Nathanael Szobody on Singing has nothing to do with the affairs of this world, it is not for the law; singers are merry and free from sorrows and cares
–Martin Luther
Wonder what he would think of Country music.
Nathanael Szobody on In the festivities of the fourth of July my attention was turned to the Declaration of Independence. I have often pondered the reasoning behind the actions of those who signed the document. They refer to truths which are self evident, one of which is that men are “endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
I reflect this statement back onto a trip I took to the White Earth Indian Reservation last month. Read More
Nathanael Szobody on “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.”
I John 4:17
Read that last phrase again: “as he is so also are we in this world.” In Christ we have an identity that is him. Not that we are whatever he is, but we are what he is in this world. We are made a holy nation, a people for him; we are living stones built up by him to be a dwelling place for him. The passage on living stones speaks to our calling, but this passage in I John on love speaks of our identity.
Nathanael Szobody on In the true spirit of Kierkegaard embark with me on a little thought experiment. If God Created man to be a channel through which he realizes his presence on earth through a personal relationship with him, then man will not recognize how completely insignificant he is. For in resting transparently in the creator Adam is abiding in his love and extends that love to Eve. Though he is insignificant before God he is so consumed with who God is and occupied with being that which God empowers him to be that he does not even see how incapable he is, for he is not abiding in himself. In Kierkegaard language, in relating the relation of the self to itself Adam’s self sees only the life of God that is consuming the relation, because he is resting transparently. This is love; that the self is not even important so consumed is the individual with being a channel of the sacrificial life of God.
In this case the definition of evil is: “The experience of of creation’s insignificance before God.”
Nathanael Szobody on II Corinthians 5 speaks of a reality that is known only by faith. This reality concerns our very beings. Our fleshly bodies are temporal and pass, but what we truly are is known to God; v.11: “But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.” Then in verses 16 and 17 we are told what we are: “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.”
It is essential to say that the context of this passage is that Paul is teaching the Corinthians to be reconciled to eachother and to be ministers of reconciliation since we are what Christ is: a reconciler.
These words are speaking of a reality that exists even now. We are new creations. In fact this reality is so real, that in comparison our fleshly bodies are only shadows (v.1-5).
Here revealed truth simply is not fitting into my categories of reason, for it does not seem to be the belief that “we all have a spirit” or that we have fleshly bodies now, but that later we will have spiritual bodies, but that even now as we dwell in our groaning flesh, we are risen with Christ and do not regard eachother according to the flesh. I do not believe that we are told not to regard eachother as flesh only to cause us to treat eachother as if we are already risen. For it is possible that we may not even realize that we are new creations (v.11), but we are nonetheless for we are known as such by God.
This seems to be a reality, dare I say physical reality, that is not flesh. It is truly what we are, but it is not seen without the eyes of the spirit. Take the risen body of Jesus. Paul uses it as an example, because what he is is given to us as we are united with him. Christ had a fleshly body. Then he died and rose again. His risen body is qualified as true body, for he ate and was touched, and his scars could be felt, and yet he is not to be regarded as flesh (v.16).
What a paradoxical category that is our true nature in Christ. Our bodies are flesh, and yet by grace we are made into another body, no less litteral, that is not flesh. I guess that’s whatcha call a mystery.
Nathanael Szobody on When doing a little research for my dad in Acts chapter 6 I read the first part through verse 7 where the apostles appointed men to oversee the distribution of bread so that they could concentrate on the service of the word and prayer. This is often said to be where the deaconate was established.
However the word ‘diakonos’, meaning ‘servant’, is never used in this passage. It’s cognates ‘diakonew’ (to serve) and ‘diakonia’ (service) are used. Steven and his pals were to ‘diakoneiv’ the tables (v.2). And the Apostles were to give themselves to the ‘diakonia’ of the word (v.4). Also, in verse one, the service of the tables is called the ‘diakonia’.
So if both the service of tables and the service of the Word are ‘diakoniai’ then why are only the servers of tables called deacons? Why aren’t elders rather called deacons as well and the deaconate split into two branches; physical service and the service of the Word? Both of them do service of intercession.
Nathanael Szobody on It is the most ungodly and dangerous business to abandon the certain and revealed will of God in order to search into the hidden mysteries of God.
–Martin Luther
Nathanael Szobody on For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
These words are Jesus’ last will and testament here on this earth. He is about to leave his disciples and these are the words and actions he chose to lay down his will and leave them with the legacy that he desired and would sustain by his own death and resurrection.
We celebrate the Lord’s supper on a regular basis in church and have some idea as to its purpose. We know that we are to remember the death of Jesus for our sins, just as Paul says: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” We also feel that there are spiritual benefits in doing this as it brings us closer to God in our own personal lives to remember what he has given by his grace. But these thoughts are not very concrete; they are ideas that we pick up in the words of Christ, but probably even more from the way the actual observance of the the Lord’s supper is carried out in our churches.
What was Jesus’ purpose in giving this ritual to the disciples and to us? What does it mean that “this is my body”? And how should I approach it to get what I am supposed to?
Nathanael Szobody on What’s my place? What’s my purpose? What’s my calling? Don’t we all ask these questions? We often look to other people to answer these questions; our identity is formed in our interactions with other people and as we reflect, so to speak, off of others we get a concept of who we are and where we fit. We are told that what we need is self-esteem or confidence. According to I Peter 2 our place is certainly one which will cause us to be strong and capable; our calling and purpose are certainly ones which inspire a complete self-image, but it should all be forgotten.
Nathanael Szobody on The only proper approach to the expectation of the future is faith. For if we expect some thing or another in the future we hope. But if that hope is not based on a promise or assurance given, then it is speculation and vanity. If, on the other hand, the hope is in what has already been promised, or if it is a hope for the realization of what has already been given in part or in essence, then that hope is faith. The world does not distinguish between the two but uses the word ‘belief’ in all contexts.
Here is the difference: faith is given; if we hope or expect apart from what is given then our belief is in vain and we are idolaters. But if we hope for what has been promised then we already recieve the essence of that hope, a joy and peace that could never be conjured up in the world’s most belabored philosophies or its most fantastical wishings.