Kingdom Emergence

Becoming Conversant with the Stagnant Church

I was tricked.  My church bookstore was featuring D.A. Carson's Becoming Conversant with the Emergent Church as the pastor's pick, and it was on sale.   I am gobbling up everything I can read on the emerging church and finding much in common with most of the writers.   However, this book is actually a harsh critique against the movement.   It is deceptive in that.   You think you are getting an overview of the movement when in fact it is an attack.   It is true that there are some wackos in the emerging church movement, but no more than any other segment of the church.   To focus on the wackos and the wacky ideas of a few is a punch below the belt.

A part of me wants to write a rebuttal called Becoming Conversant with the Stagnant Church, but then I would be stooping and acting contrary to the ecumenical drive of the emerging church phenomenon.   

I do not recommend this book---go read anything by Brian McLaren.   

Guest Post from Pastor Penny: Ruth 2

Penny's new series on Ruth is blowing my socks off.  Here's my sweetie!>

Ruth 2 is about what becomes of one who embraces humility. . . but there's more than what we see on the surface.

We find Ruth coming to live with Naomi in Bethlehem at Barley harvest which is around the same time as Easter (hmmmmmm, resurrection?), and  Naomi seems to have picked up on a plan of God . . .  because of all of her husband's kinsman she picks Boaz.

Now Boaz has interesting history . . . as he is the son of Rahab. . . Rahab was the one who risked her life and the lives of her family to hide the Israelite spies ... she was also a prostitute . . .but she makes the most amazing statement of faith in Joshua 2:9>

"I know the Lord has given this land to you!" (meaning her land turned over to the Israelite camp) . . .

well, that was more faith than most of the inhabitants of the Israelite camp! God had to shut their mouths as they marched around the Jericho walls just to keep them from talking negatively.

Due to Rahab's actions, she and her whole family are saved and were moved to a safe place near the camp of Israel. (Joshua 6:23) She married an Israelite named Salmon, and they became part of the construction of the linage of Jesus.  Not only was she radical but she was saved, restored, and married a man of the linage of King David (which means she had material wealth.)

Be aware,  that it was God that picked Rahab,  not Rahab that picked God.  She moved from the depths of hell into the linage of Jesus by her faith and bold and courageous manner of demonstrating it by her actions.(James 2:25) God had a plan . . . a blood line that embraces from the lost to the redeemed, not just the chosen.

Needless to say, I think Boaz was a man of not only great wealth but wisdom from the experiences of his family. And having a mother who arose from shame to royalty probably graced him with the ability to look past the surface of people.

I would venture to say that Boaz had a handle on God being the God of all who called on his name . . . and looked inwardly as well as outwardly. It is interesting that God would align Ruth with a man whose mother was known for her scarlet rope ... Boaz  knew humility when he saw it . . . and Ruth knew the blessing of God when she saw it.

Stage left enters Ruth . . . at her suggestion to Naomi, she goes to gather grain from the area where the leftover grain was left for those less fortunate.  Naomi directs her to Boaz's field, and while she is there he notices her. . . (accident? ... I think not.) Keep in mind she was not the only one out there . . . it was a difficult economy for many, and it was a case of survival for most. It was a hot and dirty way to survive ... but she didn't hesitate to do what she could . . . and through her humility God  brought her to the notice of the head honcho. (James 4:6-10).

Boaz finds out from his foreman that she is a hard worker and decides to attend to this himself. I would imagine that Ruth was quite the looker, cause Boaz's interest seems to be going past human kindness.  I can't imagine that Boaz made a habit of doing this, but he went to Ruth personally and gave her six fold plans of instruction which are as follows:

1) Listen to me - (attend to my voice)
2) Don't gleam from another field - (align yourself with me)
3) Stay in the midst of the women working in my field - (present yourself as mine)
4) Follow the harvesters, follow close after them -  (receive my provision)
5) Don't be afraid of my men, I have told them not to touch you - (receive my protection)
6) When you are thirsty, drink from my well. - (Know of me)

Now if Ruth hadn't known humility she might have looked at Boaz and seen a control freak with issues, but her response to Boaz was to fall at his feet and thank him for his kindness ... she knew she had found favor from the Lord.  I think it's safe to say that Ruth knew her future was not in her own hands, but she trusted God.

Boaz responds with a statement of interest as he informs her that he knows of her loving kindness toward Naomi and her faithfulness toward God. And think about it . . . this is a close repeat to the adventure his own mother experienced, and there is a feeling of comradery forming here.

Once again Ruth responds with thanks and this time commits her aligence to Boaz. And this time Boaz backs his comments with substance as he makes sure that she has more than enough to take home that evening. (Can't you just see Naomi when Ruth walked in overflowing bounty, with not only grain, but dinner from the boss's table!)

Naomi's blessings are beginning to multiply . . . she followed the leading of the Lord to return to Judah and seek out Boaz, and now she is seeing the plan unfold for Ruth.  They have gone from need to blessing and all because of the attitude of Ruth's heart toward Naomi and God.

Ruth left her homeland with nothing and the promise of nothing but the love of a mother and her God.  But just like Rahab, God chose Ruth and loved her into His divine plan of blessing ... humility understands that the Almighy One is in control, and He loves beyond our ablity to receive.

I can't help wondering if Ruth had stomped her feet, and whined about the hard work and the heat, if she would have drawn the attention of Boaz.  Now I believe that God spoke to Boaz's heart and said something like:

"There she is  ...  the one you've been waiting for ... give her the chance for Me to prove to you that she is all I promised."

God is in search of a people who will hear His voice and align themselves with Him so that He can provide for them, protect them and know them.  We must  provide the humility that tears down the self-protecting walls of our egos. God means only good for His people and is well aware of the sacrifice of our pride as we chose Him over ourselves. But we have to lay down our guards to begin the process.

We will find the blessing grow greater in the next two chapters, but don't miss the God ordained trial that is producing a blessing beyond Ruth's dreams.

Sweet Penny is nearly through with chapter three---I can't wait...

Warrior Priest---happy to be Sweet Penny's main squeeze

Guest Study from Pastor Penny: Ruth 1

"Fathers be good to your daughters . . . daughters become lovers and turn into mothers  ... so mothers be good to your daughters too."
song written by  John Mayer

How you ever thought about what Ruth the Moab did in her decision to follow her mother-in-law to Judah? There were choices that were laid before her, but  understand that due to her predictiment she stepped from the common to the royal lineage. Why? What had she found that made her choose the road less traveled?

The Chapter begins where we find that an Israelite has moved to Moab and his sons have each married Moab women.  There wasn't much love lost between the nationalities, due to Moab holding the nation of Israel captive for eighteen years, yet each of these native Israelite's sons marry outside their religious barrier... and they became family.

We find that not too long after these events the father and both sons are killed leaving three lone women. Three widows, united by their grief.

Now women of that day were as to property of this day, and  their choices narrowed as not only were they all widows, but they were childless, and one, being Naomi, was advanced in years with two whom she had embraced as daughters.

Realizing the situation, she turns to the younger women and out of love, attempts to release them to find their best way on their way.  You have to know that this is sacrificial as she is not as able as she once was to make a way for herself.  But out of love she released each from any responsibilty to her and she encourages them to return to their people. Not only had Naomi lost her husband and sons, but now her daughters, with no hope of heirs. . . she was alone ... except for God.

So Naomi blesses the younger women two-fold, 1) Jehovah deal kindly with you as you have been kind to me and my sons, and 2) May Jehovah grant you rest in the house of new husbands.  In other words, "Count this as experience and now go and find a life with someone new that will give you children and love."

There's nothing that indicates that either young woman were converted to  Jehovah as their God, but what they had experienced was a God whose love bound that them together as a mother to daughters.  In other words Naomi loved without care of bloodlines or race ...  she gave love as God gives . . . unselfishly . . . and waited . . . knowing that love conquers all. . . asking for nothing in returned, she gave all.

But Ruth couldn't let go . . .

Ruth 1:16 Don't make me go ... I will go where you go, I will live where you live, your people will be my people, your God my God,  ... and where you die there I will die and will be buried . . . the Lord punish me if I allow anything but death to separate us.

I wonder if we are getting the fullness of what God wants us to see here. You see there were no promises for Ruth in Judah . . . she was Moabite . . . she was a widow and childless . . . she was to the equivelant to a slave.

Ruth left the comfort zone she had grown up in to embrace a love that meant more than her life . . . Why? My thinking is that she found something that she had never known before and saw more hope in the unknown of Naomi than in the security of Moab.

There are times in life when you have to evaluate the costs of your life . . . is it more costly to live in the comforts of your pleasures or is it more desirable to cling to the hope of genuine love such as that of God's . . . is the greatest fear what you will miss? or what you might have to embrace? So do we limit our future with our desires? or do we shoot the wad and embrace the unknown of God . . . the key here is that Ruth was persuaded by relationship, not religion.

Ruth chose to take Naomi back to her homeland and as much as sacrificed her life to ensure that Naomi would finish her journey . . . but God had bigger plans!

(I will continue with Ruth in my next blog) . . . until then . . .

This is a guest post from my Sweet Wife.  I love her more with every thing she writes.  Warrior Priest

The First Poetry Slam: God Spoke

In the first chapter of Genesis all of creation comes into being because of the spoken Word of God.   Nothing on earth is more powerful than the spoken Word.  This Word, this logos, this divine expression, becomes inseparable from the being of Christ Himself (John 1).

I had mentioned to a good and Godly woman how excited I was to volunteer for the National Poetry Slam coming to Albuquerque.  This is a huge national event with 300 volunteers, a dozen venues and spoken word teams from all over North America.   I have been involved in poetry, and particularly spoken word poetry, for thirty years.  I've been published, and I have performed many times,  and I even appeared in an independant film doing one of my rants.  But my friend's immediate comment was that she had heard performance poetry on National Public Radio, and it was peppered with expletives and the topic was filthy.  As a good Christian she claimed she would not have anything to do with spoken word poetry.  I respectfully disagree with her position.

Poetry permeates the Bible, not just in Psalms, but a poetic style is found throughout.  The Bible was delivered to us through an oral tradition.  Among these early cultures where most of the audience did not read, The Word was made alive to the hearer by recitation and oral readings.   If the power to create all the world as we know it was in the spoken Word of God, how much must we learn to respect the power of the Words we speak.

Yes, there is much filth in the modern spoken word poetry scene.   The devil always counterfeits for his purpose what God has ordained, but there is also poetry that uplifts, that delivers, that changes lives.  When the latter is spoken well God indeed is present, and even more, the earth moves.   

I am excited to do whatever menial work I can to support the huge following of young people who, stoked by HBO's Def Poetry Jam, will flock from all over to this event.  I will also be reading some of my own work at the slam.   In the midst of all this I will be making declarations to the heavenlies that God will infuse this generation with His Spirit and rise within us all.   I will also be performing my favorite poem of all: a piece by African American poet Lance Jeffers that conveys in a fashion that only poetry can, the power of God within us, and our quest to find it:

When I Know The Power of my Black Hands
              Lance Jeffers

I do not know the power of my hand, I do not know the power of my black hand.
I sit slumped in the conviction that I am powerless,
tolerate ceilings that make me bend.
My godly mind stoops, my ambition is crippled;
I do not know the power of my hand.
I see my children stunted,
my young men slaughtered,
I do not know the mighty power of my hand.
I see the power over my life and death in another man's hands, and sometimes I shake my woolly head and wonder:
Lord have mercy.' What would it be like . . . to be free?
But when I know the mighty power of my black hand
I will snatch my freedom from the tyrant's mouth, know the first taste of freedom on my eager tongue, sing the miracle of freedom with all the force
of my lungs,
christen my black land with exuberant creation, stand independent in the hall of nations, root submission and dependence from the soil of my soul and pitch the monument of slavery from my back when I know the mighty power of my hand!

May God bless His Word,

Love, Warrior Priest

Ephesians 1:3 Praise Him from whom all blessings flow

It is so visually stunning here in central New Mexico.  No wonder many find spiritual retreat here.   Keep in mind there are people who've lived their whole lives here bebopping through their day and hating it---they never see the beauty because they never look.  God's like that.  He is every present, but He can be invisible.  How glad He is when we seek Him, and how faithful He is to reward us with His beauty.

Eph 1:3

Blessed [be]

 [or, Worthy of praise [is]] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One having blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies [or, heavenly [realms]] in Christ,

Blessed and doubly blessed.  There is much grace and merit in praising God in the midst of chaos.   That discipline, even when it is forced, will bare fruit.  BUT, oh how pure and lovely is our praise when we seek out and embrace "every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ."   Those blessings are right before us---within our grasp---when we seek Him first.   

Isn't it interesting that God is both Jesus' God and father.  Yes, God is both to us as well, but that dual role permeated Christ's ministry.   As we meditate on God we are awed by His power and authority---his reigning power over all the earth.  Yet this imminent being is also a father---not our earthly dad who's distracted with making a living and selfish ambition, but the perfect father---delighted in us every day and yet loving us enough to let us fall as needed that we might mature.   

Over the next dozen verses or so Paul will actually spell out what these awesome blessings are.  Theologian Robert Brow says there are five blessings here that warrant our awe and commitment to the Kingdom:

So here Paul begins by listing some of the very practical blessings which they had learned (or should have learned) by the Spirit in their churches. They were chosen to be perfected in love (1:4, as in "You will be perfected, as your heavenly Father is perfect," Matthew 5:48). They had been adopted as children of God (1:5-6, as in John 1:12, Romans 8:15-17, 11:25-26). They were freed from condemnation (1:7, as in Romans 8:1-2). They had been given an insight into God's perfect plan (1:9-12, as in Colossians 1:15-20). And they were already experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit as a foretaste of much more to come (1:13-15).

Note, that these are primarily spiritual blessings---yes God blesses us in the physical realm as well, but these are the things that really matter.  Paul wrote this letter from prison---all the material things where one might find comfort had been taken away---yet Paul was still moved to awe and true joy by real blessings of Spirit and Truth.  What blessings does He give?  ALL OF THEM!!!  The Word here says He HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING.  It is already done to the max; He has already given all there is to give.   

May God give us Grace and Truth to embrace ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

Love you, Warrior Priest

Psalm 23: Sweet Penny Paraphrase

I never cease to be blown away by the Holy Spirit within my wife.  As I noted on the piece regarding our odd ordination, she has a great pastor's heart, and an ability to tap into Truth that I covet.   This is from her blog today; it is linked below, but I did not want you to miss it.  I will take this version over Eugene Peterson's anyday.  Here's my love:

Psalms 23

(1)When I was young, I struck out to find "my own way" only to find myself lost in the wilderness of the world, and God came searching for me . . . as a shepherd looks for one who was lost. Upon His rescue, I found that nothing held more meaning than learning of His life. . . I had never known such contentment.

(2) He gathered me in His arms and held me to His heart before lifting me to lie around His shoulders.  There, resting in the crook of His neck, He whispered His love for me as He took me into His place of rest.  We stayed in a place of nurture and peace while He fortified me. . .body, soul and spirit.

(3)As I fed upon Him there, I found a new strength,  as though His own strength had been grafted into mine. He looked at me with a smile and said, "Do you know of the Passover Lamb?"

"Yes, Lord," I responded, "I know that a pure and spotless lamb is roasted every Passover as a celebration in the feast."

"Do you know of the instructions concerning feeding on the Passover Lamb?" He asked.

"Yes Lord, we are to consume the whole lamb, leaving none."

Then with that, He arose and smiling over His shoulder at me, told me it was time for that adventure that I wanted, and so side by side, we began walking the path of righteousness. I found myself enjoying the acceptance of His smile and His manner of patting my back.

(4) As I looked ahead on this path, I saw many things that I'd experienced before . . . darkness . . . danger . . . and even some that I could not identify.   I began pulling back in fear,  to retreat to the higher places that were green and safe, but my Shepherd pointed ahead and said, "Don't be afraid of shadows . . . they hold nothing that can defeat you.  Besides, I'll never leave you, and I have taken this path so many times that the shadows know Me by name and run."

With that He struck His rod to the ground and the earth seemed to vibrate with power and light spread like liquid into the black darkness illuminating our path once again. I looked to see a twinkle in His eye as He said, "Cool. Huh!"

"You see this rod and staff," He said, "there are those that think that I use them to beat and harm My sheep. But those who know Me know I never abuse My own, and I seek to restore all that can't see Me for their pain.  This rod and staff are tools to crush the enemies' heads and ward off the wolves. Take comfort that I AM is beside your Protector and Overseer and loves you beyond life."

With that He drew me to Him and held me as He whispered into My ear, "Little one, you are so precious to Me that I have prepared this path to show you who you are within Me.  Once you know that I birthed you, and will always call you Mine, your vision of yourself and this world surrounding you will change and you will find nothing impossible to you."

My Shepherd, took me to a restaurant  in the midst of this darkness to feed me.  I looked around amazed as He seated me beside Himself, for we were surrounded by snarling and hungry enemies.  He pointed to my napkin, having spread His, and said calmly, "Knowing who you are in God allows you to sit in the midst of chaos and trouble in perfect peace.  You are at rest knowing I have already prepared the situation for you. There you can enjoy My Peace and find feeding with Me to be as much victorious warfare as some will see in battle.  Eat . . . this is for your benefit."

He slid a pouch from His side and held it above my head as warm oil flowed over my head and down my body. With laughter He rubbed the oil into me, refreshing me, leaving me with the same smell that lingered on Him.  "With this We are united, Little One," He said, "from now on, when those around you see you, they will see Me, and when they smell Me they will look to see you before them . . . we are one."

As I looked across the table I began to see the once dangerous beasts with hunger in their eyes were being transformed. Those before me were such as I had been myself, but now I could see they were inflicted with great wounds and thorns . . . and I was moved with compassion, and amazed that the real change had come in me . . .He had given me eyes to see.

(6) And as suddenly as a light bulb produces light, I realized that I was no longer the lone sheep on the edge of hope, but I have been restored with the Goodness and Love of my God, my Shepherd.  He left the ninety-nine to find me, heal me, and make me His . . . and I will ever yearn for knowing Him more. 

OK, so I am biased, but I also know good stuff.  Check out Penny's other writings at the link to the left.

Love, Warrior Priest

Ephesians 1:2, but first...

First, I borrowed this photo from Dr. Mike Kear's site Outside the Camp.  He amazes me with the depth of his insights.  The sign is a great reminder for the emergent church dialogue---slow and steady wins the race.   Dr. Kear has a great handle on incorporating philosophy and theology into the Kingdom/Emergence conversation.   He makes me wish I had paid more attention when I took philosophy.  I was at a rather liberal Methodist college and a theology major for a fleeting moment in time.  I faithfully attended the classes in the required philosophy course, but was not very diligent in doing the reading.  I took the class on a pass/fail basis and all the credit was based on the final exam.   After three months of class we received one essay question.  The question was:  WHY?  Because I had not paid much attention in class I Bee Esssed with what I had and wrote several pages on my personal philosophy as influenced by Horton Hears a Who and the Velveteen Rabbit.   I passed.   The only people in the class that got an A on the test answered the essay question with:  BECAUSE.

Second:  I was intrigued by a report that found that a million people in America are leaving the church each year, BUT these people still seem to be very spiritual.  They read their Bibles, Pray, and a million of these unchurched folks TITHE!!!  This fact is crucial to the need for this emerging church dialogue which seeks to meet the spiritual needs of people outside the traditional paradigm of the church.   There is a tremendous spiritual hunger in America that the church has been unable to satiate.   I greatly desire to be a part of the solution---to be a part of the discipling and maturing of these saints on the lam.  May God give us the anointing...

Eph 1:2

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and [the]

Lord Jesus Christ!

I believe in the power of declarations and blessings.   There is spiritual power in our words, especially when they emerge from the heart of God within us.  This is not just a routine, kind salutation; this is a bold decree that grace and peace will prevail over the hearing of this word.   We have a hard time finding grace and peace in our world---so it is clarified that this grace and peace rains/reigns down from our Father and our Lord.   It is important to me that both attributes of God are designated here: the Fathering attribute of grace, and the Lord's (the King's) gift of peace.   

The word for grace here in the Greek is χάρις, charis (khar'-ece):    graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

Isn't it awesome that the proclamation of grace here also declares JOY?  The Kingdom is not a drudgery of obedience (although that has its place) but rather a life of JOY.  It has been spoken.  It is so. Grace and Peace come from the unmerited gift of God: His love for us despite our failures.  In a world that has harsh repercussions for people that mess up or even have the misfortune of being born in the wrong place or to the wrong parents (it seems), grace is indeed amazing.

I love you, Warrior Priest

The Future of Youth Ministry

No, nothing will ever replace hands on, face to face, ministry with young people, but there is a revolutionary shift in ministry opportunity.   CNN is reporting today that nine out of ten young people are actively on the internet.  That's up from 75% just five years ago.   CNN claimed 90% is a saturation point---I guess the other 10% are Amish.  The internet is going to be key to our reaching and discipling this and future generations of young people.

I have not yet written much here about the emerging church dialogue, but one of the important elements is that technology is dramatically changing our world, and we must find ways to incorporate these changes in the way we do ministry.   Again, this does not replace traditional approaches, but rather it is an opportunity to turbocharge what we are already doing.   It is awesome that we can truly go into all the world---at least conceptually---through the net.  Even now we offer 24/7 nurturing through websites  that offer help, education, and unlimited communication via IM, comments, email, and even voice and video.   However, we have only begun to tap into this goldmine.   Through the emerging church dialogue we will determine and bring to fruition all the potential of this connected world.

Check out these teen ministry sites:   Firepower,  Christian teens,  and my favorite site name: Sloppy Noodle.  Of course there are already hundreds of good sites, but the whole point is to CONNECT, to give teens a spiritually healthy place to grow and have a good time in the process.   

My older son (now 24) met his wife on the net.   Over several months they got to know one another's hearts; they developed a great sense of intimacy long before they ever met in person.  The net offers a place where we can reveal our true selves with less threat of rejection.  We can address issues with a sense of anonymity that would never occur in any other setting, and allows us to create relationships that would not happen any other way.  It is indeed the future of ministry---may God give us wisdom in maximizing the opportunity.

Later tonight:  I will finally do Ephesians 1:2--it looks like we will be doing Ephesians a very long time.

Love you, Warrior Priest

ALL MEANS ALL

This soon in my verse by verse take on Ephesians I have been asked to give some basis for my belief regarding what the resurrection means to all people and to the world.   Buried within this site I placed some musings regarding whether all means all.   There is a tremendous amount of scripture that indicates to me that when Christ died and rose again that all mankind and the earth were redeemed.  I am very much aware that there is just as much scripture that indicates the exact opposite of that.   My only audacity is to believe the issue is not settled.  I am not preaching or teaching universal salvation nor do I have the issue settled in my mind, but having spent much time studying the Word fresh---without preconceived ideas based on religion---this alternative thought does, to me, indeed emerge as viable.   If you choose to believe that God tells us to forgive all those that trespass against us, but that God is unwilling to do the same, cool.  That's certainly the way I was raised, and I still recognize that it is possibly true, even if it is completely inconsistent.

At least scan through these verses, not focused on how how you can refute it all, but with an attitude of respect for a differing interpretation of the Word.  I do not expect you to agree.  Just give it some thought.   You will note I have added emphasis---particularly on the word all:

When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself.
—Jn. 12.32

The Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. 1 Jn. 4.14

If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully it is not I who shall condemn him, since I have come not to condemn the world, but to save the world. Jn. 12.47

As one man's fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.
—Rm. 5.18-19

he gave himself as a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
—1Tim 2.6

If anyone sins, we have our advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who is just; He is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and not only ours, but the whole world's.— 1 Jn. 2.2

All beings... should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
— -Phil. 2.9-11

God has imprisoned all men in their disobedience only to show mercy to all mankind. —Rm. 11.32

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord.
—Ps. 22.27 NIV

Yahweh Sabaoth will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines...On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations he will destroy Death for ever. The Lord Yahweh will wipe away the tears from every cheek...
—Is. 25.6-8a

We have put our trust in the living God and he is the savior of the whole human race but particularly of all believers. —1 Tim. 4.10

[1 Tim. 4:10 trips me out!!!]

His purpose...that he would bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth.
—Eph. 1.10-11

He is the image of the unseen God and he is the first-born of all creation, for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers-all things were created through him and for him.... God wanted all perfection to be found in him and all things to be reconciled through him and for him, everything in heaven, and everything on earth, when he made peace by his death on the cross. —Col. 1.18-20

If it is certain that through one man's fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.... If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man's fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man's fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. ...however great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater;
—Rm. 5.15,18,21a

And all mankind shall see the salvation of God.
— Lk 3.6

SO, YOU CAN'T JUST IGNORE ALL THIS!  This list is just the highlights; there are hundreds of other scriptures that speak favorably on the concept that Christ's resurrection redeemed all.    What are the ramifications of all this?  I am still studying that.  In the meantime I still witness and evangelize and have the great honor of leading people to the Lord through lifestyle evangelism and through my work with the Billy Graham Association.   I do not preach these concepts to baby Christians, nor do I try to convert classic evangelicals to this school of thought.   These are issues I am pondering in my own search for truth, and I like the idea that God's grace extends this far.   I can not stomach the thought of a God who sends people I know and love to eternal torment if they did not dot their i's and cross their t's on the sinner's prayer.  But, that's just me.

Love, and all,
Warrior Priest

Ephesians: my study begins

The main reason I started this new blog was so I could post what I felt God showed me as I studied the Word.  One of the churches I go to (Calvary Chapel ABQ) does verse by verse exposition of the Bible which has been very inspiring to me.  I prayed about where to start on this study;  I had intended to do John, but felt drawn instead to Ephesians.   If you Google Ephesians Commentary you will find hundreds of other folks have already plowed this ground, but still I hope to give it my unique vision.  I will try hard not to be boring which means I will do stories of the different issues as they have come up in my life. More often than not I will be using as a base the Analytical-Literal Translation of the Bible (ALT) which is one of the versions I selected when I downloaded e-sword.  If you don't have e-sword yet get it---its free!!! And it has tons of cool options to make your study rich and fun.  Here we go...

Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by [the] will of God, to the holy ones [or, saints, and throughout epistle], the [ones] being in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus:

Paul wrote Ephesians somewhere around 60 A.D. while he was in prison.  We know from comments in Acts 19 that Paul spent time in Ephesus around 53 to 56 A.D.  Ephesus was in what is now western Turkey and was an important gateway city to Asia.   Ephesus at the time was a religious center with a focus on the Temple of Diana---which was one of the seven wonders of the world.  You can imagine the opposition Paul ran into as he preached a new faith that had nothing good to say about Greek idols.

Paul begins by announcing he was chosen as an ambassador or sent one by the will of God. The Greek word for apostle refers to his position as one delegated/sent by God as a commissioner of the faith.   His apostolic position comes from authority granted to him by God and by God's will.  It's as if Paul wants everyone to know up front---I did not chose this path, God put me here.

The book appears to be written to the believers at the church of Ephesus, but note that the earliest manuscripts do not have the words in Ephesus. Its themes and teaching are universal---there is very little here that can not be applied anywhere and for all time.  This is an insider's scoop on the faith---he does not write it to people considering conversion---there is no evangelism noted here at the front---it is principles for the core believers, the faithful ones.   It is important to note that these folks in Ephesus were almost exclusively Gentiles---they are not the chosen ones of the Old Testament, but they are clearly the chosen ones of the New Testament.

Right up front Paul makes it clear that as those who have come into the Truth we are indeed Holy ones, Saints.  In the Greek this is  sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint.   We will get into this another day, but all this purity and morally blameless stuff does not come from our own behavior; it is a gift of God imparted by and through the sacrifice of Christ.  The word here comes from the Greek ἅγιος hagios hag'-ee-os  meaning sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), a saint.

Lord, help us to be fully immersed in the Truth that we are saints and indeed set apart and holy unto you.

Love, Warrior Priest