Archives for 2013

Maintaining a dual citizenship

Posted on August 28, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre 5 Comments

I was born and have lived in one country for my entire life. I have one passport, from one country. From a physical standpoint, I am a citizen of one country.

In his greeting to the church in Colossae, Paul writes, “To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae . . .” (Colossians 1:2a). In the Greek, he uses the same preposition to indicate that the believers in Colossae were both in Christ and in Colossae. The English translators use the word “at” in front of Colossae to make it sound less awkward.

As believers, we have a dual citizenship, we live in a country (or countries) but are also citizens of the Kingdom of God. We live in this world but we also understand that this world is not all there is.

This is part of the reason why Christians have been persecuted throughout the centuries. We cannot be trusted to be “all in” with regard to the current regime in place. We answer to a higher authority and earthly authorities sometimes take exception to this.

We should not be shocked that the intelligentsia of our day ridicule Christians. We make them feel uncomfortable because we do not automatically accept their diagnosis and prescription for solving the problems of the world around us.

Our dual citizenship is uncomfortable when the two kingdoms are in conflict. It would be so much more convenient to agree with the moral code of the surrounding culture. Perhaps there are a few who enjoy being antagonistic with their peers, but most of us like to “go along to get along.” But, this we cannot do if we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We have to make the choice to reject some aspects of the culture around us.

This does not mean that we have to verbalize every objection to what is being said and done around us. It does mean that we should prayerfully consider when it is appropriate to speak up. We are called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Both truth and love must be operative when we confront any aspect of our culture.

In the eighth chapter of Romans, Paul tells us that all of creation groans in anticipation of the time when the rightful king comes to make everything right (Romans 8:22). Until that time, we are both in Colossae and in Christ. We must learn to operate in the tension between the two kingdoms.

Our citizenship may be divided, but our loyalty cannot be. We must choose which kingdom gets the priority.

Tim Keller on Marriage

Posted on August 26, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre 1 Comment

“The Bible’s teaching on marriage does not merely reflect the perspective of any one culture or time. The teachings of Scripture challenge our contemporary Western culture’s narrative of individual freedom as the only way to be happy. At the same time, it critiques how traditional cultures perceive the unmarried adult to be less than a fully formed human being. The book of Genesis radically critiques the institution of polygamy, even though it was the accepted cultural practice of the time, by vividly depicting the misery and havoc it plays in family relationships, and the pain it caused, especially for women. The New Testament writers, in a way that startled the pagan world, lifted up long-term singleness as a legitimate way to live. In other words, the Biblical authors’ teaching constantly challenged their own cultures’ beliefs – they were not simply a product of ancient mores and practices. We cannot, therefore, write off the Biblical view of marriage as one-dimensionally regressive or culturally obsolete. On the contrary, it is bristling with both practical, realistic insights and breathtaking promises about marriage.”

Tim Keller in The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God

Wanting the Real God

Posted on August 23, 2013 Written by Zachary Schmoll 4 Comments

This is a guest post by Zachary Schmoll. If you are interested in becoming a guest author, please see the guest post guidelines and use the Attempts At Honesty contact form.

I don’t know about you, but when I want something, I don’t want a cheap imitation. If I order a Coca-Cola Classic, I would be somewhat disappointed to be given a random, private-label, store-brand generic cola.

Authenticity matters. However, it doesn’t just matter in soda. It also matters when we are talking about God.

There are many examples in the Bible where people wanted the one true God. Substitutes were not good enough.

For example, take Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. Elijah wanted to prove who was the authentic God, so he issued a challenge. Whoever was able to light the offering on fire would indeed be the God who was listening. He didn’t care that he was opposing 450 prophets of Baal.

He wanted to prove that God was real, and that is how it worked out. Elijah’s offering was torched because God is real and is powerful.

Another good example of this happened when Paul was preaching on Mars’ Hill in Acts 17. Paul mentions that the people of Athens worship an entire pantheon of deities, but they also had a spot for the unknown god. Paul use this as a lead-in to emphasize how there was only one God over all. He might be unknown to them right now, but He is the only one that matters.

The entire group of Greek gods and goddesses was not sufficient. Paul wanted them to see the one God that was indeed real.

In both of these cases, the imitations were not good enough. These men knew that they wanted the one true God.

That should be our main priority as well. We should be constantly seeking after God himself. There are certainly plenty of distractions that can pull us away and become our own personal deities.

We may idolize money or friends or even family. None of these things are inherently bad, but if we begin to worship them, we have become idolaters.

Because of that, I would challenge all of us to keep hunting for the authentic God. If we are wrapped up in things that are taking the place of God, I hope that we can repent and re-prioritize.

God wants and deserves to be first in our lives. That is where we need to position him.

On bread, fish and urban ministry

Posted on August 21, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre 6 Comments

Based on almost every statistical category, Camden, New Jersey is one of the worst places to live in the United States. Just take a look at the graphic below as an example. Crime in Camden is 16 times higher than the national median. It is a tough place to live.

Camden Crime — From http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/nj/camden/crime/

Yet people, real flesh and blood people, who have the same desires for health and security as we have, do live there. And some Christians who are attuned to a sense of calling to minister to the people of Camden also live there and are having an impact.

The church I attend has partnered with a pastor in Camden to help him minister in that environment. One of the ways that our church partners with him is to put together backpacks full of school supplies which are distributed to the children in the area.

Last evening I sat in on a training meeting to prepare those who will help in distributing the backpacks. While I was in the training, I was struck by a sense of how overwhelming the task is to minister in that environment. My work has often taken me to Camden, so I have some sense as to how big the challenge is in meeting the needs of that community. On a human level, the challenge is overwhelming.

Then I thought of a little boy who two thousand years ago was carrying his lunch while going to hear Jesus speak. Jesus was teaching the crowds and the disciples came to Jesus suggesting that he disperse the crowd so that they don’t pass out from hunger. Jesus took that boy’s lunch of bread and fish (John 6:9) and multiplied it so that everyone could eat. The success of the mission was not dependent upon the boy’s skill or the volume of food he brought. Success depended only upon the boy giving the lunch to Jesus.

In the same way, giving a few backpacks to a few kids in Camden on the surface does almost nothing to address the needs of that community. Yet, as we learn from that boy, a small offering given into the hands of Jesus can make a big impact. The point is that while we may want to do something great for the Kingdom of God, perhaps God will use a small thing to produce great fruit.

One of the cool things about eternity will be hearing stories of how a small obedience will have resulted in a big change in someone’s life. A handshake and a welcome in the church lobby, a word of encouragement to the grocery checker or a simple thank-you to a co-worker can be multiplied by God to accomplish his purpose in those lives.

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