Marx’s Call for a World-Changing Philosophy: Herbert Marcuse, Liberation and Jesus Christ

Marcuse emphasizes that liberation is grounded in the truth. He sees, in Marx’s thought, an “absolutism of truth (which) … once for all separates dialectical theory from the subsequent forms of positivism and relativism” (Reason and Revolution (RR), p. 322, emphasis mine). Marcuse describes this absolutism of truth thus: “According to Marx, the correct theory …

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord… your labour in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Jeremiah 48:1-49:6; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 119:81-88 “A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” (Jeremiah 48:10). We should not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through …

Herbert Marcuse and Marx’s Call for a World-Changing Philosophy

The difference between Marcuse’s perspective and that of traditional Marxism is that the former is less one-sided in its analysis of the development and future possibilities of Marxism. * A Marxism, which is acutely aware of capitalism’s defects while remaining rather oblivious to the inadequacies of communism, requires to take seriously Marcuse’s criticisms of both …

Faith comes by Hearing.

The context in which man finds himself placed by the revelation of God is thoroughly existential. He is involved in the totality of his existence. Through the continuing activity of the ever-present and ever-active Spirit of revelation, man is called upon to respond to the God of revelation. The emergence of faith is the result …

Some Interpretations of the Theology of Soren Kierkegaard

* T. F. Torrance writes of Kierkegaard as “the avowed enemy of all objectivism … rationalization of truth into a system of ideas” while insisting that “his emphasis on subjectivity was never intended to mean the abrogation of objectivity” (Theological Science, (London, 1969), p. 5). He continues, “That ‘truth is subjectivity’ (Kierkegaard) does not mean …

Visions of God

Ezekiel 1:1-3:27; Hebrews 4:14-5:10; Psalm 119:153-160 “Visions of God” - This is what we have in Ezekiel. These visions are not easy to understand. Their form emphasizes that God is beyond our understanding. We see the glory of God, and we fall before Him in worship (Ezekiel 3:23). We are not, however, to content ourselves …

Christian Faith in Dialogue with Herbert Marcuse

Marcuse observes the tension between the notion of liberation and its possibilities of historical realization. He maintains that “On theoretical as well as empirical grounds, the dialectical concept pronounces its own hopelessness” (One-Dimensional Man (ODM), p. 253). Marcuse draws this conclusion on the basis that “The human reality is its history and, in it, contradictions …

Marx’s Call for a World-Changing Philosophy: Herbert Marcuse’s Interpretation of Marxism

Interpreting Marx’s intention, Marcuse maintains that “far more was involved than the liberation and rational utilisation of the productive forces, namely, the liberation of man himself” (Reason and Revolution (RR), p. 435, emphasis mine). Marcuse notes that “Marx’s conception of the ‘free’ proletariat as the absolute negation of the established social order belonged to the …

Let us worship God.

Ezekiel 47:1-48:35; 1 Peter 4:1-19; Psalm 133:1-3 “The sanctuary will be in the centre of it ... In the centre of it will be the sanctuary of the Lord ... the Temple sanctuary will be in the centre of them” (Ezekiel 48:8,10,21). Here, we have the centrality of worship in the life of God’s people. First …

Nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:15-32:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Proverbs 25:1-10 Jeremiah 32:17 tells us that nothing is too hard for the “Sovereign Lord”, the Creator of “the heavens and the earth.” He is able to deliver us “from wicked and evil men”, to “strengthen and protect us from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:2-3). We are enabled to …

The Word and the words (13): God’s salvation covers our past, our present and our future.

"I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11). "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing" (Psalm 23:1). I lack nothing - God has given us a full salvation. It's a salvation that covers our past, our present and our future. -- We begin by emphasizing that God's salvation covers our past. "He makes me lie …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 – “a royal priesthood … a people belonging to God. To His people, …

Walking in wisdom, enjoying salvation

Ezekiel 45:1-46:24; 1 Peter 3:1-22; Proverbs 28:18-28 In Ezekiel, we read of many sacrifices being offered to God. In the New Testament, it is emphasized that one Sacrifice is sufficient – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). We are called …

Lord, we thank You that Your Son, Jesus, has triumphed over Your enemy, Satan.

Lord, we thank You that Your Son, Jesus, has triumphed over Your enemy, Satan. To us, Satan can seem so strong. Help us to remember that Jesus is stronger than Satan. With Jesus as our Saviour, we shall triumph over Satan, our enemy.

Our faith must be grounded in the Son of God and the Word of God.

Matthew 7:15-29 Whenever we are seeking to follow Christ, there will be dangers - false prophets (15-20), empty profession (21-23). Clearly, our faith must be grounded in the Son of God and the Word of God. This is the point of Jesus' parable of the two builders and the two houses (24-27). We must build …

You, O Lord, reign for ever … Help us to remember this when we feel like You have forgotten us.

‘You, O Lord, reign for ever; Your throne endures from generation to generation’. Help us to remember this when we feel like You have ‘forgotten’ us. When we feel like You have ‘abandoned’ us, may we remember this: ‘You, O Lord, are King for ever, and will rule to the end of time’ (Lamentations 5:19-20). …

Thank You, Lord … for victory over death … beginning here-and-now.

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). Towards the end of the great resurrection chapter, this verse proclaims Christ's victory over death - "Death is swallowed up in victory" (verse 54). We are to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, We are to serve Him with the firm conviction that "our …

When our love for the Lord gets very weak

"Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians" (Exodus 14:30). What a mighty deliverance! They had come out of Egypt. Now, they were crossing the Red Sea. We think of what God did for his people, Israel - and we give thanks to him. We think of what he has done for …

Love For God Is More Than Love For His House.

"Will you ... come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, We are safe" - safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears My Name become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 7:8-11). We must take …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 - “a royal priesthood ... a people belonging to God. …

Sent out into the world – to bring others to Christ

Genesis 8 At the end of the flood, God said to Noah, "Come out of the ship" (v. 16). We are "in Christ". He is the Source of our salvation. God has brought us into Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30). He does not bring us into Christ for our own benefit only. He sends us out …

Praising the Lord and being blessed by Him

Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 5:1-14; Psalm 134:1-3 Daniel’s praise, offered to God, in Daniel 2:20-23, highlights for us the direction from which blessing comes. It comes from above. What we do not have is given to us by God – “He gives” (Daniel 2:21), “You have given me” (Daniel 2:23). Daniel’s praise is echoed in Peter’s …

Holiness and love – we need more of both …

Ezekiel 41:1-42:20; 1 Peter 1:1-2:3; Psalm 131:1-3 Ezekiel emphasizes that the Temple was to be built according to God’s pattern. Our lives are to be lived according to God’s pattern - “Be holy in all you do”, “Love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:15,22). The instructions for the building the Temple were …

The Sufficiency and Reliability of Scripture

Holding that the Bible is all that God wants it to be in accordance with His precise purpose, Berkouwer insists that it is unnecessary to posit a perfection that extends beyond the confines of the specific purpose of Scripture. He speaks of the sufficiency of Scripture in terms of "sufficiency for the Christian life (Holy …

Praying Through God’s Word: New Testament

Matthew 1:1-17 Lord, we’ve only just begun – to experience Your love and enjoy Your blessing. We’ve started out on the journey of faith – but we haven’t reached our destination. We’re still travelling. We dare not stand still. We must keep on going forward – with You and for You. Sometimes, we can forget …

In our hard times as well as our happy times

"I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor (trouble) a door of hope. There she will respond (sing) as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt" (Hosea 2:14-15). Here, …

The blessing of the Lord

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us" (Psalm 67:1). In these words, we hear an echo of the words of Numbers 6:24-26, "The Lord bless you and keep you... ." This is a prayer that we need to pray for one another. Throughout our life, from …

The fire of love

"But if I say, 'I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:9). When the going gets tough, what is it that keeps the …

When the Holy Spirit comes on you

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This was just the beginning. It was the beginning of something big. The Lord's followers remembered Jesus. They had many precious memories. There were …

In the day of trouble

"Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me" (Psalm 50:15). In the day of trouble: Things can change so quickly and so unexpectedly. Everything seems to be going so well. Then, something happens, and everything changes. What are we to do when the day of trouble comes our …

Jesus has risen from the dead.

"The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said" (Matthew 28:5-6). Fear is not something that we can switch off whenever we feel like it. Fear grips us. It takes hold of us. …

God gives us His strength. He calls us to use His strength in His service.

First, the Lord speaks to Haggai (Haggai 2:1). Then, Haggai speaks for God (Haggai 2:2). "The faithful few who returned from Babylon" (Haggai 2:2): Even if we are few, let us remain faithful. God calls us to "be strong" (Haggai 2:4). He says to us, "Work, because I am with you" (Haggai 2:4). He gives …

Follow God’s example… walk in the way of love.

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:1-2). God's love for us always comes before our love for Him. His love is eternal. It has no beginning. It has no …

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

Isaiah 23:1-18 ‘Look at the land of the Babylonians, this people that is now of no account!’ (13). We read these words, Lord, and we wonder, “What about our nation? Is there any hope for our nation?” To the nation which turns to You, Lord, You  speak Your promise of blessing: ‘Blessed is the nation …

Mary, Martha – and Jesus!

Jesus had a meal at the home of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42). We can compare this meal to the Lord’s Supper. Martha concentrated on the meal. Mary concentrated on the Lord. In the Lord’s Supper, we have bread and wine. That’s not all that we have. There’s more than bread and wine. There’s Jesus. …

Barth’s Theme – “Not I but Christ”

Karl Barth is not the Name. Jesus, for salvation, came. Barth points us to the One, Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. If Barth were here today, I think he would still say, Look from Barth, look away. Look to Jesus, he would say. Karl Barth spoke of Christ’s grace. Yes! Karl Barth knew his place. …

More Of Christ And Less Of Self!

1 Corinthians 5:1-6:11 ‘Your boasting is not good’: May we never become so taken up with ourselves that we forget Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us: ‘Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us’, ‘you were washed… sanctified… justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the …

Two Very Different Types Of Guilt

There are two very different types of guilt.There is guilt that comes from the evil spirit, Satan, and there is guilt that comes from the Holy Spirit.Satan is our "accuser" (Revelation 12:10). He makes us feel guilty, because he wants to keep us feeling guilty.The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and guilt (John …

I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you.

Isaiah 48:1-22  ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go’ (Isaiah 48:17). God knows what is best for us. He helps us to say, ‘As for God, His way is perfect’ (Job 23:10; 2 Samuel 22:31). How does God help …

Holy Thursday: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-5

‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). Beyond the Passover, there is Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins (John 1:29; 1 John1:7). “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).   * What do we mean when we say, …

Remembering the Lord, rejoicing in Him and looking forward to His return

Easter Sunday Evening: Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 114; 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8; Luke 24:13-49 Remembering the Lord, rejoicing in Him and looking forward to His return ‘O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your Name... You have done marvellous things’ (Isaiah 25:1). We remember what God has done for us. He sent …

Looking Forward To A Better Future

1 Kings 12:25-13:34 These were dark days for God’s people. They were deeply divided. There was the northern kingdom (Israel). Jeroboam was their ‘big man’. There was the southern kingdom (Judah). Rehoboam was the ‘voice’ of the south. What a shambles it all was! Each side seemed intent on outdoing the other - ungodliness. Sin …

Help us, Lord, to worship You – with hearts, full of love for You.

Ezekiel 7:1-9:11; Hebrews 6:13-7:10; Psalm 119:161-168 The prophet was shown “the utterly detestable things the house of Israel is doing here (in the Temple), things that will drive Me (God) far from My sanctuary” (Ezekiel 8:6). There were, however, “those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it” (Ezekiel …

“The glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:11).

“The glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:11). The house of the Lord is never to be the chief focus of our attention. The Lord of the house is to be the focus of all that we do when we gather together for worship. When we look, with admiration, …

Church Without Walls

Jesus calls us to follow Him. The Church Without Walls Report was presented to the General Assembly in 2001. The Report is an attempt to look for fresh ways of encouraging and supporting congregations in the twentieth-first century. The Report invites all of us in the Church to think about where we have come from, …

Special Days – Dedication / Anniversary: Genesis 28:10-22; Psalm 48: (1-8), 9-14; 1 Corinthians 3:9-17; Matthew 12:1-8

A night to remember – blessing from the Lord, dedication to the Lord Just another night (Genesis 28:11)? No! This was a night to remember, a night Jacob would never forget. God came to him with His wonderful promise of love: ‘I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you’ …

What is to be our attitude to the Sabbath?

What is to be our attitude to the Sabbath? The best way to develop a proper attitude, a Christian attitude, to the Sabbath is to look, first of all, at Jesus' attitude to the Sabbath. In a very real sense, the specific question, "What is to be my attitude to the Sabbath?" is included in …

Understanding theological language within the context of the obedience of faith

Berkouwer insists that a proper understanding of theological language is only attainable within the context of the obedience of faith. The language of predestination may be understood as a form of expression which the believer, who has willingly submitted to the authority of grace, uses to confess his Christian faith. Set in this context, the …

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Isaiah 8:23-9:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17; Matthew 4:12-23 "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:2). The prophecy has been spoken - ‘To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given...’. The prophecy has been fulfilled - ‘Today in the town of David …

Great things can happen.

Great things can happen when ‘earnest prayer’ is ‘made to God by the church.’ God ‘is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think’ (Acts 12:5-7; Ephesians 3:20).

The inadequacy of human language

In his discussion of the 'pre' element in predestination, Berkouwer insists that "he who speaks of God's counsel in terms of human categories will have to be aware of the inadequacy of his words" (Divine Election, p. 152). In this respect, Berkouwer closely follows Bavinck who, in his discussion of predestination, insists that "one cannot …

The Lamb of God – crucified and exalted

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" (Revelation 5:12) From John 1:29, we learn that Jesus is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." These words, from John the Baptist, looked forward to Christ's death …

The revival of our worship

2 Chronicles 29:1-31:1; 2 Corinthians 1:12-22; Psalm 103:13-22 A revival of worship does not come from the worshippers. It comes from the God whom they worship – “what God had brought about for His people” (2 Chronicles 29:35b-36). “It is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:22). If …

God’s Gift

Before His ascension to heaven, Jesus told His disciples that they were to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit  - "wait for the gift My Father promised" (Acts 1:4). The Holy Spirit is God's gift. He is not a reward that was given to the disciples because they waited on the Lord. Waiting …

Do you want to experience God’s glory?

1 Kings 7:13-8:13 We read about ‘the silver’ and ‘the gold’. We are called to choose between the life of fruitful service - ‘gold, silver, precious stones’- and the unfruitful life - ‘wood, hay, straw’(51; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). We read of ‘the ark of the covenant of the Lord’ being ‘brought to its place, in …

God’s Faithfulness – Then And Now

“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He gave through His servant Moses. May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our ancestors; may He never leave us nor forsake us.  May …

Theological Connections between G. C. Berkouwer and Herman Bavinck: Understanding the Idea of Predestination

I only refer to Bavinck twice in this post (once at the beginning and another time later on in the post). The insight drawn from Bavinck is, however, very significant in the development of Berkouwer’s interpretation of the idea of predestination. That’s why I’ve included the name of Bavinck in the title of this post.———-In …

Predestination And Preaching

In his discussion of the 'pre' element in predestination, G. C. Berkouwer insists that "he who speaks of God's counsel in terms of human categories will have to be aware of the inadequacy of his words." He maintains that the inadequacy of our words is particularly felt when we speak of before and after with respect …

In the Name of the Living God, in the Name of Jesus

1 Kings 16:8-18:15; Acts 17:1-21; Psalm 78:9-16 Elijah confronted King Ahab in the Name of the living God (1 Kings 18:15). The apostles confronted Caesar in the Name of "another King ... Jesus" (Acts 17:7). It was in the Name of the Lord that the authority of Egypt was brought to nothing: "He did miracles in …

Declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

Ezekiel 43:1-44:31; 1 Peter 2:4-24; Psalm 132:1-18 In Ezekiel, the priests are described in great detail. In 1 Peter 2:5, the Lord’s people are described as “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” This description continues in 1 Peter 2:9 – “a royal priesthood … a people belonging to God. To His people, God gives this …