Make a Joyful OINK unto the Lord -- Freely Feasting at the Father's Table!

BROAD BRUSH
Chapters 5 and  6 (Broad Brush) -- I feel like he sets the chapters in the context of a fascinating philosophical bias which is that our appetitive desires can and arguably should be indulged with freedom and unrestraint in our communion with God.  He captures this philosophy with this statement: "You can pig out on righteousness with no negative side effects."  I read a book by John Piper years ago titled "Confessions of a Christian Hedonist."  In this book he basically just paraphrases a bunch of stuff from C.S. Lewis.  In short -- fascinating (and I believe true)  philosophical point on the purpose and function of human desire. (Okay, enough of that big picture mumbo jumbo.)
FEW POINTS THAT STUCK OUT
A few characteristics of the chapters that I found invigorating and fun......

 **Love this honest answer about the Kingdom of God....

“The special feature of . . . makarios . . . in the NT is that it refers overwhelmingly to the distinctive religious joy which accrues to man from his share in the salvation of the kingdom of God.”[ 3] But what precisely is the kingdom of God? There is no simple answer to this question.

Its one thing for a fictional character like Ron Burgundy to say about deep matters – “no one knows what it means… but its provocative, but when I see a heroic scholar like Bailey  exhibit the candid humility to say with God sometimes there are no “simple answers,” I sense two responses:

#1 - I feel a  bedazzled wonder over the awesomeness of God.  
#2 - I also feel the attraction of humility (C.P. #3 in Sup Ultra.)  C.P. #3 Humility says, “Humility is intoxicatingly attractive and greatly enhances one’s leadership effect.”  

Bailey’s humility to admit he’s not always the bible answer source for everything gave me greater interest in his research and conclusions.  His handling of the material re-asserts for me that humility is a key aggregate for paving the path between evangelism and redemption.  

**Finally, much of His handling of the beatitudes brought to mind the Sup Ult's emphasis on Genuine Love of God in Christ.  As I read 5 and 6 I whispered repeatedly “Genuine Love of God.” 

I think he summarizes this perspective on the beatitudes with this phrase: “Righteousness does not refer to an abstract ethical ideal but to the claims of a relationship.”


Loving Bailey’s words and the scripture he’s leading us through.  

 Steve Mann

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