{"id":8084,"date":"2022-06-20T14:32:05","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T21:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?p=8084"},"modified":"2022-11-04T05:12:07","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T12:12:07","slug":"what-about-forever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?p=8084","title":{"rendered":"
What about forever?<\/div>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Click here for a pdf version.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the beginning of the season of Pentecost, there is the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2 and 3 and the beginning of our troubles. With that comes the whole discussion about Eve. The feminists have been battling about this issue for forty years. They say that Eve is a victim, even though they come up against 1 Timothy 2:14 (paraphrased): For Adam was formed first, then Eve; but Eve sinned first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do we make of this question as we look at how things began? First of all, the feminists point out that she would have sinned out of ignorance. How did she know? There was this command not to eat of the tree of life, but how would she know what it was all about? She really couldn\u2019t be made accountable for much more than a simple mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the second place, she didn\u2019t do this out of malice. She didn\u2019t say: \u201cI\u2019m going to bring the whole world down forever and create all the problems.\u201d That wasn\u2019t the case either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the third place, the feminists point out that in a way she is a kind of heroine, like Promethius. In Greek mythology Promethius reached up and stole fire from heaven and brought it to earth, which is for us a blessing and a curse. Like Promethius, Eve is not a puppet but someone who acts independently. St. Augustine said: \u201cO Happy Sin!\u201d because the sin of Eve brought the Savior. Then it could be said once again that she is a victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fourth place, can Adam and Eve really be separated? Jewish speculation in the Eighth Century pointed out that it says in Gen 1:27: \u201cGod created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.\u201d That\u2019s in Genesis 1. In Genesis 2 there is another account of Adam and Eve being created in a different way. But male and female are equal because they are equal in the first account in Genesis 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is amazing ignorance, even willful ignorance, about how Paul deals with this question of Adam and Eve. in Romans 5:12-18 and 1 Cor 15:21-22 Paul talks about the origin of sin, original sin. Here\u2019s Romans 5:12: \u201cTherefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned\u2014” Then it goes on again and again and again to say through Adam, through one man, came sin and death. In no way does Paul say first Eve sinned and then Adam. In 1 Cor 15:21-22 Paul writes: \u201cFor by a man came death . . . For as in Adam all die . . . .\u201d It\u2019s through Adam that sin came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of this is trivial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we look at these texts, there really are some things we have to face. The basic way to look at this is to ask: Is there a problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people will answer: \u201cThere\u2019s no problem.\u201d Then there is no need of a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the problem? It can be stated in two big questions. It\u2019s not like the comic strip that says: \u201cThe problem with young people is that they are always talking about the future because they have no past. The problem with old people is that they are always talking about the past because they have no future.\u201d The first big question is: \u201cWhat about forever?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s an old saying that goes: \u201cOnly one life and it will soon be past.\u201d Then what? \u201cWhat about forever?\u201d Only a small portion of Americans who identify as Christian go to church regularly. What are the rest who don\u2019t go to church thinking? \u201cWhat about forever?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two common answers. First, some say: With all the progress in science, medicine, and all the rest, we\u2019re extending life, easing end-of-life suffering, and thus the question \u201cWhat about forever?\u201d isn\u2019t so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, there\u2019s the approach called \u201cma\u00f1ana\u201d \u2013 I\u2019ll deal with it when I get to it. I\u2019ll deal with this life now, and when this life ends, I\u2019ll deal with what comes next. This is nothing new about this. There\u2019s that verse in Isaiah 22:13 (700 years before Christ), \u201cLet us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.\u201d Of course, the prophet pours scorn on that. But there is that idea: I\u2019ll deal with life one world at a time, and that\u2019s all that\u2019s important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second big question, closely related to \u201cWhat about forever?\u201d, is \u201cIs there any meaning to it all?\u201d To this second big question: \u201cIs there any meaning to it all?\u201d, there are three basic responses by those who not concerned about Christianity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, many are content to live life on their own terms. As long as they feel happy, they don\u2019t worry about \u201cIs there any meaning to it all?\u201d or \u201cWhat about forever?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, there\u2019s the grain of sand perspective. Each of us is like one a grain of sand on the sea shore or one of trillions of stars. Who am I, or who are you? What difference does it make? We\u2019re here today and gone tomorrow. Why even bother with meaning?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, as people scrap about atheism, one of the things that is said is that we\u2019re able to have ethics without having religion. That\u2019s a no-brainer. There is ethics because in order to make life work, there need to be certain rules. There\u2019s nothing new about that. Therefore religion is really an imposition, a superstructure we don\u2019t need. We\u2019re able to ignore religion and have a good life. In fact, if we could just get rid of religion, things would be better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s not the way it\u2019s going. Things are not getting better. In the Twentieth Century, more Christians have been killed because of their faith than in all the previous centuries combined. Even in the West animosity to Christianity is growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we come down to the whole matter of \u201csin,\u201d many people treat it as a kind of joke. There\u2019s no regard for sin as serious or even death as serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we look at modern philosophers and psychologists, we see that these professionals use terms like sin and death but merely descriptively. Sin and death are handled therapeutically, because basically everybody is a victim. What is important is that we each have self-esteem, and then accept death as the natural end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But: \u201cWhat about forever?\u201d and \u201cIs there any meaning to it all?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That brings us back to the third chapter of Genesis. In Genesis 3:5 the temptation is: \u201cYou will be like God.\u201d That\u2019s the temptation. That\u2019s the problem: \u201cYou will be like God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Original sin is that we all fall into the idea that I can run life, and I am O.K., finally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what about what Romans 5:12: \u201cTherefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned\u201d? We are all caught in sin and death. What about that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scripture is extremely explicit about sin and death. In Romans 6:23 it says: \u201cThe wages of sin is death.\u201d Then in 1 Cor 15:26; \u201cThe last enemy to be destroyed is death.\u201d And 1 Corinthians 15:56: \u201cThe sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law.\u201d There is no way that this is psychologized. There\u2019s no way this is natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, it could be said that in God\u2019s good will, it was not intended that there be sin and death. But that has come, and we have the Christian message: 1) God saw the problem: sin and death. 2) He solved it his way on the cross, and it\u2019s not something we can understand or figure out, and 3) It\u2019s solved. John 19:30: \u201cIt is finished.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This brings us back to Genesis 3:5, to the temptation we all fall into. We think we run our own lives, and we know how to run the universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, we are called to be creatures. He is the Creator. And the glorious freedom we have is to be his creatures. As it says in Matt 6: Then we can live as the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, knowing that he cares for us and we can leave everything to Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t have to try to run the universe or to be those who are in control. He is Lord, and he has taken it upon himself not only to be Lord but to make it all right. We can then live as Luther writes in the Small Catechism:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u201cHe has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil\u2014not with silver or gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u201cAll this he has done that I may be his own and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true.\u201d Amen<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

A sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the season of Pentecost, there is the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis 2 and 3 and the beginning of our troubles. With that comes the whole discussion about Eve. The feminists have been battling about this issue for forty years. They say that Eve is a victim. Even though they come up against 1 Timothy 2:14 (paraphrased): For Adam was formed first, then Eve; but Eve sinned first.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What do we make of this question as we look at how things began? First of all, the feminists point out that she would have sinned out of ignorance. How did she know? There was this command not to eat of the tree of life, but how would she know what it was all about? She really couldn\u2019t be made accountable for much more than a simple mistake.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Select here<\/a> to read more or here <\/a>for a pdf document.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8084"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8084\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8395,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8084\/revisions\/8395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}