Two of the most common accusations I hear against Christianity are that it is a religion of guilt and that it is an exclusive religion. This song, I think, addressed both of those points. "Come, ye sinners" is not an accusation of those outside the church: it is an invitation to the world. Christianity recognizes that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." All who are saved are saved by grace alone, and therefore, because no one contributes to their salvation, all are on equal footing. Admittedly, this is frustrating for me. I confess that I want, more than almost anything in the world, to be able to contribute to the work of Christ. My pride gets in the way and it takes all of my effort (and I'd suspect more than a little bit of grace) to humble myself, throw my hands up and fall on my knees in worship, and praise God that the work is His.
As to the accusation of the fact that Christianity is a religion of guilt, you kinda have to hear the song. The tone is joyful, not mourning. This great salvation is free! "Without money, without money, come to Jesus Christ and buy" is the call. Our sins are a reality, but when we participate in Christ's death, we are a new creation, no longer enslaved to sin. Finally, even us sinners, are free to pursue righteousness. We become slaves of God.
Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus, ready, stands to save you,
Full of pity, joined with power.
He is able, He is able;
He is willing; doubt no more.
Come, ye needy, come, and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Without money, without money,
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.
Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry 'til you're better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.
Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requires
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you, this He gives you,
'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.
Lo! The Incarnate God ascended;
Pleads the merit of His blood.
Venture on Him; venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.
None but Jesus, none but Jesus,
Can do helpless sinners good.
4.27.2008
4.26.2008
The God Delusion, Part 5: Survey
As promised, here's a quick overview of The God Delusion with basic chapter descriptions and some basic opinions of mine that result. I'm done with the book, by the way. Maybe there will be another post, but I kinda doubt it. The last few chapters don't really rub me the wrong way like some of the others did. As I said for the first post about this book, I'd much rather talk to people individually about this, rather than send these posts out to everybody (and consequently, nobody). Tim Keller's The Reason for God is next on my list. It should be a refreshing read after this one.
Chapter 1: A Deeply Religious Non-Believer
The t-shirt issue/topic was in this chapter. Basically, it's just his introduction to the book. He points out some of his observations that go into the book (irrationality of treating religion and more 'gingerly' than other topics) and defines some terms that he uses throughout the book. Nothing too controversial here.
Chapter 2: The God Hypothesis
This chapter starts out as a laundry list of basic world-views: Polytheism, Monotheism, and Agnosticism. He points out basic characteristics of each, and some initial impressions that he has of them. He talks about the religious views of America's founding fathers, as well as other notable scientists. Probably most relevant to me, is that this chapter started me realizing that this book wasn't quite written in opposition to my beliefs. Overall, this chapter is a little scattered.
Chapter 3: Arguments for God's Existence
This is a meaty chapter, and a good one to read if you're interested in seeing what others offer as proof for God's existence. He doesn't pull the 'straw man' tactic too much (setting up an argument in such a way that it is easy to dispute, often by simply misrepresenting what it claims), and does a good job of surveying the teleological argument, ontological argument, argument from scripture, as well as other proofs that are offered. One point I appreciated from this chapter was the fact that we must distinguish between what we'd like to be true and what is true (hence, the title of the book). Obviously I disagree with him in the implications of this statement. To me, it means that we must take a serious look at scripture before we claim divine approval of our actions. In addition, it means that we take seriously the things is prescribes (I'm thinking of Sabbath rest: the present we don't want).
Chapter 4: Why There Almost Certainly is No God
This is Dawkins's forte: evolution and natural selection. Most frustrating for me through this chapter was his repeated frustration with people who misrepresent the theory (ie, claiming randomness, statistical impossibility, etc), followed by his own misrepresentation of Biblically sound beliefs. Most often, it's the suggestion that if we're having difficulty scientifically explaining something, that we throw up our hands, chalk it up to God's mystery, and move on. Rather, it is my conviction that we are to use all of our intellectual powers to investigate and appreciate creation so that we might, with an increasingly great sense of awe, worship God.
Chapter 5: The Roots of Religion
Here, Dawkins tries to explain why we have religion using evolutionary theory. I think that it's a pretty weak argument, not to mention disappointing in the way it treats human creativity. Whether you view humanity as made in the image of God or the way that secular humanists do, this view of religion negates the imagination that is inherent to humanity.
Chapter 6: The Roots of Morality: Why Are We Good?
This chapter tried to explain why we are 'good' in evolutionary terms. It works to some extent, but there are some pretty big gaps. He talks about Kant a little, as well as some Bentham and Mill, but trying to explain ethics has always been a difficult pursuit (whether you include God or not) and I don't see this argument holding too much weight with philosophers in the future.
Chapter 7: The 'Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist
This is the chapter that angered me the most, and is easily the most densely 'margin noted' section of the book. I already put up one post about it, and could put up many more explaining why I don't agree with this chapter at all. In addition to his misunderstanding of Biblical history and morality, Dawkins offers an argument for why Hitler and Stalin are not proof that Atheism leads to immorality. I'd agree with that, as well as his comments about the tragedy of the fact that religion leads some people to commit heinous crimes in the name of God (bombing abortion clinics, segregation, etc).
Chapter 8: What's Wrong With Religion? Why Be So Hostile?
Homosexuality and abortion are in his sights here, and as usual, he only deals with them to the extent that mainstream evangelical Christianity deals with them. The biggest disagreement I have here is his claim that Christians teach that faith in inherently good, and the more illogical the belief, the more admirable the faith is. I firmly believe that we are to employ both reason and faith in pursuit of truth (and that everyone does it to varying degrees of success).
Chapter 9: Childhood, Abuse, and the Escape From Religion
In this chapter, Dawkins bemoans the practice of labeling children as members of a particular religion. He says that they should be taught how to think, not what to think. Educated, not indoctrinated. I agree that children should be taught how to think, but I'm still undecided on the whole 'Christian children' thing. I need to put more thought into that, specifically in understanding God's covenant promises as applying to 'you and your children.'
Chapter 10: A Much Needed Gap?
I really liked this chapter. Dawkins details how we are creatures of Middle World: there are things too small or too vast for us to comprehend. There are sounds too low or too high for us to hear. There are waves too long or to narrow for us to view. But. With advances in science, the window through which we view the world has been thrown open wider and wider. His conclusion is that we toss the unnecessary, limiting belief in God out the window in light of our own achievements. Mine is that we fall on our knees and worship God for the beauty and majesty and mystery of His creation.
Chapter 1: A Deeply Religious Non-Believer
The t-shirt issue/topic was in this chapter. Basically, it's just his introduction to the book. He points out some of his observations that go into the book (irrationality of treating religion and more 'gingerly' than other topics) and defines some terms that he uses throughout the book. Nothing too controversial here.
Chapter 2: The God Hypothesis
This chapter starts out as a laundry list of basic world-views: Polytheism, Monotheism, and Agnosticism. He points out basic characteristics of each, and some initial impressions that he has of them. He talks about the religious views of America's founding fathers, as well as other notable scientists. Probably most relevant to me, is that this chapter started me realizing that this book wasn't quite written in opposition to my beliefs. Overall, this chapter is a little scattered.
Chapter 3: Arguments for God's Existence
This is a meaty chapter, and a good one to read if you're interested in seeing what others offer as proof for God's existence. He doesn't pull the 'straw man' tactic too much (setting up an argument in such a way that it is easy to dispute, often by simply misrepresenting what it claims), and does a good job of surveying the teleological argument, ontological argument, argument from scripture, as well as other proofs that are offered. One point I appreciated from this chapter was the fact that we must distinguish between what we'd like to be true and what is true (hence, the title of the book). Obviously I disagree with him in the implications of this statement. To me, it means that we must take a serious look at scripture before we claim divine approval of our actions. In addition, it means that we take seriously the things is prescribes (I'm thinking of Sabbath rest: the present we don't want).
Chapter 4: Why There Almost Certainly is No God
This is Dawkins's forte: evolution and natural selection. Most frustrating for me through this chapter was his repeated frustration with people who misrepresent the theory (ie, claiming randomness, statistical impossibility, etc), followed by his own misrepresentation of Biblically sound beliefs. Most often, it's the suggestion that if we're having difficulty scientifically explaining something, that we throw up our hands, chalk it up to God's mystery, and move on. Rather, it is my conviction that we are to use all of our intellectual powers to investigate and appreciate creation so that we might, with an increasingly great sense of awe, worship God.
Chapter 5: The Roots of Religion
Here, Dawkins tries to explain why we have religion using evolutionary theory. I think that it's a pretty weak argument, not to mention disappointing in the way it treats human creativity. Whether you view humanity as made in the image of God or the way that secular humanists do, this view of religion negates the imagination that is inherent to humanity.
Chapter 6: The Roots of Morality: Why Are We Good?
This chapter tried to explain why we are 'good' in evolutionary terms. It works to some extent, but there are some pretty big gaps. He talks about Kant a little, as well as some Bentham and Mill, but trying to explain ethics has always been a difficult pursuit (whether you include God or not) and I don't see this argument holding too much weight with philosophers in the future.
Chapter 7: The 'Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist
This is the chapter that angered me the most, and is easily the most densely 'margin noted' section of the book. I already put up one post about it, and could put up many more explaining why I don't agree with this chapter at all. In addition to his misunderstanding of Biblical history and morality, Dawkins offers an argument for why Hitler and Stalin are not proof that Atheism leads to immorality. I'd agree with that, as well as his comments about the tragedy of the fact that religion leads some people to commit heinous crimes in the name of God (bombing abortion clinics, segregation, etc).
Chapter 8: What's Wrong With Religion? Why Be So Hostile?
Homosexuality and abortion are in his sights here, and as usual, he only deals with them to the extent that mainstream evangelical Christianity deals with them. The biggest disagreement I have here is his claim that Christians teach that faith in inherently good, and the more illogical the belief, the more admirable the faith is. I firmly believe that we are to employ both reason and faith in pursuit of truth (and that everyone does it to varying degrees of success).
Chapter 9: Childhood, Abuse, and the Escape From Religion
In this chapter, Dawkins bemoans the practice of labeling children as members of a particular religion. He says that they should be taught how to think, not what to think. Educated, not indoctrinated. I agree that children should be taught how to think, but I'm still undecided on the whole 'Christian children' thing. I need to put more thought into that, specifically in understanding God's covenant promises as applying to 'you and your children.'
Chapter 10: A Much Needed Gap?
I really liked this chapter. Dawkins details how we are creatures of Middle World: there are things too small or too vast for us to comprehend. There are sounds too low or too high for us to hear. There are waves too long or to narrow for us to view. But. With advances in science, the window through which we view the world has been thrown open wider and wider. His conclusion is that we toss the unnecessary, limiting belief in God out the window in light of our own achievements. Mine is that we fall on our knees and worship God for the beauty and majesty and mystery of His creation.
4.24.2008
Total Randomness
Thankfully, this week has been much more relaxed than last week. Instead of three tests, normal reading and homework levels, and a major project (our final report was 50 pages long), all I've had this week is a short group presentation and three canceled classes. Needless to say, I'm in a much better mood. Exams are next week (and a little the week after), but I exempt one, some are papers, and others are non-comprehensive, so I'm not stressing too much.
As I was paging back through my blog, I realized that people may have completely the wrong impression of me. Hymns and The God Delusion are not the only two things I think about or spend time on. There is so much more to this blogger than what is involved here on these posts. So, to give you a little taste, a little window into the complex labyrinth that is Andrew Shank, here are some of my other pursuits.
My favorite website of all time is the hilarious, ridiculous, classic, and infamous (?) HomeStar Runner. Specifically, the Strong Bad e-mails slay me. Some of the best are Virus, Kids' Book, and from way way back, Guitar. Marzipan's answering machine is worth checking out, as well as the numerous toons, shorts, and music videos. So much of my humor comes from this website. Seriously (sewiouswy), if you're planning on spending any length of time in my presence, familiarize yourself with this glorious website.
I play the guitar. Much of the time I spend playing is spent in worship (leading at RUF, back-up at church, and privately in my room), but I do enjoy finger-picking every once and again. Iron and Wine is one of my new favorite bands, and quite a few of their songs are very playable. Check out some of their music: it's on the chill side, and great for falling asleep to on a warm Spring afternoon. Not that it's boring. It just puts you in that kind of mood. I play a Takamine G10, and it sounds just as beautiful as it looks.
The house that we started over Spring Break (check this out, if you need a refresher) is coming along quite nicely. (I told you this would be random.) There have been lots of teams working on it, and it's looking great. Fuller progress is on Lagniappe's website (check-out the side bar for a link), but here's a update all the same. Also, one of the graduating RUFers is going to be interning there this summer. Yay Allison! Good luck, and drink plenty of water.
In addition to my philosophizing, harmonizing, and time-wasting on HSR, I am also a nerd. I am well versed in both Middle-Earth and Star Wars lore. I am a fan of 'dorky board games' such as Risk, Go, and the less-well-known, Settlers of Catan and A Game of Thrones (the last is also a book series I thoroughly enjoy). Real-time strategy games (RTS for short) are awesome, my favorite being Starcraft. Along those lines, I have been very excited about the pending release of Starcraft II: I've waited for almost 10 years, and it's finally come.
I feel like that's enough for now. I did do some good reading in The God Delusion this week (lots of free time, remember?), so there might be an update on that in the next couple days. There is one thing in this post that, to many of you, will be conspicuous by its absence: Camp. That's right, with a capital 'C'. I'm missing it and looking forward to it, but I know that plenty of my posts this summer will deal with days and people at camp, so I'll save that topic for a time when I can do it more justice.
As I was paging back through my blog, I realized that people may have completely the wrong impression of me. Hymns and The God Delusion are not the only two things I think about or spend time on. There is so much more to this blogger than what is involved here on these posts. So, to give you a little taste, a little window into the complex labyrinth that is Andrew Shank, here are some of my other pursuits.
My favorite website of all time is the hilarious, ridiculous, classic, and infamous (?) HomeStar Runner. Specifically, the Strong Bad e-mails slay me. Some of the best are Virus, Kids' Book, and from way way back, Guitar. Marzipan's answering machine is worth checking out, as well as the numerous toons, shorts, and music videos. So much of my humor comes from this website. Seriously (sewiouswy), if you're planning on spending any length of time in my presence, familiarize yourself with this glorious website.I play the guitar. Much of the time I spend playing is spent in worship (leading at RUF, back-up at church, and privately in my room), but I do enjoy finger-picking every once and again. Iron and Wine is one of my new favorite bands, and quite a few of their songs are very playable. Check out some of their music: it's on the chill side, and great for falling asleep to on a warm Spring afternoon. Not that it's boring. It just puts you in that kind of mood. I play a Takamine G10, and it sounds just as beautiful as it looks.
The house that we started over Spring Break (check this out, if you need a refresher) is coming along quite nicely. (I told you this would be random.) There have been lots of teams working on it, and it's looking great. Fuller progress is on Lagniappe's website (check-out the side bar for a link), but here's a update all the same. Also, one of the graduating RUFers is going to be interning there this summer. Yay Allison! Good luck, and drink plenty of water.In addition to my philosophizing, harmonizing, and time-wasting on HSR, I am also a nerd. I am well versed in both Middle-Earth and Star Wars lore. I am a fan of 'dorky board games' such as Risk, Go, and the less-well-known, Settlers of Catan and A Game of Thrones (the last is also a book series I thoroughly enjoy). Real-time strategy games (RTS for short) are awesome, my favorite being Starcraft. Along those lines, I have been very excited about the pending release of Starcraft II: I've waited for almost 10 years, and it's finally come.
I feel like that's enough for now. I did do some good reading in The God Delusion this week (lots of free time, remember?), so there might be an update on that in the next couple days. There is one thing in this post that, to many of you, will be conspicuous by its absence: Camp. That's right, with a capital 'C'. I'm missing it and looking forward to it, but I know that plenty of my posts this summer will deal with days and people at camp, so I'll save that topic for a time when I can do it more justice.
4.20.2008
Sunday Songs - Bonus Track
It's Little Brudder's birthday today, and thought a little birthday song was in order (he's only turning 20, so it's not really that big of a deal). Next year, though. Next year.
For he's a jolly good fellow,
For he's a jolly good fellow,
For he's a jolly good felloooooooooow,
Which nobody can deny!
Which nobody can deny,
Which nobody can deny,
For he's a jolly good felloooooooooow,
Which nobody can deny!
Happy Birthday Dan.
For he's a jolly good fellow,
For he's a jolly good fellow,
For he's a jolly good felloooooooooow,
Which nobody can deny!
Which nobody can deny,
Which nobody can deny,
For he's a jolly good felloooooooooow,
Which nobody can deny!
Happy Birthday Dan.
Sunday Hymn - Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine
This hymn (yet another golden oldie) popped into my head this morning during communion. As I was praying, praising God for the blessing of His son and that, through the blood of Christ, I can approach the throne in worship, the line "Born of his spirit, washed in his blood" stuck in my head. From there, I was able to remember the whole first verse, but couldn't remember anything beyond the refrain. As I looked the song up and read the words, I was overwhelmed that the rest of this hymn deals with precisely what I've been learning all semester: rest. Christ offers us His peace and rest. That doesn't mean we won't still struggle with sin (we are fallen, after all) or struggle with doubt in times of trouble. But Christ offers us His peace and rest. It is eternal, and it is offered to us now. It is "a foretaste of glory divine."
One other note about this song. The third line of the last verse says "watching and waiting." I believe that these are keys to finding peace and rest, joy and life, in Christ. These are hard for us to do in this age of instant messaging, microwaves, and overnight shipping. Patience is a lost virtue. I am convinced that the disillusionment many feel with life in Christ is due to the fact that they are not willing to wait on the Lord.
God, give me patience and trust that I might wait on You and find rest in reliance on Your promises.
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his spirit, washed in his blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long
One other note about this song. The third line of the last verse says "watching and waiting." I believe that these are keys to finding peace and rest, joy and life, in Christ. These are hard for us to do in this age of instant messaging, microwaves, and overnight shipping. Patience is a lost virtue. I am convinced that the disillusionment many feel with life in Christ is due to the fact that they are not willing to wait on the Lord.
God, give me patience and trust that I might wait on You and find rest in reliance on Your promises.
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his spirit, washed in his blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long
4.14.2008
God Delusion, Part 4: Morality
This is going to be, without a doubt, the most stressful week of my semester. I had one test today, have two more this week, my normal reading and homework levels, a major project due, two papers to write for next week, and two presentations to prepare for next week. Thankfully, after that, all I have to worry about is exams. So, here at the outset of this week, I wanted to make sure I took time to do something that relaxes me: reading and writing. The reading part, as you'll see, didn't relax me so much. Hopefully the writing part can help a little.
In talking about Richard Dawkins's book, I've touched on the 'sensitivity' with which we treat religion and why I think it's the case, the problem of Nominal Christianity and the dangers that come with it, and most recently, the fact that this book addresses notions of Christianity that I have problems with just as much as Dawkins does. In this, I haven't really gotten past the first couple chapters of the book, and I'm facing a problem. I'm well into the 7th chapter (275ish) and haven't really written on anything past page 50. I've either got a lot of catching up to do or a lot of stuff to leave behind. What I think I'm going to do is have a post dedicated just to what each chapter addresses and a couple key points or issues I see. That will get me caught up to where I am in the book and allow me to continue my 'rabbit trail' analysis of the book that has characterized my posts so far.
This is not that post. Tonight, I need to write about what I just read (and if you'll remember, did not at all relax me). Chapter 7 is titled 'The 'Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist.' What I've read so far is an extremely selective, obviously biased bird's-eye-view of the Old Testament and an argument for why it does not serve as a model for our moral behavior. Dawkins suggests that the two ways scripture could be seen as a guide for moral behavior are as a list of explicit rules (such as the Ten Commandments) or pointing to examples, role models (Jesus, David, etc), of how to live a good life. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable statement. The Bible does have some rules and commandments in it, and it does have lots of stories about men and women that we can draw inspiration from. But, there is a problem with both of these conceptions of morality from scripture.
First, the role model category. Here is Dawkins's introduction to the patriarch, Abraham: "Lot's uncle Abraham was the founding father of all three 'great' monotheistic religions. His patriarchal status renders him only somewhat less likely than God to be taken as a role model. But what modern moralist would wish to follow him? (274)" At this point, I almost threw the book across the room. The very statement that Richard Dawkins intends to discredit Abraham is actually one of the fundamental points of covenant theology! He's right there, he's so close to the truth, and he can't see it! To me, this was the height of the book's misdirected, misleading arguments.
What do I mean that this is the starting point of covenant theology? Covenant theology looks at the Bible as the pattern of God's faithfulness to His chosen people (I touched on this a little bit yesterday with the Sunday hymn). One of the key points of this view of scripture is that we contribute nothing to our salvation. God is the one who initiates the plan of redemption in the wake of the fall, who passes through the animal halves in the covenant ceremony with Abraham (who actually sleeps through the whole thing), who calls His people out of Egypt, who sends Christ, and who will call His own out of the world. From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to those in Christ, there is a pattern of covenant promises that God makes and keeps with His people.
With this view, it is no surprise that modern moralists would not want to emulate Abraham. Indeed, he was not chosen for this purpose. Rather, he was chosen by God precisely because there was no one else through whom God's grace would be seen more. Why did God call Paul to minister to the early church? Because there was no one else through whom God's transforming grace could be seen more. Why did he chose Israel? Because he knew there would be no nation more fickle, more wavering than them, and that thus, his faithfulness might be even more apparent. With an understanding of covenant theology, the Old Testament is transformed from a storybook of role models (who are undeniably screwed up) to a beautiful display of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises to His people regardless of their moral laxity. So we see that Dawkins's assessment of Biblical morality being based on role-model emulation is negated. These stories do not exhort us to be like the Biblical heroes: they call us to see God more clearly in the way He acts in spite of these heroes.
In addition, the legalistic notion of morality falls with this covenant theology. From the beginning, the Old Testament laws were not meant for a people to earn their election as God's chosen. God made the covenant with Abraham long before Moses received the law on Mount Siani. Instead, the law was given as a model for Israel's response to this miracle of election. Because the Law is reactionary, it is not inappropriate for us to talk about the spirit of the law. As Christ says, loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving our neighbor as ourselves is a fulfillment of all the law. When we understand the law as a guide to sanctification rather than our earning of salvation, it is clear that morality is not dictated through scripture by a list of rules.
Morality, for the Christian, should not be our efforts to earn salvation or to make ourselves look more like Biblical heroes such as David or Abraham or Moses. Rather, our morality, our striving for right, is to always be a reaction to God's glory as displayed in our salvation.
As I said at the beginning, this statement, this representation of the Old Testament, enraged me. And it's not the only one in this chapter. I've tried to stay away from encouraging you (whoever you are) to encourage others to read this blog, but I'm going to make a minor exception here. If you know someone who is reading this book, Christian or not, please talk to them about it. Whether that means reading it yourself, pointing them to other Christians who have read it, or pointing them my direction, make sure they talk to someone about this book. There are very real misrepresentations of scripture, especially in this chapter, and it would be a great tragedy if Dawkins's misunderstanding of scripture led others to reject its truth.
And on a lighter not, since we're talking about morality and virtue, here's one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips (it and The Far Side are my two favorite comics).
In talking about Richard Dawkins's book, I've touched on the 'sensitivity' with which we treat religion and why I think it's the case, the problem of Nominal Christianity and the dangers that come with it, and most recently, the fact that this book addresses notions of Christianity that I have problems with just as much as Dawkins does. In this, I haven't really gotten past the first couple chapters of the book, and I'm facing a problem. I'm well into the 7th chapter (275ish) and haven't really written on anything past page 50. I've either got a lot of catching up to do or a lot of stuff to leave behind. What I think I'm going to do is have a post dedicated just to what each chapter addresses and a couple key points or issues I see. That will get me caught up to where I am in the book and allow me to continue my 'rabbit trail' analysis of the book that has characterized my posts so far.
This is not that post. Tonight, I need to write about what I just read (and if you'll remember, did not at all relax me). Chapter 7 is titled 'The 'Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist.' What I've read so far is an extremely selective, obviously biased bird's-eye-view of the Old Testament and an argument for why it does not serve as a model for our moral behavior. Dawkins suggests that the two ways scripture could be seen as a guide for moral behavior are as a list of explicit rules (such as the Ten Commandments) or pointing to examples, role models (Jesus, David, etc), of how to live a good life. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable statement. The Bible does have some rules and commandments in it, and it does have lots of stories about men and women that we can draw inspiration from. But, there is a problem with both of these conceptions of morality from scripture.
First, the role model category. Here is Dawkins's introduction to the patriarch, Abraham: "Lot's uncle Abraham was the founding father of all three 'great' monotheistic religions. His patriarchal status renders him only somewhat less likely than God to be taken as a role model. But what modern moralist would wish to follow him? (274)" At this point, I almost threw the book across the room. The very statement that Richard Dawkins intends to discredit Abraham is actually one of the fundamental points of covenant theology! He's right there, he's so close to the truth, and he can't see it! To me, this was the height of the book's misdirected, misleading arguments.
What do I mean that this is the starting point of covenant theology? Covenant theology looks at the Bible as the pattern of God's faithfulness to His chosen people (I touched on this a little bit yesterday with the Sunday hymn). One of the key points of this view of scripture is that we contribute nothing to our salvation. God is the one who initiates the plan of redemption in the wake of the fall, who passes through the animal halves in the covenant ceremony with Abraham (who actually sleeps through the whole thing), who calls His people out of Egypt, who sends Christ, and who will call His own out of the world. From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to those in Christ, there is a pattern of covenant promises that God makes and keeps with His people.
With this view, it is no surprise that modern moralists would not want to emulate Abraham. Indeed, he was not chosen for this purpose. Rather, he was chosen by God precisely because there was no one else through whom God's grace would be seen more. Why did God call Paul to minister to the early church? Because there was no one else through whom God's transforming grace could be seen more. Why did he chose Israel? Because he knew there would be no nation more fickle, more wavering than them, and that thus, his faithfulness might be even more apparent. With an understanding of covenant theology, the Old Testament is transformed from a storybook of role models (who are undeniably screwed up) to a beautiful display of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises to His people regardless of their moral laxity. So we see that Dawkins's assessment of Biblical morality being based on role-model emulation is negated. These stories do not exhort us to be like the Biblical heroes: they call us to see God more clearly in the way He acts in spite of these heroes.
In addition, the legalistic notion of morality falls with this covenant theology. From the beginning, the Old Testament laws were not meant for a people to earn their election as God's chosen. God made the covenant with Abraham long before Moses received the law on Mount Siani. Instead, the law was given as a model for Israel's response to this miracle of election. Because the Law is reactionary, it is not inappropriate for us to talk about the spirit of the law. As Christ says, loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving our neighbor as ourselves is a fulfillment of all the law. When we understand the law as a guide to sanctification rather than our earning of salvation, it is clear that morality is not dictated through scripture by a list of rules.
Morality, for the Christian, should not be our efforts to earn salvation or to make ourselves look more like Biblical heroes such as David or Abraham or Moses. Rather, our morality, our striving for right, is to always be a reaction to God's glory as displayed in our salvation.
As I said at the beginning, this statement, this representation of the Old Testament, enraged me. And it's not the only one in this chapter. I've tried to stay away from encouraging you (whoever you are) to encourage others to read this blog, but I'm going to make a minor exception here. If you know someone who is reading this book, Christian or not, please talk to them about it. Whether that means reading it yourself, pointing them to other Christians who have read it, or pointing them my direction, make sure they talk to someone about this book. There are very real misrepresentations of scripture, especially in this chapter, and it would be a great tragedy if Dawkins's misunderstanding of scripture led others to reject its truth.
And on a lighter not, since we're talking about morality and virtue, here's one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips (it and The Far Side are my two favorite comics).
4.13.2008
Sunday Hymn - Great is Thy Faithfulness
This is another gem I remember from my days as a wee lad. I had the privilege of hearing it in church last Sunday, and it has been stuck in my head all week. Not at all a bad thing. It is a wonderful reminder of the fact that God is constant. The heavens give witness to the track record that God has of His great faithfulness. He keeps His promises to His people, regardless of their actions and unfaithfulness (see Hosea). As Sinclair Ferguson points out in his terrific book, A Heart for God, the cross is the ultimate testament of this faithfulness. "When you look at the Cross, what do you see? You see God's awesome faithfulness. Nothing - not even the instinct to spare His own Son - will turn Him back from keeping His word. For God promised Abraham that He would keep His word to him, to bring blessing and salvation to mankind through him, even if it meant being 'cut off' - as indeed it did. (1985 edition, pg 71)"
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
4.09.2008
Worship and Prayer
Prayer is not something that my generation takes seriously very often. God gets addressed relentlessly as "daddy," "dude," or "home boy." Reverence is far from consideration, as is a posture of humility and submission. Our prayer is full of us requesting things from God and rarely contains just adoration and praise. We don't thank God for the things He has done: we only ask Him to act in the future. I know that I'm definitely guilty of this from time to time.
One of the means of grace that reorients my prayer life is worship. The hymns that I'm such a fan of (like those that get posted on Sundays) are, in a very real sense, prayers and confessions. They affirm truths from scripture, rejoice in the blessings of salvation, and seek to give glory to God. But more than just the words we sing, worship is a posture before God. It recognizes that He has done great things for us, and as a result, we come to Him in humility and gratitude.
One of my high school graduation gifts was a book called Valley of Vision. I highly recommend it. It is a collection of Puritan prayers on topics as general as sin and prayer or as specific as the love of Christ and God as the source of all good. They serve as a great example to me of how prayer serves as affirmation and thanksgiving, not just supplication or confession. One of my favorites is a prayer on worship. For me, it captures, better than I could ever say it, the posture and aim of worship. Enjoy.
One of the means of grace that reorients my prayer life is worship. The hymns that I'm such a fan of (like those that get posted on Sundays) are, in a very real sense, prayers and confessions. They affirm truths from scripture, rejoice in the blessings of salvation, and seek to give glory to God. But more than just the words we sing, worship is a posture before God. It recognizes that He has done great things for us, and as a result, we come to Him in humility and gratitude.
One of my high school graduation gifts was a book called Valley of Vision. I highly recommend it. It is a collection of Puritan prayers on topics as general as sin and prayer or as specific as the love of Christ and God as the source of all good. They serve as a great example to me of how prayer serves as affirmation and thanksgiving, not just supplication or confession. One of my favorites is a prayer on worship. For me, it captures, better than I could ever say it, the posture and aim of worship. Enjoy.Worship
Glorious God,
It is the flame of my life to worship thee, the crown and glory of my soul to adore thee, heavenly pleasure to approach thee.
Give me power by thy Spirit to help me worship now, that I may forget the world, be brought into fullness of life, be refreshed, comforted, blessed.
Give me knowledge of thy goodness that I might not be over-awed by thy greatness;
Give me Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God, that I might not be terrified, but be drawn near with filial love, with holy boldness;
He is my mediator, brother interpreter, branch, daysman, Lamb; him I glorify, in him I am set on high.
Crowns to give I have none, but what thou hast given I return, content to feel that everything is mine when it is thine, and the more fully mine when I have yielded it to thee.
Let me live wholly to my Saviour, free from distractions, from carking care, from hindrances to the pursuit of the narrow way.
I am pardoned through the blood of Jesus - give me a new sense of it, continue to pardon me by it, may I come every day to the fountain, and every day be washed anew, that I may worship thee always in spirit and truth.
It is the flame of my life to worship thee, the crown and glory of my soul to adore thee, heavenly pleasure to approach thee.
Give me power by thy Spirit to help me worship now, that I may forget the world, be brought into fullness of life, be refreshed, comforted, blessed.
Give me knowledge of thy goodness that I might not be over-awed by thy greatness;
Give me Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God, that I might not be terrified, but be drawn near with filial love, with holy boldness;
He is my mediator, brother interpreter, branch, daysman, Lamb; him I glorify, in him I am set on high.
Crowns to give I have none, but what thou hast given I return, content to feel that everything is mine when it is thine, and the more fully mine when I have yielded it to thee.
Let me live wholly to my Saviour, free from distractions, from carking care, from hindrances to the pursuit of the narrow way.
I am pardoned through the blood of Jesus - give me a new sense of it, continue to pardon me by it, may I come every day to the fountain, and every day be washed anew, that I may worship thee always in spirit and truth.
4.06.2008
Sunday Hymn - O Day of Rest and Gladness
O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright:
On Thee, the high and lowly,
Through ages joined in tune,
Sing holy, holy, holy,
To the great God Triune.
On Thee, at the creation,
The light first had its birth;
On Thee, for our salvation,
Christ rose from depths of earth;
On Thee, our Lord, victorious,
The Spirit sent from heav'n,
And thus on Thee most glorious,
A triple light was giv'n.
Thou art a port protected
From storms that round us rise;
A garden intersected
With streams of paradise;
Thou art a cooling fountain
In life's dry dreary sand;
From Thee, like Pisgah's mountain,
We view our promised land.
Today on weary nations
The heav'nly manna falls;
To holy convocations
The silver trumpet calls,
Where gospel light is glowing
With pure and radiant beams,
And living water flowing,
With soul-refreshing streams.
New graces ever gaining
From this, our day of rest,
We reach the rest remaining
To spirits of the blessed.
To Holy Ghost be praises,
To Father, and to Son;
The church her voice upraises
To Thee, blessed Three in One.
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright:
On Thee, the high and lowly,
Through ages joined in tune,
Sing holy, holy, holy,
To the great God Triune.
On Thee, at the creation,
The light first had its birth;
On Thee, for our salvation,
Christ rose from depths of earth;
On Thee, our Lord, victorious,
The Spirit sent from heav'n,
And thus on Thee most glorious,
A triple light was giv'n.
Thou art a port protected
From storms that round us rise;
A garden intersected
With streams of paradise;
Thou art a cooling fountain
In life's dry dreary sand;
From Thee, like Pisgah's mountain,
We view our promised land.
Today on weary nations
The heav'nly manna falls;
To holy convocations
The silver trumpet calls,
Where gospel light is glowing
With pure and radiant beams,
And living water flowing,
With soul-refreshing streams.
New graces ever gaining
From this, our day of rest,
We reach the rest remaining
To spirits of the blessed.
To Holy Ghost be praises,
To Father, and to Son;
The church her voice upraises
To Thee, blessed Three in One.
4.05.2008
God Delusion, Part 3: Audience
As I get further and further into The God Delusion, I become more and more convinced that this book is not addressed to me. Dawkins attacks Christian beliefs without specifically addressing Christians, yet I get the sense that he hopes Christians will read this book. Because of the way he structures his arguments and the way he characterizes Christians, I can only conclude that this book is written to non-Christians with the hope of shoring up their beliefs and giving them questions to challenge Christians with. There are portions, however, where he gets so caught up in his arguments that I suspect he is thinking "if only Christians would read this, they'd see how ridiculous their beliefs are and turn away from the church in a heartbeat." But whether we're talking about his audience in voice (non-Christians) or his audience in hope (Christians who won't read it), I still don't think the book is addressed to me.Doesn't that statement contradict itself? The book is either addressed to non-Christians or Christians. You have to be one of those, right? Those two groups are both mutually exclusive (can't belong to both) and population encompassing (everyone falls into one of those categories). But the 'brand' of Christianity that Dawkins is addressing is not my own. Sure, there are some things that apply to me: miracles, virgin birth, the effectiveness of prayer, morality, etc. But these interactions are more of the 'bump into' sort rather than the 'rush headlong at full speed' type. Overall, the details of Christianity that Dawkins deals with are not characteristic of what I believe.
Dawkins has mainstream Christianity in his sights: bumper stickers and Pat Robertson, Christian legislation groups and elementary school t-shirts, Joel Osteenian Christianity (pray for a parking space pg. 84) and Watchtower Publications. These are the sources Dawkins draws upon for the Christian viewpoints that he is addressing (I say this rather than arguing or debating because this brand of Christianity is frustratingly resistant to conversation and discussion). Nowhere in the 250 pages that I've read so far does he deal with the kind of Christianity that I support and embrace. John Calvin, John Stott, John Piper, J. I. Packer, Tim Keller, Jerry Bridges, and so many more of my favorite authors and theologians are never even mentioned. And believe me, it's not for lack of material from these writers. John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion is enormous, not to mention the many commentaries that Stott has published, the books that the rest of them write, or the sermons they preach.
What is the difference? If he's attacking Christianity, aren't I included in that even if I don't necessarily agree with everything that others preach? I would suggest that there is a fundamental difference between Reformed Christianity (what I embrace) and the mainstream Christianity that is the source of so much antagonism (purposefully ambiguous: they both give and receive plenty). If that difference were something like the nature of communion or the practice of speaking in tongues, that would not merit the gap I see between the two. But, as I am convinced, the rift starts at square one, and thus, when you get to details of belief and practice, the rift has grown wider than the Grand Canyon.
The difference I see is this: Reformed Christianity (and this is not to say that all who call themselves reformed do this, or that none who don't see themselves as reformed don't) starts with God's glory. Soli deo gloria. God is seen as glorious, holy, righteous, just, merciful, loving, good, and so much more (see J. I. Packer's wonderful book, Knowing God). Our life, our culture, our relationships, everything, are therefore to be interpreted in light of the fact that God is (YHWH) and that we are made in His image. It comes with the conviction that He is at work on behalf of His people, the true children of Abraham (those who are children of faith). That God is faithful to His Word and His covenant promises.
I'm not trying to say that other kinds of Christianity aren't concerned with God's glory, just that they don't start there. Social justice, evangelism, marriage counseling, etc, are all good and worthy pursuits, but if they don't stem from an appreciation of God, they are headed in the wrong direction. Moreover, we tend to misconstrue the gospel if we start with ourselves. Works as an overflowing of gratitude will lead to legalism, grace will lead to indulgence. But when our sights are set on God, our deviations from our course are easily corrected.
Once again, I haven't really talked about The God Delusion (if you really wanna know what's in it, read it for yourself). And honestly, I don't feel like I explained myself real well here. I feel like I was elitist and snobbish. I fear that someone will read it and think that, because they aren't 'reformed', I think they aren't really a Christian. That's not at all the case. But, this is my explanation of the discrepancy I see between Dawkins's targeted Christianity and mine, and I think that it holds real weight. If God is all that He claims to be, where else can we start?
4.03.2008
O Day of Rest and Gladness
God is continuously teaching us, whether we realize it or not. It could be the importance of repentance, the rest He offers us, how to effectively battle sin, or, as I recently talked to a friend about, the fact that God wants all of us all the time, not just our half-hearted worship on Sunday morning and a Thursday afternoon Bible study. If we don't take time to reflect on where we've been and what God has taught us, we miss an opportunity to give Him praise. We'll still have grown, we'll still have been taught and guided by Him, but if our chief end is to glorify God, we'll have missed a blessing.
With that in mind, I've been looking back over this semester this past week. Without a doubt, God has been and continues to teach me the importance of the Sabbath. And that it lies both in fellowship with the body and an opportunity for us to experience the rest that Christ promises us.
First, what has come for me is the importance of being part of the body of Christ. For the past four years I've been very active in RUF (Reform University Fellowship), but haven't really committed myself to the church. I mean, when I'm here I go, but I would go with other RUF people, sit with RUF people, and then leave with RUF people. This semester, though, I've started helping to play music on Sunday mornings. I don't lead, but I do play back-up guitar. Anyway, because the whole worship band isn't RUF people, it's gotten me connected to the church in new and different ways. I know people beyond my own peer group, and because those connections are there, it gives more opportunity for fellowship, encouragement, and growth.
If you're in a similar situation (ie, in college and attending a church regularly but don't consider it your home church or even feel connected), I would encourage you first to look for ways to serve the body. Nursery on Sunday mornings, participating in set-up or take-down (if needed), or, as some of State's RUFers have done, offering child care for couples going to small groups. If nothing else, these things will put you in situations where it is more comfortable and natural to introduce yourself and strike up a conversation.
If you're in a similar situation (ie, in a church that has college students but you don't really know them), I would encourage you to ask a college student to lunch on Sunday after church or to have dinner with you some night. Free food is a great way to get college students to do ... anything, really. If you're going to watch the game, invite some students over to enjoy it in a place other than their dorm room. Interactions don't have to be to impact or teach: just hanging out is more than enough.
The church is to give glory to God, take care of and support the members of its body, and to be Christ's witness to the world. In my understanding, the first and third purposes are improved as we work toward the second. That is, as we come together as a body, not just a collection of individuals, we are more able to glorify God by our witness to each other and we are more able to point those outside the body to Christ by living out life in Christ.
The other factor of the Sabbath is the rest that Christ promises us. As I heard the other night, "Our grandfathers' generation called it 'the Sabbath', our fathers' generation called it 'Sunday', and we call it 'the weekend'." And that's very true. In my whole time at school I have not made any effort whatsoever to participate in the blessings of Sabbath rest beyond worship on Sunday morning. Homework gets pushed to Sunday night, laundry gets put off until the afternoon, and the day that's supposed to be for us to rest, experience Christ, and to fellowship with other believers ends up being one of the most stressful days of the week.
God made the Sabbath for man, and when we neglect it (as I am very guilty of) we effectively say that we don't want the gift He offers us. In light of this realization, I've taken some very real steps to ensure that I am able to rest on Sunday (and I would encourage you to do the same). Managing my time during the week so that Sunday afternoon doesn't have to be spent on homework has been a growing consideration. In addition, a renewed sense of the fact that I am not to work on the Sabbath has been impressed on me. I don't have a constant job this semester due to my course load, but I have been searching for and doing odd jobs such as moving and yard work. It's been challenging (and costly) at times, but making sure the only work I do on Sunday is works of mercy has been a blessing.
As I'm wrapping this up, I realize that it might come off as prideful and 'copy me.' That's not even close to what I'm trying to say. Here's my point: look at the words of Christ. Look at His promises. Look at the way that the Bible instructs us to live in response to the work of Christ. And do something about it.
With that in mind, I've been looking back over this semester this past week. Without a doubt, God has been and continues to teach me the importance of the Sabbath. And that it lies both in fellowship with the body and an opportunity for us to experience the rest that Christ promises us.
First, what has come for me is the importance of being part of the body of Christ. For the past four years I've been very active in RUF (Reform University Fellowship), but haven't really committed myself to the church. I mean, when I'm here I go, but I would go with other RUF people, sit with RUF people, and then leave with RUF people. This semester, though, I've started helping to play music on Sunday mornings. I don't lead, but I do play back-up guitar. Anyway, because the whole worship band isn't RUF people, it's gotten me connected to the church in new and different ways. I know people beyond my own peer group, and because those connections are there, it gives more opportunity for fellowship, encouragement, and growth.
If you're in a similar situation (ie, in college and attending a church regularly but don't consider it your home church or even feel connected), I would encourage you first to look for ways to serve the body. Nursery on Sunday mornings, participating in set-up or take-down (if needed), or, as some of State's RUFers have done, offering child care for couples going to small groups. If nothing else, these things will put you in situations where it is more comfortable and natural to introduce yourself and strike up a conversation.
If you're in a similar situation (ie, in a church that has college students but you don't really know them), I would encourage you to ask a college student to lunch on Sunday after church or to have dinner with you some night. Free food is a great way to get college students to do ... anything, really. If you're going to watch the game, invite some students over to enjoy it in a place other than their dorm room. Interactions don't have to be to impact or teach: just hanging out is more than enough.
The church is to give glory to God, take care of and support the members of its body, and to be Christ's witness to the world. In my understanding, the first and third purposes are improved as we work toward the second. That is, as we come together as a body, not just a collection of individuals, we are more able to glorify God by our witness to each other and we are more able to point those outside the body to Christ by living out life in Christ.
The other factor of the Sabbath is the rest that Christ promises us. As I heard the other night, "Our grandfathers' generation called it 'the Sabbath', our fathers' generation called it 'Sunday', and we call it 'the weekend'." And that's very true. In my whole time at school I have not made any effort whatsoever to participate in the blessings of Sabbath rest beyond worship on Sunday morning. Homework gets pushed to Sunday night, laundry gets put off until the afternoon, and the day that's supposed to be for us to rest, experience Christ, and to fellowship with other believers ends up being one of the most stressful days of the week.
God made the Sabbath for man, and when we neglect it (as I am very guilty of) we effectively say that we don't want the gift He offers us. In light of this realization, I've taken some very real steps to ensure that I am able to rest on Sunday (and I would encourage you to do the same). Managing my time during the week so that Sunday afternoon doesn't have to be spent on homework has been a growing consideration. In addition, a renewed sense of the fact that I am not to work on the Sabbath has been impressed on me. I don't have a constant job this semester due to my course load, but I have been searching for and doing odd jobs such as moving and yard work. It's been challenging (and costly) at times, but making sure the only work I do on Sunday is works of mercy has been a blessing.
As I'm wrapping this up, I realize that it might come off as prideful and 'copy me.' That's not even close to what I'm trying to say. Here's my point: look at the words of Christ. Look at His promises. Look at the way that the Bible instructs us to live in response to the work of Christ. And do something about it.
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