What if we're doing the same thing to the New Testament (NT), as the Jews did to the Tanakh by writing the Talmud, trying to keep the law plus thousands of other extra rules. What I mean is that we take the NT (but also the OT) and read it as the law, something to live our lives by as good Christians. And because it's not that easy to understand what the different authors really want us to do, we come up with commentaries that we need to study and adhere to as closely as possible. What is the difference between a good study bible with footnotes and commentary (not to mention Christian book stores filled with advice and rules to live the Christian life succesfully, based on scripture), and the hundreds of intricate laws that the God fearing Jews put on themselves? Have we really come away from living under the burden of the law?
What if Jesus is really right, and it all can be broken down to... LOVE?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Blood covenant & freedom
What if the reason that it is very hard for me to condure up a feeling of gratidude and meaningful thankfulness when thinking about Jesus dying on the cross (I'd have to watch "The Passion" or sing one of those slow "thank you for the cross" songs) is not that it's so long ago, but that I have never been under that blood covenant that Israel made with Yahweh? What if the cross was primarily for the Jews?...and the life of the resurrection for all of creation?
What if I was born into freedom?...into life?...into the new covenant?
What if I can just live in that freedom without feeling guilty?
What if really being thankful is living out this freedom to the fullest (and not crawling on the floor telling God how awful and undeserving I am)?
What if I was born into freedom?...into life?...into the new covenant?
What if I can just live in that freedom without feeling guilty?
What if really being thankful is living out this freedom to the fullest (and not crawling on the floor telling God how awful and undeserving I am)?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Completely comfortable
What if God, my creator, the one that gave me life, really thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with me?...right now, just the way that I am this minute?
What if there is nothing He'd rather do and what if He'd be completely comfortable with me, even though I see myself as still lacking? What if He'd be completely comfortable with me, without having to change or wash me first?
Would really knowing that make me sin more or less? Would there still be room for sin? What really is sin in light of all this?
What if there is nothing He'd rather do and what if He'd be completely comfortable with me, even though I see myself as still lacking? What if He'd be completely comfortable with me, without having to change or wash me first?
Would really knowing that make me sin more or less? Would there still be room for sin? What really is sin in light of all this?
Friday, January 14, 2011
Creation: The joy of planting seeds?
What if God really prefers the long process of planting a seed and watching it grow, over the quick act of miraculously creating something in its full grown form? What if He really enjoys the process as much as He enjoys the finished product?
What if that is how God created the universe: planting seeds, rather than creating finished products?
What if God, beholding His creation and judging it, did not say that it was perfect, as Greek thinking would have us believe, but rather that it was 'very good', ready to freely grow, blossom and become...?
What if what we call 'the Fall' wasn't a fall (from perfection) at all, but rather a dying off of the organism that God planted?
What if (through Jesus) we came fully alive again?
What if that is how God created the universe: planting seeds, rather than creating finished products?
What if God, beholding His creation and judging it, did not say that it was perfect, as Greek thinking would have us believe, but rather that it was 'very good', ready to freely grow, blossom and become...?
What if what we call 'the Fall' wasn't a fall (from perfection) at all, but rather a dying off of the organism that God planted?
What if (through Jesus) we came fully alive again?
Loving Jesus
What if loving Jesus is really not about how many songs of love I sing to him, but about how much I'm willing to love the person in front of me? Isn't that what Jesus taught?
It's so easy to see and love Jesus as high and exalted King 'up there', but what about seeing and loving Jesus in the lowly and poor beggar 'down here'? What if I saw him in the person I absolutely can't stand, the person who is doing everything to make life hard for me? Would I still see love as only this fuzzy feeling that comes whenever the band starts playing my favorite worship song?
It's so easy to see and love Jesus as high and exalted King 'up there', but what about seeing and loving Jesus in the lowly and poor beggar 'down here'? What if I saw him in the person I absolutely can't stand, the person who is doing everything to make life hard for me? Would I still see love as only this fuzzy feeling that comes whenever the band starts playing my favorite worship song?
A more excellent way
What if Paul really is right when he writes that it's all for nothing if I don't have love?
Why is there such a temptation to ask for 'more power', miracles and big clanging things?
What if love really is "a more excellent way"?
What if I actually was patient enough and asked Father to teach me the way of love, and have everything else grow out of that love?
What if the way of Jesus still is serving in love, instead of ruling in power?
What if the only true way to rule in power actually is serving in love?
Why do we prefer Jesus as being exalted, mighty and powerful, when he prefers being lowly?
Why is there such a temptation to ask for 'more power', miracles and big clanging things?
What if love really is "a more excellent way"?
What if I actually was patient enough and asked Father to teach me the way of love, and have everything else grow out of that love?
What if the way of Jesus still is serving in love, instead of ruling in power?
What if the only true way to rule in power actually is serving in love?
Why do we prefer Jesus as being exalted, mighty and powerful, when he prefers being lowly?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
One I
What if the real problem with us humans is not that we don't know how to become one, but that we don't know that we are one.
How different would the world be if we found out that we are one?
What if I started living in the knowledge of being one with every person I meet (beggar or buisness man)?
How much differently would I treat my neighbor if I really understood that I'm one with them?
Same substance, same breath.
Same father, same maker.
Just a different person(ality),
but ONE.
First, one in Adam.
Now, soon and forever one in Christ.
How different would the world be if we found out that we are one?
What if I started living in the knowledge of being one with every person I meet (beggar or buisness man)?
How much differently would I treat my neighbor if I really understood that I'm one with them?
Same substance, same breath.
Same father, same maker.
Just a different person(ality),
but ONE.
First, one in Adam.
Now, soon and forever one in Christ.
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