God and Coffee: The New Way
In the corner of my kitchen sets a lonely appliance. It used to be my favorite thing in the kitchen, with its soft blue glow, reassuring hum, and ability to turn itself on and off at the whim of my schedule. I’m speaking of my Keurig, my king of coffee convenience, and up until a few months ago it was my best friend. I mean, who wouldn’t love this marvel of engineering? Pop in the pod, close the hatch, and boom! You’ve got coffee! Life is good.
Then back in January a young friend inspired me to take a step of faith and get a french press. Grinder and whole beans in hand, I stepped into the world of slow coffee. It does take more time, it doesn’t hum and glow, but man oh man, I love my french press! Why? In a word, joy! The coffee is just sooo much better. I’ve discovered the new way (which is actually the original way) of slow coffee, and I’m not going back.
This theme of an ‘old and new way’ is a defining concept of faith in Christ. The New Testament proclaims that if anyone is “In Christ, they are a new creation, for the old has gone and the new has come.” On the night of his arrest, Jesus spoke of a New Covenant. The New Testament asserts constantly that ‘In Christ’ we receive a new self, a new attitude, a new humanity, a new command, a new life, and a new birth into a new way.
But what’s the difference between this old and new way? Many assume it’s all about behavior, as in a ‘new moral code’ that brings up thoughts of sin, rules, and Ned Flanders. Gotta love Ned, but this perspective is ultimately about
performance, the unending effort to measure up to the expectations of God and others. The New Testament calls this measuring up ‘the law,’ and performance is NOT the message of the Gospel. You see, the essence of the Christian faith is not behavior, it is identity. When I- as a rational pragmatist mind you - placed my faith in Jesus, I wasn’t just handed a new set of moral rules, I was given a New Life. Make no mistake, behavior matters, and following Christ has indeed changed how I live. But that is a result of the new life I’ve been given, not a cleaned-up religious version of the old life I had.
But what is this ‘New Life?’ What does that even mean? My body aches in the morning and I’m getting more blind and deaf by the day. I still have struggles! And yet, in my true identity, who I truly am, the New Testament cries out that I am completely forgiven, free, at peace, accepted, made new, righteous, dearly loved, and dare I say it, a masterpiece of God. This is a spiritual truth, but not just that. Each day, one step of faith at a time, it is increasingly becoming my experience.
And now we’ve arrived at the new way. In Romans we read: “Now, however, we are free from the Law, because we died to that which once held us prisoners. No longer do we serve in the old way of a written law, but in the new way of the Spirit.” And this Spirit is God’s Spirit. Christ, the giver of life. That’s the new way.
Someone out there knows you’re being held prisoner by the old way you’re desperately trying to make work. It is the way of performance-based acceptance to God and to those around you. It doesn’t work, and even when it seems like it does, it is a far cry from the freedom of the new way of the Spirit. That’s the invitation of Jesus. By faith, to trade the old way for the new, your old life of trying for His New Life of receiving.
Speaking of new things, it’s time for a new cup of coffee. Care to join me?
Ethan is the pastor of Trinity Church in Edwards. He and Lisa have lived in the valley for almost twenty-five years. You can reach him at
godandcoffeevail@gmail.com.