Rest and Reflect

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The gospel is not a gospel of fear. Many Christians believe in the soon return of Christ. Many of them believe in a pre-Advent crisis on Earth. I am one of those people. But there are some who prey on a coming crisis to push an agenda (whether with innocence and sincerity or questionable motives). Such people have baptised many who in actuality do not know (or even want to know) God. Such people have convinced many to walk away from normative (not overtly sinful) lives, friends and family, to become missionaries or even join separatist groups hidden away in remote communes.

But the gospel is not a gospel of fear. The urgency with which we share the gospel and with which we accept the gospel should not be driven by a fear of either a coming earthly crisis or of God’s judgment itself.

The crisis we should be concerned about is a spiritual one. That crisis is in your heart, your psyche, your relationships, your family, your friends, your community. Oh how many friendships have I damaged by a thoughtless word or phrase? How many times have I hurt my family through neglect? What damage have I wrought in myself physically, emotionally and spiritually through a reckless life?

We are all in a crisis. One that is here now, and one that will last 70, maybe 100, years. One that affects our happiness and our ability to lead a fulfilled life. One that (if you believe it) will eventually determine your eternal destiny depending on how you respond.

Fortunately there is the gospel. The gospel that says that God loves you. He has never left you alone. And He can heal you and me. He can and will solve our crises, our little ones, our big ones, our spiritual one and yes even the future economic and military crises.

When the Gospel of “Peace” actually makes sense, and makes a difference in your life, your reaction is not to run away from anything, but rather to run towards. Towards the God who is the answer to your problems. And towards others who need to hear about the Answer to their crises.

Limited atonement has been a subject of contention between Calvinist and Arminian poles of Protestant Christianity for centuries.

See this great summary article by David Larson:
http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/sabbath_school/2008/10/20/atonement_and_divine_initiative
(Another article by David Larson on the topic in the context of Des Ford’s biography: http://spectrummagazine.org/articles/column/2008/09/15/why_does_desmond_ford%E2%80%99s_biographer_lament_our_wesleyan_heritage)

Lorraine Boettner made an insightful comment which explains it something like this:

In the Calvinist view, the Arminian limits God’s power to save. If he chose to save all, He must be able to do so. If some will be lost, it must be that God’s grace does not apply to everybody. The Calvinist emphasises God’s sovereign power and His right to choose.

In the Arminian view, the Calvinist limits the extent to which God’s grace is offered. It must be that a loving God offers salvation to all. If not all are saved, it must be because we choose our destiny by our actions. The Arminian describes God’s grace as a gift to be freely received and emphasises our freedom to choose.

But the Bible story paints a picture which is a blend of both views, and is yet richer that each. Here we see a God who is all powerful (able to save all) and all gracious (offers freely to all). But His greatest strength of character is His willingness to seek not His own desires.

Here is a God who has done everything possible to persuade our hearts to change – including absorbing pain and suffering to the infinite degree. And yes His actions are all that is required to change hearts – the evidence is in the hearts that have already been changed. He is all-powerful and His actions are all-powerful. And when He is rejected, His response is not of retaliation or reproach; it is of regret and relentless pursuit.

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“Dear Lord… enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”

Sheridan Voysey in his Open House interview today spoke with William P. Young, the author of the novel “The Shack.” (Note, it’s a novel not a theological work.) Paul Young made the comment that God is the Prodigal Father (of Luke 15). The status of his sons was never in doubt. They were always sons. Nothing they could do could change that. But at different times in the story, the sons did not “comprehend the love of the Father.”

Even before He made the world, God loved us and determined to make us holy in Christ. We are without fault in his eyes. God made the decision in advance that we would be his children and will never change his mind.
(Paraphrased from Ephesians 1:4-5)

http://www.theopenhouse.net.au/2008/12/explore_the_shack_a_little_fur.html