In the first Dr. Strange Marvel movie, a rich, playboy doctor has a near-death experience and a career-ending injury that sets him on a journey which changes everything. He discovers a world of mystical arts, magical powers, and battles to save the multiverse. At one point in the movie, Dr. Strange casts a spell that places the warriors fighting in a mirror dimension. This dimension looks identical to the real world and is adjacent to it. Yet, whatever happens in the mirror dimension doesn’t impact real life. So all the sci-fi, action movie violence can proceed without any real, tangible consequences.
As I have lived and learned over the years, I have discovered that I, along with many others, sometimes treat life categorically; as if certain parts of life are in that mirror dimension and aren’t impacted or connected to the rest of life.
I have had the growing realization that many of us navigate our world with pockets and spaces that we don’t believe are or have to be impacted by the way of Jesus.
Sometimes we have too low a view of our lives. A categorical approach that divides the way of Jesus into spaces and boundaries is not how life is to be lived.
(Interesting how the way of Jesus, taught by Him and the Apostles, was never presented categorically. It is presented as universally comprehensive. Makes sense; after all, Jesus of Nazareth is God.
What we must ask ourselves is, “What kinds of categories or boundaries do I have in my life that leave God out?”
the lines we draw
I hear people say things that point to this bigger ideological problem within their worldview all the time. They say:
“It was just a joke, I didn’t mean it” or “It’s okay because I was kidding” or “I was just being sarcastic.”
“I don’t care about political leaders’ characters, moral values, or personal lives, I only vote based on their platforms and policy issues” or “I think politics should be separate from personal religion.”
“It’s just music” or “It’s just TV… and I don’t let those things influence ME.”
“It’s all-out war, anything goes, no matter how violent” or “lines can be crossed because the stakes are too high.”
And there are more examples I’m sure. There are places we don’t functionally operate or navigate our lives as if the reign and presence of God impacts everything.
We act as if there are categories and boundaries to where Christ touches our lives and other places where His rule as King of all reality is more distant.
Utilitarian-ruled politics are all about the practical; healthy theology and Gospel-character aren’t allowed in. Yet, the ends do not justify the corrupt, mean-spirited, godless means in the Kingdom of Jesus.1
The music, movies, video games, and digital media we consume is never evaluated or considered with caution because those digital worlds are out of bounds of the Christian life. Yet, the Kingdom of God doesn’t give us passes to do whatever we so desire with technology.
We act as if we are invincible creatures that are in complete control over the forces that seek to influence us, distract us, control us, and shape us.
I would suggest to you that human beings are people who are inherently wired to follow after some ultimate thing in every part of their lives.
We are creatures of worship.
Your faith and following of Jesus is more than a Sunday morning and daily bible-study routine.
The all-encompassing, reality-shaping rule of King Jesus has no boundaries.
intimacy knows no boundaries
Read John 15, Galatians 2, Ephesians 5, 1 Corinthians 6, or 2 Corinthians 5. The metaphors/symbols/analogies of body, living plant, temple, and marriage point to an all-encompassing intersection between God and His people. Or even consider my last post on Psalm 139.
There is powerful, life-consuming intimacy of nearness and knowledge between followers of Jesus and God Himself.
When did we ever begin to believe the lie that there was an on and off switch?
…That there was some out of bounds area, off limits from the abiding life with Father Son and Spirit?
….That there are areas of life that God gives us a pass on?
…That there are aspects of how we live that we can independently self-rule outside of God’s purview?
This is a lie. It is false. This idea does not correspond with reality.
Reality is centered on Jesus. All of it.
1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV
Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
Colossians 1:16-17
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
These texts don’t present life as categorical.
Could it be that we have too low a view of our lives as Christians?
Is it possible that you and I have settled for too small a vision of what the abundant, abiding life with Jesus means for our lives?
Have we fully imagined the majestic fullness of what it means to live with the Triune God in intimacy…
…To be ambassadors of His powerful, upside-down Kingdom?
…To be sons and daughters of His family?
Or have we settled for categories, boundaries, and boxed off rooms?
Allow me to let you in on a little secret. Father Son and Spirit rule over all. And yet they power and inhabit their Created world intimately. If you are a follower of Jesus -a new creation, temple of the Spirit, and a child of the Father – you don’t get space. The good news of reconciliation is about closing the distance. God cares about everything in your life. He invites and commands you to yield all of it to Him.
Your politics and patriotism are subject to Him.
Your jokes and words are subject to Him.
Your life decisions and goals in are subject to Him.
The things you consume and allow to enter and remain in your life are subject to Him.
No matter how big or how small a thing is, He lovingly wants to be involved and commands us to yield it to Him.
To quote one of my favorite worship songs: “there is no life apart.”2
For a Christian (a person brought from a way of living that was dead and leading to eternal disaster and separation…to becoming fully-alive in and with their Maker), there is no other life or dimension separate from God.
Why. then, do we act like there is?
life based on a jealous love
He knows all of you. He wants all of you. This is what the Bible means when it describes God as jealous.
Exodus 34:14 ESV
“For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God,”
Deuteronomy 4:24 ESV
“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
There is no life apart. His heart burns for His beloved, adopted children. This ancient, powerful love of covenant is beyond our imagination and comprehension.3
Hosea 11:7-9 ESV
My people are bent on turning away from me,
and though they call out to the Most High,
he shall not raise them up at all.
How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.”
Do we love Him back in this way? Because of our broken, fallen state the answer is usually: “never enough.” But the whole goal in this life is to genuinely try our best to love Him in return and in response to His grace and love.
1 John 4:19 ESV
“We love because he first loved us.”
Oh that we would live a life of affection, longing, and passion for the King of Kings!
So exit the mirror dimension. It’s not real; it’s the stuff of comic books. Step back into the reality of union with the Triune Creator who seeks to guide you into an abundant life found at the feet of King Jesus. Surrender every part of your life to Him with honest, reverent awareness to His always-near, all-knowing heart for us.
- Michael Wear, in his excellent recently released book, observes the following:
“Some Christians excuse immorality in politics because they have a “low” view of politics. They think immorality is acceptable in politics because it is inherently corrupt, and a moral approach to politics is unthinkable to them, even as they emphasize morality in other areas of life. Other excuse immorality in politics because they have a ‘high’ view of politics. They place such importance on political outcomes that they believe immoral conduct on political outcomes is justified, even necessary, for the greater good. Whether politics is seen as ‘higher’ or ‘lower,’ Christianity is considered ill-equipped and irrelevant to the ‘practical’ task at hand. Politics is where real decisions are made, and Jesus’ teachings are not viewed highly for their executive functions. There are votes to win and candidates to elect. If there is a Christian call to kindness, for instance, we dare not take that call into politics, lest we make fools of ourselves, consigning to irrelevancy. Christianity then becomes a hindrance toward getting what we want, what we think we need, from our politics. It may be the case that very few Christians will come right out and say that they believe the way of Jesus is inadequate in politics, but I want you to consider whether it might make sense of much of present-day reality if we take that to be the case.” -The Spirit of our Politics, 16-17. ↩︎ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnQ9EhWUI60 ↩︎
- This is one of the main points of Isaiah 55. Growing up in the church, I always understood the passage to be referencing God’s omnipotence or sovereignty. The way He was greater and higher than us and our ways was in regards to His power, knowledge, or divine nature. However, the main point of Isaiah 55 is that the mercy and compassion of God are beyond our comprehension or way of doing things. For a profound and excellent handling of this passage, see Ch. 17 (pgs 155-162) of Gentle and Lowly by Dane C. Ortlund. ↩︎
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