3 November 2005

Here is how Richard Jenson looks at how we will deal with divine and human agency in preaching if we seriously consider the indwelling of Christ among us.

In such preaching divine agency (that one is justified) doesn't need much emphasis. That's taken for granted. That's objective. That is finished by Christ. That is outside of me. The preacher can take care of justification (or whatever metaphor for the divine deed of God in Jesus Christ we might summon) with just a few sentences.
Theologically what is happening here is that the Christ who is for us is separated from the Christ who is in us. Christ is outside. We are inside. We are the human agents. That's where the problem lies... Preaching shaped by this theological conviction seeks to convince congregants that they must act in response to divine agency. They must summon the faith to believe... They must repent and put their lives right... (Currents, p.433-434)

Where we find ourselves in this scenario is stuck in a rut. What is it that we must do...how can we become better...will we ever be good enough...faithful enough??? It is my hope that what the doctrine of theosis (indwelling of God) brings to preaching and to our hearts that long for new life are not the same games of "getting it right" in order to be the followers of Jesus. Rather it is a sense of peace that prayerfully pulls us into a new life because the Christ in us and abiding with us is actively, like the breath of the Spirit, transforming our lives. In this sense, being a human agent is not something done merely from our own powers and abilities. It is, from the Christ who is in us. Therefore, the power for new life has no ending point or place of completion. We are always coming into a fresh being for our whole being is in Christ.

Connection: Maybe the question for day will not be "What would Jesus do?" as though we are asking a question about another time and place. But now we can ask it as though there is a sense of liveliness to the question. What is Jesus about to do with us and among us? For now, we are drawn - pulled - held - within a new reality that is fresh for our living.

Come, Lord, Jesus, be our guest and let this life that is ours be blessed by your ever-present Spirit of new life. Amen.