Gone Fishin'

I'll be gone for a while - driving down south this afternoon to Slidell, Louisiana, with a team of folks. We are going to help rebuild some of the houses that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Keep us in prayer. See you next month, Lord willing.

Thirty-Six Days Later :: part three

Continued from this post...

Time went on and things got better between me and my friend. Maybe they got worse first, and then better – but they did get better. I eventually began to learn the value and wisdom of opening up, communcating. I even discovered value (and enjoyment) in the art of conversation, be it deep or casual. My friend began to learn the disciplines of rest and silence. We had grown.

Eventually, we headed back to the States, both of us just a little wiser - just a little. Wounds healed. God gave us wives and jobs and seminary training and more dreams. Time has passed, but that strange seduction, the lure of the field, haunts me from the edges of my mind (my, how that field does beckon!) Time has passed, but I have never forgotten what my friend said. It still rings in my ears, my head, my heart. It remains a moment of still clarity in my life.

“Because I care more about your holiness than about your friendship.”

Not many people will ever say that to you. Even fewer will have weighed the deeper meaning therein and can say it with deep meaning. But if they do, you listen because that is a person who cares deeply for you - but even more deeply for Christ. That is a person of proper priority. That is a person who will take bullets for you, not simply for your own sake, but for the sake of displaying the greatness of the glory of the grace of God. That is a person who would have you walk well and humbly with Christ, despite yourself. That is a person who knows how to love you best, because they love Christ first. It is grace and truth spoken in eleven words, beautiful and terrible.

“Because I care more about your holiness than about your friendship.”

Those are not easy words to speak - and woe to the fool who should ever speak them flippantly, thoughtlessly. Say those words, and you'd better truly be willing to let go of that friendship for the greater sake of holiness. My friend was the first to ever speak them into my life. Other people have come into my life since and spoke those words, though not so much with their mouths, but certainly with their lives as they walk with me. Those individuals are blood of my blood, closer than brothers. And though I’ve yet to speak those words with my mouth, I hope my life says it back to each of them.

“Because I care more about your holiness than about your friendship.”

~fin~

Gratuitous Valentine's Day Post

We were made for relationships. Whether in the context of friendship, romantic dating and courtship, familial, or marital, relationships are the source of both our greatest joys and our most profound wounds. God Himself has always been in relationship before He even created us (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) - and has created us primarily to be in relationship with Him. This primary relationship with Him will then be expressed in relationships with others (see Matthew 22:36-40).

To understand the basis of relationships, especially male/female relationships, it's vital to understand roles. We live in a day and time where our God-given roles are no longer celebrated, but blurred and confused. But God Himself has given men and women specific roles to fulfill, roles that strengthen, bond, and compliment relationships.

Here is a teaching I recently gave on the subject:

LISTEN | DOWNLOAD

Thirty-Six Days Later :: part two

Continued from last post...

But there we were, nevertheless, standing in our dingy kitchen five thousand miles from home yelling at each other over Lord knows what. He wouldn’t shut up. I wouldn’t open up. For months it had been that way, our friendship slowly disintegrating because I didn’t know how to communicate, and it seemed to me he didn’t know how to stop communicating.

I didn’t want accountability. I didn’t want depth. I didn’t want to talk about my day or my life or much of anything really. And simply because I was being pushed in that direction, I refused to go. I guess I just didn’t see the value of it at the time. Besides - it was easier to hide in silence. I wanted easy believability, not the sparks and noise and pain of iron on iron. For these reasons, our relationship had slowly devolved of the course of several months from buddy-buddy, to civil tolerance, to silent misery. Silent misery eventually erupted, volcanic and volatile.

I’d never heard my friend curse before. We were Christians, for Christ’s sake.

And so there we stood, fists balled, faces red, veins popping. The refugee tilework on the floor took on a red tinge as head-pounding anger nearly blocked out all rational thought in my brain. I remember yelling something to the effect of “Why the hell do you keep pushing me? Why won’t you get off my friggin’ back?!” His response was somehow both perfectly simple and exceedingly profound at the same time.

His response was a moment of clarity.

“Because I care more about your holiness than about your friendship.”

I had little insight as to what those words meant at the time, only that in my anger they initially struck me as a stupid, arrogant thing to say. What did he know about holiness, anyway?

But I couldn’t shake the implications of his words.

“Because I care more about your holiness than about your friendship.”

[ part 3 ]

Thirty-Six Days Later :: part one

“Because I care more about your holiness than about your friendship.”

Roughly five years ago to the month, I stood in the dingy kitchen of an apartment approximately five thousand miles from here and listened to a man I thought was my friend speak those words into my life. He is my friend – closer than a brother - but at that moment, I questioned it.

We’d been on the field for several months at that point and were coming to the end of the proverbial honeymoon phase. “End of the honeymoon” doesn’t quite capture the true flavor of the moment, though. It was more like watching a couple of flies kill themselves by repeatedly hurling their bodies against a window. No good can come of that, little friends - best just to move on.

We had certainly moved on, or so we had thought. Being there, five thousand miles away, certainly seemed like a good idea when we graduated college nearly a year ago – two buddies servin’ the Lord abroad, a couple of young hotrod Jim Elliot wannabes, laying it all on the line for Jesus. There’s a romantic notion to missionary work, or most any such service to Christ. There is this secret, seductive lure that somehow draws you in: it is the same thing young boys feel when they lie about their age to sign up for military service. It is both honorable and ignorant, for though they have played at war, they know not yet the deep horrors of real war.

So the “call” comes and if you’re listening, you pick up. You buy the field. You’re pretty sure in that field is a harvest, somewhere. So you make your little sacrifices, you count your little costs; you leave things and people behind for the sake of a greater something, something bigger than yourself. It all looks nice on paper. It reads well in books. It sounds cool from jazzed-up conference speakers. The reality of digging in that field, however, was much different than the dreams my friend and I had dreamt. Reality, it seemed, had snuck up on us with a sixty-pound sledgehammer, and was then going to town on our spiritual little backsides (and that in a most un-dreamlike fashion, I might add.)

Those jazzed-up conference speakers had forgotten to mention that to me.

[ part 2 ]

Lightness & Darkness

I recently found myself thinking about the great contrast between light and dark and equating that contrast to our walk with Christ. When I sin, I have stepped out of light into darkness. When I am walking with Christ, I have left the darkness behind to live in the light. There is a contrast there, and an important one.

Now I am not necessarily one to focus on the “bad” – but as you deal with your times of darkness, let me encourage you in this; instead of moping about in the darkness, let those experiences draw a contrast that accentuates the light of Christ. What does that look like practically? Not a day goes by when we don't sin – either actively or passively. We must grieve over that sin, and by the grace given to us by Christ and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to do so. But do not remain in grief - let the times of walking in the darkness make walking in the light so much sweeter. As the old adage goes, you never appreciate your health so much until after you've been sick. You can't fully appreciate the depth of your salvation until you have seen the depths of your own sin and darkness. Not that our focus remains there – but when you have a deep knowledge of what you have been saved from, you will see your walk in the light become immeasurably precious through that contrast.

As I was thinking about this, I found a good article by John Piper entitled Let Us Walk in the Light of God. In it, he talks about being “new creatures” and walking in the light with Christ. I think this is a fitting concluding remark from that article - “The mark of the new creature in Christ is not a rosy self concept. It is brokenness for remaining sin mingled with a joyful confidence in the super-abounding grace of God in Christ.”

Let that contrast deepen your joy in Christ this new year.

Lighten Up

I've recieved several requests recently that I "lighten up" and stop writing about "such heavy theological stuff" etc., etc. So in an effort to "lighten" the "mood," consider this the gratuitous... uh... "mood-lightening" post for the month. Or something. Okay - that said, here are some things to brighten your day:

1.) If you're jonesin' for some generally pointless, but entertaining, comedic blog relief, visit my ol' pal Diddy.9000 - from now on, I'll refer all you chuckle-seekers to his well-written accounts of the ongoing war against spider crickets. Also of light-hearted interest, he apparently thinks Adam Sandler is a better actor than Robert DeNiro. I take back the "ol' buddy" part. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure I know this guy at all. Do make sure you stop by and tell him what you think about that DeNiro biz though.

2.) Just as a promised, I did teach baby Caleb how to read (see photo). Unfortunately, he has a hard time holding Grudem's Systematic Theology up with his lil' baby arms, so after a couple paragraphs, he gets tired and takes a snooze. I guess we'd better start strength training next to build up those wee arms... or maybe I should just teach him how to read on his stomach.

3.) For my birthday, my bro sent me a copy of Taming A Liger: Unexpected Spiritual Lessons From Napoleon Dynamite. Pretty flippin' hilarious. You know I'm training to be a cage-theologian. Gosh.

4.) I'm sure you will be amused to know that Sam, the world's ugliest dog, died earlier this month. Okay, so that's not so light-hearted and funny... but what IS funny is that I know a guy named Sam. He's named just like the dog. The world's ugliest dog. Who... just... um... died. Ha. hmmm... (*sigh*)

5.) Did I mention that baby? Babies always make people laugh.

Whew! Now that we have this "light" and "funny" stuff outta the way, I can get back to some real bloggin'. Next topic - The Wages of Sin is Death... DEATH... DEAAAATH.

Drinkin' - Final Guidelines

Continued from this post...

I shared my personal convictions regarding the consumption of alchohol in the last post. As I stated, those being my own personal convictions (and those convictions in accordance with Scripture as I understand it at this point), I do not necessarily expect that all Christian folk follow the exact same policy in the exact same way. I DO EXPECT, however, that whatever conclusion a believer has arrived at regarding the use of alcohol that they do adhere to these guidelines;

• That he or she never strays close to drunkedness or other sin through partaking alcohol
  
• That he or she knows why they hold a particular standpoint and can, when necessary, accurately articulate their standpoint with both grace and truth to either a believer or non-believer in an appropriate manner
  
• That he or she understands the various facets in which this issue can be viewed apart from the explicit mandates of Scripture and thus does not fall into the trap of simply passing judgment on those who hold differing convictions (again, assuming that those differing convictions do not go against the commands of Scripture regarding Christian conduct)
  
• That he or she would never make their viewpoint a stumbling block to a a weaker Christian or use their convictions to manipulate or condescend others
  
• That he or she would be ever-vigilant to protect their witness and present themselves as blameless
  
• That those who partake do so in a way that honors the Lord and that those who abstain likewise do so in a way that honors the Lord
  
• That he or she consistantly filters their conviction and actions through the lens of Scripture - not only through the explicit and implicit statements specifically regarding alcohol, but regarding general conduct as well.

May God grant us the grace to strive in such a way that our actions and convictions never fail to align with Scripture - in this matter or in any other.

Drinkin' - Personal Convictions

Continued from this post...

As promised last post, I will share my personal alcohol policy. I will at times have a beer or a glass of wine, though I am very intentional about where and when and with whom. This is a personal conviction, which I trust I have arrived to under the leading and guiding of the Spirit and the authority of the Word as best as I have understood up to this point in my life (my viewpoint has changed from earlier points in my walk, and could change again at the Spirit's prompting in the future.) Because this is my own conviction - and not an explicit mandate from Scripture - how I conduct myself regarding this issue is a matter of obedience for me. I will give you situational contexts to that, but let me first start with two foundational reasons why I feel that is okay for me:

• I have no family or personal history of alcoholism or alcohol-related abuse (this is not to say someone of like circumstance is not susceptible to alcoholism - but I would advise that those who have such a history, either personally or familialy, to completely abstain from alcohol as there is an exponentially generally greater chance they could succumb to that disease or temptation. Often as well there is a hightened emotional charge accompanying this issue for individuals who have dealt personally with alcohol abuse in any form. It simply seems wise for one then to completely abstain and forego further alcohol-related trauma.)
  
• I have simply come to enjoy the taste and craft of certain alcoholic beverages and there are times when I feel it is appropriate to enjoy them (but not all times are appropriate and even then, obviously in moderation and never out of context with the Scriptures - I will explain more later).

Situational contexts that I keep in mind, though, include:

• I do not drink alcohol in the presence of non-Christian people. I do this because there is a strong cultural stigma in our culture regarding alcohol that I feel I should be sensitive to. I would rather not open the possibility for a questionable impression, and therefore discredit in any way my witness. The only exceptions may be individuals who are long-time friends with whom I am confident my witness or credibility as a disciple of Christ is not in question over the issue.
  
• I do not drink in front of Christian brothers or sisters who I know have been deeply and negatively affected in some way by alcohol abuse in their past or currently struggle with it.
  
• I do not drink in front of Christian brothers or sisters who I do not know well enough to say whether or not my actions will be a stumbling block to them.
  
• I generally do not have more than two drinks in a sitting. I feel that is an appropriate limit to set unless enjoyment become overindulgence. Concerning how much alcohol is 'acceptable' to drink, I often hear Christians debate over whether it is permissable or not to get buzzed - but not all-out drunk - on alcohol. Too many people seem to try to find out where "the line" is by seeing how close they can get to it before crossing it. That mindset is foolish and dangerous at best. Far better to approach with discernment and caution, if at all; God has not left His stance on drunkeness unclear by any means. He has drawn a very clear line - take heed in dancing around it lest you cross it.
  
• I do not ever drink to "take the edge off" or with the intent of altering my mindset, mood, etc.

Given these stipulations, the times I actually partake are, generally, few and far between and usually within the walls of my own home. I would reiterate that these guidelines (apart from the biblical condemnation of drunkedness) are personal convictions - it is a matter of obedience for me to follow them, but I do not necessarily expect all others to have arrived at the exact same conclusions. There are, however, specific guidelines that I do expect any believer partaking of alcohol to follow. I will share these next post.

Continued next post...

Drinkin' - What Scripture Says Part 2

Continued from this post...

In the last post, I made the point that I do not see that Scripture views alcohol as inherently evil or sinful. HOWEVER, we must balance the fact that although the USE of alcohol is not condemned, the ABUSE of alcohol most undoubtedly is; let there be no question about this point.

• “Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat; for the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags” (Prov. 23:20-21).
  
• "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise” (Prov. 20:1).
  
• “Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink; who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!” (Isa. 5:11).
  
• “Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink” (Isa. 5:22).
  
• “Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:34).
  
• “Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy” (Rom. 13:13).
  
• “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."(Eph. 5:18).
  
• “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissentions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
  
• “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money” (1 Tim. 3:2-3).
  
• “Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine...” (Tit. 2:3).

There are plenty more references - probably all familiar to you who've investigated this issue - but I think the point is clear even from this sampling. In Scripture, drunkenness - or the misuse/abuse of alcohol - is everywhere condemned as a serious sin, both explicitly and implicitly.

In addition to considering the words of Scripture specifically regarding alcohol, I think one must also treat this matter in light of how it affects one's witness before people who are not Christians and in light of one's testimony before fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This is an area that though I believe there are governing principals to guide us, there is room for discernment given each situation. I do not want to be vague on this point, so next post, I will share my personal "alcohol policy" and the reasoning behind it.

Drinkin' - What Scripture Says Part 1

Continued from this post...

Let me start with simply sharing some Scriptures that give insight into the use of alcohol in Biblical history. The obvious tie-in to alcohol or fermented beverage in the Bible are references to wine. Here are a few things from the Old Testament.

God commands wine and strong drink to be brought as an offering to himself:

• “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously ... and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a libation with one lamb” (Exod. 29:38,40).
  
• “Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the Lord for a soothing aroma, with its libation, a fourth of a hin of wine” (Lev. 23:13).
  
• “And you shall prepare wine for the libation, one-fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for each lamb ... and for the libation you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a soothing aroma to the Lord ... and you shall offer as the libation one-half a hin of wine as an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the Lord” (Num. 15:5,7,10).
  
• “Then the libation with it shall be a fourth of a hin for each lamb, in the holy place you shall pour out a libation of strong drink to the Lord” (Num. 28:7).

Wine is tied to the concept of God's blessings:

• “Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine” (Gen. 27:28).
  
• “He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the labor of man, so that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine which makes man’s heart glad, so that he may make his face glisten with oil, and food which sustains man’s heart” (Ps. 104:14-15).
  
• “Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Prov. 3:9-10).

Conversely, and interestingly, the removal of wine has been tied to God's discipline:

• “But it shall come about, if you will not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you ... You shall plant and cultivate vineyards, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm shall devour them” (Deut. 28:15,39).
  
• “The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm, ‘I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies; nor will foreigners drink your new wine, for which you have labored’ (Isa. 62:8).

What strikes me about these references - especially those regarding sacrifice and offerings - is that in my understanding, nothing unclean or unholy is to be offered to the Lord, yet wine was included as an acceptable offering. I draw from this that there is nothing inherently bad, evil, or unclean about it. I do not see evidence in Scripture, as many evangelicals believe, that all alcoholic beverages are inherently evil and that any use of an alcoholic beverages is sinful. However, I do see that Scripture presents some specific instruction regarding alcohol consumption - there is a context and conditions for its use. I'll get to these next post.

Continued next post...

Drinkin'!

Okay... Although my purpose on this blog is not to create controversy, it looks like I'm about to jump into another controversial subject. At least 3 individuals have recently pointedly asked me my opinion on Christians drinking alcohol. If you're not a Christian and you're checking this out, the following posts may just be funny to you, but for many Christians, this can be a big issue.

I got an email from a good friend a couple weeks ago that expressed - quite well - the sentiment of several other conversations I've recently had. My friend says:

I was wondering what you think about the issue of Christians drinking alcohol. The past few years, I have been faced with backing up my own position in the face of adversity from close Christian friends. I do have a strong opinion, but sometimes wonder if it is a conviction from God or if my view is clouded because of what has happened in my own life. With the ever-increasing amount of people around me choosing to partake, I am seeking Biblical counsel from one I know really seeks God.

I should say that your opinion won't have an impact on my choice to abstain, but I would like to have a better idea of how to speak to my friends on the issue.

Anything you've studied would be helpful - thanks!

This letter prompted me to really articulate how I see this issue as a disciple of Christ, and I think this is a worthy subject to come to terms with as you walk with Christ. In my thinking - and more importantly, in accordance with Scripture as I understand it - the issue is fairly black & white, although there are several factors to consider. I will share these in greater detail over the next several posts. The specific factors I will look at are: what does the Bible say about alcohol? What does it mean for my witness (my interaction with non-Christians)? What does it mean for my brothers (my interaction with fellow Christians)?

Continued next post...

Cutest. Baby. Ever.

A couple of you have asked for updates on lil' Caleb. I have to tell you - and I admit that I cannot do so impartially - that he is quite possibly the cutest baby. In the world. Ever. Prolly the smartest and the strongest too. He's 3 months old now, so he's starting to be really interactive which, speaking as a dad, is a blast and sometimes funny, too - like when he coos, or grins, or projectile vomits all over his babysitter.

I figure it's never too early for this guy to start earning his keep around here, so I'm working on his physical conditioning at the moment. Right now we're learning basic punch/kick combos, wrist locks and grappling manuevers (don't worry, though - mom provides plenty of softer, gentler nurturing ;-). But even she will admit that this little dude has a crazy kung-fu grip. I'm pretty sure he'll be walking soon. Maybe by next week. And then the week after that, we're going to start teaching him to read...

A Word of Thanks

Firstly, let me apologize for my absence there - life just hit a busy spurt. Also, I wanted to take a second to thank all of you who followed and commented on the transubstantiation posts. I'd like to especially thank David Wills and Damienc for their comments regarding the Catholic position. It has been a very enjoyable and worthwhile discussion. At the moment, we are continuing our discussion here, so feel free to check that out. Meanwhile, now that I've returned to the blogosphere :-) I hope to begin a new series of posts... check back soon.

Transubstantiation - Concluding Thoughts

These are the concluding thoughts from a series of posts on the topic of transubstantiation. The previous posts are as follows:

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four


Most Catholics I have spoken to on the matter of transubstantiation contend that the view presented here completely downplays the Lord's Supper. I would like to finish out this series of posts simply by saying that this view in no way detracts, denigrates, or condescends the Lord’s Supper. Nor would I say that Communion is merely a symbol. I think most people would agree that when Jesus says “Do this in remembrance of Me” He is not saying “I want you to intellectually recall all the facts you know about Me in your brain.” Rather, to partake of the Lord’s Supper is to remember His death and all that His death accomplished for us; this should stir and strengthen our faith and draw us into deeper communion with Jesus. Consider once more the words of J.C. Ryle on the subject:

Now, is it reasonable to suppose that our Lord would appoint an ordinance for so simple a purpose as "remembering His death?" It most certainly is. Of all the facts in His earthly ministry none are equal in importance to that of His death. It was the great settlement for man's sin, which had been appointed in God's promise from the foundation of the world. It was the great redemption of almighty power, to which every sacrifice of animals, from the fall of man, continually pointed. It was the grand end and purpose for which the Messiah came into the world. It was the cornerstone and foundation of all man's hopes of pardon and peace with God. In short, Christ would have lived, and taught, and preached, and prophesied, and performed miracles in vain, if He had not "crowned it all by dying for our sins as our Substitute on the Cross!" His death was our life. His death was the payment of our debt to God. Without His death we would have been the most miserable of all creatures. No wonder that an ordinance was specially appointed to remind us of our Savior's death. It is the one thing which poor, weak, sinful man needs to be continually reminded. (J.C. Ryle, The Lord’s Supper)

In the ordinance of Communion, we have been given the opportunity to experience a profound and vital spiritual truth, and we are to be nourished and satisfied by faith in all that God has given us in Christ.

The Lord’s Supper proclaims Jesus – and that is no small thing at all.

Transubstantiation: Eating & Drinking

Continued from last post...

Most Catholic apologeticists contending that Christ's physical body and blood is materially manifest in the Lord’s Supper traditionally base this assertion on John 6:48-59. In this section of Scripture, Jesus foreshadows the meaning of the Lord's Supper and says publicly in the synagogue "I am the bread of life" (v. 48). He then talks about eating this bread; in v. 51, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." Clearly, this was a shocking statement given the response of those around Him. They took Him literally – the Jews began questioning how Jesus might give them His flesh to eat (v. 52), and Jesus responds (v. 53), "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you…"

The Baltimore Catechism uses parts of John 6 to defend the Catholic position of the Eucharist, specifically citing John 6:48-59 (Catechism 344). Unfortunately, this section of the Catechism stops short in explaining the context of Jesus' statements, for He does indeed explain to His disciples the meaning of what He was saying. The verses following John 6:59 (where the Catechism stops short in its citation) do indeed show that Jesus was not speaking literally. Jesus realized His disciples were confused about what He was telling them. Verse 60 points out "When many of his disciples heard it, they said, 'This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?'" So Jesus in v. 63 gives them the key to interpreting what He said, so His disciples would avoid the very mistake that the Jews in the synagogue were making in presuming He meant literally eating his physical flesh and blood: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." With this statement, Jesus points out that He is specifically referring to a spiritual action, not a physical one.

He alludes to this very point earlier in this same chapter. In John 6:35, He says, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." So, He will satisfy hunger and thirst. If He is speaking literally, then we can conlude that Christ is a complete and utter failure. Firstly – if we are to be consistent in our exegesis from that standpoint – we would have to literally (bodily) come to Him - but how can we do so if He is not here, but seated at the right hand of God in heavenly realms as Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, and Luke 22:69 tell us? Secondly, those who simply believe in Him would find physical nourishment - another clear failure if this was His intent, for even today (much less in all of A.D. history) true believers die of hunger, thirst, malnutrition.

But if He is not speaking literally, what then is the eating and drinking He refers to? It is coming to Christ and believing in Him. “Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” The eating and drinking refer to spiritual acts; desiring Him, accepting Him, trusting Him. He is speaking of the hunger and thirst of our souls being satisfied in Him – not our stomachs.

As with continual sacrifice, in this way too there is no need for physical, literal transubstantiation.

Continued next post...

Transubstantiation vs. Symbolic Language

Continued from this post...

I am of the mind that the Bible as a whole should be interpreted literally (an interesting topic in itself - perhaps a topic for later posts). This is a standpoint from which Catholic apologists often mount their defense of transubstantiation. However, let us not disregard that there are many times when the Bible does use symbolism and symbolic language. (This is not to say that you and I get to decide when the Bible uses symbolic language – the Word interprets itself in this matter!)

Jesus clearly utilized symbolism when teaching in parables. He also refers to Himself specifically using symbolic language; “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, 48); “I am the gate” (John 10:9); “I am the vine” (John 15:5). Reading these passages in context, it is clear Jesus never means He is literally a piece of bread, a gate, or a vine. Those would be unnatural assertions. In like fashion, if I were to hand you a photograph and say “This is my family” it would be unnatural for you to assert that I mean that the photo itself is literally my kin. Rather, it is understood to be representative. I believe it is clear that the same is true when Christ says “This is My body” in reference to the bread. Consider the words of J.C. Ryle, a widely-respected English pastor from the 19th century:

Does the New Testament authorize men to say that the Lord's Supper was ordained to be a sacrifice, and that in it Christ's literal body and blood are present under the forms of bread and wine? Most certainly not! When the Lord Jesus said to the disciples, "This is my Body," and "this is my Blood," He clearly meant, "This bread in my hand is an symbol of my Body, and this cup of wine in my hand contains a symbol of my Blood." The disciples were accustomed to hear Him use such language. They remembered His saying, "The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one" (Matthew 13:38). It never entered into their minds that He meant to say He was holding His own body and His own blood in His hands, and literally giving them His literal body and blood to eat and drink. Not one of the writers of the New Testament ever speaks of the Lord's Supper as a sacrifice, or calls the Lord's Table an altar, or even hints that a Christian minister is a sacrificing priest. (J.C. Ryle, The Lord’s Supper)

Furthermore, John Piper points out that if the words, "This [bread] is My body" (I Cor. 11:24) were intended to mean, "This [bread] has literally turned into My physical body," would we not expect the same meaning to hold for the statement about the cup? In the next verse Jesus says, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood." Yet, in the Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist, this statement is not forced to mean “This cup has literally turned into a covenant.” Here, the cup is acknowledged as representative, a reminder that the blood secures or purchases or guarantees the blessings of the covenant. Honest exegesis requires consistency.

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Transubstantiation: A Continuing Sacrifice?

Continued from this post.

Let me begin by first clarifying the belief that I spoke out against. Catholic doctrine holds that "Christ gives us His own body and blood in the holy Eucharist first, to be offered as a sacrifice commemorating and renewing for all time the sacrifice of the cross" (Catechism 356). This view of the Lord’s Supper, from the Catholic standpoint, is literally the re-sacrificing of Christ. And, while the Catholic catechisms quote Scriptures that speak of Christ dying once at the cross, this doctrine also teaches that Catholic priests perform at each Mass a miracle that transforms the bread and wine into Christ's physical body and blood (transubstantiation) and that each Mass “is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross” (Catechism 359). Jesus is then – quite literally according this doctrine – sacrificed anew each time a Mass is held and the Lord's Supper is taken.

In contrast to this, however, the New Testament teaches that Christ’s death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins was both final and complete for all time. Consider Hebrews 9, which deals with the passing away of first (old) covenant regulations in light of the new covenant in Jesus. Hebrews 9:25-28 says “…Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly… for then He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself… so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many…” Consider too the even more explicit statements of Hebrews 10:10 – “…We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” Hebrews 10:12 – “…But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time…” and of Hebrews 10:14 – “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Consider as well Christ’s own words before He died on the cross – “It is finished” (John 19:30). The phrase in Greek is teleho – which is to bring to a close, to complete, to fulfill, to accomplish the final part of one’s task.

To assert then that there is a continuation of Christ’s sacrifice, as the Roman Catholic doctrine asserts in their view of the Eucharist, not only contradicts New Testament teaching, but destroys the assurance we have that payment for our sin has been fully paid – once and for all – by Christ and wholly accepted by God the Father. If continual sacrifice for our sins still must be made by Christ, we have no assurance of there being “no condemnation” toward us (Romans 8:1). New Testament doctrine is clear that after the one offering of Christ on the cross, there is no more need of continual or further sacrifice.

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Hike Colorado

I went to Colorado this weekend with a friend to visit my brother and do some hiking. If you like hikin' and you've never hiked the Rockies, you should probably drop everything and go right now. We took on Mt. Yale, which summits at 14,196 ft. above sea level. It was without a doubt the most difficult hike I'd ever done - as if the incline of a 'fourteener' wasn't rigorous enough in itself, the thin air at that altitude (and my own lack of conditioning) certainly made for one tough climb. It was, however, in a word - awesome.

In Response to Transubstantiation

Transubstantiation. That's a big word that probably doesn't mean a whole lot to the general populace, or to the casual reader occasionally passing by ol' Diesel.Blog here. However, I've recently taken issue with this topic, so the next few posts will deal with it. I hope you find this series of posts both encouraging and useful (or at least interesting).

A few weeks ago, I had the great privilege of leading the congregation of my church into a time of communion. We are a non-denominational, Protestant Bible church and we take communion as a congregation once a month. I was asked to give a devotional/teaching beforehand to lead folks in preparation for taking the Lord's Supper. As one of the sidenotes to a point I'd made, I stated that transubstantiation - the belief that the communion elements literally become the physical, literal, manifest body and blood of Christ - is and always has been an erroneous doctrine.

Transubstantiation is, for the most part, a teaching of the Roman Catholic church. There are quite a few former Catholics that attend my church and apparently a few practicing Catholics as well. As emails and responses trickled in following that message (generally folks wondering why in the world I would state that someone else's well-intentioned beliefs are erroneous or Catholics defending their position), I have had the opportunity to solidify my own theology regarding communion and share that with others. Thus, I would like to use the next several posts to share my response to the doctrine of transubstantiation.

Let me preface with this thought - my intent here is not to "bash" Catholicism. Please do not regard my statements as an attack on Catholic people. The point is not Catholicism or Protestantism or anything inbetween or beyond. The point is truth. My intent is simply to point out truth - truth not merely as I perceive it, but Scriptural, Biblical truth spoken by God, taught by His Spirit, and perfectly grounded in Christ Jesus. And truth, friends, is no relative thing.

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