Abraham and Simply Christian

Finished reading NT Wright's classic "Simply Christian" this past week. This book is often compared to CS Lewis' "Mere Christianity" or John Stott's "Basic Christianity". I am now reading through another one of his books called "After You Believe". NT Wright will be a speaker at the Mere Anglicanism conference this year. I am so looking forward to it!

"Simply Christian" speaks of the basic needs of the human heart - a desire for justice, a spiritual hole that wants to be filled, the desire for meaningful relationship, and the appreciation of beauty and truth. You don't have to be a christian to find fulfillment and satisfaction of these needs but the "Christian message" reduces the need for life long seeking and easily satisfies the deep longing of the soul. (Bruxy Cavey described it as telling people who are waiting in a long line to see God a short cut to the front!). NT Wright did a fabulous job of explaining religious concepts and belief based on historical events, i.e. who is God, why did God pick the people of Israel, who is Jesus and the (Holy) Spirit, and how did the Bible come about and what it says about the life of a Christian. I particularly enjoy his use of analogy, like this one about reading the Bible:
"It sometimes feels as though two or three short biblical readings are rather like the windows seen from the other side of the room. We can't see very much through them. But as we get to know the Bible better, we get closer to the windows (as it were), so that, without the windows having gotten any bigger, we can glimpse the entire sweep of the biblical countryside." (page 151 first paragraph)
And about arguing over obeying what the Bible says:
"Squabbling over particular definitions of the qualities of the Bible is like a married couple squabbling over which of them loves the children more, when they should be getting on with bringing them up and setting them a good example. The Bible is there to enable God's people to be equipped to do God's work in God's world, not to give them an excuse to sit back smugly, knowing they possess all God's truth." (page 183 bottom of page)

Overall this book helps me understand more of the basics of my faith and gives me lots of insight into practicing it.

As I read the story of Abraham in the Book of Genesis this week, I was again struck by the fact that this man was far from perfect! He was afraid that the people he met would harm him because he had a beautiful wife - when he was in Egypt (Genesis 12:10-20) and with King Abimelek (Genesis 20). Yet he held on to God's promise, even if he had to sacrifice his one and only son (Genesis 22). One thing I learned from this man is that wherever he went he always built an altar (Genesis 12:7, 13:4, 13:18, 22:9). He is truly a man of faith! Where is my altar at home, at work, in my community, at my church?

I just finished reading the Sermon on the Mount today (Matthew 5-7). There is a really good chapter in the book "After You Believe" talking about faith versus good works. I will write about it next week.