Enough Philip (John 14:7-11) 190407
Next Semester, I have signed up to 20 credit hours worth of courses in SBC. I am only required to take 17 hours where 1 hour is Field Education and not included in curriculum time. I am taking Systematic Theology II (3 hrs), Pastoral Theology (3 hrs), Homiletic (Preaching, 3 hrs), Pastoral Counseling (3 hrs), Ministry & Spirituality (1 hr), Functional Hebrews (3 hrs), Marriage & Family Therapy (2 hrs) and Integration of Psychology & Theology (1 hr) together with 1 hour of Field Education.
The extra courses I am taking are Marriage & Family Therapy and Integration of Psychology & Theology. I am a very practical person, if I am only to study theological subjects, I will get bored, because these subjects seem to be very abstract and not really down to earth. I like to learn something which is practical. But the course that particularly catch me attention is Integration of Psychology & Theology. This course is meant for students of another program, but I am keen to see how we Christians, especially theologically trained Bible students translate theology to practical psychology. How should we understand God in a real life situation or even during a crisis.
Most of the time we Christians are very capable to dichotomize our knowledge of God with daily living. Jesus was trying to teach His disciples about He and His Father is One, because if they knew the Jesus, they would know the Father (v7). But Philip still wanted Jesus to show them the Father (v8). To Philip, understanding the deity of Christ was not enough, he had differentiated Jesus and the Father completely. In Philip’s theology, perhaps God the Father is God the Father and Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ. In another word, Philip understood God the Father as the Creator, the Provider and the Almighty, whereas Jesus was a day to day, practical, personal form of God. He could not integrate the two identities of God into one.
We are the same also. God only rules on Sunday service, maybe Saturday if we are to prepare for service the next day, sometimes Friday if we go for small group meeting and here and there during other weekdays when we pray or give thanks for our meals or in crisis. Jesus replied Philip that the Father is in Him and He is also in the Father (v10,11). The attributes of God and personal intimacy with God are not separate entities. They are an outflow of each other. God the Father loves us, therefore He send His Son, Jesus; and Jesus demonstrated the love of God the Father in and through Him.
God is not only interested in us to know Him cognitively, but He wants us to be intimate with Him. On the other hand, Jesus does not only want us to be dependence of our emotions and feeling about Him, but also wants us to have a proper and rational understanding of Him through His Words.
Sometime when we are in crisis or in some difficult situations in life, we just long for the presence of God to be with us to comfort us. Is that enough? How about claiming the power and the Words of God in proper understanding into our lives to deal with the crisis or the difficult situations? Or have your mind divided God into theology and personal? Theologically, we know God can do all things, but personally, Jesus is being limited and He is not enough. Is Jesus enough for you?
Prayer: Lord, help us to grasp the idea of Your transience (everywhere and all powerful) and immanence (here and personal) in totality. Help us to believe in You and You are enough for us daily.
