Why did God choose The Salvation Army? #5

NORSK
Today, I will share the last of five reasons that can be used as an answer to the question in the headline:

5) God chose TSA because we have a holistic view on humanity and care for the whole person for this world and the next. (1)

Very often people have come to me and said: “TSA does a lot of good!” 
– and often they continue tell me why they have come to this conclusion. Even though I am partial, and even though I wish that we could have done even more, I think they are right. When I was brought up in our movement, I just thought it was something we should do. Later in life I have realized that this very much part of our DNA and how we view humanity. It was a vital part of the mission from the very beginning, however, it became very clear when William Booth many years later wrote an article and defined it as “Salvation for both worlds” (2). One of the first William Booth quotes I learned as a junior-soldier was: “You cannot preach the gospel to a person with an empty stomach!”.

This is also part of how TSA views holiness, and the reminder from Paul is even included in our holiness-doctrine:

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Thess 5:23

Like the rest of humanity, I am created with spirit, soul and body. Caring for others must involve all aspects. When God saw this happen, he chose to strengthen and bless those whose hearts were fully committed to him and his mission.

‘Manna’ for today:

Salvation is for both worlds

----------------------------------------------------
(1) The whole series:
# 1 God chose TSA because of people with a calling and a passion!
# 2 God chose TSA because we focus on the fact that everyone is called!
# 3 God chose TSA because everyone who receives the call has the same right to ministry
# 4 God chose TSA because we focus on the content of the baptism and the agape meal,

# 5 God chose TSA because we have a holistic view 

(2) See: The upper “crust” of a prophetic sandwich

Care for your stomach too!

"Care for the whole person" would be an appropriate headline for the fifth chapter in the first letter Paul wrote to Timothy. I have chosen one verse. It is an example of Paul’s care for Timothy. He did not only care for Timothy’s role as an example or for his spiritual health, but also for his physical health:

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
1 Timothy 5:23

It is not only in his concern for Timothy Paul expresses his holistic view of a human being. I find it in many of his letters, and here is another example:

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23

More than 45 years of Bible reading has made it increasingly difficult for me to understand how Gnostic thinking could gain entry into Christian doctrine. Gnosticism represents a dualistic view of man: The soul represents something superior, while the body represents something inferior. Throughout the church history, these thoughts have surfaced from time to time. Occasional I meet people who utter statements revealing that such thoughts are alive even in our time. It is sad, because we are created in God’s image as “whole people”. He who made us, loves us as whole people, because he is body, soul and Spirit and remains “One”, and he says:

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13: 34b

Then caring for the whole person is a natural response.

‘Manna’ for today:

It is about caring for the whole person

--------------------------------------

On the arena of speech

NORSK
When Paul encouraged Timothy to be an example, he identified five arenas where it is important to be a role model. Today I will look at the first one:

“…set an example … in speech…”
1 Tim 4:12 

It shouldn’t be a surprise. Paul had already told Timothy to have nothing to do with myths and old wives’ tales (1), and like James (2), Paul often encouraged the disciples to be careful with their speech. In his letter to the Ephesians, he wrote:

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children … Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
Epf 5:1 & 4

It has happened that I on the arena of speech has uttered things that are out of place, but even though it did amuse the listeners, it made me unhappy. God is the Creator of laughter, and I love to laugh. Fortunately, there is an abundance of humour that makes me laugh which is not out of place.

However, the arena of speech is not only about what kind of talk I should avoid, but just as much about words that build us up:

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Col 4:5  

It is amazing how much words of grace build up. That is exactly what my role models do. They build up others. It is part of a disciple’s calling to “encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (3).
 
‘Manna’ for today:

Role models build up others

-------------------------------------------
(1) See «Godless myths»
(2) See James 3
(3) 1 Thess 5:11

It is about a triune image

NORSK
Another interesting aspect of being created in the image of God, is the fact that he is a triune God. If we believe in a triune God, a logic consequence must be that I am a triune man – but I am still "one", like God is still "one". I have found it helpful to use this illustration when I teach the doctrine of holiness:

,

Thomas Aquinas wrote: “They who say that with regard to the true belief it is completely irrelevant what one says about the creature as long as one has the right belief with regard to God, is clearly mistaken. Because, if one is mistaken with regard to the creature the consequence is that one is mistaken also with regard to God.” (1)

We know that man is created with body, soul and spirit (2).
In our soul we find our personality, intellect, emotions and will – I like to say that my soul is the seat of my self-consciousness. 

I only need to move my knee to be aware of the fact that I have a body - I do not need to pinch my arm any more. My body is the seat of my world-consciousness because it is by the means of my physical body I relate to this world.

But when I decided to follow Jesus, I became constantly more aware of the fact that I have a spirit, simply because I know that his Spirit lives in my spirit. The spirit of man will always long for God, and if a gospel is not preached or received, this urge will make man create a god in his own image.


Having accepted salvation through what Jesus did for us on Calvary and having received his Spirit in our spirit, we know the experience of harmony, integration and love which is also the character of a triune Godhead. Any atempt to explain God will only be a human effort to grasp the unexplainable, but I like the phrase: My spirit is the seat of my God-consciousness.

'Manna' for today:

His Spirit in my spirit!

------------------------------
(1) My translation of Thomas Aquinas: ”Order and Mystery” Oslo 1964, p 31
(2) May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess 5:23