If You Want to Know About Horses, First You Find a Horse

Western Civilization is indebted to the Greeks for their advances in mathematics, philosophy, and science. We’re also indebted to them for their development of logic. But as with all good tools, they can become an end in themselves as opposed to a means to an end, the end in this case being a matter of reaching the truth.

Peter Lynch, the one-time investment manager of Fidelity Magellan Fund, credited much of his legendary success to his study of logic and philosophy, but he liked to point out that “the early Greeks used to sit around for days and debate how many teeth a horse has. They thought they could figure it out by just sitting there, instead of checking the horse."

If you think about it, many armchair theologians do pretty much the same thing when discussing weighty matters. Go to the library and you’ll find volumes on such theological subjects such as “reconciliation”, “redemption”, “salvation”, “justification”, “atonement”, and yes, even “grace”.

Many of us have sat through sermons and Bible Studies where certain Greek words are tracked through concordance and biblical text in an attempt to narrow in on an exact meaning and intent behind a term, and while we might in some cases satisfy some intellectual curiosity, in most instances people go home not really enlightened, and maybe even more confused.

And we fail because, like Lynch’s Greek philosophers, we’re not going out to look at the horse.

Take “grace”, for instance. Study the gospels, and I doubt you will find the two words “grace is” coming out of Jesus’ mouth, but it would be hard to claim he didn’t teach about grace. In fact, his entire life was one giant object lesson on grace. He defined grace for us, not with a dictionary and lexicon in hand, but through history, parable and example.

He reminds his listeners about the time when David and his men were hungry, and the priest gave them the showbread to eat, a bread that was legally reserved for the priests alone. Yet the priest was blameless for offering it and David's men were blameless in eating it. They were blameless because it was an act of grace.

He tells a parable about a man who owed an unpayable amount and begged forgiveness of the debt, but how the same debtor refused to forgive a pittance owed him by another man. By this he teaches that we are not to be just recipients of grace, but we are to offer it as well.

He points out to Simon the Leper by parable and object lesson that people we often see as "sinners" often have greater love because they have experienced a greater measure of grace.

And of course there are Jesus’ famous but difficult to emulate words, “Father, forgive them because they know not what they do.”

I think we can argue that Paul was a great teacher of grace. Here was a man who was steeped in both Greek philosophy and Hebrew theology, and his writings reveal an ability to use both the Greek method (heavy use of logic and reason) and Jesus’ method (experiential lessons through history and parable). Grace was such a central part of his teachings because, as he said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of which I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who believe in him and receive eternal life.” (I Timothy 1:15 – 16 NIV)

Paul understood grace because he had received it -- lots of it. And during his life he learned how to offer it. If you want to learn about grace, do more than a word study. Go out and check the horse. You cannot understand grace until you have both accepted it and offered it.

Calendar controversies in the First Century

Beginning on page 52 of the e-book referred to below.is a discussion of some of the calendar controversies of the 1st Century. Things just don't change. On page 70, lines 13 - 15 we see the Qumran Community objecting to being "late for the appointed times". Some scholars say this refers to the "postponements". They sure hated Rabbinical Judaism!

The Dead Sea Scrolls in English

Where Are the Leaders?

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. (Psalm 118:9)

In the first volume of his World War II memoirs, Winston Churchill reports a remarkable admission by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, who served in that office from 1935 – 1937. When challenged for not taking rearmament of Britain seriously in the face of growing threats from the Continent, he replied in Parliament with a remarkable admission of his true motives:

I put before the whole House my own views with an appalling frankness. … You will remember that at that time [the time of the election] there was probably a stronger pacifist feeling running through this country than at any time since the war. You will remember the election at Fulham in the autumn of 1933, when a seat which the National Government held was lost by about 7,000 votes on no issue but the pacifist. … I asked myself what chance was there … within the next year or two of that feeling being so changed that the country would give mandate for rearmament? Supposing I had gone to the country and said that Germany was rearming, and that we must rearm, does anybody think that this pacific democracy would have rallied to that cry at that moment? I cannot think of anything that would have made the loss of the election from my point of view more certain. (The Gathering Storm, by Winston S. Churchill, P.216)

As historian William Manchester notes, “Surely this admits of but one interpretation. Tory victories were more important to Baldwin than the specter of Luftwaffe bombers overhead.” (The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume II, by William Manchester, P. 218). Or, as Churchill explained it, “That a Prime Minister should avow that he had not done his duty in regard to national safety because he was afraid of losing an election was an incident without parallel in our parliamentary history.”

But at least Baldwin owned up to it! Too often expediency trumps statesmanship, and it goes unchallenged and certainly not admitted. Hopefully a new Churchill awaits his call, but in any case our Western civilization faces a crisis of politics over leadership. Though distressing, such a state is common in the affairs of mankind. Ezekiel lamented the same faults of his day when he wrote, “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? … The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who are sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost.” (Ezekiel 34:2, 4 NKJV)

In this time of the never-ending election cycle, candidates seem to think they have a Constitutional right to elevate their importance, dominate the public discourse, campaign every day of every year, and then imply that they are the saviors of the human race. So we elect our Congress every two years and our Presidents every four, only to be disillusioned and even angry that they fail to deliver the goods.

And that is as it should be because these people are not our saviors, and they are not our benefactors. For the most part their interests are reelection and legacy-building, not public service and statesmanship. If we lean on the weak reed of human leadership, it will break in our hands and disappoint our hearts. Even Churchill was turned out of office immediately after the surrender of Germany. It is our duty as free citizens to learn as much as possible about candidates for office and vote for the people whom we believe would best serve the nation’s interest, even if what they must do is wholly unpopular. But in the end, they are all human. The Psalmist had it right: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” (Psalm 118:8-9 NKJV)

Lenny C.

When Kings Go to War

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. (II Samuel 11:1 NIV)

I have some questions about this verse:

1. Was David a king?

2. What did kings do at that time of year?

3. If David was a king, what was he doing in Jerusalem instead of joining his men in the field?

David stumbled, and these questions point to a reason why. David failed to do the work of a king. The nation was at war, but David stayed in Jerusalem where he could enjoy his perks of office, rest comfortably in his own bed, eat the best foods, and have others fulfill his every whim.

If he had been doing the work of a king, he would not have been in his palace ogling down on the wife of one his trusted aides and sending a servant to fetch her for an afternoon tryst.

I wonder how often we Christians are content to keep our religion in our palaces while ignoring the duties that God sets before us. Instead of going off to fight in spiritual warfare, we want to stay back in our safe places and live a life of ease and comfort. When we do that -- when we abandon the post that God expects us to guard -- we risk getting too close to the edge of the wall and falling into the distractions of temptation.

This famous story of David and Bathsheba continues with David’s failed attempt to cover up his crime and David’s backhanded murder of Bathsheba’s husband in the field of battle. Under David’s orders the more honorable Uriah approached too close to the enemy’s wall, and this innocent man died.

This disgusting episode in the life of one of the most revered figures of the Bible is punctuated in Matthew’s genealogy of Christ. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Matthew refuses to use Bathsheba’s name or to call her David’s wife, instead referencing her as “her that had been the wife of Uriah” (Matthew 1:6). It sounds like the stench was still in God’s nostrils over the betrayal and murder of a good man.

Keep fighting the good fight instead of seeking the creature comforts of the gilded palace where there lurks the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Stay in the fray of the battle and those temptations won’t be as tempting.

God Is Not A Buffalo Bills Fan

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson set the sports world a-twitter after he dropped a sure game-winning touchdown pass in overtime. After the Bills’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson logged himself on to that famous social-networking site and tweeted, "I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO..."

Honestly, God has more important things to tend to than the outcome of a game in the National Football League, but having said that, Mr. Johnson might be showing more spiritual maturity than have some commentators who have snickered at this tweet.

If you are frustrated with God, is it acceptable to boldly go where Johnson went? In short, is honesty the best policy when talking to your Creator? Is standing naked before him something he can handle?

Somehow I believe that God expects something other than a poker face or a forced smile in his presence. In fact, the Biblical narrative illustrates just the opposite.

Job was open about the frustrating experiences life had handed him, even demanding an impartial judge between him and the Deity so that he could plead his case, yet later he receives praises for speaking correctly about God.

David’s Psalms are full of lament and questioning about the trials that rained upon him, yet David is called a man after God’s own heart. “How long, O Lord?” he questions.

Moses complains to God about the burdensome assignment of leading a complaining people, and God listens.

Abraham is so bold as to argue with God about the divine plan for Sodom and Gomorrah, obtaining some concessions if only a few requirements are met.

Maybe Stevie Johnson’s tweet reveals an honest and open relationship with his Maker that should elicit our envy instead of our scorn. Maybe he needs to get a better grip on the relative importance of a dropped ball in the overall scheme of the universe, but then again, isn’t that true about all of us?

Frustrated with God? Tell him. He already knows what you are thinking. And besides, he’s big enough to handle it.