Agape

Anders Breivik walked into a room full of teenagers in Oslo last week and opened fire, killing many. He saw this as necessary. New York recently legalized gay marriage. They saw this as necessary.

A columnist for the New Yorker blogged about these two incidents last Sunday, drawing the conclusion that both the shootings in Oslo and gay marriage in New York point us to what love truly is, citing Martin Luther King Jr.'s writings on non-violence and the three Greek words for love. Needless to say, I had a major problem of her view on agape.

The columnist describes love as an affectionate community. America is the most individualistic society in the entire world. It is nigh impossible to look at the legalization of gay marriage in New York (triumph to many) and conclude that Americans -and humanity at large- know anything of living in community with affection toward our neighbor. Its easy to isolate one incident and make a sweeping generalization, but I can do the same with many more examples of hate and individualism in the world. The conclusion she comes to that agape was seen amid the shooting is reaching at best. If agape is just the "greater good," how can we deem anything good at all? Breivik saw the greater good as killing teenagers to send a political message for the betterment of society. New York legislators decided that the legalization of gay marriage was for the greater good.

Does love win if temporary satisfaction is gained? Or does true agape surpass our understanding. True love rips the blinders from our eyes, picks us out of the mire, and directs us toward Love Himself. Now if agape doesn't characterize my life after I've been shown such a grace, I am a fraud. If we as mere humans act in such a way as the German tourist in this story, it is a gift of grace and a reflection of God in humanity. The world sees acts of kindness and attributes it to the theory that humans are basically good, but it is impossible to explain evil in this world with the theory of humanity that we are basically good.

"No one is good, no not one..." This isn't just some pessimistic statement from an embittered Paul. No - these words are directly followed by "no one seeks after God." Seeking after God is good, and fallen man does not seek after God. Where is love here? Love cannot exist without the reality of the absence of "goodness" in men. The love of God slaughtered His Son so our unrighteousness can be called righteousness. "Affection" is merely the mud under our feet when compared to this love.

The saints are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Loving the Lord is obeying His commands, and the reflection of this love to our neighbor is agape. Gracious agape.

What is the Chief End of Man?

In a recent article from The New Yorker, writer/musician Sasha Frere-Jones ruminates over the "troubled soul" of the now-deceased , Amy Winehouse.

Frere-Jones asks a lot of questions in her article, presumably unanswerable ones, in order to make a point: the elusive soul behind the life of Amy Winehouse was a hopeless mystery.

Every now and again in life, people with extraordinary talent arise. We cannot touch them. Winehouse's most recent album "Back to Black" was topping the charts in the United States with multitudes of fans to boot. Her sultry, throwback sound knew nothing of demographic differences. She sang everyone's story, and made a person think her songs were crafted just for them.

From our perspective, she had everything. So "why..." Frere-Jones asks, "was she not happier?"

She never answered the question. I'm guessing that's because she doesn't have one. Understandably so. If there is no hope beyond this life, then eat and drink - for tomorrow we die. Winehouse's death exemplifies this - and it is painful primarily because she represents so many who have died and will die with no hope. Without Christ, what we have in this life means nothing. Solomon dedicates an entire book to pondering this dilemma! If death comes to both the rich man as well as the lazy man, what profit is there in riches? He calls this vanity and chasing after the wind.

Maybe Winehouse came to this realization, but came to a different conclusion than Solomon. Stop at "life is vanity" and there is no reason to go on living. Speculating, I can imagine this as what was burdening Winehouse while performing her hits on stage in front of crowds of adoring fans with nothing but a heartless sway and a strait face that made people wonder "why was she not more excited?"

If she was still around, there would be no disputing that she had much more to offer. The article concludes thus: "Now? The jukebox is off and we're being ushered back home, with no address." The world was left wondering, "what happened to Amy Winehouse?" and even more puzzling, "why?" Her life took on the bitter taste that characterized the songs she wrote... over the futile odds, laughed at by the gods, and now the final frame, love is a losing game.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism:

Q.1 "What is the chief end of man?"

A. "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever."

Incessant Repentance from the Incessantly Falling

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12

We must realize that we are all like Israel. God chose this people for absolutely no reason that makes earthly sense. The only reason God chose Israel was of nothing they had done, but purely so that He could show His grace to an undeserving people. God literally gave Israel everything they needed, and what did that stubborn child do? They turned their backs on God time after time. Even though Israel was almost utterly faithless, God remained faithful and preserved a remnant so that they could still receive the promise.

Already justified, but not yet glorified...that's the state of our existence. Like Israel, we quickly fall from any spiritual pedestal we delusionally think we're on and into the Slough of Despond. Sin turns us in on ourselves and clouds our view of the Cross. We are in a constant state of sin and repentance.

We think we stand, and we let our guards down. Apathy defines our spiritual stance because pride boasted in self. Don't forget that you are like Israel.

Verse 12 is followed by this: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." Flee is a strong word for a strong truth. Flee temptation that leads to idol worship BECAUSE God has already provided a way out. Unlike Israel, we now have a perfect Advocate.

We will think we stand, but actually fall, on a daily basis. Please don't grow tired of repentance. His forgiveness never tires.

Cold Pool

The cure to writer's block is writing.

Like anything, the solution to overcoming something is simply to do it. To act rather than to stagnate.

Its like standing at the edge of a pool. You know that once you're immersed in the water, you'll no longer fear its coldness. For some reason though, your head and your will don't agree and you remain frozen to the warm cement, looking upon what should be so simple.

Most regrettable choices in life could have been remedied by acting according to what we wish to be. Although, this only goes so far. We do not determine our steps. It is easier to act the self into new ways of feeling rather than to feel the self into new ways of acting.

Christ over all means Christ over ALL

In an unstable society, the word "risk" has almost been obliterated. Comfort and consistency are prized almost solely because of their scarcity. The buzzword "economy" conjures up fear. Its the unspoken zeitgeist, if you will.

Christians face real-world dilemmas daily when their work lives and their spiritual lives are found in conflict. What if the work your company is asking you to do is in direct violation to Scripture? What if you're asked to work on Sundays at the risk of losing your job? Is there really ever any excuse to put something before duty as a Christ-follower?

What I thought was the easy answer ["no"] is more of a grey area to many, and I can see why. It's completely counter-cultural, going against everything society pounds into our heads. We need to fight back with an equal amount of pounding by speaking Truth to ourselves.

God's will for our lives is to obey and trust Him with the results. Period. Matthew 8 tells us the story of a man who desires to follow Jesus, but first asks Him if he may bury his father. Jesus' reply is initially pretty shocking and callous. "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." This is the cost. This is the gravity of identifying yourself with Christ in bondage to Him.

...but what if?...but what about?...

"Follow Me"

Paul says in Philippians that he considers everything loss compared to knowing the surpassing worth of Christ Jesus. This life is fading fast. Our job, even if its a good one, will last only a few years. How is it really gain if we compromise our obedience for temporary gain? There is a false divide between the sacred and the secular that people use to justify their disobedience. Whether you skipped church to watch a baseball game or skipped church because you had to work, the same choice is being made.

This isn't naive, its trust. One reason we can be comforted that we are doing the right thing to obey Christ is how stupid it seems to our reason. It would be absolutely unthinkable to confront your boss at the risk of losing your job in an economy where jobs are scarce, and yet this is what we are called to. Objections may rise: "God gave me common sense too and I think it'd be stupid to risk losing the job He provided me with." Yes, He did provide you with that job, but don't you think that if He provided you with this one, how much more so will he supply your needs after you obey Him?

Jesus addresses this issue in Matthew 6. It is a human tendency to worry. What shall we eat? What shall we wear? The answer is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Treasuring Christ is supreme. He is a loving master, and blesses those who keep His commands with everything they need.

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