Economist and writer Thomas Sowell once wrote, “The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it.” While I’m confident Dr. Sowell knows a great deal more about economics than I could ever hope to possess, I cannot completely agree with him on this point. That scarcity is the first lesson of economics, I wouldn’t know. Sounds plausible. And the earth’s limit of “goods, services, and resources” also seems to be quite logical. But there is one exception.
Let me preface my thoughts by saying that I in no way intend to attack Dr. Sowell. I assume he wrote the above in the context of finite economics –those we grudgingly learned about in grade school. That financial system which affects the cost of gas and the price of wheat. Supply. Demand. Opportunity cost. Inflation. In that context, Dr. Sowell’s assertion seems true –even wise. But I want to introduce another economic system. It is both infinite and infinitely important. So I only want to use Sowell’s quote to draw a comparison and put an unconventional spin on the “old, old story.”
The idea first came to me as I was listening to R.C. Sproul preach a sermon from 1 Peter 1:18-19 on Christ’s “precious blood.” Precious, timios, isn’t just an aesthetic adjective Peter picked to add some pizzazz to his writing. It is a powerful, intentional descriptor to convey the value of Christ’s blood. Sproul defines the precious as that which is “not common…extraordinary.” So what’s so remarkable about the blood of Christ? Peter says we are to know “that [we] were ransomed from [unrighteousness], not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” Contrasted with perishable, though “precious” metals, here we see a picture of the perfection of our Savior. And therein lies our answer.
No man, woman, or child who ever walked the face of the earth lived a perfect life. And no one is living such a life. And no one ever will. But then there’s Jesus –tempted in every way and without sin. Blameless. Righteous. The life of Christ was “without blemish or spot.”
I’ll come back to that; but, first, the issue of blood. One might wonder why blood is such a big deal. Some may think such an emphasis a bit violent or morbid or savage. The answer starts back in the Old Testament. The Lord, in His sovereign work of redemption, instituted a precedent, which became a foreshadowing to its fulfillment in Christ. The sacrificial system. In this system, blood was sacred. God said, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life” (Leviticus 17:11). The blood of the Israelites’ sacrifices was their atonement, their reconciliation to God. We’ve already established no one is perfect. From the moment of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, man has lived saturated in the muck of sin. It is our nature. We cannot escape. So as the Israelites needed the sacrifice of blood, life, to be right with God; so we all need the sacrifice of blood to be right with Him. And it can’t be a drop or a pint. It must be “the blood that makes atonement by the life.” He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24).
Let’s connect the dots. Christ’s life was perfect. The only life ever to be perfect. So His blood, His life, is one-of-a-kind. Rarest of the rare. Most precious. As Sproul said, “Scarcity drives value.” The blood of Christ is the most valuable commodity, if you will, in the history of the planet. But scarcity isn’t the only factor of this infinite economy. Demand. Whether people admit it or not, they need the blood of Christ. They need atonement by it. I need atonement by it. In fact, it is the only genuine need I have. Everything else is dispensable. Nothing else is eternal. What is needed by every person on the face of the earth? All 6.8 billion of us? What was needed by the billions who lived before us and what will be needed by the billions who live after us? The blood of Jesus. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. So Christ’s blood is not only the most scarce, it is in highest demand. If the blood of our Savior is not precious, nothing is precious.
Going back to our dear Dr. Sowell – “There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it.” Again, in Christ we see the exception. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). In Christ alone am I completely satisfied. Even when the road is long and hard, I can be filled in no one or nothing else. There is no substitute for Reality.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. 1 Peter 3:18
This is the economy of the infinite. It is the economy of your soul.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.Hebrews 13:20-21
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I realize there are more illustrations to be made between the finite economy and the infinite economy. But I will endeavor to make them another day. Stay tuned for opportunity cost…
VERSE REFERENCES
Our sin: Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 3:23
Christ’s perfection: Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5
Christ’s provision: Psalm 23:1; John 4:1-45; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 4:19
[Read and/or listen to Sproul’s sermon here: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=427082318128.]
A friend recently asked me the following:
What is church? What we normally do on a given sunday morning, like the songs and message and sunday school, etc., do you see a scriptural basis or precendent for it? This came up in conversation last week, as my girlfriend and I were talking about the sermon we'd just heard. We've had people in the past who are like, "I don't need to go to church because according to the Bible, we ARE the church." What would you say to such a person?
And this is my response:
Let me say I am quite humbled by your opinion of my understanding of the Church. And blessed by it. I DO love the Church, but there is so much I don’t know. So much on which I fumble about. So much more I could do to love Her better. There are a great many among your acquaintance who could give you a richly biblical and articulate answer -and even more whose works you could read. But the Lord led you to ask me (perhaps more for my benefit than yours), so I will attempt to give you the best I have.
The person who says, “We ARE the church,” is very right; but the person who prefaces that with “I don’t need to go to church because…” is very wrong. Let me rephrase it like this: “I don’t need to go to the church local because we are the Church universal." This is antithetical to what I believe the true statement is: “Because we are the Church universal, we need to be a part of the church local.” Let me see if I can develop a biblical basis for you. (In general, a great book to study and see both facets of the Church is Acts. It would be interesting to know if there were different Greek words for the Church universal and the church local or if one pulls the distinction primarily from context...)
First, what makes one a part of the Church? (Capital ‘c’ will henceforth denote the Church universal.) I think the easiest answer for this (based on my biblical capacities) is in Jesus’s High Priestly prayer in John 17. Jesus specifically prays for those given Him by God, who believe in Christ -those who have heard His words and believed them and kept them. He also prays for those who will believe in Him through the word of His disciples (you and I). So Christ acknowledges a specific group as those who believe in Him and obey His word. (He even says He’s NOT praying for the world.) The Great Commission (Matthew 28:1820) removes the limit of this group to a specific location or time. And He prays for the unity of us all. So it’s not surprising that Paul tells the Romans, “in Christ we who are many form one body” (12:5). What makes the Church is Christ, and He is the head (Colossians 1:18). A few more verses involving the Church: Acts 9:31, Galatians 6:10, Hebrews 2:11, Acts 14:23.
Now, for the local church… Nowhere in the Bible, that I know of, anyway, does it say, “Thou shall attend church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night or thou shall be damned to hell.” I don’t even find a conservative variation of that. But we do know the first believers of the Church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers,” thus forming the first local church (Acts 2:42). (I’m not sure if there’s a verse which explicitly states an equivalent to “the local church is formed by members of the Church as they meet and care for each other.”) How can one devote himself to teaching he does not hear? (The command for and purpose of preaching is a response in and of itself. 1 Timothy 4:13, for starters.) If the Church is one body (see verses above), how can one be part of a body to which he is not connected? (Perhaps that’s why Paul uses the analogy to begin with -to necessitate connection???) The writer of Hebrews clearly commands against “neglecting to meet together” (10:25). I’m not sure if a guy would need more motivation than that to pursue fellowship in a local body, but… Throughout the New Testament, there is a sense (and direct command!!!) of fellowship for the purpose of edification and encouragement. We are to love as Christ loved, laying down His life for His Bride (1 John 3:16). How can one love those with whom he does not spend time? How can he be loved by them? And the church serves another purpose: exhortation & discipline. Jesus Himself gives the structure for church discipline in Matthew 18:15-17. How can one be held accountable by the church if he does not place himself under that accountability? The Church is an institution of God to convey the love of Christ to the world and grow us to be like Him; under His inspiration, men have written the practical application of its “hands and feet” in the local church. I would take that VERY seriously.
So I would ask Mr. “We ARE the church” to consider how he became a member of the Church. Ask him who his Head is and what the Head calls him to do. Ask him why men, under God’s inspiration and Christ‘s authority, command us NOT to NEGLECT meeting together, but to be devoted to public preaching, exhortation, and rebuking. Ask him why there is time spent in the Bible outlining local church leadership. Then ask him where his biblical basis is for not taking part in a local church body because “we ARE the church.” I think he’ll find his thesis is contradictive and anti-biblical.
As for your first question: “What is church?” -I think it’s answered most simply in the description of the Early Church: Christ-followers who devote themselves to the apostles’ (biblical) teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And all of that for the glory and proclamation of Christ. Christ is the Head and the Center. Whatever the Church is, it should revolve around Jesus Christ. The rest of what you mentioned (songs, Sunday School, etc) typically has a biblical basis for its profitability, but not in its explicit structure. Church ecclesiology, how the local church is structured, is also an area that isn’t particularly black and white; thus, in part, the variety in denominations. This relates a lot to my recent questioning. Christ was very clear in His emphasis of praying for the unity of the Church, as were the Apostles. What do we do with the many divisions of denominations in the Church? The root issue, I think, involves interpreting the Bible. But that’s another discussion we can delve into another day.
Oratio, meditatio, tentatio -these are the principles Martin Luther pulled from Psalm 119 for knowing the Word of God. Prayer, meditation, and trials. I recently had to pick apart this signature psalm for my class, classifying each of the verses into one of the three categories. I thought it might be worth posting...PRAYERVerses:
2, 10, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 ,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 49, 58, 64, 66, 68, 73, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82, 88, 107, 116, 117, 121, 122, 124, 125, 132, 133, 134, 135, 144, 145, 146, 147, 149, 154, 156, 159, 169, 170, 173, 175
10 - With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
18 - Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
28 - My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
31 - I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame!
34 - Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
36 - Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
37 - Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
124 - Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.
147 - I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your word.
Based on the sheer number of verses in each of the boxes, prayer is the predominant Psalm 119-component in understanding God’s Word. In the limited selection above, the Psalmist prays for God’s assistance in understanding, obeying, desiring, and focusing on the Word. He also prays for help and loving “dealings.” It goes without question that I must rely on the Lord for all growth in, change through, and love for His Word. I must diligently seek to cling to Him in absolute dependence. Though the Psalmist loves the Law, he knows it is not sufficient apart from the intervention of Almighty God. I am responsible to lean into the Author and Perfecter of my faith.
MEDITATION
Verses:
6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 23, 24, 27, 30, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 52, 55, 59, 62, 63, 72, 78, 81, 89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 109, 111, 112, 114, 120, 128, 148, 162, 167, 171, 172
13 - With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
15 – I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 – I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
48 - I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.
52 - When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.
93 - I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
95 - The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies.
112 - I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.
162 - I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.
148 - My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
Meditation, in all of its variations, is the other responsibility the Psalmist pursues in knowing the Word of God. He meditates on it, declares it, fixes his eyes on it, delights in it, remembers it, rejoices in it, and considers it. Meditation is somewhat a matter of practicality. It is difficult to understand the book not read or the sung not heard. God is not limited to this finite quality, but the Psalmist knows he must seek God’s Word. It is to be talked about when sitting and walking and lying down and rising –a sign on your hand, frontlets between your eyes, on the doorposts, and on your gates. The Word of God is best grasped when it permeates my entire life, thoughts and all.
TRIALS
Verses:
3, 5, 8, 9, 28, 42, 50, 51, 53, 54, 61, 65, 67, 69, 70, 71, 75, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 92, 95, 107, 110, 115, 140, 143, 150, 153, 157, 161, 176
28 - My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
50 - This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
54 - Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning.
71 - It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
74 - Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.
75 – I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
92 - If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
140 - Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.
143 - Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.
153 - Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law.
161 - Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.
Trials are the blessed work of a faithful, loving God. The Psalmist knows they instruct him in the way of Truth. They are his comfort. He also trusts his trials . Over and over again, I have seen these principles manifested in my life. Promises read my entire life become life-giving and precious through the storms of life. And God’s faithfulness to His Word in the storm only increases my faith in and love for that Word. And I have seen my trials be to the praise of my God in the mouths of those who see them. I can only echo the Psalmist in affirming “that in faithfulness [He has] afflicted me” for my good.
