As we continue to blog our way through the “What’s The Deal?” questions, occasionally one pops up that kind of makes me go, “hmmmmmmm”……….
The following is one such question:
“Is there a point at which you can turn your back on your neighbor because they refused any attempts of love and show no interest in a relationship with the Lord?”
Interesting question.
First of all, let me answer the question on its own merits.
Yes, there is a point at which you can turn your back on your neighbor…………….
You can turn your back on anybody you want to…………….
You can turn your back at any time you want to………..
You can turn your back for any reason you want to…………..
The question didn’t ask, “Would it be good, or right to do so”
It simply asked if you “can”
Sure you can…………
But why would you?
Quite honestly……………….I don’t even get the question.
I don’t get why you would want turn your back on anyone.
I thought of my friends.
I thought of my family.
I thought of people that I love.
I thought about my neighbors.
Then I thought about turning my back on them, cutting off our relationship, never to speak to them again, simply because they don’t choose to follow the same faith journey as I do.
The thought of that made me feel sad.
Perhaps I am just hopelessly relational, but don’t you want to be around your friends?
Don’t you want to be around the ones you love?
Don’t you especially want to be around the ones who love you back?
But the more I thought about it, the thought occurred to me………..
There is absolutely NOTHING noble about that.
There is nothing special about it.
Jesus spoke about this very thing.
Luke 6:32-34
32 "If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!
33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!
34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
NLT
It occurred to me.
I am called to extend the boundaries of my relationships.
I am called to continue in relationship when I would rather not.
I am called to continue in relationship when it is not benefiting me.
And I stay in relationship BECAUSE I am a believer.
Because I am a believer, I am supposed to love others with the same love with which Christ loved me.
You know,…..that ‘while - I - was - still - a - sinner’ kind of love.
Yea………………….THAT kind of love.
The kind of love that selflessly laid its life down for me in the HOPES that one day I would receive it.
Paul talks about this love a little bit in 1 Corinthians.
1 Cor 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. NLT
Love NEVER gives up.
It NEVER loses faith.
It is ALWAYS hopeful.
It ENDURES through EVERY circumstance.
I do believe in a little thing called tough love from time to time.
I do believe that constructing boundaries around your self are healthy and necessary when it comes to abusive types of issues and concerns.
These boundaries are there for you and/or your families well being and safety.
On a side note – whenever these boundaries are drawn, those drawing them are counseled to include forgiveness as a major part of the process.
But the question we have here does not allude to anything like that.
Honestly.............
The question seems to be looking for an end…………..
to unending love.
It seems to be trying to find a condition…………..
to unconditional love.
It seems to be trying to find that one loophole………..
to grace…….
to mercy…….
Friend, there isn’t one.
There is no end to love,
There is no condition to mercy,
There is no loophole to grace.
If there were, you and I could quite possibly be the first ones to fall through it.
So it is with gratitude to God that I love others in the same way.
After all,
that’s what makes it GOOD NEWS
Mark Brague
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
What's The Deal With Cremation?
One of the many questions we received had to do with cremation.
Upon doing some study and research, I found a good deal on the subject.
It appears as though cremation has been going on since the stone ages.
Some reports date it up to 12,000 years ago.
Over the centuries and throughout the course of history, there have been cultures that have practiced cremation and those that have forbidden it.
Some reasons why cremation has been practiced vary widely from practical and sanitary, all the way to religious reasons.
Of course the sanitary reasons make sense but you may be surprised at some of the religions that have practiced and/or forbidden it.
Interestingly, there is no specific teaching in the Bible about cremation.
Cremation is mentioned in the Old Testament, however, it does not condone or forbid the practice.
It is true that most of the key people in the Old Testament were buried.
In fact, it was considered a dishonor to the people of Israel not to receive a proper burial.
In addition, most of the people who were burned to death in the Bible were receiving a punishment.
The Bible seems to favor burial over cremation, but there is nowhere in the Bible that explicitly condemns it either.
It seems to be more of a cultural issue rather than a religious issue.
There are Christians who object to the practice of cremation.
Their arguments are based on the biblical concept that one day the bodies of those who have died in Christ will be resurrected and reunited with their souls and spirits.
1 Corinthians 15:35-55 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
…Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (Excerpt Verses 42-44; 54-55 NLT)
And if a body has been cremated………….well…………there would be no body for God to resurrect.
But that limits God’s ability. That draws God inside the box of human interpretation and understanding.
As if my limited thinking circumvents what God is allowed to, or for that matter, what God is ABLE to do.
Just because a body has been destroyed by fire, doesn't mean God can't one day resurrect it in newness of life, to reunite it with the soul and spirit of the believer.
If God could not do this, then all believers who have died in a house fire, or a burning car due to an accident, or any accidental fire at all are without hope of receiving their heavenly bodies.
My God is bigger than that.
I understand that some people have strong feelings about cremation.
Some people are firmly opposed to it, while others much prefer it to burial.
In the end…………..since there is no explicit biblical teaching for or against it, we are left to make a personal decision about the matter.
We all came from dust...................
We will all return to dust...................
I guess there is only one question to answer........................
How quickly do I want to return to dust?
About 100 years?
Or just a few minutes?
If there is a preferred way that you would want to be laid to rest, it might be a good idea to have that conversation with your family so as to avoid any conflict during funeral preparations.
Upon doing some study and research, I found a good deal on the subject.
It appears as though cremation has been going on since the stone ages.
Some reports date it up to 12,000 years ago.
Over the centuries and throughout the course of history, there have been cultures that have practiced cremation and those that have forbidden it.
Some reasons why cremation has been practiced vary widely from practical and sanitary, all the way to religious reasons.
Of course the sanitary reasons make sense but you may be surprised at some of the religions that have practiced and/or forbidden it.
Interestingly, there is no specific teaching in the Bible about cremation.
Cremation is mentioned in the Old Testament, however, it does not condone or forbid the practice.
It is true that most of the key people in the Old Testament were buried.
In fact, it was considered a dishonor to the people of Israel not to receive a proper burial.
In addition, most of the people who were burned to death in the Bible were receiving a punishment.
The Bible seems to favor burial over cremation, but there is nowhere in the Bible that explicitly condemns it either.
It seems to be more of a cultural issue rather than a religious issue.
There are Christians who object to the practice of cremation.
Their arguments are based on the biblical concept that one day the bodies of those who have died in Christ will be resurrected and reunited with their souls and spirits.
1 Corinthians 15:35-55 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
…Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (Excerpt Verses 42-44; 54-55 NLT)
And if a body has been cremated………….well…………there would be no body for God to resurrect.
But that limits God’s ability. That draws God inside the box of human interpretation and understanding.
As if my limited thinking circumvents what God is allowed to, or for that matter, what God is ABLE to do.
Just because a body has been destroyed by fire, doesn't mean God can't one day resurrect it in newness of life, to reunite it with the soul and spirit of the believer.
If God could not do this, then all believers who have died in a house fire, or a burning car due to an accident, or any accidental fire at all are without hope of receiving their heavenly bodies.
My God is bigger than that.
I understand that some people have strong feelings about cremation.
Some people are firmly opposed to it, while others much prefer it to burial.
In the end…………..since there is no explicit biblical teaching for or against it, we are left to make a personal decision about the matter.
We all came from dust...................
We will all return to dust...................
I guess there is only one question to answer........................
How quickly do I want to return to dust?
About 100 years?
Or just a few minutes?
If there is a preferred way that you would want to be laid to rest, it might be a good idea to have that conversation with your family so as to avoid any conflict during funeral preparations.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
"What's the Deal?" Panel Discussion Response
Ok folks.
Here's the deal.
As some of you may know, I got to play "Text Masta" during yesterday's "What's The Deal?" Panel Discussion.
Aside from the blatently goofball questions from David Furry and his 'gang' in the BACK ROW...........we were stunned at the response from you all.
To be honest, I was stunned at David Furry's adolescent behavior..................but that's another blog.
Anyhow, I just wanted to post today and say that over the next little while, Tony, myself and perhaps a few others will be blogging our way through your questions.
So keep checking to see what we are able to crank out.
I would also like to say a huge THANKS to all the panelists. Chaplain Durham, Gwen Brague, Andre Kirwan, Patricia Young Summers and Jason Caulk.
I thought your remarks were insightful and well thought out.
Thanks for playing along!
We recieved such great feedback from the day that we are actually talking about doing this 'interactive thing' again sometime.
We will keep you posted!
Here's the deal.
As some of you may know, I got to play "Text Masta" during yesterday's "What's The Deal?" Panel Discussion.
Aside from the blatently goofball questions from David Furry and his 'gang' in the BACK ROW...........we were stunned at the response from you all.
To be honest, I was stunned at David Furry's adolescent behavior..................but that's another blog.
Anyhow, I just wanted to post today and say that over the next little while, Tony, myself and perhaps a few others will be blogging our way through your questions.
So keep checking to see what we are able to crank out.
I would also like to say a huge THANKS to all the panelists. Chaplain Durham, Gwen Brague, Andre Kirwan, Patricia Young Summers and Jason Caulk.
I thought your remarks were insightful and well thought out.
Thanks for playing along!
We recieved such great feedback from the day that we are actually talking about doing this 'interactive thing' again sometime.
We will keep you posted!
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