Some Thoughts

I believe the time has come to say goodbye to ‘Some Thoughts.’

One of the reasons I chose such a broad (and almost unnecessary) title for this blog was to allow me to post ‘some thoughts’ on any topic I wanted to. But now, frankly, I find it rather bland and boring. The subtitle, “For His glory and our Joy”, was born in the context of my nearly exclusively Piper-Edwards environment back in 2003. While I still have high regard for both men, and would still call myself a Christian hedonist of some kind, there are other perspectives which I now cherish and would love to incorporate into the title / subtitle. Those perspectives have already permeated my posts for years, so I think it’s time to change my little blog’s title correspondingly.

And so, without further ado, I present to you, “The Jericho Ethic.” Catchy, right? To further illuminate why I chose this title, the subtitle/catch-phrase/soundbite is “Living like Rahabs in a Cosmic Jericho.” If that doesn’t quite cut it for you, let me briefly list off a few reasons:

• Think of the “Lord’s prayer” being prayed by Rahab and her family. What kind of things would she have meant by each phrase in the prayer?
• Think of the pilgrim perspective she and her household had to her “world” of Jericho.
• Think of how they would’ve understood phrases like, “behold, He is even at the doors!”
• While there is much emphasis today on being in the world but not of the world, I rather like to think about being of the kingdom but not yet in it. (I’m thinking ethics vs. geography here: the “rule precedes the realm”)
• This perspective calls to mind the need for a strong apologetic, and an allegiance to the coming King – coming in a very real, bodily, physical, even militaristic way.
• It helps keep the “time is short” perspective of Paul (1 Cor 7 [show] Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." [2]But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. [3]The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. [4]For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. [5]Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. [6]Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. [7]I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. [8]To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. [9]But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. [10]To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband [11](but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. [12]To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. [13]If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. [14]For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. [15]But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. [16]For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? [17]Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. [18]Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. [19]For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. [20]Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. [21]Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) [22]For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. [23]You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. [24]So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. [25]Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. [26]I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. [27]Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. [28]But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. [29]This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, [30]and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, [31]and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. [32]I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. [33]But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, [34]and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. [35]I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. [36]If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry--it is no sin. [37]But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. [38]So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better. [39]A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. [40]Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. (ESV)
  ) in view.
• It draws attention to the fact that sin is an ethical dilemma, and faith is its ethical corrective.
• Think of verses about loving and hating the world at the same time – how would Rahab apply this to her neighbors and the guards knocking at her doors?
• Think of how she would treat her infant and young children during the “already-not yet” period between hearing the “gospel” of Joshua’s coming and his actual arrival – or until the children were “of age”?
• She “saw the kingdom” from afar off, “died” to her world-system to “live” according to the “coming” world system.
• I much prefer the comparison of the church to Rahab in Jericho than to Israel in the wilderness – for many of the reasons listed above.
• Rahab and her family must’ve lived every hour on the promise of the “gospel” of Joshua – it was a covenantal lifestyle, energized by faith in the certainty of the promise. “Don’t be frightened, children – we belong to Joshua now. He will protect us from all his and our enemies. His word is sure.”

So there are just a few off-the-top-of-my-head reasons for making this long-awaited name change. That said, welcome to “The Jericho Ethic”!

(I will officially change the title after my two or three loyal readers have had a chance to read [and perhaps respond!] this post.)