It's been a while since I posted anything here.  How did I get so busy?  I pray that all my readers have been well and seeking to live more for Jesus every day.  We here in America are quickly approaching a presidential election that could have serious and far-reaching consequences. I fear that too many people in our nation have put their own wills and wants above God's will and we are seeing the results already.  

My prayer is that more Christians would pray about every decision that they make, whether it be who they will vote for in an election or how to spend their time and money.  We need to take seriously the fact that we are to serve Jesus Christ, not our own selfish wants and desires.

May God wake us up, strengthen us, and guide us...before it's too late!!!!

 

One of my favorite Christian authors.  While I do not agree 100% with him on everything, I probably agree with him more than any other author writing today.  Check him out!!!

Books I've Written

 I manage to write a couple of books in the past few years.  I pray that they are a blessing to those who read them.  They can be found on Amazon if you're interested.  

Something to Think About

 People have always had the tendency to be sinful. But ever since we told God to take a hike, one of casualties is that we have lost the ability to navigate safely through life. As I’ve pointed out, the absence of God—even though he’s not actually absent but ignored—means we are disconnected from truth and reality. Without someone greater than ourselves to guide our steps, we lose connection with the one reality that actually tells us what our true worth is. When we don’t acknowledge that we bear the image of God, how can we find our actual value?

Phil Robertson 'Uncanceled 2022'

Presuppositions and Biblical Creation Account

A presupposition is something assumed beforehand. Presuppositions, even among Christian theologians, in multiple ways affect the possible interpretations of the Genesis creation record (as evidenced by the fact that I, because I believe Genesis to be literal history, call it the “Genesis record” while others would call it the “Genesis story” or “Genesis tale”).  These presuppositions affect how we view the original audience of Genesis also: if we believe they were less intelligent than ourselves, possibly little more than the stereotypical ‘caveman’, then there is a tendency to see the Genesis record as having been ‘dumbed down’ to accommodate their lesser mental capacity.  However, if we view mankind as perfectly created by God, then it is entirely possible that mankind was more intelligent in the past than we are now, due to the effect of sin on humanity for many long years. That is not to say that we aren’t technologically more advanced; it is to say that our thinking, along with every other aspect of our existence, has been damaged by the effects of sin. 

Another issue affecting how we interpret the first chapters of Genesis is how we think the Genesis record came to exist in its current form. Some believe that the ‘stories’ were passed along verbally (because early man could not write) until someone (at a later date, with the ability to write) gathered them together into a group.

However, another possibility is that God created man with the ability to write from the beginning.  If we believe the Creation record, we believe God created mankind with the ability to communicate with Him in some form or fashion.  Why do we limit God’s creative expression by saying that He would create humans without the ability to write or, some would even say, speak? The only reason I can see for this limiting is that we place the opinion of secular scientists, who say man evolved from stupid brute animals that could not speak, read, or write, above God’s Word.  We allow the opinions of man to color our thinking about God and His character, and His abilities. The naturalistic theory of evolution has so saturated our worldview that we allow it to guide, not only our interpretation of the Bible, but even our view of who God’s character, attributes, and purposes.

Neither the fossil record, genetics, nor dating methods support evolution.  The fossil record does not contain the kind of evidence that would be found if evolution were true. Additional information would have to be added to our genetic make up for evolution to take place, this is not the case.  Long age dating methods rely on far too many assumptions for them to be accurate or trustworthy.

Both young earth creation and evolution are beliefs that must be held by faith. The theory of evolution is the theory of our beginnings without God’s involvement.  Creation says that God created everything. The unproven theories of man should not cause us to doubt the Word of God…ever!!

Creation…Literally

Why don’t Christians consider the creation account in Genesis to be a literal record of creation?

A plain reading of the first chapter of Genesis clearly says that the universe, and all that is in it, was created in six days.  Why don’t we believe that?  Is it because we don’t believe God is powerful enough to have done it that way? Are we limiting God?

Is it because secular scientists have said that evolution is a fact and, therefore, science has proven that it took much longer than six literal days for our universe to come into existence?  Scientists also say that a man cannot be resurrected from the dead after three days.  Should we not believe that Jesus rose from the grave just because scientists say that it can’t happen?  Then why do we let scientists sway us from believing the clear record of creation found in Genesis?

The ‘proof’ of evolution is based on so many unprovable assumptions that the Christian who takes the Genesis account of creation to be factual should not be intimidated in the least by such ‘proof’. After all, the theory of evolution is an attempt to explain creation (and, by implication, everything else) without God. Many times we Christians are so intimidated by the supposed facts of evolution (which teachings many of us were hammered with from early in our public school education) that we think believing in a literal six day creation shows that we are ignorant, un-scientific, un-educated, or simple. However, having researched this issue for many years now, I can say with confidence that creation scientists have a solid grasp on the possibility (probability) that evolution is not the only viable scenario for explaining our existence.

We Christians should not be ashamed or fearful to put our complete trust in God’s Word…in whatever subject it addresses.  Will we be found following God’s Word or man’s word?

How should Christians view the recent events in Orlando?

Shouldn't we see everything the way God does? Here are words from God on this very issue: “‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).

This reveals some truths about how we, as Christians, should view the killings in Orlando: first, we should grieve that these lives were snuffed out. Those who were killed were people for whom Jesus died.  The Bible tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Second, each of us needs to repent of our sins and live for God, “…but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). The reason these heinous acts of violence occur is because we humans persist in our rebellion against our Creator.  God created us to live according to His standard. When we reject that standard, and live according to any other standard, we can expect things to go badly.  How would your car run if, instead of putting gasoline in its tank, you put water in it?  The car was designed to run on gasoline; it will not function properly if the gas tank is full of water.  We, individually and collectively, do not function properly when we reject God and His lordship.

It has been said of late that Christians are to blame for this tragedy in Orlando.  It is said that, because we express our belief that homosexuality is something that God condemns, we have fostered a climate that encourages violence toward the LGBTQ community.  This could not be farther from the truth.  No Christian, seeking to live like Jesus, will hope for anything but the best for every one of his or her fellow humans…regardless of race, sexuality, gender, religious beliefs, etc.  We hope for the same thing God hopes for, “…who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:4).

When Christians voice the biblical teaching that God considers homosexuality a sin, we are, “…speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15); in the same way a doctor would tell a patient about an illness that he discovered in that patient.  Would anyone consider that doctor to be loving if, instead of telling the patient about the illness and prescribing a cure, the doctor just kept the knowledge of the illness to himself and allowed the patient to die?  Especially, if there was a cure the doctor could administer that would cure the patient. 

Still, the accusations persist that Christians, when we point out the sin rampant in our society today, are ‘hate-mongers’ and ‘bigots’ and ‘un-loving’…even though we offer the cure for all of humanity’s ills at the same time.

Granted, there have been some very hateful and unloving things said during all this, by some who identify themselves as Christians. To those people I say, “If you were truly followers of Jesus, you would extend His love, not your hate”.

Following our God, true Christians, “…take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live”.  May Christians everywhere continue to pray and act in a manner that reflects the love of God.

***NOTE: All Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible

N T Wright: Introduction to Romans

The Biblical View of Atheism

Atheism is foolishness.

Does that sound harsh? Politically incorrect? Insensitive?

Despite how it sounds, it is not merely name-calling. It is the declaration of the Bible, God's Word to mankind:

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," (Psalm 53:1 NASB)

Is that not the foundational tenet of atheism? "There is no God", they proclaim. God says that this is the attitude of a fool.

Romans 1:18-21 tells us that evidence pointing toward God is all around us. All of creation points to His existence. We cannot help but know that there is a God. If someone denies the existence of God it is not because of the evidence, but in spite of it. It is simply a case of rejecting the obvious and refusing to believe the truth.

The problem is not one of ignorance but of "men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness". The truth is known, but actively rejected. This is a case of rebellion rather than a lack of understanding. Ignorance of the truth cannot be used to justify unbelief of GodGod made the truth too obvious.

Gallons of ink have been used attempting to explain the universe in a way that does not include God. The term 'futile speculations' (Romans 1:21) is appropriate for this type of behavior. Man is so focused on himself that very often he can't see beyond his own personal space. He thinks everything must revolve around him. Man believes that he is the center of the universe. This leaves him denying that there is anyone or anything to which he owes allegiance, gratitude, or worship.

What is the inevitable outcome of this type of thinking?

Professing to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:22 NASB)

This brings us back to where we started: the Bible says that there is ample evidence, in the world around us, for the existence of God and that anyone who denies this, and does not honor Him as God, is a fool.

The cure for this is simple: stop denying God His rightful place in your life. Jesus gave His life on the cross to enable you to have a right relationship with God. If you simply admit you are a sinner who is rebelling against God, believe that God is who He says He is, and trust that Jesus died for your sins, you can live the life that the Creator planned for you.

There is forgiveness for foolishness.

The Debate on Human Origins Continues

A person with whom I was having a debate once asked me, “Please, tell us exactly what you think the theory of evolution says about the universe. Then, tell us why ANYBODY should care what you think science is or isn't.” 

A common tactic of evolutionists during a discussion is to ask his or her opponent what qualifies them to offer an opinion on the subject being discussed. As if a person is not allowed to voice an opinion if he or she does not possess the proper credentials.

Was no one allowed to voice an opinion until the time in history where degrees were conferred and PhDs earned? Was no one qualified to think until an institution of higher learning deemed him or her worthy? This, of course, is an absurd notion considering all the fantastic discoveries that were made, scientific and otherwise, by men who did not possess any sort of “official degree”. The ability to think is given to us by God, not man.

Many evolutionists seem to think that they have reached a place in their intellectual pursuits where their knowledge replaces, and/or satisfies, man’s need for God. They have made science their god and they think that they are the priests who must bridge the gap between the lofty truth of science and the scientifically unenlightened common person.

Christianity is in danger of allowing a group of scientists, who do not believe in the existence of God, to inform us as to whether or not we should believe the biblical record. Does that make any sense at all? Is it wise to allow those who reject God to guide us in our understanding of Him? Of course not. 

Christians are truth-seekers and have nothing to fear from, and actually much praise for, true science. True science reveals the wonders of God’s world. Truth will not lead away from God; if it does, it is not truth. Often evolutionists try to frame the Christian faith as something we do contrary to the evidence. However, John Mark Reynolds offers this helpful thought, “Biblical faith is (among other things) a reasonable belief in the truth of an uncertain proposition. Faith makes decisions based on the provisional acceptance of ideas that could be wrong but that the believer has good reasons to believe are true” (Apologetics for a New Generation, Sean McDowell ed., Harvest House, 2009. p. 73)

Evolutionist scientists attempt to convince their audience that only science has the capacity to discern truth. Therefore, only they have the authority to deem something true or false. However, if the Bible is what most Christians believe it to be, the Word of God, then it has precedence over any of man’s thoughts and ideas.

Jesus, speaking to God on behalf of His disciples, said, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17 ESV). Christians are to take God’s Word as truth. The trustworthiness of the Bible is one way the Christian knows God created the universe. Remember, both evolutionists and creationists are looking at the very same scientific evidence. Evolutionists, when speaking of origins, can only express their opinions and beliefs, they have no evidence that proves or disproves the existence of God. Yet, they continue to deny His existence. Therefore, it is not a matter of evidence keeping them from God, but a hardheartedness and unwillingness to repent:
"But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5 ESV)

"They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” (Ephesians 4:18 ESV)

How To Stop Mass Shootings

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

The only way to stop mass shootings, or any other crime, is for humans to have a change of heart.  As long as there are people who persist in rebellion against our Creator, crimes (and criminal behavior) will continue.  Murder, rape, assault, theft, adultery, etc. will not only continue but will increase as society worsens and begins to look upon many of these sins as ‘normal’.

Secular culture believes that criminal behavior can be stopped through incarceration and/or psychological treatment.  They believe that people are inherently ‘good’ and that they simply need encouragement to act that way. And, if that doesn’t work, those who persist in their criminal ways can be locked up.

Jesus, when warning about false prophets, said this, “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?  So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:16-18).

Jesus also tells us that even the words that come out of our mouths originate from our true self, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil” (Matthew 12:34-35). If our words have their source in who we really are, how much more will our actions stem from the very same place?

Therefore; if we are to truly, and permanently, alter our speech and our actions, there is simply no other way to do it than to have our innermost self changed.

Bad Fruit

The Bible (given to us by the Creator/Lord of the universe) is clear on how an unchanged heart manifests itself on the outside of a person.  It tells us that the wicked speak wickedness (I Samuel 24:13) and Isaiah 32:6 tells us that, “…a fool speaks nonsense, And his heart inclines toward wickedness: To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the Lord, To keep the hungry person unsatisfied And to withhold drink from the thirsty” (Isaiah 32:6).

The New Testament contrasts ‘living by the flesh’ with ‘living by the Spirit’.  ‘Living by the flesh’ is living a life apart from God, in rebellion against His lordship and authority.   ‘Living by the Spirit’ is a life lived as forgiven sinners under the lordship of Jesus Christ.  We read these words in the book of Galatians, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).  It is clear that actions such as the mass shootings we have witnessed of late, are the ‘fruit’ of a life lived apart from, and in rebellion against, our Creator God.

Good Fruit

Jesus promises that those who are His followers will exhibit the good ‘fruit’ of the Spirit (John 15:2-16): “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).

Continuing the contrast between the deeds of the ‘flesh’ and the fruits of the ‘Spirit’, the New Testament tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:22-24).  A person who is living under the guidance and rule of Jesus Christ will not commit the heinous acts of violence we are hearing about more and more often in our day.

Christians are instructed to live according to the renewed heart they have been given, “...for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)...” (Ephesians 5:8-9).

Every day, by continuing in rebellion against a Holy God, our society chooses to support the cultural climate which fosters a mindset (heart condition) from which senseless, evil acts of violence emanate.  If we are truly concerned with putting a stop to these terrible tragedies, isn’t it time we considered the only course of action which will guarantee their cessation?

Isn’t it time we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and allow Him to change the hearts of the people from evil to loving?   That truly is our only hope.

*All Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible

The Reason Mass Shootings Occur

It has happened again.  Heartless mass shootings and the terrible aftermath in their wake.  It seems like these types of things are happening with increasing frequency.  An article in the Washington Post say that, as of December 3, 2015, “There have been more mass shootings than calendar days  this year. News reports collected by a Reddit community show there have been 355 mass shootings in 2015” (1).

Another article in the Washington Post says that the reason mass shooting will continue is simple, “Americans own more guns per-capita than people in literally any other country on earth” (2).  However, is that true?  Is the reason some people choose to kill others simply because guns exist?

More often than not, someone will say that we need stricter gun laws to curb this kind of tragic behavior. However, stricter gun laws will only insure that law-abiding citizens will be unarmed and that criminals, who are law-breakers by definition, will still be armed…and dangerous. 

Only when the evil heart of humanity is changed by the love of God will these kinds of senseless and brutal acts cease.

Jesus addressed this very issue, in one of His discourses recorded in the Gospels, when He said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders” (Matthew 15:19, see also Mark 7:21).  A heart in rebellion against God is an evil heart, out of which come evil thoughts and oftentimes evil actions.  Humanity’s natural inclination is to selfishness and lust; without some sort of powerful restraint, our natural human condition will foster these types of tragic behavior.

In the New Testament book of Romans, the Apostle Paul speaks of this ‘heart condition’:

“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one. Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving, The poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; Their feet are swift to shed blood, Destruction and misery are in their paths, And the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  (Romans 3:9-18; see Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-3).  While this paints a bleak picture of the heart of humanity, we must remember that this is God declaring the truth about our condition.  We tend to think that we “aren’t so bad”, but God gives us an accurate account.

God has already judged the entire human race once; and what was the reason for this judgment? Genesis 6:5 tells us, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”.  Watching the evening news, one could get the idea that we aren’t all that far from being in the same condition today as those folks were in Genesis just before God’s judgment fell on them.

“Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes” (Psalm 36:1). The reason people act so terribly is that they are in rebellion against the Holy God who created them.  When we refuse to live as God prescribes, the only result we can hope for is a dysfunctional, self-absorbed, lustful, violent culture…much like the one in which we currently live. As long as we deny that the human heart is wicked and in need of radical change, the kind of change only Jesus Christ can provide, these mass shootings and other terrible evils, will continue.

Resources:

All Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible

(1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/12/02/the-other-mass-shooting-that-happened-today-in-the-united-states/

(2) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/12/02/the-simple-reason-why-the-shootings-wont-stop/

Christians Can Defend Their Faith Without Being Offensive

It is easy to get disheartened when sharing the good news of the Gospel with those who respond negatively. The Christian's prayer is that the hearer will come to a saving relationship with Christ. However, too many times the immediate result is not only to have the hearer reject the good news, but reject us along with it. I Peter 3:13-16 should be of some encouragement concerning this subject.

"Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled…" (v. 13-14). This passage begins with a word of comfort. First, it reminds us to be cognizant of whom it is who is coming against us. Those with whom we debate are usually hostile to God and, if someone is hostile to God, there is a very good chance they will, at least initially, be hostile to those who come in His name. Remember, unbelievers do not have the presence of the Holy Spirit giving them the peace and patience that these types of discussions require. It is up to the believer to maintain a loving attitude no matter what insults or ridicule may be slung at him.

This brings us to another point, the way to be prepared for these kinds of debates, "…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy…" (v. 15a). We should constantly cultivate our relationship with Jesus, so that in any situation we will respond as He would. Throughout our debates and discussions with unbelievers, as well as every moment of our lives, believers must follow Jesus as our guiding example. We are never justified in being crass, mocking, insulting, or hurtful in any way when attempting to share the truth of God with anyone. We must conduct ourselves as Jesus would if He were us.

Peter continues with a mandate for the defense of our beliefs, "…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…" (v. 15b). The Christian must be to explain why he believes what he believes. God gave us brains with which to think, He provided evidence of His existence in nature (Romans 1:18-23), and He supplies specific revelation of Himself through His prophets and apostles recorded in the Bible (II Peter 1:19-21). The believer should prepare to defend the Gospel (Jude 1:3). This is done through Bible study, prayer, meditation on the Word of God, and making use of the many helpful apologetics schools, courses, and websites available to us.

We are to be bold in our defense of our faith, "…yet do it with gentleness and respect…" (v. 15c). Too many times Christians resort to the same crude, sarcastic, ridiculing attitude that the non-believer exhibits in debates or discussions. Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen reminds us that, "Ridicule, anger, sarcasm, and name-calling are inappropriate weapons of apologetical defense. A Spirit-filled apologist will evidence the fruits of the Spirit in his approach to others." (Always Ready, American Vision, 1996. p. 251) This means that we are to be so filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit that it is really He who is communicating His message through us.

Even when we do our best to convince unbelievers of the truth of the Gospel, they may still reject it. However, if we have conducted ourselves as Christ directed, we should feel no shame or guilt over the results of our attempt. Peter encourages us once more by reminding us that we should live our lives, "…having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame" (v. 16).

Therefore, we are to be faithful to share the Gospel with others, defending it when necessary. First Peter 3:13-16 tells us that we should be fearless in standing for the Truth, gentle in our methods, and confident that whatever the outcome of our debates or discussions may be, if we have conducted ourselves as Jesus leads, we need not be ashamed or defeated. In the end, the Truth will be victorious.



(All Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version of the Bible)

Why Christians Debate Non-believers.

Why is it important for Christians to engage non-believers in discussions about morality, science, and a host of other topics? The Christian believes in the message of the Bible and that we are commissioned to share the good news of God’s love with others.

The motivation fueling our never-ending discussions with non-believers is not simply to win an argument. We engage in discussion and debate in order to remove barriers to faith for those honestly seeking answers; and to help strengthen the faith of believers.

Sean McDowell, in Apologetics for a New Generation, writes, “The bottom line is this: Apologetics for a new generation must be more concerned about winning people than winning arguments” (Apologetics for a New Generation. Sean McDowell. Harvest House Publishers. 2009. p. 96). Christians must keep in mind that our main purpose in any debate or discussion is to help others see the truth of God’s love and His great offer of salvation from our sinful condition.

The following is a condensed version of basic Christian beliefs we try to share with others:

1. God’s original creation was perfect.
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31 ESV)

2. Man rebelled in Genesis 3 and the perfect world began suffering the effects of sin. The natural world was cursed as well as man himself. Many today continue to reject and rebel against God.

“...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...” (Romans 3:23 ESV)

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23 ESV)

3. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross in order to pay for our sins.
“…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ESV)

“...Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...” (I Corinthians 15:3-5 ESV)

4. This gift is not earned, but is received by faith [trust, belief, commitment] in Jesus Christ.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

We share the love of God with others because we are first loved by Him. Just like everyone else, we were once lost in sin and headed for an eternity of misery separated from God. However, God came out of heaven, dressed in the flesh of humanity, so He could take the punishment caused by the sin that stood between Him and us.

Truth be told, if losing EVERY debate would insure more people would trust Jesus with their lives and gain eternity, most Christians would gladly be labeled “losers”.

Speaking The Truth In Love.

Biblical Christian Counsel
How should the Christian respond when he or she knows that something must be said to someone that is not going to be welcomed. When the Christian feels that God is prompting them to engage, or confront, someone about a sensitive issue, how is the Christian to proceed?  What is the basic axiom that should guide the Christian as he or she attempts to counsel, witness, reprove, or otherwise engage in the biblical correction of another person?

The Truth in Love
The Bible tells us that we should, "Speak the truth in love." (Ephesians 4:15)

This is a two-sided action. First, what we say must be the truth. We must be sure that what we are about to say is what God wants us to say. We should be sure that it is God approved, as it were. Much prayer should have gone on before any words are uttered.

The other half of this action is that the encounter must be motivated by love and carried out in the spirit of love. It cannot be a heavy handed, holier-than-thou, confrontation that does more harm than good.

God's Help, Not Self Help
Turning a person's focus in on themselves instead of toward God is not helpful. It actually results in making oneself into an idol; relying more on self than on God. The power needed to change the heart is spiritual power which only comes through an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Apart from God we can do nothing to rescue ourselves.

Focusing on Symptoms
We also must not promote a cure that consists of fixing the symptoms to make a person feel better without addressing the real problem. A doctor would not be considered very good if he/she merely treated the symptoms of an illness while never addressing the actual illness itself. This would be deception of a most dangerous kind.

How much more dangerous to convince someone that they are innocent in God's eyes when in reality they are guilty (Romans 3:10) and deserving of His judgment?

A Balance
Whenever we seek to counsel, console, or reprove anyone, we need to maintain the balance between truth and love. We must not sacrifice the truth in the name of love, nor should we deliver the truth in a less than loving manner.

By "speaking the truth in love" we are able to encourage people in their walk with God and not push them away from Him by employing a mean, judgmental attitude.

What about Those Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?

The concern for those who have never heard the Gospel is common for believers everywhere. We should do all that the Lord leads us to do to get the Gospel message to everyone we can; however, there will be some, and have been some, who will never hear the Gospel in their lifetime. Let me lay out some foundational biblical truths that should guide us in our thinking on this subject.

First, we need to remember that God loves humanity enough to send His Son to die on a cross for our sins (I John 2:2, 4:10). Therefore, God cares about those who have not clearly had the Gospel preached to them as much as He cares about those who have heard it. The truth is that God is good to us all; He gave us life and, even after we rebelled against Him, sent His Son to provide payment for our sins, so that we can have our sins forgiven and have eternal life with God forever, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17 NASB).

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made salvation possible. So, anyone who is saved is saved because of Jesus, He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). If God chooses to save some who only respond to what they know of God, it is still based on Jesus’ payment for our sins (Acts 4:12).

The Old Testament saints had never heard of Jesus. They trusted and obeyed God and He counted this as righteousness (Romans 4:3). They had no righteousness of their own, but their faithfulness allowed God to apply Jesus’ later sacrifice on the cross to them in order that they could be forgiven, “Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6).

In his book, On Guard, William Lane Craig deals with this question in the chapter titled, Is Jesus the Only Way to God? with this idea: since God knows each person’s personality, character, and even what their response would be if confronted with the Gospel massage, He places each person in his or her life in such a way for them to have the best opportunity to respond to God’s call to salvation.  Mr. Craig bases his theory, in part, on this passage of Scripture, “And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;” (Acts 17:26-27). This passage seems to be saying that God has sovereignly guided, and is still guiding, situations and circumstances to bring each person to a place where they can choose to follow God or choose to reject Him.

The concern for those who have never heard the Gospel is at the heart of missions. That is why Christians send people out into all parts of the world with the message of Jesus Christ. However, if we are unable (or unwilling) to reach some, does God deal with them differently? I really don’t know. What I do know is that the God of the Bible is love. The God of the Bible is Holy. The God of the Bible is just. Therefore, a loving, holy, just God will deal fairly with all of us.

Resources:

New American Standard Bible

Craig, William Lane. On Guard. David C. Cook Publishing, 2010.

Worldviews, choices, and destinations.

There are two competing foundational worldviews; each one containing radically different end results. 

One worldview, the naturalist/humanist/secular worldview, tells us that we came into being by accident (not guided by intelligence), that the only purpose we have is the purpose we give ourselves, and that we are responsible to no higher being or cause.

The competing worldview, the Biblical worldview, claims that humans were created by God, for His purposes, and that we are accountable to Him.  This worldview tells us that we have failed to live as God required, thus incurring His judgment, but that He has also provided the way whereby we may be reconciled to Him.

The naturalistic camp believes that science has proven their viewpoint to be true; however, they still have no explanation for our existence except to believe that “it just happened”…no rhyme, no reason…just a cosmic accident that somehow (without intelligent guidance) organized itself into everything we see today.  This theory requires faith in the proposition that ‘nothing arranged itself over millions (perhaps billions) of years into the incredibly complex universe existing today’.

Those who believe a Biblical worldview see the evidence of intelligence all around us.  The intricacies of the flower and the eyeball offer clear testimony of design.  The idea of everything simply ‘evolving’ and ‘improving’ (especially when science actually tells us that our universe is headed the opposite direction; becoming increasingly disorganized and chaotic) into the universe in which we now live stretches the very bounds of cognitive activity let alone common sense.

Make no mistake; each of these worldviews requires ‘faith’.  One either places that ‘faith’ in an all-powerful and wise Creator God as being responsible for our existence, and to whom we are ultimately accountable, or our ‘faith’ is place in random accidental occurrences governed by nothing (or governed by the “laws of physics” which came about by those same random accidental occurrences), with no purpose, headed nowhere.

The Bible tells us that the end result of a life lived according to each of these worldviews is radically different.  The naturalist/humanist/secular viewpoint is described as a gate that is, “…wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it” (Matthew 7:13).  The Biblical worldview is portrayed as a gate that is, “…small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).  So, in essence, what we are confronted with is the choice between ‘destruction’ and ‘life’.  When seen in this way, does anyone truly desire ‘destruction’?

God has given each of us the responsibility, and ability, and opportunity to choose which worldview we will adopt.  He loves each of us and wants us to have a saving, loving relationship with Him; but, He leaves the decision up to us: we can follow the wide gate that leads to destruction or we can follow the narrow gate (by trusting in Jesus Christ and living for Him) that leads to life now and for eternity.

As Moses told the Israelite people after explaining the inevitability of this choice, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NASB).

There is no more serious decision to be made.

Resources:

New American Standard Bible

What Does the Lord Require of You?

Some of us are acutely aware of the shortcomings, failures, and inadequacies in our lives. When the Holy Spirit is working on our consciences, we also become aware of our guilt in the eyes of God. The Bible says that, “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NASB). To be clear, this sin that separates us from God, applies to everyone, “...through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12 NASB). Therefore, since we all find ourselves in this condition, how should we respond?

The prophet Micah asked the same question in the Old Testament: “With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7 NASB). Notice that, when one realizes his or her guilt before God, the initial response is to perform some outward duty. The offerings listed in this passage are intentionally exaggerated in order to make the point that outward actions, no matter how grand, are no substitute for our inward condition.

Therefore, Micah replies: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 NASB). In another passage, we find: “Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NASB) and “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6 NASB). These traits are traits that originate in a heart that loves God. One cannot truly love justice, kindness, be humble, love God, love one’s neighbor, be loyal, possess the knowledge of God, walk in His ways, and obey His commandments if one’s heart has not been changed by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Outward observances mean nothing if one’s heart, mind, and life have not been surrendered to the will of God.

In New Testament times, we fulfill this humble surrendering by bowing to the Lord Jesus Christ. We trust in Him for our salvation; believing that He died on a cross to pay for our sins, the sins that separate us from God. Only when we truly submit to Him does our worship truly mean anything at all. Then we enter into personal saving relationship and gain eternal life.

“For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2 NASB)

Arguments From Atheists, Part 3

Atheists are determined to disprove the existence of God. They attempt to promote arguments that suggest there is evidence that God does not exist. A reader, in the comment section of one of my articles, supplied me with several of these arguments.  While everyone will not accept all of my reasons, they are offered in the spirit of love with the hope that those who are truly seeking answers will realize that they do exist for these challenges and that believing in God is not unreasonable.

Atheist Argument: The omnipotence paradox suggests that the concept of an omnipotent God is logically contradictory, from considering a question like: “Can God create a rock so big that He cannot move it?” or “If God is all powerful, could God create a being more powerful than Himself?”.

Response: This argument proves that the atheist asking them does not truly want an answer.  These are simply smokescreens meant to muddy up real discussion about God, His character, and His attributes.  J. Warner Wallace writes, “When someone asks, “Can the all-powerful Christian God create a stone so heavy he cannot lift it?” they are asking a logically incoherent question. It is the equivalent of asking, “Can God create a ‘square circle’?” Circles and squares are mutually exclusive by their very definition. As a result, the question nonsensically queries the creation of something similarly nonsensical. God cannot create square circles for the same reason He cannot sin; He acts dependably in a manner consistent with His moral and logical nature, and our universe is the beneficiary of God’s dependable nature. Those who ask logically incoherent questions of this kind are requiring God to violate His nature (His logical coherency) in order to demonstrate His nature (His power)” [1].  Logic is a reflection of God’s unchanging nature; therefore, He will act in a logical manner.  Although God is omnipotent, the Bible does say that there are certain things He cannot do. He cannot sin (James 1:3); He cannot change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17); He cannot deny Himself (II Timothy 2:13).  Does this mean God is not omnipotent?  No, it simply means that He acts according to His nature. 

Atheist Argument: The Omniscience paradox. “If God is omnipotent, then he should be able to change the future to an “alternate future” that is unknown to him, conflicting with his omniscience” Similarly, an omniscient God would know the position of all atoms in the universe over its ~14 billion-year history as well as its infinite future. To know that, God’s memory needs to be bigger than the infinite set of possible states in the current Universe.

Response: Simply because we cannot comprehend the immense power and ability of God does not mean He does not/cannot exist.  It makes good sense to consider that God, Who is capable of creating the universe, is able to do far more than we are able to wrap our minds around.  The argument about an omniscient (all-knowing) God creating something He does not know is a self-defeating argument; much like “can God create something that is uncreated”, simply an exercise in word play…nothing more.  There are also many unfounded assumptions contained in this argument: the universe has not been proven to be 14 billion years old, yet this argument makes that assumption in an attempt to bolster its case.  One could also contend that humans do not know how big God’s memory needs to be to do anything.  These are meaningless shots in the dark that do not contain facts, only fantasy.

Atheist Argument: The “No Reason” Argument tries to show that an omnipotent and omniscient God would not have any reason to act in any way, specifically by creating the universe, because He would have no needs, wants, or desires since these very concepts are subjectively human. Since the Universe exists, there is a contradiction, and therefore, an omnipotent God cannot exist.

Response: The only reason God has for acting in a certain way is simply because He chooses to act in that way.  It is amazing that we sometimes think we have the right to determine how God should or should not act.  If God cannot act as He chooses, He is not God.  Humanity shows its arrogance when we say that we have decided, by using our fallible reasoning capabilities, that God should have done this or that He shouldn’t have done that.  God asked Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding...” (Job 38:4 NASB).  God is pointing out the fact that He did not ask our opinion when He created the universe and everything in it; therefore, who do we think we are to question Him? 

As to the idea that ‘need, wants or desires’ are ‘subjectively human’; is it reasonable to believe that an all mighty God has no feelings?  The Bible clearly says that God loves us, it speaks of His anger and His wrath against sin and evil doers, He can grieve…are these not feelings?  He certainly would have no needs because He is God, but we know He has desires because the Bible clearly says so, “God, our savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:3-4 NASB).  Whereas many of our wants and desires are sinful, God has no wants or desires that are contrary to His holy nature.  But it is not we who decide God’s nature; He created us, not the other way around.

There will come a time when we are all judged by God, are you ready? “...the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified...” (II Thessalonians 1:7-10 NASB).

NOTES:

[1] http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/are-there-limits-to-gods-power/

Arguments From Atheists, Part 2

Atheistic, anti-God arguments abound.  This article presents several of these arguments, along with Christian responses. These responses are offered in the spirit of love with the hope that those who are truly seeking answers will realize that they do exist for these challenges and that believing in God is not unreasonable.

Atheist Argument: The Argument from Poor Design contests the idea that God created life on the basis that life forms, including humans, seem to exhibit poor design.

Response: And what would be a better design?  Since God is all-powerful and all-knowing would it not be reasonable to believe that He created us the best way that He himself saw fit?  Once again, this atheistic argument spotlights the arrogance of humanity.  We somehow think that we know better than God; we think that we could have done a better job than God.  This begs the question, “How would we have done it?”  We cannot create a single life, let alone all the plants, animals, and humans in the world.  We have never made a planet, nor can we, yet we feel that we have the right to criticize God’s creation.  We must keep in mind something else; the world we observe today has suffered the degenerative effects of thousands of years of sin and corruption.  What we see in the world around us is not in the same condition as when God created it.  God deemed the universe “very good” when He first made it (Genesis 1:31).  I Timothy 4:4 tells us, “For everything created by God is good” (NASB).  God created everything just as He wanted it; it is due to the effects of sin that we have so much heartache, disease, death, etc. in the world today.

Atheist Argument: The Problem of Evil contests the existence of a god who is both omnipotent and omnibenevolent by arguing that such a god should not permit the existence of evil or suffering.

Response: God created us and endowed us with freedom.  However, freedom is not real freedom if we do not have choices.  God gave us the ability to choose; we can choose good or we can choose evil.  The first humans chose to disobey God and sin entered our existence (Genesis 3; Romans 5).  Our sinfulness is the root of evil and suffering.  If we really care about it, why don’t we change?  We have no one to blame but ourselves.  The Bible tells us that God can change our very nature if we will simply repent of our sins and live for Him, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (II Corinthians 5:17 NASB).  When a person is changed by God in this manner, he or she no longer surrenders to the sinful lusts and temptations that so often cause people to act in a less-than-loving manner. 

Atheist Argument: The Problem of Hell is the idea that eternal damnation for actions committed in a finite existence contradicts God’s omnibenevolence or omnipresence.

Response: This argument does not take into consideration how God views sin.  He sees sin as a serious enough offense that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross in order that our sins could be forgiven (John 3:16-17).  Love, or benevolence, is not God’s only quality.  God is also concerned, among other things, with justice.  When one understands that God has done all that is required for us to stay out of Hell, and that the only reason anyone goes to Hell is because of their own choice to reject God’s offer of salvation, it is clear that the sentence of eternal damnation ends up being a self-chosen destiny. We should also keep in mind the difference between ‘torment’ (which is part of the biblical doctrine of Hell) and ‘torture’ (which is not part of the biblical doctrine of Hell).  J. Warner Wallace explains, “The Bible says those who are delivered into Hell will be tormented, and the degree to which they will suffer is described in dramatic, illustrative language. But, the scripture never describes Hell as a place where God or His angels are actively “torturing” the souls of the rebellious. “Torture” is the sadistic activity that is often perpetrated for the mere joy of it. “Torment” results from a choice on the part of the person who finds himself (or herself) suffering the consequences. One can be in constant torment over a decision made in the past, without being actively tortured by anyone”. [1]

Atheist Argument: The Anthropic Argument states that if God is omniscient, omnipotent, and morally perfect, He would have created other morally perfect beings instead of imperfect humans.

Again, I am amazed that some, who deny the existence of God, are arrogant enough to believe they can claim they know what a good and holy God would, or would not, do.  What these people are really doing is setting themselves up as a higher authority than God (at least in their own minds).  The truth is that God could have created humans any way He wanted; however, He chose to create the humans He created.  It was His choice.  Now, because humans have a choice, they can choose wrongly.  We often do choose wrongly, does this mean that there is no God?  Just because your car breaks down does that mean that no one designed and built your car?  Certainly not.  Our bad choices are not evidence against God’s existence.

Atheist Argument: The Argument from Non-belief contests the existence of an omnipotent God who wants humans to believe in him by arguing that such a god would do a better job of gathering believers.

Response:  The Bible teaches that everyone receives the knowledge that God exists. God made it unavoidable that everyone knows of His existence. The Bible tells us that, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1 ESV). The handiwork that points to an incredibly intelligent source is apparent all around us. One would have to be willfully ignorant to attribute all the intricacies found in nature to random chance.  We see this reinforced in the biblical book of Romans, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20 ESV).

The Holy Spirit is even now touching the hearts of people so that they might realize their sinful condition, the inevitable coming judgment, and their need of a Savior.  Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:8-11 ESV). The Spirit works on the conscience of every individual; making it clear to each person that there is such a thing as sin, that we are responsible to a Creator, and that we will be judged someday. Contrary to the premise of this atheist argument, God has made it impossible NOT to know He exists.  However, He has given us each a choice whether to acknowledge Him or to reject Him.  Atheists may not believe in God, but, according to the Bible, they cannot say they never knew they should.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17 NASB).

Resources:

[1] http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/why-would-god-punish-finite-temporal-crimes-in-an-eternal-hell/