Most of us try to stay away from people when they attempt to light metaphorical matches as a means of ridding themselves of their supposed enemies. Still, sometimes people, not understanding the matchless Gospel (yes, a pun) just say things that make you want to jump up and yell, "Me Too!"
Reverend John Shuck over at Shuck and Jive, in the comment section of his posting My New Moniker did that. At least I, as a Christian couldn't keep from writing "Me too!," when he wrote:
"That is what fundamentalism is fundamentally about. Fundamentalists want people "found in Christ" so they are not lost in hell."So of course that means that even C.S. Lewis was a fundamentalist.... Possibly even N.T. Wright. And certainly a favorite writer of mine Walter Wangerin Jr. I have written about him before --and his view of what he calls the fourth death or "Death Absolute."
"it is the Dying Absolute. It is the sundering of every relationship for good, forever, and for all. It is more than the cutting of earthly relationships, for it is the experience of eternal, irrevocable solitude. It is perpetual exile from God. From love. It is perhaps (though I do not understand this) the death that knows it is dead. Now, finally, one knows what love is, though one is severed forever from loving and being loved. Now one knows God both in goodness and in glory, and fears him, and honors him, and would even believe in him, but cannot, for God has departed from one eternally. This is the death of every holy alternative: what is, must be the same forever.
It is a divine and solemn irony, for God hath finally granted the sinner, now in his fourth death, what he took from God in the first: complete independence, a perfect autonomy, a singularity like unto nothing in all possibilities--except the singularity of God before he began to create. But he who has died the fourth death is not God; he never could create, and now he can accomplish nothing. He is the god of a little realm that admits one god only, his impotent self. He can only know and despair. He is lost, and 'lost' is all he may say of himself forever, no attribute, no other characteristic, no past nor future, that single thing. 'I perish.'"
But yes there is hope, the joy of being found in Jesus Christ rather than finding one's self in eternal misery, for the Father "made peace though the blood of His [Jesus'] cross."(Colossians 1:19a)
And those who belong to Jesus Christ will be found in him, "for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory." (3:3-4)
So, yes, what ever the name, if you mean someone who longs for the sinner to be found in Christ, count me in. "Me too!"
7 comments:
What was the Third Death?
Vi,
You put the "mental" in fundamentalism.
Kevin,
Walter Wangerin, who was is a Lutheran pastor as well as a writer, classifies death this way.
First primal dying--the death of the whole human race in Adam; a broken relationship with God. Then, seconday dyings, all the broken relationships of life including with nature. Third, corporeal death that all expeience. And then finally Absolut death experienced by those who reject Jesus Christ.
Wangerin writes: " Was the second act long and the third act short? This one is timeless. It lasts forever.
But we faithful can conceive it. We can name it, in fact, because this is precisely the death we need not die. Jesus died it in our steads."
Great post Vi. I need to read Wangerin, where does this come from?
thanks,
dm
Barb,
I meant to put the title in and forgot. Thanks for asking.
Mourning into Dancing
It was written to one of Wangerin's daughters. The first book I ever read by him, the Book of the Dun Cow won the American Book Award. It is a wonderful stoy.
I love the Scripture you quoted from Col., Viola. You write beautifully.
Thanks!
Our live are truly hidden with Christ in God.
All praises to His name.
Thank you Grace,
that is very sweet of you. and yes that whole first chapter of Col is one of my favorites. i once got to spend a whole day listening to J. I. Packer teaching on that N.T. book.
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