Spiritual Ponderings

How we view God, and in turn what we think sin is determines what we think about the solution to sin. There are two main competing views of sin and God in Christianity. The most pervasive and entrenched view is the legal approach, where God makes the rules and everyone else is expected to obey them. If we do not we expect Him to mete out appropriate punishments. In addition, there are rewards offered for those who do well and will be given proportionately to their achievements. This model is based on a reflection of how the world operates in all of our systems of government and society. It is based on the control paradigm where those in power decide the rules and rely on force, fear and intimidation to impose those rules on everyone else. This is so familiar to our thinking that it is impossible to escape its influence on everything we assume about reality. But just because something is extremely familiar and feels normal in no way proves that it is right or reflects the w...

Is God fair? In my mind that is the same question as, Is God just? I happened across a program on satellite a few minutes ago that was discussing some of these questions. They asked if God plays favorites, how we view the life we have, our perceived advantages and disadvantages, our circumstances. How much are we responsible for our situations or how much can be blame God for them? There is the ever-present issue of free will, not just our own but of those around us who's choices constantly affect our lives in both positive and negative ways. As I continued to watch the animated discussion between Christian leaders on this show, it began to emerge that how we interpret life and circumstances has a great deal to do with how narrow or broad our view is on the great controversy between God and Satan. When we get tunnel vision and become obsessed with focusing only on our problems, our disadvantages, our pain and suffering and refuse to take into account a larger context, ...