The Carpenter's Apprentice Archives

Volume 5, Number 1                                                                                                                     January 2004

AForbearing One Another In Love@

If there is one thing frequently missing in contemporary Christian relationships, this has to be it. Perhaps it is a result of the Ame generation@ mentality but the roots of the problem go deeper. There has to be a reason so many see themselves as being all important. There is and it is not a pretty picture to contemplate.

For the present generation, Dorian Gray is just a character in the movie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Few have actually been exposed to or read Oscar Wilde=s classic work The Picture of Dorian Gray. Dorian was an extremely handsome young man who (much like Wilde) was taught to revere his personal satisfaction above all else. He expressed the desire that he might never age and lose the pursuits of youth. As he was slowly drawn to seeking his own selfish ways he didn=t age, but a portrait that once captured the glory of his youthful appearance began to change and reveal the true Dorian on the canvas.

The antidote for this disease is found in Paul=s prescription above. It represents something of an explanation of his admonition in Philippians 2 to have the mind of Christ. Though it includes various elements, the key, it seems to me, is forbearing one another in love.

Like Dorian, our natural bent is to have our way and minimize others. Paul=s message is to have God=s way and show grace to others. It is a lot easier to write about than to do. We tend to discount the meaning of Aforbear.@ We don=t really think we ought to have to put up with anything at the hands of other Christians. Is there a place for confronting those who wrong us, certainly. Does that mean we should always confront? Not at all.

I recently had the opportunity to discuss the subject of eschatology briefly with a local pastor. It is no secret we hold different views. He is presently teaching on the subject and inviting questions. Since our views are different, I chose not to confront him in his public forum but privately. What amazed me was his confession he didn=t really like the view he held and would prefer a more optimistic one. Nevertheless, he rejects the more optimistic views because they don=t fit his preconceived ideas about last things.

He has made some investigation of the covenental view of eschatology but failed to read sources which hold the view consistently. When I explained I held the consistent view and could point him to authors who also did. He replied, AYeah, but that=s unorthodox!@ Unorthodox according to whom? My test of orthodoxy is the scripture: not creeds, not popular fiction writers, not seminaries, not the word of man. It is astounding that a clear reading of scripture is to be preferred and yet it is knowingly rejected because it doesn=t fit one=s tradition.

We would be so much better off if we quit wasting so much energy trying to guard our little kingdoms and really gave ourselves to advancing the kingdom through daily engaging our world in meaningful ways. If we don=t learn this lesson, we will, like Dorian, one day be confronted with the ugliness we have allowed to mar us while hiding behind the mask of self-exaltation.

We all fit into the last category and if we refuse fellowship to one another on that basis we all miss out on the benefits of Christian love. The times in which we live seem to be crumbling the walls between Christians and that=s a good thing. Perhaps next time round we will be able to retain relationship while enjoying the riches of God=s blessings in this life.

I previously mentioned the tapes we made available from our seminar with Don Preston last summer. The feedback has been interesting and I=d like to share what people are saying:

    AThis is definitely forcing me to change my way of thinking and of course my way of studying as well.@ D.W.

    AThis has the potential to unite Christians in a way I never imagined.@ S.M.

AI=m saving my questions until I really have time to think things through, but it [accepting the covenental view] would be a lot easier for me as an         amillennialist than it would be for dispensationalists.@ J.A.

I try not to be Apushy@ with this topic, but I believe this study is so important I have strongly urged several family members and friends to listen to the teaching. In some cases, I=ve just given them the tapes and asked them to listen as a favor to me. Some have, others have not. I consider it their loss. One individual who did listen as a personal favor shared his experience and it may spike your attention too. He was on a long drive home with a friend who just happens to be a Wycliffe translator. As the tapes began, the friend was upset with the different view of scripture being presented. When they arrived at their destination all the tapes had been played and thoughts were obviously churning in the translator=s head. He said, AAnd here I am, about to print my New Testament [translation], after 20 years, and I'm thinking about some very necessary revisions. Grrrrr."

I didn=t come to accept the fulfilled view overnight and I have no expectation others will. In fact, it always concerns me when I see Christians rushing to make major changes in their understanding with less than due diligence. At the same time, I think this information is critical for every Christian to consider. The implications are huge and as I have written before, it does make a difference what you believe on this subject.

The tapes are $6 postage included. I make nothing on them at that price and you may reproduce them to pass out free of charge. You may not sell them. If you can=t afford $6, write me and I=ll send them to you at no charge. If you can afford to send a little more than the $6, you can help provide copies for those who can=t afford them.

I don=t remember the first time I heard the story of the Tower of Babel, but it was at a very young age and it made a definite impression on me.

Mankind spoke a common language and was united in its pursuit of glory. They were persuaded that their modern technology was sufficient to build a tower into the heavens. Do you remember why? Right, they wanted to make a name for themselves. Their accomplishment would solidify them and establish their greatness and their incredible technology of brick and tar. That=s almost laughable today isn=t it?

Various reasons will be given, but at the heart of the matter is the same reason openly expressed by the people of Babel with their bricks and tar: ALet us make a name for ourselves.@

Their confidence bespoke a self-sufficiency which is so characteristic of mankind. In our arrogance we think we can make our own plans and live in total disregard of our Creator Who upholds all things by His power. How foolish we are, and how slow we are to learn. Today, mankind seeks to undo what God did at Babel. The push to bring the entire globe under the control of an elite central government is stronger than ever and major players are jockeying for position in the race to control lesser developed areas. The picture isn=t pretty even now, and the future it holds for all of us is not pleasant to contemplate.

Does God desire the nations of the world to be one? I believe the scripture does give us this vision. However, it is a vision that is only to be accomplished in the completed work of Christ, not in the schemes of power-seeking men. The present round of empire building is an affront to God=s plan for our planet and, sadly, it is a plan which is supported by many Christians. A forced peace is not peace at all but tyranny dressed in its most noble clothes.

The difference between Christianity and other religions,, and the Muslim religion in particular, is that it is not spread by the sword. Yet, our President who professes to be a Christian seems to have forgotten that distinction. Fortunately, his actions have been in the name of Ademocracy@ and not Christianity, but these days it=s hard to tell the difference in most believers.

The good news is that we can be again, but it will not be easy, cheap, or painless. Do God=s people have the conviction to make the effort? I don=t see much encouragement in that regard. Most are too comfortable still. Even as the pot gets hotter, they simply adjust to the temperature and ignore the thermometer. Sooner or later it will become much too warm to endure but by then it will be too late to avoid the consequences.

The alarm is indeed sounding louder and louder, don=t hit the snooze button. For some time now, I have been sharing information with you which largely comes from alternate news sources. While they are better than the major media, most people choose to dismiss their reports. Now, we are far enough down the road the major media outlets are broadcasting news about the unfolding tyranny and yet the population seems to just tune it out. Have you?

The CBS program A60 Minutes@ recently interviewed former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O=Neill who claims the war on Iraq was in the planning stages more than two years before the attack on the twin towers. After expressing his concern about pre-emptive strikes against Iraq he was fired by Bush.

Perhaps the most ominous warning comes from former commander of U. S. Central Command, General Tommy Franks. A recent issue of Insight Magazine quotes him as saying, A...if the United States is hit with a weapon of mass destruction that inflicts large casualties, the Constitution will likely be discarded in favor of a military form of government." The article further quotes him as saying, A...the Western world, the free world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is freedom and liberty we've seen for a couple of hundred years in this grand experiment that we call democracy.@

Doesn=t that bother you just a little bit? Who gets to make that decision - Awe the people@ or the military?

Among the gifts I received this Christmas was a book from my daughter: Ravi Zacharias= Recapture the Wonder (it does pay to have a wish list at Amazon). I haven=t finished it but will shortly. Still, I want to recommend it to you, especially if you have children or grandchildren - or if you need to regain a sense of mystery in your perception of things.

He laments the failure of religion to meet man=s needs when he says, AReligion is to true spirituality what an anesthetic is to sleep.@ He explains the differences in the Asleep@ of anesthesia and the restorative value of real sleep. Loss of consciousness and sleep are not the same thing. Neither are religion and spirituality.

One paragraph provides a wonderful contrast and I want to share it with you, because it captures what I attempt to communicate in this newsletter. In fact, it is what I=ve been attempting to express for the past thirty years or so. Incredibly, it includes statements I=ve made word for word.

The context is in reference to Christ=s encounter with the woman at the well and her amazement at His knowledge of her. Ravi writes, AHe knew her through and through and drew her near to the salvation for which she longed. Religion and its specifics can easily lose contact with what salvation is all about. It is not about ritual; it is about relationship. It is not about the posture of the body; it is about the need of the soul. It is not about the times of the day; it is about the timelessness of His presence. It is not about culture; it is about truth. It is not about earning peace; it is the wonder-working power of God. He safeguards that wonder.@ (Page 78)

The Apprentice=s Journal

It is really hard to believe that we are beginning our fifth year together! Since the first issue, the mailing list has more than doubled and each new friend has been a blessing from God. Those who missed the first issues are at something of a disadvantage so I want to take a little space to reiterate why this newsletter exists. Bible study and sharing God=s word have been lifelong callings for me. I=m at a loss to understand why. I just have a compulsion to study and teach and believe that must be God=s doing. I have no other explanation.

I have vivid memories of mother sitting in her chair in the evening and reading the Bible and how she frequently dealt with sibling issues by telling a Bible story and I=m sure that factors in somewhere (see Mom, I did notice!). Still, others had the same experience and obviously don=t have the same urgency about sharing what they learn. Most of my life I=ve taught Sunday School or a home Bible study and found that to be a satisfying outlet for sharing the things I see unfolding from the scripture. At the same time, it didn=t satisfy a deep desire to share those things with family and close friends I don=t get to see very often.

Even when we do meet, the discussions rarely turn to biblical themes and the time is so limited any serious discussion is almost impossible. So, this little paper became my way of reaching out to those important people in my life once a month. Some read it. Some don=t. No one on the short list has ever asked not to receive it (family members don=t have that choice - sorry). I want those close to me to share in what is going on in my life and my thinking. Some of it is right on target. Other parts fall into the ASo what?@ category and some of it is off base I=m sure. I certainly want to correct those things but if no one is aware of them, what will be the source of correction? Hopefully, the benefits of these monthly musings outweigh any potential detriment from them.

©Copyright 2004 ~ Permission to reprint for personal, non-profit use is hereby granted, providing that the context of the quote is maintained and credit is given to The Carpenter's Apprentice.

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