I Really Don’t Know

I remember sitting in Mr. McMahon’s High School history class with my eyes glazed over and often nodding off. It was not that he was such a bad teacher, in fact he was probably a good teacher. He had a passion for history. However, his passion got lost in his presentation and his vast knowledge.

I have spent a couple of days know reading and pondering a portion of scripture in Romans. I can sense Paul’s passion and vast knowledge, but often I get lost in the thick of it all. It is not that my eyes glaze over - although I must admit sometimes… - it is that his language is so intense and the subject is so deep.

My reading started in Romans 8 as a result of a pursuit regarding God’s omniscience, which lead me to his sovereignty, which lead me to the theme of predestination, which culminated in the idea of election.

What is so intriguing about Paul’s discourse in chapters 8-11, is his use of the word “all” in chapter 11. Now I do not intended to parse either the word or Paul’s powerful expressions concerning the word. That is beyond my qualifications. I simply want to make an observation. As near as I can count, Paul uses the word some 46 times in his letter to the Romans. There are three critical times he uses the word in Romans 11, which is where I began pondering this particular thought. 

ALL is a rather significant word. Especially when it comes to salvation. For if one is not careful in understanding the word, it can often lead to the idea of universalism. That is, everyone will be saved eventually.

The hinge verse is Romans 11:26, “And all Israel will be saved…” Does Paul mean every individual Israelite, Israel as a nation - God’s chosen - or Israel with regard to the “elect” within Israel?

The next time he uses the word is in verse 32. “For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.” Now the key to his verse and perhaps the one in v.26 may be what Paul had said earlier in verses 1-6. It is the story of Elijah pleading with God for Israel, but God assures Elijah that he has “kept seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”  So perhaps “all”, in verses 26 and 32 does not really mean “all” in the sense of every or each one is “imprisoned in disobedience” but the nation as God’s people.

The last time, in this chapter, that Paul uses the word is with reference to God, verse 36. “For from him (God) and through him and to him are all things.” Now that is certainly a case where all means all. At least, I would think so.

Why is any of this important? Because I want to be a student of the word and not just an observer. I want to be feeding on it not just reading it. It is seldom easy for me, but always rewarding, even if I come to no certain conclusion. In other words, I suspect it is alright, when studying Scripture, to say “I really don’t know.”

Father, what a blessing it is - what a joy to have access to your inspired word. Often times I fear I take it for granted when I should be treasuring it, devouring it, and applying it to my life.

Reflections on Omniscience

What does God know?  He knows everything of course.

What does God control? He controls everything of course.

Where can God be found? He is everywhere, at all times.

If God knows everything, controls everything, and is found everywhere, why does the word “predestination” stir a chill in the minds of many? It seems the concept is acceptable when it comes to the overall character of God and His work with mankind. However, when we bring it down to a personal level - especially regarding salvation - it becomes a stumbling block.

For many non-reformers, we like he idea of “God’s will” better. It sounds softer than, “God predetermined this or that to happen and it is out of your control.”

The writer of Proverbs said, “The eyes of the LORD are every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good…Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD; how much more the hearts of the children of men?”  (15:3,11)

In the Reformation Study Bible, there is an extensive comment on divine omniscience. In one paragraph we find this, “God’s knowledge is linked with His sovereignty: He knows each thing because He created it, sustains it, and now makes it function every moment according to his plan (Eph 1:11). The idea that God could know, and foreknow, everything without controlling everything is not only unscriptural but illogical.”  (pg. 896)

Is that a lesson in puppetry or is it a matter of how man’s free will fits that understanding of God? As a human being, created in the image of God, am I devoid of any “control” over my thoughts or actions?

This whole idea confounds me. Oh, it would be nice to have pre-scripted answers to all the questions, but that would be too easy.

Is it unwise to simply leave it as a mystery? To let God be God and not attempt to dissect His thoughts or intentions.  I suspect so, yet still my mind cannot run from the seeming dichotomy.

The Truth about Truth

In our society and many others, it seems that “truth” has become a relative issue. I suspect it is never more apparent than during a political season. However, the “Truth” of the gospel is never relative.

One of the oft quoted verses from the Bible are the words of Pilate when he says to Jesus, “What is truth (John 18:38)?” Now I am not certain whether Pilate was being sarcastic or he was asking with some level of sincerity. That is not necessarily the issue. What is the issue, is what prompted the question. It comes as a result of this statement by Jesus

You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice (18:37).

There are a couple of facts that stand out in that statement. 1) Jesus came not to be a king, rather to be a witness to the truth. 2) Those who either were predestined to hear it, or those who have committed their lives as followers of Christ, listen because what they hear (and see) is truth.

This does not mean that truth is merely the absence of a lie, or strictly moral truth. What it means is this truth is absolute and eternal. This truth, in Christ, is a fleshing out of life the way God intended it to be - in right relationship to Him.

When Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” He was saying something more than a statement of exclusivity. He was proclaiming that his way was God’s way, his truth was God’s truth and his life was God’s intended life for mankind. The access to and fulfillment of that is via Christ to God. That is not as much exclusivity, as it is simply truth.

Truth can be sought in a variety of ways. But the truth most people seek is not really truth - it is simply a way of trying to get some peace, purpose and satisfaction in their life. To make sense of things that make no sense.  It is simply a magnification of what’s-in-it-for-me.

The primary reason most people are put off by Christ - besides encountering too many hypocrites - is that he calls them to TRUTH. To release the living of a lie and embrace the truth of God. Truth that calls one to sacrifice not self-indulgence. Truth that calls to serving, not being served. Truth that calls to love not manipulation. Truth that yields to God.  That is the truth about truth.

That truth is not fashionable nor comfortable. I struggle with it every day, sometimes every hour. Nevertheless, that is the truth I am called to in Christ and through Christ.

Powerful Pronoun

There are times, if I am not paying attention, that I sit down to the keyboard and my fingers are not set in the “go” position. It is amazing what happens. My words look like this…,u eptfd ;ppl ;olr yjod smf [rp[;r vsmmpy imfrtdysmf yjr, - “my words look like this and people cannot understand them.” 

In Scripture, there are those moments when it is good to shift words; especially pronouns. The exercise gives a new perspective and direction to the meaning. For example, here is John 17:20 as it stands in the text:

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word…

Now let’s change the pronoun - for illustration, I will use my name and a singular pronoun.

I do not ask for Norm only, but also for those who will believe in me through his word…

That certainly gets my attention, especially when I know that this is Jesus’ prayer to the Father concerning those who commit to following him. Let’s look at another. The italicized words are replacements of a plural pronoun for a singular or personal name.

Father, I desire that Norm also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me… O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and Norm knows that you have sent me. I made know to him your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you love me may be in him, and I in him. (John 17:24-26)

Now, substitute your name for mine. Doesn’t the prayer take on a new sense of power?

I do not know this for certain, but I suspect, Jesus still prays that prayer, in some form every day as he sits beside the Father’s throne. Furthermore, I suspect that he and the Father think of you and me from time to time when that prayer echoes in the halls of heaven.

I clap my hands and say GLORY! Thank you Father!

Missed Communication

At times, for grins, I read the upcoming Sunday School lesson in the LifeWay books our church uses. Often, I struggle with the depth and application of these lessons, but they are what they are. However, this week is one I just cannot let go.

The main text used is in 2 Samuel 13-14, about David’s sons Amnon (his first born) and Absalom (his third). In the text, Amnon is lusting after his half-sister Tamar. He sets up a plan to be alone with her and rapes her. After the act, he despises her and leaves her in derision to her family.  Well, Absalom knows that has happened and sets a plan in motion to kill Amnon for what he has done. It’s the ol’ two wrongs hoping to make one right. Which, of course, it does not.

Now here is the kicker. When David learns of what Amnon has done, he apparently does nothing! I suppose that is why, in part,  Absalom does what he does.

As the story moves along, Absalom and David are estranged from one another over the incident. Absalom lives in another country for a few years. Then, with some convincing, David allows his son to come “home” but never sees or speaks to him.

Now the point of the LifeWay lesson centers around communication, primarily, communication within the family. Now I ask you, how in the world would effective communication made the situation any different?  Somehow, we think in our Western mind, that other cultures value “communication” and methods of communicating, in the same way we do. I am not certain they do.

Do we assume that David never shared with his sons the lessons he learned from the adulterous affair with Bathsheba? Do we believe that David had no moral standards set before his boys?  Do we believe that he never taught them the Shema, or any of the laws of God? Is this whole incident simply played out in order to fulfill Nathan’s prediction that there would be disaster in David’s house? A classic “be sure your sins will find you out” scenario?

Those, in my estimation, are the important questions to ask about the text. It is about what goes wrong when people do “what is right in their own eyes” with little regard for the consequences.  That is indeed missed communication.