According to the Bible?

I often hear Christians say we need to live our lives according to the Bible. Although they have good intentions I believe it's actually really confusing, and at times damaging, to non-believers and those unfamiliar with the Bible. See, a lot of people have tried reading the Bible, starting at Genesis 1, and they typically make it to Leviticus before throwing up their arms in frustration. Therefore when we say "according to the Bible" they think we're talking about laws, commands, incest, killing, plagues and animal sacrifices.

We as Christians need to do a much better job explaining what the Bible is.

The Bible isn't a book, it's a collection of 66 interconnected books written over a period of 1500 years. Inside you will find historical narrative, poetry, songs, love letters, wise sayings, prophecy, apocalyptic literature, letters to specific churches, letters to specific people, etc. These books are NOT arranged in chronological order.

When we say "according to the Bible" or "Biblical values" which book are we referring to? Which story? Which proverb? Most importantly, which covenant?

All of the Bible is *for* us. But not all of it was written *to* us.

We can't just say "the Bible". Much of the content - and even the covenants themselves - contradict each other. No wonder the world is confused! If the church is the light of the world we better start shining some truth.

The Bible is the historical record of God's covenant journey with mankind. Throughout history God has chosen to interact with humanity through the ratification of five major covenants (promises). There were different types of covenants in the ancient world. Sometimes God's promises were conditional upon the people living up to their side of the bargain (much like a marriage covenant today), and sometimes God's promises were completely unconditional. Sometimes they were for specific people, sometimes they were for all people. The way God started that initial journey with Abraham is much different than the journey we are on today.

The confusion (and subsequent damage) comes when we read the Bible as a "flat" book - as if every word and every covenant is equally valid - rather than as a collection of covenants, each with its own supporting documents. Much confusion also comes when we put validity on the older, outdated covenants.

There is only one valid covenant today. It's the one Jesus made with His Father. It's called the New Covenant and it's really good news for us because it's completely unconditional. We're not even involved, it's between Jesus and the Father. The only question is if you want to be born into their family. That's why it's good news - the covenant itself is not dependent on us keeping up our side of the bargain. Let that sink into your soul for a moment. Sit back and put your feet up. Take a deep breath.

Seriously. It's not about what you do, it's about what He did. God's no longer interested in your sin, He's interested in YOU.

This New Covenant fulfilled every preceding covenant before it. God's prior covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David are all fulfilled. Complete. Outdated. The New Covenant trumps them all.

We are now running God 2.0 and there will be no further releases, this version is amazing. Unshakable. Unbreakable. Unchangeable. Plump full of features and benefits.
While reading about older covenants may be helpful in that they help us more fully understand the reality of what we now have under the New Covenant, in no way are we to apply "obsolete" (Heb. 8:13) stipulations to the freedom we now have in Christ. For further reading, see the entire book of Galatians.

Of course, read your Bible - all of it. Again and again. It's like an onion. You keep peeling the onion and one layer of meaning leads to another layer of meaning. It's amazing. God will meet you between the pages. The old interprets the new. Just remember where you are in the story, and most importantly, that you're running God 2.0. The old drivers and software are no longer compatible.
"But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises." - Heb. 8:6

Slavery

God freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery but they asked to go back when things got tough. It's a scary thing when slavery becomes more familiar than freedom. We decline the Lord's dinner invitation by the lake for the predictability of three rations per day.

Sometimes we choose the predictability of slavery only because it's all we know. Sadly, the routine of life in prison becomes a comfort to us. Fear becomes normal. Depression. Lust. Addiction. Anger. Opinions of people. All these things can start to become normal and routine. 

But deliverance only comes after leaving the false comforts of slavery. We must get fed up - at some point we must wake up to the truth of our calling - the truth of who we are - the truth of who we were created to be - the truth of how much we are loved. At some point our desire for freedom must overshadow the false comforts of slavery - even when the road to freedom seems a little unpredictable. If we don't trust that God is able to part the Red Sea we will never arrive in the Promised Land.

D A D D Y, W A T C H !

Anyone who has kids understands the challenge of staying attentive to what they are saying and doing. We get so caught up in the hustle & bustle of all the household tasks we need to do such as washing dishes, laundry, floors, counter tops and those kinds of things that we sometimes fail to slow down and take it all in.

Yesterday my boys were playing Legos and doing what boys do - making sound effects, having an interstellar space ship race throughout the house, etc. At one point they stopped because they discovered something "cool" about how one of the spaceships can shoot the Lego bullets. I was washing the dishes after dinner and I was in the zone as I often am when trying to get stuff done. My boys were yelling, "Daddy watch! Daddy watch!" over and over again. 

Now, when I am "in the zone" it's often difficult for me to snap out of it. I was so focused on finishing - cleaning that last dish - that I didn't even notice my boys were desperately trying to show me something - something they seemed to be very proud of.

When I finally snapped out of it they proceeded to show me how their Lego spaceship can shoot bullets from a hidden location on the bottom. I pretended to be impressed but that wasn't good enough - they really wanted me to understand how incredibly cool this was. They wanted me to see how it worked, what button to press, the distance it shot - everything. As they showed me they would stare at my face until they could tell I was sufficiently impressed - until they were satisfied that I understood how amazingly cool this was. After displaying an appropriate amount of shock and awe, they ran off and continued playing.

I have been thinking about this a lot since then.

This wasn't really about Legos, this was about our relationship. A shared experience. See, I had helped them put that spaceship together. When they got stuck I would provide them with direction, find the right pieces, etc. All of us had been together as it was built. They wanted - they needed - to share their joy with me, the one who had helped them put it all together.

I think our Father also likes to share in those experiences with us. I think He likes to share in the excitement with us. He loves to see us discover new things about how He put it all together.

May we always include Him, not only in our discoveries but also when we're stuck - when we need help finding that next piece. May we seek Him like my boys did - loud and persistent. May we stare at His face until we know we have His full attention. May we always call out for Him and say, "Daddy, watch!"

New Roots New Fruit

Imagine you are an apple tree but no one likes apples. Everyone, including God Himself, only likes oranges. In fact, God Himself is made of orange juice. You try and try to grow oranges on your branches - you come close a couple times by growing orange-colored apples, but inside they are still just apples.

Then one day God offers to chop you down and replant you as an orange tree. You ask instead if He can just cause your branches to grow oranges but He says that's not possible because of your roots. He says it's not the branches that determine the fruit, it's the roots. The only way is to be chopped down, uprooted, and replanted with a new seed.

Getting chopped down and replanted seems scary. All you know is the apple orchard, you're not sure what to do.

As an apple tree would you:

1. Pretend oranges don't exist
2. Continue trying to grow oranges on your apple tree
3. Allow God to replant you as an orange tree

Body of Christ

I often hear Christians say, especially during election season, that God is in control. We are encouraged to vote through the lens of our Biblical worldview but then we're reminded that no matter what happens "God is in control."

As a standalone statement I don't believe that is helpful.

Throughout Scripture we see that God's control and manipulation of situations was dependent upon the cooperation of people. Noah had to build a boat. Abraham had to move to a different country. Moses had to face Pharaoh. David had to kill Goliath. Even God Himself, when we couldn't save ourselves, had to enter into our physical realm in Christ to do so. It is the reason the incarnation was necessary. 

"The heavens are the LORD'S heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of men."
- Psalm 115:16

The Church is the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). That is, His physical presence on Earth. WE are now the incarnation of Christ (God) on Earth. WE are now the Spirit of God wrapped in flesh. His hands, His feet, His arms, His legs.

If His hands are not helping, God's hands are tied. If His feet are not moving, God's feet are bound.

God is only "in control" to the degree His sons & daughters are stepping into their identity as the Body of Christ on Earth. Is the Body moving? Is the Body working in unity? Is the Body advancing the Kingdom? If yes, then God's control is manifesting on Earth. If the Body is paralyzed by fear, division, the evening news, distractions or elections, then no, God's control is not manifesting on Earth and He remains imprisoned inside unbelieving believers.

"Christ in YOU is the hope of glory." - Col. 1:27

"YOU are the light of the world." - Matt. 5:14

"YOU are Christ's ambassadors." - 2 Cor. 5:20

"I confer upon YOU a Kingdom." - Luke 22:29

"All creation waits in eager expectation for the CHILDREN OF GOD to be revealed." - Rom. 8:19