For all practical purposes I am now finished with my most recent book, Come Let Us Reason Together, subtitled, Reimagining Christianity For A New Era.
Hopefully it will be available in April.
Writing for me is an attempt to hear from the Spirit, capturing and conveying themes across a one or two-year period. Much like I would assume was the case with those who wrote the scriptures.
Bold statement I know, just bear with me.
The interesting thing is after I have finished with a book, the real work begins within me. That is, applying what I have heard within my own life. It promptly changes what I hear as I continue to read the scriptures, as well as while listening to those around me.
Just last evening I listened to comments made by a 52 year-old Palestinian Christ-follower as he shared his life experience as a legal citizen of Isreal (his parents staying in Isreal after 1948).
From the get-go, he expressed the awkward tension when discussing the plight of Palestinians among American Christians, given the current conditions under which they must live, especially those who chose to remain in Gaza and the literal acceptance of Old Testament scriptures.
This conversation came on the heels of my current aHa!, just how progressive the Canon of scripture truly is. Though the text is fairly fixed, the Word of the Spirit daily requires an evolution of our understanding as each new revelation occurs, be they spiritual or scientific.
A good analogy might be our understanding of the existence of millions of galaxies versus the "three heavens" of Paul's day. Even further back, Moses understanding of the "greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night" as in Genesis 1:16.
The Canon serves to walk us from the writings of Moses, who assumed the sun rose and set each day, through the struggles of priestly leadership, the era of the judges, then the kings and eventually the prophets. All this followed by the full revelation of God in the flesh, Jesus, the long awaited Messiah.
Still all this was overlayed by a religion built around the sacrificial appeasement of a wrathful God, which I am now convinced was a carry over from the ignorance and idolatry of Abram's forefathers. The crucifixion perhaps the God of the Galaxies demonstrating a humble submission to the religious demands of Moses day, fulfilling the sacrifice not to appease Himself but to demonstrate a righteous love for one's enemies.
All this complexity compounded at times, yes, confused by many of these inspired writers' transference of our human tendencies to the character and thoughts of God.
Some of the hideous warfare and current slaughter by Isreal is still today attributed to God, with some Christians seeing this as Isreal's right given October 7th. God being interpreted as vindictive, enabling Isreal, even affording similar devastating response as recorded in the Old Testament upon any people or nation that threaten Isreal's national security. I heard that expressed among the responses to our Palestinian guest last evening.
I recently heard a respected brother offer remedy to our understanding of the scriptures, all inspired by God so as to reveal truth, two truths.
As he explained, the real truth about God was afforded when God became flesh and dwelt among us. So then, if the scripture offers opinion as to the nature of God, but is in contrast to the actions of Christ, the former is merely a reflection of the thoughts of the writer, one limited in his/her knowledge of God, moreso than some absolute truth about God.
That brings me back around to the challenges faced by Palestinians when we validate any and all of Isreal's actions as their right, the Chosen of God. The God who appeared in the man Jesus, declared that we should love our enemies. Perhaps this love could provide insight into how those who are so similar in origin could come to hate and harm each other as is the case in Gaza.
Why does the Old Testament portray so much wrath, though thankfully buffered intermittently with grace, given this God who is righteous, loving and not willing that any should perish. Why would God wait so long to reveal Himself in the man Jesus, the Christ?
Either we are slow learners or a thousand years is truly but a day.
"I am the LORD and I change not!"
Malachi 3:6.
If God doesn't change, then these seismic shifts in religion over time must be due to a change in us.
Perhaps a generational growth is part of a plan, a demonstation of compelling love toward a species bent on destruction vs. spiritual maturation? I sometimes wonder if other Beings, spiritual beings far greater than we might be watching this drama of grace and love! Scripture does mention such Beings.
Botton line, we must allow for change in our understanding of this unchanging One called, Love. One who desires that we love our enemies, even those whose actions righfully label them as terrorists.
Taking the scripture literally and apart from the nature of Christ is an impediment to our understanding of this Being whom we call, God. As well, limiting our ability to love one other.
We must change!
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