Category Archives: Theology

Morbid Clogs

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“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.”

This last Ash Wednesday service was almost ruined because of an overflow of mortality.  Our Children’s Minister called me, “Have you seen the downstairs bathroom?”  Two inches of filth greeted me at the bathroom door.  In seven hours, our cute church on a hill would host its first Ash Wednesday service.  I did not want to be the one to tell them to hold it, or even worse, “If it is yellow…”  I saw the puddle creeping out into the hallway, and I wanted to walk away.  I wanted to go about my day and ignore it.  If I claimed ignorance no one would know.  I dreaded dealing with that puddle.

But looking back, I see that the ceremony and the clog are more similar than not.  In the industrialized world, plumbing is taken for granted.  We assume water will run.  Our showers will be hot, and my lawn uniquely deserves to be watered.  But hundreds of thousands of people die every year because of dirty water.  What is the most dangerous contaminate?  Our own waste.

Our own waste likewise is hazardous to our spiritual health.  Death and decay are occurring whether we want them to or not.  We have a problem.  But, we trudge through our days hoping we don’t have to think about that growing puddle.  As my pastor smeared ashes on my forehead, he reminded me of where I came from, and where I am going.  I believe decomposing to dust isn’t my final destination, but there is something calming and honest about naming the bad guy in the room.  I will waste away.

On Ash Wednesday, Roto-Rooter saved my life.  The plumber worked for four hours and had to bring in multiple machines.  The sound was deafening in the downstairs hall.  At seven o’clock, the sanctuary was packed with squirming families.  They were reminded they came from dust.  There were dozens of trips to the bathroom.

Brief Theology of Miscarriage

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Apologies.  This one is long.  It is something I had been working on, and I have to post something before 2015 gets too old.  Don’t let the topic bum you out.  God is good.

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“What happens to my miscarried baby?” is a question born out of intense pain.  Like questions about the death of the mentally disabled or the death of young children, the theological work this question requires should only take place after the work of mourning and healing has begun.  Theology is only safe from turning into a reflection of our own desires if we can ask questions with a sincere desire for God’s truth, not a desire to stay afloat in the pain.  So first, how have you mourned your loss?  Have you talked with your spouse how each of you is grieving differently? Would you like to have some kind of ceremony? Have you spoken with your spouse about pastoral counselling?

If you have begun to heal and move into the later stages of mourning, it is time to go to the Bible, not our intuitions or something “we heard one time”, for God’s truth about God’s eternity.

First, we need to understand that the bible is a “grownup book”.  Jesus oriented his earthly ministry toward making adult disciples, 12 of them actually.  At Jesus’ return to heaven, he told those guys to essentially keep this largely adult disciple-making going.

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mat 28:18-20 NIV)

And Jesus’ language about what discipleship is and how salvation works is all adult oriented.  To paraphrase, “Pick up your instrument of torture. Following me is your mission. I’ll lead you to American Dream suicide.”

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25 NIV)

So, the bible is very equipped to say lots of things about how an adult person receives grace and salvation.  But, this grownup book doesn’t have much to say toward the souls of children.  First, it will be helpful to understand the feeling of “This is the worst thing in my life!  Why is this happening?”  is a common pain of all creation.  The whole universe is broken, knows it, and like a mother in a thirty hour labor, is tired of it.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. (Rom 8:18-23 NIV)

Let’s review where the brokenness comes from.  You could go a lot of places to hear the story (Gen 3-4 to start), but Paul gets it really concise.  Death, the decay of all creation, was unleashed because of Adam’s original sin.  So it is certain, every death, even a miscarriage or a stillborn child, is the result of sin.  Every death is a judgment.  We all carry and spread the disease of death caused by that first sin.  That is the point Paul is making in Roman’s 5:12-19 (in a bigger discussion about how the Law doesn’t make people righteous, Jesus does).  One guy caused all death. One Jesus causes all life.

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned– 13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Rom 5:12-19 NIV)

As a slightly relevant aside, Adam’s original sin also polluted humanity.  Adam’s sin brought death into the world.  That is why octogenarians, sequoia trees, babies, and puppies die.  But, Adam’s sin doesn’t mean that puppies are sinful.  Babies and octogenarians are though.  All parents know that their kids, as soon as they can express their will, can express the most selfish and spiteful parts of humanity.  We don’t have to be taught it.  Every octogenarian has something they regret.

So, sin is a big deal.  Sin broke all of biology into this cycle of death and decay.  Sin contaminated all humanity so you don’t have to teach people how to do evil.  Notice the progression of sin in Genesis.  In Genesis 3 what is the sinful act?  Eating the wrong fruit.  In Genesis 4 what is the sinful act? Murdering your brother!  There are three really handy passages in Romans that summarize the pervasiveness of sin and God’s response.

22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Rom 3:20-24 NIV)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23 NIV)

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Rom 10:9-10 NIV)

God has provided a way through sin to eternal life.  He cured our disease of death.  He cleansed our contamination.  He did it by letting us kill his son.  He took the weight of the judgment for all of our sins and put them on Jesus.  Then God put Jesus in charge of declaring who is righteous.

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Heb 4:12-16 NIV)

Now back to “What happens to my miscarried baby?”  First, we must understand that anyone who receives salvation and “goes to heaven” only does so because Jesus has made them righteous. You can’t earn heaven. Everyone has broken biology and a contaminated will.  There is no difference between how a murderer, like the Apostle Paul, or a two year old receives salvation, Jesus has to make them righteous.

So, what is really scary is that the Apostle Paul got to profess Jesus as lord and devote his life to following Jesus.  We can look at his life and be confident that Jesus changed him.  But, a baby can’t choose. They can’t profess. They can’t do anything.  All the things that the bible outlines as “the cure” for our sin disease and contamination aren’t available to a baby.  With all this not knowing, we are left coming back to Jesus asking, “Well, did you let my baby in?  Will you redeem them like you redeemed me?”

It comes down to trust.  Do we trust that our compassionate priest Jesus will look down from the cross and give the gift of salvation to a baby that never got to profess him as Lord?

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psa 139:11-16 NIV)

15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17 NIV)

And, I believe we can trust Jesus.