The Miracle of Regeneration
August 18, 2009 Posted by Amy Hall
I had an interesting experience when I read the chapter in God Is the Gospel that opened with the idea that “Good news is for proclaiming–for heralding the way an old-fashioned town crier would do.” This was followed by a word picture intended to portray the proclamation of said good news:
Hear ye! Hear ye! All rebels, insurgents, dissidents, and protesters against the King! Hear the royal decree! A Great day of reckoning is coming, a day of justice and vengeance. But now hear this, all inhabitants of the King’s realm! Amnesty is herewith published by the mercy of your Sovereign. A price has been paid. All debts may be forgiven. All rebellion absolved. All dishonor pardoned. None is excluded from this offer. Lay down the weapons of rebellion, kneel in submission, receive the royal amnesty as a gift of imperial love, swear fealty to your sovereign, and rise a free and happy subject of your king.
I have to admit, when I pictured this scene in terms of a medieval, earthly monarch, I immediately imagined myself in a classic movie scenario, hearing the words of an oppressive king who is trying to tempt the members of the heroic rebellion to surrender. I immediately felt, welling up in me, a passion to rally my fellow righteous dissidents and insurgents (in hiding from the nasty king and his condescending “mercy”) to try to fight against him with even more vigor. Who does he think he is? We won’t serve him! A pox on his unjust vengeance! Never give up, never surrender! Freedom! (Etc.)
I can be a pretty stubborn and individualistic person–even rebellious when pushed too hard. The difference, of course, between this story and the Gospel is the difference between the suspicious king and God. Reading the vignette helped me appreciate just how repugnant the Gospel can be to atheists who don’t know God and have no inclination to trust His character or motives. And my initial reaction to this fictional earthly king whom I did not know or trust showed me just where my own instincts lie. With that kind of a nature, how on earth did I ever bend the knee willingly, eagerly, and with great love, to God? It’s truly a miracle, my friends.
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Posted in Amy's Posts, Apologetics, Religion (General), Theology
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August 19th, 2009 at 10:51 am
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August 19th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Aha! The true Amy is revealed! Death to the rebels!
Another great post! American culture has made being a “rebel” a virtue, mostly because our country was founded by “rebels.” Rebellion against the opressive group in power has become the defining narrative of most of pop culture (just think Star Wars).
On the flip side, though, there is a sense in which Christians are actually called to be rebels, in the sense that this present age is still under the dominion of sin and death and we are called to be salt and light in the darkness. Something like C. S. Lewis’s metaphor of Allied troops landing in enemy occupied territory.
We’re called to rebell against the rebels!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Exactly! Like I said, whether or not we ought to rebel all depends on who the king is. You’re exactly right about the culture training us to be rebels. The problem is, somewhere along the way, we forgot that rebellion isn’t good in and of itself, and submission to good and proper authority is a beautiful thing!