The Economy of God
We operate, I believe, on a vastly different set of values than does God.
Those who are followers of Christ are quick to agree; the value system of the world is radically different from the value system of God.
Well, duh. But that's not what I am talking about.
I believe that we are prone to operate on the value system of religion rather than the value system of God.
This value system of religion, or Economy of Religion, takes on many facets. For instanct, call it theological humanism perhaps, but the point is we tend to think we have it figured out
intellectually. Somehow we know the mind and plan of God in all but a few, choice matters. Knowledge is the apex of the Economy of Religion. But in God's Economy, peace is more important that knowledge and sovereignty is something unique to God. Some things are properly the exclusive domain of God. Even Jesus said he did not know the hour of the return. That is the father's sole discretion. See Matthew 24:36 and stop thinking of clocks and start thinking of barometers. Peace surpasses understanding. Phillipians 4:7. Peace surpasses understanding AND guards our emotions and intellect. Try to reconcile that with the religious economy of knowledge and sureness and security. But if the Economy of Religion cannot offer answers and clarity, then it is a system without true value, right? I think so. That's why I don't trade in that system anymore.
In another area religion is prone to teach and seek "balance" among the many important aspects of our lives. The Economy of Religion subtley instructs that with balance, we can have it all. However, that is not in the Economy of God. His system is one of priority. If you think you can have it all, then you must settle for an outcome-based system. You can only have it all if all things are equal, thus some gain more importance and others lose importance so that all things may be on equal footing. It is subtle and it is wrong. The Economy of Religion probably needs this because teaching about priorities may lead the masses to evaluate and determine that religions programming and self-serving churchy-church functions are not really a priority to most people. Maybe I should spend this weekend with my family rather than at some retreat hearing other men bemoan the lack of time they have to spend with their families and being assured by some degree-laden skill-challenged pseudo-intellectual that better balance will lead to fulfillment. Get my drift?
More later.
Those who are followers of Christ are quick to agree; the value system of the world is radically different from the value system of God.
Well, duh. But that's not what I am talking about.
I believe that we are prone to operate on the value system of religion rather than the value system of God.
This value system of religion, or Economy of Religion, takes on many facets. For instanct, call it theological humanism perhaps, but the point is we tend to think we have it figured out
intellectually. Somehow we know the mind and plan of God in all but a few, choice matters. Knowledge is the apex of the Economy of Religion. But in God's Economy, peace is more important that knowledge and sovereignty is something unique to God. Some things are properly the exclusive domain of God. Even Jesus said he did not know the hour of the return. That is the father's sole discretion. See Matthew 24:36 and stop thinking of clocks and start thinking of barometers. Peace surpasses understanding. Phillipians 4:7. Peace surpasses understanding AND guards our emotions and intellect. Try to reconcile that with the religious economy of knowledge and sureness and security. But if the Economy of Religion cannot offer answers and clarity, then it is a system without true value, right? I think so. That's why I don't trade in that system anymore.
In another area religion is prone to teach and seek "balance" among the many important aspects of our lives. The Economy of Religion subtley instructs that with balance, we can have it all. However, that is not in the Economy of God. His system is one of priority. If you think you can have it all, then you must settle for an outcome-based system. You can only have it all if all things are equal, thus some gain more importance and others lose importance so that all things may be on equal footing. It is subtle and it is wrong. The Economy of Religion probably needs this because teaching about priorities may lead the masses to evaluate and determine that religions programming and self-serving churchy-church functions are not really a priority to most people. Maybe I should spend this weekend with my family rather than at some retreat hearing other men bemoan the lack of time they have to spend with their families and being assured by some degree-laden skill-challenged pseudo-intellectual that better balance will lead to fulfillment. Get my drift?
More later.
posted by TT | 7:13 AM
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