Faith

What is it, eh? Is it being a trusting enough person? It can almost seem like a work in itself. And if the Paul isn't arguing about Jewish legalism but about Jewish exclusivism, then how does Romans 4 fit in?

(That was just to get your mind whirring. The important (and less confusing) bit is below)

I've been wondering whether there's enough in Romans 4 for me to argue that faith there is particularly the 'throwing your fate upon Jesus' kind. It uses the Greek word 'upon' instead in 'in' when it says that we're saved by 'faith in Jesus', so do you think that the immediate context gives you enough to say that this isn't just about believing in God, but about putting your lot in with Jesus and relying on his faithfulness to bring you through?

Disappointing day

After a massively stressful day on Friday, today Gunther (our car) overheated on the way up to Brisbane from the farm. By the time RACQ got there, the towing had happened, worked out Gunther wouldn't restart and Dad had driven down to Ormeau from Brisbane to pick us up, I got to our football semi-final just after half-time. Unbeknownst to me, there's a rule in our league that you have to have signed the card by the end of half-time in order to play any part in the match. Found that out rudely when I got there.

Absolutely gutted. Day ended up being a big, massive pile of nothing.

The boys did win, so there's a game next week to play in.

Shudder

I just read a blog where a guy was bemoaning the lack of excitement in watching women's sports. Now, there's an extent to which I share this sentiment, but that's about as far as I go in solidarity with this guy's position.

Essentially, the reason that I don't watch women's sport is because I can't handle watching women act like men. Watching ladies compete in any sort of physical competition where they must hurt, hit or use sheer brute force to overcome each other is not my cup of tea. That's why football (soccer), tennis (except when the Williams sisters are playing) and lawn bowls are less distasteful.

But this guy I was reading was exactly the opposite. There wasn't enough competition in women's sport for him. Until, he was transfixed by women's rugby:

For a brief moment last night that changed, when bald headed women ploughed into the ribs of other women and fought with their last drop of sweat to prevent an egg-shaped ball from crossing a line. In one moment an England player punched an Aussie to the floor in self-defence.

Yeah. Great stuff. Really.

Gunning for the future

An interesting quote here from an ex-Arsenal employee. Paul Burgess, former groundsman (the guy who makes sure the playing surface is in top condition) of Arsenal FC has moved on to Real Madrid, and made this interesting comment about the cultures of the two clubs:

"There is a different kind of pressure here compared to Arsenal," he admitted. "There, the club is more about the future whereas at Real Madrid it is all about today. If they don't do well today there is no tomorrow, so winning is everything.

"That transcends down to the groundsman as well. Everyone at the club has to have a winning mentality and if you don't have that, then you aren't part of the make-up of the club."

Interesting to chew on, that.

From the Master's Apprentices to the Animals

This is the third post of a series on Genesis 1-3 which started here, with part 2 here.

Another of Doug Green's thoughts on humanity is that if we were, as is fairly commonly held, that dominion and mastery is at least part of the divine image which we are to fulfill, then the first domain of dominion ought to be ourselves.

That is, if we are made to be Masters of the Universe (TM) under Yhwh, little gods representing the Big God, then the primary arena for that rule to be expressed ought to be our own person.

This, says Doug, is one of the most obvious features that marks us off from the animals. The mark of true humanity is that we exercise appropriate dominion and control over ourselves. And so, after the fall, we end up being humans who are less than human because we do not exercise dominion over ourselves.

He cites the story of Esau as paradigm of fallen humanity. Note how many things present Esau as animal-like. His body was like a hairy garment. He inhabited the open fields. He was a hunter. In order to be like an animal, like Esau, Jacob covers himself in the skins of animals.

Thus, we should not be surprised that Esau lives by instinct. He sells his birthright to satisfy hunger. This is the nature of fallen humanity.

Interestingly, 'beastly' is also how Peter describes a certain set of false teachers, while the ultimate judgement on Nebuchadnezzar for his pride was to become like a beast. (More on 'loss of reason' as a product of the fall in another post)

This is beautiful because it gives a positively glorious perspective on the Christian ethic of self-denial and restraint. Western capitalist culture sees nothing in this ethic other than repression (or oppression?) of natural instincts, the curbing of true humanity. Our age can see no positive virtue in deciding, for example, not to have sex before marriage. Why suppress yourself? Why not be who you are?

Yet Scripture holds the exercising of self-control as a mark of true humanity. We are not utterly beholden to our instincts. Nor should we be. Being re-made in the image of God (back to true humanity) by Holy Spirit includes the fruit of self control! Our age is pretty up on asceticism being stupid, but not so much on unbridled self-expression being stupid.

I'm very glad that Jesus that he did not obey his instincts but was truly human, and set his face towards the cross.

Aesthetic irony

Perhaps this may bring accusations of shallowness, silliness or harshness, but after having caught public transport to and from Toowong train station for nearly 8 years of my life, I've decided finally to ask the hard questions that need to be asked.

How on earth can an institution bearing the name Queensland School of Beauty have uniforms so ugly?

Call me harsh, but after watching otherwise perfectly normal looking purple penguins go off to beauty school for 8 years I've finally had to let it out.

This has to be good!

What to do for my 200th post? This has to be special. It has to stand out in lights. It has to be one of the best things I've ever posted!!

Where's my inspiration? Where's that fascinating insight that's evaded humanity for centuries? Where's that pearl of wisdom, that cure for spiritual cancer that comes second only to the Cross in its power to heal the ills of humanity?

. . .

Drat.

I think this is a little self-indulgently vacuous. Not quite what I was looking for.