~Refreshment Requires Help From Above~

Monday, July 30, 2007

Any questions so far? (Part 1)

This first part is an email to the guy I emailed with my lengthy talk, as well as his response, and my response to his response. After that, he asked me some questions with regards to my position on the matter. But since it's so much longer, I'll post that as part 2. What I say is in blue, what he says is in green.
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Hi David, I was wondering if you have any questions about my convictions so far? Just wanted to know before continuing on, because I am wondering if you might have the same questions I did when I first heard that outline. The next one is about the wrath of God.

Your Brother-in-Christ,
Matthew


Matthew--Young brother, you sent me a tome! I am simply too buried with
other things to go through all that line for line. I am not going to pretend
I have and respond to you either positively or negatively.

I will say this, though: If this kind of detailed unpacking of the text (I
am quite familiar with it--my Ph.D. supervisor has written one of the best
expositions of Rom 1-3 that I have ever read) is what wakes a passion in you
for the gospel, more power to you. For years I prayed, "Lord, show me the
cross, help me understand it." He answered that prayer, and the simplicity
and wonder of it has changed my life (so on this point I take issue with
your portrayal of "Christ crucified" as burned over, tired religion, though
I understand how God must use other things vis-a-vis your personality to
awake you).

I wish you the very best,
For the Cross.
David


Ah, that's nice brother David! However, the reason I feel so empowered by it though, is not its simplicity, but its implications. Taken as it is, it means that people who haven't heard the name of Jesus will be in heaven, because the instant Christ died, He took corporate humanity with him so that everyone is considered dead according to transgressing the Law's unsympathetic demands of complete obedience in body and thought, as well as the law of sin in our body. It's just overwhelming with other implications, that the holy sanctuary has taken a whole different meaning to me, as well as the Levitical laws. That is why I wish to share it with you. What Christ did saved all humanity, whether they know of it or not. But that's only the objective facts; the subjective part is that to experience the power coming through the Gospel, they have to hear and believe the promise of the adoption, when corruption will put on incorruption.

Your Brother-in-Christ,
Matthew

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