Author: Wick

“The “kingdom of God,” then, represents the infinite task of making good on Elohim’s “good,” of repeating his “good” from day to day, which means letting God’s rule obtain.”

“The Sabbath is to be a day of recreation, of re-creation, of continually renewing the ongoing work of creation, of mending the broken and healing the sick, of straightening the crooked and making the lame to walk, of inscribing Elohim’s “good” on the bodies and the minds of those whose lives he touched.”

“To be pure of heart is to be released from sin, which means to break the shackles of sin, quite the way a crippled man is healed and thereafter able to move about freely. These shackles are self-imposed, and God releases us from them. So when Jesus taught “your sins are released,” he meant, you are made healthy again, no longer crippled or impaired.” – Caputo

Perhaps we’ve made too much economy in the realm of forgiveness. Two words used in the New Testament for forgiveness – “charizomai” and “aphiemi“. Neither are economic words. Jesus didn’t go around balancing the Kingdom’s budget of offenses. He went around healing and bringing new life, and releasing prisoners.

But then again, we do see Jesus teaching us how to pray – “forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors”. Which in Matthew appears to be simply that, although the word used can be a metaphor for sin – the version in Luke clarifies the question by actually using the word for sin…revealing that Jesus was indeed speaking a language the people could understand. Which word did Christ actually use in the Lord’s prayer?

Perhaps the mixed message is on purpose. The Kingdom of God is about being released from this debt, AND from this debt-mentality. Both in a financial and property-based sense, and the keeping track of offenses sense – as we see later in Jesus’ dialogue about how often one should forgive their brother.

May we live our lives as people who are free from debts, allowing us to relate to others free from any indebtedness to us. In every way possible. And to live that, knowing God has brought/is bringing release and healing to creation through those created in His image living from such freedoms…

From “A Plain Account of the People Called Methodists“

And yes, I recognize that John Wesley may not have been an advocate of how some small groups operate today. To read a quick summary of the purpose/details of his groups…check out this link. Small groups today could gain something from the heart for God/others found in these.

“11. But it was not long before an objection was made to this, which had not once entered into my thought: — “Is not this making a schism? Is not the joining these people together, gathering Churches out of Churches?”

It was easily answered, If you mean only gathering people out of buildings called churches, it is. But if you mean, dividing Christians from Christians and so destroying Christian fellowship, it is not. For, (1.) These were not Christians before they were thus joined. Most of them were barefaced Heathens. (2.) Neither are they Christians, from whom you suppose them to be divided. You will not look me in the face and say they are. What! drunken Christians! cursing and swearing Christians! lying Christians! cheating Christians! If these are Christians at all, they are devil Christians, as the poor Malabarians term them. (3.) Neither are they divided any more than they were before, even from these wretched devil Christians. They are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform every office of real kindness towards them. (4.) If it be said, “But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them; “I answer, That which never existed, cannot be destroyed. But the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it cannot be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any such fellowship with these? Who watched over them in love? Who marked their growth in grace? Who advised and exhorted them from time to time? Who prayed with them and for them, as they had need? This, and this alone, is Christian fellowship:

But, alas! where is it to be found? Look east or west, north or south; name what parish you please: Is this Christian fellowship there? Rather, are not the bulk of the parishioners a mere rope of sand? What Christian connection is there between them? What intercourse in spiritual things?

What watching over each other’s souls? What bearing of one another’s burdens? What a mere jest is it then, to talk so gravely of destroying what never was! The real truth is just the reverse of this: We introduce Christian fellowship where it was utterly destroyed. And the fruits of it have been peace, joy, love, and zeal for every good word and work.”

Recently I listened to the 2008 discussion between NT Wright and Bart Ehrman on “The Problem of Evil”. They introduced both men as widely renowned scholars and men of certain status in their fields. There was appropriate applause. Then NT Wright began with a 20 minute message of how he has a real Hope in the midst of grappling with the existence of evil. I’m a bit biased, obviously, but it was a solid 20 minutes that I think a LOT of Christians NEED to listen to.

Then it was time for Mr. Ehrman. A one time Baptist pastor and theology professor who became an atheist after a journey of biblical scholarship combined with how much is wrong with the world…etc. Granted, I’ve never heard of this man or heard him speak. But the difference between his attitude/approach to scripture and life in general; and the way he spoke almost made me wonder how he would be given the same podium as Wright. But a few of the key phrases, and opinions he presented over and over again brought up a good point.

Lately I’ve been spending time in the wonder of the “Foolishness” of God. When we stop pretending Christ makes sense in our world, and stop selling God as a one-way ticket to avoiding hell….Christianity becomes a whole lot more real and revolutionary, and most importantly – NEEDED in our world. But it’s still foolishness.

Now, a lot of what Mr.Ehrman spoke about are beliefs that Christians have somehow gotten over the centuries without much foundation. Wright would challenge many of those beliefs with just as harsh a rhetoric. I haven’t been able to listen to the part where they’re each allowed a rebuttal, but I’m looking forward to it. But to focus on (people who dismiss “evil” as a simple problem that was “dealt” with in a simple way by God……people who believe that there’s a rapture coming soon where we’re all gonna get “sucked up into heaven”….or focus on people who put their foot down that all creation was created in 6 days, and evolution is satans tool”) and to spend time calling that foolish is to miss the true redeeming foolishness of the Gospel.

This is the same foolishness highlighted in just about any atheist blog/book or popular movie also. Atheism and believers in other faiths attempt to promote THESE as the types of foolishness we are known for. And many Christians will sit back and say “well yes…we ARE supposed to be fools for Christ…so this is fine with me.”

We’re not foolish because of our biblical interpretation. We’re NOT foolish because we try to force God’s Kingdom in public and unloving ways around the world. We’re not foolish for believing in a God that we can’t even begin to understand, but we love to try. We’re foolish for the Gospel.

Foolish for letting go of power. For giving without expecting return. For loving to the point of death, even those who would seek our ruin. Foolish for forgiving tresspasses. Foolish for welcoming the poor, broken, smelly, and not-able-to-do-anything-for-us as our closest friends. Foolish for leaving our “doors unlocked”. For believing that Christ is the beginning and the fulfillment of so much that God is accomplishing in creation, and believing we’ve been invited to participate in that. For believing there is purpose to each day, not just in eternity, but IN THAT DAY to love others, and reflect God and His call from/to the unknown.

May we live as people, and become known as a body that exhibits the foolishness seen in Christ…a foolishness that is needed everywhere in creation.