A few days ago I was having a discussion with someone who was trying to convince me that truth does not consist of factual reality but that it is something deeper and more true. The intent of this argument was to diminish the importance of speaking factual truth so I dismissed it for the new-age doublespeak it was.
Today however I've reconsidered it and I think that the point is valid; that is that truth does not consist of mere factual statements about reality but is in fact something deeper and more substantial. Scripture declares that God is love. Love exists only the context of relationship and relationships are only possible when they exist in truth. Just as God, existing in three persons, was love before creation because love flowed perfectly between each member of the Trinity, God must also have in some sense been Truth. Love could only flow perfectly between God if God existed and manifested Truth. Perhaps this is why Jesus calls Satan the "father of lies" as a statement of the antithesis of his nature compared to God's.
Love is not giving gifts, compliments, or affection, but is the source, meaning and root of all existence. Truth, its sister, is not factual representation but the fabric of all relationships. But rather than this diminishing the importance of honesty, it increases it. Love and Truth are not directly perceived but are known by their fruits. Honesty is the fruit of Truth, just as affection and concern is the natural fruit of Love.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Cleansing This Temple
In the Old Testament era, there was prescribed exactly one geographical location on Earth where the glory and the Spirit of God would descend to meet His people. This location was the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Hebrew name for the temple means "The Sanctified House" and it was the only place ordained by God for the offering of sacrifices.
During the ministry of Jesus, he "cleansed" the Temple by driving out the merchants and the money-changers, both of whom had a legitimate right to be there. It was impractical for believers to bring their livestock all the way to the Temple, so there needed to be those who could sell the animals for sacrifice in or near the Temple. Additionally, only the Hebrew coin could be use for offerings, so people who traded in other currency needed to be able to exchange their money. However, these merchants and money-changers extorted believers to increase their profit because the believers were dependent on them. Christ, in his only recorded violent act, drove these men out of the Temple shouting "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!"
In the New Testament era, the geographical location where the glory and the Spirit of God reside is in the heart of the believer. And we have money-changers and merchants in our hearts that have a right to be there. We need to work, provide for our family, have food and shelter, etc. Like the ancient believers, we are dependent on these money-changers and it is very easy to become extorted by them such that our heart loses the atmosphere of prayer and instead becomes a den of thieves. It is good to remember the zeal God has for His "Sanctified House."
During the ministry of Jesus, he "cleansed" the Temple by driving out the merchants and the money-changers, both of whom had a legitimate right to be there. It was impractical for believers to bring their livestock all the way to the Temple, so there needed to be those who could sell the animals for sacrifice in or near the Temple. Additionally, only the Hebrew coin could be use for offerings, so people who traded in other currency needed to be able to exchange their money. However, these merchants and money-changers extorted believers to increase their profit because the believers were dependent on them. Christ, in his only recorded violent act, drove these men out of the Temple shouting "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!"
In the New Testament era, the geographical location where the glory and the Spirit of God reside is in the heart of the believer. And we have money-changers and merchants in our hearts that have a right to be there. We need to work, provide for our family, have food and shelter, etc. Like the ancient believers, we are dependent on these money-changers and it is very easy to become extorted by them such that our heart loses the atmosphere of prayer and instead becomes a den of thieves. It is good to remember the zeal God has for His "Sanctified House."
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Allure of Virtue
When I was in college I held an ideal of a perfect mate. She had to be very intelligent. This is so we could stay up late into the night talking about interesting ideas and events. She would also, of course, enjoy the fun things that I enjoyed, so we could escape together from the world of obligations and truly immerse ourselves in each others' company. And obviously she would be very very pretty. Those were the important attributes of what I considered a perfect woman.
Taken for granted in this ideal is the assumption that she is also virtuous - that when faced with a tough choice she could choose the harder one simply because it is right to do so. As part of growing older, and hopefully wiser, I no longer take this for granted. Thinking back over the years, I can count on one hand the women I've met that I consider to have had a truly noble character.
Now when I look forward with hope to the future, I do not think so much about a person of surpassing intellect, common interests, or great physical beauty but rather I more greatly desire the beauty of the inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth God's sight. I think this subtle change of the heart, in what it desires and values, is a small part of becoming like God. Christ was never amazed by by the external qualities of a person but rather by their faith and their godliness. It is good and fitting that God, who gives us the desires of our hearts, may bless us with a heart that can more rightly desire.
Taken for granted in this ideal is the assumption that she is also virtuous - that when faced with a tough choice she could choose the harder one simply because it is right to do so. As part of growing older, and hopefully wiser, I no longer take this for granted. Thinking back over the years, I can count on one hand the women I've met that I consider to have had a truly noble character.
Now when I look forward with hope to the future, I do not think so much about a person of surpassing intellect, common interests, or great physical beauty but rather I more greatly desire the beauty of the inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth God's sight. I think this subtle change of the heart, in what it desires and values, is a small part of becoming like God. Christ was never amazed by by the external qualities of a person but rather by their faith and their godliness. It is good and fitting that God, who gives us the desires of our hearts, may bless us with a heart that can more rightly desire.
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