How do you measure up?

This is about as clear as it gets from Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46. This has been sticking with me the past few weeks. It is moving me and Christi to identify the actions we will take. These words from Jesus can not be talked about and studied to be understood. They have to be lived and acted upon. Jesus puts a very clear measuring stick to loving Him. In fact it is uncomfortably clear.

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,

43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

How have you been loving Jesus lately? How do you measure up?

(originally posted September 2007)

The Inconsistent God vs. The Inconsistent God (3 of 3)

PART THREE - STEP OF FAITH

We have seen the two definitions of an "Inconsistent God." We have also seen that we have substantial evidence to consider as we decide which definition we believe. Of one thing we can be certain, only ONE idea can be true, and each of us live our lives in a way that exposes which one we believe.

To conclude, I would like to explain the role of faith. Putting your confidence in either idea of the "Inconsistent God" will require a step of faith. The role of argument and evidence can clarify and show us good reason to put our faith in one, but in the end that final step is a step of faith. This is the step many have not taken. There are many Christians who claim to be followers of Jesus, yet their actions expose a trust in something other than God. There are atheists who claim to believe there is no God, yet there actions and decisions will not follow through fully with that profession. Professing to believe, wanting to believe or hoping to believe is weaker than actually believing something. Believing it is resting in it. This is where faith is seen. You can say you believe that a chair will hold you up, but the way you sit in that chair will be an indicator of your faith in it. Your posture will give you away. The same is true about your faith. You will live what you truly believe.

I like the analogy of the bridge to show how faith and evidence work together. You can learn everything there is to know about a bridge; every detail, how much it holds, how big it is, what it is made of, where it leads. You can know everything about it and have good reason to believe your information is very accurate, but to take a step (even for a bridge expert) on that bridge and cross it is still a step of faith. Faith gets you to the other side. The knowledge and evidence gathered just helps you gain confidence in taking that step of faith. This is where I try to direct my discussions with people whose views differ. Talking and learning everything about a bridge is easy (and enjoyable for a few of us nerds), but taking a step on that bridge is a much bigger deal. It will define our morality, our beliefs, our actions, our lives.

How does this affect your life? your discussions?

The Inconsistent God vs. The Inconsistent God (2 of 3)

PART TWO - EVIDENCE VERSUS PROOF

We saw in the first post how only one of the two ideas of an inconsistent God can be true. In fact, one must be true. Simply put, either there is a God that is a reality even though a mystery, or there is no God. They can't both be true. We can also determine that one is definitely true (there is or is not a God...simply put). Since the implications for each affect how we view the world and how we act, it is pretty important to find out which one is true. So, is there a way to know which is true? Can we be sure?

Here are some thoughts about proof versus evidence. There is no way to conclusively prove EITHER "Inconsistent God" to be true. Now this could be a little rattling of a statement for many of you, but here are some good thoughts to pull away from this. My personal belief is that definition number one is true, that there is a very real, very personal God. Many people who share that belief feel the need to be defensive about their belief in God. They feel the need to prove every aspect of His reality, but the burden of proof does not rest on definition one. Those who believe there is no God must share the burden of proof. They have some explaining to do. This is where sound evidence comes to play. This is not discounting faith (which is the topic of part 3). Instead, it is the ability to have foundations for your faith. This happens all the time. We can not conclusively prove the earth will continue to go around the sun tomorrow, but we have strong evidence to believe it will. We can weigh the evidence that is available. Of this there is plenty. For example, you will find compelling evidence that touches the intellect (logical arguments, scientific evidence, historical evidence, philosophical arguments, etc.) and the emotions (personal encounters and experiences). Each of these are valid and very telling.

Why is this idea of evidence so important to realize? Well, for me it has been a huge revelation. As a Christian, I believe in a God that loves humanity so much that He made a way for mankind to be connected to Himself, even though mankind had no way within themselves. I believe his fingerprint is evident throughout our world. I can't prove my view to be true to every person with a different view. I can offer my experiences and my intellectual evidences for what I believe to be true. I can talk with intellectual integrity using a mind that engages science, history, philosophy to support my belief. I can talk with confidence about my personal experiences, feelings, and stories. But, in the end, evidence and arguments do not prove God. They give us strong reasons to believe. I can and must leave the conclusion of the evidence with the person who asks. Each of us must draw our own conclusions and weigh the evidence for ourself.

Have you struggled with having an answer for someone? What is the strongest evidence which supports your belief in the "Inconsistent God?"

The Inconsistent God vs. The Inconsistent God (1 of 3)

PART ONE - ONE WORD, TWO IDEAS

I have to thank Jimmy's post for bringing up this word, inconsistent. I have been thinking about it's definition in the context of "An Inconsistent God." In this series I am going to look at two ideas from this one word and the crucible of faith it reveals. Sound fun? First, we will have a look at the definition:

Inconsistent
Displaying or marked by a lack of consistency, especially:
a. Not regular or predictable; erratic
b. Lacking in correct logical relation; contradictory
c. Not in agreement or harmony; incompatible
I really love the definition of inconsistent because it I think it accurately depicts two totally different ideas we all have of God.

1) Inconsistent God - (not regular or predictable; erratic; lacking in correct logical relation) This is the mysterious God who can never be fully understood or explained, who does not fit into our logical perspective...into our natural world. He is the one that created it and is far above it. He is the one who is omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing). He is somehow completely sovereign while honoring the free will of man. He is completely good but allows and lives with evil. He is the one who intervenes in humanity yet sometimes seems far away. His decision to do one or the other can never be predicted even close to 100% accuracy. He is perfect in all his attributes, even attributes that seem to be at odds like justice and mercy. Deeper understanding about him, leads to a deeper awareness of the depth and breadth of his mystery. He is the inconsistent God.

2) Inconsistent God - (contradictory; not in agreement or harmony; incompatible) This is the God that simply does not work. He is a contradiction when seen clearly. He is incompatible within his own definitions. He is a figment of the imagination of men to create some sense of hope or purpose outside of this existence. He is NOT reality, but available as a crutch for those in need. He is the inconsistent God.

I think this is one of life's biggest crucibles of faith...all in one word! In fact one of these definitions can catch most of the world's belief in God. The problem is many people will live a life that will jump back and forth between the definitions. Never sold out to one or the other. But both definitions cannot be true at the same time. Only one can be true!