Ransomed

Moving Toward People | CCEF

2010-05-06T19:23:00.002-04:00

I love the heart of this article:

Moving Toward People CCEF

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No Need For Alarm

2010-04-15T22:40:00.005-04:00

A federal judge on Thursday struck down the federal statute that established the National Day of Prayer, ruling that it violates the constitutional ban on government-backed religion.. See article here.

How should Christians react? Should we invest efforts into fighting against this ruling? Some certainly will. However, I believe those who do may only be setting themselves up for a great disappointment since we were never promised by Christ that our government would be tolerant toward our faith.

Wayne Mack and Dave Swavely the authors of a book titled "Life in the Father's House" capture these same sentiments when they write, "The Church is the one institution God has promised to preserve throughout all time. It will always endure, and even succeed, regardless of the many assaults and catastrophes that threaten it."

They point out that Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18 that He would build His church and no power, even the gates of Hades would overpower it.

They continue, "Many Christians today are expending tremendous amounts of energy to stem the rising tide of secularism and moral relativism in America. Our culture has indeed become sadly post-Christian, and may become increasingly anti-Christian in the future. But the Bible never commands us to commit our greatest efforts to ensuring that the society we live in remains tolerant to Christianity. God may very well allow it to become like Nazi Germany or Communist Russia. If He does, that would not be 'the end of the world' for us believers, nor would it be a horrible blow to God's purposes. God's glorious plan of building His spiritual kingdom will go on undaunted, regardless of whether America retains its religious liberty."

Instead our fight should be one pleasing to the Lord. Let us continue to pursue the salvation of many through the teaching of the truth of the Gospel so that our great God and Savior may be praised. That is one endeavor in which our hope will never be shaken.

We Need To Talk

2010-04-12T20:02:00.003-04:00

We tweet, we text, we e-mail. Everybody's chatting, but is anybody listening? Why America needs to revive the vanishing art of conversation. I'm not big on reading AARP, but this article happened to catch my attention.
Read here. How sad it would be for true community to suffer because of our technology.

Along the same lines of technology causing distance here is a clip from my favorite "internetainers" Rhett and Link.

Weight

2010-03-29T10:34:00.003-04:00

B&H Video Contest: Is God Good?

2010-01-26T09:43:00.019-05:00

Here is one of the first entries in the video contest. You can keep up to date and vote here. So far this is my favorite, this student understands the heart of God.

Suffering

2010-01-23T20:48:00.004-05:00

I read a difficult book on suffering a couple of years ago. As I was reading this book I often had to set it down and process my thoughts and feelings. In the book the authors challenged my beliefs about God. For me it was an emotionally difficult book. John Piper and a handful of others wrote the book titled Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. And like most of Pipers resources you and read and download it for free here. I have posted a short segment of the book below to peak your interest.

"The impetus for this book comes from the ultimate reality of God as
the supreme value in and above the universe. God is absolute and
eternal and infinite. Everything else and everybody else is dependent and
finite and contingent. God himself is the great supreme value. Everything
else that has any value has it by connection to God. God is supreme in
all things. He has all authority, all power, all wisdom—and he is all good
“to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (Lam. 3:25).
And his name, as Creator and Redeemer and Ruler of all, is Jesus Christ.
In the last few years, 9/11, tsunamis, Katrina, and ten thousand personal
losses have helped us discover how little the American church is
rooted in this truth. David Wells, in his new book, Above All Earthly
Pow’rs: Christ in a Postmodern World, says it like this:
This moment of tragedy and evil [referring to 9/11] shone its own light
on the Church and what we came to see was not a happy sight. For
what has become conspicuous by its scarcity, and not least in the evangelical
corner of it, is a spiritual gravitas, one which could match the
depth of horrendous evil and address issues of such seriousness.
Evangelicalism, now much absorbed by the arts and tricks of marketing,
is simply not very serious anymore.
In other words, our vision of God in relation to evil and suffering was
shown to be frivolous. The church has not been spending its energy to
go deep with the unfathomable God of the Bible. Against the overwhelming
weight and seriousness of the Bible, much of the church is
choosing, at this very moment, to become more light and shallow and
entertainment-oriented, and therefore successful in its irrelevance to
massive suffering and evil. The popular God of fun-church is simply too
small and too affable to hold a hurricane in his hand. The biblical categories
of God’s sovereignty lie like land mines in the pages of the Bible
waiting for someone to seriously open the book. They don’t kill, but they
do explode trivial notions of the Almighty.
So my prayer for this book is that God would stand forth and
reassert his Creator-rights in our lives, and show us his crucified and
risen Son who has all authority in heaven and on earth, and waken in
us the strongest faith in the supremacy of Christ, and the deepest comforts
in suffering, and the sweetest fellowship with Jesus that we have
ever known.
The contributors to this volume have all suffered, some more visibly
than others. You don’t need to know the details. Suffice it to say that
none of them is dealing with a theoretical issue in this book. They live
in the world of pain and loss where you live. They are aware that some
people reading this book are dying. There are people who love those
who are dying; people who live with chronic pain; people who have just
lost one of the most precious persons in their life; people who do not
believe in the goodness of God—or in God at all—who count this book
their one last effort to see if the gospel is real. People who are about to
enter a time of suffering in their life for which they are totally unprepared.
These authors are not naïve about life or about who you are. We
are glad you are reading this book—all of you. And we pray that you
will never be the same again."

Does God Hate Haiti?

2010-01-18T09:07:00.004-05:00

Whenever a tragedy such as the earthquake in Port-au-Prince occurs so do the usual spiritual questions. Dr. R. Albert Mohler, theologian, minister, and president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary wrote an article worth reading. In his article he addresses the question "Does God hate Haiti?" He also lays out an appropriate Christian response in contrast to some unfortunate comments recently made by another prominent Christian teacher. Read it here!

Random Shootings, Fatal Accidents, and other Horrible things

2010-01-11T08:24:00.007-05:00

In light of the link to the video contest I posted last week I am eager to think about the goodness of God. I found an article in which Dr. R.C. Sproul, the founder and president of Ligonier Ministries and chancellor of Ligonier Academy, was asked, "Why does God let random shootings, fatal accidents, and other horrible things occur?" Here is his response:

"Since we believe that God is the author of this planet and is sovereign over it, it’s inevitable that we ask where he is when these terrible things take place. I think the Bible answers that over and over again from different angles and in different ways. We find our first answer, of course, in the book of Genesis, in which we’re told of the fall of humanity. God’s immediate response to the transgression of the human race against his rule and authority was to curse the earth and human life. Death and suffering entered the world as a direct result of sin. We see the concrete manifestation of this in the realm of nature, where thorns become part of the garden and human life is now characterized by the sweat of the brow and the pain that attends even the birth of a baby. This illustrates the fact that the world in which we live is a place that is full of sorrows and tragedy. But we must never conclude that there’s a one-to-one correlation in this life between suffering and the guilt of the people on whom tragedies fall. If there were no sin in the world, there would be no suffering. There would be no fatal accidents, no random shootings. Because sin is present in the world, suffering is present in the world, but it doesn’t always work out that if you have five pounds of guilt, you’re going to get five pounds of suffering. That’s the perception that the book of Job labors to dispel, as does Jesus’ answer to the question about the man born blind (John 9:1-11). On the other hand, the Bible makes it clear that God lets these things happen and in a certain sense ordains that they come to pass as part of the present situation that is under judgment. He has not removed death from this world. Whether it’s what we would consider an untimely death or a violent death, death is part of the nature of things. The only promise is that there will come a day when suffering will cease altogether. The disciples asked Jesus about similar instances—for example, the Galileans’ blood that was mingled with the sacrifices by Pilate or the eighteen people who were killed when a temple collapsed. The disciples asked how this could be. Jesus’ response was almost severe. He said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish,” again bringing the question back to the fact that moral wickedness makes it feasible for God to allow these kinds of dreadful things to take place in a fallen world."

By no means is his answer complete, but he brings up some important considerations, the fall of humanity into sin and its results on both man and nature, that suffering is not necessarily an indicator of guilt, and moral wickedness does deserve punishment. My plan is to explore this topic and share some of the teaching I come across. Hope it will be helpful.

2010-01-06T09:50:00.004-05:00

I am looking forward to these videos!

For more information click here.

Together

2010-01-05T08:59:00.014-05:00

In times of trouble The Lone Ranger had Tonto. Batman had Robin when he got himself into a jam. Superman had...well, he is Superman after all! And that is the point. We are not Superman. Why would we think in times of hurt, depression, anxiety, anger, fear, doubt, or any other human struggle we have what it takes to handle it alone? Truth be told Superman is only a comic book hero, and no amount of positive thinking will ever bring us close to being like him.

When Jesus began His ministry the first thing He did was build a community of 12 men. John MacArthur reminds us that even with the many character flaws of the Disciples, after living in community with each other, they carried on a ministry which not only influence us today, but which still impacts the world.

We were created by God to need each other and live in community with one another. we have been created in the image of our Triune God who is constantly living in community. The reason we do not enjoy the same is that sin has corrupted us, and any desire we have for community have become just that…OURS, revealing our selfishness as opposed to selflessness. We must draw our example from the redemptive nature of the trinity. “God is a redeeming God who does something utterly amazing to reconcile us to Himself and others” (Tripp/Lane). At the core of our faith we know that Jesus dying on the cross has put us right with God. When you dig deeper you begin to realize that the very community existing between the Father, Son, and Spirit was ripped in two as Jesus bore a bloody death so that we could have a chance to be put right with God, and once again rightly relate to our fellow brothers and sisters.

Meet the President

2010-01-02T21:04:00.007-05:00

For the past three years I have had the great privilege of studying at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary under the influence of its president, Dr. Akin. I never sat in his classroom or in his office for conversation, yet his leadership has greatly influenced me during my time in seminary.

If you asked me what I appreciate most about Dr. Akin it would be his challenge to the students to use everything given us to its fullest potential to bring God glory. This includes our minds. If you listen to him preach you will quickly hear his heart for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After sitting under his leadership I feel better equipped to engage a skeptical world with the Gospel.

When you come across godly men like Dr. Akin, you realize you have much to learn from them. I read an interview C.J. Mahaney recently had with Dr. Akin which gives us an opportunity to do that. In this interview Mahaney asks questions that get to the heart of Dr. Akin's character. I hope as you read the interview you will be challenged to improve areas in your own walk with God.

Learning Submission During Advent

2009-12-09T13:03:00.004-05:00

"Jesus' life began in a stable and ended on the cross between two criminals. His apostle Paul said he wanted to proclaim nothing but this crucified Christ. We, too, have nothing to hold on to execpt this Christ. We must ask ourselves again and again: Are we willing to go His way, from the stable to the cross? As disciples we are not promised comfortable and good times. Jesus says we must deny ourselves and suffer with Him and for Him. that is the only way to follow Him, but behind it all lies the glory of life, the glowing love of God, which is so much greater than our hearts and our lives."

J. Heinrich Arnold

Days of Silent Desperation

2009-10-24T15:34:00.016-04:00

I am experiencing one of those seasons of life when it seems I am up against an insurmountable wall. As I try to climb over it I keep losing my footing, and disappointment arrives just as I am expecting victory. In these days as I cry out to God, "Lord, I need you to come through for me," and disappointment arrives I relate to the words of Job "Behold, I go forward but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot behold him; when he acts on the left, I cannot perceive him; he turns on the right, I cannot see him. But he knows the way I take." (Job 23:8-10)

I have felt so tempted to express disappointment and anger while accusing God of withholding good from me. I realized this week that I was at a crossroads. I had a choice to act in direct inconsistency with every thing I claim to believe, allowing my frustrating circumstances to define me, and dictate my emotions, or I could walk in all I hold to be true. God loves me. Difficult times come and shape our character, but they do not destroy children of the King. I am a child of God, not by virtue or effort, but because of God's love, demonstrated by Christ and His death on the cross.

Some thoughts came to mind. First, when I stop and look I can recognize God providing for us during a difficult time. We have not been forgotten. Second, we have great examples of faith in the face of adversity. Some dear friends have become models of faith for our family. Recently they sent this e-mail describing their battle with cancer:

"The cancer has spread to her liver, and spleen in the form of numerous lesions and some more involvement with bones. MRI’s are scheduled a couple of weeks from now to assess the bone situation. This cancer (Thymoma) is slow growing and is not particularly responsive to chemo. At this time she is not planning any sort of treatment regimen. Although I am always caught off guard by news of the onset of these episodes, it is not for lack of God sending ample information to bolster us up. On the Thursday night just prior to getting this news, [WE] read something together entitled “Expectancy” in “Our Daily Bread”. It was written months ago to be read on October 1st. There is no doubt that it was to help prepare us for the news coming on the afternoon of October 2nd.

“With a handful of Cheerios, I tiptoed across the deck in my backyard trying to sneak up on the fish in the pond. Perhaps it was my shadow on the water … or maybe I wasn’t as sneaky as I thought. As I approached the railing, 15 enormous goldfish raced toward me, their large mouths frantically opening and closing in eager anticipation of an expected treat. So, why did the fish so furiously flap their fins? Because my mere presence set off a conditioned response in their tiny fish brains that told them I had something special to give them. If only we always had such a response to God and His desire to give us good gifts – a response based on our past experience with Him that flows from a deep-seated knowledge of His character. When we as God’s children are living in faith, we can have an exciting expectancy and a quiet confidence that God will give us exactly what we need, when we need it.” By Cindy Hess Kasper

Indeed, [OUR] experience of having received great and wonderful gifts from God have conditioned us to expect that He will use every one of our life experiences for His Glory and our good. We are expecting yet another miracle."

This is not the first e-mail we have received from them. Some have been soul crushing, some filled with the amazing, and all have been filled with trust while facing the impossible. How small my problems seem in comparison. How embarrassing to struggle with trust when situations are compared. I thank God for the example of my friends, and the hope they bring to my faith.

Caedmon’s Call sings a song that expresses what I am attempting to express. It is called "Always Been there"

We’ve all got our burdens
Our secrets and our shames,
We’ve all been discouraged
and watched love fall in flames,
and when we hit the bottom
of all that we can bear
When we need you...
You’re rising like the morning sun
A pillar in the night
You looked into the void
and called it light
You are faithfully providing
for the trouble that we share
When we need you you’ve always been there.

Whoa! How did I end up here?

2009-09-13T09:52:00.028-04:00

Senior year in High School I remember the push to define what we wanted to do with our lives. the road I've traveled since then has been much different than I had pictured. I find it helpful at times to inventory and ponder the road that led me where I am. For that purpose I write this post.

The first influences in my life were my parents. Early in life I was taught to believe in God from my mother who is a devout Roman Catholic, as her parents are, and as theirs were as well. It was a passing down of faith, and my mother promised the church to do her part seeing that her children would be raised in the Catholic Church. She kept that promise despite my father and his lack of religion devotion. I choose the word religion because I would never accuse my father of not having faith. During my childhood he was not a regular church attendee. If I understand the situation correctly his issues revolved around a poor example of church discipline in a small Baptist Church which lead him to cast off religious expectation excluding the cultural ones involving Christmas and Easter attendance. My father never fought against our mother’s attempt to raise us in the church. I never remember him denying God's existence, or arguing with my mother about religion. In fact he even paid for our attendance at a private Catholic school (Asheville Catholic) for the first few years of our education.

I can identify a consistent belief in God that can be traced back to my early days in school. I remember having a discussion (as much as one can have) at lunch with my friends in the second grade. We were discussing the theology of angels, although at that time we didn' t know that. Gulping down our chocolate milk we were pondering if it was true that Satan was an angel. I also remember being fascinated by the priest and his role in the mass. My school attended mass weekly and I remember once being sent to the principals office for mimicking the priests actions as he blessed the Eucharist. My reprimand ensured one future career option was closed.

After the birth of my first sister we started attending public school at Haw Creek Elementary. When my father spoke to us about this transition, I wanted him to think I was brave and did not mind the change. However, I was nervous. Anyone who knew me back then would probably describe me as extremely shy. Already at a young age I was dealing with an obstacle called the fear of man. It was during my sixth to tenth grade years when I was taught this was a problem of self-esteem. today I properly understand it to be a problem of pride. It was not so much that I disliked myself, in fact I loved myself! If anything I loved myself too much. Because of this self-love I was overly concerned about the opinions of others around me. I felt as if I was in a mild depression at times, but I guess it could have been hormones. I never experienced thoughts of harming myself, but I had thoughts of escaping. Escaping what? I don't really know, I was a teenager with all the drama that entails.

During the later years of high school I was able to level out these emotions as I found confidence in extra-curricular activities and improved grades. During my senior year of High School I began to question the practices of the Catholic church. I could not find the answers I was looking for and stopped attending Sunday School as I felt it did little to help me in my search. Mom gave me a copy of the Catholic Catechism to help answer my questions. this book gave a detailed explanation of what the church believed without any support or proof for their position. I was confused, and wanted to quit attending mass. My mother requested I continue attending, and I did until my sophomore year of college.

My parents having never gone to college pushed the idea to the point of convincing me that was the only choice after high school. This push toward college, my crisis of faith, and my fear of man combined for a powerful life change during my college years.

For various reasons I had trouble transitioning to college. For the first time of my life I was away from family, friends, and in some respect felt faithless. This period of my life was extremely difficult. I wanted to drop out and return home. On the advice of my parents I stuck the transition out. The next year I met a man who made a profound impact on my life. His name was John Russell. In my first conversation with him he explained the gospel to me. I understood for the first time in my life why Jesus died on the cross, that I could be completely forgiven of my sins, and enter into a loving relationship with God not based upon my religious efforts but on the sacrifice of Jesus alone. At first I was skeptical. Why had no one ever showed me this in the bible before? Later I reviewed all John had told me, a light bulb came on. My questions were beginning to be answered.

John discipled me in my faith, and I grew. He introduced me to other Christians who were involved in a campus group called Campus Crusade for Christ. I became more involved and joined the leadership of this group. I was trained in telling others the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in how to lead a small group bible study. I felt that with the help of leaders in my life like John the Lord had helped me fight against sin like the fear of man. I was certain the Lord wanted me to pursue ministry after college. My mind was set on joining staff with Campus Crusade for Christ.

I graduated Appalachian State University in December of 1998. Joanna and I were married in May 1999. We pursued joining staff, but faced roadblocks. We trusted God to bring us into ministry at the proper time. With that mindset we set about establishing ourselves as a couple, and beginning our new life together. We bought a small 3 bedroom house. We were happy, and busy enjoying life. In 2001 we were presented with an opportunity to travel to Burma with Joanna’s father. Just as John Russell sharing the gospel with me had done in college, this trip changed the course of my life. I was only able to stay one week overseas but I quickly realized after arriving back in America that my life was making little difference for God in a world so filled with hurting, suffering, and poverty. Joanna and I gained a renewed passion for ministry and started to look for a way to be involved in advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

By July of that same year we had sold our house, resigned from our jobs, and secured employment with an organization who sends Christian school teacher to Asia to minister spiritually, while at the same time teaching ESL (English as a second language). For the next four years we spent most of our time in China ministering and teaching. Our daughter Savannah was born in 2004 and lived with us in China for the next year and a half. It was around this time that I began to minister to a young Chinese man named Jim.

Jim was a difficult person from the moment I met him. He acted out of character for a Chinese college student. Jim’s personality irritated his classmates, and to be honest me. He was reserved with them and found it difficult to develop friendships. Perhaps because of his inability to relate well with his classmates Jim started to take an unhealthy interest in one of the foreign teachers on my team. He decided that he had fallen in love with my teammate. Of course the feelings were not returned, and although Jim was crushed he vowed never to give up his love. I had to confront Jim on the inappropriateness of the situation. During that confrontation, Jim rebuffed my rebuke. In a firm and direct manner I told Jim that as his teacher and her team leader I had the right to restrict his access to my team member. This confrontation built a level of trust between Jim and me. Over the course of the next few months Jim shared with me a secret that changed our relationship from student and teacher to friend and brother.

For some time Jim had been struggling with depression and contemplating the idea of suicide. He also was hearing voices. I was the only person he had trusted with this information. He refused to tell his father or any Chinese professors for fear of disappointing them and being forced to leave school. God had placed me in a difficult position. Nothing challenged my faith more during that time in China. I felt inadequate to handle the situation. This was not my area of expertise. I had no psychological training to deal with this situation. I turned to prayer and Godly advice. One thing became certain to me, I may not know how to deal with Jim on a psychological level, but I could deal with him on a theological level. I gave Jim what I had. I offered him a relationship with Jesus. Jim accepted Christ as his savior. Eventually through some time with me in discipleship and through relationships built with other Chinese believers in a Bible study Jim made progress, amazing progress. Jim is the main reason I decided to seek training as a biblical counselor. As I think about what a theory of counseling should entail I remember that time. The sanctifying work of Jesus Christ on the cross took away the fear of not knowing how to handle Jim’s depression, and for Jim it proved that Jesus is the solution in our darkest hours.

My family moved back to the states in 2006 so I could pursue my MA in Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We are now at the end of that journey. Our son Matthias was born in January 2009, and I officially graduate in December. As I think about what is next for us I realize what is more important are the convictions we have embraced during this journey. Our convictions will shape how we attempt to serve Jesus with our lives. Looking back one truth I have come to embrace over this journey is that a man may plan his steps, but the Lord directs his path.

Coveting Luke's Faith

2009-08-22T19:33:00.012-04:00

I Just wanted to share this article from the New York Times posted Saturday, August 22, 2009 written by Dana Tierney. Click here.

Coverting to Buddhism

2009-08-06T11:23:00.018-04:00

Recently I have experienced challenges to my Christianity which have caused me to think about faith in new and deeper ways. these challenges have raised questions for me such as, "What would it take to convert me to Buddhism?" and "What would the consequences of such a choice mean for me?"

I was raised in church, but I've only been a Christian for 13 years. In that time I've had opportunities to explore my faith and question it in ways some Christians don't out of fear of judgement. Because of this I feel able to say I am a follower of Jesus Christ who doesn't practice a blind faith. While I don't have answers to every question regarding faith, in my experience I have found satisfying answers for numerous questions people raise concerning Christianity. So what would it take for someone like me, who is convinced of his beliefs, to convert to Buddhism?

Imagine I have a co-worker who is Buddhist. He is a good man in many respects. He is always conscientious and kind. He takes extra time to help other workers when their productivity is falling behind. He is humorous and fun to be around. We become friends. I begin to talk to him about deeper things. One day, he says he wants to share something with me. He reaches into his pocket and pulls a small book. He says, "Humanity has done many bad things and has brought bad karma upon itself, therefore our existence is in danger. Following the Buddha's teachings is the only way to go to Nirvana and avoid the pain of being something lower in the next life. We must each follow the Buddha's plan so that we can reach Nirvana." He shares some of Buddha's teachings. After twenty minutes of explanation he tells me his personal story. He was an addict and bad to his family but finding Buddhism had changed his life and given him self-control and peace for the first time. After meeting with him he asks if I am ready to become Buddhist.

If that actually happened, and I converted to Buddhism what would it cost me? My career path? Peace with my friends and family? Even if my friend was nice and I liked him, every reason for converting to Buddhism would be subjective. (His personal testimony and religious doctrines are both subjective). If I had some problems that he could solve for me or if I were lonely perhaps I might convert based on the strength of my respect for him but if he disappointed me, I might turn from Buddhism and return to my former ways. None of these reasons would be good enough to become Buddhist. If however, he could give me logical evidence from history, science, mathematics, archeology, and logic that Buddha was real, Buddhism was true and Christianity was false I would, since I love truth and want to know and follow it, be willing to believe even if it cost me everything.

this is also how I thought about winning a convert to Christianity, but I was forgetting one important teaching. Jesus said it is hard to believe, that men love the darkness more than the light, that following Him will cost you greatly in this life. If that were not enough He promised that Christians will face persecutions and sufferings in this world. Few will find what Jesus calls "the narrow road", but those who do are heirs to glorious promises, some of which will not be fulfilled until heaven. Many people are unwilling to endure hardship for a future reward. It is difficult to willingly accept hardship or persecution. In fact apart from the grace of God's Holy Spirit drawing men no one would become a Christian. While a strong defense of the faith is important, a great personal story of change is good, and the evidence of a changed life is helpful, apart from God's Holy Spirit drawing people, none would become a true follower of Jesus.

this is a truth that has been difficult for me. Because of my experience I often feel responsible to say the right things in an effort to convince someone to believe. I desire to be an agent of change in peoples lives. My struggle proves to be fruitless, except that God is showing me I have no power to build the church. Christ himself builds the church. I need to get out of His way and let Him work. If he chooses to use me, then praise His holy name.

2009-06-17T12:56:00.021-04:00

Joanna and I found an interesting story in the PARADE magazine insert of the Sunday paper. It was featuring the young actor Shia LaBeouf.
See article: http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/celebrity/2009/06/shia-labeouf-mixed-up-life.html_71192264.html)

For his age he has been incredibly successful and has already made millions of dollars working with some of Hollywood's biggest names. At 23 and on top of the world this young man confesses his insecurities,

"I know I’m one of the luckiest dudes in America right now,” LaBeouf says. “I have a great house. My parents don’t have to work. I’ve got money. I’m famous. But it could all change, man. It could go away. You never know."

Parade writes, "When LaBeouf is feeling insecure, he sometimes stops his bike on the side of a busy road to see if people passing by recognize him. He is scared that they won’t. " Shia adds,

"Actors live dependent on being validated by other people’s opinions."

This insecurity is masking a form of pride with which we all can struggle. We love ourselves and want to be loved by others to such an extent it begins controlling our actions. How interesting that Shia has everything Americans seem to desire including fame, fortune, popularity, youth, and an exciting career, and yet he is still insecure. Wait a second, aren't these very things (fame, fortune, popularity, youth, etc.) what we desire as solutions to our problems? If only I had a better job...If only I was rich...if only.... But Shia has all these and he is still fearful.

"Sometimes I feel I’m living a meaningless life,” Shia LaBeouf says, “and I get frightened.”

Is it possible that even after obtaining all that life has to offer a person could still live a meaningless life? Shia LaBeouf isn't the only one who thinks so. Jesus said, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26)

"I don’t handle fame well,” LaBeouf says. “Most actors on most days don’t think they’re worthy. I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew, I’d fill it, and I’d be on my way.”

According to worldly standards Shia has everything! No wonder he doesn't know how to fill it. None of what he has accomplished or obtained has filled it, and again, he has everything. How interesting that he recognizes what is missing as a God-sized hole. Incidentally, we all have a hole similar to his. It comes from a broken relationship with God, and no amount of worldly stuff or effort on our part can ever fill such a hole. Shia could buy any item, act in any film, date any woman, use any drug, and the hole would remain. It's a God-sized hole and only God can fill it.

Jesus said to another rich young man years ago who also wanted to fill that hole, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me" (Luke 18:22). This young man went away sad. Jesus was not saying he could buy his way into heaven, he was identifying how the things of the world were keeping him from coming, following, and obtaining what truly matters, eternal life.

Shia is ready for the Gospel. Are you? It is the only way to fill the hole. Understand, all people have sinned, (Rom 3:23) thereby creating the hole. The penalty for sin is death (eternal separation from the one who can fill the hole) (Rom. 6:23). Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom. 5:8). He is the one who can restore you with the God the Father.

Jesus calls us,"come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...and you will find rest for your souls." (Matt. 11:28-30).

"Jesus Christ is a Savior who is now alive in heaven, and each [person] should think of Jesus as speaking directly to him or her, saying 'Come to me...and I will give you rest'. This is a genuine personal invitation that seeks a personal response from each one who hears it." --Wayne Grudem

How will you respond?

Consistency

2009-06-15T23:24:00.006-04:00

What is it about human nature that causes us to react in ways contrary to our core beliefs? I have no problem believing the chair I am sitting in will hold me up, because its designed to hold me. It always acts in consistency with what it was designed to do.
I watch ants sometimes with my daughter. You never see a renegade ant. There is never an ant doing something other than you would expect. They always act in consistency with what they are created for.
But humans are different. Humans though created in His image are unlike God. they do not act in consistency with who they are. God does. While his actions at times may surprise us, when they are considered according to his word, and his character, they are always proved right and just. Shouldn't humans created in his image be the same? We would expect this to be true. We do act differently though. We are prone to error. Why is it? Leslie Vernick a licensed clinical social worker has this to say about human nature,

“Our beliefs, whether they be religious or otherwise, form the interpretive lens through which we view all incoming information. This lens colors the data in a way that reinforces our beliefs, and it forms the foundation for why we tend to think a particular way about a situation.”

This is what we should naturally expect to find, however for humans its not always true. We do not always act according to what we believe, or with who we say we are. Why not?
To answer this question we need to get down to the core of our humanness. What is the truest thing about us? Vernick continues her thoughts,

“We don’t always think according to what we profess to believe…instead, we think according to what we really believe, deep down in our hearts, regardless of whether those beliefs align with the truth set forth in God’s Word. For example, on a rudimentary level, all humans believe that we don’t need God and can make life work on our own (This belief is our prideful, sinful nature). As Christians of course, our interpretive lens of life should come out of our relationship with God and his Word. He seeks to transform us and renew our thoughts so we can interpret things truthfully, as he would have us to.”

What do I glean from Vernick? We are created in God’s image, but fallen, sinful creatures. That is why we instead of acting according to what we profess to believe, we act out of our sinful hearts. This is the core of who we are.
Christians must live with a tension of “Now, but not yet”. We are saved from sin, and in one respect free from the bondage of sin, however we are not free from sinning. In our weakened, fallen state we still struggle. This is why we do not walk in consistency with who we are.

I struggled with this as I met a fearful Christian woman at the hospital last semester. this woman has congestive heart failure. She was afraid and could not sleep. Afraid of dying. But should Christians be afraid of dying? Could that be a sinful fear?
If I visit the woman with congestive heart failure and she claims to believe the promises of Christ, (namely eternal life, no more suffering, new body etc.) why would she worry about death. If she really believed this teaching at her core why would stepping into eternity be frightening? It should not be, but it is. This is why I believe our fear can be sinful. Fear can control us and cause us to act based on emotion and not on truth. We should not fear, but we do because we are fallen, sinful creatures. God understands this and is patient with our sin. He has gone to great lengths to forgive us of our sin. there is much grace for us found at the foot of the cross.

May we walk consistently with what we claim to believe, so that God will receive glory when others see His presence in us.

DRAWING NEAR

2009-03-20T20:49:00.018-04:00

Philippians 4:4-9

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians%204:4-9;&version=49

Paul is encouraging the Philippian Christians to act as ones who know they are Children of the King. These followers are to rejoice in the Lord at all times, and to let their gentle spirit be known because the Lord is near.

Because the Lord is near they are to lay down their anxiety, and to let the Lord know their concerns about all things. When they do this Paul teaches that Gods peace will guard their hearts and minds. This peace comes through practice (v.9) as the Lord draws near.

I see so much of God "Our Heavenly Father" in this, and it reminds me of a goal Joanna and I have in parenting our children. We desire to cultivate an environment in our home now that will result in good communication with our kids later. This is difficult for me. I'm an introvert. At times I find communicating exhausting. My daughter, Savannah, seems to thrive on the energy she gets from social interaction, and she is only 4 years old!

Just as God knows we face anxiety, fear and concern about many things, I also know Savannah faces these. And as God draws near to me desiring me to talk about my life concerns, I desire to draw near to my daughter so she knows me, and is comfortable talking to me about her concerns.

At her age the communication is more important than what we talk about. This is true of us and God. Paul teaches in verse 6 "...in everything...let your requests be known." God desires us to bring our concerns in conversation before Him. We are free to talk about any of them, what we talk about is less significant than the drawing near.

Because I understand Paul encourages the Philippians to practice this, I also want to help Savannah practice how to have effective and proper conversation. Recently our son, Matthias, was born. As you can imagine things around our home are a bit crazy! I have been wondering about Savannah's heart during this transition, so when I had the opportunity to talk to her alone while riding in the car I took advantage of it:

Me: Do you want to talk?

S: About what Daddy?

Me: I just want to say that I love you, and had a good time with you.

S: Is that what you want to talk about Daddy?

Me: Yes. I hope you will always talk to me and Mommy.

S: About what Daddy?

Me: Everything. How you feel, if you are happy or sad...

S: Daddy. Sometimes when you and Mommy take care of Matthias I feel sad.

Me: What does sad feel like to you?

S: I feel like there is nobody to take care of me.

And there was the fruit...

Now, because I know what Savannah is feeling I can properly minister grace into her situation, bringing peace to her heart, helping her think upon what is good, lovely, and worthy of praise.

Robert Wolgemuth wrote,

"The ability of you and your daughter to effectively exchange words, and the feelings they're usually connected to, will provide the bridge between you that will last the rest of your life."

While I freely admit I desire that nearness to last the rest of my life, I have a far greater desire for that bridge to extend back into the arms of Christ. As I look toward models for fathering I can think of no better example than God the Father. So in my sinful attempt to model His drawing near to us I hope to point my children beyond myself and toward the cross of Christ, which is the greatest example in history of God drawing near to His children, granting peace through the riches of salvation.

James 4:10 "Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."

Psalm 145:18 "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him."

Hebrews 4:16 "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Crisis in Mark 4

2009-03-04T15:13:00.012-05:00

See Mark 4:35-41

Jesus had finished His teaching. His disciples set out the boats to cross the sea. This was not the first time Jesus finished His teaching by rowing out into the sea with His disciples. However, according to 4:37 this was not going to be a peaceful boat ride. Mark records that there was heavy wind, high waves and the danger of the boat sinking. So how strong can we surmise this storm was? These seaworthy fishermen were accustomed to storms on the Sea of Galilee and this one must have been fierce for them to fear for their lives. Although the text does not describe the disciples as being afraid in this moment we know they are as they question a sleeping Jesus in verse 38 “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

The “we” suggests that Jesus also was in danger. Almost as if they were suggesting that if you are going to act nonchalant about us dying, at least you should be concerned for yourself. They never expected Jesus to calm the storm. If the “we are perishing” included Jesus then they were not seeking His help. The disciples question was out of fear and disbelief that Jesus would be acting in such an indifferent manner toward the danger. The disciples were focused on the reality of the moment, the real possibility that they might die. They had not learned to trust in the greater reality of their God who is always in control of the ultimate outcome. Herein lies the crisis. The disciples thought that they were going to die, and that Jesus did not care. Fear increased by a lack of ability to control their situation turned into acting out of fear instead of out of faith. Panicked because they were at the end of their expertise on how to handle a weather related crisis at sea, and finding themselves in danger, called out to Jesus in v.38, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus assesses, and handles the immediate crisis. He knew before they began the trip across the sea that His disciples were dealing with a much more serious crisis. Their faith was weak. There is evidence in verse 37 That Jesus suggested the boat trip, and then promptly went to sleep. Jesus had a plan to challenge and stretch his disciples. He wanted His disciples to know that they could rest at peace in the midst of the storm because He was with them.

Jesus deals with the question of identity. He wants His disciples to recognize His authority over creation, and His authority over life’s situations, both of which prove His deity, leading to proper worship. In verse 39, with a rebuke, the wind and waves stop. The rage of a storm which caused crisis in the moment for some experienced fishermen became a perfect calm, and began a heart crisis in the lives of those men. Jesus rebukes them in verse 40, “Why are you still afraid?” Moreover, he recognizes their problem, “Do you still have no faith?” These words should be taken more as a statement than a question, “You still have no faith.” The disciples had heard the authority of Christ’s teachings, they had witnessed His miracles, and they still had no faith.

In verse 39 Jesus displayed his power over creation drawing the disciples attention to the fact that He is the very creator Himself. This act led to another sort of fear in the disciple’s hearts. In verse 41 it says they became very afraid, and questioned who Jesus was. The sudden storm and sudden stillness caused brain overload. They were in fearful awe of the One who possessed authority to rebuke both the waves and themselves. Jesus resolved a moment of crisis by showing the disciples the power, authority, and sovereignty of God. They were beginning to understand who Jesus truly was. He drew the disciples into a moment of true worship.

As humans who struggle with fear and anxiety we can relate to the crisis facing the disciples. Many times in our lives situations arise that are just as overwhelming and powerful as any raging storm upon the sea. We feel our boat being pounded by the waves, the water and our fears are rising, we feel helpless. The situation, and often times our God, teach us that we are not in control.

In Mark’s narrative it was Jesus who led the disciples into the storm, he knew what they would be facing. His purpose was to teach them to trust in Him, to teach them that even with all their experience as fishermen they cannot control the storm. This is true in our lives; we cannot handle every difficult situation we face. Sometimes we are humbled, and cowering in the corner. Jesus led His disciples into the storm, and all Hell broke loose. Perhaps we need to admit that following God is not always safe. Think about Joseph, Daniel, Elijah, Stephen, and even Jesus. Although the situations God allowed them to face were far from safe His grace was ever sufficient for the moment of trial.

What happened next? The disciples in Marks narrative were facing real danger, and they found Jesus asleep. We can relate to this too. Why are you sleeping Lord? Where are you? How long Oh Lord? We ask these questions in the midst of life’s crises. We look to the reality of the situation and fail to look to God. What we need in that moment is a reminder of who God is.

Jesus responds to the disciples question by rebuking the wind and the waves. They obeyed Him. This moment might be the greatest demonstration of the deity of Christ in all of scripture, creation obeying its creator. Next Jesus questions the disciples. Jesus’ questions to the disciples are rhetorical. They reveal the reason he lead them into the storm to begin with, and they speak to our storms today.

The point is not that Jesus will calm your every storm, but that He is in charge, and that He cares. When the Lord tests us it hurts. Our fear rises and our faith diminishes. Jesus knows this and questions, “Why are you afraid? Don’t you trust me?” He recognizes fear and desires to turn it into worship. This is what takes place in verse 41. God leads us through trial so we might perceive His holiness, and our hearts turn to worship as we recognize that He is good. The result is a loss of physical fear. We put off our fear and put on Christ. Why would we fear when we have Christ?

To appreciate that statement you need a proper understanding of who Christ is. This is what Jesus accomplished in the lives of the disciples that day. They understood what Paul teaches in Colossians 1:15-17, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Because of this the disciples stood in awe of Jesus that day. The hidden had been revealed, and they stood in a state of worship.

This narrative is another example of the benefits of the Gospel. Christians must realize that in the area of emotions we are still in great need of Jesus Christ and His grace in our lives. While our emotions are good, they too are tainted by sin. They tend to mislead us, or spiral out of control. This is the moment when a difficult situation becomes a crisis. What can we do in the midst of such a circumstance? Remember the Gospel. The Bible is full of reminders for the Christian in crisis. For example 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 reads “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” This reality is greater than the reality of our circumstances. Christ wants to walk with us through difficultly to the point that we recognize and live out this truth.

The outpouring of the lesson the disciples learned that day is the hope we find written in our scriptures. Peter writes “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”(1:6-7). God does allow times of trial. Sometimes He leads us into them, but His purpose is to teach us about His true nature, and to increase our faith.

IS ADDICTION THE MODERN WORD FOR SIN?

2009-02-27T13:12:00.003-05:00

Addiction is an area I am wrestling to understand as a Christian. It is an area I am continuing to encounter as I minster in the hospital. These are some thoughts I am working through as I continue to research and study this horrible truth touching the life of so many in our society. I understand that there are those who struggle with various addictions. But I am confused about how some understand this problem. Among the Christians I know there are some who believe and teach addictions to be a disease.

My concern and fear is that the disease model has created a victimized view of recovery. Let me try to unpack my concern. It begins with the notion that Alcoholism for example, is a disease. This leads me to ask several questions. First, what type of disease? Certainly not a disease like cancer, otherwise it would mean that before the alcoholic takes his first drink he is an alcoholic. Cancer is not necessarily caused by something we do, it can just come upon us.

Second, how does one become an alcoholic? I would naturally think this happens by drinking too much alcohol and developing a sinful habit. The option that has been presented here is that it’s a disease. But does alcoholism just come upon us, or is it the result of poor choice? If it is the result of poor choice I would argue that it’s not a disease, it’s a sin.

Again, I am not arguing if addiction exists, I am wondering if we have not just replaced the word sin with the word addiction. The bible is clear that addiction exists, John 8:34 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” There is something in our nature that enslaves us to bad habits. Sin becomes sticky and in our fallen nature we tend to cling to it. Sounds like an addiction. Pornography sticks in our head, feels good to look at, gives a sense of control, so we view it again, leading to a habit of sin. Sounds like addiction.

You may argue that I am talking semantics. But I think much more is at stake than just definitions. This is a struggle for authority, and adequacy. Those who tend to believe that alcoholism is a disease live with a victim mentality. What is wrong with that? If you are a victim then you are not responsible. A husband drinks heavy every Saturday night, comes home and beats his wife, is verbally abusive to his children. The next day he sobers up and says to the family, “I am not responsible for my drinking, I have to drink. I can not stop because it is a disease, I am a victim.” In this situation if alcoholism was like cancer I guess he would be a victim, but it’s not like cancer. Why? Because the poison does not enter the body until he chooses to drink. If we say someone is predisposed to drink does it mean they have no control over their hand picking up a beer and pouring it into their mouth. THAT MAKES NO SENSE! I believe we call alcoholism a disease, and call alcoholics victims because we are trying to make sense of sin in a culture that has shed the word of God as authority. If addiction is a sin then the word God is adequate to speak to the problem, it has authority. Instead of believing God’s word, we replace it with teaching that our itching ears long to hear, and replace God with psychologist.

I would purpose that the problem with the word disease is that it sounds like something you catch, like a virus, rather than something you choose to do. I would also purpose that every “addiction” is 100% curable if the addict is willing to take responsibility for his or her actions. But recovery will never take place unless “the addict” takes responsibility for his or her choices. By calling addictions diseases, we risk conveying that the addict is not responsible for the addiction" and the consequences of the addiction. “Addiction” is a choice.

My questions in this area are as follows, maybe you can help me by sharing you opinion as I continue my research.

1. When does an alcoholic become an alcoholic?
2. If Addiction is a disease why can recovery be achieved through talk therapy?
3. Why does every sin in the Bible have a corresponding addiction label in the world?
4. As Christians why do we believe Christ can save us from the fires of hell, but that he cannot deliverer us from “addiction”?
5. Is this thinking not revealing a lack of faith in God?

Authority

2009-01-20T16:05:00.005-05:00

This post is long, I had a lot on my mind:

I have theological beliefs at the core of who I am. Beliefs that explain who I am, the things I do, and why I do them. The begin with the fact that God exists and has revealed Himself to us. The revelation of God is important to us as humans. Had God not revealed Himself to us the we could not know Him, or talk about Him. I believe God has revealed Himself in two ways, through creation and through His word, The Bible. This really gets to the heart of what is on my mind. Because God has revealed himself through His word it is important that we give His word proper respect. I believe in the inerrancy of scripture. For a Christian that is the appropriate view of scripture. A view that has been fought for and defended throughout the ages.
The term inerrancy literally means “correct, containing no mistakes”. It can go as far as to mean incapable of making a mistake. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, provides an understanding of inerrancy which includes the fact that God inspired scripture with the purpose of revealing Himself. The statement says that the Bible is infallible, divine authority in all matters on which it speaks. The writers of this document believed the Holy Spirit to be the author and authenticator of scripture by His inward witness and ability to help humanity understand God’s word. Therefore, the statement says that the Bible as given by God contains no error in its teaching.
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy points out it is God’s authority at stake in the argument of inerrancy. Without a commitment to the Bible’s authority grounded in God Himself, a view of Biblical inerrancy means little. The Chicago statement says that the authority of scripture is impaired if total divine inerrancy is in any way limited or ignored.
Because of the belief of the early church that scripture was true and authoritative, they held fast to the truth of John 16:13 which teaches that the Holy Spirit is a spirit of truth revealing what the Father wills. The Apostles believed this, and were faithful to their responsibility of handing down the teachings of Christ, holding to a firm belief in the authority of scripture. Their devotion to preserving the authority of scripture helped the early church stand strong against the lies of Gnosticism. The same is true for the Christians that gathered in Chicago and wrote The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. They saw it as their responsibility to take a firm stand on inerrancy to protect the authority of the Bible from Christians who were becoming more liberal in their views, and a world that was increasingly skeptical of the Holy Scripture. This is why it is important for evangelical Christians to hold to a doctrine of inerrancy today. The Church has faced many challenges to authority in the past and their steadfast belief in the authority of scripture has helped them maintain a pure devotion to God.
The constant attack on the reliability of scripture does not end. Groups such as The Jesus Seminar, theological debates over homosexuality, best selling books such as The Da Vinci Code, and misguided assumptions concerning archaeological finds are all attempting to discredit the authority of scripture. The Christians of the first century found it important to stand firm on the doctrine of inerrancy. So must we. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, scripture brings correction and reproof. This leads a Christian to repent and worship his God. Biblical authority provides ground for Christians to speak into society’s problems such as broken families, depression, and evil. Christians must take the example provided by The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and once again renew their commitment to upholding the authority of scripture in hopes of reaching this lost generation.
All of this to say I become greatly frustrated when God’s word is abused, maligned, or overlooked. One personal area of interest to me where this happens is in the field of counseling. People with the best of intentions overlook the possibility of using scripture practically in healing the hurting soul. Rather than turn to the expertise of God who created emotional beings, they will turn to the so called experts, men like Freud, Rogers or Skinner who do not know God, or respect His word. There is a possibility of discovering truth in creation apart from full knowledge of God, but man’s worldview taints his interpretations of that truth apart from the interpretive lens of special revelation. This is why some observations of secular psychologists appear to be correct biblically. That is also why it is dangerous to integrate biblical counseling with secular counseling.
For example Freud believed our problems arise because of unconscious motivations that drive us to action using irrational forces. According to Freud, we do not have choice because human nature is deterministic. We have a life instinct pushing us toward survival, a libido that energizes us to do what we do. His view is biological. He believes what is wrong with man is fear and anxiety, namely the inability to trust, express anger, and recognize ones sexuality. His ultimate goal is to have pleasure, lesson anxiety and pain, and to avoid tension. Freud made some good observations; man does have a problem with fear and anxiety. Psalm 139:23-24 shows that God understands the anxious thoughts of man. God searches man’s heart to find any hurtful ways therein. Man does show the inability to trust and to express anger properly. Paul commands the Ephesians to be angry and sin not in Ephesians 4:24. Man does constantly seek to uphold self-interest in areas like pleasure and survival. In James 1:14-15, self-interests or lusts carry away and tempt men to sin. James says this eventually leads to death. Every area of man is depraved. Consider the alcoholic who following his pleasure dies from liver disease. Consider the lover of food who overeats leading to various health problems. Consider the workaholic who at the expenses of his family relationships works long into the nights. James is right that following our personal lusts result in negative consequences, possibly even death. While Freud’s observations concerning man’s struggle are correct, he is blind as to the cause. In Romans 3:23, Paul teaches that all men are sinful and separated from God. This is the problem with mankind. Men and women have been created to enjoy God’s presence in a dependent relationship expressed through worship and obedience. There was a choice on man’s part to disobey God and go a separate way resulting in the unhealthy conditions mentioned above. This choice was not the result of some irrational force; instead, it was initiated by an influential being. This being is known as the tempter, Satan or the Devil, who as it reads in 2 Corinthians 11:14 “masquerades as an angel of light,” who has servants who also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness in efforts to fool humanity into sin and ultimately separation from its creator. Jesus Christ says of Satan in John 8:44 that he was a liar from the beginning. That is in fact what we witness in the testimony of scripture as Satan disguises himself as a serpent and tempts Eve to disobey. When Adam and Eve made the choice to listen to the lies of Satan instead of the truth of God they at once stopped worshiping their creator through obedience and began worshiping themselves. Meaning, they looked first to their own needs and desires, not trusting God to know what was best for them even though it was God’s responsibility in the relationship to provide and care for his creation. God had given man great freedom, and man chose to use it to disobey God’s command. This placed man into a state of unholiness, separating him from his Holy creator, and bringing judgment from God. In judgment, God pronounced a curse. Before the fall there was a command to worship and obey God through work in the garden. Man and woman enjoyed Gods fellowship and found pleasure in serving and knowing Him. Now there is still work, but it has become toil outside of the presence and joy of God. Meaning has been lost. Shame, fear, discouragement, blame, and hardship all enter the lives of men and women in Genesis 3. God sent humanity out of his presence because of their disobedience. These conditions of hardship point to the absence of God’s relationship in man’s life.
Jesus Christ is the solution to man’s problems. Paul teaches in Romans 5:1 that because of Jesus’ willingness to be killed for our sins and raised from the dead for our justification we can now have peace with God. He continues in Romans 5:6 teaching that Jesus died for the ungodly while they were still in sin. He writes that God proved his love for his creation in this manner, the death of his son so that we might be reconciled in a perfect relationship with Him again. Through the redeeming work of Jesus, the psychological problems noted by many secular psychologists that plague man because of the separation sin caused become correctable. Paul continues in Romans 5:12 teaching that just as one sin of one man condemned all men, so one act of righteousness through Jesus can give life to all men. Jesus did not die to cure our psychological problems. Jesus died to save us from sin. The results of a restored relationship through the blood of the cross give the benefit of an unwavering joy. Christians are passing through a process known as sanctification in which they form into the image of Christ. While this process takes place, Christians must continue to deal with a conflict between two natures. Paul calls this a spiritual battle between the flesh and the law in Romans 7. The law is good and reflects the holiness of God. The law has been written on the heart of every man, woman, and child. In Jeremiah 31:33, God speaks of a new covenant with the house of Israel. One in which he will put his law on their hearts. Paul speaks of this in Romans 7:22 when he writes that the law is found in the inner man. This law, sometimes called our conscience, gives mankind its sense of morality. Because it comes from God, the law is spiritual in nature, and at war with our inner nature or propensity to sin. Paul describes in Romans 7:15-18 how his sin nature fights against the law. He finds himself acting in ways he does not want to act. He does what he hates. Because of the spiritual law Paul knows his actions are wrong, but his flesh desires them. Paul concludes in verse 24 that he is a wretched man without hope, and only Jesus Christ can save him from this battle. The role of the biblical counselor is the help a hurting population find true help that comes only through Jesus Christ. Once they find this help the counselor helps them begin a journey of being formed into the image of Christ.

You Are Not Alone

2009-01-13T15:04:00.003-05:00

This past Monday at the hospital we spent significant time as chaplains exploring how to handle baby deaths. One word that could sum up the experience was uncomfortable. This is true for two reasons. First, what do you say to a family who is dealing with the unimaginable? I know theologically speaking there is much we could say:

1. Lamentations 3:37-38 “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord does not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the most High that both calamities and good things come? (God’s absolute control)
2. Ephesians 1:11 “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. (God has the power to carry out his plan, see Jeremiah 29:11).
3. Ecclesiastes 7:14 “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider; God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future. (God is sovereign over both the good and the bad).
4. Genesis 50:20 (the whole Joseph story) “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”(God has purpose in our pain).
5. Job 23:8-10 (The whole Job story) “…when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of Him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (God will purify us through our trials, they are not meaningless).

Although there is much truth to grasp in these statements the moment to share this information is not always in the now. Where do we begin? This aspect makes the situation uncomfortable. There is another reason I found it uncomfortable. My wife is pregnant. Our baby son Matthias is due February 1. Listening to how to help others begin their grief process makes me consider how I would handle grieving in the same situation. This morning I had a talk with my wife. I asked her “How would we respond if Matthias was still born, or only survived a few hours”? Would we be angry with God? I wanted to think through the situation not because I tend to live in fear, but because it is a possibility. Suffering is a part of the world we live in.
As we were escorted through the hospital going over the procedures, I had to ask God “Why do some families have to face this tragedy?” The expectation of life and joy. The hopes, dreams and potential for new life, and then the unexpected loss that first knocks the breath out of you, and then changes your life forever. What was the answer I received? Sin. The reason death exists is because of sin. When man first rebelled against God in the garden everything changed, sin, death, disease, fear, all these entered into the world. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death…” We have earned death by our wrong actions.
This is the point where we want to be angry with God and blame shift. Before we do there are three truths we must consider, “The Bible asserts both God’s sovereignty and people’s freedom and moral responsibility, it never attempts to explain their relationship. The first [truth] is that God is infinite in His ways as well as His being. A finite mind simply cannot comprehend an infinite being beyond what He has expressly revealed to us…some things about God will forever remain a mystery…the relationship of the sovereign will of God to the freedom and moral responsibility of people is one of those mysteries. The second truth is that God is never the author of sin…we must never conclude that God has induced anyone to sin…The fact that people’s sinful intents and actions serve the sovereign purpose of God does not make God the author of their sin nor make them any less culpable for their actions…The third truth…is that the Bible consistently portrays people as making real choices of their own will. There is never any suggestion in Scripture of people being mindless puppets moved by divine strings. (See Psalm 50:21; James 1:13-14; Acts 4:27-28; Revelation 17:17). (Trusting God p. 69-70).”
But even more importantly we need to remember the hope that is given to us from God. Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” John Piper wrote, ““The Son of God who is the father’s beloved and delight was forsaken. He was abandoned and left all alone. Being forsaken by his friends was one thing, but being forsaken by his Father was quite another. The depth of this pain is greater than we can know…Why is the depth of Christ’s pain significant for us? Because “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). In the midst of our pain we may feel alone and believe that no one has hurt as badly as we hurt. But it isn’t true. Jesus Christ has felt such pain; indeed, he has felt pain that would have destroyed us. He is able to sympathize. (Suffering and the Sovereignty of God p. 186). (See Matt 27:46; Heb 4:15; Heb. 4:16).
Perhaps at the beginning, when speaking with those who are suffering unimaginable pain we begin by saying, “Friend, you are not alone.”

Emotion, it runs in the family.

2009-01-02T11:15:00.011-05:00

Just this week I began a class called clinical pastoral education. I am interning as a chaplain this semester at Wake Med. We had our orientation on Monday and I wanted to share my reflections from day one.

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?”

With a moment of freedom at the end of my busy day I begin to reflect upon all the thoughts and emotions I experienced on orientation day. As the day approached, I felt the usual emotions of nervousness associated with beginning a new job. Walking into the meeting room felt like so many other orientation moments where I did not know anyone and begin to formulate in my mind how to begin the conversational tennis game of getting to know a total stranger. I was contemplating how to serve the first question and opted awkwardly to eat breakfast and wait for introductions. Its Not that I am nervous about speaking to groups, in fact I prefer smaller groups. It surprises me how moments like these after so many can still feel so uncomfortable. I was thankful for the introduction time as it provided me with questions I could lob across the net and begin my game of making new acquaintances
Another emotion stirring inside of me that morning was anxiety. At first I recognized this in regards to the amount of information being given to us and the serious nature of why we are receiving it. Everyday in this hospital are people, and families struggling with heavy burdens. We need to be prepared to speak truth, hope, and comfort to their souls. I was for a moment reminded of the matrix and the scene when they download martial arts ability into Keanu Reeves head. The difference is that I am confident when I really needed the information given to me I will not be able to remember all of it. Praise God for the Holy Spirit who is able to strengthen me. Also, in regards to anxiousness that morning, before anyone said it, and due to the atmosphere of being in a hospital preparing to speak into the lives of hurting people I had a real sense of my own mortality, as well as that of my family. The emotion was a passing one. Had I chosen to dwell on it, or should I now, or in the future, it has the potential to become a sticky thought. One that will be hard to set aside. I was reminded of the sovereignty of my God. And, as I was tempted to think about all the things that could possibly happen to me or my family, I was told about so many terrible things that have happened to others and their families. Once again I was faced with a choice to fear or trust. A professor at Southeastern taught me that we serve a potentially dangerous God. He does allow pain and suffering. How thankful I am He does. If not, who would have paid the price for my sins? Where would my hope be?
The early church fathers taught that God was impassable, or without emotion. Scriptural talk about the wrath of God, or grief of the Holy Spirit, was simply God attempting to talk to us in language we could understand. Modern theologians are more biblical in their approach to this topic recognizing the emotions of our God, and realizing we were created in his image, and display these emotions as well. When I used to hear the word emotion I thought of personal opinion or pop psychology, and I functioned as if scripture was silent on the subject. Then again, I did not really know the scriptures. I have since learned that scripture contains the norms for behavior, thought life, and emotions. Life without emotion would not be human life. We cannot function as ministers without an understanding of emotions. “ Fear not” is a frequent command in scripture. Peter says to cast anxieties upon Christ. Scripture says a righteous man hates what God hates, and Moses says we will be judged for not serving with joy. I realize as I reflect upon my first day that I will need to explore all these commands to be effective ministering to others who also struggle with problematic emotions.

Romans 8:28

2008-12-21T15:11:00.006-05:00

Recently a dear friend sent this e-mail to me about his wife who has been struggling the past few years with medical issues. We often question God's existence and His goodness in times of intense trial, but here is a testamony from a couple that has a proper understanding of who God is because of their experience with pain and suffering. May we be blessed to face trials with such faith and courage.

"The purpose of this email is to let you know about the latest miracle in our lives. Since I last sent you an update, Paulette has had some challenges with pleural effusions or to us regular folks that's fluid collecting around her lung. The obvious result is difficulty in breathing. She was hospitalized almost 3 months ago for removal of approximately one and a half liters of fluid. Seven weeks later an equal amount had collected again and had to be removed. Three weeks later (which was one week ago) the pulmonologist estimated that one and a half quarts of fluid had built up again. She was scheduled for the procedure to remove the fluid last Thursday. X-rays were made upon her arrival for the appointment, and when the Dr. came into the room and saw her x-ray, a broad grin spread across his face. He said that Paulette is one lucky lady because most of the fluid had vanished, and there was not enough to be concerned about. We told him that people around the world are praying for us, and that we've experienced miracles before. The Dr. said, "well, somebody is listening because you've just had another miracle." He ended the 3 to 4 minute Dr. visit by giving Paulette a big hug (not his usual style) and wished us a Merry Christmas.

Few people that I have met experience these kinds of miracles in a lifetime. Yet during the past three years, Paulette has been the recipient of three really big ones. In 2006 she was diagnosed with untreatable and inoperable cancer. Miraculously, the cancer disappeared. In 2007 a growth appeared in her heart which prevented her body from processing blood. The doctors thought her death was near. Miraculously, within a few days the fluid disappeared along with the blockage in her heart. And now in 2008 a large amount of fluid disappeared from around her lung.

I won't pretend that I understand why we've been singled out for these blessings anymore than I understand why there is now a plum sized growth on the outside of Paulette's heart. We've known about this growth for over a year. We know that should either or both of us die tomorrow, we have had three incredible "bonus" years together on this earth, since our odyssey began the day before Christmas 2005. It is a certainty that God is good, and His mercy lasts forever. What a gift, and what better time than the Christmas Season to be reminded of God's grace and mercy. Two thousand years ago He gave the greatest gift of all -- His son, Jesus. All of this is about Him, not us. "

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."

Consider the works of His hands!

THE GREATEST OF THESE REASONS

2008-12-14T15:31:00.004-05:00

Saturday morning we were locked out of our home. I had thrown my keys on the kitchen table because Joanna was planning on driving me to work. She thought I grabbed her keys. What had started out as a peaceful family morning was about to turn sour. If our neighbors had been watching what they would have seen was a display of my sinful nature.

Upon reflection I realize that my actions were a response to the stresses of the moment. My reaction, that's important to note. I had a choice to react differently, but I chose to be angry at my wife for not bringing out her keys. I did not have to be angry. I chose to be. I also chose to be anxious because by this time I was late for work. I care about what people would think of me. I want to be known as reliable, and dependable, and being late could stain my good image.

Quickness to anger, and fear of man are unfortunately sins I recognize in myself. God was teaching me and my lesson was not over. Since we moved from our apartment into this house I have noticed that I have been dealing with fearful thoughts stemming from issues of security. We are more in the city now, and one window in the house is broken. I thought I had secured it until it could be repaired. As I was circling he house trying to break in I decided to try the window I had secured. I removed the screen and knocked the window with the palm of my hand totally expecting it to remain firmly in place. Instead the entire window fell backwards out of the frame into the house. It was in this moment I realized that I had been holding on to a false sense of security. How foolish to trust in locked doors and windows. Anyone who wanted in the house clearly is going to get in the house regardless of how secure it is. I need to place my faith and trust in God and not locks and keys.

What does this lesson from the Lord teach me? I am prideful, and I don't trust God. I am in desperate need of the Gospel. The only hope for my sinfulness is the grace of God, His forgiveness obtained by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I needed that grace the moment I first believed in Him, and I need it still today as I continue to allow Him to conform me more and more into His image. Clearly He has much work left to do with me. How thankful I am for the coming of Christ into our world. During this season of advent I have many reasons to be thankful. The forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life found only through Jesus Christ are the greatest of these reasons.

And if you think God was done teaching me this weekend you should have seen my reaction this morning when Joanna asked me the question, "Steve did you park the car in the cul-de-sac"?

A ONE IN SEVEN CHANCE THAT LIFE HAS MEANING

2008-12-11T23:21:00.012-05:00

At the approaching of each years close we have the opportunity to reflect upon our lives in a way that is different from other days throughout the year. Perhaps it has to do with the nostalgia of days past, or the promise of starting anew in the coming year. Whatever the reason we certainly are faced with hopeful messages during the advent season. What is the message you hear at Christmas? Hope, peace, love, the brotherhood of man, setting all differences aside? Does the message promise peace of mind, or peace on earth lasting throughout the year? Does the message and your hope in it last past January?

Alfred Delp writes that during this time of the year we experience contrasting emotions. "We are eager, yet frazzled; sentimental, yet indifferent. One minute we glow at the thought of getting together with our family and friends; the next we feel utterly lonely. Our hope is mingled with dread, our anticipation with despair. We sense the deeper meanings of the season but grasp at them in vain; and in the end, all the bustle leaves us frustrated and drained."

I believe it is possible that even with all the hopeful messages being sung, and caroled to us we can still miss the point. And each advent season I am reminded of the importance of the longing of ancient prophets awaiting the Messiah, and their hope as they longed for the fulfillment of what the foresaw thousands of years before he was born.

"We...are often so dulled by superficial distractions that we are incapable of hearing any voice within, let alone listening to it. Consequently, the feeling we know as Christmas cheer lacks any real connection to the vital spirit that radiated from the manger...Advent marks something momentous: God's coming into our midst...Advent is not merely a commemorative event or an anniversary, but a yearly opportunity for us to consider the future, second Advent, the promised coming of God's kingdom on earth." (Alfred Delp ) That Christ is returning is more than just a promise of glad tidings or peace on earth. His return is the righting of all wrongs, the answer to so many tears shed in a moment of "Why God?" He is coming to complete the good news of the Gospel message. As Christ spoke of Himself in His first advent with the words of Isaiah the prophet "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19). Now on his second advent he will complete the work adding to this quote the rest of Isaiah 61 ending with, "So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations." The hope we are dreaming of, the peace we are hopeful for are coming with the Lord Jesus.

But what about those who would say belief in God is irrational? Take for example the most recent attack on faith. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450445,00.html

The anti-theists ads that came out this year saying "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake". While the men and women who believe themselves to be agnostic or atheist (I contend it is impossible to be either) certainly desire peace on earth, and good will toward mankind they believe it cannot come from blind faith.

Chuck Colson writes that knowledge of God is innate within humans. (see Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 1:18 and following). He tells us that today "secular biologists and scientists studying the human mind have found strong evidence of this intuitive knowledge...what some have even called the God gene. This need to connect to God and to one another was documented in a recent scholarly study entitled 'Wired to Connect.' We are made to seek meaning beyond ourselves in ways a purposeless, random process could not explain." Colson continues by saying we are made this way because what we long for is real. He adds that C.S. Lewis once commented that we all hunger by nature and food has been made to satisfy our hunger, we are made for it.

One of the anti-theists of our day Richard Dawkins says, "Any God capable of designing a universe, carefully tuned to lead to our evolution, must be a supremely complex and improbable entity that needs an even bigger explanation than the one He is supposed to provide." Dawkins believes God is therefore ruled out by the laws of probability. He simply cannot be God because he is beyond our understanding. But this is the very definition of God. St Anselm proposed so many years ago that God is that which is beyond what the human mind can comprehend. And years before Anselm, Isaiah inspired by God wrote, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (55:8).

Dawkins says "that he chooses to live as if God does not exist. But at the same time, he concedes that on a scale of 1 to 7, 1 being certainty that God exists, and 7 certainty He doesn't, Dawkins rates himself a 6, at least acknowledging that he cannot prove his position." (Colson)

A one in seven chance that life has meaning is better than a zero in seven. It was the philosopher Pascal who argues that if there is no God, and you bet your life there is then you have lost nothing. But if there is a God, and you bet your life that there is not, then you have lost everything, making the greatest mistake possible.

Colson adds, "If Dawkins had been on the titanic and was offered two lifeboats, one certain to sink as opposed to one with a one in seven chance of staying afloat, he would have instantly chosen the latter. To choose the boat with no hope would be clearly irrational."

And so it is with us this advent season. As we reflect on hope filled messages we can choose to gamble on the empty promise of peace, comfort and joy from the world which melt away with the spring or trust on Christ and His coming advent in which the Gospel message will find its complete fulfillment.

Concerns for the Respect of Human Life

2008-10-09T06:37:00.018-04:00

A friend of mine recently published a note on his Facebook account concerning Gianna Jenssen and pro-choice advocates. One of the comments to his note was an intelligent response to a difficult subject that raised some serious ethical questions for pro-life advocates. Here is part of that response:

"What happened to this woman was horrible. This is why partial birth abortions, along with all late term abortions should be illegal - these are babies. In the first couple of months, however, there is definitely an intelligent debate whether it's a baby at that point or not. Believe it or not, some people genuinely don't believe an embryo is a human being any more than they believe they're buying baby chickens when they buy a dozen eggs from the grocery store.Consider fertility treatments. They are performed by fertilizing hundreds of eggs in hope that one might become a baby. Since no one has hundreds of babies, you must consider what happens to the other fertilized eggs (they're frozen indefinitely). If you think they're babies, then fertilization treatments are unthinkable massacres that must be stopped. If you believe life begins at conception, you have to be anti-fertility treatments. There is no way around it."

Is there any ethical way around being anti-fertility treatments? This was his strongest point, and one that I agree poses a challenge to Christians. We need to know what we believe, and why we believe it. What I want to do is share some thoughts from a book called God, Marriage, and Family by Andreas J. Kostenberger. Kostenberger is a New Testament scholar, and director of PhD/ThM studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, he also serves as editor of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. In his book the challenge of artificial reproductive technologies are explored.

First we are presented with descriptions of the methods. These methods include iintrauterine insemination (IUI) also known as artificial insemination (AI), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and surrogacy or surrogate motherhood.

Simple description of the procedures:

1. IUI or AI: "Involves the collection and accumulation of male sperm and then the injection of that sperm into the female uterus during the most fertile part of the woman's cycle."

2. GIFT: "Female eggs are harvested through the use of super-ovulatory hormonal drugs stimulating the maturation and release of several eggs. These eggs are then harvested by means of a minor surgical procedure utilizing ultrasound guidance in the vagina. The male sperm...(along with eggs) are then placed together in the woman's fallopian tubes." Once in the fallopian tubes the hope is that fertilization will happen naturally.

3. IVF: Similar in nature to GIFT except, "the fertilization takes place in an artificial environment ("in vitro" literally means "in glass," referring to the test tube or petri dish where conception occurs.)" The first successful IVF treatment in the US took place in 1981, and there have been 45,000 babies born with the aid of IVF treatment since then. (See http://www.doctorslounge.com/fertility/procedures/ivf.htm)

4. Surrogacy or surrogate motherhood: "refers to the procedure in which the gestation and birth of a baby occur in a woman who is either not the child's biological mother or who is willing to donate her egg and carry a child but relinquishes parenting rights to those contracting with her to carry the child."

For the Christian there are clear principles we need to consider when approaching this subject. The first of these principles is respect for the sanctity of human life. "For example, it is common practice in certain methods of artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization to fertilize 5 or 6 ova at a time. Each of the resulting conceptions is a child waiting to be placed in a woman's uterus in order to grow toward birth. Unfortunately, it is also common practice for the doctors to select only 1 or 2 of these eggs for implantation, leaving the others to be 'destroyed'" (p.144). The problem with not believing that these fertilized eggs are human life is the difficulty of then deciding at what point human life does begin, and its easy to see how at this point multiple opinions arise. But who is right? We know from a simple argument of logic that two opposing idea's cannot both be true at the same time in the same place. I would argue that because the potential now exists of "growing toward birth" then the fertilized egg is a life.

Another concern with the technique of artificial insemination that can also ethically pose a problem for the sanctity of human life is that of "selective reduction". The procedure of AI often results in "a multi-child pregnancy". A woman could potentially be carrying 4-5 children in her womb. "Because there is a greater risk of miscarrying under these conditions, it is often the case that reproductive specialists will recommend [selective reduction a procedure] that is nothing more than a form of abortion in which one or more of the children are killed in order to increase the odds of the others proceeding to live birth" (p.145).

It is best in these procedures that a couple be willing to have all "conceptions implanted and carried to full term in order for this technology to meet the biblical standards with regards to sanctity of human life" (p. 145-6). In other words Christians, don't allow more embryos to be formed than you are willing to parent, recognize beforehand the chances of a multiple child birth, and understand that selective reduction is not a biblical option.

The second principle that Christians must consider is that of respect for all human beings as image bearers (Gen. 1:27). "Because all humans bear the image of God, it is wrong to use or treat another as a means to an end only, or purposely to put them in harm's way when they have not incurred guilt and there is no other reason than convenience for such a choice." The common practice of freezing fertilized eggs is one of convenience. Couples can have them frozen for an indefinite period of time only to be used or discarded if the couple doesn't want to have more children. This is a disrespectful act toward the child and life in general. These children are not a means to an end, or "to a parents' chosen goals" and these practices must be discarded by Christians. (for more on the ethic's of this see: http://www.doctorslounge.com/fertility/procedures/ivf.htm)

The third principle is in respect to the fidelity of the marital bond. Gen 2:24 (the two become one flesh). Within this context God said to be fruitful and multiply, and in various places in scripture God clearly condemns adultery. "One could easily argue that using donor eggs or sperm is tantamount to adultery or at the very least an inappropriate intrusion upon the exclusive nature of marital fidelity and sexuality. As Scott Rae rightly points out, 'the weight of biblical teaching suggests that third-party contributors are not the norm for procreation'...technologies such as donor insemination, egg donation, and surrogate motherhood are morally problematic" (p. 147).

The last principle I want to share concerning this topic is that of the heart of the one wanting to use these technologies. We should never cross the bounds of placing our hope or worth in the ability to have children. Our hope and worth must always rest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the grace that He grants to us.

In conclusion "While the use of reproductive technology may be generally permissible, one should not make the further assumption that every form of reproductive technology is therefore biblically and morally acceptable" (p. 147). We as Christians must trust even this area to God's sovereignty remembering that children are a gift from him. Something he gives, not a procedure that we need to try and manipulate according to our desires. "Indeed, once one considers the rather large ethical uncertainty and 'gray areas' regarding many of these technologies perhaps wisdom would suggest limiting one's efforts in this direction in favor of pursuing adoption" (p. 147). Is there any ethical way around being anti-fertility treatments? This is a question of wisdom. These principles should help guide the Christian as he or she thinks through the options.

Angry, and Can't Sleep...

2008-10-05T23:19:00.005-04:00

I should be in bed tonight sleeping, but I am wrestling with anger. There are many thoughts turning over in my mind, God and his sovereignty, the up coming elections, my pregnant wife, our unborn son, and abortion.

I recently had a conversation at work with a co-worker about politics. Although we agree politically on many issues one issue we disagree on is abortion. I am "pro-life" which really means I don't think it is right to mistreat people. For me it is not a question of "born" or "unborn" I value the life of a child in or out of the womb the same way I value the life of grown men and women, those with disabilities, those with life threatening diseases, and those who are walking through their final days on this earth. I believe life holds great value. My co-worker while respectfully disagreeing with me on abortion appreciated the value I place on life, and we had a peaceful conversation on the subject. Unfortunately not every conversation on this subject can be peaceful. Abortion is an emotional subject because it is a moral subject much like the debate over slavery in the history of Western Civilization. When the topic of right and wrong enter into the conversation it is difficult to find middle ground, yet concerning a topic like abortion it is impossible to avoid "right and wrong". Sometimes it is necessary to pick a side and stop riding the fence, even when the side you choose is unpopular. Abortion is an issue that demands one to choose a side. I believe the side you choose ultimately reveals your worldview, beliefs, and morals. The problem I have with abortion stems back to my belief on the origin of suffering. John Piper writes,

"Much of our suffering comes from the sins of others against us and from our own sins. Satan is called in the Bible "the temper" (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5). This was the origin on earth of all the misery that we know-- Satan tempted Eve to sin, and sin brought with it the curse of God on the natural order (Gen. 3:14-19; Rom. 8:21-23). Since that time Satan has been tempting all human beings to do what will hurt themselves and others."

Tonight my wife and I spent time watching the testimony of Gianna Jessen a saline abortion survivor (see http://www.giannajessen.com/ ). She is an example of the type of suffering described by John Piper. We saw the video on a blog called Radical Womanhood (http://solofemininity.blogs.com/). Gianna Jessen is quoted on that blog as saying "Now I am just compelled to say this: If abortion is merely about women's rights, ladies and gentlemen, then what were mine? There was not a radical feminist standing up and yelling about how my rights were being violated that day. In fact, my life was being snuffed out in the name of women's rights." The video of her testimony is worth viewing so I posted it below. As I watched the video I was reminded that we must consider what is truly important as we pray about the election this November. I strongly encourage you to watch both parts. Perhaps righteous anger will boil up within you as well prompting you to spread the word to others reminding them to stand up for the rights of those who cannot stand for themselves.

Part One:

Part 2:

God's Sovereignty over Man's Salvation

2008-10-05T20:24:00.010-04:00

This video sums up much of what has been discussed recently on this blog. The video speaks for itself. Watch it and let me know what you think.

A SOURCE OF PEACE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

2008-09-30T10:35:00.025-04:00

We live in uncertain times. Anxiousness is in the air as we all await a solution to our nations economic problems. The threat of terrorism still lurks around the corner. War continues to rage with the promise of more to come. Even as Americans prepare to elect new leaders in November there is still a sense that our problems are bigger than any administrations solutions. The world looks on and awaits stability, but the more we strive to eliminate the reverberating motion of our problems the more our hands shake in the attempt. We are unable to control completely what is happening around us, and it leads to increased fear, anxiety, and worry.

I am thankful in times like these for the promise of the gospel. When we understand that there is a loving, powerful God who is bigger than our fears, worries, and anxieties then freedom is available. Recently I started a discussion on the gospel and I was encouraged by the responses I have received to the question, "What is the gospel?". Here are some examples of responses:

"because we are enemies in our minds due to evil behavior, Christ has to reconcile us to God through his physical death on the cross and resurrection to present us "holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation" if we "continue in our faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel". col 1:22-23a"

"God had an eternal, loving plan though - since the beginning of time. God chose out of the human race a holy people through which God Himself would enter the human race (through His Son) and make atonement for the sins of the people of the world. God's Son (God in the flesh) came to earth as the awaited Messiah within the Jewish race - Jesus the Christ. Jesus Christ was the perfect, sinless Son of God. Unlike us, it is well documented that He committed no sin. This allowed him to be our "sin bearer" (He would bear the consequences for the sins of the entire world) - the One that would allow Himself to be beaten, tortured and crucified on a cross whereupon God could pour out all of his vengeful, holy wrath upon this perfect sacrificial Lamb - His earthly Son. After receiving all of God's punishment that had been ear-marked for us, Jesus Christ died an earthly death. And then He did what no other earthly man could have done. He rose from the dead three days later. "

"In my own words, and another quote from Romans, the gospel is the fact that while man's free will was so fallen that he was incapable of seeking after God and pleasing Him that God sent His only Son to take on the sins of the elect and receive their judgement, which is death, so that "God would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Rom. 3:26 "

"The salvation and reconciliation that God provided for mankind through his Son can only be received as a gift, by believing in his Son Jesus, not just intellectually accenting, but by acknowledging that Jesus died for my sins personally, and committing to a life of him as my Lord.Conversion then, is our “stake-in-the ground” if you will, but our journey does not end here. The Bible is clear that upon our conversion we have moved from the kingdom of this world, to the kingdom of heaven."

"Perhaps the “greatest” part of the good news is what being a kingdom citizen (or Christian) means for us! Not only are we saved from eternity apart from God, we are reconciled to God and to relationship with Him. We have the privilege of calling the infinite God of the universe “father,” or perhaps even more literally translated “daddy.” No other religion in the world has anything even remotely resembling the intimacy with which Christians have with their God. Benefits are manifold, and cannot all be expounded upon here, but include: comforting, being made complete (or whole), receiving mercy, seeing God, healing, purpose, empowerment to bear the fruit required of us, and a promise from God that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6)!"

Many place their hope in the things of this world. Government (9-11 showed to us how quickly that can be shaken) Money (Stocks dropped 700 points this week, is that a safe place to rest our security?) Friends/Family (our life is but a mist, we are here today and gone tomorrow. We don't know when we will die let alone those we depend on. Again there isn't much security in people). Leaders, (if we are honest we understand that all of us are capable of doing terrible things. Our actions may not prove it today, but our thoughts do), ourselves (do you really believe you are capable to sustain your own life?) What then can we trust in?

In Psalm 2 we read

Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed...He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in his fury, saying, 'But as for Me, I have installed My king upon Zion, My holy Mountain'...How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

We learn that God is not worried about the chaos we fear. He is not worried about those who doubt or hate him. In fact he laughs. Why? He knows what the outcome is. He has established His plan and nothing will interfere. We can have confidence that when our hope is in the Salvation of Jesus, God will finish what he has started. After all, it was God the Father who loved us enough to send His Son Jesus. When we accept the gift of the gospel we no longer need to fear our immediate future, because we belong to the one who knows the future. We can cling to this security in uncertain times. Wall Street may fail, our government may fail, but our loving, sovereign God does not fail. We can trust in his promise to complete the work of salvation that he began in us with the cross of Jesus Christ.

"he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6

Removing the Obstacles to Lasting Joy

2008-09-23T07:12:00.004-04:00

What is the gospel?

2008-09-10T09:10:00.003-04:00

Christians claim that the message of the gospel is the most important message in history. Some of you reading this will agree with that statement. I certainly do. Yet I wonder do we have a clear understanding of the gospel? If this is the most essential message in history it is of utmost importance that we understand this message. I am afraid that most of us understand the basics but are not truly instructed in it's message. With that thought in mind I ask you to explore the depth of the gospel with me. Let's begin with a question. Please help me by taking a moment to answer no matter what your opinion is. What is the gospel?

BE MERCIFUL TO ME THE SINNER...

2008-09-03T09:55:00.000-04:00

Grace is for sinners, a truth Christians can both abuse and misunderstand. How often have we heard the accusation "hypocrites"? This is a claim I cannot quickly reject. I am a hypocrite. The more I learn about God the more I am aware of my shortcomings. While I can acknowledge that grace is for sinners I cannot allow the claim of God's grace in my life to excuse my need to struggle with the sin in my heart.

I don't consider myself a critical or judgemental person, and that is my problem. This is an example of what Jerry Bridges calls a "refined" sin or "the sins of nice people". "Sins that we can regularly commit and still retain our positions as elders, deacons, Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, and yes, even full-time Christian workers."

For example, this weekend I visited a church I attended as a child. As I paid attention to the service I became aware that the reason I was listening so closely was my desire to find area's of disagreement so I could hold my doctrinal beliefs above theirs. I was pridefully thinking God was pleased with me and my religious opinions, while He was displeased with this church and their religious doctrines. The funny thing is I found little I disagreed with theologically. I was reminded that I needed to take seriously the warnings found in Matthew 7:3

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye?"

My spirit is often critical. Bridges says, "A judgmental spirit is too often a vice of committed Christians. We need to recognize it as the sin it really is." What other refined sins do I struggle with? If I were honest my list would include the following: resentment, bitterness, an unforgiving spirit, impatience, irritability, hate, love of self, materialism, and a host of others. These are sins I am so quick to point out in others, but ignore to the point of suppression within my own heart. Perhaps I should wear the label hypocrite.

I have become too comfortable with these types of sin in my life. What I need is a stirring of the coals, a reminder of the seriousness of sin. Anselm of Canterbury believed the restoration of human beings to the position they were intended to enjoy required divine grace. In Cur Deus Homo (Why God Became A Human Being) Anselm attempts to show that the debt incurred by human sin could be forgiven, and the offense to God's dignity could be rectified, only if one who was both fully divine and fully human took it upon himself to offer his own life on our behalf. Our sin demanded a sacrifice. It is serious. This should lead us down the path toward humility!

But what about those Christians who don't struggle with sin? The ones who don't seem to care, and who believe their sin doesn't matter because God loves them unconditionally? Paul anticipated this behavior (see Romans 6:1, Gal. 5:13). Jude hinted that it was happening in the first century (see Jude 4). Bridges writes,

"We cannot allow some people's abuse of truth to deprive us of it's value."

The value is that we can now view ourselves as what we are in Christ (saints) and what we are in ourselves (sinners). The true believer will find that as they grow in God's grace, and knowledge of their sin they will desire to live a more disciplined life. Robert Jones in his book titled Uprooting Anger give us an accurate picture of such a person in the psalmist who wrote psalm 119.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. (vv.103-4).

"At the same time, this sense of hatred coexists, without contradiction, with a sense of sweet delight in God's word. The psalmist is not a raging bull; he is a lover of God's truth and a hater of anything that opposes it."

The Christian who is acutely aware of God's grace, and his own sin will develop a proper desire to obey God's word, and to distance himself from things that keep him from doing so. While in his present state he is still a sinner there is a change that is taking place (sanctifying work of the Spirit) which causes him to act more in line with God's word. This is the heart from which will flow all of the fruits of the Spirit. Those Christians who continue on a path of sin without such a struggle must at some point question their faith. A good tree is known by the good fruit it produces, if there is no good fruit, then we question if the tree is good. If there is no desire in you to walk according to God's word then perhaps the Spirit does not live within your heart. You must confess, repent, and believe that Christ will forgive you.

Christians must remember that even at their best our religious works are no more than filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). God knows this, that's why He sent Jesus, to help us, to free us, to do what we could not do. The puritan theologian John Owen wrote,

"Believers know all their duties are weak, imperfect and unable to abide in God's presence. Therefore they look to Christ as the one who bears the iniquity of their holy things, who adds incense to their prayers, gathers out all the weeds from their duties and makes them acceptable to God."

John Owen understood the sinfulness of our good works. There is nothing we can do to please God apart from faith in Christ. We are back to grace. Grace is for sinners. It is not the sinners excuse to sin more. It is hope for a hopeless situation.

CRAFTED BY GRACE

2008-08-30T22:37:00.002-04:00

Have you ever remembered something you learned years ago that in your present circumstances spoke to your heart in such a way that it moved you to a new level of understanding and appreciation for that knowledge?

This happened to me recently as I was reading a book by Jerry Bridges called Disciplines of Grace. In this book Bridges asks his readers to think about a sculpture of a man, who physically appears perfect in every way. The sculpture's physical features are perfect, but from his thighs downward he is unfinished, a mound of unsculpted bronze. In his hands the artist crafted a chisel and a hammer. The message seems clear, the artist wanted us to understand something along the lines of we choose our own destiny, or I can fix myself, I am in control.

The subjects hands are battered from misplaced strokes of the hammer, constant reminders of his own mistakes. Not knowing if the next strike of the chisel will cut himself off at the knee or allow him to move further toward his goal, he continues pridefully thinking I can do this. Bridges notes:

"I marveled at how [the statue] did depict so well the way many Christians try to live the Christian life."

Is there anything wrong with this thinking? Aren't we according to scripture supposed to pursue godliness? Doesn't 1 Timothy 4:7 say "...discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness"?

And what about Philippians 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." Doesn't this mean that I am responsible for pursuing my perfection?

If we are understanding scripture correctly we must answer these questions in light of the statement "...for which I was laid hold of." Who laid hold of me? Jesus. Why? So I could pursue perfection. Perfection supposes change. We also know from scripture that the Holy Spirit is the agent of change. We actively pursue this change because we are taught in Hebrews 12:14 that without it no one will see God. 12:15 adds "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God..."

We can change, but not on our own, it must be anchored to the work of the Holy Spirit through the grace of God. This is such good, and freeing news. Why? Grace is God's unmerited favor toward those who deserve only His wrath. Although we are sinners deserving of punishment, and discipline God, through the death and resurrection of His son Jesus Christ has graciously chosen to forgive us.

When we admit that we are hopelessly lost sinners doomed for punishment, and in need of a savior, God points us to the work of Jesus. By accepting the atoning work of the cross and resurrection we are united with Christ and in a sense covered by Him. The favor of the Father toward His Son becomes ours. We are clothed in favor. The Father no longer looks on us as sinners, but as complete in Christ. Totally accepted, totally forgive, totally free. It's His grace that frees us. There is nothing we can do on our own to be accepted.

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

My daughter has my acceptance. She is completely loved. Her position with me is set regardless of her obedience. I love her. Certainly she faces consequences when she does wrong, but she is never unloved, even in correction. Her position is not based upon performance. We are Saved by God's grace and our position of accepted in Christ does not change based upon our performance since we cannot earn God's blessings (see Ephesians 2:8-9).

The reminder of this lesson was so meaningful to me because many times I have fallen into the trap of misunderstanding Gods grace. Reviewing this truth has reminded me that on my worst spiritual days, the days I completely give in to sin, live for my pleasures, and just completely fail my God that I am still accepted, because my position is not based on my performance. There was nothing I could do to earn God's favor, it was a gift of grace, there is nothing I can do to lose it. On the other hand when I live out the best spiritual day, a day when I really connect with God, read my Bible, pray, and love others more than me I am still desperate for God's grace. Why? Because my position is not based upon my performance. I am a child of God, saved, accepted not by my good works, but only by His grace.

DON'T YOU SENSE THE FREEDOM IN THIS TEACHING?

Praise you Father for loving us so much that you sent your Son to free us from the bonds of sin, not according to our worthless works, but according to your amazing grace!

Come, let us reason together. Conclusion.

2008-08-15T09:16:00.000-04:00

In this series of postings we have explored together an argument which defends the belief in a theistic God, specifically the God of the Bible. This final post on the subject will summarize briefly in bullet point fashion the argument, and conclude with one final thought on the subject.

My inspiration for such arguments comes from many devoted followers of Christ in the past starting with the Apostles. Above is a picture of Mars Hill. This is a modern day picture of the place where the Apostle Paul stood and argued for Christ with the men of Athens as recorded in Acts 17:22-32. At the conclusion of his speaking the Bible records the response of the people:

Acts 17:32-33 "Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, 'We shall hear you again concerning this.' So Paul went out of their midst. But some men joined him and believed."

Some rejected the message (atheistic), some wanted to hear more (agnostic), and some joined Paul, (believers). Certainly these are the results I can expect. My hope is that all would come to believe in Christ, but if the teaching on this blog leads one to want to learn more then my joy will be made complete.

This argument has been based on the teachings of Norman Geisler, and follows a logical progression to prove the probability of a theistic God. One step builds upon another, and I recommend before reading this post you read through the previous ones in this series.

The argument summarized:

Truth about reality is knowable.
Opposites cannot both be true.
The theistic God exists.
Miracles are possible.
Miracles performed in connection with a truth claim are acts of God to confirm the truth of God through a messenger of God.
The New Testament documents are reliable.
Jesus claimed to be God in the New Testament.
Jesus' claim to divinity was proven by miracles.
Therefore, Jesus was God in human form.
Whatever Jesus (who is God) affirms as true, is true.
Jesus affirmed that the Bible is the Word of God.

Which leads us to our concluding thought. Since Jesus affirmed the Bible as the Word of God, and we have shown that Jesus is God, we must conclude that the Bible is in fact the Word of God. Whatever is opposed to the Bible and the truth it contains is false. Some will read this post and argue against me claiming that I am using circular reasoning. Again, I encourage you to begin with the first posting in this series. If I began at step 6 then I would agree that the reasoning is circular, but when this argument begins at step one it builds upon itself. If a theistic God exists then there is the possibility of miracles. If Jesus is God, and proved it by a miraculous life, then he has all the attributes of God. God does not lie. If Jesus claims that the Bible is the word of God, and He is God, then we must believe Him. If the Bible is the Word of God we must conclude that Christianity is true as well. Since opposites cannot be true then all opposing world religions are simply false religions. Finally, we conclude that only Christianity is the true religion.

You have heard what I believe. Now what about you. What do you believe?

Come, let us reason together. Part 5

2008-08-01T06:56:00.001-04:00

Building on the foundation laid in parts 1-4 this post will argue that whatever Jesus (who is God) affirms as true, is true. This includes His affirmation that the Bible is the Word of God.

God cannot make mistakes. One of His attributes is His immutability, or put another way, His unchangeable nature. Whatever changes acquires something new. God cannot acquire something new because if He did He would by definition not be God. Our idea of God is perfection. Perfection requires nothing more. God lacks no perfection. He needs nothing more. He cannot be more perfect or complete.

God cannot change. If He did He could not be God for this would mean He lacked some perfection.

God is an all-knowing, timeless being. He knows all of time in one eternal now, including the future. If this were not true He could not be immutable because He would need the ability to gain new knowledge, and therefore, would not be God. He is omniscient. He knows everything, He cannot be wrong.

Since God cannot err in His knowledge, whatever He knows is infallible. We have already argued that Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus cannot be wrong. What He affirms as true, is true.

Jesus taught that the Bible is the Word of God. He had a high view of scripture. He taught that it was authoritative, imperishable, infallible, inerrant, historically reliable, scientifically accurate, and that it held ultimate supremacy. (At this point I must thank Dr. Normal Geisler again for his excellent work, and teaching from which I am going to borrow).

1. Authoritative.

Matthew 4:4, 7, 10

Jesus speaking"It is written 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"

"On the other hand, it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Matthew 4:4, 7, 10 are three examples of the 92 times in the gospels where Jesus uses the words, "It is written" in reference to the Old Testament. When He uses this statement its like He is saying "This is the final word on the subject." He believes the scriptures are the inspired word of God and He quotes them as having authority.

2. Imperishable.

Matthew 5:17-18

Jesus speaking"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."

When Jesus uses the phrase "The Law and the Prophets" He is always referring to the whole Old Testament (See Luke 24:27). Nothing from these sacred writings will disappear until all has been fulfilled according to Jesus.

3. Infallible.

John 10:35

Jesus speaking"...and the scripture cannot be broken."

If you read this verse in context with 10:34-36 you find that Jesus uses three strong words to describe scripture, "Law", "word of God", and "unbreakable". Jesus thought of scripture as the unbreakable Law of God. It is the word "unbreakable" which carries the same meaning as infallible. God's word cannot be broken according to Jesus.

4. Inerrant.

Matthew 22:29, John 17:17

Jesus speaking in John 17:17, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."

Matthew 22:29

"Jesus answered and said to them, 'You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God."

God's word is not scattered truth, His word is true in whole. This is why we cannot pick and choose what we believe. This is why we cannot quickly claim a portion of scripture to be cultural. When we make these mistakes we begin to fashion our own god, the very essence of idolatry. Instead Jesus teaches us that God's word is without errors.

How many errors can God make? None, if He is omniscient. Whatever God decides to write would have the same nature of inerrancy as He does. We argue:

1. The Bible is the Word of God.
2. God cannot err.
3. Therefore, the Bible is inerrant.

If there is an error we must conclude that either God makes errors, and He is not God, or the Bible is not His word. If you deny that the Bible is the word of God you must deny what Jesus said about the Bible. If Jesus is the son of God, then the Bible is the word of God.

5. Historically reliable.

Matthew 12:40, 24:37-39

Jesus speaking, "Just as Jonah was tree days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be."

The manner in which Jesus is speaking of these two disputed accounts from the Old Testament shows that he understood them to be historical events. Jesus sites them and gives them authority. He uses the words, "Just as..." He bases his first coming on the Jonah account, and His second coming on the Noah account. Why would He compare myth with history? He would not. Jesus used the words, "So it will be..." He believed he was comparing true events with true events.

6. Scientifically accurate.

Matthew 19:4-5

Jesus Speaking "And He answered them and said, 'Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh'".

The most scientifically disputed chapters of the Bible are the first eleven chapters of Genesis, but Jesus affirms these accounts. He bases His teachings on marriage on the teachings of Genesis without shame. According to Jesus the creator made male and female, and marriage cannot be separated from creation. To the scientific question, "How did we get here?" Jesus answers from marriage instituted by God. Either Darwin and Evolution are correct, or Jesus is, but both cannot be correct at the same time. Jesus will not allow us to "spiritualize" away the literal male and female in the Genesis account.

Jesus said in John 3:12, "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?".

Basically Jesus is saying to us if we cannot believe Him when he speaks of empirical scientific matters, then why would we believe Him when He speaks of spiritual matters. Jesus considered them inseparable. Yes, we have a choice to make!

7. Ultimate supremacy.

Matthew 15:3-6

Jesus speaking, "And He answered and said to them, 'Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, 'Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,' he is not to honor his father or his mother.' and by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition."

Jesus taught that the Bible alone holds supreme authority even in the face of conflict with the most revered human teaching. Scripture is God's supreme written authority.

"Jesus confessed the very things many modern critics deny about the Old Testament. If Jesus was right, then the critics are wrong, despite the pretense of having scholarship on their side. For if Jesus is the Son of God, then it is a matter of Lordship, not a matter of scholarship" --Norman Geisler

Which is what we have been arguing in this series of posts.

"Many critics assert that the first human beings evolved by natural processes. But...Jesus insisted that Adam and Eve were created by God. If Jesus is the Son of God, then the choice is between Charles Darwin and the divine; between a nineteenth-century creature, and the eternal creator."---Norman Geisler

This series of post has pointed to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.

"Most negative critics of the Bible believe that the Jonah story is mythology. Indeed, with strong emphasis Jesus asserted that "just as" Jonah was in the great fish three days and nights, "even so" he would be in the grave for three days and nights. Surely, Jesus would not have based the historicity of his death and resurrection on mythology about Jonah."---Norman Geisler

The same is true of the Noah account. Jesus affirmed there was a flood. He would not want to combine the truthfulness of His second coming with a myth fueling doubt in the minds of his followers.

We come to a dilemma. Either Jesus is the Son of God, and the Bible is the Word of God, or not. If the Bible is not the Word of God, then Jesus cannot be the son of God. Why? Because He would have been teaching false doctrine.

"Many critics believe He was only accommodating Himself to the false beliefs of the Jews of his day about the Old Testament. But this hypothesis is clearly contrary to the facts. Others believe that since Jesus was only a human being that he made mistakes, some of which were about the origin and nature of Scripture. But his speculation too is not rooted in the facts of the matter. Jesus neither accommodated false beliefs nor was He limited in His authority to teach the truth of God."---Norman Geisler.

Jesus affirmed that the Bible is the Word of God. Therefore, it is true that the Bible is the Word of God, and whatever stands in opposition to biblical truth is false.

Come, let us reason together. Part 4

2008-07-26T16:12:00.000-04:00

In the last post I continued an argument for the reliability of the New Testament. Based on that foundation this post will explore Christ's claim of deity in the New Testament. Jesus claimed to be God. This point is crucial to the overall argument. The logic behind this began with the statement that truth about reality is knowable. There are some things of which we can be absolutely sure (i.e., 2+2=4). I have also argued that the opposite of truth is false. The Law of Non-contradiction says opposite ideas cannot be both true at the same time and in the same place. That means all religions cannot be true, they teach opposites. Opposites cannot both be true at the same time or in the same place. Is it true that a theistic God exists? We explored this statement through different arguments for Gods existence. Because of these arguments we noted the probability of Gods existence. If God exists then miracles are possible, and they can be used to confirm a message from God. The New Testament can be trusted as a historically reliable source, and confirms Gods existence. This post will show that the New Testament confirms Jesus as God, as well as His message as coming from God.

Numerous times in the New Testament Jesus claimed to be God:

1. Jesus claimed to be God in the New Testament. He claimed to be the "I Am" of Exodus 3:14,

"God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The Lord, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and this is my memorial name to all generations."

In John 8:58 Jesus says,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."

2. Jesus also forgave sins which only God can do. Mark 2:5-7 reads,

"'Son, your sins are forgiven.' But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 'Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?'"

3. Jesus claimed that He should be honored just as God the Father is honored. In John 5:23 Jesus says,

"He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent me."

4. Jesus said he was the Jewish Messiah, who was God according to the Old Testament passages Isaiah 9:6, Psalms 110:1, and Zechariah 12:10. Zechariah reads,

"I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on ME whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn."

This passage shows that God is the Messiah, but also that the Messiah would suffer by a piercing. It also speaks of the Spirit being poured out. Incidentally these are the events we see happening around Christs death and resurrection.

In John 4:25-26 Jesus claims to be that Messiah,

"The woman said to Him, 'I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.' Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am He.'"

5. Jesus went as far as to accept worship on numerous occasions. The Bible presents worship as due only to God. Jesus Himself states this as true in Matthew 4:10,

"Go, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'"

Jesus however, accepts worship. In Matthew 8:2 a healed leaper worships Him, in Matthew 9:18 a ruler kneels before Him with a request, in Matthew 14:33 those in the boat worship Him after He calms the storm, and in Matthew 28:17 the disciples worshiped Him. While these are only a handful of examples from the Gospel of Matthew there are many more in the Gospels. What is noteworthy about a study on the accounts of worship given to Christ in the Gospels is that Jesus never rebuked anyone for worshiping Him, and on occasion He commended those who did.

6. Jesus put His words on the same level as God's. In Matthew 24:35 Jesus says

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."

7. Jesus asked His disciples to pray in His name. In John 14:13 Jesus says

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

8. Jesus accepted titles of deity in scripture. In John 20:28 Jesus does not condemn Thomas for calling Him Lord and God.

"Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'"

These are eight ways in which Jesus claimed to be God in the New Testament. Why is this important? It is important because scripture also confirms His message as being from God. Since we can trust scripture as historically reliable the message it confirms deserves our attention. How does it confirm Christ's message? Jesus's claim to be God is confirmed in three ways. First, His fulfillment of prophecy. Second, His sinless and miraculous life. And third, His predictions and accomplishment of His resurrection. These are three things that no other religions leader can claim.

First His fulfillment of prophecy. The Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would be God (Psalms 2:7, 45:6, 110:1; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Zechariah 12:10). For example Isaiah 9:6 reads

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

The Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would be God, and Jesus was the Messiah (John 4:25; Mark 14:61-62). Mark 14:61-62 reads

"Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?' And Jesus said, 'I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of Heaven.'"

Since the Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would be God, and Jesus was the Messiah, He had to be God in order to fulfill these predictions.

Second, the Bible confirms Christ's miraculous life. Scriptures record more than 60 miracles that cannot be explained away as either psychosomatic, or as magic. The Bible also confirms that Christ lived a sinless life. This is impossible. No mere human could live 33 years in a sinless state. Christ even invited His enemies to look at Him and accuse Him of sin. None could.

Third, the Bible confirms Christ's predictions and accomplishment of His resurrection. There is plenty of evidence in scripture for Christ's death. The nature and extent of His injuries as recorded in the passion sections of the Gospel accounts are suffienct to show he died. The nature of cruxifiction itself assures us He was dead. The piercing of His side as assurance of His death in the Gospel accounts confirms He was dead. His death was predicted in the Old Testament (Isaiah 53, Daniel 9). Jesus Himself predicted His own death and resurrection (John 2:19; John 10:18; Matthew 12:40; Matthew 17:22). The Gospel writers wrote that His death and resurrection was accomplished (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:39; John 20:27). What evidence do we have for the accomplishment of Christ's death and resurrection? First, the Jews admit that the tomb was empty, but they did not produce the body. Second, Jesus made 12 different physical appearances over 40 days to over 500 people. Third, many Jewish priests were converted and thousands of unbelievers were converted. Fourth, His unbelieving brother James and hardened opponent Saul were converted. Fifth, His scared, skeptical, disciples were transformed overnight into brave missionary martyrs.

The summary stems from all we have explored so far. Jesus is God, and He must be to fulfill prophecy, to manifest deity, and to redeem humanity. The Old Testament predicted that the Messiah would be God. Jesus was the Messiah, therefore He must be God to fulfill the prophecy. Jesus is the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). He is the reconciler of God and man (2 Corinthians 5:19). Jesus must be both God and man to be reconciler and mediator because only a God-Man can bridge the gap between God and man.

(Thanks to Normal Geisler for influencing my thinking on this subject).

Come, let us reason together. Part 3

2008-07-24T09:34:00.000-04:00

In part one and two of this post I began an argument for why I believe theism, specifically Christianity, to be the true faith. I included arguments for Gods existence. I wrote that if God exists then miracles are possible, and they can be used to confirm a message from God. This gives credibility to the claim that the Bible is the Word of God. If the Bible is the Word of God we must consider what it teaches. This post will not go into great detail, but I encourage you to read previous posts for more information, (see: http://stevepack.blogspot.com/2008/05/laying-foundation.html and http://stevepack.blogspot.com/2008/06/shibileth.html ).

The New Testament documents are historically reliable. The New Testament has more, earlier, and more accurately copied manuscripts than any other book from the ancient world.

The New Testament events are recorded accurately. There were more, earlier, and more accurate writers than for any other book from the ancient world. The New Testament has nine writers who wrote 27 books. The authors include eyewitnesses, contemporary writers of Christ, contemporary authors of the eyewitnesses, and writers who wrote within 20 years of the New Testament events. Even with the diversity displayed in the authorship of the Bible the themes beginning in the Old Testament are constant throughout the New Testament. The whole of scripture is beautifully unified.

The gospels claim 500 eyewitness to Christ's resurrection. Luke based his gospel, and the book of Acts on eyewitness accounts. Hebrews has been confirmed by the Apostles who were eyewitnesses themselves.

There is evidence that the book of Acts was written by 62 AD. If this is true then we know that the gospel of Luke was written earlier because of the prologue in Acts. Josephus recorded the death of James at 62 AD. In Acts James is still alive. Paul is still alive in Acts, his death occurred under the persecution of Nero between 64-67 AD. But in Acts there is no mention of Nero's persecutions. There is no mention of the Jewish wars that took place around 66AD. Finally there is no mention of the fall of Jerusalem which took place in 70AD. Considering the nature of the book of Acts you would expect major events like these to be mentioned if they had occurred. None of these major events are mentioned suggesting that Acts was written around 62 AD. The book of Luke would have been written before Acts and without exploring this timeline any further we already have one gospel written 60 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

According to the teachings of the Greek historian Herodotus any date in the 1st century is too early to allow mythological development on foundational truths. Many people will not accept the accuracy of the New Testament writings even though the New Testament is closer in time to the actual events than any other ancient books. Usually the earliest is considered the most accurate. There are few questions about the reliability of sources teaching on Alexander the Great even though the ancient writings we have about him are written around 300 years after his death. There are five main surviving accounts on Alexander by Arrian, Curtius, Plutarch, Diodorus, and Justin. The problem of the sources concern Alexander-historians, because each presents a different "Alexander". Will the real Alexander the Great please stand up?

The accuracy of the New Testament writings has been confirmed by noted Roman historians, legal experts, Non-Christian sources, and archaeological finds. No archaeological evidence has ever refuted the Bible, yet thousands of them support the accuracy of scripture.

Because we can trust in the accuracy of the New Testament we must trust what it says. In the New Testament Jesus claimed to be God, and his claim was miraculously confirmed. My next post will explore these claims.

(Thanks to Normal Geisler for influencing my thinking on this subject).

Come, let us reason together. Part 2

2008-07-17T13:34:00.000-04:00

In my last post I began an argument for why I believe theism, specifically Christianity, to be the true faith. The post ended with arguments that prove the likelihood of Gods existence. While everyone who reads these posts may not agree that the arguments prove the existence of God they should at least recognize that the probability exists. If the existence of God is probable, then so are miracles. This is the key point. Without miracles Christianity crumbles. Without miracles the Bible cannot be the Word of God, Jesus cannot be the Son of God, and Salvation cannot be an act of God. The Bible claims that miracles occurred. Without miracles the Bible loses its credibility. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and proved it true by performing miracles. If miracles are impossible then Jesus loses credibility. Without Christ's resurrection from the dead there is no salvation, and we are still dead in our sins. In other words there is no hope. Paul even wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17 -19 "...if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." Christians need not despair. We have good arguments for the existence of God. For further discussion on these arguments I recommend this blog: caisonjones.blogspot.com

If God exists then miracles are possible. If God is supernatural, then He can preform supernatural acts. If God can create a universe, then God can act within that universe. If He could not, then the effect would be greater than the cause, that's illogical. The burden of proof lies in the hands of the skeptic. To disprove miracles, you must first disprove God.
My responsibility is to show that theism makes miracles possible. Here is some logic I learned from Normal Geisler:

1. If the world had a beginning, then it had a beginner.

2. The world had a beginning.

3. Therefore it had a beginner.

4. Creation is the biggest miracle of all (something out of nothing).

5. If God can do greater miracles (like creation) then he can do lesser.

If God can create matter, then He can multiply matter. (The feeding of the 5000/see Matthew 14:14-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14).

If God can create life from non life, then He can bring life to a dead corpse. (Christ's resurrection/ see Matthew 27:57-28:20, Mark 15:42-16:12, Luke 23:50-24:27, John 19:31-20:31).

Miracles can be used to confirm a message from God. (see John 3:2, Acts 2:22, Hebrews 2:3). Of all the three major world religions (theism, pantheism, atheism) only theism has miracles.

Here is some more logic from Normal Geisler:

1. If a theistic God exists, then miracles are possible.

2. A miracle is a special act of God.

3. God is the standard, and source of all truth, he cannot err. (moral argument)

4. Nor would a theistic God act to confirm something as true that was false.

5. True miracles in connection with a message, confirm that message to be

from God.

In summary, if God exists then miracles are possible, and they can be used to confirm a message from Him. This gives credibility to the claim that the Bible is the Word of God. If the Bible is the Word of God we must consider what it teaches.

Come, let us reason together.

2008-06-29T15:00:00.000-04:00

Before I begin to explore doctrines of the Christian faith I want to spend some more time exploring the reasons why I am a Christian. Skeptics may say I am naive, easily persuaded, or perhaps superstitious. They may question my reasons for claiming that out of all the world religions I believe Christianity to the the one true faith. They might label me intolerant or perhaps misguided. This post is written for them. I challenge skeptics to honestly explore the reasons for my faith, and to consider them. I invite discussion and questions. As I have said in a previous post Christianity does not have to be a blind faith, there are good reasons to believe. Just like the Apostle Paul reasoned for the faith in Acts 17, I too desire to reason for the same faith. I want to give credit to Dr. Norman Geisler for the teachings that I am presenting here. I am blessed to have read and learned these truths from him.
Lets begin again with truth. Truth about reality is knowable. There is absolute truth which corresponds to the way things are, to the facts. Absolute truth is possible, and absolutes are undeniable. How can I make such a claim in today's world where it is popular to hold to the idea of relative truth? What is my evidence? Two points help me believe in the absolute nature of truth. The first has to do with moral comparisons. For example, if we compare Mother Teresa to Adolf Hitler who will be considered a better person? There really is no comparison. Mother Teresa is considered to be a moral person, while Hitler is considered evil. But how can we make such a statement if truth is relative. We cannot. We cannot even understand what morality is unless there is a set standard to guide us. Another example deals with progress and regress. True progress or regress demands an absolute standard. How can we know that the world is getting better or worse unless we have some understanding of what is best? C.S. Lewis once wrote,

"My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But
how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked
unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe
with when I called it unjust?" - Mere Christianity.

We can be absolutely sure of some things. Take this argument for example:

I am sure I exist. This is undeniable.

I must exist to make the statement "I don't exist".

I am sure I cannot exist and not exist at the same time.

If I could exist and not exist that would break the law of non-contradiction. This law is foundational to knowledge, an example of a first principle. Without first principles nothing can be known. According to this law opposite ideas cannot both be true at the same time, and in the same place. Therefore, God cannot both exist and not exist. I doubt there will be little disagreement about that point! The question becomes why do I believe he exists?
Let me begin this section by saying that if this law is agreed upon then we can safely say that all religions cannot be true because they teach opposites. I do believe however, that a theistic God exists, and now I will present some arguments for His existence.
First:

What had a beginning had a beginner. (Like a set of dominions lined up and knocked over).

The universe had a beginning.

The universe had a beginner.

How can I say that the universe had a beginning? I was not there to see it. I will present a scientific argument for the beginning of the universe:

The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics states that in a closed, isolated system the amount of usable energy always decreases. Our universe has not run out of energy, so therefore it cannot be said to be eternal. If we liken a closed, isolated system to an hourglass then we can understand if the sand had an eternal time to funnel down then it would have finished an eternity ago. If our universe was eternal the amount of usable energy would have been used up an eternity ago. We can conclude then that our universe is not eternal. If it is not then it must have had a beginning. If it had a beginning, then it must have had a beginner. Why must that which has a beginning have a beginner? I will answer that question with an argument from astronomy:

Anticipatory design shows an intelligent designer.

Human life shows anticipatory design.

So, human life shows an intelligent designer.

Another argument from Micro biology says:

Irreducible complexity has an intelligent designer.

First life had irreducible complexity.

So, first life had an intelligent designer.

I will conclude these arguments by once again addressing morality. A moral argument:

Every law has a law giver.

There is an absolute law.

There must be an absolute moral, law giver.

We do not invent this moral law any more than we invent physical laws, or mathematical laws. They are discovered. Universal guilt proves there is a moral law. People all over the world find the same types of things evil, genocide, racism, and bigotry for example. If we combined what these arguments tell us about God we could conclude that there is a powerful, intelligent, absolutely perfect God who is unique. There cannot be two infinite beings. If God exists then miracles are possible. And that is what we will explore in my next post.

A Sibbolith

2008-06-21T19:16:00.000-04:00

What you believe about the Bible will determine how you respond to its teachings. Many people today including Christians do not believe scripture to be inspired, or inerrant. The argument claiming that the Bible is inerrant is bound up in inspiration. Scripture makes some tremendous claims about itself:

2 Peter 1:21: "For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

Peter saw the Old Testament as prophecy.

Luke 24:44: (Jesus speaking) "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."

The prophecy in the Old Testament has to do with Christ. The whole Old Testament although historical is truly theological. The main purpose in writing the Old Testament was not to record history, but to point to the Christ.

The 2 Peter passage connects with Luke 24:44, and with John 16:13: "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come."

The New Testament teaches that the Spirit is involved in inspiration. The Spirit is referred to by Jesus as "the Spirit of truth". Truth is the very nature of the Spirit. And this Spirit of truth moves men to remember and write the truth.

Someone might ask, "is this true for all copies and translations? Can they be considered equally inspired?" Again scripture itself makes some tremendous claims. In Deuteronomy 17:14-20 Moses instructed that when a king takes office he must write a copy of the law for himself. This had to be done in the presence of the priests. The king was also commanded to read of the copy all the days of his life so that he may learn to fear the Lord. In 1 Kings 2:3 David speaking to Solomon near the end of his life commands Solomon to walk in the way of the Lord, keeping his statutes, and commandments so that Solomon may succeed. By this time the scripture would have been a copy. David felt that the copies available to him and his family were authoritative. But they were only authoritative and sufficient so far as they accurately reflected the original. That is why the king had to write in front of the priests. If a mistake was being made the priests could correct it.

Proverbs 25:1 "These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah King of Judah."

Here the words had been transcribed, and the worth of the copies were held in high esteem, they carried the weight of scripture.

Nehemiah 8:8 "They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving meaning so that the people could understand what was being read."

The Levites were working from a copy when they read and interpreted the law. The people accepted the instruction as having the authority of scripture.

In the New Testament Jesus accepted the authority of copies. In Luke 4:16-21 Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1-2. This happened in Nazareth, the chances of a the original manuscript of Isaiah being located in Nazareth would be pretty slim, yet Jesus treats the words with all the sufficiency and accuracy of the originals. In fact over and over again Jesus says, "have you not heard", or "it is written". Jesus in His ministry saw copies of scripture as the authoritative word of God.

Acts 17:2 "As was his custom Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the scriptures". Paul did not have the original manuscripts, neither did the synagogue. Paul does not say "since you do not have the originals I cannot teach you".

Acts 18:28 "For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ". Again Paul was arguing from copies of the originals. The Jews argued from copies of the originals. Both sides indirectly are affirming the copies to be the word of God. They do not even argue that point.

The writers of the New Testament have no issue with quoting copies of the originals, and they offer no apology for it. Still there was a concern for the originals. In 2 Thessalonians 3:17 Paul writes, "I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write". Paul used a secretary to write his letters, but at the end he signed his own name. His concern is that someone might try to claim to be him, but by signing his name others will recognize his handwriting so they can be sure the letter is from Paul. In this case the original serves a great purpose. What we can learn here is that if you can get your hands on the originals that's wonderful because they are inspired, but copies are still considered authoritative. Inspiration and inerrancy apply in an undiminished way only to the original manuscripts. Copies are authoritative only in so far as the translations remain faithful to the originals.

What about our English translations? They are also the inerrant, infallible, inspired word of God to the extent that they accurately reflect the original. We need to remember that the Bible is Gods revelation, and he will be faithful to give us true copies. What would be the point of God giving us a revelation so we could know Him, yet not keeping that revelation pure? That is not how God works. If one starts with a bad opinion or understanding of God one will have a bad doctrine of scripture. We can know that our translations are not inferior because of their connection to the originals. (For example, the Dead Sea Scrolls).

Laying The Foundation

2008-05-25T20:14:00.000-04:00

"And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
(ESV) ---2 Peter 1:19-21
To answer the questions in my previous post two issues need to be explored, the transmission, and self-attestation of scripture. For clarification purposes what I mean by transmission is the accurate representation of the original manuscripts (the Autographs). The first issue will be addressed in this post. A follow up post will explore what scripture says about its own transmission in the New and Old Testaments.
Christians do not have the original autographs, however we do have a large number of existing manuscripts. We know the autographs existed at some point, and our existing manuscripts are based upon them as they were faithfully handed down by Jewish scribes. I say faithfully handed down because of the care the Jews took in their scribal tradition to reproduce the sacred writings. To become a scribe required formal training. Such great care was taken in reproducing the originals that Christians can claim a degree of accuracy greater than any other book from the ancient world, 99% accurate.
The primary Old Testament witness comes from several places. The Masoretic Text (the Jewish scribes), the Targums (Aramaic translations and commentary), and the Septuagint (LXX, the Greek translation of the Old Testament). The LXX has a date close to the first century and tells us what the original Hebrew would have read. For more information see this link by Craig Davis: http://www.datingtheoldtestament.com/Texts.htm
Another witness to the Old Testament are the Dead Sea Scrolls. See: http://www.centuryone.com/25dssfacts.html They are significant because they provide dating to about 150 BC. They contain every book except Esther and they prove to be accurate with noticeably little difference from the Masoretic texts. This Manuscript evidence demonstrates that the Old Testament text has been well preserved, and accurately represented in our Modern Bible.
The New Testament remains the best attested document in the ancient world with manuscripts available from the third and fourth centuries, as well as some fragments dating into the late first century. God in his providence has preserved His word for us. Some of the witnesses to the New Testament are the Greek Manuscripts, Ancient translations such as the Vulgate, and Quotations from the early Church Fathers who in their writing quoted thousands of verses in Greek and Latin that can help reconstruct the original writings. Most books from the ancient world have 10-20 manuscripts to boast their claim of authenticity, which date from a thousand or more years after the original was written. The New Testament has two important manuscripts available. The Chester Beatty Papyri was copied around 250 http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/papyri_bruce.pdf , and Vaticanus http://www.bible-researcher.com/codex-b.html which was copied around 325 containing a majority of the New Testament. For more on this you can read work by Normal L. Geisler starting with: Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics.
Although it could be argued that within these manuscripts there are variant readings due to a slip of the hand (misspelling, or omitting a word) none of the variant readings affect the central theological message presented throughout the Bible. This is because the themes are widespread and do not hang on just one verse. Today's Bible based on the manuscripts handed down to us present an accurate and faithful representation of the original autographs.
for further information see this paper by R.A Baker: http://www.churchhistory101.com/docs/New-Testament-Canon.pdf
My next post will explore what scripture says about its transmission. Any ideas about what I will say?

Are we on a firm foundation?

2008-05-19T19:57:00.000-04:00

In my previous posting I expressed my belief that truth is found in God's self revelation. That revelation comes through God's creation and His word. These are the topics I want to discuss next, but before I do there are some important questions to consider. Maybe you can share your thoughts. When speaking about God's word as revelation are we on a firm foundation? Can we have any confidence that the scriptures have been passed down to us accurately? How can we be sure that the manuscripts have not been corrupted? Do these manuscripts accurately reflect the originals? How can Christians claim to have an authoritative revelation when we do not have the original manuscripts?

Where I am coming from

2008-05-17T23:43:00.000-04:00

We live in a time when people claim "truth is relative". This concept is unreasonable. The argument for the relevant nature of truth is self-defeating. As soon as a person accepts the argument as true, truth is no longer relevant for that individual. There are truths and falsities. Not every view can be correct. For the Christian, truth comes from God’s revelation. Mankind is groping in darkness apart from God’s revelation. It is not what man knows at that point, but what man thinks he knows. God has spoken through creation, through Scriptures, and the fulfillment of the scriptures in the work of Christ. To find truth we must approach the Bible in faith. Not everyone believes it to be the Word of God. Yet the Bible has no need to be proven in an a-priori or a-posteriori manner. God’s word is truth despite these arguments. Reason is not required to make way for faith in this view; instead, faith provides the room for reason to operate. The faith I am speaking of is not a blind faith but a saving faith. This faith is bound to the Bible, and is the closest Christians can come to objectivity, making faith the necessary condition for true knowledge. Faith is a gift from God, the work of His Spirit causing man to look externally for understanding. Truth is not found hidden somewhere within man, and truth will not be found through any process of meditation or soul searching. Man finds it through turning away from himself and looking toward God. In Proverbs 2:2-6, Solomon writes that as one undertakes the task of searching for wisdom, crying for discernment, and asking for help in understanding, then they discover the knowledge of God. Solomon adds that knowledge and understanding come from the mouth God. In other words, God’s words are truth.