Why Did God Become Man?

As we approach Christmas, we are offered a season to reflect on the breathtaking mystery of the virgin who conceived and bore a son who was to be called Immanuel – which means God with us (Matthew 1:23). How perplexing it is to consider the intricacies of God becoming flesh and dwelling among men (John 1:1-18)! So, as we contemplate the mystery of the incarnation, the question I want to address today is “Why?” Why did the Son of God leave Heaven to come down to earth and dwell among men?

Some think that God was lacking in knowledge, so He decided to become a man. Others think that He was simply bored in Heaven and needed to spice things up, so He decided to come down and dwell among us. And still others think that He desired to become man so He could experience that which the eternal God cannot experience: death.

While those explanations are lacking in substance and theological explanation, let me offer two reasons why Jesus really did become man (Note: My thoughts are inspired by St. Athanasius’s On the Incarnation).

1)    Jesus became man to turn that which is corrupted into incorruptibility.

All humans are born into the corruption of their parents. This has been the case since the first transgression against God in the Garden (See Genesis 3 & Romans 5). Indeed, everyone born of man is corrupted by nature. Therefore the Son of God took on human-form and was born of “a spotless and stainless virgin, ignorant of man, pure and unmixed from intercourse with men” (St. Athanasius). He delivered His body over to death, so that the corruption in man might be undone, thus turning corrupted human beings to incorruptibility.

The Son of God did not just come to experience death for Himself, as some would say. The Son of God came to die a sinner’s death on behalf of everyone so that we might be freed from the corruption of the body and death.

2)    Jesus became man to taste death that the mortal might pass to immortality.

Death reigned over man after the first transgression against God in the Garden, and as such, all taste death; therefore, Jesus became man so that He might die and ultimately show Himself superior to death by rising up from the grave three days later, giving hope to all mankind. "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:21-22). Jesus has shown Himself superior to death, and in Him that which is dead is made alive.

When Jesus Christ became man, He laid aside His glory, He voluntarily restrained His power, He accepted hardship, isolation, ill-treatment, malice, and misunderstanding. As J.I. Packer writes, “He accepted a death that involved such agony – spiritual even more than physical – that His mind nearly broke under the prospect of it.  It meant love to the uttermost for unlovely human beings, that we through His poverty might become rich.”

2 Corinthians 8:9 – “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich.”

During this Christmas season, let us marvel at God’s great love for us and consider in humility that He became like us in order to restore our corruption to incorruptibility that we might pass from mortality to immortality all for His glory.

~Corey

We are Idol Factories

“What has your ear in your daily life? If it’s not God and His Word you will grow complacent.” This statement was made by our preacher during last week’s sermon, and it rings particularly true in my life. Looking back I can clearly see that every time I’ve grown complacent in my spiritual walk, it was because something else stepped in and grasped my attention and affections. Recently I went through a very dry spell in my spiritual life, and I couldn’t pinpoint the problem. Thankfully, through prayer, the Word, and my husband gently prodding me as to whether unconfessed sin could be the issue in my life, God revealed to me that an idol had, in fact, crept in unnoticed. What was the idol? I’m sad to say it was screen time; too much social media, email, television, Internet, yada, yada, yada. Leave it up to me to take something that can be helpful and turn it into an idol. It was only when I recognized the idol I created that I was able to confess and repent of my sin, and it was as though a huge weight had been lifted off me.

Idols can come in many different forms. I tried to brainstorm all the different idols I’ve had in my life as far back as I can remember, even in my childhood. Here’s the list I came up with: man's approval and acceptance, beauty, good grades, new clothes, attention from the opposite sex, having a baby, social media, television, the desire for a house that looked like it was straight off the pages of Better Homes and Gardens, and wanting to look super-spiritual. I’m sure I didn't think of all my past idols - my list is most certainly incomplete - but my point is this: Life is a constant battle. With so many people, things, and ideas in this world vying for our affections, what are we supposed to do? We must saturate ourselves in God’s Word and keep our eyes focused upon Christ. We must confess our sin quickly and rest fully in God’s grace. And we must cut off our idols and root ourselves wholly in Christ. Here’s a quote I jotted down from the sermon this past Sunday: “The battle of the Christian life is fought in the mind but won at the cross.” Amen! The battle has already been won in Christ. His shed blood and atonement for sins brings about the ultimate victory for those who trust in Him. This life is not easy, nor is it supposed to be, but God’s amazing grace and saving power seal us “with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13b-14)

Love,

Kristen

The "Me"llennial Problem

Over the past several years there has been an explosion of conversation about millennials leaving the church, and the statistics are pretty daunting. For instance, millennials (those born from approx. 1980-2000) represent the largest group of religiously unaffiliated people in the US. While there are many in the millennial category that have never attended church at all, there are also many who once attended church regularly but have now completely dropped out of church altogether. Recently, I read an article that gave twelve reasons why millennials are done with the church. Of those twelve reasons I picked out four of them that I’ve found to be common critiques of the church by millennials. Here’s my response:

REASON #1: “Nobody’s listening to us.”

·  Further Explanation: This complaint is not unique to the church and it is not unique to millennials alone. We see many young people today protesting that their voices are not being heard on topics such as politics or education. But as we look specifically at millennials’ complaints regarding the church, their criticism is that they perceive problems within the church and that no one is listening to their critiques and solutions. 

·  Response: As I explore this complaint I must ask this question of millennials: To whom within the church have you tried to talk with about this issue? And how did you approach the conversation? As a millennial myself, I have found plenty of people in the church who are longing for fresh ideas and new strategies. But fresh ideas are typically not welcomed if you aren’t interested in the good of the whole congregation. Oftentimes I hear individual, self-centered solutions from millennials that offer little to no value for anyone other than those in the millennial category. So, if you’re in a church where no one is listening to you, ask yourself why. Is the problem with them or with you? Are your criticisms of the church entirely self-serving or are you humbly trying to understand and relate to others while listening to their ideas and concerns as well? Recently I read that we must seek first to understand before seeking to be understood. 

REASON #2: “We don’t want to be preached to.”

·  Further Explanation: The idea here is that millennials crave relationships, not preaching. While preaching might have reached our parents and grandparents, it just isn’t reaching millennials because millennials want to be mentored. 

·  Response: My question here is: Why not preaching? Do you think you have a better way? Jesus of Nazareth was a preacher. His disciples were preachers. The prophets who came before them were preachers. And the church throughout the last 2000 years has been saturated with preachers. So, if you want to be discipled or mentored, then sit under sound biblical preaching. Sure, we can have one-on-one relationships with other believers who sharpen us in the faith, but nothing can replace sound biblical preaching.

It’s possible that the reason you don’t want to be preached to is because you haven’t actually heard true, biblical preaching. It’s possible that you don’t want to be preached to because, sadly, you’ve only heard someone tell you what’s right and wrong, and you’ve never heard preaching that heralds the beauty and glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. The problem might not be with preaching in and of itself, but that you have never really heard preaching.

REASON #3: “We want to be valued.”

·  Response: What does it mean to be valued? I’m guessing that many of the people who have this complaint grew up with presents spilling out from under their Christmas trees every year (as did I), had at least three meals every day (as did I), and had closets full of clothes (as did I). Then you go into the church and it isn’t designed solely with you in mind. You walk into that building expecting to be served and exalted (although no one would admit it out loud). But even if you were served and exalted, it would never ever be satisfying. The only real value any of us can ever find in this life is in Jesus Christ alone. So if your church is preaching hope in Christ alone, then that’s a good place to be. Your most important need in this world is not to have people cater to your desires, but to see yourself in light of Jesus Christ and to repent and cry out to God Almighty. We all rebel against God and now He calls us to repentance. But because our hearts are so hardened by sin, we won’t respond to that call apart from divine intervention. So you say you want to be valued? Find a church that values your soul and tells you of your great need for Jesus Christ.

REASON #4: “The church doesn’t care enough about the poor and needy.”

·  Response: I agree with this statement, particularly in an American context. Our nation is greedy, and we often look out for ourselves first and foremost. But instead of criticizing everyone around you, including the church, I must ask: What are you personally doing for the poor and needy? For a long time I criticized churches for spending their money on big, fancy buildings when, in my mind, they should have been feeding the poor. But in the mean time, do you know what I was doing? I was pointing fingers and criticizing others for how they spent their money rather than examining my own generosity (or lack thereof).

Much more can be said about this subject, but let me offer one reminder to the church as a whole: While Christians are certainly called to be generous and compassionate, the church has been given a mandate to preach the Gospel and to make disciples of all the nations. By no means am I suggesting that we ignore our neighbor’s physical needs, but I do want to warn against helping our unbelieving neighbors only in a physical manner, all the while making them more comfortable on their way to hell. We must not neglect to share with them the only message that can actually save their soul – the glorious truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, there’s no question that these four points (and many others) could be discussed at much greater length, and I would love to examine them further, but let me make a couple suggestions to millennials and all professing believers: 1) Make sure that you are truly examining the church and yourself in light of God’s Word, rather than in light of your own thoughts and feelings, and 2) If you find a church that is not doing what you think it should be doing, maybe God has sent you there to fill the gap. So, instead of complaining that a particular church isn’t ministering in a certain fashion, why not join with that church and do the work of ministry that God has laid upon your heart? Remember, the church is designed to build up, not to tear down. So you will either be a part of the building up or you will be fighting in vain to tear it down.  

Questions? Comments? I’d love to discuss these issues with you. Feel free to email me at cjohnson@providence-bc.com.

~Corey

Coming soon: The next blog in my eschatology series will examine the question: 

When is the end of the world?

Slow Obedience is No Obedience

Around two years ago I became a parent, and since that time I've learned more lessons than I can count. Much of what I've learned has been difficult to accept, mostly because as I attempt to raise a helpless little human, my own selfishness is brought to the surface. Ouch. 

Without question one of the biggest and most impactful lessons I've learned pertains to obedience. In trying to teach my son the importance of quick obedience I use phrases like "to delay is to disobey" or "slow obedience is no obedience," but how many times do I delay in my obedience to God? 

How many times have I prayed that God would change my heart, but then I don't take any action? I know the right thing to do yet I don't do it. The Christian life doesn't involve simply lounging in a comfy chair with a little umbrella in our drink while we wait for God to change us or to change our situation. No, as believers we are to obey God's Word. Immediately. Whether we feel like it or not. We must will to do God's will (John 7:17). We must quickly repent of our disobedience and focus our eyes upon Christ.

In her book, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield says: "Repentance requires greater intimacy with God than with our sin. How much greater? About the size of a mustard seed. Repentance requires that we draw near to Jesus, no matter what. And sometimes we all have to crawl there on our hands and knees."

Oftentimes we don't understand why we are having to endure a particular trial, and wallowing in self-pity sounds a lot easier than obedience to God's Word. But our feelings will change only after we have obeyed. "Obedience comes before understanding" (Butterfield). May we never presume upon God's grace. We must rely upon His grace to carry us through life, but that doesn't mean we just wait for God to give us more grace before we take action. He has already given us everything we need in Christ. We must take action, we must deny ourselves, we must follow God's Word, and God will graciously change us into the likeness of Christ as we seek to follow and obey Him.

Love,

Kristen

Eschatology, Part 2: Does It Matter?

Ah, eschatology. Does it really matter what we believe about “the end times”? In my first blog on the topic, I defined the term eschatology as the study of the end times or the last days, and we also looked at the Bible's reference to time (This Age and The Age to Come). Today I want to continue this series on eschatology as we take a step back and answer the question: Does eschatology matter?

Some people believe that eschatology is superfluous to Christian belief and practice, and many of the people in this camp see it as a distraction from the important matters.  On the other hand, there are people who say that eschatology is one of the most important doctrines to Christian belief and practice, and some of the people in this group tend to focus all their time and energy on the study of eschatology to the neglect of the rest of the Bible’s teaching. 

So, what has the church historically believed about eschatology? 

In God’s Word we see the apostles preaching and teaching on eschatology (several examples include Acts 2:14-36, 17:1-31; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Peter 3:1-13).  And even after the apostolic era, eschatology remained an important doctrine throughout the history of the church.  Gregg Allison, a well-known author and professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary writes, “From its inception, the church has clung to and developed a hope for God’s final intervention in the world to put an end to all opposition and all ungodliness, to reward his faithful followers, and to make all things new” (For a survey of eschatological doctrine throughout church history see Gregg Allison’s Historical Theology). 

Though there is clear evidence throughout history that eschatology is an important doctrine, we are still pressed to answer the question: Does eschatology matter today?  The answer is a resounding yes! Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why eschatology matters.

1.  Eschatology matters because it’s in God’s Word.  In the Holy Bible, the God of the universe has revealed Himself to us.  And if the God of the universe speaks to us, we need to listen.  In fact, we should listen to all that God says, for ^“All Scripture is breathed out by God and it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  In 2 Timothy we learn that all Scripture comes from God, and that all Scripture is profitable.  This includes Scriptures concerning eschatology.

2.  Eschatology matters because it provides us with a heavenly perspective that helps us make sense of the present world.  Eschatology focuses upon ultimate realities like heaven, hell, and the end (or the goal) of all things.  Eschatology includes God’s ultimate plan of judgment and redemption and the promised return of Jesus Christ.  Knowing that Jesus will one day come back to earth to make all things right reminds us that no one in this present age will save the world.  Therefore, we do not place our faith in presidents, leaders, employers, spouses, family members, pastors, or any other creature or created thing. 

3.  A right understanding of eschatology matters in order to protect us against false teaching.  False prophets will come and will bring with them destructive heresies, and in their greed they will exploit us with false words (See 2 Peter 2:1-3).  This is especially true of eschatology.  I have watched over and over again as TV preachers use scare tactics, enticing supporters to give more and more money to their so-called ministries. We must study eschatology so we can protect ourselves against these false teachings which aim to exploit rather than equip.

4.  Eschatology matters because ideas have consequences.  Let’s take, for instance, the eschatology that spurred on the Islamic crusaders.  The end goal of their fight was (and still is) to usher in the end times.  In order to bring back the Mahdi (Islamic redeemer) Jerusalem must be under Islamic rule.  It was their eschatological belief that motivated the Islamic crusaders over 1000 years ago and it is a similar eschatological belief that motivates ISIS today.  (For more on this, click here.)  On the Christian side of the theological spectrum, Christian crusaders who were fighting against Muslim crusaders believed that they had to defeat the Antichrist before Jesus would return, and they viewed the Muslim crusaders as the Antichrist.  Both of these eschatological systems justified their wars, indicating that ideas have consequences. What we think about the end times affects our lives now.    

5.  Studying eschatology reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus Christ (See Isaiah 65:17-25). Many believe the main point of eschatology is to strike fear into all the living. While it’s true that eschatology should awaken us all to God’s wrath and His ultimate judgment, more importantly eschatology should give the Christian comfort, joy, and hope, for at the heart of eschatology is the return of Jesus Christ. 

Take a look at the words of Jesus:  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3).

Jesus Christ will return and when He does He will judge the world, usher in His eternal kingdom, and gather up His own to spend eternity with Him.  This is the pinnacle of eschatology.  If Christ matters to you, then eschatology should definitely matter to you, for Jesus Christ is the center of eschatology. 

~Corey

I Can't Get No Satisfaction

People from every corner of the USA are watching and waiting with anticipation to see how Donald Trump, as our president, will lead this country. Will he go down in history as a good president or as a bad one? Will he follow through on his promises? Will he bring unity to our nation? Many people who voted for Donald Trump thought Hillary Clinton would ruin the nation, while those who voted for Hillary Clinton thought Donald Trump would be the one to tear this nation down.

In the days following the presidential election, it is interesting to observe the number of people who, on social media outlets, gush and carry on about Trump as if he is the answer to all the problems in this country. It is easy for some to believe that because he is not a politician, Trump will turn America around and will fix all the problems in Washington D.C.  Now I am certainly not a political expert, but I have been around long enough to know that no president, no one person, can fix all the problems we have in this country. Sure, folks in the government can lay out good policies or pass good laws that move our country in a positive direction, but presidents (no matter what political party they are affiliated with) will always let us down. Why? Because presidents are sinners and because presidents can’t fix sinners. We are all sinful, fallen people, and the problems in this country and in the entire world are so deeply rooted within us that we can't simply "fix" them. 

And every four or eight years, when another presidential election rolls around and the current president hasn't fixed all our problems, the country shows its disapproval by electing someone with completely different ideals, strategies, and policies. Presidential elections are a back-and-forth game, a pendulum that swings one way and then the other, as we place our hope in the next guy, thinking that he'll be the one to make all things right.

The problem with putting our hope in a president is that no president will ever bring fulfillment. The president is not the answer to our problems. As with past elected officials, we will all soon see that Trump will never be able to fix our country. He will never bring satisfaction. Christ is the only one who can bring true satisfaction to our dry, thirsty souls. He is the way, the truth, and the life. So let's share the Gospel and live it out, remembering that our hope lies in Christ alone.

Love,

Kristen

The Morning After...

The election is over, the campaigns are over, some are overjoyed, some are extremely disheartened.  Many are bragging as if their team just won the World Series, while others are grieving as if their life is over.

If you voted for Trump, this is not a win for your team and a loss for the other team.  And if you voted against Trump, this is not the end of the world.  This is only the election of one man.  Yes, he is a very powerful man, but that doesn’t change who you are and what you believe. Therefore, my prayer is that no matter where you stand, politically speaking, you will see this as an opportunity for honest discussion and as a chance to learn from others, even from those with whom you disagree. 

And if you are a person who cannot possibly understand how anyone could vote for a particular candidate (on either side), find out.  Engage in meaningful conversations with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.  This is one of the beautiful realities about living in the USA: We have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and even freedom of opinion.  And while we are divided on worldview, we are not divided as image-bearers of God, so I encourage everyone everywhere to treat one another with respect as fellow image-bearers of God.

One last thing I want to point out and direct specifically to Christians is that this is not a win for the church.  In fact, this will be a loss for the church if we believe that Trump’s election is a win for God and that anyone who did not vote Republican is anti-Christ.  God’s church does not depend upon the government for her strength.  For the church is founded upon none other than Jesus Christ. Regardless of who is president, our mission as the church does not change.  Listen to the words of God to the church in Ephesians 2:19-22.

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

~Corey

(Be on the lookout for part 2 in my series on eschatology.)