Lenten Devotional (4) & a Post-Human Pornography
As we face with boldness the next thirty-seven days, we must remember that Lent is a gift from God, a gift of time that we are to steward well.
Lent is an extended practice in meditation. The fourth-century father, Ambrose, once noted that “looking on Jesus will strengthen patience under the cross of Christ.” How often do we take time during the year to meditate under the cross of Christ? We may say we think of the cross and hear an occasional sermon on the cross, but when do we make the cross the sine qua non of our faith? Do we meditate on a cruciform theology? If we did, how would that impact our contemplative life?
The Psalmist took the time to meditate:
"Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love."
It is the church's call to take time and ponder the love of God, to meditate on his steadfast love for his people. And no love is greater than the love that would give his life for the sake of a people (Jn. 10:15). Thus, to meditate during Lent is to look deeply at the cross of Jesus, to strengthen our patience and to train ourselves in the habits of love.
We cannot think about the birth, the cross, the empty grave, and the ascension simultaneously. Thus, the church structures the year to emphasize each part of Jesus’ life. In other words, the calendar allows us to meditate on the whole of Christ in small doses. The crucified Christ is inexhaustible in riches, and even eternity will not suffice to contemplate all his glory and grace. But Lent gives us a season of meditation on his unfailing love at Calvary.
In particular, Lent is a corporate focus on the cross of Christ and the journey to that cruel tree. As we face with boldness the next thirty-seven days, we must remember that Lent is a gift from God, a gift of time that we are to steward well.
As we prepare for worship this coming Lord's Day, we would do well to remember God’s unfailing love. In love, our Lord Jesus gave his body for us so that we would be made whole. Use this season. Don’t let it pass in vain. Meditate on his love. Indeed there is no greater love known to man than the death of the God/Man for man's everlasting life.
Prayer: O blessed Jesus, whose life was given for us and whose blood was shed for our redemption, have mercy on us. We forget your love too often; we are selfish with our time, and your cross is so easily removed from our meditation. But do not forget us, O Lord. Our hope is in you. Our life is in you. While we too often seek the love of other things, You never cease to love us. Keep us close to the cross, for under that tree of death, we will find the fullness of your life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Hymn of the Day: What Wondrous Love Is This
Notations
Adam McIntosh’s three-part series on head-covering is probably one of the best discussions on the topic in the last few years. His interview on Kuyperian was also very well received. There is a renewed and bizarre interest in head-covering in our day, and most of it stems from an attempt to put something tangible on display, which the text does not command. In reacting against feminism, some have sought outward forms of piety to show their faith. Some head-coverers are quiet, keeping their visibility to a minimum and refusing to draw attention to themselves. Still, now we are seeing a new wave of head-covering advocates emerging in evangelical circles that resemble Russian Orthodoxy or, more creatively, some form of Amish tradition.
These attempts to adorn heads with even more elaborate visibility violate basic principles of cordiality among humans and incite a form of competitive holiness codes (the more you wear and the longer it is, the holier I show my femininity and submission).
I don’t share Leithart’s distaste of Trump, as I wrote here. But the Gerardian link is too true to escape. Leithart concludes his insightful piece:
Christians support Trump the anti-scapegoat, for better or for worse, because he embodies a refusal to acquiesce.
Samuel James’ essay on the future of porn being post-human is insightful. I have been paying close attention to this phenomenon because it seems the Church is ripe for a colloquium focusing on Christian ethics in an age of artificial intelligence. What if, in 10 years, all or most pornography is made with AI-generated characters? Am I lusting after my neighbor’s wife if the person I am looking at is no one’s neighbor’s wife or daughter? As James notes:
The next era of pornography will almost certainly feature no humans at all, but lifelike computer-generated images that have no souls, no legal status, and no inhibitions.
Check out the comment section on my latest interview with Keith Foskey, with over 2k views. A common day for Keith but uncommon for me.
Blessed Lent,
Uriesou Brito
This is just a small announcement to say that I am presently preparing and will be doing a post on Friday on the subject of pornography.
Paul wrote, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” When we believe in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, over time our life is meant to be transformed, so that we can be like Christ. However, the sad reality is that pornography has a vice-like grip on us.
59% of pastors said that married men seek their help for porn use.
57% of pastors say porn addiction is the most damaging issue in their congregation. 69% say porn has adversely impacted the church.
May I suggest these figures are on the low side, as members are too ashamed to come forward for help and pastors don’t want to say that their church is being impacted.
However, the Good News of Jesus Christ, the gospel message for us today, is that we can find freedom from the bondage of pornography.
I will be repeating this announcement on Wednesday.
I hope you will find the post worthwhile. God bless you and have a great day. Robert