Heroes

Excerpted from The Supreme Tao of Jesus: A Commentary on Colossians

Colossians 4.2-18

The names of the people at the end of Colossians are the names of heroes.

Paul describes Tychicus as being much-loved and Onesimus (the escaped-slave turned Christ-follower about whom Paul’s letter to Philemon was written) as being faithful; Aristarchus, Mark, and Justus were great companions and the only Jewish coworkers Paul has in his ministry; Epaphras – the pastor of the Colossian church – is held up as an example of prayer and confident leadership; Luke and Demas are warmly included as members of the community; and Nympha is mentioned by name (a particular honor for females in that day and age) as someone with whom the Colossians are encouraged to cultivate a relationship and learn from all that she’s doing.

If I were to write a letter to my former church back home, I might conclude that letter by telling everyone:
that Jvo and the rest of the Westwinds’ staff send their greetings– and that he and Ben are the only Baptists who will still return my calls; I might thank them for loaning us Vince McLaren for a week to help us out with our podcasting ministry and teach Jay Cordova how to manage our tech set up; I might also pass along that Andy Ladwig and Brad Kimpell– who some of my friends have met over lunch or during a card game– say hi; and that they should be in prayer for our friend Kirk– who used to be in full time ministry but had a bad experience that may have left him out-of-play.

Of course, what Paul does is a little more significant than that. He’s not merely re-introducing old friends, he’s also making some introductions for the very first time and thereby giving some credibility and honor to
those named in the letter.

The people Paul mentions are notable Christians who were instrumental in the spread of the Gospel. For instance: 

Aristarchus was thrown in jail for preaching about Jesus.

Mark and Luke each wrote a Gospel (Mark’s Gospel is largely based on Peter’s stories and recollections of Jesus, so Mark was also important because he was personally connected to one of the original disciples).
Mark, Aristarchus, and Justus were Jewish converts who had successfully managed to sidestep all the heresy and weirdness other Jewish converts were trying to push onto the church– so they were good examples of what it looks like to completely forsake your former religion for faith in Christ.
Epaphras was the Colossians’ own pastor who had joined the big leagues of those traveling and preaching the Way of Jesus in new places.
Nympha was a courageous heroine who risked her personal security to start and host a church.

Heroes all.

Perhaps because we’re afraid of putting people on a pedestal, we Christians don’t do a very good job of honoring those among us who have given much, or accomplished much, for Christ and his kingdom.

We should remedy that.

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
1 Thessalonians 5.12-13

If you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
1 Peter 2.20

My Dad has been a pastor for over 48 years. Given that the average time one serves as a pastor in North America is 2.2 years, Dad’s tenure is quite an accomplishment. He has pastored five churches, served on
over a dozen international ministry boards, presided over two schools of ministry, still pastors a local church, still serves as the Bishop of his denomination, and still sits as the Chairman of the Board for a prestigious private school. Dad has preached in over thirty countries, delivered food and medical supplies to missions, and smuggled Bibles behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. That’s quite a resume.

To celebrate his 25th year as the Senior Pastor of Calvary Christian Church, friends and family put together a banquet dinner and a ceremony in honor of Dad and his achievements. It was all very nice, but Dad had sat through a few of those things for others over the years, and it didn’t seem to affect him emotionally.

Until the end.

The last presentation of the evening was from someone announcing that a Gordon A. McDonald scholarship fund had been set up to reward an outstanding academic student who showed moral fiber and aspired
to ministry. Dad cried. That scholarship represents everything he’s tried to achieve in his life, everything he wants to be, and everything he’s ever hoped to replicate in others. He was truly honored.

Seeing Dad affected in such a way has made me reflect on how rare those occasions are when we hold others up in high esteem and thank them for their contribution to the kingdom. But those who have gone before us– whether Aristarchus or Gordon A.– are worth remembering. They raise the bar, they set the standard, and they show us what it means to live lives wholly devoted to God. The very least we can do to honor them is to read their names at the end of Paul’s letters and reflect on who our heroes really are.

Common Questions About Hell

What about Purgatory?

Purgatory is an “in-between” state in Catholic theology meant to delineate the space between when we die and when we go to heaven.  It is a condition in which the souls of Christians are made ready for heaven.

Evangelical Christians find the doctrine of purgatory suspicious for three reasons: [1] because it’s not found in the canon of the Scriptures, only in the apocrypha (specifically 2 Maccabees 12.41-16); [2] because the doctrine didn’t appear for almost 1100 years after Jesus left the earth; and [3] because purgatory depends upon special “revelation” given to the Catholic church during the Middle Ages. By appealing to the authority of the church at a time when it was selling indulgences to release souls from torment, this doctrine has no credible basis for belief among Protestants.

What about people who have never heard about Jesus—do they go to Hell? 

Jesus said “no one comes to the Father except through me,” meaning that there is only one way to escape Hell and enter Heaven: a relationship with Jesus.

However, just as Jesus is the only way to Heaven, we must understand that there are many ways to find Jesus.  Some find Jesus through intellectual belief, some through dreams (like Pharoah), some through visions (like Balaam), or prophesies or strange experiences.

We cannot overlook the creativity of God to get the gospel out.  God wants people to be saved and is capable of revealing Himself to all in order for every single person to be given a justifiable opportunity to embrace their Creator. 

What about babies?  Do they go to Hell?  

This is a disturbing question that’s asked a lot, especially among people who grew up in very religious homes where there is a lot of anger and hellfire and brimstone kind of talk.  If they lose a child, they get terrified that the baby is going to end up in hell.

Consider this, however: “Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do what is Just?” (Genesis 18.25).

Since we know God is good, and He is the Judge of all, we can be confident that God will not unfairly damn any soul – especially innocents or invalids – to eternal torment.

In 2 Samuel 12, we read about King David’s son dying as an infant.  It is a sad story, but in the midst of that sadness we read about David’s assurance that he will see his child in the next life. David has this unshakeable confidence that he will be with his dead child in the presence of God.

Finally, we know that Jesus had a special concern for children. Jesus gathers the children to himself and said: “Suffer not the little children to come unto me” (Matthew 19.14). 

If you know someone who has lost a child and they’re worried about this (God forbid that you would ever be in that situation or that they would), you can give them all manner of comfort.

Is there a last chance for redemption at the time of our death?

No. There is a spectacular responsibility on the way you live right now.  Live now the way you want to live for eternity.  If what you want ultimately is to be with God then, then you must begin to be with God now.

Is there anything wrong with “Last Rites?”

Not necessarily.  In fact, I think the idea of giving your life to God and committing your soul into His care with your dying breaths is a beautiful and sincere notion.  Some people, however, use the Last Rites as a cop out.  They plan to live like fools, rejecting God in this life, and then quickly beg for forgiveness at the end to sneak their way into God’s good graces.  In a case like this, which – sadly – is surprisingly common, we must ask ourselves how sincere our “last-minute” repentance truly is—if it is insincere, we risk Hell.  Are you willing to risk an eternity in torment on a gamble like that?

Do you believe eternal positions are fixed at death forever more?  Why or why not?

The people who go to Hell are there because they don’t want to be with God.  The Scriptures really seem to indicate that once you are there in Hell, there is no way out.

I love God, but have made mistakes and still prospered.  Am I going to Hell?

That’s such a sad, sad question.  I, too, love God and I have made mistakes and still prospered.  I make mistakes all the time.  I get mad at my kids.  I lose my cool.  Ben jokingly said that it’s never safe to take me to a conference of church leaders because it’s like taking a Pit Bull to a playground…you’re just waiting for an “incident” to occur.

I am riddled with sin and God has still prospered me. I feel so gracious, so grateful and thankful to God for the life I have.  I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. I don’t think my family has ever been better.  That’s what we call grace—God’s grace for me, loving me in spite of my sin that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me.  He died just because he loved me in all my crap and all my garbage.  He would die again tomorrow for me, for the person I am now.   Whatever good things in this life I enjoy, I enjoy because of his grace, his common grace poured out to all humanity.

The last question I would separate from the previous statement. 

“Am I going to Hell?”

I don’t know. I don’t even know who you are.  Even if I knew you, I wouldn’t know if you’re going to Hell. The question is:  Are you right with Jesus?  If you make mistakes, do you repent?  Do you thank God for his grace?  Is your life oriented towards Jesus, to make him Lord, to confess that he is Lord?  Do your actions belie your belief that he is, in fact, raised from the dead and God is, in fact, at work in you?

What does it mean that Christ descended into Hell?

Jesus proved his love for us by descending into Hell – a theological bit of pizzazz rarely talked about, though ultimately very significant.

Here it is in a nutshell:

We believe that Jesus died and descended into the depths of Hades (Ephesians 4.8-10).  He did not suffer, for his suffering was completed on the cross (John 19.30).   He preached to those tormented because of their sin (1 Peter 3.18, 20; 4.4), spreading the fragrance of himself even into Hell (2 Corinthians 2.14-16). He departed (Acts 2.27, 31), bearing the keys of Hades (Revelation 1.18) and destroying Death itself (Hebrews 2.14).

The doctrine of the descent into Hell is first and foremost a doctrine about love, God’s love for us, and the power of that love to go to all lengths, to descend to all depths and to go through virtually every barrier in order to redeem a wounded, huddled, frightened, paranoid, alienated, and unfree humanity.

Did God create Hell?  If so, why did He create something from which we need saving?

The most accurate theological answer is that Hell is not necessarily a place that God created.  It’s a place from which God has withdrawn.  It’s the place where he is not, rather than the place where everything is as he wants it to be.

So, why did he need something from which we need saving?  The question is maybe misplaced.  The question is:  Will you live with him? That’s the real question.

If you’re a Christian and you continually sin, is there ever a point where you can cross the line, where you sin too much and are condemned to Hell?

No, you can’t sin too much for the grace of God to make up the difference.  There is always grace for you (cf 2 Corinthians 12.9).  Think about when Jesus told his disciples to forgive not only seven times seven, but seventy times seven (cf Matthew 18.22).

When I worked for Campus Crusade, we used to say that question is misplaced.  Imagine that in order for you to get to heaven, figuratively speaking, you would have to live on the moon and the only way you could get to the moon was to jump high enough to arrive there under your own power. In other words, you had to be good enough or athletic enough or whatever super power enough to jump from here to the moon. Some of you might be able to jump only 6 inches and some of you might be able to jump four feet, but nobody can ever jump all the way to the moon. 

So, in effect, the question of our relative sinfulness is moot, because nobody is sinless enough or not quite so sinful as to ever make up the difference.  God’s grace covers for everybody, no matter how crappy you are, which I’m particularly happy about.

The question as to whether there is ever a point where you can cross the line or sin too much—the question refers to that scripture about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  There’s a blasphemy of Holy Spirit—one sin which can never be forgiven (Mark 3.29). Basically, if you do this one sin, you blaspheme the Holy Spirit and automatically go to hell.  The whole idea of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the ultimate rejection of God. 

The only way you can blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to reject God, reject God, reject God, reject God, and then die.  Even if you were still alive and rejecting God and rejecting God and rejecting God, there’s still grace. There’s still grace for everybody.  There’s still space for everybody, because Jesus, again, is standing there saying, “Come, come to the banquet.  There’s room for everyone.”

So, if you’re a Christian and continually sin, is there ever a point where you can cross the line or sin too much?  No, not if you keep fighting and trying to live as God intends you to live, not if you keep repenting, not if you keep inviting the Spirit to change you.  Just don’t give up.

What women actually did in the Bible

Excerpted from the "Women In Ministry" document written for Westwinds Community Church. 

This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

ACTS 2.16-18, citing Joel 2.28-30

The single most convincing argument that women should be included in all levels of church leadership is that they were included in all levels of church leadership in the Bible.  Given the numerous occasions on which women lead, taught (and taught men), spoke publicly, evangelized, prophesied, and were listed among the elders and deacons and apostles of the New Testament church it is impossible to believe that Paul’s limiting passages (1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2) were meant to negate all that had already (in many cases by Paul himself) been put into place. 

Consider what women actually did in the Bible, the New Testament specifically:

Mary (not Joseph) is the first to receive the message of Christ’s birth into the world.  She is honored and blessed by angels.  She is also the first to sing and prophesy about the Christ child (cf. Luke 1).

The prophetess Anna receives honorable mention as one who speaks of the Messiah to those who have waited for Him (Luke 2.36-38).

Mary (the mother of Jesus) obviously had a tremendous impact on the way in which her son fulfilled his messianic purpose.  Consider that many of the themes present in Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1.46-55) appear in much the same way in both Jesus’ teaching and James’ (Jesus’ half-brother) epistle (cf. Luke 4, James 1).

During Christ’s earthly ministry, a group that Luke calls the Women were just as well known as the Twelve (Luke 8.1-3, 23.49 + 55, 22.24). In fact, the twelve male disciples were a rather pitiful bunch when compared to Christ’s female disciples, who abandon Jesus in the Garden and are not rehabilitated until much later. Because of this Tom Wright has light-heartedly referred to these women as “apostles to the apostles.”

Mary (not Jesus’ mother, but the sister of Martha) caused near-scandal by avoiding her “women’s work” in the kitchen and instead sitting at Jesus’ feet. In that world, at that time, to sit at someone’s feet meant that you were a student and they were the teacher.  Receiving this kind of instruction was strictly the province of men.  Furthermore, you wouldn’t simply learn like this for your own personal edification, but in order to become a rabbi or teacher yourself. This, undoubtedly, is what really bothered Martha: her sister was neglecting her female role and adopting, instead, a male role as a student and apprentice. 

The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet (traditionally, Mary Magdalene) was performing a priestly action – she was preparing Jesus’ body for burial – and Jesus recognized the sacramental nature of her offering (cf. Luke 7.36-50).

The Women were the last ones to leave the Cross (cf. Luke 24) at Christ’s crucifixion and the first ones to visit the Tomb after his burial (cf. Luke 24).

Priscilla and her husband, Aquila, taught Apollos (a Greek scholar) the way of the Lord more fully (Acts 18.26). This is significant, because in order for them to have taught a scholar, Prisiclla and Aquilla must have been well-versed (to say the least) in both Scripture and theology.  Furthermore, four out of the six times this couple is mentioned in the Bible Priscilla’s name is listed first (Acts 18.18 + 26, Romans 16.3, 2 Timothy 4.19).  This is ancient shorthand for signifying that Priscilla was more spiritually prominent.  The fact that her name appears first when she and her husband instructed Apollos indicates that she led in that exchange (Acts 18.26 NASB and NIV).

Philip the evangelist had four daughters who were prophetesses (Acts 21.9).  This means they prophesied, which – in the first century – was always done in and among the church.

In 1 Corinthians 11.4-5, Paul says that women may both pray and prophesy when the church comes together (cf. 1 Corinthians 11.1-34).  The context of this passage means clear that Paul is referring to public meetings where both men and women are present).

When Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, he honored the following women for their services in the church: Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Julia, and the sister of Nereus (cf. Romans 16). 

In Romans 16.2, Paul refers to Phoebe, a deacon (a lesser officer in the church, charged with visiting the sick, taking care of the poor, and fiscal management of the church’s resources), a prostatis, which means “one who stands in front of, superintends, guards, and provides care for others.”  Historically, we know that Phoebe was the courier for Paul’s letter to the church in Rome and was charged with the task of explicating it so the Romans could understand the complex theological reasoning.  Clearly, Phoebe was a minister of the Gospel message and had some authority over – not only individuals, but entire congregations as a teacher and expositor.

Paul commends Junia for being outstanding among the apostles (cf. Romans 16.7).  This shows that Junia (a woman) was [1] an apostle, the highest officer in the early church; and [2] therefore obviously met (at least) the qualifications for the office of elder, which was a lesser office within the church.  Along with her husband, Andronicus, Junia was recognized as having gifts from God – “gifts” meaning things like evangelizing, teaching, preaching, establishing leaders, and leading churches.

In Philippians 4.2-3, Paul makes special of Euodias and Syntyche who helped him in the Lord’s work.

Paul reminds Titus that the older women should be “teachers of good things.”  They should teach the younger women (Titus 2.3-5).

Paul commends Timothy’s mother and grandmother.  We can reasonable infer that these two women taught Timothy the Scriptures since he was a child (2 Timothy 1.5, 3.15).

Clearly, women were active in the ministry of the first-century church.  Because they were recipients of the Holy Spirit, they were just as much a part of the believing priesthood as were the men.  We find them prophesying publicly, praying publicly, teaching publicly, leading alongside Paul (as well as other men), and leading male Christians.

Given these facts, how can we reasonably assume that Paul meant for us to completely silence women in the higher levels of ecclesial leadership?  Even if he did mean that women shouldn’t become elders – which, again, I think we’ve established is not what he meant – Paul obviously felt comfortable appointing and employing women in the highest levels of leadership whenever he felt it was appropriate.

At best, Paul’s injunctions are flexible.  Much more likely, Paul’s injunctions are merely situational.

He didn’t mean to keep women out of the highest offices of leadership.  He himself put women in those offices and commended them for their high performance.