I’m currently working my way through David Gushee and Glen Stassen’s ‘Kingdom Ethics’, 7 pp a day. In ch 5 (called, ‘Doing, not Dualism’), they suggest that the typical reading of the Sermon on the Mount as a series of antitheses, in which Jesus prohibits anger, lust, divorce, oaths etc. drives people to interpret the whole thing as “hard sayings and impossible demands”. Only there for repentance, not obedience.
Stassen and Gushee believe they are actually triads laying out the traditional teaching, the sinful pattern and then the very do- able initiatives that we practice- in order to learn to do what Jesus wants us to do.
For instance, where the traditional teaching was “love neighbour, hate enemy”, the sinful pattern is “hating enemies is the same as Gentiles”, and the transforming initiative is “love enemies, pray for persecutors, be all-inclusive like your father in heaven”... and they go through the whole sermon in this way.
This type of discipleship is very practical, like you say. Doing, not just learning knowledge.
I know that the times I have truly followed God and told Him I’ll do what You’re saying because I trust You, it has led to all kinds of fruit in my life that has had repercussions for far longer than the time it took me to do the thing. God multiplies every little step I take in His direction, and now when I look back over my life I have all kinds of stories of how God blessed my faithfulness - I also have times I can look back and see that I didn’t do what God had intended, and He still brings good out of it, but it takes a lot longer.
Yes! Love it! In campus ministry this is what we are ideally pursuing with our students… we only have them for a short time and in that time we need to help them grow and be able to teach their younger peers.
Tying it back into a Church called Tov, a part of discipleship is also caught from the community one is apart of. Some of it is never explicitly said or taught. Anyway, a big Amen from me on this!
Glen, loosen the lug nuts *before* you jack up the car. Wrassling stuck lug nuts on a vehicle resting on three wheels and a little metal plate is a recipe for an expensive catastrophe. : )
This is great!
I’m currently working my way through David Gushee and Glen Stassen’s ‘Kingdom Ethics’, 7 pp a day. In ch 5 (called, ‘Doing, not Dualism’), they suggest that the typical reading of the Sermon on the Mount as a series of antitheses, in which Jesus prohibits anger, lust, divorce, oaths etc. drives people to interpret the whole thing as “hard sayings and impossible demands”. Only there for repentance, not obedience.
Stassen and Gushee believe they are actually triads laying out the traditional teaching, the sinful pattern and then the very do- able initiatives that we practice- in order to learn to do what Jesus wants us to do.
For instance, where the traditional teaching was “love neighbour, hate enemy”, the sinful pattern is “hating enemies is the same as Gentiles”, and the transforming initiative is “love enemies, pray for persecutors, be all-inclusive like your father in heaven”... and they go through the whole sermon in this way.
This type of discipleship is very practical, like you say. Doing, not just learning knowledge.
I know that the times I have truly followed God and told Him I’ll do what You’re saying because I trust You, it has led to all kinds of fruit in my life that has had repercussions for far longer than the time it took me to do the thing. God multiplies every little step I take in His direction, and now when I look back over my life I have all kinds of stories of how God blessed my faithfulness - I also have times I can look back and see that I didn’t do what God had intended, and He still brings good out of it, but it takes a lot longer.
Yes! Love it! In campus ministry this is what we are ideally pursuing with our students… we only have them for a short time and in that time we need to help them grow and be able to teach their younger peers.
Tying it back into a Church called Tov, a part of discipleship is also caught from the community one is apart of. Some of it is never explicitly said or taught. Anyway, a big Amen from me on this!
Glen, loosen the lug nuts *before* you jack up the car. Wrassling stuck lug nuts on a vehicle resting on three wheels and a little metal plate is a recipe for an expensive catastrophe. : )
Absolutely true 👏👏👏👏