Source: Red Mountain Music      Words: Depth of Mercy

Written by: Charles Wesley, 1740

“The Bible’s purpose is not so much to show you how to live a good life. The Bible’s purpose is to show you how God’s grace breaks into your life against your will and saves you from the sin and brokenness otherwise you would never be able to overcome…”

-Tim Keller

“Christians have made the gospel about so many things… Things other than Christ.”  So opens the document, written by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola, titled: A Jesus Manifesto.

I’ve long been a fan of Leonard Sweet, our theological differences aside. But Sweet’s love for Jesus, his love for God’s people, and his amazing story-telling ability make his books and articles a pleasure to read. Besides, I’ve not found our differences to come up that frequently in the things he writes. His focus is spirituality, not systematic theology.  At the very least Sweet always makes me think.

I don’t know as much about Frank Viola. I’ve heard of him, but I don’t recall having ever read anything he has written – at least nothing before A Jesus Manifesto.

But as I read through this manifesto I found I appreciated the heart of both men. I also appreciate their effort to put into words something that needs to be said in this generation.  Paraphrasing the words of the old hymn, we need to “Turn our Eyes upon Jesus.”

To read the document click the link above.  On that blog you will also find links to download the document in .pdf, listen to the authors read their manifesto, and listen to Steve Brown interview the authors at Steve Brown, Etc.  Facebook users will also find a link to a group page discussing the manifesto.

“Prayer mirrors the gospel. In the gospel, the Father takes us as we are because of Jesus and gives us his gift of salvation. In prayer, the Father receives us as we are because of Jesus and gives us the gift of help. We look at the inadequacy of our praying and give up, thinking something is wrong with us. God looks at the adequacy of his Son and delights in our sloppy, meandering prayers.”

- Paul Miller, A Praying Life

Just got back from seeing The Blind Side, the movie based on the true story of NFL offensive lineman Michael Oher.  It is a great and moving story. But I think I would have liked it even more had I not read the book.

While the film gets the essence of the story correct, for some reason they played footloose with the facts.  As good as the film was, the real story is even better.  Not captured in the film story is how the Tuohy’s faith compelled them to act with  a compassion that developed into a love for this gentle giant.

The Tuohy’s provide a vivid contemporary illustration of pattern demonstrated by Jesus time and again: See, Feel, Act.  I will stop short of saying it is a “practical” illustration, because what they did was exraordinary. (See: Diamond in the Rough)  But it is practical in this way: We see what can happen when we invest in the lives of others.  No, it is not likely the someone you help will become a first round draft choice. But so what? What if that someone you help becomes an elementary school teacher, who invests in the lives of still others… Or a firefighter who risks life to save lives… Or…

Overall I encourage you to go see the movie. Then pick up the book.  Do it in that order and you’ll enjoy the film more than if you do it the other way around.  But either way, it was a good story.

The only thing that might have made it better is if Micahel had signed with Tennessee.

NOTE: Check out ESPN’s: Adopted Family Helps Oher

From time to time a new and faithful expression of faith is necessary. I am not speaking of a new faith, or of new doctrines, but of the historic Christian faith prophetically applied to current and world events.  Such a statement of faith has recently been produced: The Manhattan Declaration.

The Manhattan Declaration is a collective affirmation of fundamental Truths shared by Evangelicals, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians living in the United States. In particular, this declaration addresses:

• Sanctity of Human Life
• Sanctity of Marriage
• Rights of Conscience and Religious Liberty

Some may question why believers who hold some vastly different perspectives would join together and unite their voices to address these social issues.  On the other hand, why would they not?  These issues that both result from and contribute to our social decay are intolerable and need to be addressed.  Francis Schaeffer referred to such joint operations as ”co-beligerence”.

This afternoon I signed my name to this declaration. While I don’t presume anyone really cares what I sign, or even what I think, it was a way for me to lend my voice to an effort that needs to be heard.  I invite you to check it out – and sign-on, if you share the concerns and agree to these solutions.

Manhattan Declaration(.doc)

It may defy common wisdom, but sound doctrine is important to the renewal of the contemporary church.  While many view doctrine as divisive and unecesary trivia, recent studies by Thom Rainer, Ed Stetzer, and others, reveal that sound doctrine is a hallmark of churches that are the most effective in evangelism.  Further, both writers, in addition to Collin Hansen’s experience, suggest that open discussion about sound doctine is what younger, unchurced spiritual seekers are clamoring for.  So while it may defy common wisdom, we also need to remember that some things are more common than wise.

The following is a short article by 19th Century Anglican Bishop, J.C. Ryle, who makes the case for the necessity of sound teaching in our lives and ministries.  See what you think.

*** 

The times require distinct and decided views of Christian doctrine. I cannot withhold my conviction that the professing Church is as much damaged by laxity and indistinctness about matters of doctrine within, as it is by skeptics and unbelievers without. Myriads of professing Christians nowadays seem utterly unable to distinguish things that differ. Like people afflicted with color–blindness, they are incapable of discerning what is true and what is false, what is sound and what is unsound. If a preacher of religion is only clever and eloquent and earnest, they appear to think he is all right, however strange and heterogeneous his sermons may be. They are destitute of spiritual sense, apparently, and cannot detect error. The only positive thing about them is that they dislike distinctiveness and think all extreme and decided and positive views are very naughty and very wrong!

These people live in a kind of mist or fog. They see things unclearly, and do not know what they believe. They have not made up their minds about any great point in the Gospel, and seem content to be honorary members of all schools of thought. For their lives they could not tell you what they think is truth about justification, or regeneration, or sanctification, or the Lord’s Supper, or baptism, or faith or conversion, or inspiration, or the future state. They are eaten up with a morbid dread of controversy and an ignorant dislike of party spirit; and yet they really cannot define what they mean by these phrases. And so they live on undecided; and too often undecided; they drift down to the grave, without comfort in their religion, and, I am afraid, often without hope.

The explanation of this boneless, nerveless, jelly–fish condition of soul is not difficult to find. To begin with, the heart of man is naturally in the dark about religion—has no intuitive sense of truth—and really needs instruction and illumination. Besides this, the natural heart in most men hates exertion in religion, and cordially dislikes patient, painstaking inquiry. Above all, the natural heart generally likes the praise of others, shrinks from collision, and loves to be thought charitable and liberal. The whole result is that a kind of broad religious “agnosticism” just suits an immense number of people, and specially suits young persons. They are content to shovel aside all disputed points as rubbish, and if you charge them with indecision, they will tell you: “I do not pretend to understand controversy; I decline to examine controverted points. I dare say it is all the same in the long run”—Who does not know that such people swarm and abound everywhere?

Now I do beseech all to beware of this undecided state of mind in religion. It is a pestilence which walketh in darkness, and a destruction that wasteth at noonday. It is a lazy, idle frame of soul which, doubtless, saves man the trouble of thought and investigation but it is a frame of soul for which there is no warrant in the Bible. For your own soul’s sake, dare to make up your mind what you believe, and dare to have positive, distinct views of truth and error. Never, never be afraid to hold decided doctrinal opinions; and let no fear of man and no morbid dread of being thought party–spirited, narrow, or controversial, make you rest contented with a bloodless, boneless, tasteless, colorless, lukewarm, undogmatic Christianity.

Mark what I say. If you want to do good in these times, you must throw aside indecision, and take up a distinct, sharply–cut, doctrinal religion. If you believe little, those to whom you try to do good will believe nothing. The victories of Christianity, wherever they have been won, have been won by distinct doctrinal theology; by telling men roundly of Christ’s vicarious death and sacrifice; by showing them Christ’s substitution on the cross, and His precious blood; by teaching them justification by faith, and bidding them believe on a crucified Savior; by preaching ruin by sin, redemption by Christ, regeneration by the Spirit; by lifting up the brazen serpent; by telling them to look and live—to believe, repent, and be converted. This—this is the only teaching which for centuries God had honored with success, and is honoring at the present day both at home and abroad.

It is doctrine—doctrine, clear, ringing doctrine which, like the ram’s horn at Jericho casts down the opposition of the devil and sin. Let us cling to decided doctrinal views, whatever some may please to say in these times, and we shall do well for ourselves, well for others, and well for Christ’s cause in the world.

- J.C. Ryle

The first and worst cause of error that prevails in our day is spiritual pride. This is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christ. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit to darken the mind and mislead the judgment, and the main handle by which Satan takes hold of Christians to hinder a work of God. Until this disease is cured, medicines are applied in vain to heal all other diseases.

Pride is much more difficult to discern than any other corruption because, by nature, pride is a person having too high a thought of himself. Is it any surprise, then, that a person who has too high a thought of himself is unaware of it? He thinks the opinion he has of himself has just grounds and therefore is not too high. As a result, there is no other matter in which the heart is more deceitful and unsearchable. The very nature of it is to work self-confidence and drive away any suspicion of evil respecting itself.

Pride takes many forms and shapes and encompasses the heart like the layers of an onion- when you pull off one layer, there is another underneath. Therefore, we need to have the greatest watch imaginable over our hearts with respect to this matter and to cry most earnestly to the great searcher of hearts for His help. He who trusts his own heart is a fool.

Since spiritual pride in its own nature is secretive, it cannot be well discerned by immediate intuition of the thing itself. It is best identified by its fruits and effects, some of which I will mention together with the contrary fruits of Christian humility.

The spiritually proud person is full of light already and feels that he does not need instruction, so he is ready to despise the offer of it. On the other hand, the humble person is like a little child who easily receives instruction. He is cautious in his estimate of himself, sensitive as to how liable he is to go astray. If it is suggested to him that he does go astray, he is most ready to inquire into the matter.

Proud people tend to speak of other’s sins, the miserable delusion of hypocrites, the deadness of some saints with bitterness, or the opposition to holiness of many believers. Pure Christian humility, however, is silent about the sins of others, or speaks of them with grief and pity. The spiritually proud person finds fault with other saints for their lack of progress in grace, while the humble Christian sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. He complains most of himself and his own spiritual coldness and readily hopes that most everybody has more love and thankfulness to God than he.

Spiritually proud people often speak of almost everything they see in others in the harshest, most severe language. Commonly, their criticism is directed against not only wicked men but also toward true children of God and those who are their superiors. The humble, however, even when they have extraordinary discoveries of God’s glory, are overwhelmed with their own vileness and sinfulness. Their exhortations to fellow Christians are given in a loving and humble manner, and they treat others with as much humility and gentleness as Christ, who is infinitely above them, treats them.

Spiritual pride often disposes people to act different in external appearance, to assume a different way of speaking, countenance, or behavior. However, the humble Christian, though he will be firm in his duty; going the way of heaven alone even if all the world forsake him; yet he does not delight in being different for difference’s sake. He does not try to set himself up to be viewed and observed as one distinguished, but on the contrary, is disposed to become all things to all men, to yield to others, to conform to them, and to please them in all but sin.

Proud people take great notice of opposition and injuries, and are prone to speak often about them with an air of bitterness or contempt. Christian humility, on the other hand, disposes a person to be more like his blessed Lord, who when reviled did not open His mouth but committed Himself in silence to Him who judges righteously. For the humble Christian, the more clamorous and furious the world is against him, the more silent and still he will be.

Another pattern of spiritually proud people is to behave in ways that make them the focus of others. It is natural for a person under the influence of pride to take all the respect that is paid to him. If others show a disposition to submit to him and yield in deference to him, he is open to it and freely receives it. In fact, they come to expect such treatment and to form an ill opinion of those who do not give them what they feel they deserve.

-Jonathan Edwards

Spiritual Pride (.doc)

Let me say at the outset, I support Lane Kiffin.  I am not a fan of Kiffin’s - a sentiment that is no secret to those who know me or who have read some previous posts. Some of that is because of Kiffin’s demeanor and doings. Most of my issues, though, are outside Kiffin’s control, and will in time subside.  But my disapproval aside, I support Kiffin and hope for him to be successful as the coach at my alma mater. 

I also support him in his recent decisions concerning the discipline of some of his players who have transgressed the law (and common sense). 

Kiffin has received his share of criticism and mocking because of recent incidents. Two players have been dismissed from the team, one still has his fate on hold, because of their involvement in an attempted armed robbery. (See: Kiffin’s Rule.)  And now, adding fuel to the fire, was Tuesday’s breaking news that yet another Freshman football player had found  trouble with the law a week before the nationally publicized incident. (See: Kiffin’s Non-Incident Streak Intercepted.)  

I suppose jokes, at Kiffin’s expense, about these incidents ought to be expected. Kiffin has been pious and bragadocio about his “clean” record as opposed to other SEC coaches and compared to his predecessor at UT.  It’s easy to claim a clean track record when you have no record at all.  Now Kiffin will find that some of the mud he has been slinging has also splattered him.

But while the scoffers get their chuckles, let’s be fair. These legal problems are NOT Kiffin’s fault.  If someone graduates high school, he ought to be educated enough the be able to know the difference between legal and illegal. These athletes should assume responsibility for themselves when it comes to deciding to break the law.   

What is drawing the most attention, however, is Kiffin’s handling of these athletes.  Again I want to afffirm my support of his decisions – both to dismiss some players, AND to weigh the options with another. 

Critics will grumble, assuming that the motive for non-dismissal is merely talent and production. The guy who has not been dismissed (yet) is a starter, has played well, and likely would have been a Freshman All America had he not been involved.  But I do not agree with the critics who have accused Kiffin of hypocrissy.  In fact, it is this non-dismissal that has me intrigued and hopeful about Kiffin.

Previously Kiffin has taken a no-nonsense stance when talking about discipline issues.  I applaud this. This position has its merits. But I also know that not all situations, not all players, are the same.  Each incident needs to be evaluated individually.  I am intrigued that Kiffin has not treated all the players the same, and am hopeful that he has learned to weigh many factors – not just image control. If so, we are witnessing the maturing of a young and talented coach.

I am not suggesting that wrong should be called “right”, or even “alright”.  I am saying that when Kiffin recruits a young man he has a responsibility to help shape that young man.  It is an important part of being a coach – far more important than the “W’s” and “L’s”.  Sometimes it is the four or five years a player spends in college that sets the direction for his life.  In some cases those years, and the coaches influence, redirects a life.

Kiffin’s predecssor, Philip Fulmer, understood that many young men have never had a strong, positive male figure in their lives.  He understood that he, and the other coaches, were not only the first such role models, they may be the only ones some will ever get.  If a player is dismissed from the team because of foolishness (even criminal foolishness) it is likley he will continue to be a fool once removed from the only positive influence in his life.  Consequently, Fulmer was sometimes slow to dismiss a player – no matter how talented, or how average.  He was willing to take the hits to his own reputation for the sake of an individual.  I would even say, he was willing to lay down his own life for the good of another. (See 1 John 3.16) Fulmer, and all good coaches, care more about the young men than even their own records and reputations.  And our society is the better for it.

While we read about those athletes who choose to act like idiots, who risk and throw away opportunites most can only dream of having, we rarely read about the ones who enrolled posessing no more character but, through the coaches influnece, become good men and good citizens.  (How would such a thing be reported?  Headline: “Vol Athlete Attends Class & Keeps Curfew!”  That’d be a page turner…)  But far more are those stories than the ones that grab for attention.

As Lane Kiffin deliberates the future of Janzen Jackson, I am hopeful that the young mans future is as much on Kiffin’s heart as beating Vanderbilt and Kentucky is.  There will no doubt be more dismissals in the future – and Jackson may be one – but if Kiffin has learned to weigh all the factors, he is a man worthy to be called “Coach” – even at my Tennessee.

A few days ago I penned a post suggesting that we consider the Christian Life through a different paradigm than what I believe is ordinary.  I suggested the the fundamental gauge ought to be Humble vs. Proud, rather than Good vs. Bad and/or Right vs. Wrong.  I have received several positive responses, and I have been asked a couple times for some clarification. 

While I suspect few, if any, would suggest that Humble vs. Proud is not a valid grid, I understand how some might find it a bit audacious to say it should be the fundamental, or primary grid.  What makes this the predominant paradigm?

Humble vs. Proud is the grid within which these other standards fit.  

Let me explain:

First, Christianity is a substantive faith.  Doctrine is the way we express and transfer the substance of Truth.  So Right vs. Wrong is an important concept; an indispensible concept.  But God tells us that there is a knowledge that merely “puffs up”, a knowledge that may be true but which is not helpful.   It is not the substance of truth that it the problem. The problem is the condition of the heart that is receiving and processing this truth. 

What is interesting is that understanding  Truth also promotes humility.  Paraphrasing C.J. Mahaney: “Humility is seeing ourselves in right relation to God.”  In other words, the more we understand about God and about ourselves the more humble we wil feel. But paradoxically, before Truth produces humility the heart must already be humble before God.

Second, James tells us that we are known by our actions; that Faith without works is dead.  This underscores the importance of Good vs. Bad.  But our actions can be deceiving. Not only can we deceive others by our actions, but we often deceive ourselves.  Many people think of themselves as being loved by God because of their actions.  But this often stems from a false sense of righteousness. God tells us that our best efforts, if they are not generated from faith and a love for God, are as appealing as a filthy rag. And Jesus spoke to a group of people telling them that despite their “good deeds” he had no relationship with them. (See Matthew 7.21-23)

Again, while both the Good vs. Bad and Right vs. Wrong paradigms are important, and have their place, I still suggest that Humble vs. Proud is the most fundamental. Against this paradigm there is no warning. And it is only within this paradigm that the others get their meaning.