Mid-term

The semester presses on.

We finished our first book in my historical Jesus class the other day. Weaver, the author of our book, is nothing less than knowledgeable and nothing more than BO-ring (!). No just kidding. But in all seriousness (and much to my misfortune since I have to write a mega paper on this), all these scholars sound the same to me. I suppose that's how spiritual discernment works, eh? Sure, there are varying degrees of darkness, but compared to the infinite light, they all dim your sight.

Yet aside from denying the main doctrine of Christianity (substitutionary atonement), still there remain some truths that these scholars attempt to convey in their mass tree killings. For one, that Jesus was original, and two, that he was different from everybody else in all that he preached for his supreme commandment of love.

Indeed, taking the spiritual gifts test made me realize how much I lack compassion for others. Being a demented observer and a probing inquirer -- often times a blunt critic -- I fail to return to the heart of Christendom. Insensitivity just might be the most wicked sin, I feel. Love does not manifest itself in thinking or feeling but doing. How much moreso must I rely on His grace to season my speech and actions with salt. How much moreso must I sacrifice self to serve others. That's what the four gospels are all about anyway, and I feel that we completely miss it sometimes with our main focus on theology. Jesus lived in 1st century. He demanded perfection -- by selling all our possessions and feeding the poor, and by keeping our hearts pure and not even desiring to sin! We live in 21st century. We obsess over predestination and justification and eschatology and whatnot -- when Christ continually calls to us, demanding our all.

This past month, Love/Hate campaign has certainly been an eye opener for me. Sin from Christians and sin from the lost world alike tainted those boards. In Randy Newman's words, it echoes the question, "If Jesus is so great, why are some of his followers such jerks?"

Because Love is missing from Christendom. Indeed, there is no one true way to evangelize -- if one particular human method worked for all, then Jesus would have returned by now! No; there exist no less or more effective ways of evangelism. If your heart does not break for the lost, then you will most likely not be a good witness in spite of elequent rhetorics and knowledgeable founts. God has called each and every one of us to do what we can do best. The only extra weapon we must equip ourselves with, is Love, because against Love there is no effective defense.

Further on that perspective, I believe that Turlington preachers are doing what they can do best, and for that I credit them. Of course, is that necessarily in accordance with God's will? No; their efforts become problematic -- why? Because Love is missing. Such is why I think that Tom Short is an excellent model of doing what he knows best in Love. As for ourselves, our time is running out. To those who criticize Turlington preachers -- how will you uniquely invest your time and efforts for God's kingdom? To Turlington preachers -- how will you speak the Truth in Love? Let's do something. Christ has called us to work. Let us shine forth that little light of ours today.

Then the world will shine as well.