Monday, October 27, 2014

Making Absolute What God Has Left Relative

Painting by Kenneth Rowntree

"It is an error for Christians to make relative what God has made absolute.  But it is equally an error for Christians to make absolute what God has left relative." - Os Guinness

I tend to agree with Os Guinness that there is no one Christian form of politics, just as there is no one form of poetry, raising a family, running an economy, pursuing a career, or planning a retirement, etc.  He goes on to say that many ways are definitely not Christian, but no one way alone is.  Like him, I am especially wary of organizations, be they political or social, that tout that they are doing things God's way, for when they blunder, as all humans are apt to do, and let their own ego and interests come in the way and fail to serve Christ's end, they will not only damage the reputation of the church but the head of the church, the Lord Jesus.  They also have the potential of corrupting the Gospel, of shifting our focus from the absolute allegiance to Christ alone by faith and dependence on the Holy Spirit for our growth to an additional identification with "Christians" of a certain political or social persuasion. 
 
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. 
Galatians 1:6-9

Saturday, October 4, 2014

A Saturday in Fall

Painting by Fairfield Porter

Fall is in the air!  The morning was crisp and overcast when we walked to the farmers' market in Lincoln Park.  Pumpkins, squash, gourds, sweet potatoes, pomegranates, apples of various varieties filled the baskets, with jugs of apple cider calling from several stands. 

The heat in the apartment kicked on in the afternoon.  The radiators banged and hissed, emanating warmth and coziness within these paneled walls.  My daughter Lauren is making dinner - the smell of chicken and potatoes roasting in the oven blended well with the inviting scent of heat, making the alcove where I am writing quite idyllic.

Here is Itzhak Pearlman playing Schubert's Serenade for this restful Saturday afternoon.



There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 
Ecclesiastes 2:24-25