I've been quite busy this week and probably will be for the next few weeks as one of my classes is wrapping up and a number of other things have come up, so I asked Sam and Madeline if they would write the blog for this weeks thoughts on chapter 19. I'm sure you'll enjoy a break from my ranting and a fresh perspective on Kauflin's writing.
-David
Both characteristics of God, His Transcendence and His Imminence, seem like attributes that are emphasized at different times in Christian Church History. It does seem like they are opposing swings on a Master Pendulum. For awhile, perhaps many hundreds of years, the Reverence and Honor due to our Most Holy God was predominant in the Liturgy and Worship in many formal churches. People dressed in their very best attire to go and worship God. Many of our beloved Hymns were written in this period of solemnity and quiet awe.
Currently, though, many of the churches of today strive to be “seeker-friendly”, and thus present God more as a friend and brother and compassionate lover of our souls. We dress more casually, behave more informally, and strive to be very welcoming, just as we remember that Jesus lived among human beings, touching them, crying with them, eating with them. This is a beautiful picture of Him, too.
As Kauflin states on p. 162, “At Calvary we stand in awe of perfect righteousness, holy justice, and unerring judgment. We can offer no excuses or justification for our sin. We’re completely at the mercy of our sovereign Creator and King. Yet the gospel assures us that our sins have been completely atoned for. We’re no longer God’s enemies. We’re His adopted children.” This is a wonderful description of the tension, or the balance, between God’s transcendence and His imminence.
It is especially important to appreciate both of these attributes of God. We do ourselves, and His Church, a disservice if we over-emphasize one, to the exclusion of the other.
-Sam and Madeline
I kind of struggled with this chapter regarding us not being able to call Him our friend. He is my God, my Lord, but I do consider Him to be my friend as well. In the song "As the Deer" the second verse says "Your my Friend and You are my Brother, even though You are a King", and though I know that isn't a scriptural verse, I love the thought of calling Him friend.
ReplyDeleteI love the thought of calling him my friend, too, Michelle! I did not think Kauflin was saying we shouldn't do that.....I just thought he was bringing in both perspectives, and asking us to think about each one.....and determine if we are over-emphasizing one or the other.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I missed something?
I agree with you Madeline. Kauflin is trying to show a need for a balance between the two perspectives, he's not trying to promote one over the other. Michele, I believe that it is quite Biblical for us to call God our friend as long as it is not at the expense of calling Him our Savior and Master as well. Again, I think it is an issue of balance, not one over the other.
ReplyDeleteJohn 15:14,15
You are my friends if you do what I command I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteI made that comment because of what was said on page 161. He stated that according to D.A. Carson, "not once is Jesus or God ever described in the bible as our friend. Abraham is God's friend; the reverse is never stated". I agree that Kauflin was showing us that there is a balance and He is God and should be honored as such. I guess I should do a word study myself on friend:).....