stewards of the testimony of God (I Thes. 1:8f). Peter also assured the assembly of the diaspora that they should not view suffering and trials as a strange thing (I Pet. 4:12).

The author of Hebrews highlights the same pattern of life which defined the lives of the prophets and patriarchs as a ‘cloud of witnesses’. (Note that a Biblical ‘witness’ is not one who observes, but one who testifies about something – namely the Gospel. Thus, they are bearing witness to us, not observing us.) The lives of the men who were ‘stoned’, ‘sawn in two’, ‘put to death’, etc… have become to us a cloud or assembly of witnesses to the path of eternal life.

Suffering Before Glory

No one endures such things because of their inherent virtue, but because they have a hope in God that is proven unshakable through many trials. Such is the path of all of the prophets, and of all who will inherit eternal life – suffering before glory. The sufferings of the present age are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed (Rom 8:18) in us at the resurrection from the dead (Rom. 8:23). The assurance that eternal life awaits those who are conformed to Christ in his death (Phil. 3:10f) is the work that the Spirit works in us.

Like the prophets before us, bearing witness to the truth establishes us in a pattern of life that proves and tests our hope in God. To shrink back from the testimony of God is to follow in the tradition of the false prophets – loving this present age, pursuing a life of comfort, surrounded by the admiration of men. Let us press on to better things. A very good friend has reminded,

‘”You only live once”, they say. They are dead wrong. We will live again.’

 

Notes and Audio for the Gospel Foundations Course

Here are the notes and audio for a short course I taught this past Fall. As alway, feel free to write with any questions or comments. I pray this is a blessing to you.

1. Biblical Worldview – Notes

Session 1A: MP3     Session 1B: MP3

2. The Hope of the Gospel – Notes

Session 2A: MP3     Session 2B: MP3

3. Covenantal Framework of the Scriptures – Notes

Session 3A: MP3     Session 3B: MP3

4. Repentance and Faith – Notes

Session 4A: MP3     Session 4B: MP3

5. The Witness of the Gospel – Notes

Session 5A: MP3     Session 5B: MP3

Hope the course is a blessing. Let me know if you have any questions.

The Witness and the Spirit

This January I am going to be teaching a short course called the Gospel Foundations Course. In prepping for the class these last couple of months, a couple things kept standing out to me as I read through the NT.

1. Bearing witness to the Gospel is NOT OPTIONAL if we are to continue in the faith.
2. Being filled with the power of the Spirit is NOT OPTIONAL if we are to bear witness to the Gospel.

Thus, being filled with the Spirit and with power is NOT OPTIONAL for the believer since it is assumed that the believer has accepted the call to be a witness of the Gospel.

8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Act 1:8 NASB)

It is interesting to note that the disciples had already healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, etc… (cf. Mt. 10:8, Lk. 10:17, Mk. 16:18) at this point in the story. What did the disciples think that they needed the Spirit for?

Immediately, those who heard Jesus command to tarry for the outpouring of the Spirit gave themselves to prayer (cf. Acts 1:14) as the means of waiting for the power of the Spirit. Following Peter and John’s arrest (Acts 3) they again pray to God for the Spirit’s power. This time it seems more clear what they viewed as the primary reason why the Spirit’s power was NOT OPTIONAL.

29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (Act 4:29-31 NASB)

It takes the Spirit’s power to be a witness according to the example that we have in ‘Jesus Christ, the faithful witness’ (Rev 1:5). Also, ‘Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city’ (Rev 2:13)

The Spirit’s power is NOT OPTIONAL because it takes the power of God to faithfully proclaim the Gospel in the face of opposition. It is absolutely intentional that the message of Christ crucified is ‘a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles’ (I Cr. 1:23) The offense of the cross produces the only environment for a true witness of the cross. Jesus could not be a faithful witness without a cross, neither could Antipas, neither can we.

We all feel the pain of reading these words. However, if we don’t look at them long and hard then we won’t be convinced of our desperate need for the Spirit’s power like these men were.

An early elder in the church in Jerusalem was ‘Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 6:5). When confronted with the threat of death he did not shrink back, but gave the faithful witness while being stoned. He cried, ‘Father, do not hold this sin against them.’ This is the only faithful witness of the mercy and patience of God, and it requires the power of the Spirit.

Biblical Worldview Class

This is a class that I taught in early 2012. I am presently reworking it to be a bit more comprehensive. However, several people have asked about some material to help them work through some of the difficulties in keeping the same Gospel as the Apostles.

That said, I also know that going through this all on your own can be a challenge. I would be glad to connect with anyone (if you are male of course) who wants to go through the course on a regular or semi-regular basis to help disciple you through it. If you’d like to connect over the class or anything else, shoot me an email: billscofield@thewatchredding.org

 Class Audio and Notes:

* To save files to your hard drive, right click on the link and select ‘save link as’.

Notes:

• Session 1 – Course Introduction & Development of Western Worldview
• Session 2 – Introduction to Biblical Worldview
• Session 3 – A Theology of Restoration Vs Annihilation
• Session 4 – Continuance of Messianic Expectation
• Session 5 – Defining the Kingdom
• Session 6 – Defining the Gospel
• Session 7 – The Sojourning Identity of the Ekklesia
• Session 8 – The Sojourning Mission of the Ekklesia

Diagrams:

• SD – (S02) Biblical Cosmology Diagram
• SD – (S02) Eschatological Faithfulness Diagram
• SD – (S04) Messianic hope in the covenants
• SD – (S05) Hope Diagram – Already But Not Yet
• SD – (S05) Hope Diagram – Kingdom Now
• SD – (S05) Hope Diagram – Historic Premillennialism

Audio:

• Session 1a – Course Introduction.mp3
• Session 1b – Development of Western Worldview.mp3
• Session 2a – Introduction to Biblical Worldview Pt. 1.mp3
• Session 2b – Introduction to Biblical Worldview Pt. 2.mp3
• Session 3a – A Theology of Restoration Vs. Annihilation Pt. 1.mp3
• Session 3b – A Theology of Restoration Vs. Annihilation Pt. 2.mp3
• Session 4a – Continuance of Messianic Expectation Pt. 1.mp3
• Session 4b – Continuance of Messianic Expectation Pt. 2.mp3
• Session 5a – Defining the Kingdom Pt. 1.mp3
• Session 5b – Defining the Kingdom Pt. 2.mp3
• Session 6a – Defining the Gospel Pt. 1.mp3
• Session 6b – Defining the Gospel Pt. 2.mp3
• Session 7a – The Sojourning Identity of the Ekklesia Pt. 1.mp3
• Session 7b – The Sojourning Identity of the Ekklesia Pt. 2.mp3
• Session 8a – The Sojourning Mission of the Ekklesia Pt. 1.mp3
• Session 8b – The Sojourning Mission of the Ekklesia Pt. 2.mp3

The Book of Acts and Mission of God

Why is the book of Acts in the Bible? I think a simple answer to this question can help us in a number of ways. First, it will help us tremendously when reading the book of Acts and the rest of the Apostolic writings to understand them in the way that they were originally understood. Second, and more importantly, it helps give us clarity on the mission that was given to the first believers – and thus to US!

There are two mistaken views of the NT which are very common in our day. The first is the liberal agenda of higher criticism, which attempts to discredit it and it’s claims. The second, while conservative, is somewhat superstitious in regards to the NT. This second view sometimes presents the NT as special by minimizing the role of human experience in writing it. Almost like the commandments handed down to Moses, things like the book of Romans are sometimes viewed as if they were handed to Paul on stone tablets.

God’s inspiration of the Scripture can rightly be seen both in His influence on the writers, as well as His influence on those men who chose to collect certain writings into a NT cannon. So, this is how we understand why the books of the NT were placed together, and why the book of Acts was included in it.

The motivation to include the book of Acts in this group of writings that would make up the NT cannon was very simple. During the first coming of the Messiah He choose a small group of men, gave them understanding of the OT Scriptures (Luke 24:45), and then sent them out to proclaim the Gospel in light of His Sacrifice and promised return. After several generations of believers, much like a massive communal game of ‘telephone’, the message began to loose some of its clarity. The message of the Gospel and nature of the commission grew somewhat ambiguous, and were subject to various explanations.

So, God inspired an idea of putting a book written by Luke, one of Paul’s companions, in the group of documents. The book is basically the story of the men (mainly focused on Paul) who lived with Jesus before and after His resurrection, and who heard directly from the Master’s lips what the Gospel was. When the Messiah Himself decided to wait to ascend to the Father for 40 days so that He can explain the nature of the Gospel and the Kingdom in great detail to these men, I REALLY want to know what they heard!

This is why I find the book so valuable! We still have so many voices inside of the church claiming to have radically differing gospels and radically differing missions. When I hear them, my question is simple. Is the message and mission that they are preaching clearly found in the book of Acts? If so, listen, learn, and go! If not, I cannot take the message seriously. A different mission usually means a different message, and a different message doesn’t lead to life.

Parenting and Faith Pt. 2: Discipling Unto Faith

This is Part 2 of the Parenting and Faith series. Part 1 can be found here.

In the last part we addressed how absolutely essential it is to have a Biblical vision for your children. It is essential to Biblical parenting that we have a vision that is congruent with God’s plan and desired end for them. However, the very nature of discipleship and parenting assumes that we don’t just give information about the end, but we must impart understanding and wisdom about how to get there. What makes the Gospel “good news” is not only the fact of the coming Messianic Kingdom, but the fact that there is a way for us to be a part of it! The existence of the waterpark never made any of my children excited except they had hope that they might be able to go there someday.

Within the context of the Gospel the way to get there is faith. So, all of our parenting effort – while framed within the context of the age to come – must be directed to instruct them on how to have the kind of faith that leads to life. Biblical faith is going to be the subject matter this article, and I hope it will become the anchor strategy of your parenting from today onward.

Faith is a strange concept since it is so saturated with centuries of tradition, fighting, and conviction that have been handed down to us. What exactly is it that our children need in order to be counted righteous and worthy of the coming Kingdom? What is it that WE need?

What we mean by ‘faith’ is that gift from God (cf. Eph 2:8) to the heart of man by which we can be counted righteous before Him. This kind of faith was illustrated in Israel’s sacrificial system. Offerings were brought because of the sin and depravity (cf. Lev. 1-7) of the offerer, they confessed their sin upon the animal, and it was killed in their place. It was really straightforward and to the point. They were guilty before God (and thus completely disqualified from the promised Kingdom and resurrection), and were completely incapable of making up for their condition. Thus, a sacrifice was made on their behalf.

Here’s the kicker where I will loose most of you. The atonement only applied to cover their sin if they acknowledged their depravity (i.e. condition of being inclined to sin) and asked for mercy. This is the same exact condition for the new covenant, since the whole sacrificial system was a tutor to point them to the way faith in Christ (cf. Rom. 10:4) would work. The sacrifice has been made once and for all and no other sacrifice is needed , but our role of keeping faith in that sacrifice is a life-long venture.

22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation– 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Col 1:22-23 NIV)

This is hard enough to accept for an individual; accepting this about your child is another matter. Little Tommy will stand before Jesus one day, and be counted righteous ONLY because he acknowledged his depravity before God and put his trust in the atonement of Jesus AS A WAY OF LIFE. This, in my opinion, is the greatest challenge to Biblical parenting/discipleship in the West. Little Tommy will need to know how to deal with this deceitfully wicked heart (cf. Jer. 17:9), but that is not going to happen unless you (parents) first believe it is true.

I know, I know! I’ve lost most of you. This is probably one of the most offensive blogs you’ve ever read. I want to assure you though, it is only as offensive as the Gospel itself. Here are two great pitfalls when parenting a depraved (i.e. human) heart:

First, to disacknowledge it by telling them it is not true. This idea, although it is the most widely accepted, will keep a person in bondage their whole life. I cannot say this strongly enough. If you don’t believe that you are depraved, then every time your actions and attitudes reveal something disastrously different than those of Jesus you will dismiss them as being a fruit of your circumstances. For example, you only yelled at your children/wife/brother because you didn’t get enough sleep/food/attention. You won’t admit, like Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, that you only yelled because you have a spirit of murder in your heart and you need the mercy of God to forgive you for partnering with that spirit. This philosophy to life will keep our children – or any of us – in bondage to building ideal situations/relationships/possessions where the true condition of the heart may be more easily ignored.

Second, tell them that it is all in the past. Tell them that after they said the sinners prayer, they ceased to have a heart that craves to serve itself at the expense of others. Often, what is communicated in parenting this way is, “You are better than that!” “I can’t believe you would do something like this!” or the best one of all “I expected better from you!” While I place clear expectations on my children to walk in righteousness, it must be done in a way that prepares them to deal with their own hearts. This philosophy will almost always (except an intervention by the grace of God) produce children who are always striving to live up to other’s (and God’s!) expectations and unspoken standards.

Most Christian children that I know right now have absolutely no tools for dealing with their depravity. Simple correction is often perceived as either an enormous insult or a devastating accusation. Like it or not, they are just like us. They will either assume everyone else is great and has it together and that they are the lone broken ones, or they will live in denial of their condition.  The conclusions to which these point, if not addressed, are often crippling.

Giving your child tools to deal with their depravity is essential to them having a life which God will define as a life of faith. Personally, I have found one of the most effective tools is the simple one that God left to the children of Israel. The simplicity of the sacrificial system, the casting of sin upon the sacrifice while acknowledging that we sinned because – as Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount – we have a heart full of wickedness, has been very effective in helping my own children deal with this.

In my house, you get mercy when depravity is acknowledged. You receive no mercy when it is because ‘he hit me first’, ‘I’m having a rough  day’, or ‘the devil made me’. The simple acknowledging of ultimate guilt and the pleading for mercy on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus is the mechanism that leads to life. Of course, there is also a commitment required to forsake my alliance with wickedness and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. However, if you don’t get the first part right, then this part will be a fruitless pursuit of acceptance and approval based on my works.

My experience is that when I understand that God isn’t disappointed/shocked/surprised with me when I blow it, then I feel so encouraged to approach Him for mercy. If He loved me even though He knew this was true of me, then He is trustworthy. My children have proven this to be true. The steady acknowledgement of their depravity as the source for all of their failings, and the consistent mercy that is offered them when they acknowledge that they need it, have helped my older children mature tremendously both before the Lord and emotionally.

If you feel the Holy Spirit has been convicting you on this issue, then I know he has sufficient grace for you and your family. He alone is able to keep us from stumbling (cf. Jude 1:24). Father, I ask you to have mercy on all of these parents reading this article. We all need your grace, God. I ask you to give them clarity and wisdom in their parenting. We ask you to visit their children with the power of the Holy Spirit, and that from a young age they would cast their sin upon cross and find forgiveness and mercy. Thank you, Father. You are our only faithful example as parents, and we love You for it. You are a kind, kind Father. Amen!

Until next time, grace and peace to all of you broken but sincere parents…like me.