The Leaky Balloon of Self

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The Leaky Balloon of Self

Kingdom Perspective

June 13, 2024 • Don Willeman

Transcript:

Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

One of the marks of contemporary life is our fragile sense of self. We are easily offended and thrown off by lack of affirmation from others. This is strange since we claim, quite proudly, that we are self-made people. Supposedly, we find our identity by looking within and not to others; “I have a unique identity!”

However, social commentators have long noted that this ethos of self has led only to an even more impoverished sense of self. Why? Well, we are incurably social creatures. Swiss-born philosopher and writer, Alain de Botton, put it this way:

“…amid such uncertainty [about our self-identity], we typically turn to the wider world to settle the question of our significance. We seem beholden to affections of others to endure ourselves. Our ‘ego’ or self-conception could be pictured as a leaking balloon, forever requiring the helium of external love to remain inflated, and ever vulnerable to the smallest pinpricks of neglect.”

Now, why is this the case? Well, the gospel tells us. We crave affirmation because we were made for affirmation. We were not made for ourselves, but for God. Our happiness and contentment with ourselves (a quite legitimate desire!) can only come from knowing our Creator’s pleasure in us. We are incurably social creatures because we were not made for ourselves, but for another; we were made for the pleasure of God. And this means, we were made in the image of relationship—the eternal love relationship of the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

~ John 15:5-11 (ESV)

The Athanasian Creed

June 20, 2024 • Don Willeman

Transcript: Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. One of my favorite ancient creeds, the Athanasian Creed (c. 6th century), though not written by its namesake (A.D. c. 296-373) is nonetheless appropriately attributed to him. Athanasius was the great 4th century church leader who defended the Trinity against false views that followed a general pattern of denying or twisting one biblical truth to make it more “rationally compatible” with another. So, for example, if the Bible says there is only one true God, then there cannot likewise be three divine persons. How is it “rational” for God to be both one and three at the same time? The problem of course is that this is precisely what the Bible does claim. And so, with precision and eloquence the Athanasian Creed* summarizes the divine mystery of the Triune God: … we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the divine essence. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal…. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternal beings but one eternal being As also there are not three uncreated beings nor three incomprehensible beings, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible being. Well put! Beautiful and true! Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” ~ Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) *https://www.ccel.org/creeds/athanasian.creed.html 1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; 2. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; 4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. 5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. 6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. 7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. 8. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. 9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. 10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. 11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. 12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. 13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. 14. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. 15. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; 16. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. 17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; 18. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; 20. So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords. 21. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. 22. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. 23. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. 25. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. 26. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal. 27. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity. 29. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 30. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. 31. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world. 32. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. 33. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. 34. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. 35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God. 36. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. 37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ; 38. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; 39. He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty; 40. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; 42. And shall give account of their own works. 43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. 44. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.

The Trinity

June 18, 2024 • Don Willeman

Transcript: Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. The Bible tells us two truths that may seem contradictory: 1) there is only one God, and 2) this God exists eternally in a relationship of three persons. Our Jewish friends, rightly emphasize the “Shema” of Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (“Shema” is the Hebrew word for “Hear” or “Listen”). The God of the Bible was unique among the ancient deities, precisely because He claimed to be the only true God, and therefore demanded sole allegiance. Thus, the Shema continues: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” There is only one God, He rightful deserves our all! Yet, the Bible clearly teaches there are three persons who lay claim to this deity. Jesus does: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30; see also, John 1:1-3). The Holy Spirit does: “Now the Lord is the Spirit…” (2 Corinthians 3:17; see also, Acts 5:3-4). And, of course, the Father does. But how are we to understand this seeming contradiction? Well, as the church pondered the biblical data, it refused to truncate or twist either truth; both must be taken at full value. There is only one God (one divine essence or being), but that God exists as three persons. So, the Church held firmly to the existence of only one divine essence or being, while likewise holding that this one divine essence is shared equally and fully by three distinct persons. One God in three persons, and three Persons in one God. In other words, as Christians we take God’s self-revelation, at face value, by faith; the true Church believes God’s Word. And that’s something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” ~ Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)

Finding Your True Self

June 11, 2024 • Don Willeman

Transcript: Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. There have been deep and dramatic cultural changes in the past 75 years or so, unmooring much of what our civilization took for granted. Nowhere is this more evident than in our sense of “self”. In traditional cultures, one gained an identity either by pedigree (being born into a particular family, tribe or nation) or by proving oneself according to the values of your family, tribe or nation (e.g., sacrificing for the greater good of the community). However, in the past 50 years or so, we no longer become a somebody by looking to our family, tribe or nation, but by distinguishing ourselves from them. Belonging to a community is seen as an obstacle to being my “true self”. You can see this in the change of the advertisements for the US military. A century ago, you had a rather stern looking Uncle Sam pointing his finger at whoever deigned to look, saying: “Your country needs you!” The subtext was you had a duty to serve your nation because you belonged to it. Your identity was bound by your duty to tribe and nation. However, back in the 1980’s all this changed with a much more consumer/individualistic-driven ad. Join the Army and “Be all that you can be!” we were told. In this new world it is all about you. You create yourself. You are the manufacturer of your identity. This new ethos has not saved our “sense of self” but only impoverished it even more. We were never meant base our identity on our pedigree or performance but on God who created us in His image and redeemed us for His glory. And that’s something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” ~ Colossians 3:9-15 (ESV)