This was great! Talk about getting right to the point! Made me also think of James saying to put our faith into action! ~ And, hey Kevin, let me know when those t-shirts come out!
What do it think? Quite honestly, there is truth to what Perry says, but I think Perry goes into some questionable territory when he says, and I paraphrase, God is responsible for the supernatural and we are responsible for the natural. I understand the truth he is trying to convey, but.....God is God of all. Perhaps I am putting too fine a point on it in this particular context, but He is sovereign over the natural and supernatural. I fail at this, too, but we need to be precise and careful - out of reverence and honor - with our words especially when talking about our holy Triune God and Redeemer, especially if we are a pastor or teacher, for such are held to higher accountability.
Also, Perry, for all his admirable passion and his formidable gifts as a speaker, often seems to errantly see and divide the Christian world in two overly-simple camps: hearers and doers while seeming to hold hearers in disdain. We are to be both hearers and doers, be we cannot fully understand the reason or source of the doing unless we understand by hearing first. The doing, without proper understanding and motivation, can lead to a self-righteousness that is as wrong and crippling to a Christian as being a hearer without 'doing'.
I am also becoming quite cynical about the fixation many relevant pastors seem to have regarding speaking about sex from the pulpit. This is no longer edgy; it is now a worn cliche.
I am not a prude, but so many other and better examples could have been used to express ones selfless, and sometimes costly, obedience to the Word as being an outgrowth and expression of faith than having sex. While sex is a gift of God in the covenant of marriage, is having sex the best example of obedience in picking up the Cross and dying to self?
A couple more quick thoughts just occurred to me. I promise to refrain after this post. Really, I do more than sit around in my PJs commenting on blogs. ;-)
Got to remember that Sarah was very old when she conceived; if memory serves, was she not 70 years old? The focus of the passage Perry quotes is on the promise of God to Abraham. Circumstances, 'nature' alone, would seem to dictate that God's promises of a child for Abraham, of Sarah becoming pregnant, is unreasonable; she is long past the age of conception. Cutting to the chase, is not the focus of the passage Perry quotes more on God's faithfulness to His promises and His sovereignty over circumstance rather than our doing stuff?
If you want to preach a message on the place and nature of works and faith, preach from, for example, James or Romans. If you are going to preach a message from Genesis, preach a message on the sovereignty of God. Is that not what the text is more about?
8 comments:
This goes along with the saying: "Trust God but put gas in your car."
I think he does a nice job of pointing out the tension that is often between faith and action. Interesting stuff.
"and I'll show you my faith with what I do."
love it. hilarious and provoking (in a good way).
"Do the natural." That's my new slogan. Coming soon to a t-shirt near you...
This was great! Talk about getting right to the point! Made me also think of James saying to put our faith into action! ~ And, hey Kevin, let me know when those t-shirts come out!
What do it think? Quite honestly, there is truth to what Perry says, but I think Perry goes into some questionable territory when he says, and I paraphrase, God is responsible for the supernatural and we are responsible for the natural. I understand the truth he is trying to convey, but.....God is God of all. Perhaps I am putting too fine a point on it in this particular context, but He is sovereign over the natural and supernatural. I fail at this, too, but we need to be precise and careful - out of reverence and honor - with our words especially when talking about our holy Triune God and Redeemer, especially if we are a pastor or teacher, for such are held to higher accountability.
Also, Perry, for all his admirable passion and his formidable gifts as a speaker, often seems to errantly see and divide the Christian world in two overly-simple camps: hearers and doers while seeming to hold hearers in disdain. We are to be both hearers and doers, be we cannot fully understand the reason or source of the doing unless we understand by hearing first. The doing, without proper understanding and motivation, can lead to a self-righteousness that is as wrong and crippling to a Christian as being a hearer without 'doing'.
I am also becoming quite cynical about the fixation many relevant pastors seem to have regarding speaking about sex from the pulpit. This is no longer edgy; it is now a worn cliche.
I am not a prude, but so many other and better examples could have been used to express ones selfless, and sometimes costly, obedience to the Word as being an outgrowth and expression of faith than having sex. While sex is a gift of God in the covenant of marriage, is having sex the best example of obedience in picking up the Cross and dying to self?
Thank you for letting me ramble ;-)
In His grip,
Ron
A couple more quick thoughts just occurred to me. I promise to refrain after this post. Really, I do more than sit around in my PJs commenting on blogs. ;-)
Got to remember that Sarah was very old when she conceived; if memory serves, was she not 70 years old? The focus of the passage Perry quotes is on the promise of God to Abraham. Circumstances, 'nature' alone, would seem to dictate that God's promises of a child for Abraham, of Sarah becoming pregnant, is unreasonable; she is long past the age of conception. Cutting to the chase, is not the focus of the passage Perry quotes more on God's faithfulness to His promises and His sovereignty over circumstance rather than our doing stuff?
If you want to preach a message on the place and nature of works and faith, preach from, for example, James or Romans. If you are going to preach a message from Genesis, preach a message on the sovereignty of God. Is that not what the text is more about?
Again, thank you for letting my thoughts ramble.
In His grip,
Ron
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