what kind of life does God want me to live?
my sister-in-law rachel got me a sweet Christmas present: a year's subscription to FIRST THINGS magazine. some of my friends may not agree with the politics of the magazine's editors richard john neuhaus and joseph bottum, but they will do you the **great service** of letting you know exactly what it is you disagree with. this post is inspired from a section by neuhaus in First Things called "while we're at it." here's the scoop: ted haggard, president of the National Assoc. of Evangelicals, was interviewed in Christianity Today about evangelicals. Haggard is a likeable guy, pastors a mega-church, probably pretty sharp. what neuhaus took exception to was haggard's comments about "living a pretty good life" and how many Christians can do so in colorado (where haggard pastors). neuhaus responded with something like, "i guess it would be inappropriate to mention the cross." here's the question i have: what kind of life does God want me to live?
now think about two recent books published by evangelicals: "Purpose-Driven Life" and "Your Best Life Now" and maybe check out my friend mark brewer's blog on doing what you do best. (i think mark gets it right, btw, even if the people he quotes don't.) does God want us to live "pretty good" lives (read: fairly comfortable lives)? is that what ministry is and is for? is it possible that a faith in a free-market leads to a faith that competes in the spirit of the free-market--i.e., with best benefits, most to offer, "meaning," and that facilitates my best life?
now think about two recent books published by evangelicals: "Purpose-Driven Life" and "Your Best Life Now" and maybe check out my friend mark brewer's blog on doing what you do best. (i think mark gets it right, btw, even if the people he quotes don't.) does God want us to live "pretty good" lives (read: fairly comfortable lives)? is that what ministry is and is for? is it possible that a faith in a free-market leads to a faith that competes in the spirit of the free-market--i.e., with best benefits, most to offer, "meaning," and that facilitates my best life?
posted by Aaron Perry at
4:49 PM
5 Comments:
Hey AP: Allow me to respond to your questions:
(1) No. God wants us to live perfect lives (Cf. 1 Peter)
(2) Yes. Free Market Faith = Consumer Driven Christianity
Some Guy
PS Your sister in law is pretty cool to give you such a fantastic gift!
No, I don't think we're supposed to live "pretty good lives"...I think we are to have "abundant life". The question becomes: what is abundant life? I don't think it means having a nice home and lots of money (although I don't think those are neccessarily bad things, just not the point of life and if those things get in the way of the point of life, they are bad things)
I think abundant life is to know that we are known and loved by God and to receive that love and to know and love God and neighbor.
Getting to live in Colorodo might be a nice extra, I don't think God is against pleasure. Sometimes I fall in to the distorted notion that if I really enjoy something maybe it's not what God wants me to do. I think that's wrong. But I also think it's a distortion to think that everything God wants me to do will be pleasurable.
The words of John Wesley's covenant prayer are helpful:
"I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal."
While there are plenty of things I may differ with him on, I think JW had it right here.
John
(Sorry I missed you when you were in Wilmore, AP)
What kind of life does God want me to live?
I think God wants me to 'perfect' if you want to take that literally but...
I don't think God would want me to let people walk all over me. I think he'd want me to have a nice car, probably an SUV (WWJDrive?)and I'm pretty sure he wants me to have at least a multi-million dollar house.
I think he'd definitely want me to get involved in politics after all he was 'the king of the Jews' (he'd probably be a zionist, what do you think?) not that he wants a Monarchy because we all know that God invented Democracy (look at the US). Oh yes, Jesus would definitely be conservative- he always wanted 'the Big Man' to get ahead. I think Jesus Inc. would be a big thing. Yeah, Jesus Inc. It would be an oil company with rigs on George's and Alberta. It wouldn't be into that hybrid crap. God gave us rule over the Earth, we all know that pollution isn't going to be what destroys us... it'll be a big meteor coming from the sky that will hit the Earth and cause a whole bunch of pollution so about 1/3 of us will die off...
Anyways, even though he told us to give to Ceasar what is Ceasar's and to God what is God's, I don't think I actually owe them anything, Ceasar is dead after all. Where was I? Oh yes, Jesus would definitely be conservative- he always wanted the Big Man to get ahead. I think Jesus Inc. would be a big thing. Yeah, Jesus Inc. It would be an oil company with rigs on George's.
Ah yes, and he'd of had a Mega Church on the side of a hill like where he gave the "sermon on the mount" and would have sold the CD series "the 8 spiritual keys to the Kingdom" and gotta copywrite that one and sell it for $100 a piece, oh and come out with "Keys to the Kingston" shirts, journals and necklaces- you for witnessing or something.
Yeah, Jesus loves me but I don't think I'd be his type of follower. You know, he's hang out with Bill Gates and Donald Trump, cuz frankly, you need money to get a CHurch going.
That's right, I gotta follow "In His Steps".
first verse that came to mind was 1 tim. 2:2
"peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness"
Some Guy: She is indeed pretty cool. I guess I wanted to echo Neuhaus more with the Cross...
John: nice Wesley quote.
Coady: while entertaining, I don't think this is all that Haggard is after and doesn't get the well-intentioned attempt to be faithful Christians that many US believers have.
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