Advocate

1 John 1:8 - 2:2

If someone says they don’t have sin, then they’re lying themselves. That’s basically what it says in verse 8. Then there’s a formula: if we confess, then he will forgive us, then cleanse us, because he is faithful and he is just. It goes on to say that if we say we haven’t sinned, then we make God a liar and his word is not in us.

The author also says that he’s writing these things so that we won’t sin, but if we do, know that we have an advocate in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the propitiation for our sins, and not just our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world.

This is all very interesting to me… God calls us to do one thing: confess. If we confess, then He takes action. He will forgive us, then he’ll cleanse us. I want to connect the dots to what we were studying earlier with Adam and Eve. God called out their sin. “Where are you?” “Who gave you this fruit?” “Who told you that you were naked?” God just wants a confession, because God is just. God will even the scales of Justice. But, God is also faithful. He’ll forgive and then he’ll cleanse.

The next part of this passage is cool, too. The author says that he’s writing this so that you won’t sin...but if you do… I had to lol a little here, because we’re going to sin. And when we sin, Jesus Christ is our advocate to God the Father. God is just, and all the bad things we do require justice from God. I think it’s in our nature a little to require justice, too. But we have an advocate in Jesus.

This can start to sound a little weird. So, Jesus is God, and God the Father is God, and Jesus is an advocate to God for our sins. Weird. The trinity makes no sense, and I don’t think it should. I’m starting to read Forgotten God by Francis Chan. It’s about the Holy Spirit being the “forgotten God”. The Trinity blows me away…

Fruit

Gen 3:1-7

Here, the serpent approaches Eve and brings her attention to the tree that’s in the midst of the garden. The serpent asks a question. Did God tell you that you shall not eat of any tree in the garden? Eve responds, that they can eat of trees, but should keep away from the tree in the midst; if they touch it or eat it they would die. The serpent then corrects what they think about God and tell them that they will not die. He tells them that when they eat, their eyes will be opened and God knows this. Eve will be like God and will know good and evil.

So, she sees the fruit is “good for food” and “a delight to the eyes”, so she eats and she shares it with her husband. Their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked. They made clothes to cover themselves.

I have a few questions here. First of all, when did evil enter the Garden, and why did God allow this? The million dollar question I’m sure, but it would make sense if God just didn’t allow evil to enter. Also, why was there a “tree in the midst”, that was “good for food” and “a delight to the eyes” right in front of Adam and Eve? It seems that God set them up for failure. Then again, I’m not God, and I don’t know what the alternative would be. I wonder if these factors were in play because of free will and because God wants his creation to choose him. Adam and Eve had to make a choice. They had to decide to listen to what God tells them, or to not listen. They chose to not listen, and really I don’t blame them. I would have done the same. The fruit was probably magnificently beautiful, at least that’s how I imagine it. I don’t see the apple like a lot of the old paintings show. I think of a fruit that was maybe glowing in brilliant colors. I picture a much different Earth here, and I see an Earth pre-fall as beautiful beyond what I can imagine. I imagine this to be heaven. The fruit was probably impossible to resist.

Genesis is still a hard one for me. As a Christian, I was brought up to understand Genesis as a word for word exact account of actual history. I don’t think I have to look at it that way. I think I can see truths, but word for word actual history? Maybe not. But then again, maybe so. I think there are deeper points than reading Genesis as actual history.

Justice

Can I just apologize now? Lindsey tells me that when I write about what’s on my mind it’s kinda depressing. I’ll admit, it is. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m just down in the dumps all the time. I think I’m going through a crisis. To believe what I believe means that every decision I make is affected by my faith. If this whole Christianity thing is a crock of shit, then why believe it? Well, I don’t think it’s a crock of shit. I think Jesus was here. I think Jesus is still here. And I love Jesus. I think what’s happening is that I just want to know more about what I believe and I want to throw out what my culture says I’m supposed to be and, as best I can, develop a believe that’s genuine and means something to me. I want to keep my eyes open, and I will accept things that I agree with and I’ll reject those I don’t. I still want to be careful, though. I don’t want to wander too far from what Jesus set for us as an example.

Speaking of...someone who’s wandered. I’m reading Rob Bell’s Love Wins. I’m about halfway through, reading about what Bell thinks about Hell. There are some nice thoughts, and I think he has some great points. Not just on Hell, Heaven and judgment, but on a lot of things Christians consider “decided” subjects. Bell might be a wacko in the Christian community, but maybe we should consider what he has to say instead of just dismissing him. I’m not saying that I’m accepting every word he says, but I’ll consider them. Christian culture has formed how I believe up until now, and I think it’s good to challenge what it is that you think.

Anyway, I’m reading my Bible today and drinking a delicious Canteen Stout (formally Il Vaccino). It’s delicious beer and some good reading. Today, I’m reading Jeremiah 5. Here we see God’s thought process when considering justice toward his people, the Israelites. Now, I’m still trying to figure out how this was recorded. Did Jeremiah talk to God in person, just like we talk to each other? Did he have dreams? Was he under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms? Did he find some gold plates buried in North America? Did he seclude himself in a cave and hear from God there? I might have missed it if it was explained, but God is talking in the text.

Justice. He’s talking about how the Israelites are just terrible people, doing all sorts of bad things. In verses 28 and 29 it says, “They know no bounds of evil”, “they do not defend the rights of the needy”, “shall I not punish them for these things?” So, a couple of things, “they know no bounds of evil”. That’s intense. As humans, I think we’re all born with an internal moral compass. I think that if I were to grow up as a wolf man, secluded, and managed to keep my sanity, that I would know a general difference between evil and good. These people got to a point where to “knew no bounds”, everything was permitted. I could imagine what this was. Were they like the Mayans, sacrificing kids? Did they steal from each other? Did they kill? There’s probably an archaeologist that knows the answer to those questions. But I’m guessing that there was some evil crap happening. The verse continues saying “they do not defend the rights of the needy”. So, that’s important. And consistent with what God incarnate, Jesus, taught. Defend the rights of the needy. These people didn't do that. So God asks, shouldn't I punish these evil people?

I think the Old Testament God is often looked as a much different God as the New Testament God. He might be. I haven’t read enough of the Bible to tell the difference. I see here consistencies. I see a group of people that have run amok. I see a God who will deal with them, and he’s using Jeremiah to at least warn these fools, and point them back to God. But, God loves Justice, and will correct his people. I don’t think that punishment is bad. The scales need to be balanced many times.

Anyway, that’s all I have to say about that. There might be more lessons here, but I’m going to finish my dang book. I also have a delicious stout to finish.

Whore Church. A Church for Whores.

Today, I read Jeremiah chapter 4. It kinda went in one ear and out the other. My reading comprehension is already just average at best, and this chapter was something that theologians probably spend hours dissecting. So, I'm not even going to try. It's a prophecy from Jeremiah, I think. It's talking about a lot of destruction and honestly, I don't know what it means. I'm also very tired... so there's that.

I'm trying to read the Bible every day, I'm trying to make sense of my faith. I've been listening to Unbelievable?, a podcast that explores all sorts of questions Christians should ask. (Thanks to Gio and Miranda for recommending the podcast.) I've also been listening to The Bad Christian Podcast--a podcast with guys from a band (Emery) that I've liked for years, and they talk in more of a hang-out conversation setting, and not as much of an academic or intellectual setting like Unbelievable. I like both podcast, because they talk about the stuff in Christianity that Christians don't want to talk about. Gay marriage, the Bible's validity, evolution and so on.

I've began to attend a mega church. My buddy Jon invited us, and we've been going since October or September. The teaching is good. It's Bible based. I don't feel that the church is judgmental and I feel that the church is about Jesus. We just started a community group, so I'm trying to get a feel of what the actual people that attend are like. I'm searching. I want Christianity, but I don't know what Christianity is for me. All my life I've been told what a Christian is. I don't like that Christian. But I do like Christ.

The other day, I was listening to the Bad Christian Podcast and they were talking with Donald Miller, the author of Blue Like Jazz. He was talking about how he doesn't go to church at all, and that he doesn't feel like our idea of church is something that fits in his life. But, he still says he's a Christian and that he loves Jesus. Church and community to Donald Miller is something completely different than what I think church is. Church is a pastor greeting, announcements, three or four worship songs, tithes and offerings, a message from a pastor (that better not encroach on my damn lunch), and an alter call if the message was heavy, or just a closing prayer or closing song. We'll maybe "fellowship" for a minute or two, but I'm freaking hungry, and I don't want to hang around very long. I want to get on with my damn Sunday.

Honestly, it's not something I've ever thought about...church. What is it? I think it should be different. I think America has whored out church. I go to a mega church, and I feel warm and fuzzy most of the time when I walk out of those doors. I like the music, it's nice. I've only been to one community group meeting, but it was okay. The people were nice, we talked a bit about God.

Why can't church be a bicycle group that goes for a ride, then ends the ride at La Cumbre where we talk about Christ while enjoying a delicious IPA? Or a hiking club that worships God on top of a mountain. Or whatever. Why does church have to fit in our American idea of what church is? Well, I think the answer is that it doesn't. I think Donald Miller is on to something here.

I don't think I'll ever get there, though. What would my family do without church? Would I just wake up on Sunday (or any day) and make breakfast and love my wife and sons while talking about God? Do we have to worship with music? I do like worshiping with music, but most of the time it's by myself. I don't like the whole crowd involvement during worship. I don't clap, I don't sing, I just watch. And I feel guilty about that, because if you were to see me at an MxPx show, I would be moshing and drinking and singing at the top of my lungs. But I don't do that at church.

A Bunch of Whores

Jeremiah 3

God’s talking a lot in this chapter. He talks about how his people are whoring themselves around, worshiping wood and stone, other gods. God is showing his displeasure, and he even talked about how “the showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come”. I’m guessing this is direct punishment for his people whoring themselves around, not devoting themselves to God.

The chapter goes on, and God expresses his desire to reunite with those people. There is a parallel to a husband and a wife. In the beginning of the chapter he asks the question of if a man divorces his wife and then becomes another man’s wife, would that man return to his wife after she’s been "polluted". That would be difficult to me, if Lindsey and I divorced, and then she married another man and had sex with that man, would I be able to go back to her? I can say a definite “no”. I would not want her back. It’s really sad...but inside, my feelings, I couldn't take her back. It’s incredibly shallow on my side, but that would just be too difficult for me to handle. Here, God talks about that situation, and that he’s angry about Israel whoring itself up with other gods and idols and not worshiping Him. But then he talks about how he wants Israel to return to him. He says he will not look on them in anger. He only asks that they acknowledge their guilt and he will take them back.

This can be applied to our lives today. God is not our number one. Especially in America where there are so many distractions. God is not my number one. It would be difficult to tell exactly what my number one is--what I worship. But, I know it’s not God. If God is the same today as he is here, and that’s what Christians believe, then God still wants us. We’re whoring ourselves up now, and it hurts him just like it would hurt me if Lindsey was involved romantically with another person. The difference is that God wants us back…

This is hard for me to understand. God is the ultimate being. He is God. He has all the power in the universe imaginable, then he has even more power than that. God is God. Why then, does he require our companionship? God doesn't need me? Does he? According to this, he greatly desires our company. Well, the scripture talks about Israel. I’m not sure if this applies to all humans, but I’m assuming it does. I've heard in church that we are created in God’s image. I don’t know where it says that in the Bible, but I have the internet and I’m going to look it up. ...Okay, Genesis 1:27. So, we can sort of get an idea of who God is by examining ourselves. We need relationship. I need my wife, I’ll just say it. I need to know she loves me. I need her to know that I love her back. I need her support in life. I need her. Before I knew I needed Lindsey, I knew that I needed a woman to spend my life with. I knew I needed that. God takes a wife too, it’s us.

Beautifully Terrifying

Jeremiah 1

Today, I decided to read Jeremiah. I’ve been in church all my life and I don’t think I’ve read any of the old testament prophets. I really don’t think any Christians read their Bible, at least most of them don’t. I’m pretty sure they get their Bible from a preacher, which is really sad. We’re in the dark ages before the printing press. Christians may as well be illiterate and the printing press should have never been invented. It wouldn’t matter anyway, we get our verses on a Sunday morning from a pastor of a church. I’m one of those Christians. I’ve tried to read my Bible, but movies are so much more fun. Drinking to get drunk is so much more fun. I can think of a ton of things that are so much more fun than reading an ancient text.

I’m realizing that things worth anything in this life require some sort of sacrifice. I’m a dad, that takes huge sacrifice. I’m a husband, that takes huge sacrifice. I don’t want to be fat anymore, that takes sacrifice. I want knowledge, that takes sacrifice. The sacrifice for knowledge is forgoing the history and space shows on Netflix and picking up my Bible. I claim to be a Christian, so I should probably read my holy text.

Anyway, Jeremiah. The chapter starts out exciting. Right away, I picture a vision Jeremiah is having where he’s in a direct conversation with God. Jeremiah is young and afraid. God tells him not to worry. God assures him that He’s had this plan for him all along, even before he was born, God knew what his plan for Jeremiah was. God tells him not to worry, because He will “deliver” Jeremiah.

God also spoke to Jeremiah in symbolism. He shows Jeremiah a few things; an almond branch and a pot of boiling water pointing away from north. The almond branch, I guess, confirms that God will keep His word. The boiling pot facing away from the north was the kingdoms to the north that were going to come to Jerusalem. God is judging those kingdoms for worshiping other gods and for worshiping the work of their own hands. (Umm….America?) And God told Jeremiah to be ready to work. God told Jeremiah that He’ll give him the words to say and that He’ll make Jeremiah strong and they the kingdoms from the north will fight, but not prevail. God assures Jeremiah again that, “I am with you”, “to deliver you”.

Application of this is easy for me. God doesn’t come to me in visions. God doesn’t speak to me audibly, even in a dream. He did to Jeremiah, but not to me. I’m almost glad He doesn’t, because I would be scared shitless. God is terrifying. It’s kind of like when you walk up to the edge of the Grand Canyon. It’s beautifully terrifying. I think of God like the Grand Canyon, but like infinitely more beautiful and infinitely more terrifying.

So, this is probably terrifying to Jeremiah. Jeremiah was uncertain. He didn’t know if he was up for the task. I love that God was so reassuring throughout this whole chapter. God told Jeremiah that He would tell him where to go and what to say and that all of this was part of a plan, a purpose.

A Plan

jrn 6

Ruth 4:1-22

Boaz was talking about Ruth being redeemed. I’m trying to understand more the nature of their culture at the time. This land belongs to Naomi. Naomi is selling it maybe because of the famine and she needs to survive. With the purchase, comes possession of Ruth. It sounds like there is a government in place that requires “turns”. I guess when property comes available there are people waiting in line and they can choose to purchase or not to purchase. In this case, the land comes with Ruth and if the land comes with Ruth then whoever purchases it has to marry Ruth and have children.

This almost makes no sense in today’s culture. People are not property and polygamy is gross. It made perfect sense in the culture of that time. And, I can follow the story. Boaz wanted to redeem Ruth. The guy that was going to purchase the land and as a result Ruth decided against the purchase because Boaz reminded him that the purchase came with Ruth, a moabite widow. He would have to marry her and make babies with her and those babies would have to share in the inheritance of his supposed current children. He definitely didn’t want that. Maybe because she was a foreigner, maybe because she was a beggar. I think people probably passed judgement in the same ways we do today.

So, Boaz bought the property and Ruth. Boaz married her and they had a son, Obed, who is the father of Jesse, the father of David And eventually the lineage leads to Jesus.

One thing I’m wondering while I read this is who the author is. In this portion of scripture it mentions that David is the king, so whoever wrote this book had to know that. So, it was written at least three generations after Ruth. I wonder who was “reporting” all of these events. I wonder who were the journalists of the time. It sounds weird, but in verse 13, “So boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.” That’s some graphic stuff there. Was the sex just assumed because they had a baby, or was there someone there reporting all this. Not just this verse, but all of it. I imagine a bystander watching the purchase of the field. Did the author interview Naomi, Ruth and Boaz? The book was written a long time after the events. How much of this is accurate to the event? It’s funny because I’ve been brought up in church and I was taught to never ask questions like these. I feel kind of guilty asking questions about the validity of scripture, even just wondering beyond what is said in the verses.

I think it’s good to wonder what’s going on here, or in any verse in the Bible. I think that the Bible is here for us to dissect, to study and to form our ideas based on what’s written. I’m off topic, though. Back to this reading. I’m just explaining what was going through my head as I read these verses.

How can this be applied to our lives? Well, as we heard on Sunday’s service at Sagebrush, it’s about God’s plan. If we examine chapter 1-4, we see a woman that should have been broken in pieces. I mean, she probably still was, but she pushed on. She had the opportunity to run when she found out that her husband died. But, she stayed. She worked hard in the fields, then she met with Boaz. Was she happy when she was with Boaz? I assume so. She seems to have had a choice all along to leave. I know Naomi directed her to do things, to go sleep at Boaz’s feet while he was drunk and sleeping, and Boaz liked her. He liked her work ethic. And I guess he thought she was pretty because he worked to have her, too.

And the end of the story it reminded the reader that the son Boaz and Ruth had was a descendant of David, and we know that David is in the lineage of Jesus. So, Jesus was born of a virgin, and I think that Joseph was in the lineage of David, so I don’t quite understand how that’s important. I guess Joseph was a big part of Jesus being that he was his adoptive father. I don’t know much about Joseph’s actual relationship with Jesus… That’s another thought, and I’ll stop here. .