Previously on The Eternal Life Now, I examined the book through the eyes of a stranger, Richard Foster. Tonight I allow the author to entice us to his work through his own words in the books Introduction. Fret not dear readers, next week I promise you the first chapter. But until then, I give you Mr. Dallas Willard...
"My hope is to gain a fresh hearing for Jesus, especially among those who believe they already understand him."
Do I understand Jesus? By all means no. I have lived my life with him. I have studied him. I have spoken to him. I have heard from him. But I am constantly amazed by what he does and by my renewed discoveries of who he is. I didn't realize before starting this book, but I really do have a longing to know Jesus beyond an intellectual knowledge. For instance, I can recite to you every parable he ever told. I can summarize them and expand on their meanings. I can tell you the towns he visited, the people he talked to and the words he said, but if you were to stop me in my tracks and ask me about him... What would I say? He's kind, compassionate and caring? He's God incarnate? He's man-God, killed but alive, here from the beginning and forever after? These are all still labels. Facts. A child could memorize them and repeat them, and honestly millions do every year.
But do I know him? And more importantly, do I presume to know him? Actually, I would answer no to both those questions. I do not have a deep understanding of who he is. It is for this reason that I read this book. This is a discovery journey, an entry into a far-off land. For me, Narnia.
"Now, in fact, Jesus and his words have never belonged to the categories of dogma or law, and to read them as if they did is simply to miss them."
I paused here to think upon the meaning of this simple little phrase. First, we have the contrast of what the words of Jesus are not. They are not dogma, a list of beliefs to be memorized and defended. They are not law, a list of actions to be done or not done. Jesus' words were neither of these, yet how many times do we treat them just... like... that. I think I spend an entire evening on just this revelation alone. After all, I spent years of my life approaching Jesus with the questions, "What am I supposed to do?" or "What am I supposed to believe." A friend says something interesting about life, how am I supposed to respond? I'm thrown into a situation I've never seen before, how do I react? Tell me Jesus, give me the magical answer and then be off to sprout goodness in the lives of everyone else who knocks on your door with a question of similar urgency.
Isn't this true? Isn't this how we approach the Creator of the universe? Solve my problems. Give me the answers. Show me the solution. Perhaps it's my mathematical background speaking, but this is a trap I fell into for many, many years. I'm sure I still do. That's because I still view Jesus' words as representing both dogma and law. And yet...
"He himself described his words as 'spirit and life' (John 6:63)"
Spirit and life. I've read this statement over and over again, and still I'm clueless as to its meaning. John has always been my favorite of the gospels (next comes Luke, then Mark, then Matthew) namely because I feel there is so much more to John that I cannot see. It's complexity intrigues me, and the mere reading of its words brings to me the sense of greatness and wonder, pointing to mysteries of life that I am not even close to understanding. Much like these two simple words. Spirit and life.
His words are life. Not his words bring life, or point to life, but his words are life. They are full of it. The actual verse in John says:
63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Life. We are alive. Why would we need more life? I actually don't think it's a matter of degree. No such thing as 'more alive' or 'less alive', just as we aren't dead vs. nearly dead. We are one or the other. Dead or alive. Jesus speaks of a life in his words. Is he referring to a physical life or something beyond the physical? Have we been dead this whole time without knowing it? If so, what does it mean to be... alive. That is a question I intend to answer. I hate the thought of being dead the rest of my life.
"Jesus and his early associates overwhelmed the ancient world because they brought into it a stream of life at its deepest, along with the best information possible on the most important matters... The people initially impacted by that message generally concluded that they would be fools to disregard it. That was the basis of their conversion."
You mean they didn't believe the message because they wanted to get into Heaven? Or because they wanted to be 'good'? Or because it was popular and socially acceptable? Where is this message that teaches reality, not rules.
"It is the failure to understand Jesus and his words as reality and vital information about life that explains why, today, we do not routinely teach those who profess allegiance to him how to do what he said was best."
"More than any other single thing, in any case, the practical irrelevance of actual obedience to Christ accounts for the weakened effect of Christianity in the world today."
What is Christianity without Christ? It is the Christianity of today. In many ways, it was the Christianity I grew up with. A list of things not to do. I list of facts to believe. A group of arguments to defend. A place to go. A reputation to uphold. A self-smug satisfaction of having answers that others missed. This is doctrine, dogma, and a modern-day debacle. But it is NOT Christianity. A Christian is one who obeys Christ (the word literally translates to "little Christs"). And in order to do that, you have to understand what he said. You have to understand him.
His words are life. To be a Christian is to live.
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