A Very Long Overdue Update

So what happens when completing courses for seminary over the summer months? You don’t get the chance to update your blog. HA! Anyway, my apologies to those who read with heightened expectation and cannot wait to hear the glorious events which have transpired from one blog update to the next. (For those who can’t hear it through the type, that is sarcasm in my voice).

So far it has been a good month. Finished all of the reading for second semester Systematic theology. Finished my thesis proposal. Am a day, maybe two, away from completing my independent study of the Filioque. All in all I would call this a fairly productive summer. I managed to get registered for classes today, finish my financial aid forms and ordered my text books. It’s been a great day.

On another completely unrelated note, I have been thinking of ways to chronicle or record my thoughts. As I started thinking of ways to make things a little easier for me the thought occurred to me, “Why don’t you just tape or record it.” BRILLIANT!!! Hopefully, in the up and coming weeks I will be able to do this and, if you are all very, very lucky I might even let you have a sneak peak at them.

The Turn of the Tide?

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/trust_on_issues

The above poll put out on July 9th, 2009 shows that the American people now trust the Republicans more than the Democrats on eight out of ten key voting issues. Along with this the poll also indicates the Republicans are gaining ground on the areas known to be Democratic strong points, namely health care and education. How is this a turning of the tide? Let us look back one year ago. During the heat of the presidential elections the same poll released by Rasmussen showed the Democrats leading in nine out of ten key electoral areas. In just 12 short months the left in this country has managed to lose trust on seven, SEVEN key electoral issues with the American people and according to Rasmussen the outlook for healthcare and education isn’t looking so hot either.

Rasmussen is reporting a whopping 14 point decrease in the publics trust for the Democrats on health care!! That’s right. In May the Democrats led the Republicans on the issue of healthcare by eighteen points. They now have a meager 4 point lead. On the issue of education the Dems held a 15 point lead in May over the GOP. That lead has since dwindled to 3 points.

What does all this mean? Is there a turning of the tide in American politics? I am not entirely sure. What I do know is this: trust is earned. The Dems asked the American people to vote for “Change they could believe in.” I would give you a little piece of advice from the movie Braveheart, Mr. President. “Men don’t follow titles. They follow courage.” No one will care in six months that you were the first black president (even though you are only half black) and no one will remember your “Hope” stickers in half that time. No one will care about your campaign rhetoric, your trips to 5 Guys or your grand speeches from the White House lawn. As unemployment reaches 10% and your approval rating is slipping people will be looking your way to make good on the promises you made to them on the campaign trail. Now as someone who knew your were lying through your teeth the entire time I am not disappointed in the least. On the contrary, you have met every expectation and prediction with stunning accuracy. Rise in unemployment? Check. Stagnant housing market? Check. Degrading stock markets? Check.

If you want anyone to remember anything at about you other than the fact that you put this economy in the worst shape it has been in since Carter, I’d suggest you stop being such an idealist and start living in the real world. Because I’ve got to tell you how we say it in the South, “Things a’int lookin’ up for ya there bud!”

Is theology relevant?

Lately I have embarked on an independent study of the procession of the Holy Spirit for an independent study course at Wesley Biblical. In reading and preparing for it I have had to ask myself the question of relevance. Does a discussion on the procession of the Holy Spirit have any meaning or bearing on modern Christian practice?

Honestly, I believe it does. Let me give a little history for those who may not be acquainted with some particulars. When the Symbol of Faith was ecumenically confirmed in 325 at Nicaea the phrase regarding the Holy Spirit simply read, after stating belief in the Son, “And in the Holy Spirit.” In 381 at the Council of Constantinople the Symbol was changed (ecumenically of course) to include “the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets” when speaking of the Holy Spirit. Sometime in the later sixth century the Latin speaking churches began to speak of the Spirit’s procession “from the Father and the Son…” when reciting the Creed. This was largely due to the battle against Arianism in Spain. It eventually led to the great Schism between the East and West.

Some have argued this point as being moot. Is it even relevant for us to discuss a doctrinal difference? I believe it is very important. The Creeds are not merely agreed upon statements of doctrinal faith. They are statements which attempt to distill the fundamental truths of reality as they are revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is who he said he was, then the Creeds are absolutely vital to understanding his person and work. The Symbol is not a mere invention of men but is the work of saints who were attempting to give expression of what they perceived to be the most basic truths regarding faith and practice. Their statements are wholly biblical in nature. Many have argued to exclude the creeds from faith as they are not “divinely inspired” and therefore of some lesser importance than the Scriptures. The problem with this, of course, is that the Creeds are wholly based on Biblical authority. Their expression is the expression of the Biblical and apostolic witness.

We return to our query of the relevance of theology. Is it important for pastors to be able to think theologically? Does the discussion of theological matters have bearing on the Christian Church of today? It does. Virtually all statements we make regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ have been explored theologically. Do we pray to Jesus for salvation? If so, we do it with a theological framework. Do we praise God for his good works? If we do, we do so with a theological framework. What that framework is and whether it is biblical or not is the topic of another discussion. The point here is that theological thinking is ever prevalent in the Christian faith. One cannot escape from it, no matter how hard you try. If this is the case, then theological thinking and discussion is profoundly relevant; a fact that we, as ministers of the Cross, should never take lightly.

The Joy of Completion

Just wanted to make a quick update here.

I have completed the final portions of all my work for my Techniques of Research class. This included completing:

A critical book review of "The Openness of God" by Clark Pinnock and others.
A theological issues paper regarding the frequency of the administration of Holy Communion.
A final exam
A draft copy of my thesis proposal on the Reverend John Wesley's Relational Doctrine of Grace as influenced by his doctrine of the Fatherhood of God

I am elated that I have finished. I am anxiously anticipating the time when I am back in seminary and in the classroom with some of the sharpest minds and holiest hearts I have ever encountered. God has blessed our family tremendously this year. There have, of course, been struggles because our world is fallen, broken, depraved and sinful. Over all this, however, we know God is with us. He is good, He is holy. He desires nothing but the best for us, His children. All praise and glory and honor be to Him who keeps and preserves us by His grace through faith and enables us to fight the good fight and run the race with excellence.

Self-Giving and the Nature of Sacrifice - part 2

"Next time, we will look at the Biblical model for sacrifice, what it demands of those of us who are called Christians, and how and why we should be striving for it on a day to day basis in our own daily lives."

I made this comment at the end of my last full length post with the intent of writing the remainder of my thoughts the following day. As we can all attest life (with it's varied nuances and colorful mishappenings) rarely allows one the opportunity to do all one would in a given time frame. Regardless, I would like to pick up this discussion once again so I can finish my thoughts on this important issue.

What is the Biblical model of sacrifice we should follow? Does the Bible commend us to give of ourselves in loving sacrifice for others? We can emphatically say, "It does!" The how can be as varied as our examples in our last post on this subject. I would turn now to the "why" of the matter. Why should we? The typical "Sunday School" answer of "the Bible tells us to" will not suffice, I think, for modern readers and Church goers. They need something more. What they need, to answer the why of self-giving and sacrifice, is an image of the sacrificial God of the Christian Church. God gives nothing less than himself in Creation, Incarnation and Pentecost. God breathed his Spirit into the man he had formed and man became a living soul. He gives. The Son of God became incarnate by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gives. The disciples praying in the Upper Room were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. He gives.

We understand giving, whether charitable or otherwise, as something all Christians should be involved in. But what about sacrifice? Does the Bible really commend us to this? We look, again, at the sacrifice of God in Christ. He offered himself up and became sin for us. He is the subject and object of sacrifice. He is both High Priest and Offering for us. In no other person has sacrifice been so embodied. He gives and at the same time becomes sacrifice.

What does this mean for us? It means that if we are to be called Christians, if we are to follow in the footsteps of Christ, we must offer ourselves up as "living sacrifices" (Rom 12:1) for the world. I am a firm believer that God does not call us to sacrifice for our own benefit, but rather requires sacrifice of us so that we might reach the world with the message of Christ. No where in Christian history have people sacrificed, truly sacrificed, for themselves. It is always in the hope and expectation that through our obedience and self-giving God will reach others. We ought to desire, to pray that God will show us areas of our lives where we can make sacrifices (however big or small they may be) and make them expecting him to do a great work through us. Only then will we understand the desire God has for each of our lives.

Salvation and the Human Person

"The eternal survival of the person as a unique, unrepeatable and free 'hypostasis,' as loving and being loved, constitutes the quintessence of salvation, the bringing of the Gospel to man. In the language of the Fathers this is called 'divinization' (theosis), which means participation not in the nature or substance of God, but in his personal existence." -John D. Zizioulas

Self-Giving and the Nature of Sacrifice - part 1

It is common in the Wesleyan tradition to talk about "self-giving." Most often times (in my experience) I hear sermons about it in regards to Tithing. While that may be relevant at the time I think we would be remiss if we didn't think a little more deeply about what it means to live a sacrificial type of life. Let us begin with the Eucharist.

Communion. The Lord's Supper. The Holy Table. It is the sacrament of bread and wine. All too often this precious time in the life of the Church is relegated to "special events" i.e., Easter, Lent or possibly Pentecost. In some church traditions, like the Lutheran and Greek Orthodox, the sacrament is the central part of the worship services. It is in the One Meal that the Christian Church fully identifies itself with the sacrifice of Christ. It is in the sharing and partaking of that one holy food that we join together spiritually and physically and allow ourselves to share in the sufferings of Christ. What we are saying, essentially, is that we as Christians want to give ourselves for others in much the same way Christ gave himself for the Church. Now we are not saying that everyone who eats and drinks will have to be crucified but there should be some measure of self-giving and sacrifice in the life of a true follower of Christ. 

What that sacrifice may entail or how we will be asked to do it will vary depending on the individuals relationship with Christ, their spiritual depth and maturation, their circumstances and their surroundings/environment. For some, like the Christian Church in communist China, the mere act of becoming a follower of Christ entails a sacrifice of some kind. For us here in the quiet comforts of America Christianity has become less of a religion and more of a talking point for conservative and liberal media alike. That particular topic, the difference between Christianity in the Americas and other nations, is a topic for another time. What we want to emphasize here is that there is no normative level of sacrificial involvement when it comes to the Body of Christ. We are called to serve, give ourselves and sacrifice. What that may entail for each one of us is the decision of the Triune God.

What we can say is this: the normative Christian experience should be a sacrifice of our own sinful and selfish desires in order to grow in grace. We ought to be willing, when (not if) God calls us to retreat and repent from our sinful ways, to lay ourselves on the altar and give up whatever the Spirit lays his finger upon. While the personal, financial and physical sacrifice for Christians is subjective (that is based on their personal experience) the call to sacrifice ones own desire to please oneself is objective (that is based on the Word of God as its final authority). 

Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 to give ourselves as "living sacrifices." We are to be "holy and blameless" sacrifices ready to serve and please God with our lives. This cannot happen if we think the call to sacrifice is only subjective. We must, on the other hand, refrain from making all sacrifice (including financial, physical, etc.) on the part of the believer objective. This leads to Fundamentalism. The opposite of this approach (grounding ALL sacrifice in the subjective experience of the individual) leads to Liberalism. Let me expound upon this distinction with an illustration:

Tommy and Billy are both 18 years old, they are Christians, and they both attend Churches where the Word of God is preached truthfully and expounded upon in the Spirit. Both are fully committed to Christ in their daily lives and are active in their respective Churches. Tommy lives in suburban Atlanta, while Billy resides in communist Cuba. One day Tommy is presented with the opportunity to do drugs from a close friend of his. Tommy refuses, knowing it would be displeasing to God, and as a result loses the friendship. This is a sacrificial act on Tommy's part. He knows (in some sense) what the consequences for his actions, whatever he may choose, will be. On the same day Billy, who lives in Cuba, has the chance to save himself from physical abuse if he will denounce his faith in Christ. Billy refuses and as a result is badly beaten. Both of these actions are sacrificial. The severity of consequences does not detract from the reality that both of the boys are faced with an opportunity to either stand up for their faith or compromise. In each case choosing Christ will inevitably cost the boys something. In this sense the sacrifice is subjective. 

On the other hand, let us assume that the boys meet one day during a missions trip. They begin to talk about their faith in Christ, what it means for them, and then they start discussing the individual sacrifices each one of them has had to make. It would be wrong of Billy to discount or discredit Tommy's sacrifice because it did not look like his own. That is Fundamentalism - stating that unless your experiences are exactly the same (or relatively similar) as mine, then they must not be genuine. It would likewise be wrong of Tommy to tell Billy that he really didn't have to give up his sinful ways because each individuals experience of spiritual sacrifice (the sacrifice of the sinful self) is their own and cannot and should not be applied universally to all Christians. That is Liberalism. Hopefully you can see the distinctions.

All Christians are called to sacrifice their sinful ways in order to live holy and blameless before God. This is a Scriptural command that can and should be universally applied to all persons who call themselves by the name of Christ. Each person is also called to a level of personal sacrifice that is unique and special (subjective) to their own individual experiences and spheres of influence. Let us not confuse the two. 

Next time, we will look at the Biblical model for sacrifice, what it demands of those of us who are called Christians, and how and why we should be striving for it on a day to day basis in our own daily lives.

A Thoughtful Response to Dr. Tiller's Death

If you have not yet heard or read the news this morning, an abortion doctor by the name of Dr. George Tiller was killed yesterday as he attended church services. Let me briefly run over the details of the story.

Dr. Tiller was a late term abortion doctor. He was assaulted twice, once in 1985 and again in 1993. His offices were bombed and he was shot in both arms. Sunday morning he was serving as an usher when someone shot him in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church.

Now let me be clear, I do pray and mourn this mans death. Dr. Tiller, who was 67 when he was killed, left behind a wife, 4 children and 10 grandchildren. Regardless of what we feel about his mans practices regarding human life, this is a tragedy. His families life will never be the same again.

I would be morally remiss, however, not to mention the fact that Dr. Tiller was one of only 3 (I believe) doctors who maintained a late term abortion clinic. This means that he performed them until the third trimester. I do disagree with his practices. I find them reprehensible. I am disgusted by them. I am equally disgusted, however, at the man who found within himself the audacity to assert lordship over another human persons life. 

The tragedy here, friends, is the fact that Dr. Tiller was attending church services on Pentecost Sunday when he was killed. The people of his Church could have been trying to influence him to change his practices. Perhaps Dr. Tiller felt some guilt and remorse over his practices and was attempting to make a change in his life. How tragic would it truly be if this were the case? Here was a man who, if given the time, could have effected real change within the pro-choice community if he were converted and shown the errors of his ways. Now we will never know. His fate is now sealed, whatever that may be. 

Tragically the pro-choice radicals in this country wasted no time in smearing and condemning the pro-life community. At The Daily Kos, mere hours after the announcement of this tragedy, had this to say:

"Today the rightwing domestic terrorists finally succeeded in assassinating Tiller."

-Dana Houle

Dr. Tiller was killed at 10 a.m. CST. This post at dailykos.com occured at 12:22 PST, mere hours after Dr. Tillers death. I think the tragedy here is how political rhetoric is covering the fact that this is a murder, plain and simple. This man's body wasn't even cold and the left is already ratcheting up their "anti-life" sentiments against us. 

Let's be clear: the pro life community regards all selfish disregard for human life wrong. We who are against abortion should be against this as well. I would submit to you, as a Christian, that if you are not saddened by the loss of this mans life and the family who is now without their husband, father and grand father, then you may need to re-evaluate your relationship with Christ. Remember it is God's will that none should perish but that all should come to everlasting life. Jesus Christ died for Dr. George Tiller and I do not and cannot believe His sacrifice was in vain. He wanted a personal relationship with Dr. Tiller. I know Christ is heartbroken because of this. 

Let us stand with this man's family, mourn with them, pray for them and stand up with one voice and let this country know that we are against all selfish and unnecessary loss and disregard for human life, no matter who or where it may occur. We might disagree with their practices and their views, but all human persons have the right to live their lives and it is not our place to determine whether they are worthy of life or death. 

Our thoughts, hearts and prayers go out to you, the family and friends of Dr. George Tiller. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord look upon you with favor, and give you peace. Amen.

Thoughts on Justice in the Church

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

- Friedrich Nietzsche

* * DISCLAIMER * *

While it is my inclination and desire to want to delve into details about what I have been told I will not do so until I have clarity of mind and heart as well as a clearance from those who would invariably be affected by the divulgence of details.

*

To say I am disillusioned this afternoon as I write is a vast understatement. I have learned some things about good men, men whom I had come to respect, to admire. The problem, of course, with knowledge is once you learn something you cannot unlearn it. Once you have been given the responsibility of knowing a particular thing your life is invariably affected by it. I think about this quote from Nietzsche today and while I do not agree with his ideology, philosophy or theology (if he had one) I must say this quote is very profound. As I reflect on the knowledge I have gained today I am brought immediately to this quote. How does a person who is admired, respected and loved within his own sphere of influence become the object of scorn, rebuke and chastisement? I ask myself and have been asked this many times in the last few weeks and all I can come up with (this afternoon at least) is this quote. 

If you look long and hard enough into the abyss you will invariably be drawn to it. If you spend all your time battling (or associating) with monsters you will wake up on morning, look into the mirror and realize you have become one. What I know is monstrous, it is unbelievable, it is only capable by a person who has had their life engulfed and filled with the emptiness of the abyss. In a world filled with moral relativism, political correctness and watered down tolerance, the people of Christ's Church want to know; "Where is justice?" In a legal system where Johnny Cochran can help you get away with murder the people of this country and across the world want to know; "Where is justice?" In a time when rogue dictators can threaten the very sanctity and rights of numerous countries and their own people in a quest to inflate their own ego and fascist ideals, the world is crying out; "WHERE IS JUSTICE?"

Sadly the Christian Church has sold itself out on this as well. We like preaching the "buddy Christ" who doesn't ever tell anyone they are wrong, who loves everyone enough to completely ignore the deplorable way they live their lives, who never offends, never condemns, and who never makes any substantive statements about anything. We have watered down the justice of the Church and turned our doctrine of God into a rank heresy for a modicum of modern appeal. John recounts for us Jesus' attitude towards the secularization of His temple in chapter 2 verses 13 through 22. 

It is a familiar story, Jesus goes to the Temple and see moneychangers and merchants there. Angered about their practices Jesus doesn't politely asked them to take their business elsewhere, He doesn't complain to the leaders (who were just as corrupt), and He doesn't just walk away and do nothing. He grabs some ropes and made Himself a whip out of them. He then proceeds to chase them out of the Temple. Jesus' sees wrong being done in the Temple and He removes it. If you want my opinion (and since you are reading this I am assuming you do) I would say this needs to be the model we use for dealing with injustices in the Christian Church. 

We do not need to play nice with persons who willingly and with ill intent and malice make it their purpose to deceive and use the Church for their personal gain. We also don't need to merely ask them nicely to go away. Do you think people were surprised by what Jesus did in John 2? If you read the chapter and the the other accounts of this story in Matthew 21:12-17, Luke 19:45-48 and Mark 11:15-19 you will see people were there and they responded both positively and negatively to His actions. The leadership of Christ's Church should not be afraid of the reactions of their congregations when it is a matter of justice. Give the people of Christ's Church some credit and let them decide how to react rather than trying to predict and preempt their responses. If they don't like it and leave, bid them farewell and let them know they are welcome to return. At least you were honest. 

Nuclear Disarmament, Sotomayer and Random Political Ramblings

Pacifism is never the answer in the face of totalitarianism. Does any rational person who is not blinded by political ideology or the rhetoric and pomp this administration is serving the liberal media on a daily basis actually believe that Kim Jong Il will come to an agreement peacefully? Is it just me or do you all feel as insulted as I do on a regular basis by this President, his advisors and staff, and the liberal media? I honestly and truly believe that they want us to buy into their "we know what is best for the American people" nonsense. Where in our Constitution does the Government, the Federal Government, have the right to tell you or I what is or is not best for us and our families? Do you think it is a coincidence that the Obama administration "has" to tell us "we don't want to run the auto companies." No one who has a decent head on their shoulders believes a word of that. Al Gore and his left wing, hippie party would love nothing more than to tell the American auto makers "we don't care how much it costs you, you will make these cars the way we tell you to." And that is exactly what they want to do! They are doing it right now. The left wing party in this country loves making you feel vulnerable, guilty and afraid. 

Watch what happens with the new SCOTUS nominee. Anyone who has a bad word to say about Sotomayer will instantly be blacklisted. If you are a man and you disagree with her nomination - you're a sexist. If you are white and you disagree with her appointment - you are a racist. If you live in Texas, Colorado or Arizona and you disagree with her nomination - you are anti immigration. They did the exact same thing with Obama -  you cannot disagree on his politics, morality, views or background without immediately being painted as a racist, non-progressive thinking bigot. I earnestly and truly hope that this nomination goes down in flaming glory. Not only will it further prove the incompetency and narcissistic tendency of Obama and his lackeys but it will once again give us proof of exactly how radical and ideologically biased our President is. I say "bring on the fireworks, baby." It should be a good show.

Thoughts on Perfection

I think it is best to begin this with a certain disclaimer, if you will. I do not think it prudent nor Biblical to proclaim and exhort perfection in ones own life. What I mean is that I believe it to be neither wise nor beneficial to others to pronounce oneself "made perfect" without being in the consort of very close friends who know you intimately and on such a personal level that they will immediately relate to and understand what you are saying. I do not, however, think it best to completely ignore or downplay or misinterpret the Biblical doctrine of perfection simply for the sake of prudence or social amicability. The purpose of such a disclaimer will become obvious as I attempt to record my thoughts (both recent and historic) on the topic of Christian Perfection. Let me start by stating one of the objections to the doctrine, answer the objection openly and honestly, and then attempt to make some concise statements on what we, as Christians, should be striving for in our daily lives through the grace of the Spirit.

First and foremost, let me start with an objection I have heard more often than not. One can make the claim; "The Scriptures exhort us unto perfection." It is a simple doctrine to flesh out if one is honest when they approach the Scriptures. The chief objection I find lies not within the pages of Holy Writ, but rather in the hearts and lives of those who proclaim this doctrine without equivocation and without shame. The complaint I find most often on the lips of the objectors to this doctrine is simply an issue of pragmatism. They claim that while we teach the doctrine we neither tell our people how to live it out in a practical sense nor do we exemplify it in our daily lives. Their critique, I believe, is a valid one. Calling oneself and ones followers to live a life of perfection in the Spirit sets the bar (at least from a merely human standpoint) unattainably high. So I say to those of you who may read this; "Your criticism is valid." This will due at present for the objection I wish to answer. Obviously there are many more things which could (and some would argue should) be said. 

It is our purpose, secondly, to address this objection. While I concede the objection posited has legitimacy, I will not dismiss the doctrine purely on this basis. The Scriptural evidence alone is too substantial in this regard. I do think, however, the majority of persons who have a problem with the doctrine have an honest misunderstanding or have been misinformed and therefore reject a doctrine they do not have a full understanding of. It would be my intention, therefore, to answer this objection by asking this; "What do you, as the objector of Christian perfection, understand to be our teaching on the doctrine?" If by perfection you believe we mean human persons can and ought to reach a place in their daily lives in which they are incapable of sin then I say to you, "This is not Christian perfection." If by perfection you believe we mean a state in which human persons are no longer dependent on their Creator and Savior for grace then I say to you, "This is not Christian perfection." If by perfection you believe we mean a place in the Christians walk with Christ where growth is no longer taking place then I say to you, "This is not Christian perfection." We have not and do not believe in a doctrine which espouses a state of perfection where continued reliance on Christ, growth and the possibility of sin are no longer an issue. The objection raised by those who do not see perfection lived out in the daily lives of people who claim to be members of congregations which preach perfection is an issue of pragmatism rather than doctrinal formulae. It would appear, however, that the misinterpretation or misguided teachings on perfection is the cause for this denial. The look at people's lives and do not see them in a state of perfection where they are beyond sin, growth and the continued reliance on the Spirit as assume that perfection is unattainable. My response to this then I to speak on how we, as Christians who preach perfection, ought to live our lives.

Thirdly and lastly, it is pertinent to speak on what Christian perfection ought to look like in the lives of the believers. It is first and foremost a life of utter reliance and dependance on the Spirit. If at any moment we think we are beyond the leading and help of the Spirit then we are lost. Christian perfection always begins with utter, absolute dependance on Christ. Christ is the beginning of our perfection, the Spirit is the sustainer of it. There is never a time in which we do not need Christ to continually fill us with the Spirit. The fact that we are continually in need of Christ filling us also means we are in a perpetual state where we are able to fall. Our relationship with Him is always one of mutuality and reciprocity. He does not fill us with his Spirit unless we allow Him to fill us. If at any point we forget or lose our focus we are capable to falling from grace. We are capable of falling because we are incomplete creatures. God created us in one way and we are no longer in the state in which He created us. We are imperfect and incomplete. It is because of this incompleteness that we are constantly in need of perpetual growth. There is never a time, this side of heaven, that we will not continue to grow in grace. This growth is analogous to the growth of human love. There is not a healthy couple who would advocate that their love is not continually growing deeper. Some couples may experience a point in which their love no longer grows but this is not and should not be normative. Continued growth is something which ought to take place in a relationship and the relationship we have with Christ is no different. 

Christian perfection is a doctrine which is difficult simply because of the objections I have spoken to here. Living the life of Christian perfection, if it is perfection as I have outlined in our second point, is impossible. I do believe if we espouse a perfection which 1) is grounded in continual reliance on Christ and the infilling of the Spirit, 2) admits the necessity of continual growth, and 3) denies the lie which tells us that we can reach a point where we are beyond sinning then we will begin to have healthy dialogue with those who are against it. I have attempted to lay out a very concise and practical statement regarding this issue. It has been my intention to address a key issue for those who oppose this doctrine. I by no means feel that this is a comprehensive treatment of the subject. I do believe, however, that from my own experience most persons reject this doctrine because they cannot fathom and do not see it being lived out in daily life. It is also my belief that these rejections stem from beliefs which we do not espouse. It is only by grace and through the continual reliance on the Spirit of Christ that we will be able to reconcile our brothers and sisters who have rejected this doctrine. It is not our desire to be divisive in any way. Our intentions are those of reconciliation and acceptance. By His grace and love we can discuss and even disagree and through His Spirit we will know the truth, because Christ is the way, the truth and the life.

Grace and Love

"I am convinced there is no malady in the human heart and soul which cannot be overcome by grace through self-giving, holy love."

What do I mean by the word "malady" in this context? I mean simply that which is ailing the human heart and soul. A malady is "any disorder or disease of the body, especially one that is chronic or deepseated." It can also refer to "any undesirable or disordered condition." A malady of the heart, therefore, could pertain to sinfulness but may also pertain to the brokenness sin has visited upon the heart of the person. Most all persons who have come to a saving knowledge of Christ can attest to the brokenness left behind by their former way of living. Self serving, self centered living can only lead to broken hearts and it is this "bent" inwards which reeks havoc on our fragile hearts. There is nothing sadder than living a life of utter self centeredness because when we really stop and look inside our hearts we find that we are not eternal, we are not perfect, we are not whole. The portrait of a man vexed by his own inward leaning upon himself is tragic in that it detracts from and distracts from the beauty to be found in living our lives in relationship with others. When we busy ourselves with the business of serving ourselves we are left with an empty, hollow and cold reality. There is no love, no beauty, no life to be found in the self turned man. This is why we must affirm and defend the doctrine of the Trinity. God cannot be and would not be loving without being a God who shares life interpersonally between the three distinct persons of Father, Son and Spirit. Without this relationship God we have a portrait of a God who is incomplete and would find only longing, despair and a lack of life in Himself, by Himself.

Enlightenment and post modern thinking tries to lift up man as the apex, the pinnacle of self awareness and as the center of all reality. When Descartes wrote the now famous "Cogito ero sum" (I think, therefore I am) he paved the way for Enlightenment and post modern thinkers to ground the necessity of man's existence in his ability to reason. Man, not God, became the ground for reason, consciousness and being for the first time in 1500 years. The person who tries to reason his own existence and measure his own self worthiness against the mettle of other men and himself will only find emptiness and longing, disappointment and failure, regret and self-loathing. This malady we face, one we must all recognize and guard our brothers and sisters against is exactly this: the malady of egoism. 

How do we overcome this? What is the cure for the sickness, the malady of egoism that plagues the human heart? The answer, I believe, is found in Christ. He is the epitome of self giving, of self sacrifice and abasement, of altruism in direct and utter defiance of the egoism and self-praising, self-serving human heart. We can overcome this sickness, this paralysis of the soul, by fixing our eyes and hearts on the abased Christ. He is our ultimate example of selflessness. But we must recognize Him as more than a mere projection or ideal of humility, rather we look on Him as the embodiment of self-giving love. In Him we find the love which pours itself out for others. It is in this love that we must reside. We must exist in the bond of love between the Father and the Son through the intercession of the Holy Spirit. By sending the Paraclete, the Comforter to us, Christ brings us into the very heart of Trinitarian life. We have participation in the eternal life of the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit. By giving us nothing less than Himself, Christ offers to mankind more than a mere model for self-giving love. He gives to us the very essence of it. He bring us into a new mode of existence, a way of living our lives which we had not previously experience. A life filled with the Spirit, modeled after the crucified and risen Christ, is a life eternally sustained by the love of the Father, the ground and source of eternal life. It is through grace that He comes to us Himself and offers nothing less than Himself to us. Our participation and cooperation with that grace is Trinitarian existence. It is living, not merely the Christ centered life, but living the hypostatically centered life. It is living the Trintarian life.

How are we to overcome our malady? We are all sick, hurting, infectious to those around us, and things are only going to get worse. We must have a cure. Humanity is crying out for it! Pornography, drunkeness, drugs, divorce, etc. - all these are indicators, symptoms of the greater sickness. It is only when we embrace the risen Christ, and participate in His life by the outpouring of the Holy Making Spirit that we will ever be made well. He has invited you to join with Him. What will be our response? Will it be one of selfish desire, clinging to the broken promises of post modernism? Or will it be one of selflessness? Would that our hearts turn towards Him who wants to turn us away from ourselves and towards His Father. Let it be the prayer of all those who call themselves His disciples, that He would come and save us from ourselves, turn us towards Himself, in order that we might help someone else. Amen.