Godward Toil

"Lived theology:" Biblical productivity in the public sphere

The Project on Lived Theology at the University of Virgina just won a $2.1 million grant from the Lily Foundation to study the relationship between Christian spiritual beliefs and social action.   Although I went to UVA for graduate school, I had never heard of this project until a dear friend and brother sent me a link to it.  I had a host of reactions to the project and grant, and thought I'd record them here:

• I rejoice to see theology taken seriously in academic institutions.
• I am thankful that believers are being productive in the public sphere.
• I pray that the good works of Jesus followers relieving human suffering will bring Him glory.
• I fear that the good works of Jesus followers will (at best) bring "belief" glory, or (at worst) appear to be a worthy end in themselves.  Relieving human suffering is essential and reflects a Godly weeping heart.  But the source and final goal (telos) of all good works must be the experience and glory of God.
• I am challenged and convicted to ask myself, "Do I have a lived theology that extends beyond private behavior and church service?"  With all I am called to do in God's service, how can I best respond to social injustice and pain in the wider broken world?
• I am thankful for movements in the evangelical church to respond in greater depth and number to suffering in the world.     The global diaconate at Bethlehem Baptist Church sets a worthy example in this regard.

I congratulate my alma mater and the Project on Lived Theology on their grant, and pray that God's people will give them much to write about!

Godward Toil in Piper Sermon

I listened to a 2005 sermon by John Piper this morning, "Boiling for Christ."  The sermon is an exposition of  Romans 12:11  "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord."   The primary exhortation in the message is to serve passionately ("feel!") and productively ("get it done!"), receiving the passion, strength, effectiveness, and service from Christ.   The whole sermon is glorious and I can't do it justice.  But the last 7 minutes or so (33:00-40:47 if you want to download and listen) particularly caught my attention because Piper brought together three verses that I had not previously enjoyed as a trio proclaiming that productivity for God is productivity from God:

• Romans 15:18, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me
• Colossians 1:28-29:  “[Christ] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:10, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

We work hard.  We must toil.   And even as we toil, it is Christ who is accomplishing.  How strange and marvelous to be God's conduit.   May the knowledge that it is not me working, spur me to work even harder!