13. December 2007 by James.

From previous posts, we know that “God loves the system (arrangement) He created in such a way that He gives His Son”.

In the same way that the original Greek tense for “loved” is indefinite tense - not past, present or future but indefinite - and should be rendered “loves”; the same is true of “gave”. The word “gave” is indefinite, and the most accurate rendering is “gives”. God loves and gives, not loved and gave.

So then, to whom, when, how, where does He give, and so what?

My study of the word “gives” exposed my misunderstanding of the word. In fact, the traditional evangelical, fundamental teaching would be better served with the word “rewards”. We have been taught that God’s gift is a reward for our belief, or behavior, or membership, or our giving, or our ability to imitate the Son by being like him - Christlike.

“Giving” and “rewarding” have different meanings. Paul taught this in Romans 4:4 when he contrasted a reward versus a gift in the same way of payment of a debt versus grace.

If God rewarded the world with His Son, then the world would have something to be proud of, because the reward would be a payment of a debt - something God owes the world. This is not the way God gives His son, because He owes us nothing. He gives His Son, but does not reward the world with His Son.

I once attended a birthday party where the birthday-boy received a very special gift from his parents “because he got straight A’s”, along with his regular “just because” gifts. When he opened his reward “gift”, he talked about himself, was inwardly focused, and replayed the hard work he exerted to receive the reward. When he opened his “just because” gifts he was thankful and externally focused and expressed gratitude to the giver. He spoke nothing of his accomplishments in “deserving” the gift.

To treat God’s gift as a reward is the ultimate self-idolatry. It puts the focus on the receiver’s abilities, rather on the motives of the giver.

Imagine if a man saved and planned for a secret, special, surprise gift of a new car for his wife. After giving her the car he overhears her saying, “because I trust Him and have committed not to divorce him, he gave me this car”. Or if he heard her say, “I’m so faithful to him, and love him and do things for him, so he gave me this car”. Or “I’m so lucky to get this car from him. Imagine if I lived in New Guinea and there were no cars.” Or, “If I hadn’t been blessed with such wisdom to choose such a wonderful man, I wouldn’t have this new car”.

These responses all tarnish the gift and the giver because the focus of the wife is on what she has done to be rewarded with the “gift”. Her response changes the meaning of the word “gift” and makes it mean “reward”. 3:16 would then read: “God’s love is such that He rewarded the world with His Son for their belief/behavior/trust….”, instead of “God’s love for the world is such that He gave His Son….” - “God so loved the world that he gave…..”.

Too often the teachings we hear actually support the reward rendering instead of the gift rendering. An example of this subtle redefinition of the word is found in some “alter calls”. “You must surrender, come forward, pray the “sinner’s prayer”, make a decision for Christ, commit your life to Him, ask Him into your heart and then you can receive the . . . ” reward. The correct word cannot be gift in this context, although the word “gift” is used.

It is tragic that so many believers are robbed of the enjoyment of the Gift, because they’ve been taught erroneously that the Gift is a reward for their decision/belief/commitment/membership/giving, and thus, their joy is in their wisdom/choice/belief, rather than the glorious GIFT that He gives to the world.

“God loves the system and the manner He shows it is by giving His only-begotten Son….”

Begotten? By whom? Mary? God? Did God “beget” Himself in His Son? How does the Trinity work when the verse says that God’s Son is “begotten”?

Next post - Begotten…

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10. December 2007 by James.

God loves the world in this manner….. John 3:16.

This is a continuation of 3:16 the Ubiquitous End-Zone Ad.

In the last post, “So“, I asked for a better definition of “the World”. (The world? The universe, The planet earth, the people? All people? Just some chosen ones?)

This word “world” (kosmos in Greek) seems to mean different things in the Bible. It could mean the cosmos, or the system or the arrangement. Ignoring Michael Jackson’s “We are the World, we are the people” lyrics, it seems odd that the word world would mean the people in the world, because that would mean that the world is the people, or that the people - that which is in the world - would have to be the world itself - which doesn’t make sense to me.

Elsewhere in the scriptures the word world is identified as an age ,or an eon, or even an administration or stewardship system. We are hard pressed to find that God initiated His loving interface with mankind just on the chance that some of them might choose Him. Instead we see an organized, systematic purpose in God’s interaction with people and with his other creations, living and non-living.

In Genesis, we read of His creative activities and each time he created something in His “system” He said it was “good”, He didn’t limit this expression to mankind alone since He expressed approval of the whole “arrangement” of His creation.

Light came into the world but men loved darkness (John 3:19). It is clear that the world is an “arrangement” and the men that lived in it are a part of that “system”. Light is a part of the arrangement, and so is darkness. People - a part of the arrangement - loved the dark part of the world more than the light part of the world.

We read in John’s “Revelation” that there will be a “new heaven and new earth” (Rev. 1:21), not just new people but a new era, or eon, or age, or system, or “world“.

God’s love of the entire system, which includes time, darkness, light, people and all of His creation - is such that He gave….

For God’s love of His “arrangement” is displayed in this manner:

He gave….

His only begotten Son… begotten? First-born, child, first creation?

Next post - Gave.

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9. December 2007 by James.

Continuing from 3:16 End-zone.

Not to lend too much credibility to William Jefferson Clinton’s quibbling over the definition of the word “is”, I must admit that he does have a point in validating and verifying the true meaning of words. Words, carefully used, have careful meaning. Shouldn’t we also assume that the Inspirator (I think I just made that word up), of the scriptures also used words carefully including the word “so” in John 3:16 - “God so loved the world…..”.

Careful reading of the ubiquitous passage with the assumption that each word is divinely inspired, and carefully placed, will yield some truths not often found by the “in-your-face” end-zone ad.

I’ve always assumed that God “SOOOO” loved the world, inferring a large all-encompassing quantity of love - that the word “so” described the awesome extent of God’s love. Further examination of the Greek usage of this word has yielded a new truth. Instead of a descriptor of the size or quantity of God’s love, the quality of God’s love portrayed by the way He expresses His love to His creation. This is far more meaningful that than simply the size of His love. It is the way God’s love is revealed, and not just its measure.

The Greek word for “so” is usually rendered thus, instead of so. In John 3:14, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Mankind be lifted up”.  In other verses, the King James Version translators have rendered it on this wise (Mat. 1:18), after this manner (Mat. 6:9), likewise (Mat. 17:12), in like manner (Mark 13:29).  Thus or even so, is a closer rendering.

So… “God thus loved the world: He gave His only begotten Son”, would be a better translation. But not really, because the rest of the verse needs attention.

God thus loved … Does that mean that He loved in the past, but presently He may not be loving? Why is the word “loved” in past tense? Is that what the Greek texts say?

Again, the original text uses the verb loves not loved. God’s love is not past history. It is present truth. God loves (as wells as loved, and also will love) the world. The verb is indefinite in its tense, not past, present or future, but all encompassing. His love is all encompassing.

God loves the world thusly. Or - God loves the world - here’s how.  How much richer that is!!  God loves the world in this manner…..He gave….. The original text, rendered consistently paints a deeper, more meaningful picture of God in the active role of loving and fulfilling His purpose for the world.

Next post - “the World”.  (The world?  The universe, The planet earth, the people? All people? Just some chosen ones?)

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8. December 2007 by James.

Seriously the best BBQ Ribs - Traditional, classic, smoked, bbq’d.

Ingredients

• Two racks of pork spare ribs trimmed (these have the skirt removed but the rib tips are still attached, up to you)
• plain yellow mustard
• Dry Rub (recipe follows)
• Wet mop (recipe follows)
• BBQ Sauce (recipe follows)
• Hickory or Alder chunks or chips soaked overnight
• Slow griller - smoker. You don’t want to get over 225 degrees, so whatever you can use that will keep a steady low temperature.

Dry Rub

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 hot paprika
• 3 Tbs. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. garlic powder
• 1 Tbs. powdered onion
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 Tbs. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried Thyme
• 1 Tbs. chipotle chili powder

Combine all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container.

Instructions.

Lightly coat the ribs on both sides with yellow mustard.

Sprinkle on the rub covering both sides. Place the ribs in the fridge uncovered for 1-2 hours. This will form a nice tacky surface that will suck up the smoke. Take the ribs out and let them sit at room temperature for 30 - 45 mins. Perfect time to get the sauce ready.
You can start cooking the ribs immediately, (cooking instructions are right after the wet mop instructions), but I suggest you wait until the wet mop is all made. You need this stuff to keep the ribs most and tasty.

Wet Mop (keeps the meat moist)

• 2 Cups apple cider (Can be a can of fruity flavored soda - I used Fresca - grapefruit - it was great)
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup cooking sherry or cooking wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (bottled stuff is ok)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

If you want to prepare the BBQ sauce while the meat is cooking, then go ahead and drop the ribs that have been coated with mustard and the dry rub on the rack. Make sure the grill/smoker is at a steady 225 degrees or LESS, and keep it there for 3 to 4 hours, depending on the kind of meat you’re preparing.

Let the ribs cook for 30-40 minutes before doing anything with them. Then slop-mop some of the wet mop on the top, turn it over and mop the bottom. Do this EVERY 30-40 minutes until it starts to look done or fall apart.

Then, coat both sides of the ribs with the sauce you’re about to make and LEAVE ALONE for another 20 minutes, then turn over and LEAVE ALONE for another 20 minutes. It’s now ready. Don’t let anyone rush you, and don’t put the bbq sauce on too soon or it will all caramelize and start burning because of the sugars in the sauce.

BBQ Sauce

Mix up the wet ingredients in a medium saucepan over low or medium heat. Don’t get it too hot. You’ll add the dry ingredients later.

Wet ingredients

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 3 cups ketchup
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup Coca-Cola (not diet, you want the sugar).
• 1/4 cup A1 steak sauce
• 3/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 3 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• 1 Tbs. Vegemite or Marmite (If you don’t know what it is, don’t ask. You can usually get this at Cost Plus or World Market)

Dry ingredients

• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbs. BBQ rub (recipe follows)
• 1 Tbs. pure chili powder
• 1 Tbs. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. dry mustard
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• large pinch of kosher salt

Combine all the wet ingredients in a large sauce pan and slowly bring to a boil uncovered over medium heat.

While the wet stuff is cooking combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Once the wet ingredients come to a boil reduce heat and add the dry ingredients. Simmer on very low for around 30 mins or until the sauce has reduced and is thick (the longer the better). Use what you need here and then store in the fridge. I ended up using empty ketchup bottles, but wait to pour after the sauce has cooled or the plastic bottles will collapse.

Slop this stuff over your bread, your meat, your potatoes, your hair. Top your ice-cream with it. It’s that good.

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4. December 2007 by James.

I saw Jesus in a wheelchair in the airport in Boise, Idaho on Monday, December 3 morning at 8:45.

I thought he was talking to himself, but after further review I realized he was talking to his mother on a bluetooth ear-mic-cell-phone.

He didn’t call her “Mary” but that must be her name. He was a black man, about 60, and wore impeccably white tennis shoes. I guess if you’re in a wheelchair you don’t put much wear on your tennies, but these were exceptionally, blindingly white.

“Mamma, I prayed da blood o’ Jesus on dis airplane, on da pilot, and all da passengers”, he cupped into his ear-piece with extraordinarily long fingers.

“Ain’t nobody dyin’ on this trip.. ha ha. Mamma, ain’t nobody gittin’ hurt on dis plane, I pled’ da’ blood a’ Jeeeesus on dis flight, glory to God!”.

My ears perked up. Anybody “prayin’” the “blood o’Jeeeesus” on me deserves an ear.

“Mamma,” he whispered, “you know I’m Jeeeesus, an ai’m gonna haijak dis plain”.

What? I can’t believe it. In this post 9/11 age someone is openly talking about hijacking? Should I report it? Will I make more trouble than it’s worth?

“I gonna haijak dis plain’ an I gonna show dem how Jesus is Lo’d o’ all, Mamma”.

No way!

I thought hijackers only hijacked in the name of Mohammad. “Allah Ahba”… or whatever.

“Mamma, ain’t nobody on dis plane realize how much Jesus means to dem.”

Oh yeah?

“I gonna show dem dat Jesus an’ we share our DNA, ’cause I’m Jesus”.

I’m all ears.

“Yes, Mamma, DNA - “Dis Not All”. “It ain’t over”. “Jesus shed his blood so dat dese people won’t haf to die, it ain’t over”.

Oh, that’s what it was all about?

“Mamma, I yo’ yungest babay o’ five, I ain’t lai’in, I lookin ‘roun and I see all dese people hoo don’ no Jeeeesus.”

Pause

“An Mamma, I been prayin’ fo’ dem”.

Pause

“Yes Mamma, dey aw wite foks, an’ Jeeesus lov’ dem too”.

He looks at me and knows I’m listening to him. So are about five other people within earshot.

The gate checker is right there next to the man who calls himself Jesus. He must have heard the terrorist say he was going to hijack the airplane. Surely he’s going to escort Jesus out of the boarding area!

“Flight 420 to Denver will be boarding shortly, if you have any children or special needs please board at this time”.

Jesus is sitting in a wheelchair that has “SKYCAPS, DO NOT REMOVE” blazoned in white letters on the back of the seat.

I’m thinking; “Who would rip off a wheelchair? No less a SKYCAP wheelchair?”

A gate attendant approaches Jesus. “OK troublemaker, you’re boarding now.”

Troublemaker?! This guy is going to hijack the airplane. He thinks he’s Jesus! He’s not a troublemaker, he’s a terrorist!

“Oh ma’am, I ain’t no trubl’ mak’r” says Jesus. “I gonna pray fo’ you. You don’ call me a trub’l mak’r o’ I gonna pray fo’ you”.

Oh Great! He’s threatening to pray for the attendant. Since when was prayer something to threaten a gate attendant with? Jesus? Are you really threatening someone with prayer?

He has a walker that has to go with him on the wheelchair. The attendant swiftly places the walker on the wheelchair and whisks Jesus to the boarding gate while he continues to jabber into his earpiece….

“Mamma, dey callin’ me a trubl’ makr’. I yo’ yungist’ baby an dey calln’ me a trubl’ makr’! Mebbe’ I bring da ‘rath a’ Gad’ down on ‘em?”

The attendant quietly and quickly wheels Jesus toward the jet way.

“I ain’t no trubl’ makr’ ma’am.” He grabs the attendant’s attention, “My mamma’ don’ like you.”

Ok.. Do I want to get on this flight? The “rath a’ Gad” may be dangerous. Jesus may hijack this plane and we may all die! Maybe.

I go ahead and board the plane….this is too good to NOT be a part of.

I hope Jesus is seated next to me. I’ve never thought of sitting next to Jesus on a flight to Denver, en-route to Philadelphia. This could be an interesting conversation. What would we talk about? The Patriot’s undefeated season, or Obama versus Hilary, or, Paul’s epistles? How about this: “What was your brother James thinking when he said that “faith without works is dead”, in direct contradiction to Paul’s doctrine that salvation is by faith alone?”

I board the plane and squeeze down the aisle with a hundred other people and see Jesus in 7A.

That’s appropriate. He couldn’t be seated in row 6 could he?

I’m in 19F; steerage.

As we begin the take-off sequence I look out the window and see that the flaps are not set correctly. They should be at 15degrees. Instead I see that they are only at 5degrees. The plan will crash! Surely Jesus has jinxed us!

I’m not sure I want this Jesus praying for me, or praying the ‘blood o’ Jeeesus” on me.

Can Jesus in 7A just keep to himself and let the rest of us fly to Denver?

The plane takes off ok. Maybe 5degrees is ok after all and the pilots might actually know more than I.

Jesus….Please stay in 7A and stop prayin’ fo’ people. I just want to get to Philadelphia in one piece.

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2. December 2007 by James.

In my stumbling around the internet I found this site about an inflatable church. For real. Awesome - especially the inflatable pastor. Not sure if the pastor is inflated with hot or cold air. But check it out.

Posted in Musings | Print | 1 Comment »