Like so many others, this past spring and summer of 2020 was a growing and learning time for me. Painfully and regretfully so. As time progresses, these lessons may grow dimmer, so I wanted to record them and share them here with all of you (sorry, this turned out to be a much longer entry that I anticipated).
- People need people
We have discovered multiple ways to use zoom or other virtual tools. I must confess that I had my doubts about them, but they proved to be a useful substitute. However, nothing beats interacting with another flesh-and-blood person! Perhaps some had doubts and even saw online interaction as a healthy alternative. That debate seems to be settled. Nothing replaces people. Even a virtual face is not good enough. This may have something to do with humanity being created in the image of God. Through the blood of Christ we are renewed in that image (Col 3:10; Eph 4:24), which gives to us a pure and holy communion with our living God. This also gives us a union with one other. To be separate from each other as isolated individuals goes against the very nature of who we are in Christ.
We may get on each other’s nerves and even think that we can get by alone. We now know that this is simply not true. Like so many of the blessed gifts the Lord has given to us, we take for granted the joy of community. Shame on us. We have many sins in need of repentance; this should be high on that list. As for myself, I look forward to a time when I gather with friends to discuss the doctrines of grace over a nice, hot cup of coffee!
- My family is amazing
Like so many, I had ample time with my family. Prior to COVID, this was rare since life’s duties pulls us into so many meetings. We rarely have time to share a meal together, much less a heartfelt discussion about our successes and struggles. Not in the past several months. I have spent more time with my wife and my six children than ever before. I saw how they rallied around each other during hard times. We had many late night discussions about racism, injustice, state of the church, politics, etc. I learned that we do not agree on some key issues, but I was amazed with their insight and maturity. They have deep convictions and they really care about the world and the plight of others. I have four children between 25 and 19, two 12 and 10. They are not kids, they are adults. I find it difficult to answer: “how many kids do you have?” Well, I have 4 adult children (and 2 little ones), but they are not “kids.” I spent a lot of time learning how to be a father to these amazing adults, who have grown to be outstanding contributors to the church and our society. My family is truly amazing. I loved them before COVID-19, I love them even more!
- We will worship!
Many churches decided to forego public gatherings for worship for many months. This required church leaders to utilize available technology to bring the worship of God into our homes. Having done this for several months, we all have come to realize what the Scripture taught all along: the irreplaceable value to gather as a community to worship (Heb 10:24-25). Worship was never intended to be done alone, isolated from the rest of the body of believers. As we begin the fall season, I realize that many wanted to worship; they needed to worship; they HUNGERED for worship!
While the struggle of being separated was indeed disorientating, I rejoiced that so many of God’s people longed for that time when we can regather to lift up the name of Christ. I also marveled at the creativity and determination of so many church leaders. They brought worship into our homes in a variety of different ways. When they faced technical glitches, it only made them that much more determined to provide quality service to their people. During this time of pandemic, the ugly sides of humanity have been revealed (see below). As for myself, I saw the church fight to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:2), and thanked the Lord that He convicted the hearts of many to not make excuses, but rather to continue in their call to minister to us during a time when we needed worship most.
- Racism is evil
Racism is evil, and sadly it is rampant. These past several months have reminded us all of this tragic reality. We all mourned the tragic deaths of Amaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and many others within both the African-American and Asian-American communities. For many, it was a wakeup call to the monstrous nature of humanity. For others, it was an all-too familiar reminder of a reality that haunts them every day. Whether racism is institutionalized and systematic within our social organizations might be debatable (maybe, depending on definitions of the term), but one thing is clear: racists can be found within heads of industry, public servants, religious leaders, and others around us. They are the ones causing all the hate and division and often abuse good policies in order to promote their evil goals.
We see the fruits that come from seeing others as different and lesser beings than ourselves. It demonizes them and makes them strangers. In reality, we are all created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). In fact, those who embrace Christ by faith are re-created anew in the perfect image of Christ (Col 3:10; Eph 4:24). This is not limited to one ethnic group, but is common to all those who embrace Jesus Christ. For in Christ, there is neither black nor white, Asian nor non-Asian. We are all made children of Abraham and thus properly can claim the covenantal promises by faith in the true son of Abraham (Gal 3:16). This is such a comforting word of hope. Ironically, racists come from all manners of life and ethnic groups. A racist can come from anywhere and everywhere. Thankfully, the message of the gospel is also not prejudicial or discriminatory. The power of the Cross and Resurrection of Christ overcome all barriers to form a new humanity that is redeemed in a renewed understanding of knowledge, justice, and holiness (Col 3:9-10) (Eph 2:19-22). In Christ, we are now a “holy nation” (1 Pet 2:9). Even better, we are the new temple-dwelling of the divine presence of God (Eph 2:19-22). Anything that attempts to contradict this wondrous teaching of Scripture is inherently evil because it is not of God; it is of the enemy. We dare not make racism a political agenda, but rather we must understand it for what it is – it is a moral ideology. Racism is evil!
- Racism is a symptom
Racism is evil because it is sin. Everyone has now come to realize the extent that racism exists in our society, in our world! It is everywhere! Racism has been the most publicly recognized form of sin, but it is definitely not the only one. We have seen outbreaks of physical violence in the midst of legitimate protests. There has been wanton destruction of public and private properties for no particular cause or ideology – destruction for destruction sake. We have seen numerous peoples take advantage of a worthy cause (like peaceful demonstrates against racial injustice) by looting stores for their own selfish gain. Many have used social media sights not as a platform to promote meaningful discussions, but to flaunt their own moral superiority by virtue signaling (a.k.a Pharisaic self-righteousness). Some have even tried to deny the societal horrors occurring around us and fabricate a world of peace when there is no peace. Everyone is speaking! No one is listening!
For Christians, this may not be too surprising. After all, “no one is righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10). Indeed, “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen 6:5). The fallen state of humanity has expressed itself in full glory for the whole world to see. It is no wonder we have longed for better days. However, for Christians, this understanding of the total depravity of man does provide hope. If it is true that the accomplished work of Christ has overcome the power and guilt of sin, then in Christ there is grounds for legitimate change. However, this hope is only comes when we fist acknowledge sin as sin. Then, and only then can we find redemption in Christ, for only Christ and the Christian Gospel has the power to destroy wickedness, forgive sins, declare us righteous, transform us anew, create a redeemed humanity, and eventually perfect us into eternal and indestructible glory!
- Disunity, no Unity
As a society, we are divided like we have not seen before. This is so radically opposite to the days after 9/11, where we saw unmeasured unity, even across political parties. Those days seem so long ago. Now, factions exist all around us. It is extremely difficult to even have open dialogue since we seem to share no common ground for discourse. By isolating groups, we feel more distant from each other, and that, perhaps, is the most damaging consequence. One of the buzz-words of the twenty-first century has been “community.” Right now, there is very little of it and we are experiencing the damaging results when this is absent. It raises a question: how can community be achieved when there is no common ground for agreement? Ideologies and worldviews are at war, displayed in violent ways across the nation, publicly on social media sights and election ads. I see no hope for reconciliation, no hope for unity. This seems to be the state of our society…without the Christian Gospel.
- Unity in Disunity—We really need the gospel
The message of the gospel is so radically different than what we see in public places. In the midst of all the chaos and disorder is the Christian gospel. This message is power (Rom 1:16). It reminds us of the accomplished work of Jesus Christ to reconcile man to God. This is the foundation for how we can also have reconciliation with each other. What binds the church together is our one profession in the crucified and resurrected Messiah, in whom there is no longer any condemnation before God (Rom 8:1). As those who have embraced the forgiving mercy of our Savior, we also can now offer forgiveness to those around us. This virtue of unity is so prevalent in the Scriptures that I can’t even begin to mention all of them in this brief post. Suffice it to say that pastors could preach on this for a lifetime and still not cover everything the Bible has to say!
Perhaps another way of stating this is this: Christians are already united as one body because of what Jesus has done for us. There is now one baptism, one faith because there is only one Lord (Eph 4:5). That is the amazing thing about Christian unity: we are called to work towards a goal (i.e. be bonded together in unity in love) that has already been accomplished for us by our Savior—we are the “maintain the unity of the Spirir” but to do so in the “bond of peace” (Eph 4:3)! We live out of our identity of being one body in Christ. Of course, we still do this by faith, not on our own strength, but this is very different than the reality of the world outside of the church community where unity can never, ever be truly achieved.
Sadly, we still see division within the church and that is a tragic reality. But again, there is hope. As I mentioned above, if we can properly identify sin, Jesus paid the price of that sin. Therefore, sin no longer has power and control over us. WE ARE FREE TO OBEY and live at peace with one another and, especially, with God (Rom 5:1). This Christian unity is what the world longs for, what they are trying to achieve. But it can never happen. Although discord exists in the church, we at least have the power of the Spirit to bind us together and can hope for such a unity. If are able to establish this, can you imagine the witness this will provide. Consider the words of our Lord who prayed for our oneness “so that the world may know that you have sent me” (John 17:21). In other words, Christian community is one of the strongest testimonies we have for the power of the Gospel.
- Humanity is the new theological battleground
There are moments in the history of the church where specific doctrines are under assault. For example, in the ancient church era, it was the doctrine of the Trinity and Christology. During the Reformation, the doctrine of Justification by faith lone and other doctrines of grace. Since the days of the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century, the doctrine of Scripture and the reality/nature of divine supernatural revelation. In our day, it has been the doctrine of humanity. Consider what has been the focus of the church (and society) in the past several decades: discussions on gender roles, sexual orientation, human origins, racism, individual rights over the authority of the state, etc. The common denominator of all these is they are aspects of our doctrine of humanity. I guess it is logical: once the orthodoxy of God, Scripture, and church have been abandoned, how long can an orthodoxy of humanity sustain itself? I’ve strayed from engaging in the discussions in the culture wars, but it seems that this is the theological war of our day. If the church doesn’t answer the questions that is being raised, then our secular society will. God forbid that we allow our children to be educated on these matters by the court of public opinion.
- We have a long way to go
There has been some progress in many areas in our world. But there is still so much that has to change. We have a long way to go. Regarding racism, there are no longer Jim Crow laws, which is good. But racists are prevalent. Such peoples cannot be purged through litigation, public policy, or any other political entity. Rules do not change the human heart; only God can do that. And He does do this by faith in Jesus Christ. We can outlaw racism, but only the Gospel can change racists.
Still, there is evidence for hope. The Spirit is working within the church to continually sanctify her to conform to the image of Christ, and we can see this is small ways in difficult areas. The church has grown more sympathetic to those who embrace Christ yet wrestle with same-sex attraction; we have properly condemned the sin while extending mercy to the sinner. Race relations has improved in the church also. More minority leadership is seen today than ever before. We discuss gender roles and strive to maximize opportunities for ministry for all God’s people while staying within biblical parameters (we are trying at least).
Things are improving, but again there is still much more room for growth. Born-again believers who wrestle with the immorality of homosexuality still feel ostracized in the church. Showing that homosexuality is a sin from the Scriptures is easy; ministering to such believers is hard. Yet, that is what we are called to do. The church might be less racist than it was in the mid-1950’s, but we have only moved from really bad to just bad. With all the outcry over the years regarding racism and the need for multi-ethnic communities (I have much to say about this in future posts), congregations remain homogeneous in terms of ethnicity. Is this a bad thing? We need to discuss this further. Although many have discussed the role of women in ministry, there remains minimal opportunities to positively encourage our gifted and capable sisters in the Lord to maximize their service. And I have not even mentioned other areas regarding missions, discipleship, vision-casting, and evangelism.
It is an exciting time to be involved in pastoral leadership, but it is also filled with tremendous challenges. I cling to the words of Christ when he said, “I will build my church and the gates of hades will not prevail against her” (Matt 16:18).
- We have an Eternal Home waiting for us
I crave for heaven. I can’t wait. Jesus said that his life was marked by suffering that will eventually lead to His glory. This is the redemptive road map that we all must also endure in our union with Christ—suffering to glory. We have experienced suffering. Lots of suffering, and this will be the consistent way of life until our Lord returns. But there will be a time when all will be made right, when those who dare to blaspheme the Lord and His people will face judgment, and the children of God will be transformed to eternal glory. When Jesus returns, all this will happen, and He will bring in the New Heavens and the New Earth where there is no suffering, but only glorious peace with each other and with God. Can you imagine that? No death, no tears, no chaos. No sin, no racism, no division. Just oneness with God as we worship Him for all eternity in bliss. I can’t wait. I pray for it every day. “Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (Rev 22:20-21).
Redeeming Chillingworth 