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Theophanies vs. incarnate natures

A body in a theophany is like a mask. A temporary manifestation. The smoke of a flame.

But the body of a human nature (such as the incarnate human nature of Jesus, or our own bodies) is the normative, healthy, best, proper expression of the nature.

Disembodied humans (in the intermediate state between death and resurrection) groan for their bodies. But Deity itself doesn’t groan for a body.

When Christians say, “God the Father doesn’t have a body”, we aren’t denying the possibility of the Father using a body in a theophany. We are denying that he needs a body for the normative, healthy, best, proper expression of his divine nature. We are also saying that any body used (whether in theophany or in incarnation) is itself created by God.

In this light, Joseph Smith’s First Vision need not imply that the Father has a human nature (no more than the Spirit’s appearance as a dove implies the Spirit being a dove). Indeed, I doubt that it did for the original recipients of the 1835/38 versions of the account.

For the modalist, it could imply simultaneous manifestations of one Person.

For the classical Christian adherent of the Trinity, it could imply a simultaneous theophany of the Father, and a christophany of the Son’s permanent incarnate human nature.

Mormonism makes big assumptions about God in interpreting the 1838 First Vision account to imply both polytheism and the Father’s essentially human nature. These are completely unnecessary and go against the Book of Mormon itself (which is strictly monotheistic).

To be fully known and truly loved

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.”

― Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God

Three reasons why our inheritance in Christ does not imply equality with Jesus or a future of being rightly worshipped by others

1. Since our inheritance in Christ is infinite and immeasurable, it will take eternity to appropriate and enjoy. Ephesians 2:7 implies eternal progression: “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ever-increasingly beholding the kindness of Jesus. God’s gifts are so many that it will take an endless eternity to open them.

2. Since our inheritance is received, we may never rightly boast in ourselves. To us it can be said, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) But of God alone it can be said, “For from him and through him and to him are all things.” (Romans 11:36)

3. Since our inheritance is that of being conformed to another, we cannot rightly claim to be the original, the prototype, or the “firstborn.” “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:29) The sons are conformed to the image of the Son. Why? “That in everything he might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:18)

“My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.” (Psalm 34:2)

When godly grief and anger co-exist

> “And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.” (1 Samuel 20:34)

> “And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” (Mark 3:5)

On species and suffering

If God is essentially a peer of ours (of the same species, of the same kind of pedigree, having basically the same kind of past, participating in the same process of progression), the he probably has no right to make us involuntarily and non-judicially suffer.

In other words, the Book of Job probably doesn’t make sense if God is just a further-advanced-one-of-us. But if God is entirely a different kind of being, of a different species, uniquely sovereign and Most High, then he has the prerogative to ordain non-judicial, involuntary suffering.

They chose life

I am deeply thankful today for my two adopted daughter’s birth-mothers who chose life. They are heroes.

Jesus taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And who is a closer neighbor to a mother than the baby in her womb?

“My ‘neighbor’ is someone in need, whose need I know, whose need I know I can meet.” (attributed to Dwight Pentecost)

Lydia and Hannah’s needs were met. Thank you, Katrina and Colleen.

Advice to someone who asked about getting into ministry to Mormons

I think what you’re doing is awesome — connecting with the local missionaries and local members, going to the General Conference broadcast, giving out your contact info. Sharing the gospel… sharing the greatness of God… God is honored by this and these are seeds planted!

I think the four top things that come to mind are:

1) Thinking optimistically and long-term about your relational and evangelistic investments. Setting a pattern early on of sharing the truth, so that it is not awkward later on after relationships have developed. You are seed-sowing. God gave us that metaphor so that we would have the patience and optimism and caution of a farmer. You are in it for the long-haul. And you are hopeful and confident that God loves to use the spread of his word to create disciples. But maybe you won’t see any fruit for 20 or 40 years. So decide now that you are in and keep your eye on the prize.

2) Being honest with your intentions. The “stealth mode” or “I’m just an investigator” approach some take violates 2 Corinthians 4:2 and practically, it isn’t a good long-term investment of time. People who know your honest intentions yet your persevering gentleness and courage will slowly gain more and more respect for you. And this can be valuable. It is in my opinion inevitable that people will leave Mormonism from your local Mormon community (big transitions are happening right now in Mormon culture), and people like you who have been sharing the truth will be important safety nets and points of contact.

3) People tend to overvalue marketing and a logo and other web site stuff, and undervalue the actual, invisible, non-sexy, non-marketable, drip-drip-drip thankless rhythm of doing actual ministry. Get busy doing the actual ministry of connecting with people and sharing the truth of the Bible, one sentence at a time, one person at a time, and a lot of other things will fall into place.

4) Avoid fools and troublemakers and the super-arrogant, and move on to other people. Otherwise you will waste your time quarreling and the worst will be brought out in you. Better to save your energy for hashing important issues out with other people. In Matthew 7 Jesus gave us the counsel, freedom, and command to not throw pearls before swine. I have learned that this wisdom has a side-effect: it helps an evangelist like you or me not burn out.

If you are looking to also do apologetics ministry, where you are contributing to online resources to help train other Christians, I would consider doing these things:

  • Read the LDS manual Gospel Principles, and then also read Rob Bowman’s review articles (http://mit.irr.org/gospel-principles-archive). He is top-notch and there is enough meat there to keep you chewing for a long time.
  • Find some believers who do similar ministry as you and enter into community with them.
  • Don’t underestimate how relevant atheism will be to your ministry. I would read some good books on making a case for the existence of God and the resurrection of Jesus. Mormonism is h[o]llowing out and is full of closet atheists or latent agnostics. You can take what you learn and share it with ardent Mormons. While they would say they have strong faith in Jesus and the Bible, they rarely have any foundation to stand on to retain faith in either when their world of Mormonism comes crashing down. These are good seeds to plant.
  • Start a blog and do book reviews of either evangelical books related to Mormonism or of doctrinal LDS books sold at Deseret Book. It’s a long-term investment but Google will eventually send you visitors and people to talk to.

    Grace and peace, brother!!! Jesus is so kind to us.

And get involved and invested in your local church!

JavaScript Roundup (November 2014)

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Proof that empathy, although essential, is inadequate for love

One can empathize with another’s desire for self-destruction.

(Desiring another’s well-being seems to be the peak of love. Empathy facilitates but doesn’t guarantee it.)

—

Treating empathy as a chief virtue breaks down quickly. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a long list of feelings and actions they don’t think should be empathized with. We make qualifications:

Empathize with the temptation to sin, not with sin.

Empathize with suffering, not the sinful cause of (some) suffering.

This is why empathy doesn’t work as a “naked” or chief virtue. It only works in concert with other virtues. It belongs on love’s tool belt.

“Empathy has become a sort of ‘catch-all’ for desirable personal qualities…”

“Participants liked and respected the empathizer, but only when the character receiving empathy was liked as well…”

“Our findings suggest that people see empathy as a social signal. Whom you choose to empathize with shows whom you care about and what you stand for.” (source)

Better to use the robust constellation of particular Biblical virtues and vices than to use the reductionist, catch-all virtue-euphemisms of the spirit of the age.

Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

2 Peter 1:5-7: “Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”