All of history, every second of every day, hinges on the moment when Jesus Christ came into the world.  I imagine the heavenly hosts held their breath, waiting for the moment when the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.  Not the best demo ever - one rough take, but I’m tired.  :-)

Lowly gentle Jesus, Son of God and Man
The angels lead Your welcoming, condemned no more we stand
Humble, sinless servant, God Immanuel
He left His place, oh gift of grace, with us now to dwell

Hallelujah He is here!
All of history is changed!
The Word of God made flesh appears
And forever He will reign, and forever He will reign
Jesus reigns!

Behold the simple starlight that tells us of His birth
Light of the world, Bright Morning Star, hope of all the earth
Born in humble stable, Messiah, Prince of Peace
Bow your head and witness Christ the newborn King
He is Christ the newborn King 

Hallelujah He is here!
All of history is changed!
The Word of God made flesh appears
And forever He will reign, and forever He will reign
Jesus reigns! 

So we sing “Welcome! Welcome!”
All creation holds its breath
For our King has overcome
Behold the babe who conquers death!

Hallelujah He is here!
All of history is changed!
The Word of God made flesh appears
And forever He will reign

Hallelujah He is here!
All of history is changed!
The Word of God made flesh appears
And forever He will reign, and forever He will reign
Jesus reigns! 

Lowly gentle Jesus, Son of God and Man
The angels lead Your welcoming, condemned no more we stand 

This is my favorite of this year’s 7-in-7 I think.  I had about 8 people tell me within a week that I HAD to read John Steinbeck’s “East Of Eden”.  My wife read it in, like, 5 days.  Annie is a big reader and when she told me it was the best book she’s ever read, I knew she wouldn’t think so lightly.  So I read it and was blown away.  I won’t try and do it injustice in the few words I have here.  Just go pick it up for yourself.  ”Ready To Vanish” is inspired by the story; here’s a quick demo.

Well I’ve lived here since I was a boy
This town ingrained in my skin
But we buy justice with violence & war
So don’t follow me in

Every time the sky fills with clouds
I assume my time has come
The stores are closed & my money’s no good
But I can’t get my legs to run

Sing “ohh!”
Sing “ohh!”

Well I’ve looked evil straight in the eye
She lives in a house without gates
In the back room she hides from the light
And comes outside when it rains

You can taste it in the soil and our fruit
The undercurrent of disease
But this town is madness down to its roots
We do whatever we please

Sing “ohh!”
Sing “ohh!”

There’s a marching that comes on the wind
I feel it trapped in my veins
And we buy justice with violence & war
But don’t expect the same

So if “you may” or if “you may not”
We’re all Able, we’re all Cain
Everyday attacked but not destroyed
Killing our sorrow with shame

Sing “ohh!”
Sing “ohh!”
Sing “ohh!”
Sing “ohh!”

There was a time I seem to recall
It was not this way somehow
I keep trying to remember it all
But that memory’s long faded now 

Sometimes it all goes awry.  I love short little songs where the music feels happy but the lyrics are sad.  There’s a certain naivety about that that I like, and this character feels kind of like a poor sap to me.  Quick demo version.

In the dog days of August
When the sun it stays up late
It tarries for a minute longer
Before it makes its great escape

I look back on my decisions
And all the things I should have said
If it’s to you a disappointment
Know that I meant the opposite

And I hope we meet again…

But for now goodnight
Goodnight and pray the morning comes so fast
For now goodnight
Tomorrow is another chance

You wore those earrings of silver
Two tiny owls upon your ears
And if I regret my lack of wisdom
Those two haunting birds have made it clear

And I hope we meet again…

But if not goodnight
Goodnight and I will pray this soon makes sense
But if not goodnight    (definitely should be “But if not goodbye” instead!)
Tomorrow is another chance 
Tomorrow is another chance 

The wisdom of this world is foolishness, and even my mind thinks about things incorrectly when they seem perfectly logical.  And the older I get, the less I know.

When everything you learn all along the way
Is revealed for what it is in the light of day
You can hold your anthem close, so strict and stubbornly
But soon enough you’ll run out of luck and be swept downstream

And I know nothing is as it seems
I know nothing
I know nothing that I once did
I know nothing

I can’t align my mind that what is weak is strong
Because this sin is so far in, it seeps into my bones

And I know nothing is as it seems
I know nothing
I know nothing that I once did
I know nothing

Well if you could hold my hand, I would let you drown
Because my crippled heart believes what is upside down

And I know nothing is as it seems
I know nothing
I know nothing that I once did
I know nothing
I know nothing
I know nothing 

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Old Testament this year, and have really been challenged and grown, seeing Jesus Christ on every page of the Old Testament.  ”Lions” is inspired by the visions in the book of Daniel, and the idea of a Lion standing tall that defeats the small lions on our behalf, and the power that gives His followers.  Also used is the inspiring Isaiah 30:18-22.

Oh…

And I saw the writing on the wall
Ten thousand men could not heed the call
And pacing the halls: the lions chase us all

Oh…

I saw a man alight upon the air
And I fell facedown of my sins aware
With claws to scrape and tear, a Lion holds my stare 

Oh…

And like the dream that had brought me here
Quietly wait for the bringing near
Lion with sword and spear whispering in your ear

Oh… 

There is no place I’d rather be than walking with Annie through life, even when times are tough.

When we were young enough to understand love
We held onto what we had like it belonged to us
With diamonds on your mind and rubies in your hands
We both drew the line and held up our fists toward the wind

When I was old enough to bury my head
From waves that came crashing down upon what you’ve built
Like a seal upon my soul, and coal touched to my lips
I held your heart so gently it fit in my fingertips

And there’s nowhere I’d rather be
Than lost out here with you
These broken busted teeth
Will remind us what we’ve been through
The wearied song and stumbling along of me and you

Well the days go passing by, and it seems so slow
And I wish I had back half of what I’ve let go
There’s a story in my mind that seems so hard to write
And I hope we don’t let our memory drift and pass us by

And there’s nowhere I’d rather be
Than lost out here with you
These broken busted teeth
Will remind us what we’ve been through
The wearied song and stumbling along of me and you

I love you I love you I love…
I love you I love you I love…
I love you I love you I love…
I love you I love you I love…
The wearied song and stumbling along of me and you 

A couple of weeks after my wife and I got married, her father passed away.  More than I’ve ever experienced before, I realized how broken this world is.  And things are not right.  It is not how it is supposed to be.  Isaiah 25 (“He will swallow up death forever”) and Revelation 21 (“Behold, I am making all things new”) were huge passages for Annie & I in that time.  We have prayed so often, “Jesus, come quickly”.  It may feel like a long time, but it will be soon, and we wait.

This will not go on forever
One day soon the clocks will turn back
And the sky will open up, and the earth will crumble down
And we see everything that we’ve lost

This will not be broken always
When we take hold of what has been paid
And everything restored and tears are wiped away
We will come into a new place

Hold on, it won’t take long
Til we see Him face to face
There is hope for what we broke
And forgiveness…
So hold on

One day soon will come our Savior
On the clouds with peals of thunder
And death is swallowed up and the souls of men laid bare
For that day and that place we wait

Hold on, it won’t take long
Til we see Him face to face
There is hope for what we broke
And forgiveness…
So hold on

This will not go on forever 

I know much has been said on Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, And The Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, and while I certainly have no desire to add more static to that nearly deafening white noise, I felt it useful (even if only for my own future reference), to jot down a few thoughts I had concerning what Rob says.  I read the book over the course of about 3 days (it is a quick read), and have been pondering on the concepts he presents for the past few weeks.  This post assumes you have read the book.  And the Bible.  If not, please do not join the discussion.  I will not quote Rob specifically, but if you have read the book, you will be familiar with the concepts he teaches.

Let me first note that I am not a biblical scholar.  Specifically and absolutely not a biblical scholar.  But that is distinctly the point - I am a believer who loves the Word of God and wants to know the truths that it contains, whatever they may be.  I do not claim to have the background and research that a scholar would.  But I write to encourage believers to study and know the deep things of God for themselves - while we are called to submit to our elders and pastors, we are also called to know God ourselves.  I am not afraid to admit if I am wrong about things because I understand that my knowledge and understanding is minuscule compared to God’s (Psalm 139:6).  However, I do believe in absolute truths as they are found in the Word - in proper context.

Secondly, let me note that while Love Wins certainly initiated a lot of the below discussion, many of the thoughts are simply things that arose in my head as I read it and listened to the discussion around it.  Thus, I do not aim to keep every single discussion point immediately relevant to this particular work.  As I’m sure Rob Bell himself would admit, his 200 pages aren’t adequate to explore some of those issues as deep as one could.

The Difference Between Judgment and Truth
First, concerning the idea that those who disagree with Rob Bell and are calling him to task on what he has written are being “judgmental” of him, let’s be clear: there is a difference between claiming you have some intimate knowledge about the state of his soul (improper judgment), and demanding that the Word of God be spoken of accurately.  The former is not our place (although 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 presents an interesting precedent - “is it not those inside the church whom you [believers] are to judge?”).  But it is not “divisive” or “judgmental” to demand accuracy from believers - especially pastors.  James 3 specifically mentions that teachers are held to a higher standard than lay people: “Not many of you should becomes teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Paul is severe in many of his letters about the need for sound theology, and often ascribes harsh criticism on those who deviate from the Word of God.  Even greater than that, many of his letters were written specifically for doctrinal correction.  Paul admonishes the Galatians for believing false teachers (Galatians 1:6-9).  He goes so far as to say that the one who is preaching something different should be “accursed”.  He writes to the saints in Colossae to rebuke the incorrect teachings they have been taught, and quickly reiterates the main tenants of Christianity as a “refresher” (Colossians 2:8-15).  2 Thessalonians addresses an apparent forgery attempt which probably espoused false teaching about the day of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2) and prompted the writing of this second letter to the saints at Thessalonica.

In the whole Rob Bell v. Mark Driscoll (or John Piper) thing, I have read a handful of articles using the concept of “Who is Apollos?”/”Who is Paul?” from 1 Corinthians 1:12-13 and 3:5-9 to admonish those who would “take sides”.  But let’s be very clear here: drawing a similarity between “Who is Paul?/Who is Apollos?” and “Who is Rob Bell?/Who is Mark Driscoll?” is an incorrect logical analogy to make.  The foundational difference is that both Paul and Apollos were teaching the same things, and Paul is rebuking the Corinthians for favoritism.  Paul approves of what Apollos is teaching and his use of Scripture (see Acts 18:24-28, cf. 1 Cor. 3:6).  On the other hand, Rob Bell and Mark Driscoll are not teaching the same things.  It is not a matter of, “which one do I like better?”; it is a matter of, “who is teaching what the Word of God says?”

There is a strong biblical precedent to “stand firm” on the Word (emphasis mine):

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6)

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…” (Acts 2:42a)

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by doing so you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)

This last verse is important.  It is a pastor teaching another pastor.  Paul is telling Timothy to be extremely careful about what he teaches.  He is creating in him a healthy respect and love for orthodox theology.  ”Orthodox” means that something conforms to an approved set of standards.  This does not mean “close minded” or “not to be questioned”, but it means to adhere to the things that are laid out in Scripture.  

Rob seems to take a very low view of this concept.  He mistakes “tradition” for “orthodoxy” over and over, barely hiding his contempt for the way things have always been done and taught.  Again, orthodoxy is different from tradition:  

Orthodoxy is sustained truth.  Tradition is sustained routine.  

Bell then, however, quite inexplicably argues that his views are actually orthodox - in that they have been presented before.  Here again he misunderstands the concept of “orthodoxy”.  An idea that was brought up 1000 years ago does not mean it adheres to the Biblical orthodoxy simply because the idea is old.  The majority of Rob’s teachings here are distinctly unorthodox: they deviate from what the vast majority of biblical scholars and teachers over the past two centuries have agreed - within an accountable community - that the Bible teaches.

So, I agree with Rob in that questions are ok.  But it is a paradox to demand the right to question something and then insist that push-back to those questions constitute “judgment” on the questioner.  Rob has every right to ask questions.  And we who disagree have every right to dispute the legitimacy of his conclusions.  Such correction should indeed be handled with love and not with inappropriate judgments on Rob’s character or heart.  It is not my job to know or determine the state of his soul, but it is my right as a Bible-believing Christian to point out the egregious errors and conclusions that he reaches.

“Fair” or “Unfair”: Motive Is Everything
Rob insists that a God who would send someone to hell for an eternity based on the relatively few sins in this short life is unfair.  That that would not constitute a loving God.

As I stated, I believe questions are fine and indeed, they help us think critically.  But before we can even begin to answer the question, “How is it fair that God would send some people to hell?”, you have to look at the motive in asking the question in such a context.  By posing the question in that way, Rob is committing “logical fallacy” 101: he is begging the question.  Asking the question in that way assumes upon the answer.  In other words, by saying, “How is it fair that God would send some people to hell?”, he is assuming that is unfair.  He works backwards, letting his pre-ready conclusion dictate how he phrases the argument.

And that assumption reveals a lot about how one views God.  It assumes God is not the utmost authority and being in the universe: I am.  Rob’s question is based on the belief that doing such a thing as sending someone to hell is inherently unfair - because we deserve better than that.   One has an incomplete view of sin to assume it would be unfair for God to send anyone to hell.  

Think of it this way: if “0” is utterly wicked and “100” is fully holy, Rob seems to believe we are born at “100”.  If this is true, it would be unfair for God to send someone to hell.  We would rightly argue, “What did they do to deserve that?”.  They would literally have to “earn” their placement in hell by slowly subtracting from their initial “100” for each sin they commit.  And if they died before they reached “0”, it certainly would be unfair.  Others tend to think we start at “50”, equally balanced between good and bad, and how we tip the scales determines where we will end up.

But friends, this is not what the Bible teaches.  Like it or not, the Bible makes clear that we all start at “0”.  The whole of Romans 3 makes this evident, in particular Romans 3:10-19.

As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” … Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. (Romans 3:10-12, 19)

That is one example of the fact that we all start at “0”, to stick with the metaphor.  I would quote more verses that deal with this concept, but, frankly, it would be easier to quote the verses that don’t talk about our utter and complete failure from the time we were born.  The point is: “0” is the plumb-line, not “100” or “50” or even “1”.  We all start at “0”.

After you soak in the Bible for awhile and know its concepts, it becomes obvious that “How is it fair that God would send some people to hell?” is an utterly self-centered question.  A more appropriate way to approach the concept of hell would be, “How is it fair that God wouldn’t send everybody to hell?”

And the answer is that is isn’t fair.  God is utterly unfair - because He chooses that some will not go to hell.

Let me pose another hypothetical situation.  If I gathered a roomful of 20 people, who each had walked in with $0, and gave to one person $1, to another $5, to another $20, to another $100, and so on, but there remained 5 people to whom I gave no money, and they walked out with $0 - just how they had walked in - am I unfair?  Absolutely not.  They walked in with $0, and they walked out with $0.  To say that I am unfair to them reveals something about their heart: they believe they are owed something.  I gave to the others something they did not have simply because I wanted to.

To believe that God is unfair based on whether or not He sends people to hell reveals what you think about God: you believe you are owed something.  If God sends me to hell, He is absolutely and perfectly just in that decision - I started life at “0”, not at “100”.  If I get “fair”, I get hell.

The scandal - the “unfairness” - of God is that He provided a way out of hell.  I can barely comprehend the absolute beauty of this verse: “The Word [Jesus Christ, God Himself] became flesh and dwelt among us…” (John 1:14a).  If anything, that is why we should be angry at God - not that He would send some people to hell, but that He would stoop to our level and come live among us, living a perfect life and dying for our sins, taking the meter from “0” to “100” based on His good merit, not ours.  It is absolutely fair that God would send some people to hell - unless He Himself provides a way for that to change.

My question: “How is it fair that God wouldn’t send everybody to hell?” His answer: Jesus Christ.  That is how “love wins”.

Context And A Complete View
Let me re-iterate that I am not a biblical scholar.  Which made it all the more outrageous that even I could spot Rob’s completely disparaging use of Scripture.  The entire theology is “me” based, not “God” based.

First, the basic (extremely condensed) storyline of Scripture: God chooses a people for Himself, and makes a covenant that He will never break.  He is not leaving people out because He is unfair, He is showing His right to exercise choice.  But He alludes that there will come a day when His covenant will be opened to everyone for the possibility of salvation.  This is to show His great mercy and love.  And, of course, Jesus Christ is that covenant that makes it all possible.

Rob seems to have no grasp of this blatant biblical concept.  He quotes Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Romans out of context by thinking that the opening up of the possibility of salvation means that everyone will be saved.  I was left looking for the extra pages in my Bible that the publisher seemed to have left out.  I see that no where.

Most disconcerting to me is that Rob’s Bible seems to have Romans 9 left out.  Nowhere - to my memory - does he address Romans 9.  I quote the entire relevant passage here, although long, because it so directly relates to nearly everything Rob talks about:

Though they [Jacob and Esau] were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad - in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call - she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”  As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”  So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another dishonorable use?  What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory…

- Romans 9:11-23

Now, I admit that this passage is extremely difficult - perhaps the most difficult for me in the whole Bible.  In the margin I have even written, “This is a tough passage!”.  But I am committed to the entire Bible, not just the parts that say what I want.  God does what exactly He pleases (see, for a few, Daniel 4:34-35, Isaiah 14:24-27, Job 9:12, and Proverbs 19:21).

That leads us to the next question, which is also one of the chapter titles of Rob’s book…

Does God Get What God Wants?
Yes.  Yes, He does.  But, as Romans 9 shows us, what God wants is not primarily for everyone to be saved.  That idea is on par with the self-centered question of God’s fairness (which Romans 9 also addresses, coincidentally).  What God cares about first and foremost is His absolute glory.  As with our sin, it would be easier to list the verses that don’t speak to God’s main priority being His glory, where He does whatever He wishes for the sake of His own Name.  To list just a very few:

Romans 4:20-21, Ezekiel 25:9, Psalm 106:7-8, Exodus 14:4, 1 Samuel 12:19-23, Psalm 25:11, Psalm 23:3, 1 Kings 8:41-45, 2 Samuel 7:23, Isaiah 48:9-11, Malachi 2:2-4, John 17:4, John 7:18, John 4:34, John 12:27-28, Ephesians 1:3-6, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Peter 4:11, Matthew 5:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10, and Revelation 21:23.

So we can answer this quickly: Yes, God gets what God wants.  And what God wants is for His name to be glorified, and for His holiness to be made known.  One way this is accomplished is through saving some to show His glory while preparing others for destruction to show His glory (again, that’s Romans 9, not me).

Eternity Seems Like A Long Time
Have I mentioned I’m not a scholar?  Well, I’m not.  And I’m certainly not a Greek scholar.  It is therefore easy for us non-scholarly types to read a book like Love Wins and take everything exactly at face value - believing that the author (teacher) presents it just as the Bible presents it.  And we should  be able to do that - that is precisely why the Word holds teachers to a higher standard.  Lay people should be able to trust their teachers and pastors, knowing that, like Paul strongly urges, teachers and pastors will be diligent to do their homework and present the facts rightly.

Question what is being taught to you.  Make sure it is accurate.  Since I cannot claim to be an expert on the subject, I will simply say this: Rob claims certain Greek words at certain times for certain passages.  Have you looked up in a Greek dictionary (for example, blueletterbible.org) to check if Rob is even using the Greek word he’s claiming to use?  And if the accepted, orthodox understanding of those Greek words (by cross-referencing each Scripture that uses those words) is even defined by how he claims it’s defined?  If you research it, you will be dismayed at how he slides certain words around to fit his already-presumed conclusion (again, he is “begging the question”).

Is there hope after death?  Rob does not address verses such as these:

When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too. (Proverbs 11:7)

For in death, there is no remembrance of You; in Sheol who will give you praise? (Psalm 6:5)

You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished. (Psalm 9:5-6)

Again, these verses are only a small sampling among many.  In fact, these are just a few verses I have read on the subject in the past few days of my Bible-reading plan.  You need not go more than a few pages from anywhere you open the Bible to find a similar concept: those who perish without Christ are separated from God forever, without hope of salvation.

Why Forever?
By now, we can surely understand the fallacy of the next logical question, “How is it fair that they are punished forever?”.  It again shows our preconceived notion that it’s not fair.  We have no reason to believe it’s not fair, it just seems unfair.  What’s revealed is our own pride and self-centeredness.

And it shows how small a view of God Rob Bell has.  If he truly believed in the absolute and infinite holiness of God, his question would change to: “How is it fair that we aren’t all punished infinitely in view of God’s character?”  (Spoiler Alert: The answer again is “Jesus Christ”.)

Think of this concept in terms of “authority”.  If I lie to my friend, I do not suffer terrible consequences.  Perhaps he is mad at me or - even worse - he no longer wants to be my friend.  My consequences aren’t too bad because my friend is a peer, and does not have authority over me.  If I lie to my parents, I am grounded or have privileges taken away.  If I lie to my teacher, say by cheating or something like it, I’ll fail the class or possibly get expelled.  If I lie to a police officer, I’ll get arrested.  If I lie to a grand jury, I’ll go to jail, possibly for the rest of my life.  And if I lie to an infinitely holy God, the only proper consequence is infinite punishment.  If you believe you “deserve” anything less than that, your view of God is narrow and small.  Our punishment is based on the “bigness” of the one we sin against.

Conclusion
Should we always continue to discuss questions that arise from the Word of God?  Yes.  It is a difficult book to understand at times, and we need the community of other believers to hold us accountable to the text of the book and not reach conclusions based on how we “feel” about something.  The Word of God never changes.

However, we should discuss the weighty matters of Scripture in a merciful, but yet directly truthful, way.  Do I believe Rob Bell is completely off base with his view of eternal salvation for everyone?  Yes, absolutely.  The Word of God directly refutes it.  But does that give me any right to judge the condition of Rob’s soul or destiny?  Absolutely not.  That is not my job, but God’s.  The point of discussion and debate is not to pridefully show off, but to correct and “reign in” thoughts that begin to wander from the direct teachings of Scripture.  Are there good things I learned from Rob’s book?  Yes.  I was reminded of God’s overwhelming love for me, when viewed rightly.  I was reminded that I need to fight for restoration now, and set my sights on heavenly things.  And for that I can be thankful.

For those who don’t know, Ani & I are getting married! Visit our site at kyleandannie.com.

Learning is a difficult employment.  It is violent and it is painful because the core of learning means that what you thought was true is not.  It turns out you were wrong about something.  If I, as a believer, am honest when I tell God that I want to learn, what I am actually asking Him to do is change me.  And that is never fun.  I am better for it in the end and I know Him deeper once it’s over, but the process is confrontational, tearing, and often times demeaning to our intensely-held (but sinful) sense of pride.  And I realized this this morning:

The weight of sin comes not from shame or a behavior - it comes from misrepresenting the image of God in our lives.

We were made in the image of God (see Genesis 1:26-27), and that means much more than we instinctually believe it does.  It is true that on a surface level it means we see things, hear things, and think things - in other words, we are a living being.  But the gravity of being made in the image of God means that we represent Him and His character.  The way we live and the decisions we choose represent the One who created us.  God is jealous for Himself and for what He knows is right (Ex. 20:5, Dt. 4:24; cf. Isaiah 14:24-27, Daniel 4:35).  If we act in any way that is contrary to His will, it is the equivalent of saying that we know better than God - and that very concept tarnishes His image.  He is jealous for Himself and cannot abide His creation misrepresenting who He is.

Imagine if a political ambassador to a foreign country knows who he is representing, knows the ideals and desires of the one who sent him, but chooses to forego the responsibility of being an accurate ambassador for his own sake and selfish desires.  As soon as word of this got back to his superior, he would be immediately fired, and perhaps even tried for treason.  Romans 9:20-21a says, “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?  Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’  Has the potter no right over the clay… ?”  God made us in His image to more fully reflect His glory.  What a travesty, what a treason it is therefore when we do not do what we were made to do.  While true of all mankind, for believers especially it is treason, for 2 Timothy 2:20-21 tells us that we have been set apart as holy, honorable vessels that the Potter has made.

If treason is when a disloyal citizen who, regardless of the means or ends, attempts to subversively thwart his higher authority, our every sin is treason against a sinless God whom we were made to represent.  

When I begin to look at sin in this way, it breaks my heart.  My most basic calling as a human is even too much for me.  The thought of being an ambassador to a foreign country admittedly seems easy: you just do what those who sent you told you to do.  You are not required to make your own decisions or weigh the balance of two opposing things.  You simply do what you have been asked to do.  And my continually treacherous heart cannot even do that.

Several things are becoming clear - especially this week - on what it means to be made in the image of God and how I fail in that every moment:

A. Control  
Being made in the image of God and being His representative means that I am not called to be in control of anything other than submissive obedience to the One who knows best.  But I find myself wanting to keep my hand on everything in my life, even those things that I know I cannot control.  I believe - but don’t really live - Scriptures like 1 Peter 5:7 (“Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you”) or Jesus’ claim that His burden is easy and His yoke is light (Matthew 11:30).  At the end of the day, I think that I can take on all of my cares myself and carry my own burden.  

Specifically, I cannot control what other people do.  This is heartbreaking not when they make wise decisions (of course), or even neutral decisions, but when they make decisions based on their own heart and their own wanderings and not on His image which is stamped upon their soul.  When they, like Gomer, go after things that won’t satisfy - things that do not exist.  Not that I am not equally guilty of this, but sometimes seeing it in someone else’s life so acutely makes it obvious.  Being made in the image of God should mean that we don’t wander, that we don’t think there are better things out there.  When we find something good and right and it still does not satisfy our hearts, that should frighten us.  His character is unchanging.  And the image that He planted in us to represent should be unchanging.  But we wander, we lust after other things than what we have, we always view the grass as being greener on the other side.  It has become painfully evident to me that a wandering, non-content heart is a sign that we are tarnishing God’s image.  

I can’t control in anyone else the desire to always be God’s image.  I can see it, and I can speak into it, and I can shout it from the rooftops until I’m hoarse, but I cannot control it.   And it is sad.  More than anything, sin grieves the heart of God because it reveals that we don’t understand - or don’t care - what His character is like.

B. Love
I will admit that I don’t know much about love.  But, like Hosea (an accurate representation of God’s Image), I know that God’s character for love is unfailing, unrelenting, and does not wander.  And He has put that image in me.  It is only because of my sin that I fail to access it correctly.

But when I am thinking clearly, when I am letting His words abide in me and I am abiding in Him, I see what love is: it is the choice to never let go despite anything.  It is binding your heart to someone else - a spouse, a friend - and choosing to love that person.  My good friends Justin and Jana Cofield have a blog (and t-shirts for their adoption) that read: “I choose to love”.  Not “I have fallen in love” or even “I feel in love”.  I choose to love.  At some point, we choose to love the tarnished image of God in someone else.  And I am not loving the person - because the person is flawed - I am choosing to love the image of God that I see in there: not absent because of the Fall, just distorted.  Maybe it’s buried, but it is there.

And I am realizing that when I don’t think I “love” somebody, what I am actually hypocritically saying is that I don’t know if I can choose to love their fallen, misrepresentation of God’s Image.  And it reveals the absolute wickedness of my own heart.  I am looking for somebody who is perfect and who is blameless, when I myself am not.  I have yet to realize that what I’m looking for does not exist, and when my heart wanders to another person, thinking that they will fulfill my “right” to love somebody fully, I am not accurately displaying God’s Image in me.

He has chosen to love me even though I don’t love Him back.  He has chosen to love me despite my huge flaws.  He has chosen to love me even when I don’t display His embedded image inside of me to someone else. 

I’ve only recently learned that I don’t want to love someone who is perfect, I want to love someone who wants the image of God to become more and more manifest in their lives each day.  I want someone to fight with, someone to speak truth to me, and someone to disciple others with.  

C. The Combination Of Love And Control
What a tempest is born when the realization that being made in God’s Image means that we must love unconditionally while at the same time not being in control if others do not choose to represent that same Image.  I cannot control someone’s mistakes when I see them, even though I love them dearly.  Love (in God’s Image) is letting someone make a decision even if it is a mistake, because trying to control that decision is equally sinful.  I cannot see this truth more clearly than in Hosea and Isaiah.

Some things I have learned about God’s Image implanted in me are the following (there are certainly many more, but these seem the most immediate to me right now):
- unchanging, immovable love
- wise decisions, taking everything into account
- long-suffering with those who wander
- grace for those who return
- mercy for those who hurt us
- community to seek - and take - advice even if I don’t understand (man, I am learning this so precisely right now)
- giving up control to One who knows better than I
- patience when we or others try to rush things that take time

There are occasions where if I could just step out of my house, walk down my drive, down my street, and off into the distance, I would. It seems a much better prospect than fighting through what is in front of you. Leave this behind and start over new somewhere else. Because sometimes the things you want the most you just can’t have. The things that seem right in front of you all of a sudden feel 100 miles away.

Do you ever look at somebody - anybody - and imagine what it is like to be them? And you sometimes think to yourself, “Man, I realize how blessed I am. I am glad I am not living their life.”  But other times you would give anything to crawl outside of your own skin and into someone else’s.

I’ve realized a lot about myself recently. And it throws me off kilter. You look at your life and feel like you’ve arrived (at least in certain aspects). You’ve got this down, you’ve got that down. How shocking it is then when you realize its not that way. When you realize that what you thought you were, you’re not. That the one thing that you are completely self-aware of has betrayed you as well.

I don’t really know how to live. That is becoming clear. I’m pretty much stumbling along and convincing people along the way that it is a controlled fall. Convincing myself that it is a controlled fall. How do you regain control of it? How do you say what needs to be said while knowing all along that putting your heart out there means it might get crushed? How do you be patient when being patient could be detrimental, even if it is the right thing to do?

I admit now that I’m not in control: He is. I’ve been trying to guide Him like a 6th grader tries to guide the cursor around a Ouija board. Saying He’s in control but pushing Him where I want Him to go. Even when its difficult, I’m glad this is a learning process. When left up to my own devices, I mess up every situation I get myself into. Letting Him take the reins is scary, but I trust that He works everything for good.

So I will be patient.