Across Church Street
Define or Describe
Humans seem to like to define, label, and categorize things. Good definition requires perfect perspective. We can have confidence in definitions like “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) and “Eternal life is knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.” (John 17:3) These definitions come from God. Rarely is my perspective so exhaustive. But even when I can’t define, I can describe. And I can be confident in my descriptions provided I’m humble enough to consider a new insight or another person’s different description. Defining closes the knowing venture, while describing opens it up. That can be endlessly rewarding!
The Word of God
The word of God is his logos. It’s what God has to say.
The word of God is God’s logos1. We can say it this way: God’s word is ‘what God has to say’. We can find his word in Nature (Psalm 19:1-6, Romans 1:19,20). We find his word in the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16,17). And Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1-18).
“God’s word is ‘what God has to say’.”
Creation reveals what God has to say. The Scriptures reveal what God has to say. Jesus is our clearest revelation of what God has to say.
To encounter Nature, Scripture, and Jesus, is to have the opportunity to encounter ‘what God has to say’.
But this requires humble hearts.
Worshiping Nature misses what God has to say. Twisting Scripture to fit a human agenda defies what God has to say. And studying Jesus without being conformed to his image is a rejection of what God has to say.
When ‘God’s word’ fails to communicate ‘what God has to say’—his intent—it ceases to be God’s word (logos) altogether.
1 Koine Greek for persuasive 'reason' or 'reasoning'. The same root as the English word 'logic'. The Greek word rhema refers to God's speech. God's rhema conveys his logos.
The work of faith
Imagining Paul and James making a joint statement.
Suppose the Apostle Paul and Jesus’ brother, James, co-wrote a statement on Kingdom living in the world? It might read like this:
“Faith without works [of love] is dead faith.”
Love is a work of faith. Love is the work of faith.
- love
- friendship
- beauty
- thankful
- attunement
- communion
- discipline
- video
- hope
- hania rani
- holiness
- serving
- seth godin
- dean sherman
- across
- covenant
- music
- eternal life
- justice
- embodiment
- wonder
- gracious
- hesed
- welcome
- poetry
- rest
- image
- brokenness
- disruption
- invitation
- companion mode
- resonance
- steadfast
- observer mode
- framework
- pastoral
- oneness
- caritas
- difference
- shalom
- john stott
- worship
- status
- care
I practice the spiritual discipline of rescuing earthworms on paved surfaces. It's a reminder to me that I can pause what I'm doing, get a little dirty, and help. Also, that I've been given the responsibility to care.