I won't presume that you haven't already thought of it from this perspective (because you're a thoughtful guy), but I'll comment anyway, because I am compelled to by the many teachers who've helped me understand scripture.
Here's my takeaway from the Book of Job: God reveals how Holy (set apart) and infinite He is and how small we are. The book also emphasizes how ugly Satan's character is and how depraved we are as fallen, sinful, rebellious creatures. How do we know what good is if we don't understand bad? Same with light and darkness, love and hate. An unholy (and changing) God wouldn't be worthy of worship. He can't change. We are the ones who change, have faulty judgments about each other, compromise when we shouldn't, don't forgive when we should, etc.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" God exclaimed in chapter 38. I kept waiting for you to discuss that line, which is the dramatic climax and overarching point of the book (in my opinion).
Another point I think might be helpful: God is not the author of confusion or suffering. Satan is the author of confusion and suffering in Job (and elsewhere in the Bible - including the false messiahs sent by Satan to do signs and wonders around the incarnation of Christ). In fact, Satan can only do what God allows. God restrains evil; he is not the author of evil.
Why does God occasionally not restrain evil? I don't know, and I'm comfortable with an unsatisfying answer. Maybe someday Christians will know: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The Bible teaches through countless stories that all are fallen and sinful as descendants of Adam, even Job and other heroic characters. The trial process in which Job defends himself is, I think, meant to show that Job is a sinner despite his insistence otherwise. There are sins of omission and commission, meaning, we do what we should not do... and don't do what we ought to do according to God's standard as revealed in the 10 Commandments (and Christ's explanation of them.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick," says the Book of Jeremiah. Job may have thought his heart was pure, but it was not pure by God's standard.
The whole Biblical narrative is about man falling short and God redeeming a faithful remnant, not because we deserve it, but because it's part of His redemption story through Christ. That's why trusting in Christ's righteousness as a substitution for our sinful life is the only way to eternal life - substitutionary atonement.
We don't merit salvation by our works - it's not even 0.0001% works-merit-based, even done by the most righteous Christian you've ever known. We are "dead in our trespasses" (Ephesians 2:1 - that's dead, not sick or just wayward or mistaken). The older I get, the more I see the most righteous, mature, admirable Christians grieve over their sins. This is hard to understand from the broader world's perspective, but makes sense to a reader of the Epistles - how they instruct Christians and churches to live a faithful life and model that faith to their children and broader community.
Salvation is by grace alone through Christ's substitutionary atonement. Good works are what we do with joy, not because we think it'll measure up to God's standard, but because it's a faithful response to Christ's Great Commission to go, make disciples, "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
Sanctification is about conforming our character to Christ's character (with the help of the Holy Spirit). This includes Christ-like obedience to the Father, a Father who does not change. I submit that if anything changes, it's mankind's warped, judgmental perspective of God, and that as He reveals more and more about Himself in scripture, we, if anything, get more and more hard-hearted - unless we are granted the gift of faith. (Ephesians 2:8)
The American Christian church has been on an unhealthy streak (one being trying to look too much like the world, it has lost its "saltiness" and attracted many non-Christians... I know that sounds judgmental, but I think it's true. It takes faithful churches and pastors to preach effectively on sin because it's like a politician running on raising taxes.
The American church has done a poor job of discipleship as well - application of faithful preaching to all that we do in our vocations in order to (slowly) push back the forces of darkness ("The gates of Hell shall not prevail" (Matthew 16) against the slow advancement of the Church in the broad sweep of history (this is not a linear process, but has higher highs and higher lows.)
I hope that the American church's faithfulness will improve, as it has so many times in history. The faithless branches that have the outward appearances of being churches - the ones who seek to twist the faith into just a social club, a branch of a political movement or Marxist ideology, or a crass business - will either fade into the pages of history or, by God's grace, be renewed and refined by the Holy Spirit.
Good post. I agree. You're not being judgmental you're being honest and truthful about the current situation. There has been "over correction" by the church in the past 20 years to say the least; essentially shifting from a strategy to avoid and judge the world to looking and acting just like it. Neither are good.
Anyone else in here just giggling unto themselves that only Darryl could drop an Easter recording and have years in between them, and we all flock to listen anyway?
I've never been religious, but I enjoy Darryl's digressions into Christianity. I read the Bible years ago, but never studied it. I just realized Darryl is basically my preacher. Happy Easter!
Thank you for this. I would describe myself as a cultural Catholic. I wish this was the kind of material that was present to me growing up, because I actually think my faith would be stronger. I love my wife deeply however she was scarred by some more extreme baptist upringing. This was fine but now that we have children Im struggling to find ways to introduce them to Christ. The more I learn the more I think that religion is truly for adults and that we might be failing our kids by introducing them to Christianity too early. Truly struggling with this tonight especially.
I have to say that I disagree with the notion that introducing kids to Christianity too young is a problem. Some kids will have greater or lesser interest than others for sure (as is also true of adults). The reward for the kids who learn from the teachings in the Bible outweighs the blockage that may develop in kids who don't (for example "ive heard this all before" or as kids tend to do, think they "understand" Christianity based on their 10 minutes, 10 weeks, or 10 years of studying it). God also has a way of reintroducing himself to a person later in life even if they neglected the studies in their youth and while this can occur whether or not they were introduced as a child, it is helpful to have some basic understanding to build upon. Just my 2 cents...
We drove to Butte to eat as a family and listened to your original Easter message. I complained to my wife that you haven’t done another one. We came back out and saw the second one waiting for us for the ride back home. These are the best Easter messages I have heard all day today.
Does anyone remember which episode went into Darryl’s thoughts on Christianity and the Eucharist? I feel like it was one of the cannibalism episodes, but I just can’t remember.
Looking forward to seeing white smoke come from the Sistine Chapel then in the most dramatic way possible Darryl comes walking out haha. Happy Easter to you sir.
I like Darryls suggestion that God changes. I have wondered about this and thought maybe God just changes his approach with humanity as humanity changes. Like a parent does with their child as the kid goes through different seasons. But who knows
Agreed, it's not the immutable aspect of God that's changing, just his way of dealing with us. Any consciousness that doesn't react to changing outside stimuli will eventually go insane.
I'm a few minutes in and it already hits hard
Love your podcast as well
thank you so much!
Happy Easter Mr. Cooper! And let all the pharisees come out of the woods... Can't believe the level of sh*t that the machine has thrown at you!
Hi Darryl,
Happy Easter!
I won't presume that you haven't already thought of it from this perspective (because you're a thoughtful guy), but I'll comment anyway, because I am compelled to by the many teachers who've helped me understand scripture.
Here's my takeaway from the Book of Job: God reveals how Holy (set apart) and infinite He is and how small we are. The book also emphasizes how ugly Satan's character is and how depraved we are as fallen, sinful, rebellious creatures. How do we know what good is if we don't understand bad? Same with light and darkness, love and hate. An unholy (and changing) God wouldn't be worthy of worship. He can't change. We are the ones who change, have faulty judgments about each other, compromise when we shouldn't, don't forgive when we should, etc.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" God exclaimed in chapter 38. I kept waiting for you to discuss that line, which is the dramatic climax and overarching point of the book (in my opinion).
Another point I think might be helpful: God is not the author of confusion or suffering. Satan is the author of confusion and suffering in Job (and elsewhere in the Bible - including the false messiahs sent by Satan to do signs and wonders around the incarnation of Christ). In fact, Satan can only do what God allows. God restrains evil; he is not the author of evil.
Why does God occasionally not restrain evil? I don't know, and I'm comfortable with an unsatisfying answer. Maybe someday Christians will know: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12).
The Bible teaches through countless stories that all are fallen and sinful as descendants of Adam, even Job and other heroic characters. The trial process in which Job defends himself is, I think, meant to show that Job is a sinner despite his insistence otherwise. There are sins of omission and commission, meaning, we do what we should not do... and don't do what we ought to do according to God's standard as revealed in the 10 Commandments (and Christ's explanation of them.
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick," says the Book of Jeremiah. Job may have thought his heart was pure, but it was not pure by God's standard.
The whole Biblical narrative is about man falling short and God redeeming a faithful remnant, not because we deserve it, but because it's part of His redemption story through Christ. That's why trusting in Christ's righteousness as a substitution for our sinful life is the only way to eternal life - substitutionary atonement.
We don't merit salvation by our works - it's not even 0.0001% works-merit-based, even done by the most righteous Christian you've ever known. We are "dead in our trespasses" (Ephesians 2:1 - that's dead, not sick or just wayward or mistaken). The older I get, the more I see the most righteous, mature, admirable Christians grieve over their sins. This is hard to understand from the broader world's perspective, but makes sense to a reader of the Epistles - how they instruct Christians and churches to live a faithful life and model that faith to their children and broader community.
Salvation is by grace alone through Christ's substitutionary atonement. Good works are what we do with joy, not because we think it'll measure up to God's standard, but because it's a faithful response to Christ's Great Commission to go, make disciples, "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
Sanctification is about conforming our character to Christ's character (with the help of the Holy Spirit). This includes Christ-like obedience to the Father, a Father who does not change. I submit that if anything changes, it's mankind's warped, judgmental perspective of God, and that as He reveals more and more about Himself in scripture, we, if anything, get more and more hard-hearted - unless we are granted the gift of faith. (Ephesians 2:8)
The American Christian church has been on an unhealthy streak (one being trying to look too much like the world, it has lost its "saltiness" and attracted many non-Christians... I know that sounds judgmental, but I think it's true. It takes faithful churches and pastors to preach effectively on sin because it's like a politician running on raising taxes.
The American church has done a poor job of discipleship as well - application of faithful preaching to all that we do in our vocations in order to (slowly) push back the forces of darkness ("The gates of Hell shall not prevail" (Matthew 16) against the slow advancement of the Church in the broad sweep of history (this is not a linear process, but has higher highs and higher lows.)
I hope that the American church's faithfulness will improve, as it has so many times in history. The faithless branches that have the outward appearances of being churches - the ones who seek to twist the faith into just a social club, a branch of a political movement or Marxist ideology, or a crass business - will either fade into the pages of history or, by God's grace, be renewed and refined by the Holy Spirit.
Good post. I agree. You're not being judgmental you're being honest and truthful about the current situation. There has been "over correction" by the church in the past 20 years to say the least; essentially shifting from a strategy to avoid and judge the world to looking and acting just like it. Neither are good.
Hope you had a blessed Easter Darryl.
Anyone else in here just giggling unto themselves that only Darryl could drop an Easter recording and have years in between them, and we all flock to listen anyway?
God Bless, Darryl. Happy Easter to you and yours.
I've never been religious, but I enjoy Darryl's digressions into Christianity. I read the Bible years ago, but never studied it. I just realized Darryl is basically my preacher. Happy Easter!
Happy Easter DC
Thank you for this. I would describe myself as a cultural Catholic. I wish this was the kind of material that was present to me growing up, because I actually think my faith would be stronger. I love my wife deeply however she was scarred by some more extreme baptist upringing. This was fine but now that we have children Im struggling to find ways to introduce them to Christ. The more I learn the more I think that religion is truly for adults and that we might be failing our kids by introducing them to Christianity too early. Truly struggling with this tonight especially.
Thank you though Darryl! Happy Easter!
I have to say that I disagree with the notion that introducing kids to Christianity too young is a problem. Some kids will have greater or lesser interest than others for sure (as is also true of adults). The reward for the kids who learn from the teachings in the Bible outweighs the blockage that may develop in kids who don't (for example "ive heard this all before" or as kids tend to do, think they "understand" Christianity based on their 10 minutes, 10 weeks, or 10 years of studying it). God also has a way of reintroducing himself to a person later in life even if they neglected the studies in their youth and while this can occur whether or not they were introduced as a child, it is helpful to have some basic understanding to build upon. Just my 2 cents...
We drove to Butte to eat as a family and listened to your original Easter message. I complained to my wife that you haven’t done another one. We came back out and saw the second one waiting for us for the ride back home. These are the best Easter messages I have heard all day today.
Does anyone remember which episode went into Darryl’s thoughts on Christianity and the Eucharist? I feel like it was one of the cannibalism episodes, but I just can’t remember.
#8, How to Serve Man, probably?
Thank you, Darryl. It was beautiful, and today would be a good day to hear it again.
❤️
Looking forward to seeing white smoke come from the Sistine Chapel then in the most dramatic way possible Darryl comes walking out haha. Happy Easter to you sir.
I accept.
By what name will you be known?
Pope Cooper would be the start of the Holy Roman Empire reborn.
I like Darryls suggestion that God changes. I have wondered about this and thought maybe God just changes his approach with humanity as humanity changes. Like a parent does with their child as the kid goes through different seasons. But who knows
Agreed, it's not the immutable aspect of God that's changing, just his way of dealing with us. Any consciousness that doesn't react to changing outside stimuli will eventually go insane.
Its nice to hear someone agree with this thought. I have been surprised that no own else ever seemed to seriously consider it might b possible
I thoroughly enjoyed your Easter message. Played the hallelujah chorus three times although I’ve been godless most of my adult life. Thank you.
That is a good start back.
Very inspiring. Last ten minutes were spiritually uplifting. TY 🕊️🐣
Fantastic! I was wondering how you were going to bring it all together, and the end did not disappoint.