Almost Riddle Like
In considering the journey of faith, both that of mine and those of whom are recorded within redemptive history, I am constantly being struck with a sense of enigma. That is to say, the journey of faith is somewhat inexplicable or almost cryptic in a way. I am constantly being confronted with a type of "win-loss" strategy from Scripture. Consider the idea that EVERYTHING connected to Christ is gained through loss. That is, if I am to gain Christ himself then I am to lose everything that I hold as gain (Phil 3.8). Is it not almost paradoxical to forsake things of value in order to gain valuables? Think of how suffering is gain? Is not suffering demeritorious almost, but yet without it you cannot see Christ? Better yet, we are to consider it meritorious when we suffer since through its taking from us we are actually gaining (Phil 1.29).
Redemptive history speaks of Abraham forsaking all that he had and experientially knew for something that he had never seen. I mean he left everything he had and left for a city "not knowing where he was going" (Heb 11.8). Moses also considered demeritorious reproach as wealth (Heb. 11.26). I mean, do you see the dilemma? The entire redemptive historical story, including your part is a paradox, that is, gain through losing is the story.
How then is the paradox destroyed and the beauty of the story revealed? Suggestions? (fear not I have my own, the right one of course:).
Redemptive history speaks of Abraham forsaking all that he had and experientially knew for something that he had never seen. I mean he left everything he had and left for a city "not knowing where he was going" (Heb 11.8). Moses also considered demeritorious reproach as wealth (Heb. 11.26). I mean, do you see the dilemma? The entire redemptive historical story, including your part is a paradox, that is, gain through losing is the story.
How then is the paradox destroyed and the beauty of the story revealed? Suggestions? (fear not I have my own, the right one of course:).
posted by adam at 8:45 AM
6 Comments:
On this idea of paradox, I have been challenged recently in study and it has forced me to trust my faith even more. I was reading through a message Piper preached called "Is God Less Glorious Because He Ordanined that Evil Be?" In this we have one huge paragraph of paradoxs. I'll just list a few here and I am sure many of you can find more. But God opposes hatred, yet He allowed His people to be hated in Egypt. God hardened Pharoah's heart but yet commanded him to let His people go. and then the ultimate, God opposes murder but yet ordains His own son to be murdered.
What else can these sorts of paradoxs do except drive you to boast in Christ, cling to your faith and strive for the upward call in Christ Jesus?
I do not have an answer to your question. However, I am reading Don't Waste Your Life, and Piper has a section on the Christ exalting paradoxes of life. If nothing else this section of the book can add to the scripture that you have mentioned. The main text is II Cor. 6:8-10. It seems as if Christianity and the Bible is oozing of these paradoxes. Joyful for those with the gift of faith, foolishness for those without.
g. a. dietrich,
I actually just read the appendix to Piper's book The Pleasures of God in which that very issue was addressed. I found it to be incredible that our sovereign Lord can ordain such a thing as the greatest evil in redemptive history, namely, the killing of His son, while taking pleasure in it and being glorified through it.
Adam,
I am eager to hear your suggestion (the right one, of course :) ), but I am leaning towards the idea that the paradox is destroyed through Christ, the focal point of redemptive history. If we truly believe that Christ is supremely valuable above all else, than to put aside the fleeting pleasures of sin is like throwing off a rain-soaked coat in order to run the race faster and more effectively. I think another great illustration of the paradox is the early church rejoicing at the plundering of their property because they had a better possession, an abiding one, in Jesus Christ.
James
The crux of the matter, I believe, is the issue of truth, fact, and reality. The paradox is created when we listen to Satan's lies, not that something is good, but that it is better. The Father of Lies tells us his way is better. When we reject that, suffering may come as a result (from Satan, in God's plan), but the truth is that Christ's way is better, whatever suffering, loss, or persecution comes. We value Him more than "the pleasures of sin for a season". Christ tells us, My embrace is better than the embrace of the world.
I think the greatest answer to the paradox is found in the cross. We've got God's wrath and His love coexisting in full force.
just prior to that Jesus is telling his people that if anyone loses his life for the sake of Christ and the gospel, he will be saving it. But if he saves his life, he will lose it.
I guess the answer in my mind then to the paradox is to focus on the cross.
I appreciate, as always, the comments and analysis from each of you. My answer is not brilliantly articulate since I am still working on that part of it.:)
Anyway, I would say that Doug's answer is very similar to my own. That is, the seeming paradox is destroyed by our faith as it was with Abraham, Moses, and the disciples. As Jesus said to his disciples during his teaching on the sower and the seeds, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (those outside of the elect)it has not been given" (Mt. 12.38). He goes on to say, "But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear" (v 16).
Secondly, and ultimately the answer lies in the Trinity. That is, (as the rest of you mentioned in one way or another)it is in Christ and his work on behalf of his people where we are able to be freed from the illusions of this fleeting world and we truly begin to discern that the only true gain is by means of joyful loss. That is to say, God given faith gained through the work of Christ, applied by the Spirit to life of the elect brings the light of truth thus destroying the seeming paradox of Scripture. This destruction proves to be most beautiful since, "God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2Cor. 4.6).
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