So...which came first? The chicken? Or the egg?
You need a chicken in order to lay the egg.
But you need an egg in order to hatch a chicken.
"The chicken or the egg" is a causality dilemma, a metaphor that we often use when we are trying to express a conundrum about which of two events is the cause, and which is the effect.
Let's change the argument, ever so slightly. Suppose we look at this dilemma as not a question of cause and effect, but, instead, a question of identity and behavior.
At the risk of incurring wrath from any of my knowledgeable friends, I will make some assignments that perhaps should be better justified (perhaps could even be argued at great length), but for purposes of my greater point, I will avoid. In this rather simple metaphor, I suggest that the chicken is the identity, and the egg is the behavior.
Chickens (something with identity) lay eggs (a behavior associated with the identity).
Now, I suggest that behavior must necessarily spring forth from identity, right? I mean, the thing that possesses identity must be present before we can mark any behavior associated with that thing, yes?
Ergo, the chicken came first. First the identity (the chicken exists), then the behavior associated with the identity (the laying of the egg).
At this point you're likely wondering why you chose to take the time to read this ridiculous blog post your friend has written, but, I promise, I have a bigger, more substantial point here.
I recently was accused of antinomianism.
I had to look it up.
Apparently "antinomianism" is a theological pejorative used to indicate someone who holds that obeying a moral or ethical code is unnecessary due to the law of grace. In simple terms, it would be the notion that, because of the grace found in Jesus Christ, we can go on sinning as much as we like because, well, "Jesus paid it all", right?
I am definitely not antinomian.
The real issue here is one that we in the faith have struggled with for a really long time.
It's grace versus law. It's salvation by grace or salvation by works.
The oddest thing to me is that every church I have ever been a part of has loudly proclaimed
"It is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by WORKS, so that no one can boast." EPH 2:8,9
and yet it is equally true that nearly every church I have ever been a part of has then lived out it's life by placing a burdensome focus on behavior (or WORKS), to the extent that those who do not display the proper behavior come under judgment.
It is the reason some people eventually leave the church in shame and guilt.
It is the reason some people never would consider setting foot inside any church.
It is the reason so many churches find it nearly impossible to effectively reach out to the lost.
And the problem, I think, is that we have confused the IDENTITY with the BEHAVIOR. Or, as Pastor Greg Boyd so eloquently explains, we
"...put(s) the ought before the is, the command before the proclamation, the imperative before the indicative, the acting before the being." (Seeing Is Believing, p26)
Our behavior springs forth from who we are, not vice versa. We behave according to the identity that we possess. Our very ability to live godly, holy, and righteous lives is only possible once we are one with He who is godly, holy, and righteous!
In Jesus Christ we are made completely and utterly new. We have been place IN Christ Jesus - he who was perfectly godly, holy, and righteous. Our IDENTITY is now that of Jesus Christ, and from that identity we begin to manifest the BEHAVIOR of Jesus Christ. You can't make this work in the opposite order.
Now, we know that even those of us in Jesus Christ still fall short of the mark - we still find ourselves in sin from time to time. But this is less a failing of our BEHAVIOR as it is a failing to realize and experience our IDENTITY in Christ!
Look, if our EFFORTS could not get us anywhere close to salvation, what in the world would make us believe that it is now our EFFORTS that will bring us to holy living?
So what are you saying Bill? Are you saying we just throw up our hands and give in to sin? Are you really an antinomian after all?
Of course not.
Our desire to live more godly lives, our desire to sin less, our desire to follow the will of God more perfectly in our lives, all these things are already made possible for us in our IDENTITY found in Jesus Christ. It's literally who we ALREADY are!
But when the apostle Paul, in Romans 12:2, tells us to "be conformed no longer to the ways of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds," I believe he's telling us that our problem is that for far too long our IDENTITY has been shaped by the world, rather than by Christ. That getting to the point where we see godliness and holiness as bigger and bigger parts of our daily lives is not about our effort or trying harder, but about realizing more fully our IDENTITY (that is already true and real!) in Jesus Christ!
Behavior proceeds from identity.
We need to stop trying to get there by behavior modification, and start seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness - which already is alive inside of us!
We need to stop expecting godliness from those who have not been made new by God's grace through Jesus Christ - the identity comes before the behavior!
As Pastor Greg Boyd says,
"There is simply nothing anyone can do to improve what God has already done for us in placing us in Christ Jesus. When God saved us, he established us in Christ as being everything he eternally wants us to be."
You need a chicken in order to lay the egg.
But you need an egg in order to hatch a chicken.
"The chicken or the egg" is a causality dilemma, a metaphor that we often use when we are trying to express a conundrum about which of two events is the cause, and which is the effect.
Let's change the argument, ever so slightly. Suppose we look at this dilemma as not a question of cause and effect, but, instead, a question of identity and behavior.
At the risk of incurring wrath from any of my knowledgeable friends, I will make some assignments that perhaps should be better justified (perhaps could even be argued at great length), but for purposes of my greater point, I will avoid. In this rather simple metaphor, I suggest that the chicken is the identity, and the egg is the behavior.
Chickens (something with identity) lay eggs (a behavior associated with the identity).
Now, I suggest that behavior must necessarily spring forth from identity, right? I mean, the thing that possesses identity must be present before we can mark any behavior associated with that thing, yes?
Ergo, the chicken came first. First the identity (the chicken exists), then the behavior associated with the identity (the laying of the egg).
At this point you're likely wondering why you chose to take the time to read this ridiculous blog post your friend has written, but, I promise, I have a bigger, more substantial point here.
I recently was accused of antinomianism.
I had to look it up.
Apparently "antinomianism" is a theological pejorative used to indicate someone who holds that obeying a moral or ethical code is unnecessary due to the law of grace. In simple terms, it would be the notion that, because of the grace found in Jesus Christ, we can go on sinning as much as we like because, well, "Jesus paid it all", right?
I am definitely not antinomian.
The real issue here is one that we in the faith have struggled with for a really long time.
It's grace versus law. It's salvation by grace or salvation by works.
The oddest thing to me is that every church I have ever been a part of has loudly proclaimed
"It is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by WORKS, so that no one can boast." EPH 2:8,9
and yet it is equally true that nearly every church I have ever been a part of has then lived out it's life by placing a burdensome focus on behavior (or WORKS), to the extent that those who do not display the proper behavior come under judgment.
It is the reason some people eventually leave the church in shame and guilt.
It is the reason some people never would consider setting foot inside any church.
It is the reason so many churches find it nearly impossible to effectively reach out to the lost.
And the problem, I think, is that we have confused the IDENTITY with the BEHAVIOR. Or, as Pastor Greg Boyd so eloquently explains, we
"...put(s) the ought before the is, the command before the proclamation, the imperative before the indicative, the acting before the being." (Seeing Is Believing, p26)
Our behavior springs forth from who we are, not vice versa. We behave according to the identity that we possess. Our very ability to live godly, holy, and righteous lives is only possible once we are one with He who is godly, holy, and righteous!
In Jesus Christ we are made completely and utterly new. We have been place IN Christ Jesus - he who was perfectly godly, holy, and righteous. Our IDENTITY is now that of Jesus Christ, and from that identity we begin to manifest the BEHAVIOR of Jesus Christ. You can't make this work in the opposite order.
Now, we know that even those of us in Jesus Christ still fall short of the mark - we still find ourselves in sin from time to time. But this is less a failing of our BEHAVIOR as it is a failing to realize and experience our IDENTITY in Christ!
Look, if our EFFORTS could not get us anywhere close to salvation, what in the world would make us believe that it is now our EFFORTS that will bring us to holy living?
So what are you saying Bill? Are you saying we just throw up our hands and give in to sin? Are you really an antinomian after all?
Of course not.
Our desire to live more godly lives, our desire to sin less, our desire to follow the will of God more perfectly in our lives, all these things are already made possible for us in our IDENTITY found in Jesus Christ. It's literally who we ALREADY are!
But when the apostle Paul, in Romans 12:2, tells us to "be conformed no longer to the ways of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds," I believe he's telling us that our problem is that for far too long our IDENTITY has been shaped by the world, rather than by Christ. That getting to the point where we see godliness and holiness as bigger and bigger parts of our daily lives is not about our effort or trying harder, but about realizing more fully our IDENTITY (that is already true and real!) in Jesus Christ!
Behavior proceeds from identity.
We need to stop trying to get there by behavior modification, and start seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness - which already is alive inside of us!
We need to stop expecting godliness from those who have not been made new by God's grace through Jesus Christ - the identity comes before the behavior!
As Pastor Greg Boyd says,
"There is simply nothing anyone can do to improve what God has already done for us in placing us in Christ Jesus. When God saved us, he established us in Christ as being everything he eternally wants us to be."
