Couldn't Help Noticing

Class distinctions in heaven?

The other night in Bible study, we studied 1 Corinthians 3. A question (or twenty) arose about verses 14-15:

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

I'm sure we are not the first Bible study group in history to have a few questions about this verse (and others, like Matt 6:1, 2 John 1:8, Rev 11:18). What is the reward? How can someone be saved “only as through fire”? When we turn up in heaven, are there going to be different ‘classes’ of Christian? Will there be business class and economy class in heaven? When we get there, what's the [actual] difference between the one whose work survives and the one whose work is burned up? Or, as one guy in our group so succinctly put it: “Am I going to make it to heaven but find that I have no legroom?”

(Yes, we did publish an article by Tim Thorburn in Briefing #297, ‘Rewards in the age to come’. In case you are reading this and thinking that I should know the answers to the questions above because the answers are in that article, and I work in the organisation which published that article, well ... I haven't read the article ... yet. I wasn't specifically working on The Briefing then, so I was just the same as everyone else who has about 3 unread Briefings on their bedside table. If you ever want to make sure you read every single issue of a particular periodical from cover to cover, get a job with the publisher of the periodical. It really helps.)

Constantine (not the emperor)

I like this paragraph from a Roger Ebert review of Constantine, which stars Keanu Reeves as the demon-hunting title character.

Strange that there is a priest, since that opens the door to Catholicism and therefore to the news that Constantine is not doomed unless he wages a lifelong war against demons, but need merely go to confession; three Our Fathers, three Hail Marys, and he's outta there. Strange, that movies about Satan always require Catholics. You never see your Presbyterians or Episcopalians hurling down demons.

I've always wondered what the Hollywood obsession wih Catholicism is. Is it that it's easier to tie Catholicism in with mysticism and its associated cross-wearing and candle-lighting which is somehow cooler and more marketable? Or is it simply that it makes it easier to avoid any mention of the name of Jesus Christ?

Vive la difference

For those of you who have wondered just why men and women are so different—I mean more than just because God made us different—here's a good explanation. (It also explains why I can't talk on the phone while typing this.)

The Windsor Report

Anglican readers may be aware that late last year the so-called Windsor Report was published and circulated, attempting to map out a future for an Anglican Church which seemed to be rapidly disintegrating under the weight of massive theological differences.

A group of Australian evangelicals has now written a detailed response to the Report. The response may be downloaded free as a PDF or purchased as a printed book. Click here for more details.

The Primates of the Anglican Church around the world are meeting in Northern Ireland this week to discuss the Windsor Report.

Going the Distance Study Guide

If you're in the middle of reading Going the Distance (especially with a group of others), you may be interested to know that we've just uploaded a free study guide to go with the book. Click here to download it (PDF, 100KB).