Two heavyweight proponents of gospel, grace, and godliness – Michael Horton and Tim Keller – discuss suffering, forgiveness, Justification through Faith, Evangelicalism (and Fundamentalism), along with a number of other topics in this thoughtful conversation between old friends. (According to Horton, this conversation was his last with Tim Keller, before Keller’s death in Spring of 2023.)
Much to chew on here. I think I’ll be watching this one again, and maybe again and again.
“The suffering that comes to us is not random. It is not just the flow of chance events that careen along without a plan. It is not crazy coincidence. It is not haphazard and undirected. It is easy for us to see suffering as blind chance, or bad luck, or what others are doing to us. It is not karma, bad thing are not coming to us, because we have been bad to others. God makes it clear that all suffering comes according to God’s purposes in our lives. God is at work even when we cannot see him at work.”
~ Tedd Tripp
It has been way too long since I have written here. But this morning, as I think and pray about the devastation that has hit Oklahoma… It is only appropriate to post. Yet, what can I say? As a former Oklahoman (I spent my Freshman & Sophomore years of high school, and my first two college Summer Breaks, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma) this tragedy that has struck, particularly hard on the town of Moore, OK, is heartbreaking. The videos of the Category 4 tornado (that may yet still be upgraded to Cat 5) that ripped through the town, the hospital, and the elementary school seems surreal. It brings back to memory all the tornado drills we went through as students – events I must confess I never took too seriously, though clearly I should have. So I write, but what can I say?
There are many reporting and commenting on this disaster. But two have struck me as offering especially proper perspective and prayer:
Sam Storms, a pastor from Oklahoma City, whom I have never met, but whom I truly appreciate, offers the simple yet importantly profound perspective, in a post he titled: Tornadoes, Tsunamis, and the Mystery of Suffering & Sovereignty. Storms begins his post hesitantly and with seeming resignation:
I’m inclined to think the best way to respond to the tragedy that struck our community today is simply to say nothing. I have little patience for those who feel the need to theologize about such events, as if anyone possessed sufficient wisdom to discern God’s purpose. On the other hand, people will inevitably ask questions and are looking for encouragement and comfort.
But then he thoughtfully posits a handful of truths essential for us all to build a foundation capable to sustain us through such tragedies – be they our own, or vicarious ones, such as this event is for the most of us.
Mike Milton, former Chancellor of Reformed Theological Seminary, and a man I am thankful to know and appreciate, composed a prayer – a prayer I find worthy to be shared by the many who, like me, may not be able to find the words from within ourselves that we would like to offer to God and on behalf of those effected: A Prayer for the Disaster in Oklahoma
I have begun a series of messages at Walnut Hill Church from the Seven Letters to the Churches in Revelation. This past Sunday we looked at the Church at Smyrna, from Revelation 2.8-11.
The Church at Smyrna is most intriguing for a couple reasons.
First, the name Smyrna litterally means “City of Myrh”. If myrh sounds familiar it is probably because it is one of the three gifts the Magi brought to Jesus, the new-born king. We sing about it at Christmas-time. Myrh is an herb that when crushed emits a fragrant aroma. This was an appropriate gift for the young Jesus, who was born to become a martyred prophet. It is also an appropriate name for this church since it endured incessant crushing and persecution.
Second, the Church at Smyrna is one of only two of these churches that received no correction, only commendation. That alone ought to make us take note of them. They received only encouragement from Jesus, who commended them for faithfully enduring seasons of suffering and persecution.
As I considered the Church at Smyrna, and the message Jesus had for them, I could not help but contrast them from the television ministries today that proclaim, what they call, Prosperity Gospel.
The Propserity Gospel, in a nutshell, proclaims that God wants all his people to be Healthy, Wealthy, and Happy. There are differnt versions of this. The Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn disciples embrace this clear message. The Robert Schuller, Norman Vincent Peale disciples embrace a tamer Positive Thinking version. And Joel Osteen has created a hybrid version, proclaiming you can have the best life now (as opposed to what the Bible says – that the BEST life is yet to come).
In my message Sunday I pointed out the erroneousness of this teaching. I was pretty blunt pointing out that this message is unbiblical. But there are words I did not use that now, in retrospect, I wish I had; I think I should have: Heresy, Lies, Dangerous. That’s what this whole memvement is – no matter the sincerity of those behind it.
See, here the issue: they proclaim that the faithful will not experience hardship on this earth. Jesus proclaims to a church that is in the midst of persecution (not prosperity) that they are being faithful by enduring hardship. Clearly there would be no room for Jesus in the Prosperity Gospel movement.
Further, Hebrews 2.10 says:
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
In some sense, Jesus was made perfect through suffering. So, the logic of the message of the Prosperity Gospel is:
Be more faithful, be LESS like Jesus.
GRACE & PEACE 