Holiness and Pleasure Pt II

We ended the last post with a couple of questions:

So then, is holiness compatible with an outright pursuit of pleasure?

Perhaps our lack of discipline is an unwitting fortune and we should stop feeling so guilty about our indulgences?

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Should, then, holiness be compatible with a life spent pursuing pleasure?

To answer that question we have to do a little history...

In the beginning God made all that exists and declared that it was a thing of beauty and pleasure:

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Genesis 1:31

God made a Garden and called it Eden, it was a place of pleasurable surroundings:

And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.
Genesis 2:9

God placed Adam in the garden to enjoy its fruits and to protect and nourish this place of beauty:

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Genesis 2:15

God made a wife for Adam; the couple were then told to enjoy the world God had made, to come together and create children, and to join in the reign of God over this good earth. There was no alienation, no fear, no curse, no sin:

The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Genesis 2:25

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The story doesn't end there, however. Adam and Eve rebel against God's sovereignty, they chose to ignore His good decrees and listened instead to the voice of the destroyer. The promise was made, "I can give you pleasure that God cannot." And our first parents listened to the deceiver. They pursued pleasure (which they already had in abundance) and gave up peace (which they could never regain). They gave up everything and got nothing in return.

The results of this rebellious choice was the curse we still see in effect today...

The man and the woman were set at odds against each other, humans alienated from other humans; there was alienation between humanity and the world itself, no longer a luscious garden, but an inhospitable place of toil and danger; humans were even alienated within themselves, ashamed of their own appearance and identity. But curse upon curses, human arrogance had driven a wedge between humanity and the Good Creator who loved them...

Our price in the devil's bargain was our freedom. His payment to us was the fleeting pleasure of ill-gotten gain, swiftly replaced by the realization of the ensuing consequences.

A wonderful analogy (for those of you who have seen the movie Aladdin) is the villain Jaffar, who is offered the complete and unlimited power of the godlike genie, and upon receiving this power is then made aware of the condition of that power: he is enslaved, bound to the lamp and the desires of whomever holds it.

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Any discussion of pleasure and holiness must begin with this history in mind; we are enslaved. God created us for freedom, and we chose bondage. It is often thought that freedom is the ability to do whatever one wishes, yet we would hardly call it 'freedom' to put sugar in our gas tank; or to use a guitar as a doorstop, or to use our uncovered hand to pull food from the oven. Rather, freedom is what we have when we operate our vehicle with proper care and concern for the operating instructions; freedom is what the master musician has after decades of diligently honing her skills; freedom is what we have when we use our bodies in ways consistent with God's purposes...

Abuse your 'freedom' and you lose it, pay attention to God's intent and gain untold freedom. It is with this reality in mind that we approach holiness and pleasure; we do not really know what pleasure is! And so we must unlearn our habits, we must discipline ourselves towards holiness, if we are to begin to taste of true pleasure...

MLK

Holiness and Pleasure

Just what is the nature of the relationship between holiness and pleasure?

In generations past, Christians would have easily and confidently answered 'holiness eschews pleasure in this world, in order to have it in the next.' That same underlying attitude informs much of our contemporary answer to that question, at least at the popular level. We simply lack discipline.

We believe holiness is the denial of pleasure, yet we are too weak to avoid pleasure, so instead we simply feel guilty...

...how sad!

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But holiness is not the avoidance of pleasure, rather, holiness is the state of belonging to God. Holy objects are objects that are 'set apart' for a specific use, the Tabernacle and the Temple were places set apart for worship and sacrifice. Holy people are similarly set apart, having a deep connection to the Creator that marks them out from those who do not.

We often define holiness as the avoidance of certain 'things' (and we have ongoing debates about what those 'things' are), yet we should rather define holiness as the pursuit of certain things, or even the pursuit of the One Thing...

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So then, is holiness compatible with an outright pursuit of pleasure?

Perhaps our lack of discipline is an unwitting fortune and we should stop feeling so guilty about our indulgences?

...?

Christian Hedonism

Click on the title link to read a wiki article on the term which was originally coined by pastor John Piper.

This is a continuation of commentary on Parker's poem 'Partial Comfort.'

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We give those devils too much credit when we let hell claim pleasure as its own invention and possession!

It is not the demons who thought up the idea of physical pleasure, nor did they craft the synapses in such a way as to make sexual touch pleasing, or fine food a fulfilling experience. God gave us the capacity to enjoy the physical, emotional, and spiritual union of sex; He granted us the ability to make fine wines; He created bodies capable of dance and song, minds capable of poetry and story.

It is not a defect in sex that causes God to condemn promiscuity, nor is it a defect in grapes that causes God to warn against drunkenness! Ask the addict, ask the porn star, they will tell you how long ago the pleasure left these activities. It is not the sober man who yearns for a life consumed with battered ex-wives, neglected children, and countless rehab and court fines; nor is it the happily married woman who longs for a life of objectification and mistrust, not to mention acyclovir and hemorrhoidectomies...

I have used my own body for pleasure in inappropriate ways, and the longer I did, the more power those activities had over my will, and the less pleasure those activities gave me.

Do you begin to now see why our Teacher calls the devil a liar, a destroyer, and a thief?

Whatever pleasures you can image, they sprang forth from the mind of God! It is evil that twists those pleasures to other ends, or grabs those pleasures at the expense of other greater pleasures, or pursues them in inappropriate times or ways; it is evil that ultimately robs those pleasurable activities of their very pleasure, leaving us instead with an addictive compulsion to an activity that we cannot do without, and yet provides us with little or no pleasure, and much pain and destruction.

Do you see now what sheer nonsense such sentiments as Parker's are? Do you see the ridiculous nature of the claim that God wants to punish us for our pleasure, while the devil wants to give us more of it? Does it not now become clear that it is God who desires us to enjoy 'pleasures forevermore!?'

More to come...

Dorothy Parker

Whose love is given over-well
Shall look on Helen's face in hell
Whilst they whose love is thin and wise
May view John Knox in paradise

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This poem is certainly in agreement with popular sentiment.

Those who love too much, whose lives are consumed with love, will see true beauty (albeit in hell); however, those who are more concerned with righteousness, and a wisdom that leads them to eschew such an all-consuming passion, will be rewarded with harps and clouds (albeit they miss out on pleasure in the process).

This poem then, does a wonderful job of summarizing, succinctly and accurately (not to mention poetically) many popular thoughts surrounding ideas of holiness and depravity, beauty and truth, divine punishment and reward, wisdom and pleasure, love, and perhaps others:

Love is here defined in terms of physical/sexual desire and pleasure (hence the allusion to Helen).

Wisdom is here defined in terms of a deliberate denial of that sort of love.

Righteousness is defined in terms of avoiding certain pleasurable activities out of compliance to divine fiat.

Depravity is defined in terms of pursuing pleasure.

Truth is set in opposition to beauty; what is wise and true is not compatible with what is enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing.

God punishes those who enjoy themselves, and rewards those who live ascetic lives.

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So what do you think:


Do people who 'love' flamboyantly and deeply end up in hell? Is hell the place where real pleasure is, and the end result of a life of pleasure?



More to come...

Partial Comfort

Whose love is given over-well
Shall look on Helen's face in hell,
Whilst they whose love is thin and wise,
May view John Knox in paradise.

Dorothy Parker

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What do you think?

Salvation

Those who refuse to be sanctified, have not been justified, and will not be glorified...

Karl Barth

"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world"

Some Brothers...

So some brothers torture their sisters by popping their balloons, my son is different.


He ate his sister's balloon.


That's right, my daughter Zoe was playing with her pink balloon, O happy day! Everything was right in the world.

And then my son Zane, who is in the midst of an intense 'pretend I'm a cheetah' phase, pounces...


He ate that pretty pink balloon.

And today, we saw it again. Yes, that's right, the balloon made it out, a little worse for wear, but free again.

I'll let you blow it up...

Thank a Vet

No matter how you feel about it, your presence in America (and the rights and privileges that come with that) have been paid for by the blood, sweat, and tears of countless soldiers and their families.

In spite of how you feel about the current war, or war in general, say, "Thank you," to a veteran today.

"Thanks, Dad."

Go Cheryl!

If you are interested in hand crafted (and made to order) scarves, hats, shawls, and other items, then click the link above.

Our friend Cheryl Lewis has decided to pursue her dream of running her own small business selling her own hand-made items.

Just click on the title link!

Jesus the First Time Traveller

Don't worry, I promise we aren't starting a UFO cult! Just think on this...


Jesus comes to us from the future.


One of my favorite authors, NT Wright, says that looking to the future (in reading the biblical prophets) is like looking into a fog and describing what you see...

There is something there, but it is mysterious and the detail is hard to make out with any clarity.

...how if someone came walking to us out of the fog?


That someone is Jesus!


He Is from God's future redemption! The Age to Come is fully revealed in the life, death, and specifically, the Resurrection.

It bear's considering, if we were to meet someone 'from the future,' (think some ridiculous sci-fi 'B' movie) what would the attendant thoughts, emotions, questions, and experiences be? ...

Ephesians

In the opening verses of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul writes that he is a messenger or apostle "by the will of God." The Message has Paul saying he is "under God's plan." By way of an introduction to the series we will be doing on the letter to the Ephesian Church, we will be exploring this idea.

What is God's plan? ...God's will? How do we get 'under' it?

What is the letter to the Ephesians all about? The answer to this question dovetails nicely with the others above:

Ephesians is largely a letter that provides the 'big picture' of God's action in history, and provides insight into how we fit into that unfolding redemptive drama. This is, I believe, what Paul means by being 'under God's plan.'

So what do we see? Do we see God's action? Or are we consumed with our own needs and desires?

Do we see dry bones? Or Ezekiel's army? (Ezekiel 37)

Do we see the surrounding Arameans, or the chariots of fire? (2 Kings 6)

Acts 19-20 provide the account of Paul's time in Ephesus and the founding of the community of disciples in that city. It also goes a long way towards shaping our understanding of what it meant for Paul to be 'under God's plan,' how it was a guiding impetus to his life, illuminating a path for him. It was God's plan of salvation, and Paul's own specific purpose within that plan that gave Paul (revealed by the Holy Spirit and imbued with His power) his drive and stamina, his total willingness to pay any cost, as well as giving him direction and allowing him to make decisions about the course of his life.

So how do we make decisions?

How do we choose what to do with our time and energy?

How do we choose what to give our lives to?

When I Run...

(Check the Title link for an old post on a similar topic)

There is a scene in the popular movie Chariots of Fire where Eric Liddell is talking with his sister. She is concerned that his career as a runner (he was Scotland's first Olympic Medalist) will stand in the way of his career as a missionary to China. Eric responds with this line:

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."

There is something there that we need to grasp.

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The God spoken of in Scripture is the God who invented pleasure of all kinds. We do well to remember this! The Psalmist says to God, "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

We can easily turn Jesus into a whip-toting, grimacing killjoy. Yet, even His enemies would dispute that point. The Pharisees accused Him of being a drunkard and friend of sinners, a party-going glutton. How could we ever confuse a Jesus who laughingly gave his friends nicknames with a morose religionist?

The Oval Office?

What would you think of a national religious figure who was referred to by his followers as the "Commander in Chief" and the "Leader of the Free World?" Who called his place of work the "Oval Office" and from there issued highly publicized speeches that were called "State of the Union" addresses? Who had appointed "Cabinet members" to help him accomplish his task and referred to his followers as "Citizens?"

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The following terms:

gospel
church
kingdom
twelve
temple
christ
lord
savior
prince of peace
(and many others)

All are terms that would be full of the same kinds of political significance as the "Oval Office" or "citizenship" are to our contemporary ears.

Gospel - the term used in the OT to refer to the coming of YHWH as king, setting things right for the nation of Israel in terms of justice, not least in terms of vanquishing the national enemies and oppressors. In the Roman world the term was used to refer to the official proclamations of the victory of Caesar's armies, the birth of Caesar's sons, and the acclamation of Caesar's deity.

Church - the term used in the Greco-Roman world to refer to the body of citizens called together.

Kingdom - a common term used by both Jews and Romans to refer to... a "kingdom!"

Twelve - the symbol for the nation of Israel, the twelve tribes.

Temple - the symbol of national pride, the place that declared to the world the primacy of Israel over other nations.

Christ - Literally, "the One who has had oil poured on him," the term for the King of the Jewish people.

Savior, Lord, Prince of Peace - Titles specifically ascribed to Caesar. All Roman subjects were required once a year to officially proclaim, "Caesar is Lord;" to which Christians responded, "Jesus is Lord."

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Certainly blurs the line of distinction between politics and spirituality, doesn't it?

So what does God think about politics? What were Jesus aims?

What are His desires for our lives?

Judgment and Theodicy

The voices crying foul about sin and evil in the world (claiming it proves God's non-existence) are the same voices crying foul about God's judgment on sin and evil (claiming the doctrines of hell and judgment are themselves evil).

They seem to vacillate back and forth between the belief that human concepts about justice and evil are valid ways of understanding the universe; (this is the basis upon which they pronounce their judgments upon the Creator of such a wicked Universe as ours) and the belief that evil is a fiction, and the only real evil is to believe in human concepts of justice and evil (these concepts, they claim, are merely religious attempts to control others and prevent them from having a good time)!

I say, choose either one or the other...

Pray

10 Years Ago

Click the title link to read an AP article about the murder of Matthew Shepard.

My wife and I were both in Laramie, attending the University, when this event happened. We were both there for the crazy protesters and counter-protesters; the media circus that followed the murder, another one following the trial a year later, and then another one two years later when they were filming the movie.

This should be a point of reflection and repentance for the Church.

Whenever we point fingers at 'them' we help to create an atmosphere where these kinds of brutalities can happen. The reality is that people engaged in homosexual behavior are no more or less broken than the pastor who calls them an 'abomination.' The reality is that homosexual acts are no more a perversion than a man having sex with his wife while fantasizing about another woman.

We are all created in God's image, and we are all stained with sin. We are breathing Icons of the Creator, but we are cracked.

We are all familiar with infamous Christians who live double lives. Roundly condemning activities publicly that they are covertly and habitually engaging in. Recently a famous Christian leader who was routinely making comments about homosexuality was outed by the male prostitute he had been having a three year relationship with.

I am more than willing to give this man the benefit of the doubt, his sincerity is not what I want to question, rather, I want to ask, 'how did this happen?' If this man had come forward with his struggles, if the Church did not create a 'super-sin' out of this particular issue, if the Church would place more emphasis on Jesus and less on 'good looks,' if the Church would be the first place where sin was able to be confessed instead of the last, if, if, if...

Reflection, and repentance.

It must begin in the Church.

Politics and Religion

You‘ve heard the phrase about being ‘so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good.’ This assumes that heaven and earth have nothing to do with each other; that spirituality and politics are two totally separate realms.

And yet, even on the surface of it, that doesn’t fit with our own cultural experience. Conservative Evangelicals as a voting bloc put George W Bush in the White House. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor first, and a civil rights activist second. The Church has historically been extremely influential in political issues like abolition, prohibition, prison reform, abortion, education, and many others.

So which party would God endorse?

...both?
...neither?

Does God even care about politics?

And where should the people of God stand on political issues?

Wisdom

To that question, the whole Bible offers one massive and obvious answer: Wisdom. That beautiful and haunting poem from the book of Job issues a call to rediscover the wisdom we need in the middle of the times we live in. I chose that reading long before the present crisis, but re-reading it now it leaps out at us that, in the previous chapter, Job denounces those who think they can make their financial systems last for ever: ‘though they heap up silver like dust, though they build their houses like nests, they may go to bed with wealth but they will do so no more; terrors overtake them like a flood; in the night a whirlwind carries them off.’ I remember being told as a boy that the Bible was as up to date as tomorrow morning’s newspaper, and there you have it in Job 27: a vivid and accurate picture of our world. And it is in that context – our context – that the poet asks, in chapter 28: Where then shall wisdom be found? You can dig for gold, you can trawl the sea for pearls, you can buy coral and crystal and jewels with money; but you can’t get wisdom that way. Indeed, we might want to add, if you spend all your time thinking about gold and pearls and crystal and money you can guarantee that you will not find wisdom.

NT Wright