Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear people.

Two little boys are here again…delivered this morning at 6:30am.

Both Becki and I are kind of exhausted…having served as GPS guides for Thano via cell phone who was on a quest to be at an appointment in Portland. He was so mixed up and so late arriving at his appointment that it will have to be rescheduled—making it all a waste of fuel (in our car), time, and effort—other than to confirm that he is handicapped.

One of the first things to do when I leave the studio is to crank up the sawmill again and finish up a job that is near completion. It’s just more “run of the mill.”

May your day mill up well.

Love, Dad/Ray.

The underlying principle that is presented in the last half of this chapter is that God, in His Sovereign freedom, has chosen a solution of salvation for man’s deep sin problem that is totally outside the box of man’s wisdom, abilities, and expectations. The bottom-line reason for this is stated clearly—“…so that no one may boast before him” (v. 29). When it comes to salvation from sin and gaining right relationship with Him, God has a monopoly—and has every right to do so. He allows no competition, no arrogant alternatives, no other options, and no man-made schemes for skirting what He prescribes and offers. That solution is very narrow, absolutely exclusive, and can only be accessed by a total abandon of self and surrender to God—recognizing that “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (v. 30). The chances of achieving this by any other means is less than zero.

I see these truths displayed all over the place. Think of it. Begin with the Old Testament institution of animal sacrifices. If you try to think it through intellectually, it doesn’t really compute so as to make urgent sense. All those innocent animals dying, blood and guts, complicated ceremony and symbolism—it just seems like such a waste—such a treadmill of religion. Consider also the idea of God presenting to man the Supreme fulfillment of the sacrificial system—His Own Son, an extension of Himself, as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). Born in a barn? In relative obscurity? Rejected by the majority? Persecuted and condemned to die an ugly death on a cross? Innocent God dying for guilty sinners? More blood and guts? Naturally speaking, it’s just crazy! It’s repulsive! Unbelievable! Downright absurd! And yet it’s TRUE! And Paul’s description is true—“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved (those with a HEART AFTER GOD, who seek and are touched by His enlightening empowering Spirit) it is the power of God” (v. 18).

My “enlightened” view sees man as addicted to sin—he’s a “sin-aholic”—or a “self-aholic.” He typically fails the first step of the 12 STEP PLAN—acknowledging that he even has a problem that he is not smart enough or strong enough to solve on his own. And because he thinks he doesn’t really have a problem, or that he can handle it on his own, he never does—he deceives himself and the addiction simply continues.

Please never cease to be amazed and thankful at how the foolishness of the cross of Christ has become such an incredible wellspring of power, wisdom, and peace. It’s an ongoing demonstration of God’s choosing “the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (v. 27). Wow!

PS: I think “wow” can sometimes be an appropriate expression of worship.