Faith in April Fool's Day

Dan Phillips at Pyromaniacs had an interesting article about a man who broke up a robbery because he thought it was April Fool’s Day. Phillips brings out that if you were just watching the video camera at the bank you would have thought that this man was performing a feat of bravery.

Think of it. Why was Stewart so calm and so brave? Well, really, he was calm; but he wasn't brave, exactly, was he? Stewart was calm because of his faith. Stewart believed that it was all just an April Fool's hoax. No bravery required.

But here's the thing: he was wrong! He was just (what most folks would call) lucky. If there'd been a gun, we wouldn't be chuckling. Nor would Stewart.

Phillips goes on and ties this event in with James 2:14…

Say it's not Stewart we're watching without sound. It's you. It's me.

Can you tell what we believe, and why? The things we spend the most time on, feel the most strongly about, invest the most of ourselves in — what do they say about our faith? Our priorities, our goals, our rules of engagement — looking at them, what do we believe?

Do we live boldly, confidently, riskily, like people who believe they have a loving, giving, kind, sovereign Father who has dealt fully and finally with all their sins, forever, in Christ? Think of the roll-call of faith in Hebrews 11, and the amazing feats accomplished by people who really, truly believed in the Word of God. Do we live like people who believe that His word is our law, for our thoughts and choices and affections?

Phillips definitely brings up some interesting points. I would like to amplify one point he makes at the end of the post. Faith is not just belief; biblical faith is belief in action. Whenever the Bible speaks about faith is has this implication. Therefore when we define faith we should include action in our definition. Faith without action isn’t really faith.

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Is Repentance Motivated by Judgment?

I believe that Christians often think that correction and judgment are the motivations that lead one to repentance. Or, at the least the prospect of judgment should keep one out of sin. While I would agree that there is truth to this statement, the apostle Paul gives a unique angle to the motivation of repentance.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Rom 2:3-4)

The context of these verses flow from the preceding chapter. In chapter one, Paul shows the utter sinfulness and depravity of the Gentiles. As he continues on, he brings worth an imaginary respondent. This person is agreeing with what he said in the previous chapter (Most think that Paul is implying that this person is a Jew). He condemns the Gentiles and yet is involved in the very same actions.Paul swiftly responds that the judgment that is coming on the Gentiles is also coming to this man. What is interesting is that Paul accuses him of despising the goodness. forbearnace, and longsuffering of God. These three graces should have caused this man to repent.

When we find ourselves struggling with sin, it is important to remember these three blessings. God's goodness is seen as Luther puts it...

...in the abounding fullness of His temporal and spiritual benefactions such as the blessings of body and soul, the free use of benefactions such as the blessings of body and soul, the free use of His creatures, the services which they render man, the protection of the holy angles, and the like.

We find that God also forbears our sins. Rather than judging us instantly, he withholds his wrath. Even more amazingly, his long-suffering continues to wait on our repentance.

These three truths should cause us not only to repent but to praise His greatness.

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Insight from a Liberal?

I am currently reading The Making of American Liberal Theology by Gary Dorrien. It outlines the growth of American liberal theology from Unitarians to current times. Even though this book is riddled with the errors of liberal theology, I found some profound insights by one influential liberal.

Horace Bushnell (1802 - 1876) was a man that was orthodox in many respects. His contribution to liberal theology was more of a point of view than modifications of any doctrine. He taught that the basis of theology was located in the intuition of mankind's spiritual nature rather than logical study.

Because of this emphasis, he had great insight into emotional matters that related to spirituality. Upon learning from one of his daughters that she did not get life from reading the Bible, he offered this insightful advice.

My own experience is that the Bible is dull when I am dull; and that when I am really alive, and set in upon the text with a tidal pressure of living affinities, it opens, multiplies discoveries and reveals depths even faster than I note them. The worldly spirit, in some form of indifferentism, shuts the Bible; the Spirit of God makes it a fire, flaming out all meanings and more glorious truths.

The question then is what makes us dull and how does one become alive. I believe that there are several answers. When we ignore the plain teaching of Scripture, refuse to repent and make restitution of the sins we have committed, or become lopsided and neglect other devotional aspects of our lives, we become dull in our spiritual life. Rather than blame the Bible for our lack of life, we should examine ourselves so we bring life to our study.


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