Freed to be a Slave

Human freedom can be an alluring, and often intoxicating, reality. For all the things I like to do and want to do – I want to be free to do them. But for all the things you like to do and want to do that I don’t approve of, then I want the church, the government, or some other form of authority to say “No, you’re not free to do that.” Of course my ideas of freedom are precisely God’s ideas of freedom – so much of “religion” these days seems to suggest “I’m in charge – God said . . . “

The first line of Paul’s 1 Corinthians 9 starts out with this this bold question: “I’m a free man, aren’t I?” (The Kingdom New Testament: A Contemporary Translation) Paul expected that his readers would answer that question “Yes.”  From that beginning he goes on to discuss a number a ideas about apostles and freedom, but in the middle of the chapter, verse 19, comes to the real issues at hand: 

 “The reason for all this is as follows. I am indeed free from everyone; but I have enslaved myself to everyone, so that I can win all the more.” In other words, it seems as though he had been “freed to be a slave.” That’s a bit of an oxymoron for sure.

From there he talks about all sorts of categories in his culture:  everyone, Jews, those with the law, those without the law, and the weak. He wraps that conversation up by declaring “I have become all things to all people, so that in all ways I might save some.” (9:22) The word “win” floats around in the text five times – once for each category – and then shifts to “save some” as a summary of it all.

Freed to be a slave! Sometimes I try and imagine about all the seeming contradictions that must have fought for space in Paul’s head. A former Pharisee and hater of those who followed Jesus, he is now its chief missionary. Later in Ephesians he will say he spent jail time “on behalf of Gentiles.” He will sit with a group of “God-worshiping women” by a river bank in Philippi and have a conversation about Jesus.  Having been set free from the law of sin and death, he finds himself enslaved to everyone so he can influence them for the gospel.

Actually, at the end of this paragraph he declares this is the very nature of the gospel itself. “I do it all because of the gospel, so that I can be a partner in its benefits.”

Each of the categories Paul mentions has potential for difficult moments for him. It isn’t as though he is thinking “this is a breeze” and I can influence people. Rather he must be thinking something like “this won’t be fun, it won’t be easy, but it will be worthwhile.”

I love being free. But hopefully I love even more the call God has placed on my life. I suspect that is true for you as well. So the question that now remains is something like this: “What area of freedom should I set aside in order to better influence others for the kingdom?”

Elsewhere Paul will remind his readers that when abused, freedom can be an excuse to sin (Gal. 5:13;    1 Cor. 8:9). But he also reminds us that where the Spirit of the Lord there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1).

Learning to walk in freedom and not abuse it may be one of our greatest challenges these days.

God's Intentional Purpose At Creation

When I read Genesis 2 it seems to be a wonderful narrative rooted in the Jewish idea of shalom. Adam and Eve understand who they are, they have a healthy relationship with each other, they have a life-giving relationship with God, and know their place in God’s wonderful creation.

That is what I describe in my Theological Foundations for the Christian Life class as “God’s intentional purpose at Creation.”  It wasn’t good for the man to be alone, the woman was created and community in fellowship with God was born. My personal favorite way to describe what eternity with God will be like is to dream of “Eden restored.”

In a wonderfully thoughtful new book titled For the Life of the World: Theology That Makes a Difference Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun express concern that theology has lost its way and as a result, the discovery of a “flourishing life” (for me, think Genesis 2) is ever more difficult to find.

One of their more direct concerns is expressed this way: “No longer experiencing ourselves as constituents of a meaningful cosmos and members of a social body, we modern human beings imagine ourselves and act first and foremost as individuals, ideally sovereign owners of ourselves and our actions.” (pages 20, 21) When I first read that statement, it seemed to be such a great explanation for so much of the self-centered, overly individualistic spirit that I see in the newspaper daily. 

Yet unless I have completely misread the Jesus story, it seems He came to help us find a flourishing life – “life abundantly” as He calls it in John 10:10. Could Paul’s imagery in 1 Corinthians 12 of “one body, many members” be a definition of what Jesus had in mind? A flourishing life isn’t so much about “stuff” we own and control as it is “to whom we belong.” There’s hardly room for the kind of individualism that sees ourselves as “sovereign owners of ourselves and our actions” in a body where, “if one member suffers, the whole body suffers.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)

In a few weeks we will celebrate anew the resurrection of our Lord. His resurrection made possible for humankind to begin our journey back to Eden. To that place where shalom defined life. A place where we discover what a flourishing life can look like.

As we approach Easter Sunday, April 21 this year, may we pray daily that our thoughts and words about life and about the gospel’s impact on life will help us in our partnership with God to renew and restore creation to its God-intended purpose at creation. 

That for sure is theology that makes a difference!

 

Eden restored.

Clarity and Scripture

A real temptation for people who do what I do is to assume that our "work" in the area of Bible study, sermon preparation, theology, and all the associated areas those in ministry might participate in is to assume that those activities are a substitute for our own personal spiritual growth.

Two challenges arise when that is our attitude. First - there is great danger in assuming that my Bible study in preparation for a sermon, or in my case, for teaching a college class, is somehow to be separated from allowing God to speak into my own life in Scripture. Second - there is great danger in thinking that "work" related issues can substitute for personal devotion.

It isn't "either/or" for those who are privileged and blessed to "get paid to study Scripture," but "both/and." And if we don't get the "both/and" stuff worked out, our "talk about God" in a variety of roles may be mere "talk," and our own spiritual lives may be little more than "academic." The truth is that a nonbeliever can practice the discipline of "how language works" and interpret Scripture at some basic level. But, to borrow language from Alexander Campbell, only those "within the understanding distance" will really grasp what God is revealing in His Word!

It isn't all that complicated to be a "professional" when it comes to preaching, or teaching, or being a theologian who writes books about God. But it is a whole different world when it comes to being "confessional" when it comes to being a preaching, or teaching, or being a theologian who writes books about God. The flip side of that same coin is that those of us committed to being "confessional" ought to approach our God-given opportunities with "professionalism" appropriate to our role.

As a person who typically walks into a college classroom to speak on behalf of God, my sense of "professionalism" may be different than what would be true for a youth pastor who teaches a group of high school students the truth about God. But both of us can become victims of thinking that "professionalism" is the final answer. Actually, "confessional" will always be the final answer!

For those who might be reading this and are incredibly blessed by the opportunity for "professional ministry" my question is simple. What are you doing in the area of "confession" that gives context, integrity, and meaning to your "profession"?

If the answer to that question doesn't include some private, non-academic, non-job related reading of Scripture, then - sorry for the bluntness - you don't have the right answer to the question!

My own "private, non-academic, non-job related" reading of Scripture right now has me in Leviticus. I read through the Pentateuch at least once every year. You can't read through the Pentateuch - Torah - without reading Leviticus. Over the years I've discovered that reading Leviticus during Lent is not a bad plan! But - who likes Leviticus??

Today my "private, non-academic, non-job related reading" was Leviticus 19-21. (I'm on a "three chapters a day" routine right now.) Every day since I've been reading Leviticus - a week now - the one word that keeps floating to the top of my consciousness is "integrity." That is, God seems to expect that Israel will model "integrity" in its relationship with Him.

I made the mistake today - it's Saturday - of reading through the Atlanta Journal Constitution before doing my "private, non-academic, non-job related" Bible reading.

A new translation of the Old Testament, titled "The First Testament" was recently published. It is the work of John Goldingay, a respected Old Testament professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. It is worth checking out! Whenever my "private, non-academic, non-job related" reading of Scripture is in the Hebrew Bible, I'm reading The First Testament." (For New Testament reading, I'm using N.T. Wright's Kingdom New Testament.)

Here is The First Testament's translation of Leviticus 19:4: "Don't turn your face to non-entities and don't make figurine gods for yourselves. I am Yahweh your God."

Back to Saturday's edition of the AJC.  Two front page stories: "Scam rankles, but it doesn't surprise" and "Pensions stuck in lackluster fund." The first story is about the college admission scandal, the second about corruption in the City of Atlanta government. Bottom line is "integrity."

The "Metro Section" has a front page story about the Atlanta Regional Commission's chief officer receiving a bonus for 2018, after misusing his agency's purchasing card.  "Integrity."The "Sports" section of the paper's front page is dominated by stories about Georgia Tech and NCAA violations and concern about LSU and a FBI investigation into recruiting practices. "Integrity." Finally, the "Living" section had thoughtful articles about a variety of current issues, including abortion, health, and the son of a famous mega-church pastor.

"Non-entities" and "figurine gods" aren't all that concerned about integrity. But . . . the God behind the words I read in my "private, non-academic, non-job related" reading of Scripture thinks integrity is at the heart of what it means to be an authentic human . . . and a real follower of Jesus.

"I am Yahweh your God." That changes everything. That is embedded in the words of Scripture in ways that can't be missed - if we take the time to have some "private, non-academic, non-job related" reading of Scripture.  All of the "I AM" statements Jesus will make in His ministry among us are rooted in that very idea - "I AM Yahweh your God."

The merely "academic me" can simply say, "those people aren't honest" when reading today's AJC. The person who comes out of a "private, non-academic, non-job related" reading of Scripture sees those stories in a whole different light.

We who "follow Jesus" - not only professionally but confessionally - have a lot of work to do!

Here I Am!

On the Christian Calendar, today is Ash Wednesday – the beginning of a period of 40 days (not counting Sundays) where believers from centuries ago began to focus on their relationship with God. Not all followers of Jesus follow the Christian Calendar and not all who do observe Ash Wednesday and Lent in the same manner.

But, whether or not you use language like Lent and Ash Wednesday, most would agree that these are troubled times and troubled times call people of faith to reexamine the relationship we have with God. Doing that will often call us to repentance – a word that Jesus Himself used to begin His ministry according to Mark 1:14, 15 – “the time is fulfilled – the kingdom is near – repent and believe the good news.”

My own personal response to Lent this year is to say to God – in response to Jesus’ announcement about the Kingdom and the need for repentance – “Here I am.”

We all know, however, that declaring ourselves ready before God can be a dangerous thing to do. We ought to be sure the seatbelt is buckled before we get that bold.

In my daily reading of Scripture I’m currently reading the Torah. One of the great stories in Genesis of course is the story of Joseph. There is a new, rather innovative, translation of the Hebrew Bible called The First Testament. The translation was done by John Goldingay, an acclaimed Old Testament scholar who teaches at Fuller Seminary. One, among several, innovative things he does is to make the proper names in the Hebrew Bible sound more like Hebrew than the English names we know.

In the first story of Genesis 37, Joseph’s father sends Joseph to go check on his brothers – who have been away with the sheep finding pasture. Here’s how Goldingay translates a part of that story:

His brothers went to pasture their father’s flock at Shekem. Yisra’el said to Yoseph, “Your brothers are pasturing at Shekem, aren’t they. Come on. I’ll send you to them.” He said to him, “Here I am.”  (Genesis 37:12, 13, the First Testament)

Think about this for a moment. Joseph says to his father, “Here I am.” If you read a few paragraphs down the page, as soon as the brothers saw him coming they start plotting to kill him. (37:20) Only “Re’uben’s” protest and the providence of a caravan’s passing by prevented that from happening. Most of know how this incident plays out. It can be a dangerous thing to say to God, “Here I am.”

You may protest here and say, “Yoseph” was talking to “Yissra’el” not Yahweh. At one level you would be correct – but at another, not so correct! In Genesis 45:5, as “Yhoseph” is identifying himself to his famine-stricken brothers, he says, “But now, don’t be pained, don ‘t let it make you rage at yourselves because you sold me here, because it was to save life that God sent me before you.” (The First Testament)

I’m not sure “Ýoseph” realized all he was saying when he told “Yisra’el” “Here I am.” But then I’m not sure any of us know all we are saying when we declare “Here I am” when it comes to serving Christ as Lord. Most of us won’t likely have quite the kind of story “Yoseph” did – but we never know.

So, as this period of reflection and repentance we call Lent begins today – what might happen if we boldly say to God “Here I am” and mean it so honestly that we will even go to “Misrayim” (Egypt) and become a key person in the house of “Par’oh” (Pharaoh). 

Joseph likely had no idea, despite the fact he was a dreamer. 

You and I likely have no idea what God could do with us if we said “Here I am” and really meant it.

Buckle your seatbelts for Lent.

Acknowledging the Truth

One of my earliest memories of my parents is the annual tradition at Christmas where they would buy gifts for children who likely wouldn't have much of a Christmas morning surprise. My Dad would dress up as Santa Claus and in an old, pale green, late 1950s International pickup, would go around to families who lived near by with Christmas gifts. I have a mental picture in my head of riding with him, still not sure about whether Santa was real or not - but somehow knowing that the best of Santa happened to live int he spirit of my parents. By 12 years old, or so, I was actually driving the pickup.

Maybe that is what has me thinking these days about the life I live. I have it pretty easy. The garbage gets picked up every week. My neighborhood is safe. I can call "Robert Firewood" as he is listed in my contact list on my smart phone, and get a load of wood to have a nice fire on holidays like today when I didn't have to get up and go to work. Two pretty good grocery stores are within two miles either direction of my house. Fresh vegetables and fruit are plentiful in each. I love the newspaper - despite the fact I don't think the AJC is a particularly good paper - and can drive a mile and buy one any morning I want. When someone in my family needs medical care, I have insurance and providers of every kind surround me.

It is so easy for all of that to become routine. It's the norm. Doesn't everyone live the same way? That's life is zip code 30290! And, because my zip code abuts 30269, a "really well-to-do" zip code, I can excuse my sense of "routine" by comparing life in that zip code to mine!

When I left home just after 7:00 a.m. today to go get a paper - the temperature on my outdoor thermometer was 17 degrees. That's cold. Of course inside my house the temperature was somewhere around 68 degrees, that is what the furnace is set to reach early in the morning.

Zip code 30290 is Tyrone, Georgia. Our garbage service is on Thursday, unless there is a major holiday during the week. When that happens the garbage day is Friday. Christmas and New Year's Day are, of course, major holidays. We try to remember not to put the garbage and recycling cans out on Wednesday evening those weeks.

Both of those weeks this year brought heavy rains on Friday. Driving home on Wednesday evening, I noticed a lot of people in our neighborhood put their cans out that evening - forgetting that the garbage wouldn't come until Friday. I'm not trying to be self-righteous, but it reminded me of how easy it is to forget the lives of those who do things that make ours so much better. When the garbage trucks showed up at our house on those Fridays, it was pouring down rain. I did a little research on salaries for people who work on garbage trucks. It isn't impressive.

Yet, on a cold, pouring-down rain kind of day during the week of Christmas and New Year's, those men faithfully picked up my garbage and recycling. I'm pretty sure my parents would have wanted to buy some Christmas gifts, my Dad dress up as Santa, and go around in his old International pickup and deliver some gifts.

Every morning when I walk into my office, the trash can is empty, the floor has been vacuumed, and the bathrooms are clean. Who does that? Do I care enough to even know?

MLK was assassinated in Memphis while there to help gain a better life for garbage collectors in the city of Memphis who, if you read the history of their work, were greatly underpaid and greatly mistreated. Don't be too hard on Memphis, they weren't the only city like that then - or now.  A recent article about garbage service in King's hometown of Atlanta makes you think if alive, he might be making a speech today. But every week, garbage men faithfully pick up my garbage. That costs me a whopping $4.23 per week!

Those grocery stores that I frequent - are replenished daily by people like the young man unloading ice at a convenience store on a 17 degree morning. They are delivering vegetables and fruit, groceries of all kinds, often picked by migrant workers whose lives are lived in poverty and the overly self-righteous among us want to put in the back of our pickups and take back to Mexico, rather than loading our pickups with gifts of grace to brightened a small child's day.

The most casual reading of the four gospels - any one of them are all together - would show us that if Jesus were living in our time, He would likely be hanging out with the garbage truck workers and picking green beans with the migrants.

God help us - on a day set aside to honor one who saw the world in many ways like Jesus did - to be more Christ-like in how we see those who make our lives so "blessed!"

I'm grateful that I had parents who didn't define generosity on the basis of status, skin color, or some sense of "I'm better than you."