Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good beautiful summer morning, dear ones.

You will be surprised to hear that Dandy is back home. I really never expected to see him again. But just yesterday afternoon, Becki impulsively went online and checked out the lineup of “found” dogs at the Clackamas County Animal Shelter. Bingo—there he was! So I ran up there and bailed him out of jail—to the tune of $108. He’s promised to pay it off. Apparently, he was picked up by a sheriff near our place. We now have the wonder that maybe the big booms of some premature fireworks could have freaked him out to make him step off the property. We don’t really know. He’s clearly happy to be home. They didn’t have any balls for him to chase at the stupid canine jail house. I see him out the window at this very moment doing what he loves most—chasing a ball thrown by Thano. Sometimes I wish my job description was that simple.

Here goes another day of trying to make good stuff happen. In that less-than-easy process, I’m sure thankful for my faith.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Allow me to attempt a modified paraphrase of this verse, trying to remain true to the context, and you can judge its validity: “We are not presenting a continuation of the mindset of the world that is based on human wisdom and self-sufficiency, but the revolutionary paradigm shift that takes place in the heart and mind of every believer who is activated by the Spirit of God—the essential psycho-spiritual transformation that allows a person to sufficiently understand and live according to God’s power, plans, purposes, and provisions.”

If this personal experience is truly as essential as I believe Biblical revelation makes it to be, then what Paul says next only makes good sense—“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (v. 14). It’s part of the same package of essential truth that Jesus dropped on Nicodemas—“I tell you the truth, no one can see (recognize, discern, and sufficiently understand) the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3).

As we seek to process the Scriptures according to the most reasonable, practical, and balanced interpretation, it seems that we keep arriving at the same bottom line conclusion. Taking in the whole, it’s just unavoidable. Here again is that great conclusion as clearly stated in Biblical terms: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2). I judge that advice from this ancient book to be as relevant and urgent today as it ever was.