Foundational Ideas: Absolute Truth

Increasingly, Western culture promotes a relativized view of truth. In other words, as Greg Koukl says, some people believe that truth is like ice cream. I may like rocky road, but you may prefer vanilla.  Neither of us is wrong, because this truth is subjective (i.e., based on the subject). In this case, what is true for me may be different that what is true for you. 

However, on issues that matter, truth is objective. Questions like, is there a God?, does Hell exist? Does abortion take a life? These questions do not depend upon my subjective interpretation, but are objective (i.e., based on the object). Greg Koukl says this type of truth is like insulin.  Failure to heed this type of truth has very real, even painful consequences.

Operating from a perspective that truth does exist and is objective affects how I view the world. Life is precious. Evil exists. Those who do not turn to Christ will go to hell forever. If this were merely a relativistic truth, then it would not matter if I told others about Christ, but its not ice cream, its insulin.

I would again direct the interested reader back to www.str.org, but I would also recommend Francis Beckwith and Greg Koukl’s book Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Midair as well as Don Carson’s the Intolerance ofTolerance for those who want to read more.

Breaking the Law to Get to Jesus

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”-Luke 8:42b-48

I love this story! A woman broken, poor, and rejected broke the law to get to Jesus. According to the Mosaic law (Leviticus 15:19-31), during her period, a woman was unclean and if her discharge continues, not during menstruation, her uncleanness continues. This woman had been unclean for 12 years. Twelve years where everything she touched was defiled. Twelve years where anyone she had contact with became unclean. Don't miss the fact that in this story, she had to break the Mosaic law to get to Jesus. Even though the story doesn't mention it, do not think for a moment that the ever-present Pharisees and Scribes missed the significance of this woman's behavior.

But my favorite part about this story is not that Jesus was able to heal her physically. Sometimes, I think we get lost in awe at his physical healing, which is undoubtedly miraculous.  Yet there was no compelling reason for Jesus to turn around and seek her out. Even before he turned to find her in the crowd, she knew she had been healed. 

My favorite part of the story is the relational connection that Jesus makes with her. He ignores the throng of people around him and turns to her. He finds this specific woman. He offers no judgment for her breaking the law. He does not use her as an example to show what an awesome healer he is. He turns to her to connect, to let her know that she matters more than her physical state.  This woman, who he called "daughter", was valuable to him.  To me, that was so much more important than physical healing and evidence of the New Covenant. It seems that Jesus is saying to her, "I know you broke the law, but there is something greater here."

Do you ever wonder what her next day was like? Or the next week?  She carried herself with a new confidence, not just because her frustrating, chronic health condition that kept her from connection was now healed, but because she knew that she mattered to someone, that she belonged. 

Foundational Ideas: Self-Denial/Humility

One of the more bothersome things that I see both inside and outside of the church is our self-centeredness. I am not sure if it is due to the culture in which we were raised, but it seems to me that many of us are quite certain we are the center of the world. The world exists to serve us. Our thoughts are self-serving. Not only are we self-centered, but as Larry Crabb talks about in his book Men and Women, we justify our self-centeredness.  We find ways to make it okay for us to act like our own needs are preeminent.

However, we are called to forget ourselves. Jesus reminded us to take up our crosses, deny ourselves daily, and follow him. In his book Christless Christianity, Michael Horton is quick to remind us that God is not a player in our story, we are players in His.  We exist for him and his glory. God is the creator of all things and the only one worthy of devotion. The person who helped me to see this most clearly was John Piper. His book Desiring God was profoundly influential in my life, though the glory of God drips from much of what he writes or says.  As he says, God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in him.  Indeed, he is our supreme treasure, and worthy of glory.  Beyond that, however, our lives are to be offered in service to others, which involves setting aside ourselves (humility) and willingly giving of ourselves for others.

One of the most useful little books I have found in this regard is Timothy Keller’s The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, though there have been some other good books on humility written as well.

Foundational Ideas: Flawed Saints

I wrote about being flawed saints just a few days ago, and I do not need to repeat my words. However, because the idea is so central to my thinking, I wanted to mention it again.

If you are a Christian, you are washed clean in the sight of God. You are called a saint and yet, this side of heaven, you will not reach perfection.  Simul iustus et peccator.  You are flawed saint. 

Larry Crabb also helped me to see that I live in the middle of this apparent contrast. However, I really appreciated Richard Pratt’s book Designedfor Dignity.

Foundational Ideas: Relationality

As I continue to explore what I consider ideas foundational to my thinking, the second is relationality. The importance of relationship is a cardinal belief in my worldview. As a Christian, I believe that God exists as a trinity.  Three persons, one God. From eternity past, God has existed in perfect, Trinitarian relationship. The three of them have engaged in a beautiful dance forever—what some have called perichoresis. They are mutually serving and other focused, always joyful and always loving.

Humans were also created to relate. I think one big part of bearing the image of God is that we are relational beings. We exist to function in relationship.  It is in our DNA.  In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve lived together harmoniously with one another and with God, who walked with them in the garden. There was no shame, no hiddenness. But at the fall in Genesis 3, man hid himself from God and he covered himself up.  Shame had entered the picture which carried with it a drawing back in relationship, an isolation. 

Nevertheless, the need for relational connection continues. As humans, we require accepting, loving, gracious relationships with other people. Unfortunately, those are often broken. Some of the psychological literature on the importance of early attachment and how it can become broken is profound in its implications and it is supported by the Bible, which reminds us that we were made to relate.

Perhaps the person who helped me to see this best was Larry Crabb. Essentially all of Dr Crabb’s books deal with the importance of relating with one another, though I would happily recommend Becoming a True Spiritual Community and Connecting.  Furthermore, through Dr Crabb, I heard about the works of Darryl Johnson (Experiencing theTrinity) and Michael Reeves (Delighting in the Trinity).  Yet the most important thing you can do is begin to live in relationship with one another. Practice moving toward people in the middle of their mess, a concept I learned from Ed Welch.  Failure to address our poor relating will be detrimental to Christ’s church.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are to love one another. By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you love one another."-John 13:34-35 

The Invisibility Cloak

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids--blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going down another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.-John 5:2-9

Hopelessness is a terrible thing. It is dark. Oppressive. Under the heavy cloak of hopelessness, there is no apparent relief. Just pain. The news of Robin Williams' apparent suicide yesterday was just one more story of many lives affected by depression.  Mr Williams, one of the funniest men who ever lived, struggled with depression. When most of us think of his career, we remember Mrs Doubtfire, Mork from Ork, or the Genie from Aladdin, but I wonder if the opening scene from Patch Adams better captured his reality.  If you cannot recall the scene, he admitted himself to a psychiatric hospital in the midst of a significant depression.  He "acted" depressed really well, perhaps because he understood.  

But it is not just Robin Williams who struggled with hopelessness and depression. The world is full of people who deal with dark thoughts every day. Some may describe feeling blue or down in the dumps, but for many, the darkness is much more oppressive.  Those battling hopelessness really see no way out. Death would be a relief. 

Unfortunately, hopeless people often feel invisible. They look around them and see other people living life, apparently happy, and they struggle to understand. They may ask, what is wrong with me? Why can't I feel happy like everyone else? Why is it that nothing will ever get better for me? 

I began this post with what is becoming one of my favorite Bible stories. It tells of a man at the sheep gate who I think struggled with hopelessness. He had been an invalid for 38 years and he had no one to help him get into the pool for healing. Bodies stirred all around him, but he had no one and no hope of getting any better. He was invisible. 

And then Jesus took notice. He asked him if he wanted to be healed. The man did not simply respond, "yes." His response reflected his hopelessness. He essentially said, "I don't have anyone to help me and I can't do it on my own." He felt lonely, invisible, and hopeless.  

Jesus did heal him, but do not skip past the relational aspect. Yes, Jesus was God and could heal miraculously. But he didn't need to speak to the man to provide the healing. He could have done it from afar, yet he approached and relationally engaged with him.  Jesus peeled back the invisibility cloak and connected with a hopeless man.  

Each of us can do that as well.  You are surrounded by more hurt, anguish, depression, anxiety, fearfulness, shame, and hopelessness than you can possibly imagine. Get into the habit of slowing down, looking around, and listening to people. Resist the temptation to offer a solution. Instead, offer an ear, a hand, or a touch. Practice moving toward people, seeing beyond their invisibility.  Help people to understand that they matter.

Foundational Ideas: Worldview Matters

Since returning from the School of Spiritual Direction and on the heels of the Centurions program, I have been pondering my framework of belief. In other words, what is my worldview. Over the next few days, I hope to share what I consider to be several ideas that are currently foundational to how I think about the world.

 Perhaps the most important place to start a multipart discussion like is with a review of worldview and how it matters to what we do. I like to think of worldview as our operating system. It often runs in the background and colors, or informs, how we see the world and what assumptions we make about the world.

Every person on the planet has a worldview. Each of us holds viewpoints about where we came from, what is wrong in the world, what can be done to fix it, and where we should go from here. For people who hold to a more secular worldview, they may believe that the universe began with an explosion from nothing to what we now know of as the existing universe. For a communist, what is wrong in the world may be related to an unequal distribution of wealth and that the rich oppress the poor. For the Christian believer, Christ’s death and resurrection is what was done to address the problem. 

In essence, we all hold to basic assumptions about the way the world works. I have found great benefit in seeking to understand my worldview and the worldview of those I come into contact with.  I also hope that you will see that my worldview, which I would consider to be an orthodox Christian worldview, informs the rest of my ideas that matter.

If you want to learn more about worldview, the people that have most influenced my thinking include Francis Schaeffer, Greg Koukl, and Chuck Colson. Each of these men were very much committed to the idea that Christianity was not just for individual salvation, but Christianity was for all of life and culture. 

Recommended Resources: 
Stand To Reason
Breakpoint
The Francis Schaeffer Trilogy 
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcy  
How Now Shall We Live by Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey