Hebrews Series:Resurrection trumps Religion

Part 5: Does Resurrection open a

new door to ‘Judgment’?

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The Confession

Most merciful God, we humbly admit that we need your help.We confess that we have wandered from your way;We have done wrong, and we have failed to do what is right.You alone can save us, Have mercy on us.Wipe out our sins and teach us to forgive others. Bring forth in us the fruit of the Spirit that we may live as disciples of Christ.

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A Story to start with…

My Week …

Mentoring a young professional friend

Losing a big account – scary…

Anne returns from overseas + life’s details re-emerge + family duties

Papuan dialogue resurfaces…

Planning London office…

Really bad golf

Pace, some stress, forgot to do things like ring my sister

Sin-based frame?

Anglican confession

Diagnose what happened

Classify & interpret…

‘Repent’ and ask forgiveness…

Try better to improve against this frame of sins

God of the edges

Resurrection order?

(Creation)

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God of the core?

Where does Hebrews sit on judgment ?

Various ‘dark’

passages…

Wonderful ‘grace’

passages

?

Where do they fit in the world of judgment?

Does Hebrews taken as a whole REFRAME our understanding of

‘judgment’?

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Dark passages in Hebrews?

Ch 2Ch 6 Ch 10 Ch 12

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Dark passages in Hebrews?Chapter 2 How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?

Chapter 6. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

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The Positive base of the ‘Resurrection order’

Based in Creation not sin

Christ/Logos as formative ‘agent’ of creation

Humanity reframed as aligned with Christ’s rule & superiority (Psalm 8)

Resurrection restores

human rule in Christ

Therefore …..1) New priesthood based on Melchizedek not Aaron

2) New order obliterates law & puts believers on once for all footing with God

3) Can’t lay this foundation again – it has same finality as ‘creation’

4) New order is rooted in Abraham not Moses (Promise not law – bound to God’s relentless purposes…)

5)Christ’s zone of operation is ‘new temple’ = ‘new created order’

6) This authority zone is established in the heavens but not yet manifest on earth

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Can we build a new framework for ‘human responsibility’ in the light of this Resurrection

order?

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Some ground rules I have used1) Audience is believing Jews….2) Follow Hebrews’ line of argument – Christ is the code to answer all

human questions 2) No autonomous models of responsibility 3) Christ is the pathway and pioneer for human behaviours4) Fix your eyes on Jesus – the author and pioneer of our faith

“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, and was designated by God to be a high priest in the order of Melchizedek” Hebrews 5:9 & 10

2) Christ is mapping a development path not just a redemptive path…Very important to Apollos that we ‘develop’ according to Heb 62) Move beyond the grounds of forgiveness3) Living in mindset of Resurrection order (Melchizedek)4) Bearing fruit in our lives – which is God’s primary end and goal….

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Christ as exemplar for rule on earthie nature of God’s rule in created order

2:10 “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom

everything exists, should make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering”

“Perfection ” - “Teleios” signifies ‘having reached its end (telos), finished, completed. Accomplishing, or bringing to completeness.

6;1 “Let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation…”

7:11 & 19 “If perfection could have been attained by the Levitical priesthood…(for the law

made nothing perfect …law was unable to perfect the conscience of the worshiper” 9:9

9:11“Greater and more perfect tabernacle…”

10:14 “By one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy…”

11: 40 “without us they would not be made perfect ….”

12: 23 “you have come to the spirits of just men made perfect ….”

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Christ as exemplar for Human rule on earthie nature of God’s rule in created order

“Perfection”

“The religious man searches furiously to reserve a place for God and today this place is at the boundaries”

• Goal of God & final purpose in creating • Not merely character but ‘ability to fulfil a role’• Includes capability to fulfil the role • “Fit for purpose”• The end of a developmental pathway

“Teleological system & we are teleological beings”

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Christ as exemplar for rule on earthie Nature of God’s rule in created order

“Suffering”

“The religious man searches furiously to reserve a place for God and today this place is at the boundaries”

• Not purely result of sin but of incarnation• Resistance from the otherness of created order…• People, circumstances, nature• Creation is a world of contested spaces & limitations• Therefore ‘work’ is modus operandi not ‘declaration’

ex cathedra (like God did in Genesis 1)• Nature of work is small actions in constrained spaces

As created beings….we live in contested context “We live in a world of boundaries & connections –

systems & paradoxes – consequences & feedbacks – where little actions make vast differences”

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Christ as exemplar for rule on earthie nature of God’s rule in created order

“Learned obedience ”

“The religious man searches furiously to reserve a place for God and today this place is at the boundaries”

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source ….” 5:8 & 9

Logo-centric lives – active reflection and wonder. Inquiry and reason. Consciousness. Treasuring and unpacking the gift of life every day. Includes learning from suffering and failure. This drives growth.

• The learning experience CANNOT be attributed to sin in this case• The learning experience is applied to Christ – ie to God incarnate in this world• Recognising the hand of God behind all things in the created order• Living a conscious and reflective life, inquiring after the wonder and glory in all• Discovering the hand of God in the narrative of life (“Bethel”)• “Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth’ (Psalm 8:1)

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How does this rule fit with the sovereignty of God?

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Model of two kingdoms…Kingdom #1 – God in all his Glory – the Uncaused cause… (“Through whom and for whom all things exist”)

Omnipotent God ruling – 1. He declares and it is – no ‘work’ is possible for such a God as that would imply effort

and thus some limitation.2. He obliterates any ‘other’ thing – nothing can abide in His presence Omniscient God ruling –1. Must know all things so cannot entertain doubt or inquiry

Changeless God ruling –1. There can be no ‘shadow of turning’ in God. No change or learning…. No surprise…

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The Problem of Kingdom # 1…Kingdom # 1 Its problems – the Unsolvable Mystery….

So this presents an paradox that the Jews/Platonists/Gnostics understood perfectly – how can such a God create – and even more if we could overcome that hurdle – how can such a God inhabit or interact with

creation? The creation must be ‘other’ and so must offer constraints. But he cannot be constrained.

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The Mystery that solves the problem How can God interact with any creation????

- Create it? Inhabit it? Be pleased with it?

Kingdom # 2 – God and creation inhabited by Him somehow…

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Kingdom # 2 – a new kind of ruleOrigins = Genesis 1 and then 2. Ie pre-existing materials – already ‘caused’ but not ‘shaped’. So Genesis 1 is the shaping side of creating, not the originating.

Destiny or goal (the telos) = House becomes a home. Ie matter, the created order contains and expresses the glory of God.

Ie Finite can hold and express infinite, change can express immortality, matter can express transcendence, physical can hold metaphysical and meaning, contingency can contain immutable purpose..

God’s requirements from Kingdom #2 God wants “harvest” from creationGod wants amplification/expansion from creationGod wants expression from creationThe end of all is the knowledge and love of GodFaith becomes the modus operandi of this kingdom

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The modus operandi of K # 2

Eternal changelessness? Christ was ‘made perfect’ New kind of transcendence – ie meaning invested in time. ‘Perfection as development and maturity. Narrative is rendered purposeful

Omnipotence? Christ ‘suffered’ New kind of power (omnipotence) at work – ie power becomes counterintuitive – authority. Engages with the ‘other’. Suffering/context – strength made perfect in weakness. Matthew ‘Meek shall inherit the earth’

Omniscience? Christ ‘learned obedience’New kind of knowledge (omniscience) at work – ie learning by doing and experimenting.

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Psalm 118 – K#2 at work in the mind of the faithful…

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”3 Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.”4 Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.”5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place.6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down.13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.

15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.18 The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.20 This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.[b]27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us.With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up[c] to the horns of the altar.

The Lord is my strength and my

defense; he has become my

salvation.

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A Story to end with…

My Week …

Mentoring a young professional friend

Losing a big account – scary…

Anne returns from overseas + life’s details re-emerge + family duties

Papuan dialogue resurfaces…

Planning London office…

Really bad golf

Pace, some stress, forgot to do things like ring my sister

Sin-based frame?

Anglican confession

Diagnose what happened

Classify & interpret…

‘Repent’ and ask forgiveness…

Try better to improve against this frame of sins

God of the edges

Harvest from Creation

‘Psalm 118’

‘Perfection’ as the real goal of life (Telos)

God puts us in contexts, and they are contested. (Faith and leverage)

Learning and reflecting with growth as the goal

(Logos)

God of the

core?