A Must Read

Even though I've been away for a while, I've still been trying to keep up with my reading (if not my "commenting"). Bob, over at vanguardchurch.blogspot.com continues to write important, provocative and encouraging pieces covering various topics (his posts on Glenn Beck are particularly interesting). I think everyone would be well-served by reading and meditating on his material, especially his theological-specific material on redemption. Bob truly understands the cosmic scope of redemption--for this creation--and the thorough-going transformation that has come in Christ by the Spirit for all of His people. As I've stated before, use the search box and type in shalom for some excellent reading.

His latest post is a continuation of a series of posts commenting on the published articles in Comment Magazine on the Biblical story of Creation-Fall-Redemption. I recommend reading all of Bob's posts on in this series as well as the articles themselves. We need to have a more biblical understanding of the Person and Work of Christ and I think Bob's contribution serves the Body well. I don't think he goes as far as the Torrance's with regard to the scope of the Atonement, but I won't hold that against him! :-)

Check it out!

Coming soon--GGM's thoughts on "faith".

Addition: I just discovered Bob's other site which is devoted to the "neo-calvinist" tradition associated with Abraham Kuyper. This looks to be a rich resource for understanding the implications of Creation-Fall-Redemption-Consummation as set forth in the biblical storyline. I look forward to much blessed reading over there!

From the dust of the ground

Wow! Has it really been this long? Where has the time gone?

I'm sure the two or three people who actually read this thing have gone bye-bye by now, but since I'll be starting school in a few weeks I thought I'd try to get back into it--for my own benefit if nothing else. Who knows...I may even be able to visit some of my friends' sites now and then!

So, for me and anyone who cares....

I was sent the following quote (among others) in an email and felt compelled to say a quick something in response:

"The inconvenient truth is that we share this planet with the rest of creation for a very good reason--and that is, we cannot exist on our own without the intricately balanced web of life around us. Islam has always taught this and to ignore that lesson is to default on our contract with creation."--Prince Charles of England

Prince Charles, I believe, understands what many "christians" do not--that we are to be responsible with God's creation. Ignoring his reference to Islam and his language of "contract with creation", his point about the importance of "balance" with the Created Order is spot-on. The Bible speaks of this "balance" as Shalom, which I've defined elsewhere something like this: the state of harmony within the created order in which every created thing finds itself in perfect conformity to itself and its created function, and therefore relates with integrity (in truth) to every other created thing thereby bringing about the mutual flourishing of all things. This is the fulness of the Biblical meaning of "Peace".

As I've stated elsewhere in this blog, Shalom is the state of creation that was only typified in Eden. But since the purpose of God (Father, Son and Spirit) from the beginning (from before the beginning, actually) was to have the creation (all things) consummated (or brought into ultimate being) in the person of Christ (through His incarnation), shalom is a reality that is fulfilled only in Christ. As the "state-of-being" for the Christian, shalom is fulfilled in principle now in our union with Him. Shalom will be fully established existentially within the entire Cosmos at His return with the "new heavens and new earth" (which I've previously stated is a reference, I believe, to the ultimate redemption and recovery of this creation).

In our use of creation, therefore, we (all of humanity, but especially, I would argue, Christians) are to be responsible stewards of creation as those who bear God's image and seek to live in this world with integrity (in truth); as those who understand the goodness of this "balance" within the created order and seek to honor God by honoring His creation. We don't "worship Mother Earth", as some religious naturalists speak, but we recognize and live in the reality that we as human beings, though the pinnacle of creation as "image-bearers", are nonetheless a part of creation who, like the animals, were also created "from the dust of the ground".

Would that all Christians recognize what Prince Charles does and be better stewards of God's "good" creation.