The Good Life - Seven Virtues That Make Life Worth Living

The Lenten sermon series at Zion Lutheran Church is focusing on the seven virtues that make life worth living. Pastor Eric Riesen introduced the series by using the analogy of music, wherein there are seven notes that make the song of life beautiful. If life is a song, the point of which is to make music pleasing to the Lord, then these seven virtues are the notes we play.

This Wednesday in Lent marks the transition from the four cardinal virtues – prudence, temperance, courage, and justice –to the three theological virtues – faith, hope, and love. For that reason, the aim of this post is to recapitulate where we have been and point forward to where we are going. First the recap:

Prudence: This is the virtue by which we make wise decisions. That is to say, prudence is the practical wisdom of choosing that which is good and lastingly beneficial, sometimes over and against that which is bad or perhaps just less lastingly beneficial. For instance, it is prudent to dedicate one’s mornings to prayer and Scripture-study rather than mindless Facebook scrolling.

Temperance: This virtue entails moderation and self-control in one’s consumption of things. There is a prevalent (and sinful) tendency in the human heart to become obsessed with and addicted to created things, which ultimately leads to bondage. Temperance means moderating one’s relation to created things, thereby preventing bondage and leaving one free to bond with another – namely the Lord and, in the Lord, other people.

Courage: The virtue of courage is the golden mean between cowardice (i.e. shrinking back from difficulty) and foolhardiness (i.e. reckless abandon that pays no heed to rational fear). It is the virtue that lends its possessor the ability to do what is right, most especially in the face of much opposition and/or difficulty. Without courage, none of the other virtues can come to fruition.

Justice: Justice is the constant will to give each one his due. Note that this virtue (like the other virtues) entails constancy of will. Acting justly every once in a while does not make one just. Rather, the just man is resolved and habitually disposed to treat people fairly. He is upright and honest, keeps his word, and fulfills his various vocations (i.e. spouse, parent, laborer, etc.) to the best of his abilities, aiming always for personal excellence.

That is where we have been so far this Lent. In moving to the theological virtues this week, we come to that which distinguishes Christians from non-Christians. The cardinal virtues can be cultivated by any and all people, while the theological virtues are unique to Christians (though God’s desire is that all would have them).

Without faith, hope, and love, the four cardinal virtues tend to be lifeless and pointless. Thus, practitioners of the cardinal virtues grow weary and occasionally resentful. It is the theological virtues that must lift them up, animating them with the Spirit of God and aiming them at their true end – fellowship with the Lord.

Zion members, join us this Wednesday (11AM or 7PM) for faith and next Wednesday for hope. Then come Maundy Thursday for the greatest of all the virtues, love.

A blessed Lent, full of grace, to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (Ephesians 6:24)

Water Into Wine - Thoughts on John 2:1-12

“On the third day there was a wedding…”

Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. The third day is the Day of Eternity, on which the dead are raised for the marriage feast that has no end. “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:9) The third day at Cana in Galilee points to the Third Day of Eternity. The wedding at Cana in Galilee points to the wedding of Christ and his bride, the Church.

“‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification."

Mary’s words are for anyone with ears to hear: Do whatever Jesus tells you. The six stone water jars are representative of the six days of creation. That is, they represent life in this world, which is for man's purification. Those who are purified will enter the Seventh Day of rest with God (which is no different from the Third Day of resurrection with Jesus).

"‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them to the brim.”

Jesus commands a life of repentance. To fill the six jars with water is to engage in a lifelong (all six days of creation!) pursuit of purification. It is to be filled with the Spirit of God, who drowns sin and is Himself the Water springing up to everlasting life. (John 7:38-39) Those who are filled “to the brim” with Him are those who turn from sin completely and receive Him wholly.

“And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ So they took it.”

Another command from Jesus, and another instance of unquestioned obedience. The Master is God the Father, and the servants of Christ are to offer their repentance to the Father.

“When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.’”

In Christ, the water of repentance becomes the wine of new life. Sorrow for sin becomes joy in the Lord. God the Father finds this unusual, since everyone else tries to find joy by avoiding sorrow, life by avoiding death, righteousness by avoiding confession. Christ Jesus, the Bridegroom, has reversed the order. More accurately, He has demonstrated the right order.

“This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

It is the nature of signs to signify something. This particular sign – water made into wine, repentance made into new life – signifies the divinity of Christ. It points to his glory. Only God has true glory. Jesus is God. He has true glory.

If a sign is trustworthy, there are two things one should do with it: (1) trust it, and (2) follow it. The disciples trusted in and followed Christ Jesus, the Lord of glory.

A (Very) Brief Quiz for Keeping Things in Proper Perspective

What matters most to the Lord – and the basis on which He will eternally judge me – is:

A.      My achievements
B.      How other people treat me
C.      My trust in Jesus
D.      How I treat others

Answer: C and D

“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another just as He has commanded us.” – 1 John 3:23

Reflections on Epiphany

“We saw his star when it rose…” – Matthew 2:2

While the Jewish shepherds had received the testimony of angels, the Gentile magi were responding to the testimony of the star. The former knew the Scriptures and thus they were disposed to hear the voice of angels; the latter knew not the Scriptures and therefore needed another medium. Hence it was not the Scriptures but the created world that pointed the magi to the Christ.

These wise men were observant of the world in which they lived. Their observations, enlightened with the light of faith, led them to the Lord. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1) This is the One through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together. This Child is the Reason – the Logos – of the created world.

By faith, the magi see this. He is their Creator; they have come to worship Him.

“Opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11

The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled. The nations have come to the Light of Israel (Isaiah 60:3), bringing gifts of gold and frankincense (Isaiah 60:6). But what do these gifts mean?

Gold is for kings, and this Child is King of the Jews. That is to say, this Child is King of all God’s people, including these magi, for one is a Jew inwardly and circumcision is a matter of the heart. (Romans 2:28-29) By bringing gold, the magi acknowledge Jesus as their King. Their gold is symbolic of the best they have to offer. They are presenting to Jesus not just gifts, but themselves. A true King deserves obedience from his people, and that is precisely what the magi are here offering.

Frankincense is for priests, and this Child is the High Priest. He is the Mediator between God and man, the Sacrifice acceptable to God, the Incense that rises up to the Lord as the one true Prayer of the saints. The magi bring frankincense as an acknowledgment, and also a symbol, of the priestly office of Jesus. They are coming to Him prayerfully, seeking reconciliation with God.

Lastly there is myrrh, an oil for anointing both the place of worship and also the priests who serve there (Exodus 30:22-33). This Child is himself the Tabernacle in whom God dwells. He is also the Priest who offers the one true Sacrifice of himself.

Additionally, myrrh is used for embalming the dead (John 19:39), and thus this final gift of the magi is prophetic: This Child is the One who will die for the sins of many. The magi are coming to Him repentantly, offering Him the mortification of their flesh. They want to “share his sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection of the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

Wise Men Still Seek Him

Those who are truly observant of the world can be led by God to the Christ, through whom all things were made. The creation points to her Creator. Those who are attentive to life and enlightened by the Light of faith will come to acknowledge Jesus. He is their King to whom obedience is due, their Priest to whom they pray, their Sacrifice whom they join in death to sin.

This is true wisdom, given freely to anyone who would have it. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Is There Prayer on Mars?

Mars, the Red Planet, has stoked the imagination of stargazers for a long, long time. Could life exist on our planetary neighbor? Most recently, NASA announced that it appears that liquid water, at least occasionally, flows there. A manned landing is certainly within the realm of possibility. It’s exciting.

Andy Weir has captured that excitement in his book aptly entitled The Martian. Most books never make it to the big screen. So when a new book becomes a new movie you can be certain that the story has some pop-cultural clout. The Martian is such a book. Weir has written a near perfect science fiction, or futuristic, novel for nerds. At the same time, he has unintentionally written a deeply religious novel. It’s gotten rave reviews from both scientists, science fiction writers, and now, Hollywood.

Humanities majors, like myself, will probably have to trust the author on some of the science and technology. I’m not the guy to say whether his chemistry is correct. Either way,The Martian spins a good yarn.

The premise is believable. At some point in the not-so-distant future, humanity will leave its mark on the planet Mars. Mark Watney, an interplanetary astronaut with a background in both engineering and botany, is part of the Ares 3 crew. Due to a series of truly unfortunate events, his crewmates believe that Mark is dead. In reality he is very much alive. Mark is literally left behind. In his struggle to survive he must rely solely upon technology and his own intelligence.

Back on earth, the world keeps tabs on Mark. He is observed by satellites circling the Red Planet. A team of NASA scientists work around the clock to find a way to save him. Eventually NASA enlists the aid of the Chinese space program.

In a last best hope for rescue, a wild plan is concocted. It is a plan which includes vast amounts of technological wizardry and personal courage. The whole world is watching. As the plan unfolds, people gather in their homes, in pubs, or stare at the big screen in Times Square waiting, hoping for Mark’s rescue. Mark’s parents are briefly mentioned. They are pictured sitting in front of their television watching with parental anguish, a NASA representative quietly and closely on hand to answer any questions.

At first glance, the novel seems to be devoid of religion. Certainly there is little or no traditional religious significance in the novel, but Andy Weir offers a vision of a future in which there is deep religious faith in humanity.

Never are there gatherings in church, synagogue, mosque, or temple. No prayer meetings in which people plead for divine assistance. However, there are two significant religious scenes. Both of them have to do with another astronaut, the devoutly Roman Catholic Rick Martinez. (When Hollywood bothers to depict Catholic characters, they tend to be Hispanic.)

The first scene takes place about a month after Mark Watney is abandoned on Mars. He desperately needs to make fire. The problem is that everything they brought with them is made of “metal and flame-retardant plastic.” So, he rummages through the personal belongings of the other astronauts and finds, of all things, a small wooden crucifix which Martinez managed to bring with him. So he puts it to “good” use and makes wood shavings from which to start a fire. He jokes that he's left himself vulnerable to “Martian vampires.” In a Promethean moment Mark steals fire from a nonexistent god. The secret fire of technological knowledge the gods have kept for themselves is stolen by Man.

The other significant religious scene occurs when NASA scientists decide to send the Ares 3 crew, the same crew that mistakenly left him behind, back to Mars to save Mark. The ship’s Commander Lewis has a heart-to-heart with (you guessed it) Rick Martinez.

“We need to face the possibility that he won’t make it…,” Lewis said. “If that happens, we need to keep morale up. We still have a long way to go before we get home.” 

“He was dead before,” Martinez said. “It was rough on morale, but we soldiered on. Besides, he won’t die.”

“It’s pretty bleak, Rick,” said Lewis. “He’s already fifty kilometers into the storm, and he’ll go another ninety kilometers per sol. He’ll get in too deep to recover soon."

Martinez shoot his head. “He’ll pull through, Commander. Have faith.” 

She smiled forlornly, “Rick, you know I’m not religious.” 

“I know,” he said. “I’m not talking about faith in God. I’m talking about faith in Mark Watney." 

Even a devout Roman Catholic like Martinez is converted to the new faith in humanity. If we’re to be saved, it will be through faith in human intelligence, technology, and raw determination. This is the ultimate self-help story. The Martian preaches a message of faith in the innate goodness of Man and the inevitability of human progress.

Spoiler Alert: Mark is rescued. He reflects on his ordeal and asks the question “Why” so much time and money had been spent to save a “dorky botanist”? Mark answers his own question.

I know the answer to that. Part of it might be what I represent: progress, science, and the interplanetary future we’ve dreamed of for centuries. But really, they did it because every human being has a basic instinct to help each other out….If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it’s found in every culture without exception. Yes there are assholes who just don’t care, but they’re massively outnumbered by the people who do.

I read these last paragraphs and realized what had been so blatantly missing in The Martian. There are no sinners. Yes, there are some weak asinine bureaucrats, but even they are basically good. It’s as if the children of Lake Wobegon had grown up to become scientists and astronauts. In The Martian, “all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

No one wrestles with greed, or jealousy, or lust. The world is ruled by selfless, sainted scientists. It is this one-sided, shallow, overly optimistic to the point of unrealistic portrayal of our new Robinson Crusoe and the good people who try to save him which ruined the novel for me. I’ll take Brave New World, 1984, The Martian Chronicles, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength, or Dune over this sterilized utopian vision in which there are no real human beings. There are only very smart, very nice, very funny, very kind people all working together in a world without sin, only technical difficulties. The Martian is an extended tract for this new religion.

Thoughts on Reformation

What Reformation Is Not

There is a strange notion among many Protestants that the spirit of reformation is the spirit of rebellion. In other words, reforming the church means rebelling against church authority. Put simply, that is untrue. The Reformers, most notably Luther and Calvin, wanted to reform the church as an act of obedience, not rebellion. That is, they sought to obey God’s Word.

The fact that the Reformers’ obedience to God meant rebellion against Rome was accidental to their cause. The substance of the Reformation was and still is obedience to the Lord, not rebellion against authority.  Moreover, if the Bishop of Rome, or any other church authority, merely commands obedience to God’s Word, that authority should be humbly obeyed. There’s no need to reform that which is rightly formed.

Another strange view of reformation is that it is the triumph of the individual conscience. A true reformer, it is thought, is one whose conscience can override God’s moral law as it is contained in the Scriptures. This, too, is untrue to the spirit of the Reformers, whose consciences were formed and bound by God’s Word.

There is much talk about “bound conscience” among Christians, but the question that needs to be asked is, “Bound by what?” Luther’s words at the Diet of Worms are instructive for anyone who wants to engage in true reformation: “I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God.”

Individual conscience matters, but conscience can err. God’s Word does not err. True conscience is that which is open to being corrected and reformed by God’s Word. And true reformation is that which is captive not to the spirit of the age, but to the Spirit of God (who also just so happens to be the Author of the Bible!).

What Reformation Is

True reformation is reforming the Church so that she is in greater accordance with the Word of God. Why is this necessary? Because there is an obstinate tendency in the Church to make the traditions of men more important than the commandments of God. Reformation fights against this tendency. It labors to elevate the inspired Scriptures over and above – and, if necessary, against – man-made precepts.

There is great freedom that comes from the gospel. Because of Jesus Christ, there is no need to earn one’s salvation, no need to follow ceremonial laws (even if those ceremonies were commanded by God in the Old Testament, because the purpose of those ceremonies was to point to Christ), and most notably, no need to follow the traditions of men.

Yes, spiritual disciplines instituted by men can be good ways to cultivate faith. For example, the observance of Advent or Lent can serve to emphasize and cultivate a particular element of the Christian life. However, such man-made disciplines are not necessary for Christians to observe. Helpful? Yes. Necessary? No. Why? Because God never said, “Thou shalt observe Advent.”

Reformation means making sure that even good things instituted by holy men never turn into necessary things, as if they were instituted by God. Making good things necessary obscures the freedom one has in the gospel. It reduces faith in the living God to nothing more than a bunch of petty traditions passed on by men.

No matter how religious such man-made precepts may appear, they carry no weight in comparison to that which is actually commanded by God in his Word. A true reformation, therefore, is reforming Church teaching and practice to be evermore closely aligned with the Word of God.

Anything less than this is just a petty rebellion, to which the words of Hebrews should be applied, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls.” (Hebrews 13:17)

One Last Word

The Reformation – the period of reform in the 16^th century that splintered the Western Church into hundreds of sects – is not something to be celebrated. Sectarianism runs contrary to the unity for which Jesus himself prayed. (Cf. John 17) Divisions between Christians are perhaps the greatest detriment to Christian witness, meaning the Reformation should be lamented as a tragic (though perhaps necessary) occurrence.

What is to be celebrated is the desire and the courage to labor for the Church’s faithfulness to God. That kind of reform is something to be sought for in every age.

Strategy #3 for Making Life Miserable - Being Judgmental

The last two posts on this blog were part of a series on how to make life miserable. Strategy number one was Carrying Expectations, and strategy two was Playing the Victim. Now comes strategy three, Being Judgmental.

A judgmental attitude is a surefire way to make life miserable. Before noting a few ways to cultivate a judgmental mindset (and thereby become increasingly miserable), it’s worth saying what being judgmental is not.

Namely, it is not judgmental to know that some things are sinful, nor is it judgmental to tell someone they’re sinning. Indeed, one can be very discriminating between that which is good and that which is evil, and one can also speak to others about good and evil, all with great love in his heart.

What makes someone judgmental is not the ability to discern right from wrong, but the desire to hate and damn others. A judgmental spirit is one that perversely enjoys the sins of others, if only because the sins of others give one the opportunity to prosecute others, as if life is one big courtroom. (Never mind that “Satan” literally means “accuser,” and hence those who want to accuse and condemn people are thereby joining the ranks of Satan.)

So that is what it means to be judgmental, and being judgmental makes life miserable. That said, here are three ways to make oneself increasingly judgmental and, as a consequence, increasingly miserable:

Make Assumptions

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to know all the factors that have played into someone else’s actions. In order to be judgmental, it is highly important to assume that you know more than you really do. That is, assume that you do know all the factors (even though it’s certain you don’t!), and therefore there is no excuse for someone’s behavior. The only rational explanation? They are evil.

Assume also that you know people’s motives and intentions. True, you have no idea what’s really going on inside someone else’s heart. But to cultivate a judgmental attitude, you have to ignore your lack of insight. Act like you can see the unseen, and then draw a picture of the worst motives you can imagine.

Most actions are motivated by a variety of things, both good and bad. To be judgmental, assume that the motives of others are purely bad. Assume that other people intend to wrong you. This will make you quite judgmental and miserable.

Use Totalizing Language

Rather than simply stating the truth about a particular action (i.e. “John was very short with me in our conversation today”), use totalizing language that extrapolates one action into all actions (i.e. “John is always short with me, he never wants to talk”).

Someone who uses totalizing words like “always” and “never” is not really telling the truth, but that’s the key to being judgmental. To condemn people, you need to build a case against them. And to build a case, you need to ignore evidence that contradicts your accusation. Hence, words like “always” and “never” are very handy. If someone “always” does something wrong or “never” does something right, then there’s literally nothing they can do to escape your condemnation.

For anyone who’d like to have a judgmental (and miserable) spirit, don’t confine yourself to the truth. Remember that your job is to build a case against others and to justify your condemnation of them. A good prosecutor doesn’t bring up evidence that may excuse the defendant. Be a good prosecutor. Use totalizing language.

Label People

Labels take certain actions (i.e. “John was very short with me in our conversation today”) and turn them into an assessment of one’s character (i.e. “John is an a**hole”). Labels are very easy to come up with when you’re already adept at using totalizing language (i.e. “John is always short with me, he never wants to talk. Therefore, John is most certainly an a**hole”).

Labels blind oneself to reality and help build a case for condemnation. Put simply, once you have placed a label on someone, you’ll be very unlikely to notice things that contradict it. Or if you do notice such things, you’ll be likely to interpret them according to your preexisting label. For example, if John is most certainly an a**hole, then even the kind things that he does will seem suspicious to you.

Labels are perhaps the finest tool of a judgmental spirit. If you really want to be judgmental, use the actions of others to make negative assessments of their character. Label people as “idiots” or “jerks” or, best of all, “evil.” You will thereby feel completely justified in your hatred of them. And your hatred, of course, will make you quite miserable.

Final Word

So there they are: Three ways to cultivate a judgmental mindset and, in turn, make oneself miserable. There's just one last piece of advice for anyone who wants to be judgmental. Namely, ignore the words of Jesus:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you get.” – Matthew 7:1-2