...From Whom All Blessings Flow

Have you ever thought about the first line of the Doxology?...Really thought about it? It says, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow."

I recently realized that I have had a stigma for a little while now about giving God credit for certain things. I am not convinced that the stigma is completely invalid or illegitimate, but I do think it might contribute to an unnecessary hesitancy towards something I could do with a little more confidence in my life of faith. I have, at particular points in my life (and some more than others), been exposed to people who seem to walk so closely with Jesus and have so much faith in the sovereignty of Almighty God that they attribute everything to Him. Where the rub comes for me is that most of the things they attribute to God involve themselves, personal little "blessings" no one else really seems to benefit from in the larger scope of God's economy. From this self-referenced confidence in God's ever active Providence in their personal life, they zoom out into the society around them and are further willing to attribute bigger things to God. Still other Christians claim God's active role in such things as helping football players score touchdowns and finding a bottle of soap in an unfamiliar store while never really saying much about God's activity in society at large or even on a global level.

In the past few years as I have gotten older, lived in a place or two other than my "hometown," and experienced things like service in Hospice with death and dying, etc., I find it hard to affirm God's active roll in things like "touchdown scoring" while at the same time admitting that there are immensely tragic things that seem to simply lack God's preventative activity. So this is the source of my stigma in question. But the other day I was singing the Doxology in my bathroom (it's true) and James 1:17 suddenly popped into my mind. James 1:17 says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." I know...I italicized a lot in that verse. But look - EVERY (not just some), GOOD THING (good with no apparent stipulations), comes FROM ABOVE...FROM THE FATHER. So the question: is a winning touchdown good? Is finding that obscure grocery item or making it to a movie on time good? Hmmm...

Then I do what every good student of God's Word does. I read the verse in context. I said above that "good thing" has no apparent stipulations. But, in the verses of chapter 1 before v.1:17, James is talking about circumstances and trials. His discussion is not lightweight. It is about persecution and hardship, not putting your shoes on or brushing your teeth. James makes an important point (apparently one his audience is struggling with) that we should not blame God for temptation or evil that we experience. And we should recognize that if anything good is present in our life - even if that "good" is humility brought about by extreme and trying circumstances - it is to be attributed to the source of all good Itself. For, there is nothing "good" outside of God. I think James would agree that even if something good exists in a way that seems to us to be apart from God (such as, say, a non-Christian doing a great moral service), I bet we could trace its origin back to God as the source of goodness, if for not other reason than He is the Creator of all things and nothing could exist without His Creating activity, but possibly even the fact that God can and does work through anyone and anything.

Still, I am challenged to realize that ALL good things come from the Father of lights, the God "from whom all blessings flow." Even though James deals with some pretty heavy stuff, what if I do experience a small act of kindness? Perhaps I should give God more credit for the minuscule "blessings" in my life. After all, I'm not just trying to live any random life; I am pursuing a life in Him, in the One from whom all blessings flow. Just some food for thought as we head toward a holiday that could easily just be a mundane ritual of eating too much literal food ;)...

Is God’s Spirit with/in all?

If He’s everywhere all the time, is He also “in” or “with” sinners in their unrepentant sin?

A friend of mine texted me the question above to which I had to reply in an email. My reply is below. If you have any comments, questions, or challenging push-back I would love to receive it.

1. First, we must acknowledge that there is no “spirit of God” that is not the Holy Spirit. In Scripture, the Spirit of God = the Spirit of Christ = the Holy Spirit. He is a Person who is in distinction of Personhood from the Father and the Son, but is of ONE ESSENCE with the Father and the Son in the single Godhead. 
2. There IS a place in Scripture where God is not - unholiness/sin. Holy God cannot be in the presence of that which is not holy. Perhaps, rather, that which is not holy cannot be in the presence of holy God. Reference the Holy of Holies in the Temple and look at all the regulations of that setup. It was crazy strict and specific as to who could enter when and how.
3. Third, we must not be in the business of protecting the “omni’s” (my language). We grow up hearing      that God is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, omni-everything! But, this is a simplification for our own understanding in an attempt not to LIMIT this God of ours. Because we think, of course, that would be blasphemous! He does not need our protection and we will never do justice to ALL that He is. Instead of beginning our theology from the “omni’s,” we must begin it with Scripture and move outward.
4. Does it really limit a holy God to say that His Spirit is not in the presence of an unholy sinner or further yet, within him/her? Isn’t this just consistent with His character and His holiness?
5. Last, it is important to note that though holy God cannot be in the presence of the unholy, Christ a) cameand b) died for all. This shows my theological bias as a Wesleyan. God extended grace FIRST through Christ. Christ did not only die for those He foreknew would accept Him. Grace preceded our response. Thus, Christ is the Mediator/Advocate Who died for all and is currently seated at the right hand of the Father interceding for us and our lost world. So, even though holy God cannot be in the presence of the unholy, in the Incarnation, HE CAME to that which was unholy to extend grace that ALL might have the opportunity to enter into the Holy of Holies, the presence of God, and remember, the veil was torn.

In short, the answer to your question is, “No,” the Holy Spirit is not “everywhere,” including the heart of an unrepentant sinner.

I found my friend's reply wonderfully encouraging and wanted to include it as well:

Thank you Jonathan

I appreciate you taking the time to write such an in depth answer to my questions. It means a lot. It is so true that we can’t do God, Jesus, or the Spirit of God justice in how act, and especially not in words. That’s why He is Holy and perfect, and indescribably great. I’m thankful that God knows this and has shown His grace for us, through the sending of His only begotten Son Jesus, who died that we may have life in Him and be saved by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8).

It is amazing to think that the Holy God of the universe has compassion on us, and He and His Son Jesus who are One, want to have a relationship with us. I’m thankful that like you said, God’s grace that leads us to repentance came first in Jesus Christ the Son of God and bridged the separation between man and God. I’m also thankful that it is God’s grace through Jesus that picks us up every time we fall down, and is continually growing and perfecting us and our love for God, Jesus, and people, and faith in Jesus Christ and God the Father. I realize more and more everyday and when I fall down that I am continually being molded to be like Christ and that this work inside me and transformation will only be complete when we get to heaven. Praise the Lord that God’s grace and faithfulness sees us through in His love back to Him our Father in Heaven.

It makes sense that a Holy God can’t be in the presence of unholiness. Praise the Lord that because of God’s grace extended through Jesus imperfect man can now enter into a relationship with God through Jesus and be continually sanctified and perfected, and saved as His child. (THE VEIL WAS TORN). Your point number five is awesome. Because of sin we were separated by God, but Jesus became our way to the Father and our Salvation, extending the grace of God to us and saving us from sin and certain death. So, even though holy God cannot be in the presence of the unholy, in the Incarnation, HE CAME to that which was unholy to extend grace that ALL might have the opportunity to enter into the Holy of Holies, the presence of God, and remember, the veil was torn – I completely agree!

Me again: I pray we would be edified in conversation about such things as God transforms us. Blessings!

Jonathan

Going Through the Motions

In C. S. Lewis' Mere Christianity he talks about "not feeling it" in regards to the Christian life with God. His basic point is that Christian discipline is a virtue of action regardless of feeling. It is obedience, not to be confused with obedience to the Law, but obedience to Christ with Whom we are to be in relationship and in Whom we are to remain even on the days we "don't feel it." Because we cannot always stay on the Mount of Transfiguration (pitching tents and hanging out as Peter desired), we must accept that most of our time will be spent in the valley. Of course, we have the Holy Spirit of God that Jesus the Son sent to be with us in the in-between time - the time after His ascension in the body but before His returning in the body at the final Resurrection Day. In summary, on a Saturday that I'm lacking motivation I'm having to remind myself that "going through the motions" has been given a bad rap by my generation of church-goers, but going through the motions is exactly what we're supposed to do when we are "not feeling it."

May we read the words on the page even when it doesn't seem like the "Word of God" that it might have yesterday (the Holy Spirit will still indwell the words to make them Word if we are obedient...and if we ask Him).

May we pray when we do not know what to say or frankly don't feel like conversing (Jesus has already been praying for us at the right hand of the Father before we begin and the Holy Spirit interprets are prayers even when they do not consist of words).

May we worship out of thanksgiving even if we are feeling other "lesser" emotions or attitudes. He has done great things for us even when other circumstances or experiences seem to take more space in our memory and attention.

And may we love Him and others in every way we know how.

So...here I go...