Practical Christianity, Pt. 2

We're not able to be awake in the moment to the reality of the faith because our limits for that have never been extended to the point where that is possible.

As watchmen we fall asleep quickly. We aren't good watchmen because quickly upon taking our post we doze off and fall asleep. We make the effort, we climb to our post, so to speak, we set ourselves to watch, but our limits are so unextended that we quickly succumb to sleep.

So obviously to solve this problem we have to extend our limits. But to do that we have to provoke our limits. Which requires effort. And requires being in new territory. New spiritual territory. Not to mention new territory of seeing ourselves.

We have a lot of scared theologians and pastors these days talking about 'now/not yet' doctrine and warning of 'over-realized eschatology.' I know Reformed, Federal Theology to its core, and I've never felt comfortable with the 'now/not yet' doctrine. It always had an ad hoc feel to it to my discernment. Biblical doctrine is sound and complete. Anytime you get explanations that look partial and hesitant and ad hoc you are dealing with a lack of understanding. Eschatology is now. It's not future. And it is now complete. Not future complete. It is simple fear of being awake in the moment that is keeping this reality repressed and covered over in ad hoc language.

Of course in their lack of understanding they'll say, "How is glorification now?"

It's now in that we are dealing with higher aspects of time. Not linear time. In a real sense it is now for the taking. Once regenerated we're in the heavenlies now. Eschatology is vertical to the moment, not horizontal in linear time. Not some destination off in the horizontal, linear time distance. Yes obviously we are still alive in these flesh and blood bodies and while still alive glorification is not a complete reality, but we don't just exist in these flesh and blood bodies now, we are in a real way in higher realms now (or lower realms) and our development now, our sanctification is not constrained by some shallow materialist notion of ourselves and reality. ('Now/not yet' doctrine is being used to say: "No effort now needed, all is done in the future. As if physical death is the point of it all. No, we are kept alive after being regenerated for a reason. For many reasons.)

They will next say: "But we are instructed to behave the way the word of God tells us to behave. We just need to be in church and take the Lord's Supper and...then......you know, eat ice cream and such things."

Yes, but what are you reading in the word of God? What are you seeing there, and what are you not seeing (willfully or not)? You're not seeing the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself that tells you to awaken and love your enemies, both real time acts that effect our level of being awake in the moment. You completely pass over that. Your older peers in time gave passing mention of it (a Brakel for one), but you modern guys just pass over it completely. Actual teaching of our Lord and Savior and King Jesus Christ. You act as if it isn't there. And then you actually warn people with grave expressions of concern if anybody should be outrageous enough to see it and mention it. Basically you act the Devil's part. But moving along...