Yes, I am going away on holiday.  There will be no internet access, so there will be no posts on this blog for approximately two weeks.  That is unless Glenn decides to do a few guest posts on Arminianism and stir the pot.

In two weeks then.

The Jollyblogger has posted three excerpts about Christian caring from Eugene Peterson’s book, Subversive Spirituality (Eugene Peterson on Caring I, II and III) which tie in with what I have been thinking about recently with regards helping people.

At our church we get people coming and asking for help.  Often the help is not asked for, but rather demanded.  “You have to help me - you’re a Christian.”  I’m not sure I agree.

Peterson notes that often a cry for help is a self-centred call for people to serve the one in need.  “Helping” is actually confirming those people in their dependency and their refusal to take responsibility for themselves.  That’s why I find the parable of the Dishonest Steward/Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-9) so interesting.  We are told to use worldly wealth to gain friends who will welcome us into eternal dwellings (v9), but look at how the manager did it.  He did not completely clear people’s debts but reduced them to more manageable amounts.

But my thoughts go beyond that.  The psychological and emotional manipulation behind a statement like “You have to help, you’re a Christian” is damaging to those it is aimed at.  We do not have to help and nor should we feel guilty if we can’t or don’t.  We need to recognise such statements as what they are: the manipulation of manipulative people trying to push a legalistic gospel onto us.  We do not have to do anything.  On the contrary, we choose to help people because of the love of Jesus - and we also choose not to help people because of the love of Jesus.  He will convict us; let’s not allow others to condemn us.

Prophecy that communicates the words of God has divine authority. One big issue is deciding whether a prophecy is a divine communication. Another is what “divine authority” means.

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I have just added two new word definitions to Thunkerwords:

“Matt day“ (a guest entry from Glenn)

and

“David“. 

Nananese will get a boost once we get back from visiting the Emu’s Nana in the next week or two.