Our Piracy Doctrine ;-)

Maybe the answer to the piracy problem is found in this book ;-)

Here's some food for thought on the topic:

By Cdr. Herb Carmen

Best Defense piracy columnist

History shows that stopping piracy almost always requires actions ashore. In the case of piracy near Somalia, very little has yet been done to put pressure on the shore establishment that supports the booming business and burgeoning industry of piracy in the region. By steering clear of the Somali coast and focusing on sea lane protection and escort, navies may make hijacking merchant vessels more difficult for pirates but can only address the symptoms of piracy without confronting the source and the motivations behind it.

Read the rest of the article here.

Texting God

The quote below is from Josh Harris' blog which is taken from Paul Miller's book (on my required reading list). It struck me because life on the ship has become increasingly busy and I have attempted to maintain a relationship with God on the fly. I'll just think in my head a few thoughts to God and call it prayer, but this is no more a relationship than text messaging my wife a couple times a day and saying that we have a great relationship. Testing God is insufficient. Time alone with the Lord, with complete quietness, and no agenda is near impossible on a ship with a roommate and all of the demands that people have of you. Any suggestions on how to do it? I'm going to ponder this a bit and try to write on it, but would love to hear from you in the meantime . . .

"Jesus' example teaches us that prayer is about relationship. When he prays, he is not performing a duty; he is getting close to his Father.

Any relationship, if it is going to grow, needs private space, time together without an agenda, where you can get to know each other. This creates an environment where closeness happen, where we can begin to understand each other's hearts.

You don't create intimacy; you make room for it. This is true whether you are talking about your spouse, your friend, or God. You need space to be together. Efficiency, multitasking, and busyness all kill intimacy. In short, you can't get to know God on the fly.

If Jesus has to pull away from people and noise in order to pray, then it makes sense that we need to as well."

- Paul Miller, A Praying Life, page 47

Hour Glass Sanctification

There is an undeniable, direct link between the Truth of God (which is to say our understanding of It) and our actions. Often a time lag exists as the process works itself out (the theological term is "sanctification"). I think of it as kinda like an hour glass where the sand is poured through the top, eventually finding its way down. Similarly, Truth enters the mind impacting our thoughts, seeping down into our hearts (feelings, propensities, inclinations) before making it to our feet and hands - transformed into action. With time our actions will require less intentional thought as they become holy habits governed by the Word of God. Rom. 12:2, Phil. 2:12-13

Here is a great poem from Paul Tripp in his book "Whiter Than Snow" (highly recommended) that reflects on these ideas.

In The Holy of Holies

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being. ~Psalm 51:6

In the holy of holies,
Where my deepest thought dwells.
In the secret place,
Of the heart,
Where no one sees,
And no one knows.
In that place where worship,
Sets the course,
For all I say,
And all I do.
In the holy of holies
Where thoughts,
Afraid to be verbal,
And desires,
Never quite spoken,
Determine,
What I will seek,
And say,
And do.
In the holy of holies,
Where greed lurks dark,
And anger stands dangerous.
In the shadows,
Where lust captivates,
And envy enslaves.
In that sacred place,
Of the heart,
Where I plan what I will do,
And rehearse what I will say.
In the holy of holies,
Where love is born,
Or succumbs to hate.
Where gentleness,
Falls to vengeance.
In that place where,
Thinking never ends,
And interpretations,
Become a way of seeing.
In the holy of holies,
Where feelings grow in power,
And overwhelm,
What is sensible,
Good,
And true.
In the holy of holies,
Where I stand naked,
All covering gone,
Before You,
What I am,
As I am,
Void of defense,
Stripped of excuse.
Nowhere to hide,
No reputation to polish.
In the place where You,
Can see,
And hear,
And know.
May you do there,
What I cannot do.
May you create there,
What only mercy can give.
May you hold back,
What I deserve,
And give what,
I could never earn.
May you create in me,
A clean heart.

The Pacific

This is going to be good. Check out the website here.

Effective Comms

I've said it before, I'll say it again - communication is your primary tool as a leader. Our maintainers have wrenches, screw drivers, hammers, etc. but we have our mouths, our written correspondence, and our non-verbal methods to ensure our jobs are done. This week has been crazy - it will only get busier with our upcoming operational schedule. So, my postings are likely to decrease. I did want to use this blog as a means to reflect/log my means of leading. This week I failed a couple times (that I am aware of) in the way I communicated. While walking my spaces with my Divo and his Chief I was asking the Divo about the basics of different pieces of equipment. There was a piece of machinery that he did not know, that I thought he should have. Instead of teaching I simply made a sarcasticlly suprised facial expression in the direction of the Chief and kept walking. Later, another officer told me that my Divo was talking to him about how stupid he felt and his desire to get smarter on his gear. The latter thought is good the initial is not. My simple expression communicated negatively resulting in all sorts of unintended consequences. Be careful what your face is communicating. Below is a good article from Re: on leadership and communication.

Effective Communication: The Leader’s Greatest Skill

Dave Kraft
Leadership Development Pastor at Mars Hill Church

Effective Communication series:

A Skill Worth Learning

Probably no skill is more helpful to acquire and develop than becoming an excellent communicator. I believe that communication is a skill that can be learned. A number of years ago I realized that my ability to communicate well needed major work, so I joined Toastmasters International in order to improve my private and public communication. It was by far the best investment in my leadership portfolio that I have ever made. I am still reaping the benefits of the eleven years I was a Toastmaster.

Author, speaker, and seminar leader Brian Tracy says,

Your ability to communicate effectively with people will contribute more to your success than any other skill that you can develop. I’ve studied success and achievement in America for more than 30 years. I’ve spoken to more than a million people, individually, and in groups, and I’ve taken extensive courses on speaking and the art of persuasion. I’ve read countless books and articles on how to influence, negotiate with, and persuade people. I’ve learned that fully 85% of what you accomplish in your career and in your personal life will be determined by how well you get your message across and by how capable you are in inspiring people to take action on your ideas.

Wow! Is learning to communicate essential or what?

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

What is involved with saying what you mean and causing others to understand and respond positively? Let’s go way back to Aristotle, who lived, wrote, and taught three centuries before Christ. What he had to say still serves us well today. He believed that effective communication is comprised of the speaker, the message, and the audience, and to get your message across without misunderstanding is a combination of ethos (the credibility of the speaker), logos (the truth and relevancy of the message), and pathos (the emotional and appropriate response of the receivers). The ethos of the speaker sharing the logos of the message will elicit pathos in the audience. What Aristotle believed has been accepted, taught, and practiced for 23 centuries. Must be something to it!

Resetting Our Priorities

I thought I would post a few of my favorite sermons over the next couple of weeks for you to consider as you develop your own ideas/personal philosophy of leadership.

This sermon (link below) has much to say about how we should lead. It is given by a gifted pastor, Jack Howell, who preaches at Trinity Presbyterian in Norfolk, Virginia. You will want to load this one to the ipod or Blackberry to listen to while running or driving. Great Gospel leadership truth you will want to repeatedly consider.

Resetting Our Priorities

Re:Fatal Flaws of a Leader

Integrity: Fatal Flaws of a Leader

Dave Kraft Leadership Development Pastor at Mars Hill Church

Fatal Flaws of a Leader series: Click | View Series

Flaws Can Be Fatal

Someone once said, “Success is never final and failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.” Actually, there are many examples of seemingly successful leaders failing because of serious flaws (or sins) in their lives. President Richard Nixon comes to mind. Perhaps President Clinton is another that may well be remembered for his flaws as well as his successes.

Are there certain kinds of flaws Christian leaders may develop that could spell the end of their leadership effectiveness, their leadership altogether, or worse yet, the downward spiral of their walk with Jesus? I believe there are.

Integrity Is Essential

Integrity has been at the top of my “Essential Leadership Qualities” list for a number of years. Integrity leads to credibility, which leads to trust, which leads to influence. If you have no influence, there is no leadership. People should be able to trust me without wondering if I will do what I promised and deliver it when I promised.

I can think of few things worse than having someone say, “I don’t trust you!” I am increasingly careful about what I say and how much I promise because I am committed to integrity in all I do. Recently I sat down with a pastor who had sent out an e-mail with information about me that was flattering, but not accurate. Because integrity is a high value, I set the record straight.

Charles Colson was once asked what he considered to be the top three qualities of a leader. He answered: “Well, the first one would be integrity—and the second would be integrity. And the third one would be (you guessed it) integrity.”

Chit, Choice, Or Child?

Continued from "Very Special Request Chit"

This is the place in my narrative that I ask you what you would do. Approve? Disapprove? Is it none of your business? Is it just another chit? Or maybe it's a personal choice? Then again, maybe it's a child. Would you be an accessory? Read on as the story continues.

BM3 Smith said, "Are you sure you have time?" I replied, "Of course, what is it?" She began, "Well, Sir, 5 or 6 months ago I was dating a few guys, one or two from the ship and even seeing a couple from other ships over at the barracks." "OK," I said gently, "Continue." "Sir, I just want you to know that I don't want to leave the ship, that's why I put in the chit," she said ominously. "It's just that I am doing well here and . . . and all my friends are here, Deck is my family." "What are you going to do in a few weeks that will ensure you stay onboard?" I prodded. "Just take care of a personal problem. You see, around 5 months ago I got pregnant," she paused "and I have began showing, I've been able to continue working hard, and nobody's noticed. So, I figure I would just take care of it before it became a problem." I am not easily surprised, but this one set me on my heels. As I sat there for a moment I was amazed that she certainly was not showing and that there was no way to tell she was pregnant. I sat quietly for a minute, then I asked her to come see me in the morning with Chief; that I wanted to talk with her about this.

After she left I slowly closed the door and sat there in silence as I thought and then prayed in desperation. I pondered what it would mean for me to approve her request chit to take care of "personal business." And I thought . . . I knew that the state allowed abortions through the second term, but I also have a good friend whose healthy little girl was born early at just 5 1/2 months into the pregnancy. Then my mind flashed to images of my own child.

Ethical leadership ceased being a neat idea, fascinating concept, and positive tag line that day - it became real. Hope to hear from you on this one . . .

Very Special Request Chit

Let's get real. This is going to be heavy. What I want to do is demonstrate how what you believe (faith, morals, etc.) impacts how you lead. I would love to hear from some of you on this decision, no matter what level you lead from. Which box would you check - approve or disapprove?

The story goes:

There I was, just hanging out in the deck office on the ship chopping awards, evals, and special request chits. For those not familiar, in the military a special request chit is submitted to your chain of command for any unusual personal reason or circumstance that requires permission. Examples for their use range from the command sponsoring your dependent overseas to getting married. On this particular day a uniquely vague chit came across my desk. Chief had mentioned that he wanted to talk to me about it later, from what I recall, but I wanted to clear out the inbox and thought I would take a look at it. The request was from Bm3 Smith (one of my best young Sailors). The comment section of the chit simply requested to have a day of work off for "personal business" in about three weeks. "Personal business" seemed a bit general, but she works hard and it was almost an easy check in the "approved" box before passing it onto the out box pile. Just so happens about that time I heard a few Sailors walking down the p-way outside the office returning to the Bos'n locker from the Messdecks - BM3 was amongst them. So, I poked my head out the door and said, "BM3, got a minute? I was just looking at your special request chit." She came in the office and took a seat. I asked her how she was doing. We made small talk, then I simply asked what kind of personal business she was planning to do in a few weeks. She said, "It's a long story, Sir." "Help me, Lord," I prayed as the GQ alarm sounded internally. Whenever you hear that from a Sailor you had better listen (and pray). So, I said "I've got the time I'd love to hear it?"

To be continued (almost time for quarters) . . .

Repealing DADT

Did you know that God spoke specifically about the repeal of DADT in the Bible? You may know of Luther's "Great Exchange," but have you heard of what I call "Lust's Great Exchange". The repeal of DADT will occur because our thinking has become futile, and we have exchanged the glory of God and the truth of God for a lie, while not thinking it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God. As a nation we have departed from the Word of God, neglecting to hold fast to the Truth that guides our moral actions. And so this is revealed in the military as we are a reflection of the civil population from which we are derived and for which we represent. So, why are we so surprised - this is the natural result of a society that has turned from God and His Word. Read what Paul wrote:

²⁰For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

²¹For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

²⁶Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

²⁸Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Rom. 1:20-32)

Revitalizing The Officer Corps

The following is from the CNAS site. It may peak your interest (it certainly did mine). If inclined the entire report can be downloaded and read here.

The U.S. military officer corps, the professional body entrusted with preparing and training the armed forces for war and peace, is at the forefront of an ever-increasing array of challenges. Indeed, America arguably relies on its armed forces to perform a wider variety of functions than any other nation in history. To respond effectively to a rapidly changing strategic environment, the U.S. military must develop and maintain a high degree of adaptability within the officer corps. Twenty-first-century military officers must learn and embody enduring principles of warfare and leadership, but the teaching and training of officers must change to meet the contemporary demands and opportunities they are likely to face. In addition to demonstrating a high degree of proficiency in conventional state-on-state warfare, officers must also develop a broader skill set in politics, economics, and the use of information in modern warfare to cope with a more complicated and rapidly evolving international environment. Determining the proper balance between conventional competencies and emerging requirements – and the best means to train and educate a corps of adaptive leaders – remains a contentious issue with no obvious consensus solution.

This report is based on a series of working group meetings and collaborations with military officers and outside experts to gain a variety of perspectives on the nature of officership in a new strategic environment. Its chapters provide an analysis of these issues from several informed perspectives, while the concluding chapter provides both a summary and a series of recommendations for how the United States can keep its edge in military officership. As a whole, the report highlights the necessity to provide a broader range of educational and professional experiences to military officers – essential components of training agile minds how to think rather than what to think – and cultivating new skill sets that are more relevant to 21st-century challenges.

Air War/Ground War

Click the link below. Right click the audio file and save. Load it to your ipod, blackberry, mp3 player, whatever. But, listen to it. The leadership ideas discussed are extensive and insightful. The time invested to listen is well worth it (this is an understatement). Be prepared to listen multiple times and take notes.

Fighting the Air War and the Ground War
with Pastor Mark Driscoll
from the 2008 CCEF National Conference

Re: What Makes A Leader

What Makes a Leader? Communicate the Vision

Dave Kraft

Leadership Development Pastor at Mars Hill Church

What Makes A Leader? Click | View Series

Say It Convincingly

Once a leader knows exactly where he is heading, the next essential is to be able to communicate the vision convincingly to those he would like to have along on the journey. There are a variety of ways this can be done, but it must be done, or else he will be making the trip by himself.

Sugar Water or Changing the World?

Steve Jobs, founder and CEO of Apple Inc., was trying very hard, but with little success, to recruit John Sculley to the vision that he clearly saw. Jobs was exasperated, and in his frustration he asked one more question, the one that finally caused John Sculley to make one of the most talked-about corporate moves in modern American business. He asked, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?" Sculley said it was as if someone had delivered a stiff blow to his stomach. The question eroded all his resistance and made him think like a dreamer or a visionary.

He subsequently left Pepsi Cola and joined Apple. "After all," Sculley mused, "changing the world is a heady thought." In a few words, Jobs had said it convincingly. He had conveyed his vision, the essence of his dream, in words that Sculley could understand—to have a part in changing the world.

In order to recruit and keep motivated followers, a vision must be convincingly and constantly communicated in a myriad of ways. One of the key roles of an effective leader is to manage the dream of the organization, and to keep that dream alive through verbalization, symbols, and visuals.

Evangelism Essentials

Be careful when being purposeful in evangelism. Reflect on what Mark Dever said, "What you win them with is what you win them to." If in doubt of the means being used evaluate them in light of the Gospel message. The most concise definition of the Gospel is provided in 2 Cor. 5:21 "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Ensure your evangelism efforts are aligned with the essential Gospel message.

From Mustangs & Goats

Men & Machines: that's what it's all about for a SWO - our people and our gear - in that order. A nugget of wisdom was imparted to me today and I wanted to log it for the record - it is worth remembering. I was shooting the bull with this Commander and by surprise I caught "it" - that is to say leadership was imparted to me (often, leadership is better caught than taught). He is on active duty, with over 30 years of experience as an engineer. He was enlisted, attaining the rank of Senior Chief before crossing over to become an LDO - all exclusively as an engineer. The Navy has seen it fit to promote him 13 times - when leaders like this talk I listen. And I was in the catcher's position when he told me the basics of leading as a Chief Engineer. He said create a battle rhythm to meet with your Senior Snipe (the senior Chief in the department) and your MPA (Main Propulsion Assistant, an LDO). Meet with your Senior Chief first to find out how your people are doing - they're first because they are the priority and the most important - without the Sailors the ship is nothing. Meet with your MPA next to check on the status of the plant. Consider what was taught in those few words: people first, trust others, empower them, be humble and dependent, communicate, plan, coordinate, care, and always know the status of what you are accountable/responsible for. For this tour and the those to follow I will continue to be committed to lean on, listen to, and learn from Mustangs and Goats.

Navel-Gazing

In light of yesterday's post Resurgence has the rest of the story . . .

Dustin Neeley
Acts 29 Pastor - Louisville, Kentucky

I just realized I have a new spiritual problem.

Truth be told, I have had it for a while, but the light bulb just finally came on in my soul that illuminated what has been going on. I can get so caught up in trying to figure out why I sinned that I forget to repent of my sin.

Getting to the Root

As a “gospel-centrality” guy who believes that all true change begins at the heart level, I consider it a goal not just to stop doing something evil, but to try to figure out why I was doing that evil in the first place. My hope in doing so is to be led to as specific of an application of the gospel as possible, and to cut off the snake’s head and not just shorten his tail.

Theologically speaking, I believe this effort to deal with the root causes of our sin (Matthew 5:29) is a good practice modeled by Jesus, Paul, Keller, the Tripp brothers, and all of us who follow in their footsteps. However, practically speaking, even a good tool in the hands of sinners like us can do significant damage.

Gazing at Your Navel Instead of Jesus

I have found that in an effort to get to the root of my sin, I can become so navel-gazing that I cease to be cross-focused. I have found that I can get so wrapped up in the complexities and nuances of my sin and ‘how deep the rabbit-hole goes’ that I forget to repent of the fact that it was my fault that I climbed into the rabbit-hole in the first place.
I have also found, perhaps worst of all, that I can become so despairing or despondent because of my sin that I cease to be dependent upon the only One who can save me from that sin—Jesus.

Who Will Deliver Us?

And in those dark moments, thankfully, I am confronted afresh with the good news of the gospel: Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25) Most of us reading this can agree that we are wretched. But who or what is to save us from this wretchedness? Our self-evaluative introspection? Our repentance?

No. Neither is strong enough.

In Christ Alone

But Jesus is strong enough. And worthy enough. And holy enough. Only Jesus can save us from our sins and ourselves! In the midst of Paul’s own spiritual angst, this is the good news of the gospel that Paul himself is retelling and praising God for. In the midst of our own angst, we would be wise to follow suit.

So when you sin, repent—first! Then evaluate and seek to get to the root of what is going on. And when you find yourself confronted with your latest spiritual problem, whether it is like mine or not, ask yourself, “What good news am I retelling? Mine or Jesus’?”

In Need Of The "I" Doctor

Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matt. 9: 12- 13

By Paul Tripp, Whiter Than Snow

Here are the radical words [from the Lord's Prayer that will change your life if you truly understand what you are saying] I have been alluding to: "Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). I must admit that I don’t always greet God’s kingdom with delight. There are things that I want in my life, and I not only want them, but I know how, when, and where I want them! I want my life to be comfortable. I want my schedule to be unobstructed and predictable. I want the people around me to esteem and appreciate me. I want control over the situations and relationships in my life. I want people to affirm my opinions and follow my lead. I want the pleasures that I find entertaining to be available to me. I want the ministry initiatives that I direct to be well received and successful. I want my children to appreciate that they have been blessed with me as their father. I don’t want to suffer. I don’t want to live without. I don’t want to have to deal with personal defeat or [professional failure]. What I am saying is that I want my kingdom to come and my will to be done.

“Thy kingdom come” is a dangerous prayer, for it means the death of our own sovereignty. It means your life will be shaped by the will of another. It means that you will experience the messiness, discomfort, and difficulty of God’s refining grace. It means surrendering the center of your universe to the One who alone deserves to be there. It means loving God above all else and your neighbor as yourself. It means experiencing the freedom that can only be found when God breaks your bondage to you! It means finally living for the one glory that is truly glorious, the glory of God. “Thy kingdom come,” words of surrender, words of protection, and words of grace that can only be prayed by those who’ve been delivered by the Redeemer from the kingdom that always leads to destruction and death, the kingdom of self.

[My biggest problem is myself. Everything I do has some element of me in it. I am self-oriented. I, I, I – I have an “I” problem, and am in desperate need of the “I” Doctor – the One who is able to heal my tendency torward me. Then I will see, then my “I’s” will receive the Light and be made new.]

The Foundation

If you don't read JT's blog often, you need to. This shared post from Ravi Zacharias gets at the point of much that I have written about lately.

Justin Taylor|7:34 am CT

Postmodern Architecture

From an address by Ravi Zacharias:

I remember lecturing at Ohio State University, one of the largest universities in this country. I was minutes away from beginning my lecture, and my host was driving me past a new building called the Wexner Center for the Performing Arts.

He said, “This is America’s first postmodern building.”

I was startled for a moment and I said, “What is a postmodern building?”

He said, “Well, the architect said that he designed this building with no design in mind. When the architect was asked, ‘Why?’ he said, ‘If life itself is capricious, why should our buildings have any design and any meaning?’ So he has pillars that have no purpose. He has stairways that go nowhere. He has a senseless building built and somebody has paid for it.”

I said, “So his argument was that if life has no purpose and design, why should the building have any design?”

He said, “That is correct.”

I said, “Did he do the same with the foundation?”

All of a sudden there was silence.

You see, you and I can fool with the infrastructure as much as we would like, but we dare not fool with the foundation because it will call our bluff in a hurry.

True Success According To The Coach

"[Human] history is pervaded by the question, How can I live up to my potential as a human? The question's simplicity contrasts with the complexity of the answer. Question's about living up to one's full potential are tacitly question's about happiness. The concept of happiness has always been associated with, in one way or another, the flourishing of humanity. Classical descriptions of human flourishing are often expressed in terms such as ends, means, and teleology. Ultimately, this is a discussion of what it means to be truly successful as a human being." (from Education for Human Flourishing)

All truth is God's truth. In the pursuit of fulfilling our potential and that of our subordinates we are really struggling with the issue and definition of success. Glean the truth of God in the wisdom of Wooden.

The Channel Marker

Keller discusses in the next section of his essay two ways of thinking that tend to impose an internal set and drift for the Christian.


The two “thieves” of the gospel.

Since Paul uses a metaphor for being “in line” with the gospel, we can consider that gospel renewal occurs when we keep from walking [sailing] “off-line” either to the right or to the left [port/starboard]. The key for thinking out the implications of the gospel is to consider the gospel a “third” way [center line, but not in the middle] between two mistaken opposites. However, before we start we must realize that the gospel is not a half-way compromise between the two poles--it does not produce “something in the middle”, but something different from both. The gospel critiques both religion and irreligion (Matt. 21:31; 22:10). Tertullian said, "Just as Christ was crucified between two thieves, so this doctrine of justification is ever crucified between two opposite errors." Tertullian meant that there were two basic false ways of thinking, each of which "steals" the power and the distinctiveness of the gospel from us by pulling us “off the gospel line” to one side or the other (outside the channel). These two errors are very powerful, because they represent the natural tendency of the human heart and mind. (The gospel is “revealed” by God (Rom. 1:17)--the unaided human mind cannot conceive it.) These “thieves” can be called moralism or legalism on the one hand, and hedonism or relativism on the other hand. Another way to put it is: the gospel opposes both religion and irreligion. On the one hand, "moralism/religion" stresses truth without grace, for it says that we must obey the truth in order to be saved. On the other hand, "relativists/irreligion" stresses grace without truth, for they say that we are all accepted by God (if there is a God) and we have to decide what is true for us. But "truth" without grace is not really truth, and "grace" without truth is not really grace. Jesus was "full of grace and truth". Any religion or philosophy of life that de-emphasizes or lose one or the other of these truths, falls into legalism or into license and either way, the joy and power and "release" of the gospel is stolen by one thief or the other.

"I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe" (vs. antinomianism)
"I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope" (vs. legalism)


The moralism-religion thief.
How does moralism/religion steal joy and power?

Moralism is the view that you are acceptable (to God, the world, others, yourself) through your attainments. (Moralists do not have to be religious, but often are.) When they are, their religion if pretty conservative and filled with rules [we military-types love this]. Sometimes moralists have views of God as very holy and just. This view will lead either to a) self-hatred (because you can't live up to the standards), or b) self-inflation (because you think you have lived up to the standards). It is ironic to realize that inferiority and superiority complexes have the very same root. Whether the moralist ends up smug and superior or crushed and guilty just depends on how high the standards are and on a person's natural advantages (such as family, intelligence, looks, willpower). Moralistic people can be deeply religious--but there is no transforming joy or power. [moralist live by the extent of Christian "chest candy" accumulated]

The relativism-irreligion thief.
How does relativism steal joy and power?

Relativists are usually irreligious, or else prefer what is called "liberal" religion. On the surface, they are more happy and tolerant than moralist/religious people. Though they may be highly idealistic in some areas (such as politics), they believe that everyone needs to determine what is right and wrong for them. They are not convinced that God is just and must punish sinners. [I mean, can't we just be positive and encouraging?] Their beliefs in God will tend to see Him as loving or as an impersonal force. They may talk a great deal about God's love, but since they do not think of themselves as sinners, God's love for us costs him nothing. If God accepts us, it is because he is so welcoming, or because we are not so bad. The concept of God's love in the gospel is far more rich and deep and electrifying. [recall my submission of the great Gospel equation: the extent that one's sinfulness is understood is directly proportional to the extent that the Gospel is understood in that person's life]