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The Beautiful Victory of the Cross and the Table of Aslan

November 14, 2011 in Atonement, C. S. Lewis, Gospel, Mark D. Baker, Salvation with 34 Comments

'Christus Victor' photo (c) 2007, Randy OHC - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Last week, I wrote about my belief that the cross is too beautiful to fit many popular theologies.  It isn’t beautiful in itself, for a Roman cross represents the power of Empire, a power that is always opposed to the way of Jesus.  Rather, the beauty is in the One who chose to endure unjust suffering, knowing that the grave would not be able to hold God’s Messiah down!  The beauty is in a Jesus who models what it means to love our enemies while humbly reminding us that we all were God’s enemies (Romans 5.10).

One thing that I’m convinced of is that God did not pour out Divine wrath against Jesus on the cross in order to be appeased. This view, as Mark Baker states, “can too easily lead to a situation in which we might conclude that Jesus came to save us from God.”[1] I plan to nuance this statement in future articles, but for now it suffices to say that we need alternative ways to think about the cross.

In fact, part of the problem is that we’ve limited the cross to one primary explanation (God’s wrath being poured out on Jesus as a substitute for sinners to appease God’s bind to the Law).  I want to suggest that the New Testament gives multiple images and metaphors for expressing the multifaceted significance of the cross.  Today, lets explore one of these through the lens of a popular story.  Notice that this is one example of how substitution can still be present in atonement theology without the appeasement of God’s wrath (which, as popularly understood, isn’t in the New Testament). Continue Reading…

The Cross is Too Beautiful for That! PS – God Isn’t Angry Either

November 8, 2011 in Atonement, Mark D. Baker with 22 Comments

'BBC Cross' photo (c) 2005, Ihar - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

 

The cross is too beautiful for that.

It’s too beautiful to be reduced to a simple explanation.  It’s too beautiful to finally “figure out.”  It’s too beautiful to capture in a simple tract.  It’s too beautiful to proclaim with a megaphone and a picket sign.  It’s too beautiful to be turned upside-down to be wielded as a sword.  It’s too beautiful to be used as the source of blood-guilt to manipulate people into cognitive beliefs to avoid hell.  It’s too beautiful to be properly imagined by viewing the Jesus Film or the Passion of the Christ.  It’s too beautiful to be confined to one narrow explanation. It’s simply, too beautiful for that!

In the New Testament, an array of images express the significance of the cross.  Mark Baker, who is a personal friend, has written vastly on this subject (more to come on this topic in the near future).  In his book, Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross: Contemporary Images of the Atonement[1], he first explains how the way the story of the cross has been told over the past several hundred years has led to some collateral damage.  For instance, imagine if the following perspective is your primary way of understanding the heavenly Father, when your earthly father was abusive.  It may lead to some problems with how you might attempt to relate to such a God.  On top of this, I’m not convinced that the way many Christians talk about the cross is truly biblical. Continue Reading…

Resource of the Week: Recovering the Scandal of the Cross

September 26, 2011 in (Series) Resource of the Week, Atonement, Theology with 7 Comments

Every week I’m going to post a blog that simply points you to the “resource of the week.”  It will be: theological, political, social justice focused, church ministry related, or some other random thing that I think will help Christ-followers in the journey.

This week, I want to point your attention to an important book: Recovering the Scandal of the Cross by Mark Baker and Joel Green.  When the first edition came out, conservative reformed folks were not too happy.  This book attempts to give each atonement image in the New Testament an equal voice and is critical of popular formulations of “penal satisfaction” perspectives of the cross.  In the next few weeks, I plan to say much more about this book, but for now, I hope you will order the newly updated second edition!  Also, to familiarize yourself with the conversation on atonement theory, you can start with this article: Two Foundational Stories of the Cross: How They Affect Evangelism.

Why Universal Salvation is an Evangelical Option… Sort Of ("Friendly Friday" post: David Bunce)

May 20, 2011 in Atonement, Guest Contributors, Salvation, Theology with 6 Comments

Salvation Mountainphoto © 2008 Chuck Coker | more info (via: Wylio)

 

Whispers have reached Scotland that Rob Bell has written a new book. Something to do with salvation and hell and heaven. The word on the street is this new book (which I gather suggests that the Christian God is known for his love and mercy) has upset a lot of Christians and they have written a lot of angry things about it. Nice to know some things don‟t change in the Christian world, isn’t it. When all around us goes bottoms up, we can at least depend on the availability of an angry Christian.

I’ve dealt with the controversy surrounding the book a wee bit on my own blog, and to be honest, as I said at the time, the whole thing bores me ever so slightly. I didn’t think it was a terrible book. I didn’t think it said anything particularly new that I hadn’t read before. It‟s not even a line of argument I would personally follow. The main credit to Rob Bell (whose work I admire a lot) is that he raised the topic on a popular level and encouraging people to talk.

I would, however, like to comment on one sentiment that I have seen floating around the conversation from people who disagree with Bell. The sentiment is this: Universalism doesn’t take the life and work of Jesus seriously and therefore, by extension, he has left aside all credible evangelical faith and become a hippy pot smoking liberal who strokes cats whilst hugging trees. In the nude. Continue Reading…

Views of the Cross and Asian American Mission

September 15, 2010 in Atonement, Theology with 14 Comments

I want to invite you to read a quick pdf file that is titled: Why Penal Substitution Doesn’t Work with Asian-Americans, by Mako Nagasawa.  This will take you maybe five minutes but is completely worth it.  If you don’t, the rest of this post may not make complete sense.

A disclaimer I should start with is that this article is critiquing the popular form of  “penal substitution” NOT “substitutionary atonement.”  He and I both affirm that Christ died as our substitute, but we remain unconvinced that Jesus was the object of God’s direct wrath.  This, my friends is cosmic child abuse and inconsistent with the character of God.  Now, I also should say that there are some thoughtful folks out there that use the language of “penal” but mean something a bit more nuanced than God’s wrath being poured out on the Son.  I am not in disagreement with those folks so much.

It is my conviction that Jesus did indeed suffer wrath, but not directly from the Father, but from the powers of evil.  The most helpful image of this is found in the “Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe.”  The White Witch (Satan) wrathfully kills Aslan (Jesus) as a substitute for Edmund the traitor (whom is representative of fallen humanity).  Notice that in this image, Jesus is enduring the wrath of Evil so that humanity doesn’t have to.

Now, in this article, we will see that shame is a focus.  I will be interested to hear your thoughts.  But now, here are some of mine. Continue Reading…

Atonement? Do Jesus' Words Get Priority and Do They Demonstrate the Rest of the NT as Heresy?

August 5, 2009 in Atonement with 42 Comments

For the last couple of days, a kind man named Robert Roberg has been commenting on a post on the Atonement from just after Easter. If I am understanding him correctly, he believes that only the actual words of Jesus are authoritative and that the other parts of Scripture are simply commentary. Anything that seems to contradict a statement of Jesus is not true. Therefore, several statements in Paul are false, especially if they say anything having to do with “blood” or sacrifice being required to remove sin. From this perspective Jesus speaks the words of forgiveness, and that is how one finds eternal life. Here are some quotes:

“If he never died or rose he would have still completed his mission. You are cleansed (would that be forgiven?) by the word. He sent his word and healed them. The resurrection was to increase our faith and take away our fear of death as you said it vindicated everything Jesus said and did.”

Here is another quote regarding the NT:

“Although he was wounded and lost his throne of power, Satan was not giving up, he made sure the twisted blood atonement found it’s way into the other NT books. He has succeeded in clouding and diluting the words of Jesus through mixing.”

I want to invite you to read the conversation below and give some input. How would you respond to this ‘different’ kind of approach to Jesus and the Scriptures as a whole? Do Jesus’ words demonstrate that the rest of the New Testament has several contradictions? What would you say to him about issues of atonement? Are Jesus’ words what had the power to forgive, or his defeat of the powers?

(Although you may have different views, I would ask you to treat Robert with respect in your comments)

______________________

­­Jesus told us how to restore the broken connection with the father without blood or death. He said If you love me the father will love you. (Restoration accomplished). Do you need a better connection? If you keep my sayings (commandments) the father and I will make our abode with you. No blood or death involved.

The Old boys (sages of the OT) thought blood was necessary for sin removal. Wrong! If you forgive others the father will forgive you. No blood required.

Stop readin all dem damn books and read Jesus.

Peace

Robert Roberg

Gainesville FL

___________________

(KURT)

Question for Robert: Then why did Jesus have to die and resurrect? The bible seems to think it was for the “remission of sins.”

PS – I love to read Jesus… I also love to know and experience Jesus in my daily walk with his spirit!

_______________________

Sorry Kurt,

I didn’t mean to imply you don’t read Jesus, I can see you do, but like most believers you mix his truth in with the whole Bible as if all truth is equal. Plus you were recommending a list of books.

I think we get lost in the forest of the Bible and mislead by mixing. Only the word’s of Jesus are the Light, and the bread, spirit and zoe life.

Even my words are lifeless compared to his.

The blood of Jesus is found in Proverbs 8, it is “wisdom”.

It is wisdom that teaches how to remit our sins.

Jesus spoke the words of wisdom which shows us in 5 steps how to remove sins.

1.Confess your sins,

2. make amends

3. Forgive and you will be forgiven.

4. Because she loved much, her sins though many are forgiven.

5. Make a supreme effort, like the man coming down through the roof, to reach Jesus.

None of these steps involves blood, or death.

Jesus goal was not to die but to live a sinless life. It was his sinless life that broke the power of Satan. He offered his life as a ransom in a living prisoner exchange. One sinless man sinned and one sinless man conquered sin. God doesn’t cheat. He didn’t come to the earth in a skin suit and deceive the devil.

Satan was a murderer from the beginning and so Jesus knew he would die, his final temptation was to get through the final hours without sinning and he made it. He shouted in a loud voice tetlestai (the gladiator’s cry of victory).

Although he was wounded and lost his throne of power, Satan was not giving up, he made sure the twisted blood atonement found it’s way into the other NT books. He has succeeded in clouding and diluting the words of Jesus through mixing.

The point of the resurrection was so that we might believe, and prove to us that we too will rise on the final day if we follow our master and keep on studying his undiluted Gospel and keep on doing it.

Peace

Robert

__________________________

(KURT)

Robert: Thanks for coming back and giving me more to ponder. A couple of questions:

1. Do you believe that only the recorded words of Jesus are authoritative? If so why?

2. Do you not believe that the rest of the NT books are accurate in their depiction of Jesus’ death and resurrection in regard to the issue of forgiveness? If this is your view or some version of it; on what grounds do you dismiss the writings of Paul, Peter, John, and others? Is this what you mean by “Mixing?”

3. Would you categorize your belief system with a specific name?

Finally, I agree that Jesus declared forgiveness without shedding his blood in some scenarios that you mention, but it seems that without the resurrection his words would not have been valid. Resurrection vindicated Jesus as the world’s True Lord and the only one who has ever conquered death. Any thoughts here? Just trying to understand you position a bit more.

PS – Do you have a blog? Any recommended online reading I can do to further understand your views on Jesus?

____________

Hi Kurt,

. A couple of questions:

1. Do you believe that only the recorded words of Jesus are authoritative? If so why?

Jesus said heaven and earth would pass but his words would not. So yes they are authoritative.

Everything that harmonizes with the words of Jesus is true. He said his words are spirit and zoe life. He said ” am the truth. He is our gold standard by which we judge all truth. His words for me are only in the 4 Gospels and that’s why I call myself a Red Letter Christian (Not to be confused with Tony Camplos mixing of politics and Jesus).

I also call myself a “one viner” for I only draw my theology from the one vine of Jesus. The other writings I view as commentary, some of the commentary is in sync with Jesus but some of it is contrary. For example when Jesus says God does not want sacrifice and Paul , Hebrews and 2 Peter preach sacrifices I disregard their commentary and dismiss their comments as the thoughts of imperfect men being lead astray by adversaries.

2. Do you not believe that the rest of the NT books are accurate in their depiction of Jesus’ death and resurrection in regard to the issue of forgiveness? If this is your view or some version of it; on what grounds do you dismiss the writings of Paul, Peter, John, and others? Is this what you mean by “Mixing?”

I dismiss anything that does not harmonize with Jesus whether it is said by Moses, Pau, Mt, Mrk, Lk, or Jn,l or any apostle (they were all fallible men)

No amount of blood can remove the sins of an unrepentant sinner who does not forgive everyone.

“If you do not forgive others, father cannot forgive you.”

3. Would you categorize your belief system with a specific name?

“Berean” for I search the scriptures daily. I am not a teacher, preacher, prophet, expert scholar, but merely a serious student who has been wrong often and I do not inisist people agree with me. If you can show me scripture that harmonizes with Jesus, I am teachable.

Finally, I agree that Jesus declared forgiveness without shedding his blood in some scenarios that you mention, but it seems that without the resurrection his words would not have been valid. Resurrection vindicated Jesus as the world’s True Lord and the only one who has ever conquered death. Any thoughts here? Just trying to understand you position a bit more.

His mission was to deliver the logos. He was the sower sowing the logos (note he does not claim to be the logos, but preached the logos and told us to preach it.

The logos is the message of the Father as revealed by Jesus . The law came by Moses but truth came by Jesus. If he never died or rose he would have still completed his mission. You are cleansed (would that be forgiven?) by the word. He sent his word and healed them. The resurrection was to increase our faith and take away our fear of death as you said it vindicated everything Jesus said and did.

PS – Do you have a blog? Any recommended online reading I can do to further understand your views on Jesus?

I have a book on AmazonThe Gospel of the kingdom: Retold and it can be downloaded here free. http://robertroberg.com/writings/kingdom35.pdf

Peace

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