Integrative Paper

Josh Choi

C.S. Lewis DCM           

“Passion is like a garden,” said C.S. Lewis “when it is left to nature it won’t be a garden anymore.” Though it is full of life and beauty, it cannot weed itself or fence itself. A man must constantly keep watch over it in order to keep it beautiful. Lewis was talking about passion in the romantic love, Eros, in the original context, but I believe this can apply for all sorts of passions in our lives, including passion for God. This passion must be nurtured and trained carefully in order to be properly used for the Kingdom of Heaven. Developing a Christian mind is crucial for a Christian to effectively live out their lives for the truth, I believe this past DCM interim has helped me immensely to develop a Christian perspective in the midst of this distorted world. I’ve learned very powerful and logical ways to defend and introduce our faith to others. Not only that, I also learned the tremendous importance of humility and what it truly means to seek after God.

             Being able to defend our faith is a crucial part of being a follower of Christ. I Peter 3:15b says:

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

The most important thing in starting an argument is to find a common ground. C.S. Lewis says that the reality of the universal moral law is something that everybody must agree on. The postmodern idea of subjective morality cannot hold, because that idea of new morality can only derive from the preexisting traditional morality. From there, we could argue that someone must have put that law there since we know it’s not humans who have come up with it. Progressing our ideas this way, we can present God and Christianity in an understandable, logical way, although we do have to keep in mind that it is faith, not a convincing argument, that enables humans to believe in God.

             It is also important, when we are defending our faith, to bring up the fact that science is simply not the right tool to find out the existence of God, because this is one of the areas where Christianity gets attacked the most. We cannot scientifically prove the existence of God, but maybe that is because science is not the right tool for us to find God. It is the job of a scientist to find out causes and effects in nature, but it is not their job to figure out if there is anything behind science itself. Also, not everything needs to be provable in order for it to be true. Certain events in history cannot be proven, but we all accept it as true.

             Plantinga and Lewis both mention that we all have a certain unexplainable longing. We often mistake that these longings are for the material things in this world, but that is not so. Many will come to realize that the things that we enjoy in this world is only a glimpse of what we are truly longing for, and this may be a hint that we are actually meant for a place beyond this world that we know. Bringing up these points can lead us to introduce the gospel in a more understandable fashion.

Humility is an absolute necessity to understand God and our world. In Meditation in a Toolshed C.S. Lewis talked about the difference between looking at and looking along the beam of light. Depending on the point of view, the way each of us view certain things in this world can be very different. C.S. Lewis gives an example that a psychologist’s perspective on two people who are in love will be very different from the lover’s perspective. We cannot know for sure which of them has a more accurate view. We have to be humble and remind ourselves that what we perceive can be different from others and that it might not be the most accurate point of view. There is so much to learn if we are willing to listen to others.

             Pride, which is the opposite of humility, is said to be the greatest of all sins. This is because pride was at the core of the first sin that has been committed by Lucifer, who believed he could be just as good as God. Pride is very unique compared to other sins, because it is not attached to any of our animal behavior. Other sins, such as sexual immorality or greed, derive from Satan distorting our animal behavior, but Pride is different. It is purely spiritual, and it makes us lose our capacity to see and know God. C.S. Lewis explains what happens:

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

We will not be able to see God if we are proud. We need to walk humbly before our Lord. The first step of overcoming pride is by admitting and realizing the fact that we are proud. This may seem like a simple task, but it will prove to be very difficult. But from here, we may be able to ask for God’s help to open our eyes and enable us to see ourselves as we really are and see Him as He truly is. Humility is essential in understanding God and our world.

             Jesus once said, “Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find.” I used to think this was simply a very encouraging verse saying that God, in his abundance, will not hold back his blessings if we only ask Him. Although that is partially true, through this DCM course I’ve gotten a new insight on what it means to truly seek. When Jesus asked us to seek, he didn't mean it as slow, mediocre searching, he wanted us to give everything for this search for truth. Lukewarm, mediocre behavior won’t do. In Revelation He says that because we are lukewarm, He is going to spit us out of his mouth. It makes God sick when we are lukewarm about our faith. Through the Screwtape Letters Lewis tells us that the ongoing lukewarm behavior will slowly drag us away from God, and before we realize it, we might find ourselves tied down by the devil. Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl that is hidden in a field, and when a man finds out about it, he sells everything he has to buy that land. That is the kind of passion that Jesus wants from us.

             Another very important question is: What are we looking for? According to C.S. Lewis, what we are aiming for can make the biggest difference even if everyone is engaged in the same outward activities. He said:

“Play to win and you will find yourself taking violent exercise; play because it is good for you and you will not.”

The same idea applies in our learning. We can miss out on so much if we only study to get good grades, but if we work hard and study in order to learn and acquire knowledge, there is so much we can get. Plantinga tells us that our current vocation is to learn and equip ourselves with knowledge not to earn good grades. Our report cards will not help us when we are challenged to share and defend our faith. Our grades won’t mean anything when we are out in the mission field. But the little skills that we have picked up along the way can be used to further God’s Kingdom. God will not let our efforts go to waste. What we aim for can change drastically our potential in being used for God’s Kingdom.

             When we seek something, it means that our eyes are opened and we are aware of our surroundings. I believe that when we are told to seek, it also means to be awake and conscious of reality. We are to be conscious with the fact that we are truly at war, and this is not something that we just read from the books or hear from sermons; it’s reality. One of the biggest way the devil attacks us is by making us forget about his existence. That is why we have to awake and alert at all times. Church going can be a deadly weapon against us if we are not awake and conscious of why we do what we do. If church going just simply becomes a pattern in our lives, we will start fooling ourselves that our action of going to church is what assures that we have a relationship with God. One of the most challenging quotes that I found during this course was in Weight of Glory. Here, C.S. Lewis says:

“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. …it is with immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit…your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

I can only imagine how different our churches and communities would be if we were just conscious of this reality. When we are challenged to seek, we are meant to truly open our eyes and be aware of what is going on. There are powerful truths and realities that are waiting to be remembered and discovered!

             The DCM interim course has truly helped me develop a Christian mind. I have acquired knowledge that could help me defend and share my faith more clearly and effectively, I learned the incredible importance of being humble in everything we do, whether encountering another person or even myself in light of God, and I have been challenged immensely to be awake and alert. My hope and prayer is that I will not forget what I have learned during this past month and that I can effectively live out what I been challenged with. This world and everything in it is the Lords, and I want to be truly passionate about bringing God’s kingdom here in our community.

References

C.S. Lewis. Mere Christianity (1944)

 Weight of Glory (1941)

 Our English Syllabus

God in the Dock (1970)

The Screwtape Letters (1942)

Plantinga, Cornelius. Engaging God’s World. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing

             Company, 2002.

human pain

           C.S. Lewis is someone who has definitely gone through painful times. He has lost comrades during war, and he also lost his mother and wife. Having gone through these times, it seems that he has discovered some very important things about pain. Lewis, in the chapter Human Pain, talks about the reason for pain. He says pain is actually necessary for humans to know God. Pain is basically a wakeup call that our world is not perfect and we are not meant to settle for the things of this world. Through pain God can speak to us and enable us to realize how dependant we are to Him. Lewis says:

“God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

Lewis also brings on a very good point when he says:

“Prostitutes are in no danger of finding their present life so satisfactory that they cannot turn to God: the proud, the avaricious, the self-righteous, are in that danger.”

This relates directly to what Platinga said about how the gospel is good news to those people whose lives are bad news. Through pain we become vulnerable and helpless that God can show Himself in our lives.

So what does this mean to us? When we face painful times, we know that our character is being built through it somehow and we can rejoice in the hard times. We know that there is nothing wrong with us or God when we face trials, it is very normal and very necessary. But most importantly, instead of being so focused about the problem when face trials, we need to have our eyes and ears opened and listen for what God might be wanting to teach us at that time. God doesn’t waste pain, He each of them for a purpose, and when we face tough times we need to be able to pay attention to God and what He might be wanting to tell us.

I was very shocked when I read about what C.S. Lewis calls the Divine Humility; that God will still take us in even if we use him as our last resort. C.S. Lewis quotes a very shocking and convicting quote from a friend:

“We regard God as an airman regards his parachute; it’s there for emergencies but he hopes he’ll never have to use it.”

It is frightening how true that is for so many of us. I know I am guilty of that many times. However, what’s more shocking is that God will still take us in even if we go to Him as our last resort.

Chapter 5

           In the beginning of this chapter we are asked with one of the most commonly asked questions yet one of the most challenging ones: “Do contemporary Christians bring the same passion to their hope of redemption as people in the Bible did?”

           Jesus once challenged his disciples that the Kingdom of God is like a pearl hidden in a field, and when someone found out about it, he sold everything to obtain that field. That is was our passion for the Kingdom of Heaven is suppose to look like! Are we willing to give up everything for the sake of the call? There is no middle ground. In Revelation Jesus tells us that those who are lukewarm makes him want to throw up! Our call is to be on fire for God.

           Plantinga said, “God’s Kingdom has always sounded like good news for people whose lives are bad news.” I find this so incredibly true. That is why Jesus said that it is so difficult for a rich man to enter his kingdom, because they already have everything they need; well, except the most important one.

           I think it is safe for me to assume that no one really views himself as a rich man. Because there are so many people who are richer than us, we don’t see ourselves as rich. But in reality, we really are rich. If we compare ourselves with the number people who are poorer than us, we are so rich! We have everything we need. We always have food at our table, water, a place to sleep… These are all such blessings, but our stable, secure situation can be a handicap for us to be dependent on God and be excited about his Kingdom. Plantinga says:

“When our earthly kingdom have had a good year, we don’t necessarily long for the kingdom of God to break in. We like our own setup just fine.”

I guess what this means for us is that we have to challenge ourselves and get ourselves into situations where we really have to depend on God. I don’t know how exactly this would look like, but I think it will be different for each person. We have to step out of our comfort zone, and I’m sure each of us, with our own personal fears and discomforts, know what that means. We have to step out and see how bad this world really needs God’s kingdom.

Man or Rabbit

During the small group discussion time, I remember our group laughing about the fact that if we were a non-Christian and we read this essay, we would have just gotten really scared. C.S. Lewis talks provocatively about the question “Can’t you lead a good life without believing in Christianity?” Lewis says that those who ask such questions are cowards and they are lazy. Lewis says:

          

“He is deliberately trying not to know whether Christianity is true or false, because he foresees endless trouble if it should turn out to be true.”

Lewis says that “honest rejection of Christ” might be forgivable, but looking the other way and pretending you haven’t noticed the Son of Man might be a different matter. Lewis describes these people as ostriches hiding their face in the sand.

People who asks this question, in fact, doesn’t even know what it means to live a “good” life neither do they understand what life is all about. It is impossible to be good with our own effort. I find it interesting that Lewis never really tells us what life is all about. I guess that wasn’t the point of this particular essay.

I am not a non-Christian, so I am not part of the group of people that Lewis is particularly addressing to. However I find this essay very insightful and useful in that I can understand what the people who ask the question of “being good with being a Christian” are really thinking. It seems that Lewis, who have been in the position of the people whom he is criticizing, has a good idea what is going on in these people’s minds. Knowing where these people are at when they ask this question can be very useful in helping these people know Christ, although I would probably use a less provocative language.  

Inner Ring

Clique is a good modern word for what C.S. Lewis describes as the inner-ring. Lewis describes how everybody desires to be in the inner ring, but by doing so one may be in danger of becoming a bad person. Lewis says,

“Of all the passions, the passion for the Inner Ring is most skillful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man do very bad things.”

I guess we can call it peer pressure. Lewis says that being in group can make people do thing that they normally won’t when they are by themselves. Often times this can lead to having good people do bad things because of the inner-ring. We know this is true because, as we’ve mentioned in class, we often see very friendly individuals who become no so friendly when they are with their group of friends.

Another negative outcome that could come out of desiring to be in an inner-ring is that you will not find what you want in the inner-ring if being in the inner-ring is all you are looking for. Lewis describes what happens:

“. The circle cannot have from within the charm it had from outside. By the very act of admitting you it has lost its magic.”

Lewis also brings to mind that once you are in the inner-ring, you would want to be as exclusive to others outside the inner-ring as possible. “Exclusion is no accident; it is the essence.” After all, exclusion is what makes inner-rings exist.

However, inner-rings aren’t always bad. When inner-rings form because of common interests or genuine like of the individuals in it, we call that friendship. Lewis says that in friendships, exclusion is only a by-product. In class it was brought up that exclusion in this sense is not exactly bad. When a group forms from common interests that the individuals within the group have, those who don’t have that common interest will naturally feel awkward when they find themselves in that group.

A good, God-centered friendship can actually have a very positive impact. It can keep people accountable. The Bible describes this as “iron sharpens iron”. A positive group of friends can be a positive impact on not only to the people within the group but also to others by spreading a positive spirit.

Show and Tell

“So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.”

                                                                -I Thessalonians 5:6

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

                                                                -Ephesians 6:18

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

                                                                -I Peter 5:8

           Through reading all these different writings by C.S. Lewis, the biggest challenge that I’ve been getting is the question of are we awake? Are we alert? Are we thinking? Are we conscious? The Screwtape Letter that we read talks about how even church going can become a deadly weapon that the devil can use against us if we are not conscious what we are doing and why we are doing it. We have to be aware of the fact that we really are getting attacked all the time, and if we are not conscious and alert about it, we will get swept away.

 It the last paragraph of The Weight of Glory Lewis talks about the people around us. No one that we have ever come across in our lives is a mortal. “There are no ordinary people!” The people around, especially Christians, are the holiest objects that God has placed in our lives bearing the imaging of God and embodying Christ in their hearts. Do we really believe that? Are we constantly aware of that when we meet people each day?

the Four Loves

         In this chapter C.S. Lewis talks about Eros, the sexual love. The thing that stuck out to me the most was when C.S. Lewis describes passion. He says that Eros, or the passionate love, is more like the dive before the actual swim. Eros, although it promises permanence, is not what keeps love lasting. Once it has started, it will take discipline and commitment to keep it alive and make progress. Again, Lewis describes passion as a kind of garden. A garden is full of life and beauty, and it can give that life to others who are around. But the garden cannot weed itself or fence itself on its own. It needs to taken care of. A garden when it is simply left to nature won’t be a garden anymore. God has place man to attend and keep watch over the garden.

         Although Lewis was probably thinking about passion as Eros when he explained it this way, I think this way of thinking about passion can apply to our passion for God as well. There are times where we get our passion for God fired up, whether through a retreat or a sermon, and we are excited about living our life for God again. But when that passion slowly fades away after some time, we don’t know what to do. We sometimes even think that there’s something wrong with us because we’re not feeling that fiery passion that we once had. In reality that fiery moment was meant to just get our walk started, just as a dive is what gets our swimming started. We cannot always want that feeling in order to be close to God, just like we can’t swim back to shore over and over just to dive again. If that happens, we make no progress.

         Another place where I’ve seen this aspect of passion was out in the mission field. As a MK, I lived in Uganda and Kenya 16 years, and I had the opportunity to meet many missionaries. I there’s one thing I’ve learned about missions is that mission is a life style. A lot times people back in our home country expect missionaries to be people who are constantly on fire for God, but in reality, missionaries are people who are just living out their lives, in a sense, like anyone else. The fiery passion filled moment is what gets them started and enables them to stand up and volunteer to go to foreign lands. But when they get there, it’ll be their faithful persistence and discipline that will enable them to stay in that land for the years to come. We cannot expect our fiery passion to always be there to fuel us. Once we get it started, it’ll take discipline, perseverance and persistence along with the grace of God that will enable us to finish the good race.