When A "Thousand Words" Trump a Picture-Part 2

In yesterday's post, I dealt with the problem of our culture's obsession with or captivity to the visual media. This has led to our inability--generally--to really "hear" words, especially propositional truth, especially preaching. Quoting Carl Trueman from his essay, "The Undoing of the Reformation," (found in his book, The Wages of Spin: Evangelical Essays):

Even in evangelical circles, the relentless attack on 'propositional' revelation and the constant cries for new models of truth, which one hears from certain quarters, would seem symptomatic of the impact of the general cultural scene upon theology.

What To Do?

Question: "In a world where words now have only secondary importance, can the traditional emphasis on words - the Bible, preaching, etc. - be maintained or should it not rather give way to something else, some other means of communicating the message?"

God Created Language

And since it was God's idea, it must maintain a vital place in our lives. Listen to Carl Henry:

The biblical view implies that God instituted language as a vehicle for interpersonal communication and fellowship. In relationships with mankind he voluntarily employs language as a divine accommodation. Language enables us to objectify and to communicate our thoughts and knowledge claims, as well as our emotions, desires and fantasies. It is impossible to see how human culture would be possible without it. Yet language was divinely gifted not primarily to provide a basis for culture, but rather to facilitate intelligible communion between man and God and communication of the truth.

BABEL and PENTECOST--Language Lost and Found

We need language. Pictures, TV, videos, etc., cannot replace it. Referring to the tower of Babel (Gen. 11), Trueman instructs, "When faced with all-surpassing pride and arrogance of fallen humanity, what is it that God does in order to disrupt human relationships to the point where such an ambitious scheme could never be attempted again? He creates linguistic confusion so that what is central to human relationships . . . is utterly disrupted." Thus, man is severely limited in his combined rebellion against God, hampered by his inability to interact for a common goal.

Pentecost, however, was a reversal of Babel. The disruption caused by linguistic confusion was overturned when through the Holy Spirit, men were enabled to speak in numerous languages in order to proclaim the gospel to the world. In the one case (Babel) language was confused in order to prevent a united evil attempt at exclusive human solidarity. In the other case, the language gap was bridged in order to communicate the Great Uniter of all mankind, Jesus Christ! Language as a gift of God is meant to be used by man to proclaim the glory of God and salvation through Jesus Christ. The proposition that "Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15) is freighted with unbelievable freedom and must be proclaimed everywhere! Language carries such a message.

Trueman goes into much greater detail; this only scratches the surface. Perhaps it is enough to at least confirm the very important place of words in our culture, which they have rapidly pushed aside in favor of the more visual media. Even the very pictorial aspects of Israeli life, viz., sacrificial system, the tabernacle, furniture, and memorials find their meanings via the verbal instructions given by Moses.

Let us not denigrate the verbal proclamation of the Gospel. God speaks through words, words which he created to explain things, to explain himself. "The Word became flesh . . ." (John 1:14).

When A "Thousand Words" Trump a Picture

Claude Monet--"The Artist's House at Argenteuil"

"A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS"

"This phrase emerged in the USA in the early part of the 20th century. Its introduction is widely attributed to Frederick R. Barnard, who published a piece commending the effectiveness of graphics in advertising with the title "One look is worth a thousand words", in Printer's Ink, December 1921." (Wickipedia)

OK, that's the saying and the Wiki explanation. Pros & Cons?

Pros. True, one can stand before a marvelous painting by Monet or Cezanne and appreciate their ability to make an "impression" by their painting style. And they DO. There's something to be said for art appreciation, something which, it seems, too few Americans appreciate. Likewise, we should learn to be still long enough to soak in the beauty of a calm Spring day after a long hard winter, or the magnificent grandeur of the Tetons. Sometimes a gasp is all that one can manage when faced with the Grand Canyon. Words fail us then, as well they should. That's a positive reaction to some very visual stimuli.

Cons. On the other hand, visual media like TV has jaded the general population's appreciation for the verbal means of communication. Carl Trueman, in his essay "The Undoing of the Reformation," writes,

One has only to look at the billions of dollars and pounds spent on advertising to see where 'the market', that infallible judge of what is and is not important in contemporary society, regards the centres of power to be: advertising, TV air-time, and image/PR consultancies whose sole reason for existence is the manipulation or 'spinning' of the media to a client's advantage. The visual media (whether of the televisual or of the tabloid newspaper variety), with all the associated baggage of 'spindoctors', PR people etc, is without doubt one of the dominant forces within our culture today, and this has led to a general cultural bias in favour of the visual over and against the verbal [emphasis mine]. Thus, in entertainment, television is more popular than radio; and in politics it is more important to look good than to articulate a coherent argument.

The point of all this is to show how our culture has undermined the value of the spoken or written word, favoring instead the visual impression exclusively. Why is this so important for you and for me? Because, as Trueman continues, there has resulted a "war against words. The rise to a position of cultural dominance by the visual media and the parallel widespread collapse in confidence in language has its corollary in the various quests to find 'truth' elsewhere and in other forms . . ."

This has been devastating on numerous levels, but especially so to preaching. We preach "words," in propositions (statements that can be validated as to their veracity) so it is vital to re-capture the focus of our preaching, not allowing the postmodern, visual culture to "dumb down" our ability to proclaim the truth in the manner in which our Lord dictated.

Lord willing, I hope to unveil the resolution to this "sticky wicket" on the next post.

Jesus Precious to Believers

The following are a two snippets from a sermon by C. H. Spurgeon, entitled, "Christ Precious to Believers" preached in 1859 when he was 25 years old. The text is taken from the KJV,

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious. 1 Peter 2:7

If you cannot say, ‘Jesus is precious to me,’ I do not care to what church you belong or what creed you are ready to die for. You do not know the truth of God unless the person of Christ is dear to you.

My young brother, you of the same age as myself, is Jesus precious to you in your youth? Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? only by taking heed thereto according to Christ's word, and by walking in his footsteps. Ye men and women of middle age, is Christ precious to you? Remember that this world is but a dream, and if you have not something more satisfactory than that, you will be disappointed, even though you succeed beyond your highest wishes. And ye grey headed men, who are going tottering to your graves, whose life is like a candle-snuff, almost expiring, like a lamp whose oil is spent. Is Christ precious to you, ye with the bald head, and with the hoary lock, is Jesus precious to your soul? Remember, on your answer to this question depends your condition. You believe, if he is precious to you, but if he is not precious, then you are not believers, and you are condemned already because you believe not on the Son of God. Now, which is it? Oh, methinks some of you feel as if you could spring from your seats, and say, "Yes, he is precious to me, I cannot deny it."

Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

True Discipleship = Sanity

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:33).

Is Jesus really serious about how Christians are to follow him? It seems extreme. But MacDonald writes (online version),

"The fact of the matter is that obedience to the Lord's command is the most sane and reasonable life and the one that yields the greatest joy. The witness of Scripture and of experience testifies that no one who lives sacrificially for Christ will ever suffer want. When a man obeys God, the Lord takes care of him."

The man who forsakes all to follow Christ is not a shiftless pauper who expects to be supported by his fellow Christians.

1. He is industrious. He works diligently for the supply of his current necessities and those of his family.

2. He is frugal. He lives as economically as possible so that everything above immediate needs can be put into the Lord's work.

3. He is foresighted. Instead of accumulating wealth on earth, he lays up his treasures in heaven.

4. He trusts God for the future. Instead of giving the best of his life to the building up of vast reserves for old-age security, he gives his best to the service of Christ and trusts Him for the future. He believes that if he seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, he will never lack food and clothing (Matthew 6:33).

What FORGIVENESS Isn't--Part 3

Here are the last five ways describing "What Forgiveness Isn't," from my friend, Bob Leroe, pastor in Saugus, Mass. See the previous two blogs to get the entire list of sixteen.

1. Forgiveness isn’t suddenly “liking” the person. We’re to love everyone, but not everyone’s our buddy. Friendship may grow out of forgiveness, but sometimes the best we can achieve is tolerance, forbearance, and peaceful coexistence. Be aware--people with clenched fists can’t shake hands.

2. Forgiveness isn’t a guarantee of closure. When murderers are executed, the victim’s family members often say they hoped the prison time and capital punishment would bring closure, but nothing can compensate for their loss. Some hurts aren’t resolved till Heaven. There’s no pain on earth that Heaven cannot heal. Even when there are consequences for those who’ve hurt us, it often doesn’t matter. Healing has to come from above and from within.

3. Forgiveness isn’t optional. British General Oglethorpe commented to John Wesley, “Preacher, I never forgive.” Wesley replied, “Then sir, I hope you never sin.” Forgiveness is a bridge we don’t want to destroy…because it’s one we may need to cross ourselves some day. It is risky business praying the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

4. Forgiveness isn’t conditional. We don’t demand change before we forgive. When someone asks for pardon we don’t say, “I’ll first wait and see.” The person who hurt us may hurt us again, but we have a responsibility to forgive. We may need some recovery time, because forgiveness is also not immediate. We may even ask for reparation, but we shouldn’t demand proof that those who hurt us are truly sorry. That’s not our job.

5. Forgiveness isn’t impossible. The presence and power of Christ in us can do “all things.” God can enable us to forgive.

Let me give you a selfish reason to forgive--you’ll feel better. When we free ourselves from being “the offended one,” we unlock our prison of bitterness. The resentment we’re carrying is a live coal in our hearts. When we choose not to forgive, it’s like reopening a wound. When we forgive, the wound heals. There may be a scar, but the pain is gone. Unforgiveness depletes our strength and takes away energy toward building a better tomorrow. Forgiveness heals the hurts of the past. The word forgiveness in Hebrew is salach, which means “to have anger in one’s fist and to release it, relinquish it, to let it go and remove it forever.” What a release!

And I say, INDEED! What a release! Following God's ways is always freeing. Always! We must not let doubt ruin our chances of living freely in Christ. Grab hold of this truth and watch God unlock the door of your heart. Live as a forgiven & forgiving person.

What FORGIVENESS Isn't--Part 2

Continued from previous post. These are the next 6 ways showing What Forgiveness Isn't:

1. Forgiveness isn’t partial. The Jewish standard in Jesus’ day was to forgive 3 times (“3 strikes and you’re out!”); the divine standard is “70 times 7” according to Jesus. What He meant is that there’s no limit to our pardon. In forgiving, we cancel the debt. It might be useful to write your hurt on a piece of paper, then tear it up, showing that the debt has been forgiven.

2. Forgiveness isn’t waiting for an apology. We initiate the healing by taking the first step. Determining who is wrong is less important than restoring the relationship. Sometimes those doing the hurting feel they’ve done nothing wrong. It’s not our job to convince them otherwise but, in our hearts, to forgive them. Telling someone who doesn’t want forgiveness that they’re forgiven can be an insult. It may be better to picture the one who hurt you in an empty chair, tell them how you feel, and that you forgive.

3. Forgiveness isn’t a one-time event. There is no instant forgiveness in that true forgiveness takes effort. It is a lengthy process of steady growth as a relationship is gradually restored. Trust isn’t rebuilt overnight. We forgive--one memory at a time. The goal of forgiveness is reconciliation.

4. Forgiveness isn’t condoning wrong. By forgiving, we’re not saying the action was OK. It’s not. Nor does it let the wrong happen again. Forgiveness does not mean turning a criminal loose. When people hurt us accidentally, we excuse them; when they hurt us intentionally, we forgive. But we don’t minimize what was done to us.

5. Forgiveness isn’t losing. What do we win by holding onto the hurt and anger that accompany unforgiveness? When we don’t forgive we’re imprisoned by bitterness. To forgive is actually to win.

6. Forgiveness isn’t figuring out why we were hurt. When we’re the victims of what seems a senseless attack, we’d like to understand why anyone would want to do such a mean thing. We may never know their reasons, but that doesn’t release us from forgiving.

(These come thanks to Bob Leroe, Pastor of Cliftondale Congregational in Saugus, Ma.)

What FORGIVENESS Isn't

After posting an article on forgiveness on Facebook, I received a pithy and helpful reply from my old college friend, Bob Leroe, who pastors in Saugus, Mass. I want to include that over the next few posts. Here's the first:

Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Jesus is known as the “Man of Sorrows.” He endured personal abuse, culminating in His crucifixion. If anyone had a right not to forgive, it was Jesus. If He’d harbored resentment for all the wrong done to Him, there would’ve been no cross. He chose to forgive, even while on the cross. His life and death make our pardon possible--we are declared blameless--our record of wrongs is erased, and the new life Jesus bestows enables us to be forgiving people. No offense by anyone could ever equal our guilt before Christ, who stands ready to forgive us.

Forgiveness involves self-sacrifice. In order to forgive others we have to surrender our desire for revenge and retribution. We offer the offender free grace, just as God has for us. Grace forgives what it cannot excuse. We receive it and offer it to others.

What does it really mean to forgive? I think many people are unclear on the concept; in order to know what forgiveness is, we need to go over what forgiveness is not…

1. Forgiveness isn’t forgetting. It’s not amnesia. People claim, “I’ll forgive, but I’ll never forget.” My answer to that is, “Don’t forget. Each time you remember the hurt, remember your forgiveness.” This means we don’t bring up the past. The “love chapter” of the Bible, I Corinthians 13, says that “love keeps no record of wrongs.” Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross, was asked, “Don’t you remember the wrong done to you?” She answered, “No, I distinctly remember forgetting that.”

2. Forgiveness isn’t pretending. We don’t act like the past doesn’t exist or that a hurt didn’t occur. We no longer use past hurts as a weapon; the past is a dead issue. We can’t ignore that a hurt occurred, but we can’t change the past, and wishing it never happened won’t make it go away. When we forgive we don’t change the past, but we sure do change the future.

3. Forgiveness isn’t a feeling. It is an intentional action. It has nothing to do with how we feel. When people say, “I can’t forgive,” they mean “I won’t forgive.” Forgiveness is a clear choice, a conscious decision. We can feel hurt, betrayed, and angry, and still forgive.

4. Forgiveness isn’t conditional. We don’t demand change before we forgive. When someone asks for pardon we don’t say, “I’ll first wait and see.” The person who hurt us may hurt us again, but we have a responsibility to forgive. We may need some recovery time, because forgiveness is also not immediate. We may even ask for reparation, but we shouldn’t demand proof that those who hurt us are truly sorry. That’s not our job.

5. Forgiveness isn’t weakness. It’s not “giving in.” It takes strength to forgive. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.