A fiat accompli. . .

Theology, all theology is simply the bridging of the times in that theology must always ask, “What meaning does the faith of yesterday, have for today, and today for tomorrow?” Thus, theology has an eternal meaning, or it has no meaning at all. Jesus spoke of The Kingdom of God as present, but yet to come. Nonetheless, the Kingdom is already completely established in God’s eye. Thus, we can say in the timeless language of Scripture: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).”

Not tomorrow, yet in tomorrow, suspended as it were in time and eternity. It is not as if time does not exist in God’s economy, it does. However, time is temporal, chronological, actually incomplete. Yet, on the other hand, we realize that in God all completeness resides (Colossians 2:10). Thus, we see the complexity, yet beauty of our faith which resides in none other than in God, the Lord Jesus Christ, our God who became flesh so that we may be made complete in His likeness (Romans 8:28-29).

This truth is more than just a twisting convoluted theological assortment of words, thoughts, and passages that is somehow morphed into some type of esoteric meaning. This truth is actual truth, for Christ is both the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:5-6), and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Christ gives meaning for the past, gives meaning for the present, as well as for all our tomorrows and is sustained throughout eternity. God has willed it so, and that will is ironclad. We can depend on it, indeed we must. It is in the essence of His very nature.

So, for some brazen theologian to proclaim some new twist on this ageless truth is utterly ridiculous. Call it process theology, trajectory hermeneutics, whatever, if it does not mesh with past, present, and future it is simply “wood, hay and stubble (1 Corinthians 3:11-13).” For it is in and through Christ that meaning has any meaning at all. “For in Him we move and live and have our being ((Acts 17:28).”

However, as C.S. Lewis once observed:

A painter is not a picture, and he does not die if his picture is destroyed. You may say, "He's put a lot of himself into it," but you only mean that all its beauty and interest has come out of his head. His skill is not in the picture in the same way that it is in his head, or even in his hands.… If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in this world is a part of God. But, of course, if you think some things really bad, and God really good, then you cannot talk like that. You must believe that God is separate from the world and that some of the things we see in it are contrary to His will. Confronted with a cancer or a slum the Pantheist can say, "If you could only see it from the divine point of view, you would realize that this also is God." The Christian replies, "Don’t talk damned nonsense. “

Complex? I think not. This I say because God is all good and God is all powerful, and so we must conclude that God is on our side and in the ultimate sense of the word for our good (Matthew 12:22-28). To put this in simple terms we are totally and absolutely dependent upon Him, and without Him there is no basis for hope.  Evil may have a role, but not a deciding role, for evil cannot eradicate hope, it can only at the most suppress the free exercise thereof.  Nor can it thwart the favor or power of God. In the end, God has the final word, and we must all live as if the end has already been settled in God’s favor.

This in and of itself is enough for rejoicing because all things are working together for the good for us (Romans 8:28-29). Thus we must reiterate that "in Him we move and live and have our being ((Acts 17:28).”

JimR_/