Adventures In Grace

We continue our rare Malcolm Smith series on Resting in the Covenant. This week is Hour 2 "Day of Atonement".

I recently found a RARE Malcolm Smith teaching series that you cannot find anywhere. We are working through this series on "The Art of Resting in the Covenant". This week, Hour 1 on the Making of Covenant.

In this episode, I summarize the last two episodes on Innerancy and give my own views of the topic. Be forwarned ... I do not in any way think my view is the "last word" on the topic. I might leave you with more questions than answers. But I feel this view checks off most of the boxes where I still see the Scripture as inerrant and inspired, but helps me see consistency with the love of God, Trinity yet still answers some of those problematic texts we read in the Old Testament.

We continue our look at inerrancy of Scripture this week by listening to a talk by Dr Jeannie Constantinou, Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow, Theology, and Religious Studies, University of San Diego and AFR podcaster (Search The Scriptures). I hope to interview Dr. Constantinou in the future, but for now, we will listen to an Eastern Orthodox perspective of this issue (although Brad Jersak is Eastern Orthodox as well). Next week, I will summary both views and talk through how I see this issue.

After our recent study, I had various questions about inerrancy of the Bible. I decided to break this into three sections, the last of which I plan to talk through how I currently see this issue. This week, I thought we would benefit from listening to an interview with Brad Jersak talking about this issue. You can watch the full interview here.

In this episode, we conclude our study of a "More Christlike God". We discuss again a new way to read the Old Testament, and dealing with the fear we are abandoning the inerrancy of Scripture in doing so.

In "A More Christlike God," Bradley Jersak uses the "Gospel in Chairs" illustration to effectively communicate the difference between a traditional, punitive understanding of the Gospel and a more Christlike, relational approach. This powerful analogy involves two chairs representing different views of the Gospel.

In the first chair, labeled the "Traditional Gospel," a person represents humanity, and another person represents Jesus. Between them, there is a gulf symbolizing the divide between humanity and God due to sin. In this view, Jesus' role is to bridge that gap through his death on the cross, satisfying God's wrath and judgment. This portrayal emphasizes the legalistic and punitive aspects of the Gospel, focusing on humanity's sinfulness and the necessity of appeasing an angry God.

In the second chair, labeled the "Christlike Gospel," a person again represents humanity, but this time, another person represents God the Father. In this illustration, the Father approaches the person, showing no distance or separation between them. Instead of focusing on the wrath of God, this portrayal emphasizes God's unchanging love, mercy, and desire for relationship with humanity. Jesus' role in the Christlike Gospel is to reveal God's true character, demonstrating his unconditional love and forgiveness.

The "Gospel in Chairs" example effectively illustrates the stark contrast between the traditional, punitive understanding of the Gospel and a more Christlike, relational approach. By emphasizing God's unwavering love and desire for relationship with humanity, the Christlike Gospel offers a more beautiful and transformative message that is consistent with the life and teachings of Jesus.

In Chapter 13 of A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel, titled "Unwrathing the Cross Part II: The Pauline Metaphors," author Bradley Jersak addresses the Apostle Paul's metaphors used to describe the crucifixion of Christ. These metaphors serve to highlight the self-giving love and grace of God through the cross.

Jersak begins by emphasizing that Paul's metaphors are not meant to be taken as literal explanations of the crucifixion, but rather as illustrative language to help us understand God's love for humanity. He then explores several key metaphors that Paul uses in his writings.

First, Jersak discusses the "Christus Victor" metaphor, which portrays Jesus as the victorious conqueror of sin, death, and evil. This metaphor emphasizes that the crucifixion was not about satisfying God's wrath but about defeating the powers that oppress humanity.

Next, the "Ransom" metaphor is examined, where Jesus' death is viewed as a payment to redeem humanity from the bondage of sin. Jersak highlights that this metaphor should be understood in the context of freeing humanity from enslavement, rather than appeasing an angry God.

Finally, the "Reconciliation" metaphor is explored, which emphasizes that the cross serves to restore the broken relationship between God and humanity. This metaphor underscores the idea that God's love and forgiveness are what bring about reconciliation, rather than punishment or retribution.

In conclusion, Jersak's examination of the Pauline metaphors in this chapter emphasizes that the cross is ultimately about God's self-giving love and grace, which seek to heal and restore humanity.

In Chapter 12 of "A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel," Bradley Jersak tackles the traditional understanding of the crucifixion of Jesus and the implications of divine wrath in relation to the cross. He aims to dispel misconceptions about the crucifixion, primarily the idea that it represents God's wrath being poured out upon Jesus in place of humanity. Instead, Jersak offers alternative metaphors to better convey the true meaning of the cross and its connection to God's love and mercy.

Jersak begins by discussing the various metaphors used in the Bible to describe the significance of Jesus' crucifixion. He highlights that these metaphors serve as lenses through which we can view the cross and understand its implications for our lives. However, he cautions against interpreting the cross solely through the lens of penal substitutionary atonement, which suggests that Jesus suffered God's wrath on our behalf to satisfy divine justice.

Instead, Jersak proposes that we consider other metaphors from Scripture that portray the cross as an expression of God's love and self-sacrifice. For example, Jesus is depicted as the Passover Lamb, whose blood saves us from death and brings us into the covenant relationship with God. Additionally, Jesus is portrayed as the Suffering Servant, who willingly endures suffering and death to bring healing and redemption to humanity.

By exploring these alternative metaphors, Jersak encourages readers to develop a more balanced and nuanced understanding of the cross. Rather than focusing on divine wrath and punishment, he argues that the crucifixion should be seen as a testament to God's love, grace, and commitment to the restoration of humanity. In this light, the cross becomes a powerful symbol of hope, redemption, and transformation.

In summary, Chapter 12 of "A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel" challenges traditional interpretations of the crucifixion that emphasize divine wrath and punishment. Bradley Jersak offers alternative biblical metaphors that highlight the cross as an expression of God's love, self-sacrifice, and commitment to the restoration of humanity. By doing so, he helps readers develop a more balanced and Christlike understanding of the cross and its significance in the Christian faith.

In Chapter 11 of "A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel," author Bradley Jersak examines the concept of divine wrath and how it is often misunderstood. He argues that this misunderstanding has led to a distorted perception of God, characterized by anger, punishment, and vengeance. Jersak challenges this image by offering an alternative understanding of divine wrath as "giving over" or allowing the natural consequences of human choices to unfold.

Jersak begins by pointing out that the Bible contains numerous passages that describe God as angry or wrathful. However, these depictions are often misinterpreted as God actively punishing or seeking revenge on people. This image of a vengeful, angry God is a construct based on human projections of what divine justice should look like, and it overlooks the broader context and meaning of biblical wrath.

To offer a more nuanced perspective, Jersak explores the idea of divine wrath as "giving over" or "handing over." In this view, God's wrath is not an expression of His anger or desire to punish, but rather a process in which He allows humans to experience the consequences of their actions. This is based on the principle of free will, which suggests that humans have the ability to make choices and must bear the responsibility for those choices, even if they lead to negative outcomes.

Drawing from biblical examples, Jersak shows that divine wrath is not an arbitrary punishment imposed by God, but rather the natural consequences that follow when individuals or communities turn away from God's love and guidance. For instance, when Israel rejected God's guidance and turned to idols, they experienced the consequences of their choices in the form of war, famine, and exile. In these instances, God's wrath is manifested as His withdrawal and allowing the natural outcomes of human actions to take place.

Jersak emphasizes that divine wrath as "giving over" is not a passive or indifferent act on God's part. Rather, it is a painful and heartbreaking decision for God, who desires good for His creation but respects the choices made by humans. He explains that God's ultimate goal is not to punish or inflict suffering, but to bring about redemption and transformation in the lives of individuals and communities.

In this light, Jersak proposes that understanding divine wrath as "giving over" can help to reconcile the seemingly contradictory aspects of God's nature—His love and justice. By allowing people to experience the consequences of their actions, God demonstrates His commitment to justice while also offering an opportunity for repentance, growth, and transformation.

Furthermore, Jersak argues that this understanding of divine wrath is more consistent with the character of Jesus, who is often depicted as the embodiment of God's love, mercy, and compassion. Jesus' teachings and actions consistently reflect a God who is not vengeful or punitive, but one who desires mercy, forgiveness, and restoration. By reinterpreting divine wrath as "giving over," we can reconcile the image of God in the Old Testament with the more compassionate and loving portrayal of Jesus in the New Testament.

In conclusion, Bradley Jersak's Chapter 11, "Divine Wrath as Giving Over," challenges the common perception of God as a wrathful, punishing figure by offering an alternative understanding of divine wrath as allowing the natural consequences of human choices to unfold. This view not only helps to reconcile the seemingly contradictory aspects of God's nature but also brings us closer to a more Christlike image of God—one that is defined by love, mercy, and the desire for redemption and transformation.