isf.
what is isf? it's the new program i am in. institute of spiritual formation. on the outside looking in i can see why people might be slightly apprehensive about this program. we read alot of old catholic dudes, go to solitary places and practice the discipline of solititude, we meet with a spiritual director once a month, and ultimately we are being trained to be spiritual directors.
my mind has been blown away the past few weeks of class. it's as if this is exactly where i am suppose to be. questions that we were stirred up in my past which i sat confused in for so long are finally being raised and addressed in some of my classes.
i am taking a theology class on salvation and the work of Christ...something like that. in any event...we discussed an article written by a dude with the last name Tidball. His entire point was that we need to have a more 'cross-centered spirituality.' that if we gazed upon the cross a bit more...we would have a better understanding of our salvation. that we would see our sin a bit more...see the vast distance b/t ourselves and God if we saw the deep need of the cross, etc. but...a concern was raised in class on if this view of salvation would be slightly reductionistic of CHristianity. if the good news has been reduced to Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.....that leaves us wondering what the rest of our lives should look like. (this is definately an essential component...but it can't be IT).
so... this left my head spinning. what does one need for salvation? what does one need to believe? do they need to believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins? or...just believe in Jesus? does the cross need to be in there at all? what the heck does it mean to be saved? these are huge issues! these are questions i asked myself when i was in thailand sharing the gospel w/ my friends....and during gospel nights in ukraine! what the heck is needed? are we drawing people to believe something that is true (the cross is where sins are forgiven) but....that's why we so many people fall away? b/c the next step in the Christian life doesn't necceisarly follow. does this make sense? Acts 2:21 states that anyone who class on the name of the lord will be saved. numerous passages exist which state that belief in JEsus is what is needed. not merely the cross!
where is the transfomational work of Christ explained and understood? what about the life and the intercessory work of the spirit? the cross seems to heap guilt upon us...as we try to sit in our sin and understand the depth of our sin and see our need for the cross. but, honestly, sometimes it's difficult for us to see our depravity to its fullest extent. so...we try to conjure up these feelings for the cross...but it's difficult. we begin to feel like we need to pay him back. we see the downfalls of a cross centered view of salvation throughout the church!
do you know the penal subsitution view of the cross wasn't established until a few centuries ago? isn't that crazy? the entire concept that Jesus bore our sins upon the cross is a relatively new understanding within church history. we believe this....we believe that jesus died for our sins...but, where did it come from? (...i do believe this is true...)
anywho....this is just one thing that i've been mulling over in my little head recently. it's just compeltely intriguing to me..... as these are questions that have arisen in my past. what the heck are we trying to get these people to understand? what exactly is the good news? what must one do to be saved? what the heck is going on! ahhhh!!!
ok...that's all. i don't know if i made sense in this...but, i would love to hear some of your thoughts.
peace.
~lp
my mind has been blown away the past few weeks of class. it's as if this is exactly where i am suppose to be. questions that we were stirred up in my past which i sat confused in for so long are finally being raised and addressed in some of my classes.
i am taking a theology class on salvation and the work of Christ...something like that. in any event...we discussed an article written by a dude with the last name Tidball. His entire point was that we need to have a more 'cross-centered spirituality.' that if we gazed upon the cross a bit more...we would have a better understanding of our salvation. that we would see our sin a bit more...see the vast distance b/t ourselves and God if we saw the deep need of the cross, etc. but...a concern was raised in class on if this view of salvation would be slightly reductionistic of CHristianity. if the good news has been reduced to Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.....that leaves us wondering what the rest of our lives should look like. (this is definately an essential component...but it can't be IT).
so... this left my head spinning. what does one need for salvation? what does one need to believe? do they need to believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins? or...just believe in Jesus? does the cross need to be in there at all? what the heck does it mean to be saved? these are huge issues! these are questions i asked myself when i was in thailand sharing the gospel w/ my friends....and during gospel nights in ukraine! what the heck is needed? are we drawing people to believe something that is true (the cross is where sins are forgiven) but....that's why we so many people fall away? b/c the next step in the Christian life doesn't necceisarly follow. does this make sense? Acts 2:21 states that anyone who class on the name of the lord will be saved. numerous passages exist which state that belief in JEsus is what is needed. not merely the cross!
where is the transfomational work of Christ explained and understood? what about the life and the intercessory work of the spirit? the cross seems to heap guilt upon us...as we try to sit in our sin and understand the depth of our sin and see our need for the cross. but, honestly, sometimes it's difficult for us to see our depravity to its fullest extent. so...we try to conjure up these feelings for the cross...but it's difficult. we begin to feel like we need to pay him back. we see the downfalls of a cross centered view of salvation throughout the church!
do you know the penal subsitution view of the cross wasn't established until a few centuries ago? isn't that crazy? the entire concept that Jesus bore our sins upon the cross is a relatively new understanding within church history. we believe this....we believe that jesus died for our sins...but, where did it come from? (...i do believe this is true...)
anywho....this is just one thing that i've been mulling over in my little head recently. it's just compeltely intriguing to me..... as these are questions that have arisen in my past. what the heck are we trying to get these people to understand? what exactly is the good news? what must one do to be saved? what the heck is going on! ahhhh!!!
ok...that's all. i don't know if i made sense in this...but, i would love to hear some of your thoughts.
peace.
~lp
posted by lp at 10:04 AM
4 Comments:
You bring up an interesting debate. It is true, when I hear about people spreading the word and bringing salvation to people it is in the form of molding their minds to believe in Jesus and baptizing them but I don't often hear about someone focusing on the cross and only on that part of it. That is a huge thing, yes, but it isn't ALL of what Jesus taught and gave to us, right? I would have to say we can't just focus on the cross and what that means, we need to see the whole picture including the cross but also all the lessons Jesus taught, all the ways he showed Gods love while he was alive, how we have grace in our hearts when we are baptized and brought to a new way of life with Christ while we are here on earth. I don't know if this a mix of different Christian religions becuase I was raised Catholic but have experiemented with other houses of worship but I'm also not as far along on my spiritual journey as you are and that brings up another question I have. WHen you say you get baptized (assuming you are old enough to make your choice and not a baby) and give your life to Christ, does that mean you have to do everything for him as in become clergy or a nun/monk or live in solitude or does it mean you can lead what others consider a normal life and carry on with family and friends and just 'do good' through every day interactions? Anyway, thats just me rambling in incomplete thoughts...
who is this?
Tis I, Ritochka!
i think what you say is quite true. you hit on some great things in your response. yes, the cross is vital but ultimately the cross reveals God the Father's love for his creation. He offers redemption now through the death and resurrection of Jesus. You can't really mix Christian religions. each should be grounded in the Bible. .. as Christians we are ultimately seeking to be like Christ. We can accomplish this through reading the teachings of Jesus (Jesus teachings in the Gospels, and the Apostles teachings in the Epistles), we also should gather together with others that believe the same thing so we can encourage each other and push each other towards knowing Jesus better, and also through sharing this news of the possible reconcilation to God through Christ. This somewhat discusses your question about needing to give up all things and become a nun. You can follow the teachings of Jesus through your everday life. When Jesus ascended to heaven something even greater was given to those who believe. The Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit resides in everyone who believes...and he guides us in our daily lives. We can ask him how we should respond to certain situations we face in life. Doing good doesn't really matter...it's doing what God desires of us. (which is good). But, we should focus more upon following in the ways of Jesus through the power of the Spirit which you have access to through prayer. Email me if i confused you.......good thoughts. thanks for responding to my posts. :)
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