Here We Go Again…

This second round of cancer treatment begins in earnest this week. It actually began two weeks ago when I begin the second round of immuno-chemotherapy. It has been an interesting two weeks of recovering from the first chemo session as I've had a pretty different reaction than I had in the first round of chemo. So I'm not too sure what to expect in the second installment of this round. We are also probably looking at, at least, a two month odyssey as we go through this second round. Here's what is coming up…

Tuesday:  I get a complete blood test to see if I'm ready for the immuno-chemotherapy session that will take place on Friday. My blood numbers have been good over the last couple months so I'm anticipating this will go well.

Wednesday: Joyce and I will head down to Stanford for a consult on the upcoming stem cell transplant. The appointment is at 1PM and we will be there probably until about 4:30. I have a lot of questions about what a stem cell transplant consists of so I'm looking forward to this consult. One impressive thing about the doctors at Stanford is how much time they take with you. The first half of the consult will be with the doctors who will be doing the stem cell transplant. They'll be telling me what to expect, which I've been eager to hear. The second half of the consult will be with the social worker who will explain the side issues; insurance etc. that go with us. We will have some opportunity to discuss our future Insurance options, possible disability status, and other issues like that. Will drive back up to El Dorado after that appointment.

Friday: Friday morning we will begin the second session of the second round of the of immuno-chemotherapy. Last time it took about 2 hours. I would anticipate about the same time frame on this one. Hopefully, Joyce will stay upright throughout the whole procedure and be able to drive me home instead of having to go to the hospital in an ambulance.

Monday:  We are scheduled to go back to Stanford with another consult with the Stanford oncologists. They will be going over the bigger picture of our treatment over the next few months. At least I think that's what we'll be talking about. Hopefully after this consult we will know a lot more about what's going on.

So, this coming week is going to be a very busy one. We would appreciate your prayers for a good outcome to the chemotherapy and a good outlook in terms of the stem cell transplant. There are a lot of issues that are up in the air for us, but God knows what's coming and is walking through it with us. Thank you for praying for us. We appreciate it very much and would appreciate a few extra prayers being thrown up for us this week. God bless and thank you.

On the “Bench”

One of the hardest things about having my cancer is that I feel like I've kind of been "put on the bench" in terms of ministry, and even in terms of fellowship.  I haven't been able, over the past 9 months, to get out in public and interact with people. I've actually only been to a church service twice since I was diagnosed with cancer in December. Most of that is due to the fact that I can't sit up for long periods of time.  In one way this has been a good thing. I've been able to spend a lot of extra time in study, in prayer, and enriching myself by taking Bible courses on YouTube. One fellow missionary mentioned to me that I had not taken a sabbatical or a furlough in the last 14 years, so God has been enforcing one on me over this past 9 months. I think he may be right. The downside is that I get bored quite often. I really do miss interacting with people. I'm looking forward to moving next door to the church at Gold Country Baptist, where we will be able to, hopefully, see more people. We should be moving there in a couple weeks. I do get tired if there is too much interaction, but I'm looking forward to being able to see more people.

In the meantime, I have appreciated the ministry of the Gold Country Baptist elders. Three times one or more of the elders have been to my parents' house to minister the elements of communion to me. This was a very significant encouragement to me. I really miss participating in corporate worship. I've also had other pastor friends come and celebrate the Eucharist with me as well. Being on the other side of this situation has really reminded me of how important it is to reach out to the sick or disabled within our churches. That's something that is often gets overlooked, especially in big churches. So I would urge you to reach out to somebody that, perhaps, you haven't seen in a while because they've been sick or unable to come to church. And I would also invite you to come by and visit with Joyce and me sometime. I'm very thankful for the way God has ministered to me since I've been sick, both directly and through His people. I have really experienced the love of Christ through several generous and loving people and I am very very thankful for that. Thank you for praying for us too. God bless.

Reading Through the Book of Chronicles #7 (2 Chron. 27-36)

Today we finish the story of the Divided Kingdom in the second book of Chronicles (and the read through of the Hebrew Testament begun in 2015) accompanied by, 1 & 2 Chronicles, The College Press NIV Commentary, Old Testament Series, by John Mark Hicks. This section records the final destruction and exile of the kingdom of Judah. God gave them many opportunities to repent, but the nation as a whole failed to trust God so He gave them over to destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. I have been posting quotes from the book on my Facebook page on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (NT is Mon-Wed-Fri) and we can discuss comments and questions about the passage there. As usual my comments are in black and quotes from the commentary are in blue below…

While the previous kings were mixed bags of good and evil, Chapters 27-28 present one king who was all good (Jotham) and one who was all evil (Ahaz). This will become the pattern through the rest of Chronicles. Jotham receives the standard blessing from the LORD for his faithfulness. Ahaz proves to be the worst king of Judah so far. He worships idols and makes foreign alliances. He tries to make an alliance with Assyria to defeat his enemies, Israel and Aram, who are threatening him. To do this he closes up the temple and sets up an Assyrian altar in Jerusalem. However, the Assyrians do not come in as a partner. They come in as a conqueror.

Jotham demonstrates how blessing can follow punishment. Every generation has the hope of renewal. The postexilic community needs the hope of blessing following punishment, and they need the warning that evil can follow righteousness. 2 Chronicles 27, 433

The Chronicler rebukes those in his own community who enslave the sons and daughters of relatives for economic profit. They must return their fellow countrymen (lit., “brothers”) or else the Lord will turn his anger on Israel. 2 Chronicles 28.9-11, 445

If only Ahaz had humbled himself (like Manasseh; cf. 2 Chr 33:19, 23), God would have reversed the effects of his defeats. However, when Ahaz would not humble himself, the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz. The reason for this humbling is twofold: (1) Ahaz promoted wickedness in Judah and (2) he had been most unfaithful to the LORD. Ahaz is the most unfaithful of all kings. 2 Chronicles 28, 448

Chapter 29 of 2nd Chronicles begins the final major section of the book: The Reunited Kingdom. The northern kingdom has been wiped out by Assyria while the southern Kingdom barely survived. There is still great danger from the Assyrians. Will tiny Judah survive?

The reign of Hezekiah begins this final section. The chronicler focuses on Hezekiah's great reforms. Except for David and Solomon, no king takes up more space in Chronicles than Hezekiah. Most of this focus in Chronicles is on the reforms of Hezekiah within the first few months of his reign. The reforms begin with the cleansing of the temple, its rededication, and celebration of its reopening. Chapter 30 records a unique nationwide celebration of the Passover that calls up remembrances of the Passovers of David and Solomon. Finally, chapter 31 tells the story of the Hezekiah as preparation for maintaining good temple buildings and ministries. The people's response is overwhelming. Not only do they give enough for the priests and Levites to live on and maintain the temple buildings, but there are "heaps and heaps" of surplus to store for the future. How do God's people prepare to meet a great enemy? Not with military might, but with covenant faithfulness.

Hezekiah’s reforms contrast with Ahaz’s apostasy. Hezekiah’s faithfulness seeks mercy just as Ahaz’s apostasy engendered wrath. The postexilic community must make their choice: will they follow Hezekiah or Ahaz? 2 Chronicles 29, 460

Hezekiah’s Passover had both Davidic and Solomonic meaning as all Israel celebrated God’s grace. Worship is a time of unity, thankful remembrance and seeking God’s face. “In short,” Graham writes, “it is a time for the reorientation of the human heart—to remember what God has done in the past and to infuse the present with hope for a future life of well-being and communion with God.” 2 Chronicles 30, 467

When Hezekiah saw the heaps, he blessed (praised) the LORD. To bless the Lord is to ascribe to him what is due him, but to bless the people is to place upon them what belongs to the Lord. In gratitude, the people give God credit for his generosity and at the same time ask God to bless his people even more richly than he has in the past. Worship entails both blessing God and his people; it includes praise and intercession. 2 Chronicles 31, 481

After Hezekiah's reforms, God tests his heart with a battle, an illness, and some international intrigue. Hezekiah's problem was pride; a tendency to do things first on his own without asking God for direction or protection. In each case he seems to repent quickly. In the battle, God gives him miraculous victory over the Assyrian army besieging Jerusalem, without the army of Judah doing anything. Jerusalem was the only city in the region that did not fall to Sennacherib's army. God also heals Hezekiah's fatal illness. With the Babylonians, Hezekiah seems to ascribe his great wealth and honor to himself rather than to God. The Babylonians will cause problems later for Judah and Jerusalem.

This (section) demonstrates that Yahweh “really rules in Israel,” and “aims to stimulate faith in Israel’s God rather than admiration for Israel’s king.” The Lord reigns—Hezekiah is only his servant. Confidence and assurance arise out of God’s ability to deliver his people. It is not vested in human kings. God is the one who saves and justifies. 2 Chronicles 32, 485

Hezekiah and Isaiah depend on the faithfulness of God. The verb “cried out” appears 4 times in Chronicles. In every case the people of God are distressed (1 Chr 5:20; 2 Chr 18:31; 20:9; 32:20). When his people cry out, God hears and delivers. 2 Chronicles 32.1-23, 490

Chapter 33 records the evil reigns of Manasseh and Amon. Manasseh causes Judah to sin like no king before him. He is the first king said to "lead astray" the nation. He introduces a wide array of idolatrous beliefs and practices into Jerusalem and even introduces a blasphemous carved image of YHWH. He is captured by the Assyrian king and exiled to Babylon. While in exile he cries out to God, humbles himself and repents and God restores him. When he returns he tries to remove the idolatry he brought in but it is too deeply entrenched with the people. Amon contrasts his father in that he refused to repent and seek God. He is assassinated as an example of what happens to those who refuse to seek God.

The story of Manasseh underscores the grace of God like no other text in Scripture. The evil perpetrated by God’s anointed leader is unimaginable. Its depth and extent rivals Ahaz. But, the grace of God abounds more than sin. “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Rom 5:20). When one seeks God, the grace of God knows no bounds. 2 Chronicles 33.1-20, 505

The Chronicler specifies the manner in which Amon followed his father. However, the Chronicler also specifies the manner in which he differed. Though Manasseh humbled himself, Amon did not. Therefore, he was punished. 2 Chronicles 33, 508

Chapters 34-35 record the reign of Josiah who is characterized as a good king who does not turn away from the ways of David. He becomes king at the age of 8, begins to seek the LORD at the age of 16 and by the age of 20 is beginning national reforms to remove idolatry from the nation. After 65 years of apostasy the temple is in disrepair and he begins a renovation project. In the midst of this a copy of Torah is found. Josiah responds with repentance and asks the prophetess Huldah to intercede. She gives the word of the LORD that the covenant curses are coming on Jerusalem but Josiah will go to his grave before this happens. Josiah responds with even wider reforms. As Josiah truly seeks God, God reveals Himself and His will to Josiah. Chapter 35 records Josiah's leading of the greatest Passover in the history of Israel. He doesn't end well though. Josiah attacks Egypt, against the will of God, and dies in battle much like Ahab did. Nevertheless, the chronicler evaluates him as a good Davidic king.

King and people stand under Scripture as it unveils God’s intent for his people. The reformation begins in Josiah’s seeking God but finds its communal dimension when Scripture is applied to the people. Inner personal piety is incomplete without communal renewal under the authority of Scripture. 2 Chronicles 34, 512

The central motif is the normative function of the Book of the Law in the religious reformation and the confirmation that book receives from Huldah the prophetess. Josiah seeks the Lord through Scripture and prophetess. Thus, Josiah submits to divine authority. The narrative, therefore, offers a model of submissive faith—the people of God hear the word of the Lord and obey. 2 Chronicles 34, 515

Our lives are scattered with acts of unfaithfulness. We are not perfect royal priests anymore than Josiah or David. But God is faithful and gracious as he looks in our hearts and judges us by our intent to seek him...God is gracious, even in an unfaithful act that leads to death...God judges the heart and life rather than one’s last act. 2 Chronicles 35, 528

The exile and end of the kingdom of Judah comes in chapter 36. 4 Kings rule, and all their reigns end in exile and death. Two kings rule for 3 months (Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin) and two rule for 11 years (Jehoiakim and Zedekiah). Jehoahaz is exiled to Egypt while Jehoiachin is taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Jehoiakim and Zedekiah are evil as Ahaz and Manasseh. God will delay exile no longer because, under Zedekiah, the entire nation rejects him and turns to idols. God turns Jerusalem over to Nebuchadnezzar and he totally destroys it. Jerusalem will be unoccupied for 70 years so that the land may enjoy its Sabbaths which were neglected throughout Israel's entire history. The book ends on a hopeful note with Cyrus' decree to invite the Jews to return, occupy the land and rebuild the Temple. Because of God's grace, there is always hope.

God seeks his people, but they reject him. He demonstrates his patience through messengers, but ultimately the king, leaders of the priests, and people forsake him. God, faithful to his relational principle (1 Chr 28:9; 2 Chr 15:2), forsakes those who forsake him. 2 Chronicles 36, 535

God enables his people to go up (עלה, ˓ālah). He is with them, and by his grace, they will go up. This is the last word in Chronicles. It describes the exodus of God’s people from Egypt into the land of promise...The final words of Chronicles, then, bespeak the restoration of God’s people. The people of God are invited to “go up” to worship—to return to Judah, rebuild the temple, and experience the gracious fellowship of God. 2 Chronicles, 539

Old Testament Readings 9-2015 to 8-2017

Technorati Tags: Old Testament,Devotional,Summary

A couple days I posted an index of New Testament readings that I posted over the last couple years. Today I am posting the Old Testament Readings. In 2015-17 we read through the Old Testament in the Hebrew order accompanied by various commentaries while reading New Testament theologies and devotionals. Starting this September I will reverse this. On Monday, Wednesday, Friday I will be reading the NT accompanied by various commentaries and the Hebrew scritpures accomapnied by theoloogies and devotionals. I’ll be starting in the OT with The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible by Michael S. Heiser. As you can see below, I used The College Press NIV Commentary quite often. I found it to be a reasonable conservative evangelical commentary. There were a few other commentaries that I have been wanting to go through for some time and included them. I have given dates for the postings rather than all the links. My blog is organized by date so that should make them fairly easy to find. Enjoy!

1. Walter Brueggemann, Genesis, Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, This commentary challenged me to a deeper faith and more radical allegiance to God and His promises. Brueggemann's approach in this commentary is homiletical; he is concerned with how to preach and teach the text. September 8-October 6 2015
2. Exodus, Philip Graham Ryken and R. Kent Hughes, Exodus: Saved for God’s Glory, Ryken devotes about 200 pages of his commentary to Exodus 19-20. October 16-November 17 2015
3. Allen P. Ross, Holiness to the Lord: A Guide to the Exposition of the Book of Leviticus, I love Allen Ross’ commentaries. Creation and Blessing (Genesis) is still one of my favorites. If you ever decide to preach or teach through Leviticus you need this one. November 21-December 16 2015
4. Iain M. Duguid and R. Kent Hughes, Numbers: God’s Presence in the Wilderness, January 2-23 2016
5. Jeffrey H. Tigay, Deuteronomy, The JPS Torah Commentary, The JPS Commentary set is a Jewish commentary that provides traditional rabbinic and halakhic, along with critical, commentary. January 28-February 15, 2016
6. Mark Ziese, Joshua, The College Press NIV Commentary, I thought this was one of the better commentaries in the series. February 26 and March 5 2016, Ruth: May 12, 2017
7. Rob Fleenor, Judges, The College Press NIV Commentary, This was my favorite commentary in this series. Judges: March 19 and 26 2016
8. James E. Smith, 1 and 2 Samuel, The College Press NIV Commentary, April 2-May 10 2016
9. Jesse C. Long, 1 & 2 Kings, College Press NIV Commentary, May 22-July 13, 2016
10. Terry R. Briley, Isaiah, The College Press NIV Commentary, August 6-September 6 2016
11. Leslie C. Allen, Jeremiah: A Commentary, The Old Testament Library, This commentary does a good job of focusing on the forms Jeremiah uses to convey his message, and connects each passage with its Old and New Testament contexts. September 9-October 18 2016
12. Brandon Fredenburg, Ezekiel The College Press NIV Commentary, October 22-November 19 2016
13. Harold Shank, Minor Prophets vol. 1, The College Press NIV Commentary, Hosea through Jonah, November 25-December 14 2016
14. Clay Ham and Mark Hahlen, Minor Prophets, The College Press NIV Commentary, Nahum through Malachi, January 8-25 2017
15. S. Edward Tesh and Walter D. Zorn, Psalms 1, The College Press NIV Commentary, Psalms 1-89, January 30-March 13 2017
16. S. Edward Tesh and Walter D. Zorn, Psalms 2, The College Press NIV Commentary, March 22-April 12 2017
17. August H. Konkel and Tremper Longman III, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 6: Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs, The authors’ main thesis is that Ecclesiastes, along with Job, provides an alternative view to Proverbs. Wisdom does not always bring success. It has limitations. Something more is needed to give ultimate meaning to life. Job: April 18-April 30 2017, Song of Songs May 19, 2017, Ecclesiastes May 23, 2017
18. Dave Bland, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Song of Songs, The College Press NIV Commentary, The commentary emphasizes that Proverbs is probably the only book of the Bible that can be read “verse-by-verse,” but even here the sayings are organized and grouped so that context is still important. Proverbs: May 4-May 10 2017.
19. Timothy M. Willis, Jeremiah/Lamentations, College Press NIV Commentary, Lamentations May 28, 2017
20. Mark Mangano, Esther & Daniel, The College Press NIV Commentary, Esther June 2, 2017, June 8-18 2017
21. Keith N. Schoville, Ezra-Nehemiah, The College Press NIV Commentary, Ezra June 23, 2017, Nehemiah: July 5, 2017 
22. John Mark Hicks, 1 & 2 Chronicles, The College Press NIV Commentary, July 14-August 30 2017

New Testament Readings 9-2015 to 8-2017

As we approach August 31, we come to the end of the cycle of New Testament devotionals. Over the last few years I have been organizing my devotional reading on a September 1 to August 31 basis. This last cycle has been a two-year cycle which went from September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2017. What we read during that cycle were several New Testament theologies, devotionals, and other New Testament oriented books. I thought it would be a good idea to look over where we've been and provide links back to those blog posts. My goal is to encourage people to read through these good books and stretch their minds a little bit. I don't always agree 100% with every thing every book said, but I'm a big believer that we shouldn't read only books that we agree with completely. However all these books are edifying and will grow you in your relationship with Jesus Christ. So here is where I've gone with New Testament devotionals over the last 2 years listed out below.

1. N. T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God, vol. 4, Christian Origins and the Question of God, I spent an entire year on this incredible book on the theology of Paul. I find the need to read Tom Wright several times to really understand what he is saying. He provides a helpful fresh perspective on Paul which is new, but I feel, is not as different as the NPP people and OPP people are making it. The first post is here. I resume the posts here, here, there are 4 posts in March 2016, 3 in April, one here, 4 in June, 4 in July, 6 in August, and the last post in the series is here.
2. Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels. I really enjoyed this book and found it very helpful for gaining cultural background for the stories and speeches in the Gospels. I thought Bailey provided some amazing insights into the parables of Jesus. You can the posts here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
3. N. T. Wright, Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship. This book is a devotional about discipleship and what it means to follow the real Jesus of scripture. It is a devotional designed to help you think and pray through what it means to “follow Jesus” and encourage us to really do it. The first post is here, followed by here, here, and here. The final post in this series mentions my diagnosis of a “serious blood disease,” and so everything from here on is being posted from my cancer recovery.
4. A. W. Tozer, And He Dwelt among Us: Teachings from the Gospel of John. This devotional book is a meditation on the incarnation, the great truth and mystery that God became a human being, focused on in the Gospel of John. The first post is here, followed by posts here, here, and concludes here,
5. Thomas F. Torrance, The Christian Doctrine of God, One Being Three Persons. This book is a very insightful and almost devotional, theology. It is a meditation on the great truth and mystery that God is a Trinity. It will certainly stretch your brain and your heart. The first post is here, followed by posts here, here, here and here. 
6. J. I. Packer, Affirming the Apostle's Creed. In this book Packer discusses and explains each assertion of the creed. This book was a this will help to get back in touch with the rich heritage the work of the Spirit has left for us in the last 2000 years. The first post is here, followed by posts here, here, here, here, and concludes here.
7. J. I. Packer, Taking God Seriously: Vital Things We Need to Know. In this book Packer discusses aspects of basic doctrine and why we need to re-commit as a church to the historic teaching and preaching of these doctrines. The first post is here, followed by posts here, and here.
8. Ben Witherington III, Jesus the Sage: The Pilgrimage of Wisdom. In this book Witherington looks at the influence of Jewish wisdom on the teachings of Jesus and how He develops and expands the wisdom tradition. The beginning post is here, followed by posts here, here, and finally here.
9. Wright, N. T.. The Day the Revolution Began: Reconsidering the Meaning of Jesus's Crucifixion. I think this is a very important book which brings the discussion of the meaning of the atonement into the 21st century with a solid biblical basis. The first post is here, followed by posts here, here, here, here, here, and ending here.
10. Jersak, Bradley. A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel. The main point in the book is, "God is like Jesus. Exactly like Jesus" and we must interpret the revelation of God throughout the entire Bible through the lens of the ultimate revelation of God in Jesus Christ. God doesn’t turn away from sin or sinners; he seeks out sinners and overcomes sin in His person we might become the image of God restored. The first post for this book is here, followed by posts here, here, here, here, here and finally here.

Reading A More Christlike God, by Bradley Jersak #7

This post concludes the third and final part of A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel, by Bradley Jersak. In this section, Jersak explains how he presents the Gospel from this perspective. I am posting from my reading in New Testament theologies and devotionals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and welcome comments and discussion on my Facebook page. I am using the Kindle version of the book. As usual my comments are in black and quotes from the book are in blue.

In Chapter 14, A More Christlike Message The Beautiful Gospel, Jersak explains how a more cruciform perspective changes his presentation of the gospel. He calls his presentation a "restorative gospel." You can see an example of this presentation, done by Brian Zahnd (who wrote the forward to this book) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnj52gaauBs. A judicial explanation of the gospel has biblical elements but has some problems when taken too far. The biggest problem is that it splits the Trinity apart at the crucifixion. A divided Trinity is heresy. It also tends to present God as an angry, vindictive Deity. I have spent most of my ministry trying to convince people that God is not mad at them, but actually, really loves and seeks them to save them.. So I appreciated this presentation.

We must affirm both truths: that Christ entered an authentic experience of our sense of abandonment and that he never ceased to be God, nor did the Trinity ever cease to be one. I’ll leave the reader to ponder this mystery. 279

This drama is repeated again and again throughout the Old Testament. God makes a promise, someone turns from him, they experience the tragic results, but God comes to find them.  286

Christ did not come to change the Father, or to appease the wrath of an angry judge, but to reveal the Father...Paul said God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. It’s not the Father that needed to be reconciled to the world. It’s the world that needed to be reconciled to the Father. 294

The final chapter of the book contains a few applicational and reflective questions. How does the fact that God is exactly like Jesus impact the way we look at what it means to become the image of God, or the way we read and interpret scripture? How do we need to read the conquest texts, the God bringing disaster texts, and the imagery of Revelation? I have wrestled with these issues in the past and this book has brought some answers and more questions into my mind. But these are good things to wrestle with and I would highly recommend the book. Jersak closes out the book with quotes from across Christian history on the meaning of Jesus' self-emptying (Philippians 2.4-11)

But in the form of a slave, He bows down to the level of His fellow slaves — or rather, He bows down to His slaves — and takes upon Him a form not His own, bearing in Himself all that I am and all that is mine in order that He might consume in Himself whatever is bad as fire consumes wax or as the sun disperses the mists of earth, and in order that I may partake of His nature by the blending. Gregory of Nazianzus, 305

Therefore, the most we can ascribe to kenosis is a voluntary, self-limitation. For example, he accepts human limitations such as weariness and pain, even ignorance...Perhaps rather than ‘emptied himself,’ it would be better to say that he poured out himself in love, and that love is his nature. Kallistos Ware, 307

What is important to note is that the Cross is not a response to human evil. Rather, the Cross is the means by which God’s eternal love keeps flowing into creation despite human sin. Simon Oliver, 310

Reading A More Christlike God, by Bradley Jersak #6

This post continues looking at the third and final part of A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel, by Bradley Jersak. In this section, Jersak discusses the New Testament metaphors for what the death of Christ accomplished and how it was applied to humanity. I am posting from my reading in New Testament theologies and devotionals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and welcome comments and discussion on my Facebook page. I am using the Kindle version of the book. As usual my comments are in black and quotes from the book are in blue.

In Chapter 12, Unwrathing the Cross part I The Gospel Metaphors, looks at 7 different metaphors that are used by the 4 Gospel writers to describe the "how" of the application of salvation to us. He cautions us that there is a great element of mystery in this and we do not know exactly how God did it. Thus, the different atonement theories derived from these metaphors should be "held lightly" and one should not be considered superior to the others. All the biblical metaphors must be considered in a full biblical view. In these metaphors the problem, sin and death, is seen as being lost, sickness, snake venom, alienation from covenant, the enslaving destroyer, debt, and bondage to death. Jesus/God is seen as the seeker and finder, the Great Physician, the "lifted up" antidote, the sacrificial goat and scapegoat, the Passover lamb, the kinsman-redeemer and ransom payer. All of these should make us thankful and full of praise for what Jesus has done for us. 

God’s saving work through Jesus is so multi-faceted that Christ and the apostles found it necessary and helpful to use a constellation of metaphors to describe its benefits. Each metaphor serves to clarify, but can also obscure. Every metaphor can extend our understanding, but can also be over-extended such that we corner ourselves into error. So our theories about the metaphors need to be held very lightly— no theory holds a monopoly on the gospel, nor should it lay claim to actually being the gospel. 229

Christ is the sacrificial gift of grace for all. All who receive him by faith (including those sinners and enemies whose judgment God had forestalled) are forgiven and reconciled to God. God did not need to be reconciled to us—he was never our enemy. It is we who had fled and were lost, we who were hostile and rebellious, we who needed reconciliation and atonement. God did not need a sacrificial Lamb, we did. And so God sent his Son for us so that, like the scapegoat, he could carry away our sin, guilt and punishment forever. 238

When Jesus gave his life for ours, to whom did he give it? The life of Christ was given over to death itself. But, as in the case of Satan, Christ did not ‘owe’ death anything. He did not ‘owe’ Hades (the Greek god of death) a life. Instead, death is the gate by which Jesus entered hades (death) and plundered its captives.  247  

In Chapter 13, Unwrathing the Cross part II The Pauline Metaphors, Jersak unpacks Paul's two favorite metaphors to interpret the cross: victory and justification. The victory of the cross over sin, death, and the evil supernatural powers was the most popular way to describe the atonement for the first 1000+ years of church history. At the cross Christ provides forgiveness and his resurrection overcomes the forces of evil for all of us. Justification can refer to "moral purity" or "legal innocence." Jesus sacrifices himself to rescue us from sin and death, absorbs them into Himself and then overcomes them. Christ identifies himself with us in all of our sinful mess and offers Himself as substitute. Thus, he can offer His Divine nature for our human nature which was always the Father's loving plan.

The Cross, especially as it symbolizes forgiveness, is what defeats the enemy, because without those charges, those laws and those debts, the accuser’s got nothing on us. When on the Cross, Jesus Christ asks the Father to forgive us, for complete pardon, and he does! And the enemy’s armaments and arguments dissolve in his hands. 251

The meaning Christ attributes to sacrifice is simply this: laying one’s life down for someone else (1 John 3:16). Anyone who gives their life to rescue another—whether it’s a fireman dying while pulling someone from a flaming building; a policeman who’s fatally wounded while rescuing a hostage; or a martyr stoned to death for preaching the good news—is ‘paying the ultimate price.’ Here, the metaphors are off the table. Here, sacrifice (laying down your life) is raw actuality—the events as they really happened. 256

In the one person of Jesus Christ, God identifies with a man and a man identifies with God. Fully God and fully man, in Christ, humanity and divinity come together to restore humanity. 259