None of the Old Testament sacrifices actually take away what we would call sin--deliberate disobedience. Notice that the so-called sins are typically more ceremonial in nature, offenses of impurity or otherwise unintentional. You will not find a sacrifice listed for deliberate sins. This is easily observed by scanning Lev. 4:2, 13, 22, 27; 5:15, 18; Numbers 15:22-24, 27-31. These passages explain that it is for UNINTENTIONAL sins that sin offerings, guilt offerings, and burnt offerings are made. In fact, it emphasizes, if anything, that the deliberate sinner is cut off or put to death.
This should not surprise us as Heb. 10:11 says what they already knew, goats and other animals don't ultimately appease for sin. Christ alone does that. Accordingly, the OT sacrifices acts as symbolic gestures of faith on the givers and foreshadows of God's promise to truly satisfy the demands of his justice through some forthcoming means of sacrifice. In other words, to paraphrase a professor of mine, if the "fake" sins demand this much bloodshed and effort, imagine what will be required for the real sins!
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Monday, April 17, 2006
A Cure for Task-Driven People
Sometimes obscure passages and passing references can be the greatest antidotes.
For example, 2 Cor. 2:12-13 reads, "When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia." This verse completely perplexed me when I saw it this morning..."even though..."
No greater task exists than to preach the gospel, as Paul even says of his own life purpose in Acts 20:24. Is he contradicting himself? Is he saying, "loving people is more important than the gospel"? Absolutely not!!! There is no greater display of love that to seek others' joy in Christ for all eternity and today.
Rather here we find that Paul is not only interested in completing a task--the greatest of all tasks--but he desires the unity and fellowship of others. Most likely, from the context, Titus bore the response of the Corinthian church to Paul's first letter. Paul was jealous for their holiness, love, and fellowship in Christ. He love them. It's in the same spirit that he wrote 1 Thess. 2:8, "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."
We are very proficient at justifying our task-orientedness on the importance of our duty; of course, our tasks ultimately should be acts of love; yet, if they do not also carry the burden of our affections for others, we are left to ask, what is the value. NOT that this passage is anti-tasks--far from it. It is anti-tasks separated from genuine affections. (Of course, affections alone are useless too, being dead sentimentality). It smacks of 1 Cor. 13:1-4 which basically says that if I do anything--even die as a martyr--yet have not genuine love, I am nothing. So also, if I complete all my tasks and duties, but do not have the affection of Christ in my heart for another, I am nothing.
I read a vivid display of this unfortunate attitude recently, when I read the words from a church's sign, which said, "God loves you and wants to know you. There, now you can't say later that you didn't hear it." Yuck.
For example, 2 Cor. 2:12-13 reads, "When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia." This verse completely perplexed me when I saw it this morning..."even though..."
No greater task exists than to preach the gospel, as Paul even says of his own life purpose in Acts 20:24. Is he contradicting himself? Is he saying, "loving people is more important than the gospel"? Absolutely not!!! There is no greater display of love that to seek others' joy in Christ for all eternity and today.
Rather here we find that Paul is not only interested in completing a task--the greatest of all tasks--but he desires the unity and fellowship of others. Most likely, from the context, Titus bore the response of the Corinthian church to Paul's first letter. Paul was jealous for their holiness, love, and fellowship in Christ. He love them. It's in the same spirit that he wrote 1 Thess. 2:8, "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us."
We are very proficient at justifying our task-orientedness on the importance of our duty; of course, our tasks ultimately should be acts of love; yet, if they do not also carry the burden of our affections for others, we are left to ask, what is the value. NOT that this passage is anti-tasks--far from it. It is anti-tasks separated from genuine affections. (Of course, affections alone are useless too, being dead sentimentality). It smacks of 1 Cor. 13:1-4 which basically says that if I do anything--even die as a martyr--yet have not genuine love, I am nothing. So also, if I complete all my tasks and duties, but do not have the affection of Christ in my heart for another, I am nothing.
I read a vivid display of this unfortunate attitude recently, when I read the words from a church's sign, which said, "God loves you and wants to know you. There, now you can't say later that you didn't hear it." Yuck.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
How do we know we love someone?
I've been meditating on 1 John 5:1-5 for a couple of months. John poses a very practical question that every person asks (hopefully regularly): How do I(practically) love someone--my child, spouse, friend, enemy....? Too often we consider the "tasks"--provide, protect,.... Yet, love is not a matter of duty. Anyone can accomplish some tasks yet love very poorly.
I've come to conclude something quite simple, obvious in all the Bible once one sees it and thinks on it for a bit. Though initially abstract, my wrestling with the idea has proven over the years to be more practical than ANY advice on loving I've heard or read or experienced. In one sentence, it is this: Only when we savor Christ will we serve each other. This dictum, if you will, speaks to the fuel or motivation for love; after all, that's the tough part when we're tired or trying to sustain a love for someone who's not so lovable.
Consider 2 texts. First is 1 Peter 4:11, "Whoever serves, [let him serve] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." But what is this strength, which will sustain our love while most glorifying God? Nehemiah answers us directly, "...the joy of the Lord is your strength" (8:10).
As we fight to understand and feel the weight of these verses together, we find out how it is not only possible to love others as we are commanded but also how to obey an equally explicit command, "Serve the Lord with gladness" (Ps. 100:2).
I've come to conclude something quite simple, obvious in all the Bible once one sees it and thinks on it for a bit. Though initially abstract, my wrestling with the idea has proven over the years to be more practical than ANY advice on loving I've heard or read or experienced. In one sentence, it is this: Only when we savor Christ will we serve each other. This dictum, if you will, speaks to the fuel or motivation for love; after all, that's the tough part when we're tired or trying to sustain a love for someone who's not so lovable.
Consider 2 texts. First is 1 Peter 4:11, "Whoever serves, [let him serve] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." But what is this strength, which will sustain our love while most glorifying God? Nehemiah answers us directly, "...the joy of the Lord is your strength" (8:10).
As we fight to understand and feel the weight of these verses together, we find out how it is not only possible to love others as we are commanded but also how to obey an equally explicit command, "Serve the Lord with gladness" (Ps. 100:2).
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Jack Bauer's Info
A friend of mine offered us some helpful info on Jack Bauer on his blog.
"Jack Bauer's calendar goes from March 31st to April 2nd; no one fools Jack Bauer.
If everyone on 24 followed Jack's instructions, it would be called 12.
If you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.
Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas.
There have been no terrorist attacks in the United States since Jack Bauer appeared on television.
When someone asks Jack Bauer how his day is going, Jack replies, "Previously on 24..."
Jack Bauer doesn't speak any foreign languages, but he can make any foreigner speak English in a matter of minutes.
When Google doesn't know the answer, it asks Jack Bauer for help.
When life gave Jack Bauer lemons, he used them to kill terrorists. Jack Bauer hates lemonade.
When Jack Bauer was a child, he made his mother finish his vegetables.
When the boogie man goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Jack Bauer.
Jack Bauer once called the Vice President "Mr. President", but realized his mistake and shot the President. Jack Bauer is never wrong.
During the commercials, Jack Bauer calls the CSI detectives and solves their crimes.
Jack Bauer can get McDonald's breakfast after 10:30. "
Christian Hedonism quote
John Piper coined this term to refer to the fact that God created us to glutton in pleasure, yet the greatest well of pleasure is Himself. In When I Don't Desire God, Piper quotes one of the best illustrations I've seen to entice us to such a life:
"It’s as old as the Puritans, like Thomas Watson, who wrote in 1692 that God counts himself more glorified when we find more happiness in his salvation:
'Would it not be an encouragement to a subject, to hear his prince say
to him, You will honor and please me very much, if you will go to
yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourself as you can
carry away? So, for God to say, Go to the ordinances, get as much
grace as you can, dig out as much salvation as you can; and the more
happiness you have, the more I shall count myself glorified.' " (p. 16-17)
See When I Don't Desire GOD
"It’s as old as the Puritans, like Thomas Watson, who wrote in 1692 that God counts himself more glorified when we find more happiness in his salvation:
'Would it not be an encouragement to a subject, to hear his prince say
to him, You will honor and please me very much, if you will go to
yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourself as you can
carry away? So, for God to say, Go to the ordinances, get as much
grace as you can, dig out as much salvation as you can; and the more
happiness you have, the more I shall count myself glorified.' " (p. 16-17)
See When I Don't Desire GOD
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Reflecting on the Prayer, "May I Be Accursed"
We may pray something like Paul's prayer in Romans, that we may be accursed for the salvation of others' souls, yet still be found quite lacking in the seriousness of our prayers, for we may not even be willing to suffer the humiliation and fatigue that comes in simply serving them daily for their good. Prayers of self-sacrifice do not make it reality.
We have to be aware of such Peter-like boasts; we claim we will die for Christ, yet deny him hours later, with ease, when pressed for a simple profession or act of kindness; how quickly we deny him His due glory and love when we drinking pride and despise the humiliation of the cross expressed in service, gentleness, and patience to others.
While some may actually die for a person in a single moment, though (practically) hating them daily, this too is worthless sentimentality or dutiful morality, for 1 Cor. 13:1-4 exposes the fallacious sin of sacrificing without love.
We have to be aware of such Peter-like boasts; we claim we will die for Christ, yet deny him hours later, with ease, when pressed for a simple profession or act of kindness; how quickly we deny him His due glory and love when we drinking pride and despise the humiliation of the cross expressed in service, gentleness, and patience to others.
While some may actually die for a person in a single moment, though (practically) hating them daily, this too is worthless sentimentality or dutiful morality, for 1 Cor. 13:1-4 exposes the fallacious sin of sacrificing without love.
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