TFB Academy

Prayer for the Infirm and Lonely

2009-10-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.
Previously published on Laura’s Writings

Theology is more than ideas; it is also life and, sometimes, life is difficult. Theology has something to say, and so, I offer this prayer.

God,

all in existence depends on you.

I ask you to give health to those

who suffer the body's rebellion.

I thank you for wisdom,

gained over centuries and across cultures,

working within your created systems,

to bring health, sufficient

not only for daily tasks,

but also for periodic enjoyment of your bounty.

God,

we, your people, walk together toward you.

I ask you to grow hospitality in these,

who suffer the soul's unwilling disconnection.

I thank you for humanity's relational nature,

yearning for the other,

building neighborhoods wherever we give love,

forming community

shoulder to shoulder

and heart to heart.

God,

you give deep purpose to our ordinary lives.

I ask that you use these

your infirm and lonely ones.

I thank you for the wealth of possibilities,

worked out in every facet of life,

giving back our skills and capacities

as offerings to you

as we serve and guard nature

and walk and work with one another.

Training as Christians in Ordinary Life

2009-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

In vocational training, the most effective programs use the movements and activities of the intended vocation. This is why apprenticeship and internship remain required elements in courses of study like psychology and business. I am beginning to realize that Christian training has much in common with vocational training.

What does this mean for the educational practices of the gathered Body?

Some insight can be gained from the educational notion of praxis. In praxis, practice and theory are interwoven, each intentionally informing the other. Practice expresses underlying theory and we use known theory to reflect on these underlying theories in order to correct and improve both the theories and the practices based upon them.

When properly administered, apprenticeship and internship programs are applications of praxis, guiding the learner in intentional reflection on both theory and practice. Two related goals are in mind: proper theory and proper practice. Both are necessary.

In many discipleship programs, the notion of praxis is nowhere to be found–unless our intended vocation is small group participant or some such. On the other hand, if our intended vocation is a life well-lived, expressing our passions and cultural language and moving toward the twin goals of Christlikeness and proper image-bearing, then most of our discipleship programs need to be scrapped and regrown from the ground up. And the ground from which they must be regrown is not the classroom; it is the dining room, the morning commute, our daily chores, and the work day.

Now, I am a fan of the classroom and small group Bible study and I think they have an important place in our practice. I’ve neither desire nor inclination to throw out the proverbial baby with the bath water. But let us keep one thing clear in our minds: classroom instruction and group Bible study are not Christian training. The car ride home probably is.

What might this look like in a real life gathering of Christians?

Theology--Getting to Know the One We Love

2009-07-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Theology is the framework of our understanding of God and his ways upon which we are able to design a godly life as persons and as community.

Often theology is considered about as interesting as eating sawdust or watching grass grow—and just about as useful. Both perspectives could not be further from the truth, for theology, in its most basic form, is simply what we believe about God and his ways. It ranges from the simple yet profound lyrics of “Jesus Loves Me” to the complex multi-volume Church Dogmatics of German theologian Karl Barth. It has a place in the seminary, but it also has a place in the Little Lambs Sunday School class.

Now, just so we are clear, theology is not the foundation of our faith; our faith is founded on a person: Jesus Christ. Rather, we might think of theology as an adjustable, yet stable framework on which to design a godly life as persons and as community. Stability comes from two sources: the framework is firmly attached to the ground and it is secure, such that adjustment requires effort. It is not adjusted on a whim.

How does this apply to theology? Theology is an adjustable, yet stable set of ideas about God and his ways, firmly attached to Jesus Christ. While Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, our theological understandings are subject to correction. The theological thinking of the larger church is an excellent resource for adjusting our own theology, for the thoughtful, reasoned correction of hundreds of years has produced a stable framework (see below for some resources).

Each of us and all of us together has a theological framework, for we all have understandings about God and his ways. The unfortunate truth is that many of us have thoughtlessly built our framework and it does not correspond to the way things actually are. Often we do not even know what sort of framework it is, for we have not thoughtfully considered our beliefs.

If we truly love God, we will want to know about him, just as when we love a human, we want to know about that person [1]. If we love God, we will thirst for knowledge about him and the knowledge for which we thirst is theology.

Do you thirst for the knowledge of God? If not, ask God to make you thirsty. If you are thirsty, what are you doing to satisfy that thirst?

Further Reading in Theology (available in the Sanctify library; see Laura)
Bitesize Theology, by Peter Jeffrey
5 Minute Theologian, by Rick Cornish

[1] Idea courtesy of John Mark Reynolds, "The Glory of Jesus Christ: The Way Forward in the Dialogue Between Religion and Science," The Norton Lectures at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, March 18, 2009.

Justice: Obligation and Motivation within Appropriate Boundaries

2009-06-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Why do we have an obligation to do justice? We have an obligation to do justice because God is just. As God's creation and as his people, we are obligated to do justice.

What are the boundaries of justice? As the people of God, there are limits to how we ought to do justice. We cannot choose to do justice however we please; rather, we are constrained by the bounds of loving God and others. For example, as we look out in our comm8unity of Torrance, there are justice organizations and institutions with which we might engage. The decision whether and how to involve ourselves is bounded by the limits of God's law of love. As a community of God's people we must sit together and work out and probably struggle through, what the boundaries are and what activities are outside those boundaries.

What is our motivation to do justice? The first motivation is heart. As followers of Jesus, as the people of God our hearts are to run headlong toward God and his desires. God is a God of justice. Evil will be punished; it will be removed. The subjugation of evil is a divine human task (Gen 1:26-28).

The second motivation is the fact that God has placed us here in Torrance. This place, where he has put us, must be our primary mission focus, for all other mission flows out of where we are.This does not mean we set aside foreign or short term mission. It does mean that if we are not subduing evil and proclaiming God where we are, then something is desperately wrong. If we are not fighting for people, speaking wisdom to them, caring for them where we are in Torrance then we have no business going elsewhere. The commitment to do justice and be missional ought to shape how our time and resources are invested. Here, in our ordinary day to day lives, as we live in our neighborhoods, shop at grocery stores, dine in restaurants, and go bowling, the justice of God must be done and the good news of Jesus must be proclaimed.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 esv

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 esv

Who Wrote the First Five Books of the Old Testament?

2009-05-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

The first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Pentateuch or Torah, are foundational to the entire Bible. The rest of the Old Testament and the New Testament unpack and bring to completion the basic truths God revealed there. The Torah's foundational nature makes its reliability of critical importance; authorship is key to reliability.

Two theories are most common. Some scholars believe various persons compiled the Torah from various sources from the mid-900s BC through the mid 400s BC. This theory is called the Documentary Hypothesis; it suggests four sources, each having its own characteristics. There is little agreement on exactly which portions of the Torah come from which sources.

Other scholars believe Moses wrote the Torah in the mid-1400s BC, using written and oral source materials; I hold this position. What follows is a short argument for Mosaic authorship, summarized from The Pentateuch as Narrative, by John H. Sailhamer, "An Introduction to the Pentateuch," by David Malick, and "Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch" (theopedia.com).

The Torah itself is anonymous; the collection never states the author's name.
The Torah itself, and the Old and New Testaments claim Moses as the author.

Torah Evidence: 17:14; Ex 24:7; 24:27-28; 25:16, 21-22; Num 33:2; Deut 28:58; 29:20, 21, 27, 29; 20:10, 11
Old Testament evidence:Joshua 1:7-8; 8:32, 34; 22:5; 1 Ki 2:3; 2 Ki 14:6; 21:8; Ezra 6:18; Dan 9:11-13; Mal 4:4
New Testament evidence: Matt 19:18; Mark 12:26; Luke 2:22; 16:29; 24:27; John 5:46-47; 7:19; Acts 13:39; Rom 10:5

Moses used various sources when he wrote the Torah, much like a historian does today. This is very similar to the method Luke used when he wrote Luke-Acts (see Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-3).
Despite the differences in style coming from the various sources Moses used, the Torah has an essential unity, revealed in the strategic placement of story sections, genealogies, and law sections throughout the collection. If you would like to know more about this strategy, I highly recommend Sailhamer's book.

Why is this important?

The Torah is foundational to the entire bible; its reliability is critical.
The Old Testament testifies that Moses is the author.
The New Testament testifies that Moses is the author.
Jesus testifies that Moses is the author.
Therefore, the authorship of the Torah is tied to the reliability of the Bible.

Resources

An Introduction to the Pentateuch
Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch
The Pentateuch as Narrative, by John H. Sailhamer

Seeing God's Justice in his Promises

2009-05-01T23:45:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Throughout the Old Testament and into the New, God has been making covenants with his people. Three important covenants are the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic. These three covenants also illustrate two important types of covenant: the if-then covenant and the I-will covenant. Covenants are like contractual promises, with if-then covenants requiring promises from both parties and I-will covenants requiring promises from only one party.

In Deuteronomy (the last book of Moses), God made two distinct and opposing if-then promises to the children of Israel. The first is that if they would obey and trust him, they would live in the land and he would bless them. The second and opposite, is if they did not trust and obey, they would no longer live in the land and he would discipline them (Deut 30). These two if-then promises are part of the Mosaic Covenant.

If we follow the nation of Israel through its various kings and after it split into two nations, we see hundreds of years of choosing, ending with both kingdoms choosing to trust themselves and seek after other gods. As a result, God sent Assyria in 722 BC to take the Northern Kingdom of Israel out of the land and he sent Babylon in 586 BC to take the Southern Kingdom of Judah out of the land. God kept his promise.

Unlike the Mosaic covenant, the Abrahamic (Gen 12, 15, 17 ) and Davidic (2 Sam 7 ) covenants are I-will covenants. God promised Abraham that he would have land, seed, and blessing, and that all nations would be blessed through him. God promised David that he would always have a man on the throne.

We see these covenants working especially clearly in the divided kingdom and the discipline that resulted from the nation's faithless disobedience. Even as God disciplined the Northern Kingdom using Assyria and the Southern Kingdom using Babylon, he revealed, through his prophets a bit of how the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants would bear out.

The prophets during this time of turmoil also revealed how God's coming Messiah would bless all nations (Isa 9:1-2; Matt 4:12-17 ) and would be King of Israel (Mic 5:2; Matt 2:1-6 ), fulfilling the promises of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants.

Another outcome of the I-will covenants is the fulfillment of the Mosaic covenant in the New Covenant. In Jeremiah 31 , we see God lifting the cover and revealing this new covenant. There God says that he would write his law on their hearts and that they would no longer need to exhort one another, for all would know Yahweh. This new covenant is the covenant that Jesus announced at the last supper when he said, "This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20).

Why are we rehearsing the covenantal history of Israel in an academy about justice?

Let us look at the Mosaic covenant: if Israel would trust and obey, God would bless; if they did not trust and obey, he would discipline. In his blessing and disciplining, God acted in accordance with his own law. Even his own people, chosen for his own sake, are subject to the law and to the punishments incurred by breaking it and the blessing received by keeping it.

God's justice is seen further in his punishment of Assyria and Babylon. Assyria, which was the absolute power of the world, was toppled by its vassal state, Babylon. Babylon, which was the world power after Assyria, was toppled by Media-Persia. Both of these countries, Assyria and Babylon, flouted God's law. God had used them to accomplish his goals in disciplining his people, but they did it for their own evil purposes; therefore, they were punished.

Israel also flouted God's law and was disciplined severely. But there was a difference between God's punishment of Assyria and Babylon and his discipline of Israel and Judah, for in addition to the if-then promises of the Mosaic law, God had made I-will promises in the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants. These I-will promises were not dependent on Israel's covenant-keeping, for when God keeps his covenants, he displays his justice. God, in his justice, aligns himself with his own promises and keeps them, even when his people are disciplined.

In the coming of Messiah Jesus, in his eventual return, and in the full establishment of the kingdom, God's righteousness and fairness are born out. We, who are Gentiles, receive this blessing through Abraham's seed. We are the ones to whom the blessing through Abraham comes: through the Seed that is Messiah all of the promises of God become Yes. God's justice is born out in punishing the wicked, in disciplining the disobedient, and in blessing all who trust him.

Infinity: God’s Radical Freedom

2009-03-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Infinity – n. Unbounded space, time, or quantity.
[immutability. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/infinity (accessed: March 02, 2009).]

Being a Fully Devoted Follower of a Radically Free God

In his book, Living Jesus, Luke Timothy Johnson discusses a proposition of great consequence: Jesus is alive rather than dead and this determines what it means to follow him.
Being the disciple of a dead person is fairly straight forward: you read their ideas and their history and you model your life after theirs. It may take a while and it will require work, but the goal is static and the expectations are stable.

Being the disciple of a living person is radically different, for just when you think you understand him, he moves: he is not where you thought he was or he wants you to do something that is outside your box.

Being a fully devoted follower of Christ is being the follower of a living person. Because of this, we must not and cannot stop at mere conformity to our current understanding of Jesus, for as a living person, he keeps moving.

As a living person, Jesus is dynamic; as a divine person, he is radically so. As we saw in the article on Aseity, God is self-existent. Unlike every other being, he is radically free: he has the ability to do whatever he wills. The only restraints upon God are self-imposed; nothing else and no one else can apply any restraint.

These past weeks, Pastor Charlie has been teaching from the account of Jesus walking on the water. There is no way in all of the disciples' knowledge and experience that they would have ever thought he would come walking the water. Yet, when he revealed himself, Peter's response shows that even with his tiny trust, he understood that Jesus is radically free: if Jesus decides that Peter should walk on the water, then Peter could walk on the water. And he did.

Just when you think you know where he is and what he is going to do, he moves. This is why following Jesus requires more than careful bible study and regular church attendance. It also requires walking with your brothers and sisters, hearing their perspective. It requires reading Christian writings from other eras and traditions, hearing what they have to say, evaluating it by the gospel, and accepting what passes muster--even if it clashes with what you believe. It requires silencing your heart long enough to hear what the Spirit is saying now.

Because Jesus is a living person, our individual understanding of him is necessarily partial. Our understanding becomes increasingly complete in a community where each and all are in hard pursuit of the God who is radically free and who leads us in ways we never thought possible or even likely.

Immutability: God’s Unchangeableness

2009-02-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Immutability – adj. Not subject or susceptible to change.
[immutability. Dictionary.com. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/immutability (accessed: February 02, 2009).]

God does not change in his being, attributes, purposes, or understandings. This does not mean he is rigid and unemotional, for a quick read through the stories of the Old Testament shows that God is responsive and moved by emotion. So, what does this mean?

While God sometimes changes his short term acts (Exodus 32:11-14; Jonah 3:10), he always keeps his promises (Numbers 23:19) and his intentions stand forever (Psalm 33:11). Though creation changes and decays, God does not change; he remains forever (Psalm 102:26-27). Because God keeps his promise to bless and keep his people, they are not cast aside when they sin (Malachi 3:6). He reassures his people by basing his unchangeable promises on his unchangeable self (Hebrews 6:13-18). God's unchangeable goodness is the source of all goodness (James 1:17).

Those who have trusted Christ can be assured of God's unchanging, steadfast love. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: those who have not trusted, have no assurance and no hope apart from Christ. In this, God is also unchangeable (John 14:6).

Who are you trusting?

Glory--God's Splendor and Radiance

2009-02-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Key Ideas from

"Glory of God"
Kregel Dictionary of the Bible and Theology
by Henry W. Holloman
(C) 2005 Kregel Publications

God's glory is the splendor and radiance of all he is and all he does. His glory is the only true glory; all else is derivative.
We reflect God's glory back to him in our praise and thanks. To refuse or neglect to do so is sin. To reflect his glory in honor of another is idolatry.
Everything in existence naturally reflects God's glory. Persons who willfully refuse to do so are judged.
God's glory is reflected in all he has done, said, and made.
God revealed his glory through his people Israel and, for the sake of his glory revealed in them, he keeps his covenant with them.
God's glory is most clearly revealed in the life, death, resurrection, enthronement, and return of Jesus, the Son of God.
God's people bring him glory through words and actions of praise, honor, and worship.
Humans were created to give God glory.

Aseity: God’s Independence

2009-01-19T21:49:00.000-08:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Aseity –noun Metaphysics. existence originating from and having no source other than itself.
[aseity. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aseity (accessed: January 02, 2009).]

God is self-existent; he depends on nothing and no one for his existence. This is what Jesus meant when he said that the Father has life in himself (John 5:26). God also made this claim when he told Moses his name: I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14).

God's decisions and actions are his alone; no other being can influence or change them apart from God's own choice (Psalm 115:3). Nothing and no one can be compared to God, for he is the only self-existent one. There is none like him (Isaiah 40:13). In a speech given after God chastised his arrogance, Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed that God alone can do whatever he wills and that no one can question him (Daniel 4:35).

At the end of the theological section in his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul proclaims God's ways as wholly independent, basing this proclamation on the utter dependence on him of everything in existence (Romans 11:33-36). Paul spoke similarly in his speech to the Greek philosophers on Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:25). In his record of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Apostle John writes down the song of the elders, proclaiming God's independence and our utter dependence.

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created."
(Revelation 4:11 ESV)

Some will respond to God's aseity with rebellious posturing, while others will respond with humility and passionate worship.

How will you respond?

With Unveiled Faces

2008-12-19T22:54:00.000-08:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

“As we continually reflect the glory of the Lord, we are continually being transformed into the image of the one whose glory we are reflecting.”

Anthony A. Hoekema
Created in God's Image
Eerdmans, (C) 1986
p.24

Learning to “continually reflect the glory of the Lord” starts with our convictions. Convictions are often difficult to uncover, yet they are quite powerful.

Convictions reside in the core of our person—our heart. Whether revealed or hidden, convictions determine our actions and attitudes.
Convictions can be hidden from our consciousness, with hints and clues revealed in our unguarded moments. We can tease out their nature by looking at the thinking, feeling, and doing that coincide with our knee-jerk reactions.
Convictions cannot be changed by direct action. We cannot awake one day and decide to hold a different conviction.
Convictions are integrally connected to our habits of mind-body-emotion. We have trained ourselves to behave according to our convictions and their related actions and attitudes.
Convictions are resistant to change; disciplined practice is required.

Developing new truth-conformed habits is a powerful way to change our convictions and bring them into conformity with the truth. Habits train us to behold the glory of the Lord.

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

Resources

Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard
The Lost Virtue of Happiness, J. P. Moreland and Klaus Issler

Greater Than We Can Imagine

2008-11-19T22:50:00.000-08:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Let us suppose a particular gathering of professing Christians has a corporate illness. The diagnosis, received and agreed upon is this: as a community, they do not love God and do not obey him. What might be the prescription for this illness?

Since the knowledge of God is knowing-in-relationship, then knowing God person-to-person is a necessary element of the prescription. Further, this knowledge of God would need to be the sort that shakes persons out of their assumptions and corrects their thinking, feeling, and behaving.

TFB Academy 2009 will consider this issue by investigating four characteristics of God.

Glory—God’s Splendor and Radiance (February)
Justice—God’s Fairness and Righteousness (May)
Grace—God’s Compassion and Favor (August)
Love—God’s Decided and Demonstrated Affection (November)

It is our prayer that our knowing-in-relationship will shake us out of our assumptions and correct our thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Our God is greater than we can imagine. Let us know him together.

Bible Rumination and Digestion: getting the Bible into your heart

2008-10-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

Key Practices

Thinking
Carving out time and space for thinking

According to Webster's, rumination is "The act or process of ruminating, or chewing the cud; the habit of chewing the cud." [1] Rumination is a repeated, intentional process. In the physical process, the cow exercises her will to bring up the cud, re-chew, swallow, re-chew, etc. In the spiritual process, we also exercise our will by bringing a passage to mind, thinking and rethinking, and repeating the process. Rumination is hard work, but it is the only way to send the nutrition of God's word into our hearts where the Spirit can use it to transform us and make us more like Christ. Rumination must also be intentional. As several said yesterday at Collegium, we are always ruminating on something--for good or ill; whatever we ruminate on shapes our hearts. This is a sobering thought.

Digestion is another matter. While we can do things to make proper digestion more likely, the process itself is autonomic--it happens on its own. The most important thing we can do is chewing and rumination; this sends properly prepared food into the digestive tract. We can also carve out time in our day when we set aside the stresses and concerns of everyday life, enter the throne room of God, and worship him.

In rumination and digestion, we cooperate with God in confronting our hearts with his truth and submitting to his will. Do your part; God will most certainly do his.

The course outline and take home practice for Bible Chewing and Beyond is located on the Collegium blog.

[1] Those interested in more detail should read the Wikipedia article: Cud.

Bible Chewing and Beyond--getting a handle on the details

2008-10-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Weekly lesson post is available at Sanctify Collegium: Bible Chewing and Beyond

Three Key questions

What did the passage meant?
What does it mean?
How we might respond?

Getting the Details

An important piece of the first question is getting a handle on the details of the passage. The basic reporters' questions (How? Who? What? When? Where? Why?) are a great tool here. Read through the passage several times. As you read, be curious. Pause at each phrase and write down your questions. At this point, do not stop and search for answers (although, do write down any that occur), keep reading and asking. Next, read over your questions and determine which questions are most important for understanding the text. Beginning at the passage (e.g., Revelation 5) and moving on to the book (e.g., Revelation), the testament (e.g., New Testament), and the whole bible, search for answers. Also helpful here are Bible Dictionaries and Introductions. Some online and book resources are listed below.

Online Resources: Answering Questions

Online Resources: The Process of Study

The Method of a Good Interpreter: lists the literary devices that help us discover the author's intended meaning [website]
How to Study the Bible: For Beginners: a more complete explanation of in-depth bible study [website]
The Exegetical Process: What does it mean to you?: good graphic overview of the process from study to preaching/teaching [website]

Book Resources

The Books of the Bible: short overview and whole-bible insight into each book of the bible, from Old Testament scholar, Dr. John H. Sailhamer. [book]
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament and New Testament; Zondervan illustrated Bible backgrounds commentary; and Bible Reader's Companion: good sources for historical and cultural backgrounds [books]

Why go beyond bible reading?

2008-10-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Why go beyond Bible reading? Because even the structure of the Old Testament tells us that mere reading is not enough. Allow me to explain.

The Old Testament, as arranged in the Christian Bible, is rather like a library (History Poetry, and Prophets), with the prophetic books arranged by size, largest to smallest. In the Jewish Bible, called the TaNaKh (having the same content as the Old Testament), the books are arranged to make a point: success in following God comes through meditating on God’s instructions.

The TaNaKh is arranged in three sections. The first is Torah, meaning “instruction,” the second is Nevi’im, meaning “prophets,” and the third is Ketuvim, meaning “writings.” So far, this may seem very similar. Ah, but wait; there is more. The first book of the Nevi’im is Joshua. Joshua 1:8 says,

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

God tells Joshua that his success in following God is directly tied to his meditating on God’s instructions. The first book of the Ketuvim is Psalms. Psalm 1:2-3 says

but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

God says, through the psalmist, that success in following God is directly tied to meditating on God’s instructions.

Now, lest we think this is merely “Old Testament,” let us flip forward to James’ letter to the Dispersion, written around AD 49-50 and one of the first New Testament books written. James 1:25 says

the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

God says, through James, that Christians’ success in following God is directly tied to meditating on God’s instructions.

The message of Scripture is clear: success in following God is a direct result of chewing, ruminating, and digesting God’s Word. Start now. The reward is great and well worth the time and discipline.

“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/

What is Mission? Revisited

2008-09-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

Too often we think of mission as what “they do over there” or what some of us “do” on short term trips. In reality, mission is more local, diverse, and daily than many of us realize.

On July 19, TFB Academy met to consider this question: What is Mission? Here are a few of our findings:

First, wherever the church is or can go there is a mission field. Mission does not only take place “over there;” mission is where you are. Second, everything we do, everything we value becomes part of our mission message (either for good or for ill). Mission is the earthly, daily purpose of our existence in Christ. Finally, mission is shaped like the diverse people of God, with our multiplicity of skills, passions, vocations, knowledge, and cultures. There is no one way to be on mission. (Laura)

Mission is outreach: teaching, growing and building the knowledge of God’s Kingdom (Mark)

Mission is offering my whole life to help expand His kingdom: to be ready and flexible, anytime, anywhere, to reach out to people. (Jinsoo)

Mission is to go out into the field, being viral in regards to telling others about God, and expanding God’s kingdom. (J. J.)

Our lives are an offering to the Lord.
Our usefulness is for His Kingdom-building.
Our joy in life is to serve Him well.
This is our response
to God’s amazing abundant gifts to us,
and to our love for His people (Michelle)

On October 12, the TFB Academy meets to consider the question, “What is gospel?” If you would like to participate, contact Laura in person or via email (lkspringer AT gmail DOT com).

Beyond Bible Chewing

2008-08-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

I hope that by now, you have chewed a passage or two and have tasted the goodness. This is a good start. However, just like eating food, chewing is only step one; if you stop here, the food is not only useless, but also quite harmful.

Like food, Scripture must be ingested to be of any good use; two word pictures—rumination and digestion—will help us understand.

The Metaphors

Rumination is what cattle do when they chew their cud. After the first chew, food moves to a holding chamber. Cattle bring the stored food back up for a second chew that extracts more nutrients.

Digestion is next. Food is disassembled and the parts are sent out into the body for integration and reassembly. The body takes grass and makes cow.

Unpacking the Metaphors

These same two steps are crucial for a deep understanding of Scripture. After we have chewed the Word and understand what it meant and means, we must ruminate and digest.
Bible rumination is muttering and pondering the Word as you go through daily life.* This extracts more truth and makes it available for digestion.

Bible digestion is thought; it is discovering how a passage fits into the whole Bible, into what you already know, and into your feelings and behaviors. Digestion disassembles biblical truth, integrates the parts into your heart, and reassembles them into you. God’s truth becomes part of your beliefs, feelings, and behaviors.

Conclusion

If we stop at chewing, we are in the danger Jesus talks about in the parable of the four soils (Matthew 13:3-23). Merely chewing the Word leaves it on or near the surface, where Satan can snatch it, troubles can scorch it, or distractions can choke it. Biblical truth is only fruitful when planted deeply in a well-prepared soul. Rumination and digestion are tools for preparing and planting.

* Rumination can also take place in times of quiet, intentional reflection.

BIBLE CHEWING

2008-07-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div., Th.M.

How would you feel if, for every meal, you were offered pre-chewed food? Unless you are an infant—in which case it is amazing that you are reading this article :-)—you would not be pleased. So why do so many of us survive on pre-chewed Bible? [1] If you want to chew and enjoy the Bible for yourself, try these three questions.

What did it mean?

The first step in chewing the Bible for yourself is figuring out what the writer intended to communicate to the original readers. This can be complex, but only one thing is crucial: read and reread the text. Before looking at cross-references, Bible dictionaries, commentaries, or even section headings in your Bible, read the text.

The biblical authors were good writers who wrote so that their readers might understand. Look for repeated words and ideas, cause and effect, claims and evidence, and summary statements. Ask who, what, where, when, how, and why. Read the passage in several translations.
Once you have an opinion about what it meant, check with other believers—whether in person or in books—and then argue your case or adjust your conclusions. Write down the meaning in a few sentences.

What does the passage mean?

Once you have a handle on what the passage meant to the original readers, rewrite the statement in terms that are more general so it will be clear to people in your church and community. This rewrite is a “biblical principle” and it will always match the original meaning of the text. We must not and cannot make Scripture mean anything we choose. Check your rewrite with other believers to be sure you are on the right track.

How is this passage significant for us in our time and culture?

This is where perspective and creativity come in. While the text always means what it meant, the details of our obedience change with culture and circumstance. Allow the biblical meaning to confront you in three areas: knowledge, desires, and behavior.

Do I/we have ignorance to be remedied, false belief to be corrected, or true belief to be strengthened?
Do I/we have desires to be restrained or reinforced?
Do I/we have behaviors to be stopped, corrected, started, or encouraged?

If you are tired of eating pre-chewed Bible, I challenge you to chew it for yourself. Take advantage of the habits we are developing in the TFB Summer Reading Program, choose one passage (at least a paragraph) per week (or per month) and chew it yourself. Then gather with fellow believers and share the wealth.

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Recommended Resources

The Method of a Good Interpreter: lists the literary devices that help us discover the author's intended meaning [website]
How to Study the Bible: For Beginners: a more complete explanation of in-depth bible study [website]
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament and New Testament; Zondervan illustrated Bible backgrounds commentary; and Bible Reader's Companion: good sources for historical and cultural backgrounds [books]
The Exegetical Process: What does it mean to you?: good graphic overview of the process from study to preaching/teaching [website]
The Books of the Bible: short overview and whole-bible insight into each book of the bible, from Old Testament scholar, Dr. John H. Sailhamer. [book]

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[1] Chewing illustration courtesy of Dr. Shelly Cunningham, Biola University (see Who Gets to Chew the Cracker? in the Christian Education Journal).

What is Mission? Two Poetic Reflections on Matthew 26-28

2008-06-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div.

Read Matthew 26-28

Stumbling and Following

We live in the crowd,
we of faith and not faith,
ever mixed,
ever following
and stumbling
and following again.

Assessed by trial, we repent;
distance traveled, we fail.

Still, all is in him,
and by him,
and for him,
even when
we fail
to recognize this
fact.

In Toddlers' Wobble

Decision made.
Now what?

Halting steps
in toddlers' wobble,
we trust
and stumble;
broken when we realize:

Certainty
is not nearly as certain
as we would like.

On July 19, TFB Academy will investigate the question, “What is mission?” The answer is more local, more daily, and more diverse than many of us realize. You, dear reader, are invited to join us. Contact lkspringer AT gmail DOT com for information.

Sticking our Hearts in Other People’s Business

2008-05-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines nosy as “Given to prying into the affairs of others; snoopy.” We all know someone whose picture could grace the pages next to that definition. Our culture teaches us not to stick our noses in other people’s business. This is an important and often difficult lesson to learn.

Unfortunately, too many of us have misapplied this lesson, to the detriment of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We misapply this lesson every time we see a brother or sister struggling or making unwise choices and yet fail to act because it is “none of our business.” Biblically, the distress of a brother or sister is our business.

The final words of the Letter of James makes a bold claim: “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (5:19-20). In Galatians 6:1-5, Paul instructs those in the Galatian church to restore a brother or sister caught in transgression, for followers of Christ are to fulfill the law of Christ by bearing one another’s burdens. In his letter to the churches of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), Peter reminds his readers that, among other things, they are a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9-10), representing the people before God and representing God before the people.

Despite the lessons of our culture, it is clear from Scripture that we are commanded to stick our hearts in other people’s business. We do this because we love our Lord and our brothers and sisters. We do this with care, grace, and mercy because other hearts are involved and their care is our concern. We do this because we must.

God, Revealed in Language

2008-03-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div.

We make claims about the Bible. We claim it is God's Word. We claim it is true, powerful, useful, and correct. We make these claims with our lips. But too often we behave as if the Bible is a self-help book that we read when WE have needs or desires.

But the Bible is most certainly NOT a self-help book. It is, rather, God's revelation of himself in language. This is an amazing thing. This means the Bible is not under our control. We do not decide its meaning and significance. We do not decide its usefulness. We do not “pick and choose” according to our needs and desires.

Rather, we place ourselves in God's presence. This has implications for how we should read and study the Bible. It means we read and study HUGE chunks—whole books, whole sections, and whole Testaments. It means we study, respecting the divine-human nature of the Bible.

Because the Bible is divine, we trust it and obey it. We submit to the shaping. Because it is divine, we discipline ourselves, setting aside our desires and excuses. There is no good reason not to read and study God's revelation of himself.

Because the bible is human, we read and study, respecting it as human literature. This means grammar, syntax, literary devices, genre, history, culture, etc., matter, and matter greatly.
Because the Bible is human literature, we study deeply to discover (NOT decide) the original authors' intended meaning. Because the Bible is human literature, we understand it in the context of the human author's culture BEFORE trying to understand it in our culture. This means that our response to the Bible must always correspond to the meaning and significance intended by the human and divine authors.

Bible reading and study is not a source of spiritual warm-fuzzies. It is disciplined submission to the Sovereign Lord and Creator of the Universe. It is nothing less. We dare not make excuses.

We Just Moved Here: A Poetic Reflection on Ephesians

2008-02-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div.

We just moved here
from fear,
surrounded
by terrifying power.

This power
seemingly strong,
all stolen,
derivative.
Jesus: Ultimate.

We just moved here
from immorality,
surrounded
by enslaving freedom.

Jesus,
the Ultimate,
commands holiness,
makes whole,
gives extravagant
kindness and power.

We just moved here
from division,
kept apart
by walls.

No more walls,
but one people.
Hidden,
hinted,
revealed,
becoming.
Continuity,
one people
always
in Him.

Why poetry? Because theology is more than intellectual ponderings; it is also the voice of the heart.

Originally published as WE JUST MOVED HERE on Laura's Writings.

LET US CHOOSE TO REST

2008-01-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

A Reflection on Amos 3:1-5:17
by Laura Springer, M.Div.

From the beginning, God expected his people to evidence the covenant by their obedience (Deut 27:26). The blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience were clearly laid out (Deut 28:1-68). Many of the Torah[1] laws concern treatment of fellow Israelites and strangers. Both are to be treated with justice and love. Other laws concern the worship of God. Israel has transgressed the covenant in her treatment of others (Amos 4:1) and in her worship (Amos 4:4-5).

Amos' prophecy proclaims the earned results of the people's choices. The people have transgressed the covenant, refused God’s grace, and ignored his sovereignty. God’s judgment of Israel followed many years of grace, in which he provided multiple opportunities for repentance.
Yet each opportunity was scorned (Amos 4:6-11). Israel had rightfully earned God’s judgment, for she had ignored the sovereignty of the only Creator and Lord of all. The ax is about to fall and all Israel can do is prepare to meet God, who comes in judgment not in deliverance.

Jesus, the Messiah who fulfills the old covenant and inaugurates the new, expects his followers to observe his instructions (Matt 28:16-20) as evidence of the new covenant in his blood. While blessings and curses are not spelled out in the detail we find in Torah, there are surely temporal consequences to our behavior. Obeying Jesus’ commands--taking his yoke (Matt 11:25-30)--brings rest. Might it be that disobeying Jesus brings unrest?

If our experience of his rest is influenced by our obedience, we ought to take seriously our obedience. Jesus keeps covenant. He is gracious and he guards his glory. If we continually trample his glory, there will be consequences. Let us choose, rather, to rest in his grace.
---
[1] The Torah contains the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. See a Wikipedia article on Torah here or a Bible.org article here.

Originally posted as CONSEQUENCES on Laura's Writings.

THEOLOGY OF RELATIONSHIPS

2007-12-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div.

Humanity was designed to live in relationship, giving the self for the sake of the other, and we are most human when we live out that design. Like God, humans are necessarily relational (Gen 1:26-27). Father, Son, and Spirit exist in an eternal love relationship, and God created humanity as the bearer of that relational image. He created us male and female and together we bear his image. We are incomplete without the other.

Love, the giving of the self for the sake of the other, is essential to human nature because love is essential to God's nature (1 John 4:7-21). The God who is love commands his sin-corrupted image bearers to live out their essential nature by loving one another. We are able to love one another because we are loved by God. In fact, if we claim to love God, yet do not love each other, God declares us liars. The language here is very strong: if we love God, we will love each other.

Our essential relational nature is made perfect in God's kingdom (Rev 7:9-12). In Revelation 7, John describes a vision of humans from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people gathered around God's throne in worship. A numberless multitude from every culture gathers in community around the throne of God. Humanity, righteous and perfect, is humanity in relationship.

The implications for ministry are profound and systemic. Rather than having fellowship as an add-on involving red punch and donuts, should not relationship be central to everything we do? Rather than having every week of the church calendar filled with programmed activities, should we make a way for people to spend relaxed times with friends and family? Rather than relying on lecture-style teaching and preaching and supplementing that with small groups, should we not supplement our small groups with teaching and preaching? Rather than forming only programmed, short-term small groups, should we not foster indigenous, long-term friendships?

This is not to say that potlucks, programs, preaching, and small groups are passé—by no means. Rather, let us go deeper. Let us work toward becoming the type of faith community that provides space and encouragement for people to live out their essential relational nature. Let us create a place where giving the self for the sake of the other is the obvious norm. This is the life for which we are designed, but in our faith communities it is often not the life we have. Creating a faith community that takes relationship seriously might require a difficult paradigm shift, but being a place where humans can be truly human is well worth the struggle.

Original version published March 2, 2005 on Laura's Writings.

BEING CHURCH, PART TWO

2007-11-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

by Laura Springer, M.Div.

What does it mean to be church? Last month, we looked at the first two answers given by the church fathers in the Nicene Creed. First, the church is one because of her One Head, Jesus Christ. Second, the church is holy because she is composed only of those who trust Jesus. She is holy because he is holy. This month we look at the final two answers: catholic and apostolic.

Catholic: When we say the church is catholic or universal, what do we mean? Before answering that question, let us clearly understand what it does not mean: it does not mean that every human is part of the church and therefore going to heaven. Holiness teaches us that, union with Christ is the qualification for membership in the body of Christ; only those in union with Christ are in the church. Catholicity teaches us that all those who trust Christ are in the church. Therefore, the church proclaims the gospel to all who will listen, in all places and cultures. Her mission covers the globe and penetrates her own community. Each local congregation proclaims this message alongside and in partnership with other local congregations, because all who trust Christ are members of the one church.

Apostolicity: Apostolicity can be thought of as alignment, making sure we are going in the same direction as God. By the Holy Spirit, the apostles translated into text their knowledge and experience of the message and mission of Jesus. This Text carries authority because these particular apostles were commissioned by Jesus and guided by the Holy Spirit. This Text is the definer of one, holy, and catholic, and is over history, culture, and experience. The church is apostolic in as much as she listens to, submits to, and proclaims the message and mission of Jesus.