by Wayne Cox on July 2, 2010
in Reading
There is something which makes Christianity more than a religion, more than an ethic, and more than the idle dream of the sentimental idealist. It is this something which makes it relevant to each one of us right now as a contemporary experience. It is the fact that Christ Himself is the very life content of the Christian faith. It is He who makes it ‘tick.’ ‘Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it’ (1 Thess 5:24). The One who calls you is the One who does that to which He calls you. ‘For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure’ (Phil 2:13). He is himself the very dynamic of all his demands.
Christ did not die simply that you might be saved from a bad conscience, or even to remove the stain of past failure, but to ‘clear the decks’ for divine action.
So begins the rather obscure, dated book called The Saving Life of Christ
, by Major Ian Thomas. I’ve come back to this book several times over the past 20 years, especially in trying to grasp the gospel of grace.
So, it’s the “day after” Trinity Sunday and I’m all caught up in the mystery!
Yesterday, my message at The Bridge Community was terribly short and shallow. We were meeting outdoors and having a cookout and party afterward, so it just didn’t feel appropriate to plumb the depths of the mystery of the Godhead while sweating in the 85 degree sun!
Maybe it’s because I didn’t get to explore it more in the sermon, but I’m left pondering the nature of God. One of my lingering questions is why Jesus or the Spirit-inspired New Testament writers didn’t speak more directly to this thing we call the Holy Trinity? Why couldn’t they have come out with a clear statement on God being three-yet-one/three-in-one? Instead, we have a doctrine that emerges from the biblical narrative and remains elusive, like a mystery.
On his blog, JD Walt writes about parables and poets, and he gives some thoughts on why Jesus didn’t always make his teachings more clear. I’ve adapted a couple of his thoughts on parables and applied them to the concept of mystery.
- Mystery subverts our “mastery” approach to knowledge. It requires submission leading to a “be mastered by” approach.
- Mystery creates a context where epiphany can happen; where “reality” can be discovered. I love this approach to understanding, because it seems that we remember and are shaped by truth more when we’re allowed to come to our own “ah ha!” moment.
- Mystery works in the dynamic world of wisdom and imagination rather than the static realm of knowledge and information.
Knowing God, like all mystery, is not easy. It is not something we can control, or tame. But it is a fascinating pursuit, worthy of our lives!
My home state of Kentucky is ranked next to last among the states in “well-being,” according to a recent Gallup poll. Based on responses to questions on work environment, emotional health, physical health, basic access, healthy behavior, and life-evaluation, Kentucky scored a “D minus,” 62.3%. The Well-Being Index is calculated on a scale of 0 to 100, where a score of 100 would represent ideal well-being.
It’s the work of sociologists and economists to ask the “why” and the “how” questions about such data. I want to ask, what is the impact on mission? If God’s mission in Kentucky is to bring the kingdom here, just as it is in heaven, then what are his people to do? If the realities of God’s reign, which include no more tears or pain (Revelation 21:4), is to become a reality in our state, what is the task of the church?
The church is to be an agent of “shalom” – a rich, multi-faceted, biblical concept of God’s best, wholeness, and wellness. The message of Jesus we live out is not about minimal entrance requirements for heaven when we’re gone. It is about “good news” now. Shalom now. Holistic well-being now. Our whole selves – spiritual, physical, emotional – are to be affected by the gospel.
And that means the church in Kentucky has some work to do.
We must make a shift from a gospel limited to, “if you died tonight …” and encompass a more holistic, “if you live tomorrow” approach to faith. The well-being of those in contact with a missional Jesus-community ought to be higher than a “D minus.”
So, what would it mean for the Jesus-message to take hold in the work-place? What would it take for it to impact emotional health? Physical health? Basic access to necessities like clean water, medicine, food, shelter, and affordable fruits and vegetables? How does the gospel affect healthy behavior choices? And how might a follower of Jesus respond to a question of life-evaluation?
Whether you’re a Kentuckian or not, I’m interested to hear your response in thinking about “well-being” where you are.
