IrishOboe

I am thrilled that my blog has become a lively center for discussion.  Andy’s comment this post which includes thoughts on the words of “Be Thou My Vision” and the ensuing discussion deserves a separate post.  Now I feel like a real blogger!

I wrote here how I’d been singing “thy victory won” the whole time and not “my victory” and shared my thoughts on the theology of both.  The mention of that verse again in my last update was a continuation of my thoughts on the subject.

Something is theologically important when it stands in the way of abiding in God.  If there is a doctrine that appears to ascribe injustice or cruelty to the good and just God of the universe it is difficult to abandon myself to that god.  When there is a doctrine that reveals the glory of God’s goodness, justice and mercy then I need no urging to worship Him and fall in adoration at His feet.  Thus, discussions about when it is good to baptize are not so important to me, but the question of heavenly rewards and our sins being carried to the afterlife is a matter of God’s justice, so it is extremely important.  My idea of justice should always be shaped by God’s Justice.  I don’t think my limitation of the understanding of justice makes me unable to understand God’s Justice as something completely other.  It should, however, make me cautious about passing judgement.  Justice is not treating all man equally.  It is treating everyone differently, according to his deserts.  It is applying the rules equally to all, not the distribution of rewards.  Should what we do on this earth matter for nothing and the day of justice be the great leveling day where everyone is boiled down to “saved” and “unsaved” and we enter God’s presence exactly like our neighbor, St. Paul, and the thief on the cross?  Somehow this is an unsatisfying account.*(see note below)  Not because I don’t like it (I’d love to be counted the same as St. Paul) but because it does not fit with the picture the Bible gives of the character of God.  That is my understanding an interpretation and is of course at all times and all places open for correction, for growing and following God by definition is having our idea of  His character and His justice and goodness constantly transformed.

Here we may have a clue as to what the eternal rewards could look like.  It seems natural to me that the man who is close to God and at long last arrives in his presence will be able to see and appreciate God more than the person who has gone through life not knowing God at all.  To the latter man God must be terrifying indeed.  To the former, he must be even more terrible (the word awesome has lost its impact) but also good and beautiful and perfect.  The man of God will recognize and fall down in worship as he sees the character of God that he understood in shadowy terms finally revealed.  Yet surely he will not be able to fully comprehend God in that moment.  That’s what we have all of eternity to do.  How could a creative God desire the company of static beings?  Just what are the seraphim saying “holy, holy, holy” about?  Surely they are not getting paid to flatter God and surely they don’t get bored.  Surely they see new beauties of God that naturally compel such an awe-inspired response.

This is a long way of responding to Andy’s comment “I find it troubling in the same way that I find the (much more biblically supported) idea that our work on earth will be reflected in heaven.”  Given the above, in some vague way I can see how our work on earth can and should affect us in heaven, though it seems difficult to state in simple terms because it seems to contradict what we know about the work done on the cross.

Again Andy writes well for all of us with

“My problem is that there is supposed to be nothing but gladness in heaven, and I find it very hard to imagine not feeling sadness, let alone public humiliation, at a daily reminder of my mismanagement of what was entrusted to me.”

It is hard to imagine, but for me, the injustice is not that my neighbor will have a mansion but that I will forever have a shack.  The worth of God’s rewards stems not from their scarcity, but that they are of God.  I would even venture to say the reward grows as a man shares it with his neighbor and casts his crown back before the Lord.  It’s a constant giving and receiving that leaves no man in want.  As we grow in our ability to receive and give back grows as well, and so though my work on earth may leave me with very little knowledge of God compared to my neighbor, yet I have all eternity to grow.  I will pass where my neighbor was when we entered heaven, and my neighbor will be farther still.  I find no injustice in that.

It’s been over a week since I wrote the above and I’m not quite sure where I was going.  Even when I read what I’ve written the day before I often disagree with myself.  Still, there was enough of interest in this essay that I’m publishing it as is.  I didn’t mention all of the comments my readers made that I appreciated, but you all had insightful things to say.  Thanks.

*(note on above) Please don’t misunderstand me.  I cling to the promise that our sins will be washed away, that we cannot earn our way into heaven through works, and that our sense of self as we know it will dissolve in being united with Christ.  I also firmly believe there is a lot more to following Christ than being placed in the right pot on judgement day.