In the game of chess, the king is the most important piece (and the weakest), and the object of the game is to protect him while capturing the opponent's king. One of the most highly esteemed tactics in the game of chess is the sacrifice. This tactic involves giving away a pawn or piece seemingly for free while effecting a counter-attack to gain material or positional advantage. Since the queen is the most powerful piece on the chessboard, when she is sacrificed, the moves are calculated (or desperate), and some decisive advantage is nearly always achieved.
In the cosmic game of chess, the most important piece is also the most powerful piece, the King. We, the pawns, are weak but not expendable. As Jesus says, the Good Shepherd knows His sheep and will go after a single lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14, John 10). God, in His divine sovereignty, sacrificed the King for the sake of the pawn. If a queen sacrifice for the sake of the king is extravagant in chess, how much more extravagant is God's King sacrifice for the sake of His pawns (Ephesians 1:7-9, 1 John 3:1)?
Romans 5:6-10 tells us:
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Maturity, Spiritual Maturity
What does it mean to be mature? More specifically, what does it mean to be spiritually mature?
Each person should aspire to attain maturity. Merriam-Webster offers a variety of definitions. When dealing with inanimate objects or concepts, it is accurate to associate age with maturity. However, we've all met immature adults. This tells us that age is not a guarantor of maturity in the physical, psychological, or behavior realms. In the math and science world, we could attempt to build a correlation between age and maturity, but we'd find a poor coefficient of correlation (R2). Why? Because such a study would require multi variate analysis. We'd need to identify several other variables and all of their relations, functions, and transformations combined to accurately predict maturity. Such variables would include life experiences, locale, familiar relationships, work history, etc. The more applicable definition offered by Merriam-Webster for our subject of discussion relates maturity to development which depends on the many additional variables.
While it is difficult to predict another's level of maturity by looking at them or based solely on their age, it is simple to evaluate your own maturity level. How do you behave in difficult situations? How do you respond under pressure? How do you carry on the daily, routine tasks of life?
Just as each person should aspire to maturity, each believer should aspire to spiritual maturity. While maturity depends on physical, psychological, and behavioral development, spiritual maturity depends on Christian character development. The aspiring believer must study God's character and emulate it. While believers and religious institutions attempt to use many exterior measuring sticks to evaluate spiritual maturity, these tools do not function properly because any exterior variable you identify is actually dependent on what the writer of Hebrews uses to define spiritual maturity.
Hebrews 5:13-14, "For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."
If you are a believer, your primary task is to train your senses to discern good and evil, so you can behave like Christ. Spiritual maturity cannot be measured by the absence of profanity from your vocabulary, the lack of alcohol in your consumptive diet, or the abstention from adulterous behaviors. Spiritual maturity is not a measure of what is missing from your life; it is a measure of how Christlike you are. Practice and train your senses to discern good from evil, and behave like Christ - that is spiritual maturity.
Each person should aspire to attain maturity. Merriam-Webster offers a variety of definitions. When dealing with inanimate objects or concepts, it is accurate to associate age with maturity. However, we've all met immature adults. This tells us that age is not a guarantor of maturity in the physical, psychological, or behavior realms. In the math and science world, we could attempt to build a correlation between age and maturity, but we'd find a poor coefficient of correlation (R2). Why? Because such a study would require multi variate analysis. We'd need to identify several other variables and all of their relations, functions, and transformations combined to accurately predict maturity. Such variables would include life experiences, locale, familiar relationships, work history, etc. The more applicable definition offered by Merriam-Webster for our subject of discussion relates maturity to development which depends on the many additional variables.
While it is difficult to predict another's level of maturity by looking at them or based solely on their age, it is simple to evaluate your own maturity level. How do you behave in difficult situations? How do you respond under pressure? How do you carry on the daily, routine tasks of life?
Just as each person should aspire to maturity, each believer should aspire to spiritual maturity. While maturity depends on physical, psychological, and behavioral development, spiritual maturity depends on Christian character development. The aspiring believer must study God's character and emulate it. While believers and religious institutions attempt to use many exterior measuring sticks to evaluate spiritual maturity, these tools do not function properly because any exterior variable you identify is actually dependent on what the writer of Hebrews uses to define spiritual maturity.
Hebrews 5:13-14, "For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."
If you are a believer, your primary task is to train your senses to discern good and evil, so you can behave like Christ. Spiritual maturity cannot be measured by the absence of profanity from your vocabulary, the lack of alcohol in your consumptive diet, or the abstention from adulterous behaviors. Spiritual maturity is not a measure of what is missing from your life; it is a measure of how Christlike you are. Practice and train your senses to discern good from evil, and behave like Christ - that is spiritual maturity.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Reconciling the God of the OT and NT
Why is it that God seems to have changed from being so judgmental in the OT and so forgiving in the NT? I struggled with this question for a few years until I studied more of God's nature and how He has revealed Himself through scripture.
In the OT, God instructed us in various ways and by a variety of people what He desires. Micah says it this way, "Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God," (Micah 6:6-8). I would suggest that as we fulfill the 3rd part of this (walking humbly with our God), the other 2 come naturally.
The Israelites spent their time pursuing other gods. While these other gods had several names, we can better understand these gods as the pursuit of sensuality, pleasure, materialism, and self fulfillment. The pursuit of these 4 gods leads us to treat others with disregard. Ultimately, this leads one to be unjust in our dealings with others, to be unkind to other people, and to be arrogant with respect to God.
Jesus summed up the prophets and the Law with these 2 basic commandments: 1) Love God and 2) Love People. How can we love people until we love God? How can we love God until we know God? How can we know God until we study His word and learn His character? In reality, Jesus' message was no different than that of the OT. So what should we expect if we do not follow His instruction?
In today's society, we are still pursuing the same false gods as the Israelites. While God is patient and forgiving, He will bring every action into judgment.
In the OT, God instructed us in various ways and by a variety of people what He desires. Micah says it this way, "Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God," (Micah 6:6-8). I would suggest that as we fulfill the 3rd part of this (walking humbly with our God), the other 2 come naturally.
The Israelites spent their time pursuing other gods. While these other gods had several names, we can better understand these gods as the pursuit of sensuality, pleasure, materialism, and self fulfillment. The pursuit of these 4 gods leads us to treat others with disregard. Ultimately, this leads one to be unjust in our dealings with others, to be unkind to other people, and to be arrogant with respect to God.
Jesus summed up the prophets and the Law with these 2 basic commandments: 1) Love God and 2) Love People. How can we love people until we love God? How can we love God until we know God? How can we know God until we study His word and learn His character? In reality, Jesus' message was no different than that of the OT. So what should we expect if we do not follow His instruction?
In today's society, we are still pursuing the same false gods as the Israelites. While God is patient and forgiving, He will bring every action into judgment.
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