Reviews, Interviews, News, Commentaries, Excerpts, My Top 5 Books, Wilson's Bookmarks, Book AwardsJesus Doesn't Need Help
Jesus Doesn't Need Help
The World Is Not Ours to Save: Finding the Freedom to Do Good
Wigg-Stevenson, Tyler
IVP Books
January 29, 2013
222 pp., $11.91
Ephesians 4:16 tells us that from Christ "the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." … [As activists], [w]hen we try to do everything ourselves, we risk disrespecting the diversity of gifts Christ has given to his body.
I remember facilitating a discussion on faith and activism at a conference for university chaplains and ministers. One young woman confessed that she was the consummate "joiner." Give her a Christian cause and something to do, and she was on board. She'd like it on Facebook, follow on Twitter, buy the product, go to the conference, do the small group study. You name it; she'd do it. She was also exhausted, on the verge of burnout. As she spoke, sympathetic heads nodded around the table, including my own.
It struck me that those of us who shared such well-intentioned impulses were actually modeling ourselves after the wrong Christ. Our problem wasn't a lack of concern for Jesus; his heart and compassion drove our response. But in taking the world's burdens onto our backs, we were trying to grow in the image of Christ that we see in Colossians: the cosmic Jesus in whom "all things hold together" and through whose blood God chose to "reconcile to himself all things" (1:17, 20). Horrified by the sin and pain [of the world], we try to stretch wide enough and sacrifice hard enough to fix it. Does this sound like the faith of anyone you know?
Our shoulders aren't big enough for that task. The miracle of the incarnation means that Jesus the man is also the Son of God, and so his sacrifice is sufficient for all of us. As disciples, we are called to ...
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Jim Ricker
Kevin Anderson, What are you talking about? "The Illuminati" by Burkett (a work of fiction)? The "Thor Conspiracy" (another work of fiction)? The Coming Economic Earthquake? Larry was certainly off on his timing but the economic earthquake started a few years ago and is continuing on today and he future looks even more bleak. Although I don't claim to be an expert on Burkett or all his writings, it would be good if you could provide some evidence to prove your stated conclusion.
Jim Ricker
Rick, No, you did not control the land if you did not act prudently (hence the reason for the return every so often...). You could work your land smarter than others and generate more wealth that way. Also, after the Babylonian captivity, not everyone returned and not all lands were able to be brought back to the correct family due to some not being represented after the return. That is certainly not a 'frozen' economic situation but, we do know that wealth was redistributed and debts forgiven at different time intervals (at least that was how they were supposed to do it) so there would be a more level playing field. Your "aristocracy" comment is to be blunt is...ridiculous. If the plan was followed, ALL Israelite families shared in the land. ALL descendents of Naphtali were to share the land left to the tribe of Naphtali. ALL families that came into the land from Egypt were from one of the 12 tribes and thus had ownership of the land in their respective family.
KEVIN ANDERSON
Larry Burkett was a hack writer who believed in ridiculous conspiracy theories and made false predictions. End of story.