Of late I have seen a number of my Christian friends reposting things that sound good, but are most definitely not Christian in theme or nature. In fact they are Humanist, Buddhist or secularist philosophical thinking. What I am having the most problem with are these exhortations to surround yourself with the right kind of people. I know that many so-called Christian writers and inspirational teachers present these ideas under the guise of not keeping bad company (a biblical idea) or claiming that all wisdom comes from God. Truth be know is that God's wisdom seems like foolishness to the unspiritual unredeemed mind. Not everything that sounds good is from God. Proverbs 14:12 warns us that there is a way that seems right to us, but its end is death.
I think there are two things we should keep in mind. First, the life of Jesus and the words of Jesus and second, the words and actions of his followers. Jesus hung out with prostitutes and other sinners. Because of the company He kept, people even accused him of being a drunkard and a glutton. Clearly Jesus was not too worried about whom he kept company with. In fact it seemed that those parts of the Jewish culture that the religious/righteous people would eschew/avoid/reject were in fact attracted to Jesus.
If we look at Jesus' entourage, we will see people who might have killed one another under different circumstances. He had fishermen, who by nature can be a bit rough and tumble. He had a tax collector who was basically a Roman collaborator who took advantage of his fellow Jews. He had Simon the Zealot, who would have sworn to kill Romans and Roman sympathizers. He had a woman who had been filled with demons and may have been a prostitute. Clearly Jesus wasn't worried about being influenced by their company.
I know that the Apostle Paul warns us his letter to the Corinthians about keeping company with people who practiced all sorts of sin. But he spells out that this only applies to Christians who are unrepentant. He basically says that this doesn't apply to non-believers.
Now some of you might argue that we are not Jesus but isn't He the standard that we set for ourselves in conduct and compassion. In my book, if it is good enough for Jesus then it is good enough for me. Now we do need to be cautious about the people that we keep company with. We are warned not to be in business or relationships with non-believers. I think that it all comes down to who we are in Christ. Are we men and woman so full of Jesus that it attracts all kinds of people to us? Are we so filled with Him, that we become the one influencing others rather then the other way around?
Be careful not to swallow everything that sounds good or wise on the internet. There is lots of stuff that sounds good, but it really doesn't reflect the heart of a true follower of Jesus Christ. We are called to be salt and light. Light drives away darkness and attracts those looking to escape it. Salt flavors the lives of those who come in contact with us.
When we complain about the world, we are saying that Christ isn't enough. The world is filled with sin and evil. Sin and evil have no love for God, but sinners and those harmed by evil need a savior, a healer and a redeemer. We are the hands of feet of Jesus here on earth. We are ministers of reconciliation who can help the sinner find Christ. We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven who represent the interests of our Lord and King Jesus. Our lives must demonstrate the reality of Christ's redeeming work. And the only way we can do that is to be fully trusting in Him, spending time with Him in prayer, meditation and studying His Word. We have the answer - Christ in us, the hope of Glory.
I pray that you have been encouraged this day to live for Him. To not worry so much about what others may say about you but rather you would take comfort in knowing that Jesus has chosen you and sealed you with his Holy Spirit as proof that you are forever his. His words are the only ones that really matter. What does He say about you? What did He do for you? This is where our value is found. No amount of naysayers or grumblers can undo the work that He has done and will continue to do in each of us.
Blessings,
Preacher Al
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Going Beyond Perceived Truth and Opinions
Proverbs 18:2 -"A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions."
Proverbs 12:23 "A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness."
The topic of telling the truth to people has come up on my FB page more that once. Basically, the post seems to say or imply that telling people the truth isn't being mean it's being forthright. I can relate as at times I have tended to just tell people what I thought about things because I was convinced of my own rightness; that is just arrogance. In fact, a friend of mine at our going away to Ukraine Luau said, "Before I met Alan, I thought that I was the most arrogant person..." So as to say that he found me to be quite arrogant. Of course, I tend to think of myself as being well informed and humble. But as I pass the 60-year mark I find that I am not as smart as I thought I was. I am finding that if I shut my mouth and listen and stop trying to win the argument, I can learn a few things.
People who are convinced of their rightness are often just prattling fools. They are self-deceived and in need of a Jethro Leroy Gibbs reset (slap in the back of the head). What is funny as those very prattling fools I am talking about won't even realize that I am talking about them, just as I wouldn't have.
I don't know if is age or time, or just God's relentless transformative work, but it seems that this lesson isn't learned for most until after the age of 50. When we are young, we tend to think we are the first to discover a concept and that everyone older than us is terribly uninformed. But as time goes on some of those things that we were so convinced of as eternal truths turn out to be fanciful thinking and mere opinion. Part of this can be explained by the scientific fact that our brains don't finish growing until we are in our twenties. Then our brains continue to mature and make more connections as we mature. We may lose some of our brains elasticity as we get older, but ordinarily, we don't get dumber.
Those who claim the premise of being right or knowing the truth at the expense of others have not learned that it is Love, not Truth or Knowledge that is the trump card. When you dismiss someone else's dignity because you think you are right you have missed the point and you are just a self-important fool who is more interested in your own opinion than in what is really right and true.
The fool thinks him/herself wise but their lack of love for others, their use of abusive language and their demeaning of others tells another story, Jesus said you will know a tree by its fruit. Good fruit is Agape love. Good fruit is respect for human dignity. The bad tree fails to see anything but its own truncated perspective and spews its own vile and prideful attitudes and calls it truth. Good fruit is born out of humility and time spent with the Master.
So the next time you are convinced that you are right - think twice. You may just be a noisy gong and clanging cymbal devoid of God's love.
In Him
Preacher Al
Proverbs 12:23 "A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness."
The topic of telling the truth to people has come up on my FB page more that once. Basically, the post seems to say or imply that telling people the truth isn't being mean it's being forthright. I can relate as at times I have tended to just tell people what I thought about things because I was convinced of my own rightness; that is just arrogance. In fact, a friend of mine at our going away to Ukraine Luau said, "Before I met Alan, I thought that I was the most arrogant person..." So as to say that he found me to be quite arrogant. Of course, I tend to think of myself as being well informed and humble. But as I pass the 60-year mark I find that I am not as smart as I thought I was. I am finding that if I shut my mouth and listen and stop trying to win the argument, I can learn a few things.
People who are convinced of their rightness are often just prattling fools. They are self-deceived and in need of a Jethro Leroy Gibbs reset (slap in the back of the head). What is funny as those very prattling fools I am talking about won't even realize that I am talking about them, just as I wouldn't have.
I don't know if is age or time, or just God's relentless transformative work, but it seems that this lesson isn't learned for most until after the age of 50. When we are young, we tend to think we are the first to discover a concept and that everyone older than us is terribly uninformed. But as time goes on some of those things that we were so convinced of as eternal truths turn out to be fanciful thinking and mere opinion. Part of this can be explained by the scientific fact that our brains don't finish growing until we are in our twenties. Then our brains continue to mature and make more connections as we mature. We may lose some of our brains elasticity as we get older, but ordinarily, we don't get dumber.
Those who claim the premise of being right or knowing the truth at the expense of others have not learned that it is Love, not Truth or Knowledge that is the trump card. When you dismiss someone else's dignity because you think you are right you have missed the point and you are just a self-important fool who is more interested in your own opinion than in what is really right and true.
The fool thinks him/herself wise but their lack of love for others, their use of abusive language and their demeaning of others tells another story, Jesus said you will know a tree by its fruit. Good fruit is Agape love. Good fruit is respect for human dignity. The bad tree fails to see anything but its own truncated perspective and spews its own vile and prideful attitudes and calls it truth. Good fruit is born out of humility and time spent with the Master.
So the next time you are convinced that you are right - think twice. You may just be a noisy gong and clanging cymbal devoid of God's love.
In Him
Preacher Al
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Just a quick thought
I was inspired by a post by Glenn Burris, the president of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. He has been reading a book called "God's Generals" one of those characters was Aimee Semple McPherson and Glenn remarked on a Facebook post about how Aimee didn't let cultural expectations limit her ministry. And this thought came to me.
As Christians we can neither ignore the culture around us nor let it limit us. The culture may try to hinder us with values that fly in the face of The Good News of Jesus Christ. But as Christians we have to keep our eyes on Jesus, pursuing The Kingdom and its righteousness in spite of what the culture is saying.
So when the culture says that things like riches and social standing are important we have to continue to find our value in the eyes of our Savior. We must find our value in what He has done and not in our earthly accomplishments. We cannot let things like fame and earthy success define us (one way or the other). No matter what we accomplish here on earth, if it is not done in His strength and according to His will, then we are just building idols for ourselves - sand cassels on the shore.
As Christians we can neither ignore the culture around us nor let it limit us. The culture may try to hinder us with values that fly in the face of The Good News of Jesus Christ. But as Christians we have to keep our eyes on Jesus, pursuing The Kingdom and its righteousness in spite of what the culture is saying.
So when the culture says that things like riches and social standing are important we have to continue to find our value in the eyes of our Savior. We must find our value in what He has done and not in our earthly accomplishments. We cannot let things like fame and earthy success define us (one way or the other). No matter what we accomplish here on earth, if it is not done in His strength and according to His will, then we are just building idols for ourselves - sand cassels on the shore.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Just felt the need to say this
I am a sold out Christian. I believe in God not only because the Bible says so, but because I have a personal encounter with the Living God.
A sermon preached on March 15th by Pastor Ronnie Flores has inspired me to write this
A sermon preached on March 15th by Pastor Ronnie Flores has inspired me to write this
- I have looked into His Law and seen my own depravity and
- I have looked into the eyes of Jesus and seen his abiding love for me in His Grace.
- I realize that I can do nothing of lasting worth apart from Him but
- I know that I can do immeasurably more than I can think or imagine, because He lives in me.
- I know that His Law demands perfection but
- I am not discouraged, because He doesn't expect me to figure it all out on my own.
- In fact I am encouraged because He has empowered me to be His ambassador.
- Because He first loved me, I can love the unlovable
- Because He forgave me, I can forgive all others.
- Because He died for me, I can die to my own selfish desires
- Because He rose from the dead, I can now enter into the eternal life
- Because He was obedient even unto death, I can obey Him
- Because His voice is like no other, I will always follow Him.
- Because He has given me the seal of the Holy Spirit, I know that I am forever His
- Because He has given me gifts, I am now equipped to bless others.
- Because God is my Father, all men are my brothers and all women my sisters.
- Because I know that His desire is to see all people come to the saving knowledge of Him, I will preach his Word
- Because I am a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, my allegiance will always be to Him first and foremost above any human institution
- Because I am his, I will fear neither the scheming of evil men nor the schemes of the devil.
- Because I know that He will never allow anyone to snatch me out of His Hand, I know that my future is secure.
- Because He suffered for my sins, I can suffer any hurt for His sake
- Because He lives in me, I will live for Him.
And when I fail, as I am sure I will, He picks me up, reminds me of his Love and encourages me to continue on
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Why are you so annoyed at having to "Press One for English"
I don't get it! Why are so many Christians upset because there are people living in America who don't speak English as their first language. I can understand secular Americans having some phobia about foreigners, but why should Christians really care. When the church was born on Pentecost, there were people from all over the world speaking various languages in Jerusalem and God's response was the empower people with the Holy Spirit to speak in such a ways as to touch the hearts of all these diverse peoples.
Xenophobia should not be something that afflicts Christians. In Christ our national origin becomes irrelevant. The language we speak is irrelevant. Christ is the only thing that is relevant. He is the center of our focus, not the national origin or language spoken by those around us. Don't let the devil distract you from the most important thing. Following Christ and loving others as Christ has loved you.
How does whining and I stress the word WHINING about whether a person speaks English or not, glorify God? It doesn't! Instead it just shows your pettiness and your lack of understanding of Christ and what He has done for us all. When you complain that someone doesn't speak your language, its like saying, "Go to Hell you foreign devil, you cannot be saved unless you speak my language!" The arrogance, the hubris of such a statement/attitude affronts and infuriates me. Do you really think that God cares whether America is the greatest nation or not? If you do, you have been conned by the devil. God seeks to unite his children it's the devil who finds all kinds of ways to divide us. The devil wants to make us think that everyone who is not like us is somehow unworthy of God. He wants us to hate our neighbors and complain about them and withdraw from getting to know them. The devil even wants to pit Christian against Christian so that we will not be about doing God's work. Whining and complaining is not of God, it's of the devil, no matter how right you think you are.
Even in Solomon's time, people tried to set themselves above others. Often they did so by thinking they were better than others because of their wealth. But God spoke through His Word and told us that whether we are rich or poor, we are still made in the image of God. This runs true for national origin, race and language. The apostle Paul told us in his letter to the church in Galatia, that national origin was irrelevant in Christ and even gender was irrelevant in Christ. Not that their are not differences, but rather the most important thing is to be united in Christ. Christ died once for all. He didn't die just for English speakers or for Hebrew speakers or Russian speakers. He died so that we would no longer have to rail against our brother and sisters in Christ. He paid for the sins of every person born and yet to be born. He died so that we would become subjects of the Kingdom of God, wherever we might live and whatever language we might speak.
Speaking English or living in America doesn't make you any more deserving of God's grace and mercy than anyone else in the world. Christ didn't die for the American flag. He didn't die for English language. He died so that every person in every land and of every language could be set free of the burden of sin and made free to live for Him regardless of where they call home. He died, was resurrected and sent us the Holy Spirit so that we would be free from hatred and distrust and so that we would be free to love others as Christ loves us.
If you want to be a whiner and an complainer, then why should you call yourself a follower of Christ? At best you are a secular Christian (lukewarm and not much good for anything) at worst you are totally self-deceived and don't even know Christ.
Xenophobia should not be something that afflicts Christians. In Christ our national origin becomes irrelevant. The language we speak is irrelevant. Christ is the only thing that is relevant. He is the center of our focus, not the national origin or language spoken by those around us. Don't let the devil distract you from the most important thing. Following Christ and loving others as Christ has loved you.
How does whining and I stress the word WHINING about whether a person speaks English or not, glorify God? It doesn't! Instead it just shows your pettiness and your lack of understanding of Christ and what He has done for us all. When you complain that someone doesn't speak your language, its like saying, "Go to Hell you foreign devil, you cannot be saved unless you speak my language!" The arrogance, the hubris of such a statement/attitude affronts and infuriates me. Do you really think that God cares whether America is the greatest nation or not? If you do, you have been conned by the devil. God seeks to unite his children it's the devil who finds all kinds of ways to divide us. The devil wants to make us think that everyone who is not like us is somehow unworthy of God. He wants us to hate our neighbors and complain about them and withdraw from getting to know them. The devil even wants to pit Christian against Christian so that we will not be about doing God's work. Whining and complaining is not of God, it's of the devil, no matter how right you think you are.
Even in Solomon's time, people tried to set themselves above others. Often they did so by thinking they were better than others because of their wealth. But God spoke through His Word and told us that whether we are rich or poor, we are still made in the image of God. This runs true for national origin, race and language. The apostle Paul told us in his letter to the church in Galatia, that national origin was irrelevant in Christ and even gender was irrelevant in Christ. Not that their are not differences, but rather the most important thing is to be united in Christ. Christ died once for all. He didn't die just for English speakers or for Hebrew speakers or Russian speakers. He died so that we would no longer have to rail against our brother and sisters in Christ. He paid for the sins of every person born and yet to be born. He died so that we would become subjects of the Kingdom of God, wherever we might live and whatever language we might speak.
Speaking English or living in America doesn't make you any more deserving of God's grace and mercy than anyone else in the world. Christ didn't die for the American flag. He didn't die for English language. He died so that every person in every land and of every language could be set free of the burden of sin and made free to live for Him regardless of where they call home. He died, was resurrected and sent us the Holy Spirit so that we would be free from hatred and distrust and so that we would be free to love others as Christ loves us.
If you want to be a whiner and an complainer, then why should you call yourself a follower of Christ? At best you are a secular Christian (lukewarm and not much good for anything) at worst you are totally self-deceived and don't even know Christ.
Just some thoughts
- When we dismiss or degrade other people we dismiss and degrade God; they are made in His image.
- When we complain about the diversity of people we complain about God who created that diversity.
- Which do you put first in your life, the Cross of Christ or your national flag?
- Is it a sin to speak a language other than English in America?
- If the greatest law is loving God and loving our neighbors how is resenting others because they don't speak English loving them?
- America use to be a place where we welcomed the poor and the downtrodden, now we complain about them.
- The Christian inspirational teacher Zig Ziglar suggests that we shouldn't let negative people rent space in our minds, I am thinking why should I let complainers, rent space on my Facebook page?
- Is it wrong for people to seek gainful employment in another country so that they can better things for their children? Is it morally wrong for them to illegally enter the United States so that they could secure a better future for their children? Is it morally wrong for them to be willing to work more for less?
- If you want to go Old Testament on me, did you ever consider that God's Word says that we are not to treat foreigners differently than our own people
- Bemoaning things that upset you is not being Light.
- When we worry about how others will affect us then, according to Christian author and psychologist Larry Crabb, we are guilty of "The Sin of Self-protection"
If I have offended you, tough! The offense is all yours. Nowhere in the Bible does is say to take offence against a brother or sister. I am just telling you the truth in love. If you don't like it you can go right to my Father and He will explain it to you.
Christ said that we would be know by our love. Judging others or complaining about them because they speak another language that you don't understand is not demonstrating love, it is only demonstrating how little love you have in you. For my part I have learned to speak another language so that I can reach people for Christ. I am now qualified to teach people English as an ESL instructor. What are you going to do to show "foreigners" (a.k.a. your neighbors) the love of Christ?
Happiness, fun and homosexuality
Once again I am provoked by a FB post to blog on another topic. Does that make me a reactionary? :D
Okay so what about wanting to be happy and wanting to have fun. In one sense this doesn't sound to bad, it almost sounds plausible. But I do not think that these statements cannot stand as axioms for life. Am I apposed to people being happy or to having fun? Of course not!, But I do think there needs to be some sort of caveat to go with it; something that says fun or happiness has some sort of conditions or limits on it.
So what is happiness. I think in its basic form happiness is "I get to do what I like doing." I am happy when I am watching a good movie, I am happy when my wife is kind and supportive (which nowadays, by the way, is most of the time). I am happy when I have money to purchase the things I want to have. I am happy when the sun shines, the temperature is mild and the pollen count is low. Happiness is conditional.
In the constitution we are guaranteed the right to pursue happiness. Which is the say that we all have the right to work to pursue some form of happiness (likely in its day it had a different meaning than it holds today). However the Constitution does not guarantee that I will be happy or that it's the government's job to ensure I am happy. My happiness is my business. Other people are not responsible to insure that I will be made happy. Sometimes others will in fact be unhappy when the right thing or the moral thing is required. I doubt that many people nowadays are happy about paying taxes, yet it is necessary for a government to govern. Jesus recognized that when he told the Pharisees that one should render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and render unto God what is God's. In a way he was saying, "As much as you would like to keep all that you earn for yourself, it isn't possible. You need to pay the government their taxes (even if they are an oppressive one - which is what the Jews thought of Rome) and you must pay tithe or temple tax so that the church may continue serve the spiritual and physical needs of the people of God.
If children had their way, they would never have to do chores or homework, they would never have to eat anything that is "good for them" and they would be able to play as many games and watch as much TV as they cared to. But parents know that children most learn some sense of responsibility. Although there are some who are parents who have not learned this lesson for themselves. When a parent puts a child on time out or when parent withholds privileges that child is not happy. Is that wrong? Of course not! Children do not know what they need (what they must learn to do and not do); initially all they know is what they want or don't want. I cannot think of anytime I was happy to do the dishes when I was a child but now as an adult, I am happy to see all the dishes cleaned and put away when I come into the kitchen in the morning.. But we should know that parent(s) and the child are not always both able to be happy at the same time. When a parent says no to a child, it is often because they know that the thing the child thinks they would be happy with, the parent realizes would be harmful to the child's character or physical well being. We cannot always have what we want.
So then what is fun? I think fun relates more to our sense of pleasure. When we do something it gives us some sort of pleasurable feed back. I think both fun and happiness are related and that the line between them is a fuzzy one. But back to fun. Sometimes I have heard the response of a person to being warned off doing something to be, "But it's fun" I must say that being fun cannot be an axiom or criteria for the primary reason to do something. This NOT me saying that we cannot have fun. I am just saying that something being fun cannot be the most important criteria for the reason for doing something nor does it legitimise the activity. Some things are inherently fun and are designed to be fun. That's okay. Some things that are meant to be fun can be made un-pleasurable by the circumstances surrounding the activity in question but being "fun" in and of itself does not make something right or needed to be carried out.
So how do we judge an activity or a state of being if not by fun or happiness? Well I don't really think that is what I am saying. I think a visit to Disney Land/World should be fun. I don't think that we should have fun at someone else's expense. Bullies have fun bullying but they make the lives of those that they bully miserable. Luckily I escaped being bullied and as far as I know and I never played the part of a bully. Obviously when we cause someone harm so as to have fun, that is wrong. But there are times that when we do the right thing that not everyone will be happy with us.
But what happens when world views collide? What do I do when someone else demands that I change the rules for how I understand the world works because they say that my way is preventing someone else from being happy. I think there will always be the "No way José" response for some and for others, not wanting to offend, they will quickly surrender their point of view. I'm in the group that says, "Wow, wait a second is this really something that needs to be changed?"
200 years ago, many people saw nothing wrong with enslaving people based upon skin color or national origin. They saw profit in the subjugation of other races and even found reason from a biblical position (wrongly I would add) for doing so. So when abolitionist came along and said "Hey slavery was wrong, it must be stopped!"(and by the way abolitionist were devout Christians) there were some deeply entrenched in owning and selling slaves who thought this was crazy. "How dare you try to turn our world view upside down?" This happened again for women in their bid to gain equal rights (which they are still struggling for) and yet again with the civil rights movement; led by a prominent Christian Preacher - Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. His argument that people of all colors should have equal rights touched many people's hearts and his use of nonviolence further validated his cause.
So here we are in the 21st century and we have homosexuals saying they have the same rights as anyone to marry whom they want. They say that we are denying them happiness and their rights by not legalizing same-sex marriage. I admit that on one side the argument seems to have some validity. But I think it is based upon a false premise. The premise is that they are born that way, much as a black person or a Hispanic is born with darker skin, homosexuals claim as do some scientist and psychologist that they are born that way. Therefore they see any laws preventing them from doing what straight people are allowed to do, is completely wrong; much as racial prejudice is wrong. Or so goes the argument.
So do homosexuals need to be married as straight couples are to be happy? Obviously they think they do, but yet there are so many legal options that are available to them. They can enter into a legal union as recognized by the state. They can put their possessions and estates into non-transferable trusts. So there are (as far as I understand) legal actions they can take to validate and protect their estates to ensure that marriage would offer. So do we really need to change the definition of marriage from a man and a woman to any two humans. I have to say no but this doesn't give me the right to be hateful and even angry about homosexuals wanting some recognition as people.
I don't believe that homosexuals are born that way, yet still I don't believe that it is merely a choice (although recent changes in the law of some states make this more likely to be the case). Homosexual's claims that they have always felt that way says their is something deep in their psyche at work. I think if I was suffering such strange urges it would be very unsettling. I would look at nature and the function of sexual organs, and I would know something is a miss. But where does one turn for help? Unfortunately with the current trends in psychology, homosexuality is seen as normal and psychologists try to help people come to terms with it rather finding a way out of it. It seems like a kind thing to do, but would you do that for a child-molester, for a drug addict or a sociopath? These people also have urges that stem from deep seated problems or even failures to mature as a human. We want to help these folks, but for homosexuals, some want to validate them. The truth is that psychology has failed in some respects to effectively deal with these issues. They can identify, but not cure and to add to it, homosexuals don't want to be cured they want acceptance.
I am left with "Love never fails." I think that what we need to do is to love homosexuals as people created in the image of our God. We need to introduce them to Jesus and trust that He will change them through his Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We cannot help people by merely arguing with them and we cannot help them by demanding they conform to God's or our standards. We need engage them, talk to them, help them wrestle with the deep things of life and faith. We don't need to condemn them. Unfortunately very few people I know in the faith are equipped, ready,and prepared for giving such loving help.
Christ's ways are the ways of love. Love seeks the better of the other. Love does not react out of fear or hatred. Loving someone doesn't mean you have to agree with them or accept their lifestyle choices, but it does mean that you try to see who God has made them to be and introduce them to the One who can redeem even the most reprobate sinner.
So is sticking with the current model of man-woman marriage denying homosexuals happiness? I don't think so. Is it denying them a validation of their life style? Yes. Do we as a society need to validate same sex marriage? No, there are other avenues available. We won't lower age of consent for sex to appease or decriminalize pedophiles even though many societies recognize the threshold of adulthood to be 12 years of age so why try to appease this group who wants to redefine marriage. I apologize if I have offended you by making this comparison, but there are currently advocates for child sex who are even writing books to encourage other pedophiles. Its seems here we are on the edge of a very slippery slope. Some are pushing others are trying to hold this back.
I know this article has moved to a very emotional and political point, but it all comes back to this. Do we have to give in to other's wishes just because they say something is fun or that it would make them happy? I think we have to weigh such requests carefully and neither dismiss them out of hand nor just cave in to someone else's desires.
Being a Christian can be fun and as Christians we can be happy in participating in the faith life of the community of Christ. But we need to realize that neither happiness nor fun are in and of themselves true criteria for determining what is right. And condemning something because it is seen as "fun" is just as pointless. Weigh all things in the light of God's Word and God's Holy Spirit. Trust that God will help you enjoy this life that He has given you. Trust that even in the things that are not fun or that do not make you happy, that there is room for God to move and bring about what is right and true.
Okay so what about wanting to be happy and wanting to have fun. In one sense this doesn't sound to bad, it almost sounds plausible. But I do not think that these statements cannot stand as axioms for life. Am I apposed to people being happy or to having fun? Of course not!, But I do think there needs to be some sort of caveat to go with it; something that says fun or happiness has some sort of conditions or limits on it.
So what is happiness. I think in its basic form happiness is "I get to do what I like doing." I am happy when I am watching a good movie, I am happy when my wife is kind and supportive (which nowadays, by the way, is most of the time). I am happy when I have money to purchase the things I want to have. I am happy when the sun shines, the temperature is mild and the pollen count is low. Happiness is conditional.
In the constitution we are guaranteed the right to pursue happiness. Which is the say that we all have the right to work to pursue some form of happiness (likely in its day it had a different meaning than it holds today). However the Constitution does not guarantee that I will be happy or that it's the government's job to ensure I am happy. My happiness is my business. Other people are not responsible to insure that I will be made happy. Sometimes others will in fact be unhappy when the right thing or the moral thing is required. I doubt that many people nowadays are happy about paying taxes, yet it is necessary for a government to govern. Jesus recognized that when he told the Pharisees that one should render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and render unto God what is God's. In a way he was saying, "As much as you would like to keep all that you earn for yourself, it isn't possible. You need to pay the government their taxes (even if they are an oppressive one - which is what the Jews thought of Rome) and you must pay tithe or temple tax so that the church may continue serve the spiritual and physical needs of the people of God.
If children had their way, they would never have to do chores or homework, they would never have to eat anything that is "good for them" and they would be able to play as many games and watch as much TV as they cared to. But parents know that children most learn some sense of responsibility. Although there are some who are parents who have not learned this lesson for themselves. When a parent puts a child on time out or when parent withholds privileges that child is not happy. Is that wrong? Of course not! Children do not know what they need (what they must learn to do and not do); initially all they know is what they want or don't want. I cannot think of anytime I was happy to do the dishes when I was a child but now as an adult, I am happy to see all the dishes cleaned and put away when I come into the kitchen in the morning.. But we should know that parent(s) and the child are not always both able to be happy at the same time. When a parent says no to a child, it is often because they know that the thing the child thinks they would be happy with, the parent realizes would be harmful to the child's character or physical well being. We cannot always have what we want.
So then what is fun? I think fun relates more to our sense of pleasure. When we do something it gives us some sort of pleasurable feed back. I think both fun and happiness are related and that the line between them is a fuzzy one. But back to fun. Sometimes I have heard the response of a person to being warned off doing something to be, "But it's fun" I must say that being fun cannot be an axiom or criteria for the primary reason to do something. This NOT me saying that we cannot have fun. I am just saying that something being fun cannot be the most important criteria for the reason for doing something nor does it legitimise the activity. Some things are inherently fun and are designed to be fun. That's okay. Some things that are meant to be fun can be made un-pleasurable by the circumstances surrounding the activity in question but being "fun" in and of itself does not make something right or needed to be carried out.
So how do we judge an activity or a state of being if not by fun or happiness? Well I don't really think that is what I am saying. I think a visit to Disney Land/World should be fun. I don't think that we should have fun at someone else's expense. Bullies have fun bullying but they make the lives of those that they bully miserable. Luckily I escaped being bullied and as far as I know and I never played the part of a bully. Obviously when we cause someone harm so as to have fun, that is wrong. But there are times that when we do the right thing that not everyone will be happy with us.
But what happens when world views collide? What do I do when someone else demands that I change the rules for how I understand the world works because they say that my way is preventing someone else from being happy. I think there will always be the "No way José" response for some and for others, not wanting to offend, they will quickly surrender their point of view. I'm in the group that says, "Wow, wait a second is this really something that needs to be changed?"
200 years ago, many people saw nothing wrong with enslaving people based upon skin color or national origin. They saw profit in the subjugation of other races and even found reason from a biblical position (wrongly I would add) for doing so. So when abolitionist came along and said "Hey slavery was wrong, it must be stopped!"(and by the way abolitionist were devout Christians) there were some deeply entrenched in owning and selling slaves who thought this was crazy. "How dare you try to turn our world view upside down?" This happened again for women in their bid to gain equal rights (which they are still struggling for) and yet again with the civil rights movement; led by a prominent Christian Preacher - Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. His argument that people of all colors should have equal rights touched many people's hearts and his use of nonviolence further validated his cause.
So here we are in the 21st century and we have homosexuals saying they have the same rights as anyone to marry whom they want. They say that we are denying them happiness and their rights by not legalizing same-sex marriage. I admit that on one side the argument seems to have some validity. But I think it is based upon a false premise. The premise is that they are born that way, much as a black person or a Hispanic is born with darker skin, homosexuals claim as do some scientist and psychologist that they are born that way. Therefore they see any laws preventing them from doing what straight people are allowed to do, is completely wrong; much as racial prejudice is wrong. Or so goes the argument.
So do homosexuals need to be married as straight couples are to be happy? Obviously they think they do, but yet there are so many legal options that are available to them. They can enter into a legal union as recognized by the state. They can put their possessions and estates into non-transferable trusts. So there are (as far as I understand) legal actions they can take to validate and protect their estates to ensure that marriage would offer. So do we really need to change the definition of marriage from a man and a woman to any two humans. I have to say no but this doesn't give me the right to be hateful and even angry about homosexuals wanting some recognition as people.
I don't believe that homosexuals are born that way, yet still I don't believe that it is merely a choice (although recent changes in the law of some states make this more likely to be the case). Homosexual's claims that they have always felt that way says their is something deep in their psyche at work. I think if I was suffering such strange urges it would be very unsettling. I would look at nature and the function of sexual organs, and I would know something is a miss. But where does one turn for help? Unfortunately with the current trends in psychology, homosexuality is seen as normal and psychologists try to help people come to terms with it rather finding a way out of it. It seems like a kind thing to do, but would you do that for a child-molester, for a drug addict or a sociopath? These people also have urges that stem from deep seated problems or even failures to mature as a human. We want to help these folks, but for homosexuals, some want to validate them. The truth is that psychology has failed in some respects to effectively deal with these issues. They can identify, but not cure and to add to it, homosexuals don't want to be cured they want acceptance.
I am left with "Love never fails." I think that what we need to do is to love homosexuals as people created in the image of our God. We need to introduce them to Jesus and trust that He will change them through his Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We cannot help people by merely arguing with them and we cannot help them by demanding they conform to God's or our standards. We need engage them, talk to them, help them wrestle with the deep things of life and faith. We don't need to condemn them. Unfortunately very few people I know in the faith are equipped, ready,and prepared for giving such loving help.
Christ's ways are the ways of love. Love seeks the better of the other. Love does not react out of fear or hatred. Loving someone doesn't mean you have to agree with them or accept their lifestyle choices, but it does mean that you try to see who God has made them to be and introduce them to the One who can redeem even the most reprobate sinner.
So is sticking with the current model of man-woman marriage denying homosexuals happiness? I don't think so. Is it denying them a validation of their life style? Yes. Do we as a society need to validate same sex marriage? No, there are other avenues available. We won't lower age of consent for sex to appease or decriminalize pedophiles even though many societies recognize the threshold of adulthood to be 12 years of age so why try to appease this group who wants to redefine marriage. I apologize if I have offended you by making this comparison, but there are currently advocates for child sex who are even writing books to encourage other pedophiles. Its seems here we are on the edge of a very slippery slope. Some are pushing others are trying to hold this back.
I know this article has moved to a very emotional and political point, but it all comes back to this. Do we have to give in to other's wishes just because they say something is fun or that it would make them happy? I think we have to weigh such requests carefully and neither dismiss them out of hand nor just cave in to someone else's desires.
Being a Christian can be fun and as Christians we can be happy in participating in the faith life of the community of Christ. But we need to realize that neither happiness nor fun are in and of themselves true criteria for determining what is right. And condemning something because it is seen as "fun" is just as pointless. Weigh all things in the light of God's Word and God's Holy Spirit. Trust that God will help you enjoy this life that He has given you. Trust that even in the things that are not fun or that do not make you happy, that there is room for God to move and bring about what is right and true.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Game Show Theology
I was struck the other day by a post of a friend. She had overheard her children bragging about who had memorized the most Scriptures. It brought a smile to my face as I know the family in question and I knew their desire is to raise godly children. No sooner than I had that thought when another entered my mind. Has Christianity been reduced to a matter of biblical knowledge and trivia?
As a pastor, one of my concerns is, "Am I equipping the saints so they can live transformed lives or am I merely encouraging them to agree with me" I believe in what I would call a "cooperative theology". Which is to ask the question, "Are we cooperating with God's purposes in our life or are we forging on towards some goal that may or may not have anything to do with God's will for us?" Some theologians see everything is in our striving to "do," while others see it as this free ride where we sit back and "watch" God work in our lives and around us. I subscribe to neither of those theologies. It's not all about us nor is it remaining completely passive trusting that God will work it out.
Obviously, God does have a plan, but we are his hands and feet. If we are not obedient to His will, all kinds of bad things can happen. In part, this is because God has already put moral consequences in place which result in consequences for poor or ungodly choices, just as there are rewards for cooperating with God and being obedient. They are similar to the consequences of the physical world - if we put our hand in the fire it will be burned; if we fail to eat and drink we will starve to death.
I believe there is a cycle of sorts that is at work where as we surrender to God, He calls us to do good works (which He created in advance for us to do) which if we are obedient to do, then there is blessing and if we fail to obey there are no blessings or possibly there are curses. Now maybe this may sound too Old Testament for you, but it is consistent throughout the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelations. It is "The Law of Sowing and Reaping." Whatever we sow in life (sin or righteousness) we will reap in due time.
Yet we also must realize that we can do nothing (nothing of worth in God's eyes) apart from Him. There are times that our obedience merely requires that we get out of the way so that God can do what He has been planning all along. This, in part, is what it means to walk in the Spirit; knowing when to act and knowing when to wait on God.
Many Christians just want some rules to keep so that they will know that they are walking in God's will. "Do this, but don't do that." "Go to church at least once a week", "Memorize Scriptures etc..." These are not bad things, but unfortunately, if they are done without a change in heart or a willingness to obey God and to seek Him, they just become dead works. I think things have got so bad that many Christians have come to the conclusion that their only responsibility is come, sit and listen, sing some songs and tithe.
On more than one occasion, I have been challenged with Bible Trivia questions, like how many wive's did David had, what is the name of the mountain where Abraham brought his son Issac to be sacrificed. These bits of Bible Trivia don't challenge any of us to live godly lives. Knowing the shortest and longest verses in the Bible or the names of the 12 Apostles is nice to know, but rarely does it lead to a life transforming condition.
The phrase "The proof is in the pudding" applies here. Jesus says, that we will be known by our love. James says that our works are proof of our faith. We are saved by faith and not by works, but yet once saved we are invited to do good works. Good works assure our rewards in heaven. Good works can be proof of God's Spirit at work in us.
We are further confused by some sort of self-delusion that seems to think that God wants what we want. His thoughts are not ours and his Ways are not ours either. The challenge for each of us is to transform our thinking as to conform to His. This is why we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as God is at work in us to will and to do. His objective is that we would become more and more like Him. But in order for that to happen, we need to shed some of our ungodly thinking and behavior and embrace His ways and His thoughts. Jesus reminded us that He only said what He had heard the Father say and only did what the Father did.
Okay, all of this boils down to this. We are called to be obedient disciples of Christ. We are not called to be fans who memorize obscure passages and attend spiritual concerts and conferences (a.k.a. Sermons) to impress God and others. Jesus said if we love Him them we would obey Him. Love and obedience are hallmarks of the devout follower of Christ.
Memorizing Scripture verses and going to church are not bad things, but if we are not doing them with the intent to be conformed more and more into the image of Christ, then we are doing them for the wrong reasons. In this case, motives are everything. Our objective is not merely a good attendance record and extensive Bible knowledge, our objective is Christ and his Kingdom.
Know why you are doing what you are doing. Don't just do things because it seems right or because someone else told you to do it. Whatever you do, do it so that your life will demonstrate the reality of Christ's saving work in your life. But do it in cooperation with whom God has made you to be and how the Holy Spirit is moving in you.
I will add a caveat here. God loves you regardless of your good works. His love was there even when we were enemies of God. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." So don't get confused about good works and God's love. Because of Christ's work on the cross, we are now accepted by God and empowered to do the good works that He has created in advance for us to do.
We don't have to impress God by coming to church or memorizing scriptures. Being part of the church is not like a game show. Our success is not merely based upon scripture knowledge and church attendance. Our success is measure in how we submit to God's will for our lives, by being obedient and humble servants who say, "Yes" to our Master's call and who love other's with the same abandon that Jesus has lavished upon us. But even still I long to hear the words "Well done good and faithful servant." at the end of this life on earth. I want to know that I have run the race and won the prize because I have persevered and followed Him, wherever his Holy Spirit has led me and have done everything as unto Him.
As a pastor, one of my concerns is, "Am I equipping the saints so they can live transformed lives or am I merely encouraging them to agree with me" I believe in what I would call a "cooperative theology". Which is to ask the question, "Are we cooperating with God's purposes in our life or are we forging on towards some goal that may or may not have anything to do with God's will for us?" Some theologians see everything is in our striving to "do," while others see it as this free ride where we sit back and "watch" God work in our lives and around us. I subscribe to neither of those theologies. It's not all about us nor is it remaining completely passive trusting that God will work it out.
Obviously, God does have a plan, but we are his hands and feet. If we are not obedient to His will, all kinds of bad things can happen. In part, this is because God has already put moral consequences in place which result in consequences for poor or ungodly choices, just as there are rewards for cooperating with God and being obedient. They are similar to the consequences of the physical world - if we put our hand in the fire it will be burned; if we fail to eat and drink we will starve to death.
I believe there is a cycle of sorts that is at work where as we surrender to God, He calls us to do good works (which He created in advance for us to do) which if we are obedient to do, then there is blessing and if we fail to obey there are no blessings or possibly there are curses. Now maybe this may sound too Old Testament for you, but it is consistent throughout the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelations. It is "The Law of Sowing and Reaping." Whatever we sow in life (sin or righteousness) we will reap in due time.
Yet we also must realize that we can do nothing (nothing of worth in God's eyes) apart from Him. There are times that our obedience merely requires that we get out of the way so that God can do what He has been planning all along. This, in part, is what it means to walk in the Spirit; knowing when to act and knowing when to wait on God.
Many Christians just want some rules to keep so that they will know that they are walking in God's will. "Do this, but don't do that." "Go to church at least once a week", "Memorize Scriptures etc..." These are not bad things, but unfortunately, if they are done without a change in heart or a willingness to obey God and to seek Him, they just become dead works. I think things have got so bad that many Christians have come to the conclusion that their only responsibility is come, sit and listen, sing some songs and tithe.
On more than one occasion, I have been challenged with Bible Trivia questions, like how many wive's did David had, what is the name of the mountain where Abraham brought his son Issac to be sacrificed. These bits of Bible Trivia don't challenge any of us to live godly lives. Knowing the shortest and longest verses in the Bible or the names of the 12 Apostles is nice to know, but rarely does it lead to a life transforming condition.
The phrase "The proof is in the pudding" applies here. Jesus says, that we will be known by our love. James says that our works are proof of our faith. We are saved by faith and not by works, but yet once saved we are invited to do good works. Good works assure our rewards in heaven. Good works can be proof of God's Spirit at work in us.
We are further confused by some sort of self-delusion that seems to think that God wants what we want. His thoughts are not ours and his Ways are not ours either. The challenge for each of us is to transform our thinking as to conform to His. This is why we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as God is at work in us to will and to do. His objective is that we would become more and more like Him. But in order for that to happen, we need to shed some of our ungodly thinking and behavior and embrace His ways and His thoughts. Jesus reminded us that He only said what He had heard the Father say and only did what the Father did.
Okay, all of this boils down to this. We are called to be obedient disciples of Christ. We are not called to be fans who memorize obscure passages and attend spiritual concerts and conferences (a.k.a. Sermons) to impress God and others. Jesus said if we love Him them we would obey Him. Love and obedience are hallmarks of the devout follower of Christ.
Memorizing Scripture verses and going to church are not bad things, but if we are not doing them with the intent to be conformed more and more into the image of Christ, then we are doing them for the wrong reasons. In this case, motives are everything. Our objective is not merely a good attendance record and extensive Bible knowledge, our objective is Christ and his Kingdom.
Know why you are doing what you are doing. Don't just do things because it seems right or because someone else told you to do it. Whatever you do, do it so that your life will demonstrate the reality of Christ's saving work in your life. But do it in cooperation with whom God has made you to be and how the Holy Spirit is moving in you.
I will add a caveat here. God loves you regardless of your good works. His love was there even when we were enemies of God. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." So don't get confused about good works and God's love. Because of Christ's work on the cross, we are now accepted by God and empowered to do the good works that He has created in advance for us to do.
We don't have to impress God by coming to church or memorizing scriptures. Being part of the church is not like a game show. Our success is not merely based upon scripture knowledge and church attendance. Our success is measure in how we submit to God's will for our lives, by being obedient and humble servants who say, "Yes" to our Master's call and who love other's with the same abandon that Jesus has lavished upon us. But even still I long to hear the words "Well done good and faithful servant." at the end of this life on earth. I want to know that I have run the race and won the prize because I have persevered and followed Him, wherever his Holy Spirit has led me and have done everything as unto Him.
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