A Critique of Kirk Cameron’s “Unstoppable”

“Unstoppable” a Christian movie with Kirk Cameron premiered Tuesday evening, September 24^th across the United States. Theatres were sold out. I saw the show along with my wife and oldest son. According to MovieTickets.com around 700 hundred theatres showed the movie and it was the number 1 movie of the day. “Unstoppable” will show again one more time on Oct. 3^rd.

The purpose of the film is to make people think deeply about their lives and one of the big questions everyone asks about God. Cameron said, “My friend Matthew, 15 years old, died of cancer this year. And on my way to the funeral, I found myself asking this big question, which has shredded people’s faith for thousands of years. And I wanted to answer it, not only for myself, but to offer some insights—through what I discovered—to others who are asking the big question.”

The question: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Kirk tried to answer the question from a biblical, Christian perspective. He was earnest, passionate, intelligent and he tried to be biblical. I applaud him for his courage to tackle such a question. And I admire him for his concern for the hurting hearts of so many people who have suffered. But his answer was wrong, truly biblically wrong. Cameron’s answers came from the paganized Christianity that has become main stream since the third century A.D. and not from the Bible.

Kirk did begin by explaining that human suffering is the result of the sin of our first parents Adam and Eve. But he never got to the real heart of the problem of why bad things happen to good people. The real biblical answer is that there are no good people! Scripture tells us “For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20)” and “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one. (Romans 3:10-12).”

Suffering happens in life because of sin. It corrupted our humanity and it has put a curse upon nature. All of us fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) no matter how many “good” things we do. Therefore we need to be saved from sin’s power, which causes us to sin and from sin’s penalty, which is death. To Kirk Cameron’s credit he did point out that our rescue from sin comes from God’s love through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 6:23 pointedly states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).”

The question to ask is not “Why do bad things happen to good people?” but rather “Why do good things happen to bad people?” And the only answer is the grace of God. In His love God desires to rescue us from sin and He offered his Son to pay the ultimate price for our sins. The prophet Isaiah prophetically said of Jesus “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:5, 6).”

But even when one is saved from sin by faith in Jesus Christ, he or she is not exempt from the sufferings that are caused by living in a fallen world. Natural disasters still happen, sickness still occurs and unless the Lord Jesus returns in our life time we all still die. The Bible says that “We must through many tribulations [troubles/trials] enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).” And as we endure in hope of our ultimate salvation when Christ returns we must remember “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).”

There are two other errors in “Unstoppable.” One is that suffering ends when a believer in Christ dies and goes to live on in heaven. The other is that Jesus Christ is a God-Man. Nowhere in the Bible does it ever say that people go to heaven when they die—nowhere. Death ends life. There is no conscience life beyond the grave (Genesis 3:19; Psalm 6:5; Psalm 49:12, 14; Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10). The result of sin is death. We perish. Only God is immortal (1 Timothy 6:16). Everlasting life is a gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16). And this everlasting life will be experienced only when Christ returns to raise the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 50-58; John 5:28, 29).

And Jesus is not God. He is not the God-Man. He is a man, a full and genuine human being (Acts 2:22; Romans 5:18, 19; 1 Timothy 2:5). It was a real man Adam who sinned and so it had to be a real man, made like us in every way to save us from sin (Hebrews 2:14-18). It is true that God was at work in Christ (Acts 10:38). But Jesus is not God. His Father alone is God (John 17:3).

Again, let me say that I admire Kirk Cameron for his passion to present the answers to life’s tough questions. He is a man who seems to truly love God and who has a concern for people. I wish more people were bold in their faith as he is. But I have a greater wish and desire. It is stated in 1 Timothy 2:4, 5 where we are told that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” Truth matters.

If you would like to know the truth the church I pastor offers a free class titled “Powerful Christian Living.” It is available at the “Teachings” section of www.graceministryinternational.org.

 

Thus says the Lord

Richard Sennett has a sharp understanding of our contemporary culture. Sennett is a sociologist at New York University. He makes an observation that in times past society was concerned about a loss of authority. But now things have changed and we loath to have someone or something of authority over our lives. The professor states, “We have come to fear the influence of authority as a threat to our liberties, in the family and in society at large.

This new attitude not only affects society at large, it even influences the church. A number of professors of homiletics at Christian seminaries think preachers should accept this new thinking. It is suggested that preachers should send up the white flag and quit trying to proclaim an authoritative message. In others words, it is time for the preacher to stop saying, “Thus says the Lord.”

Fred Craddock, a prominent theologian commented on this suggestion of surrender. He describes today’s minister “as one without authority.” The average person in the pew does not want someone telling him or her how best to think or how to live rightly. Craddock suggests that the man in the pulpit should “seriously ask himself whether he should continue to serve up monologue in a dialogical world.” In other words let’s just chit-chat at church. Can anyone hear Madonna singing in the background, “Papa, don’t preach.”

I’ve got a question. If the Christian minister has no authoritative message to bring why preach or chat at all? If we don’t really have anything important to say why waste time on Sunday morning? For goodness sake, stay in bed!

 

But a study of church history shows that the great periods of revival were preceded by authoritative preaching. In true preaching the preacher dares to speak on behalf of God. He stands in the pulpit as a steward of the mysteries and grace of God (1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Peter 4:10, 11). He declares (or should declare) the truth of God’s Word for people to hear and apply to their lives. That’s a gutsy thing to do! But the preacher’s authority does not come from the man it comes from the authority of the Scriptures. It comes from the foundation of the Bible being the Word and will of God.

True peaching is not delivering fables; it is delivering a message (2 Peter 1:16-20). When a church denies the authority of Scripture it end up going on a safari for significance. And when the preacher does not trust in the authority of the Bible, after his sermon people ask, “What did he say?” But preaching the Word of God with authority challenges us to ask big questions: “Do I believe this? Will I obey it? How must my attitudes and actions change?

I must admit, as a preacher it is difficult to hear the voice of the Lord from Scripture and then to faithfully proclaim it week after week. But when I surrender my heart to the One who has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18) I am encouraged to say, “Thus says the Lord.” And God’s people are blessed. The Scripture says, “He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions (Psalm 107:20).” Let’s hear it!

 

 

The Content of our Character: Still the Great Challenge

Fifty years ago today, August 28^th 1963, one of the greatest speeches in all of American history was given. Thousands of people gathered on the Mall around the Washington Monument to protest racism and listen to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The civil rights movement was young and vibrant. But it would soon grow to be an angry young adult as the nation’s cities burned in 1968. Would Dr. King’s dream be lost?

In 1963 most Americans had heard of Dr. King and recognized his face from the news. But he was still a puzzle to many white Americans. What did Dr. King want? What did he really want? Dr. King’s heartfelt desire was revealed at the end of his speech.

The famous closing lines of the speech called “The Dream” were not originally included in the manuscript. As Dr. King spoke he departed from his written remarks and said “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream rooted deeply in the American dream.” The heart of his dream was that “one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave holders will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood…I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”

This is a great dream! And still we are on the quest for we live in a nation where we have been told that character doesn’t matter. Our politicians lie and deceive but if their intentions are “good” their character doesn’t matter. Thousands of young people reared on this mantra are lost morally. Many civil rights leaders have traded moral consciousness for racial consciousness. They have abandoned the vision of racial equality for identity politics. And the white establishment is crippled by political correctness and fear.

Where can true equality be found? How can the content of our character become noble? The answer is in Jesus Christ. By faith in Christ all of us can become the children of God—black, white, Asian, Hispanic; it doesn’t matter (Galatians 3:26-29). And once we are the children of God we can then put on the character of Christ into our lives (Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:8-17).

 As Christians we can advance the dream. We must begin with the principle that all human beings are created in the image of God. But we must also understand that we are all sinners by nature and the problems that affect our world are all rooted in sin. Sin is in the fabric of who are and the institutions we build. But Jesus Christ can cancel the power of sin. Faith in Christ and the new birth that it brings is the only cure for sin and for racial prejudice. In last book of the New Testament, Revelation, there is a prophetic song to Christ. The lyrics declare,

'You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.'

Rev. 5:9, 10)

Through Christ the content of our character become noble. And through Christ we can truly all become one family.

Zimmerman / Martin: Final Thoughts

Not Guilty. That was the verdict this past weekend for George Zimmerman, an Hispanic, accused of murdering Trayvon Martin, a 17 year old black man. I wrote about this subject when it first occurred. You can read the blog dated March 26, 2012 here: http://essentialmatters.blogspot.com/2012/03/killing-of-trayvon-martin.html. The case has been politically and racially polarizing. It has been abused racially and politically. Some people believe justice has been served while others do not. Thinking biblically now for over 40 years I realize that justice is never really fully met in this world. Full justice awaits the final judgment of God (Psalm 7:10, 11; Psalm 58:10, 11).

But I have been thinking a lot about boys. As the father of three young men I know about the talks fathers have with their sons, or should have with their sons. I have talked with my sons many times about many issues. But there is one talk I have never had or ever will have with my sons—what to do when the police pull you over or you are suspected of bringing trouble because you are a young black man. There are prejudices

To be a young black man is to be in a dangerous place. But the reality is that the most dangerous place for a young black man to be is with other black men, especially in certain cities and certain areas within these cities. Most young black men are killed for no good reason; gang violence, etc. by other young black men. Chicago has been the murder capital of the United States since 2008. There were 205 homicides in Chicago from January to July 4, 2013. Of those killed 91% of those were black, killed by other black people. Where is the outrage here? Why hasn't the national media focused on this violence? Where is the Obama Administration and the Department of Justice? Do I smell the stench of political correctness?

Trayvon Martin had been sent to his father by the Florida Authorities. The hope was his father could help straighten out a troubled young man. But the father and son relationship, finally being built, late but not without hope, never bore fruit. And there is deep pain and sorrow in both the Martin family and the Zimmerman family. These two families will never be the same again. Tragedy has struck both. Prayers should be offered for both.

I pray for the young black men in my church. And I am thankful and honored to serve the godly, faithful black parents whose families I dearly love. Their only hope, our only hope, for all men, women and families is the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ and the wisdom that we can receive from Holy Scripture—God’s Word.

Parents, talk to your children, especially about God’s plan of salvation. Begin when they are small and continue talking when they are young men and women. The Old Testament declares “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).” And the New Testament proclaims, “fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).”  Do it, please.

 

Losing My Religion

Every fall Christian parents worry about sending their kids off to college only to have them come back as unbelievers. The fear of this happening is why many parents strongly encourage their children to attend Christian colleges or at least a school with a good Christian presence on campus. But this is not a guarantee either.

For sure, the Christian faith is attacked in academia. But according to a new study the cracks in a young person’s foundation of faith occur long before the day he or she sets foot on campus. That’s the message from a recent article in the Atlantic Monthly[1]

The author of the article is Larry Taunton. He is the Executive Director of the Fixed Point Foundation. Larry has often visited college campuses to debate atheists like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. After his interviews with many collegiate atheists he was surprised by why many young people left the faith. It wasn’t because of the lure of secular humanism or even Christian moral teachings. It was that the Christianity they left wasn’t Christian enough!

One young man named Phil said, “Church became all about ceremony, handholding and kumbaya.” During the interview it became clear where the turning point was for Phil. In an effort to attract more young people the church wanted the youth pastor to teach less and play more. The youth pastor was replaced by someone else “who didn’t know anything about the Bible.” And the church got what it wanted: the youth group grew. But Phil left.

Most of the young atheist left the faith not because their worldview had changed as much as a reaction to tepid Christianity. Students said that in church they learned about social justice, community involvement and being good. But they knew nothing about the good news. They knew nothing about the connection between Jesus Christ and a person’s life. They had questions—tough questions about God, sex, evolution vs. creation, the reliability of the biblical text, the purpose of life and on and on. But no one was speaking biblically about these questions from the pulpit; no one shared God’s Word anywhere! Many concluded that church was shallow. They got bored and left.

Christopher Hutchins was once asked why he did not verbally attack Mr. Taunton, the author of the article, in their debates. He answered “Because you [Taunton] believe it.” Michael, a political science major said something similar. “I really can’t consider a Christian a good, moral person if he isn’t trying to convert me.” A surprising number of students said the same thing.

 

The atheist illusionist and comedian Penn Jillette made a similar statement. “How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?” Quoting Michael, the political science student: “Christianity is something that if you really believed it, it would change your life and you would want to change [the lives] of others. I haven’t seen too much of that.”

We are not squeamish about proclaiming the truth and answering tough questions at the church I serve, Grace Ministry International. We've lost our religion to follow Christ. If you are in the greater Chicago area you are welcome to join us for worship Sundays at 10:30am at The Gorton Community Center, 400 East Illinois Road, Lake Forest, Illinois. Our Foundational Bible Class and all other teachings are available free of charge at the “Teachings” section of www.graceministryinternational.org. 

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[1] July 2013

Political Corruption and the Bible

As we approach the July 4th holiday that celebrates the independence of our country, let's take a moment to think about the scandals affecting Washington, D.C. It’s like someone took the lid off the garbage can. The news headlines are full of them: the terrorist attack cover up on Benghazi, the IRS targeting conservative groups, spending millions on conferences and granting lucrative contracts to pals. Then there are the secret e-mail accounts for government officials to hide behind. There is the justice department spying on reporters. And the National Security Administration spying on all of us! We have come to expect another shoe to drop every day. Congress is busy (maybe they will leave us alone with all of these investigations!).

 

 

White House spokesman Jay Carney is sweating it out parsing his words as he tries to keep the president as far away from all of this corruption as he can. Maybe that's why he is in African promoting homosexual marriage. But as the old saying goes, a fish rots from its head. In the corporate world a company’s culture, by default or intent, flows from the fountain head of management. Even so a government’s worldview and behavior spreads from the top down.
 

I’m not just picking on the Obama administration here. We have a rich history of wickedness in government. President Warren Harding was a womanizer, a gambler and he flaunted and scorned laws he swore to uphold. He set a culture in his government that led to his justice department being nick named the “Department of Easy Virtue.” His Secretary of the Interior “was the first to pick the pockets of his countrymen.” Harding’s Veteran Bureau head took money that was to go to WW1 vets and stuffed his own pockets with it.[1]
 

I could go on: the Kennedy administration was far from Camelot, Nixon’s was immoral and paranoid, Clinton’s was sleazy, the Bush presidency pushed the boundaries of constitutional law and now the foul odor from the Obama government. These problems are almost biblical—well, actually they are. Reproving the leaders of his own day the Old Testament prophet Hosea said, “The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark (Hosea 5:10).” In other words leaders have boundary-moving power. When they stretch the moral limits then those who serve under them think they can play outside the rules too.
 

Proverbs 29:2 could be a headline written today: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” Our republic was designed to be led by the godly. John Adams said “[W]e have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. . . . Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
 

Samuel Adams declared “[N]either the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.” And the Father of our country, George Washington had this to say, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

 

 

Do what you can to promote freedom. Write or call your representative and senator. Be involved and informed. Understand the issues and vote your conscience. But most importantly, pray for our country; do not be afraid to speak the truth, especially the truth of God’s Word (1 Timothy 4:1-4). Character still matters.

 

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[1] “New World Coming” by Nathan Miller

The King of the Jungle and Milo

Well, life gets stranger every day—but in a good way. The king of the jungle and a dachshund have become good buddies. At the Wayne Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma a 500 pound lion named Bonedigger and his dachshund pal, Milo, are inseparable.

The two friends were introduced in 2008 when the lion was just four weeks old. The Park president, Joe Schreibvogel said, “The dog thought it was just a big puppy and [they] have loved each other since.” The two animals cuddle, dine together and even try to imitate one another. In fact Milo often tries to growl like Bonedigger. After the animals eat Milo licks the lion’s teeth clean and Bonedigger licks Milo back. Isn’t friendship grand?

Did you know that Milo’s and Bonedigger’s friendship point to a great biblical truth? Sure! One day the whole world will live in peace. The prophet Isaiah declared, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox…They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:6-9).”

There is a new world order coming at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet Daniel revealed that all people, nations and languages shall serve him (Daniel 7:14). A psalm of Solomon declares that Christ will rule in righteousness and with justice and there will be an abundance of peace (Psalm 72:1-4). The prophet Micah informs us that nations will learn war no more (Micah 4:3). And Ezekiel proclaims that this earth will again become like the Garden of Eden (Ezekiel 36:33-35).

When Jesus Christ returns as the King of kings then the hopes of humanity will be realized. The Scripture declares “God will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:4).

You can be a part of this coming new world—the kingdom of God. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). If you live in the greater Chicago area I invite you to worship with the church I pastor, Grace Ministry Int. We meet on Sunday mornings at 10:30 at The Gorton Community Center 400 East Illinois Rd, Lake Forest, IL. If you can’t join us, our foundational Bible class “Powerful Christian Living” and all our Sunday teachings are available for free at the “Teachings” section of the web site - www.graceministryinternational.org

And one last thing: thanks Bonedigger and Milo for a sneak peak of what’s to come!

Answering Christianity’s Critics, Part 2

In last week’s blog we began to look at some of the questions and objections some people have about faith in God and Christ. It is important to answer these questions honestly. We want to lead people to faith in Christ. And genuine faith is not a careless leap into the dark. It is a reasoned response to solid information. Therefore here are a few more objections and questions and possible responses for you to think about and use.

Why is Jesus different from other important men of history? Jesus Christ is set apart from all other people because of his prophesied coming. The books of the Old Testament contain hundreds of passages about the Messiah or Christ and they are all fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. It was foretold that he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2/Matthew 2:1). It was revealed that he would be a descendant of King David (2 Samuel 7:12, 13/Luke 1:32, 33). Christ’s crucifixion was prophesied about a 1000 years before it occurred (Psalm 22:16, 18).

The odds of any one man in all of history fulfilling even only eight of the sixty major prophecies (and 270 ramifications) fulfilled by the life of Christ are huge. The probability that Jesus of Nazareth could have fulfilled even eight such prophecies would be only 1 in 10¹⁷. That's 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000. But he fulfilled them all. But even more importantly his resurrection was foreseen (Psalm 16:9-11). And it was known to both the Jewish and Roman authorities, as well as the disciples that the empty tomb of Jesus was empty.

I don’t think I’m a sinner. I’m not so bad. So why do I need a Savior? All of us have thought this way at one time or another. But being “not so bad” or “not as bad as the other guy” won’t gain you everlasting life in God’s kingdom. The Bible says that in one way or another we have all fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). He is the standard of being righteous, not your buddy at work. Sin is sin whether it is a lie, stealing or murder. And not a one of us has been able to keep the Great Commandment which is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” And “your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30-31).” And the wages for sin is death, everlasting death, but out of love God offers a rescue from sins penalty through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 17; Romans 6:23).

But all Christians are hypocrites. Why would I want to be with people like that? Yes, I admit that there are hypocrites in the church. We humans are imperfect people and many times we fail to live up to the standards that God has set for us, we even fail to live up to our own standards at times. But if you think about it you probably know people who are hypocrites who are not Christians. And Christians don’t claim to be perfect, just forgiven. God loves us and forgives us just as we are when we place our faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:6-8). Then we are encouraged to grow to be more and more like our Savior (Romans 13:14). God offers you Jesus Christ to make you whole, not other Christians.

If God is so good then why is there so much evil and suffering in the world? God’s purpose in creating humanity was to have people who reflected His righteous image and loved Him freely. God gave us free will and placed our first parents in a garden and provided for all of their needs. There was only one prohibition—to refrain from taking to themselves the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3). But Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s authority and sin entered the human experience. Sin, our own sin, is at the root cause of every tear, tragedy, sorrow, heartbreak and ultimately death itself.

But immediately after Adam’s sin that brought suffering to our world, God announced a plan of salvation. One would be born who would destroy the works of sin and evil (Genesis 3:15/1 John 3:8). That person is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Through faith in Jesus, God delivers from this present evil age brings us into the kingdom of His Son (Galatians 1:3, 4/Colossians 1:13, 14).

 

PCL

 

 

Answering Christianity’s Critics, Part 1

In the book of Acts, chapter 17, the apostle Paul, while in Athens, was invited to speak about Christianity to Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. After his presentation Scripture records the response, “some mocked, while others said ‘We will hear you again on this matter…However, some…believed (Acts 17:32, 33).” Today, just like in ancient Athens there are people who want to know what Christianity is all about. But many people come with objections to the faith as well. It is important to answer those objections honestly. And like the philosophers in Athens, some will mock, some will desire a little more information, and some will believe.

In answering someone’s objection to Christianity it is important to know why they are asking the questions they have. Ask what issues are stirring in the person’s mind; what is motivating them to look for answers. And “and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15).” The following are some common objections.

I don’t believe that God exists. How can anyone be sure? Objections like this come from the atheist and the agnostic. But think about this: atheism demands complete knowledge of all things in order to say that God doesn’t exist. And no human being has that! So how can the atheist know that there is no God? There is evidence for God’s existence. Both science and the Bible acknowledge that our universe had a beginning. Nature itself reveals that there is a Creator (Romans1:20). The complex designs of life from planets to flowers to DNA show intelligent design. Could all of nature really be the result of mindless, purposeless happenstance?

The agnostic says that she can’t know anything for sure about God. But people are naturally hungry to learn. Why are we that way? Perhaps God created us with a natural sense of inquiry so that we might actually search for Him and find Him. Paul told the Athenian Philosophers that God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us (Acts 17:26, 27).” There is nothing wrong with having questions and not being sure. But our response to that should be “Come and see.”

But what about evolution: doesn’t evolution prove there is no God? Evolution does take place within a species. There are big dogs and little dogs. There are red roses and white ones. But the theory of evolution claims that over time one species can change into another and that life itself randomly occurred from non-living material. But the famous scientists Francis Crick, L.M. Murkhin and Carl Sagan have estimated that the difficulty of a human evolving by chance processes alone is one in 10 to the negative 2,000,000,000th – which Borel’s law says is no chance at all! Science has recently revealed what Charles Darwin never knew. Proteins and nucleic acids are too complex to have arisen spontaneously. And the fossil record does not show gradual evolution. If it can be relied on to show much of anything at all, it shows fully developed life-forms with only limited variation within each group – just as the Bible’s wording “according to its kind” (Gen. 1) would indicate.

How can we be sure that the Bible is reliable? The copies of the Old Testament manuscripts are of a far superior quality than any other equivalent document. The oldest books of the Old Testament date from around the same time as some of the oldest Egyptian works. And where scholars find significant differences between Egyptian documents relating to the same events, they find almost no differences in Old Testament documents that cover the same material. And where there are differences they are minor ones like spelling and make no changes in the actual material covered. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1950’s confirms the historical reliability of these ancient documents. And archeology has never disproved an Old Testament historical event. It has only confirmed the Scriptural account.

What about the New Testament? From an historical point of view the New Testament is unquestionably the most reliable ancient document in the world. Two factors are crucial in determining the reliability of an historical document. These are the number of copies in existence and the time between when the document was first written and the oldest copies. Take for example the writings of Julius Caesar. His works were written between 100-44 B.C. The oldest copies of his works come from one thousand years after the fact and there are ten copies. With the writings of Plato there is a span of twelve hundred years between when he first wrote and the date of the oldest copies of which there are seven. And with Aristotle there are five copies of his works and the oldest manuscripts date from fourteen hundred years after he wrote.

Now let’s compare the New Testament to these other works. Whereas we have ten copies of Caesar’s works and seven copies of Plato’s, and five copies of Aristotle’s, there are over twenty four thousand ancient copies of the New Testament! And the oldest copies date not from one thousand years after the fact, nor even five hundred years, but from twenty-five years after the originals were written. No other ancient document even comes close to meeting the test for historical authenticity and reliability as does the New Testament.

These are but a few of the objections to Christianity and some examples on how you can respond. Next week’s blog will look at a few more objections.

Happy Mother's Day

It takes someone brave to be a mother, someone strong to raise children and someone special to love others more than herself. Words are difficult to find to express the power, beauty and heroism of a mother’s love. Being a mother is learning about strengths you never knew you possessed and overcoming fears you didn’t know existed.

A mother thinks about her children day and night even when they are grown. She loves them in ways they will never understand until the day they too are parents. Our 16^th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln said, “I regard no man as poor who has a godly mother.” Amen, Mr. President, Amen.

The goal of becoming a godly mother is the highest and most noble pursuit of womanhood. But there are many voices in our word today that would deny this truth. There are those who would tear you, dear mother, away from God’s high calling on your life. “Focus on your career” they say. “Buy more stuff,” “Pamper yourself”—you’ve heard it all, I’m sure. Please don’t buy what they are selling. It is a lie. If God has granted you a child or children, your child or children “are a heritage from The LORD…a reward (Psalm 127:3).” God has entrusted the development of a new generation of godly men and women to you!

Also, contrary to some experts, the most important characteristic of a godly mother is not her relationship with her children, it is with her husband. The lessons you teach your children through your relationship with your husband will endure for the rest of their lives. By watching you and your husband your children are learning the foundational principles of life—love, self-sacrifice, integrity, virtue, kindness, compassion, understanding and forgiveness. Secondly, and perhaps this should have been first, is your relationship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ. When they see you trusting in the Lord and acknowledging Him in all you do (Proverbs 3:5, 6), they will learn to do the same.

So happy mother’s day to all of you great moms! May your children rise up and call you blessed (Proverbs 31:28).

A Court Martial for Being Christian?

The first amendment to the Constitution of the United Sates declares in part, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech.” Well, as Bob Dylan once sang, the times they are a changing.

Last April 23, Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation met with ranking members of the Air Force. His concern was Section 2.11 of the publication titled “Air Force Culture, Air Force Standards.” The section reads, “Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for an individual’s free exercise of religion…and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion.” Weinstein wants the first part of that statement scrapped.

Here’s why. He said that U.S. troops who share their Christian faith are guilty (or should be) of sedition and treason and should be punished by the hundreds if necessary to stave off a “tidal wave” of Christian evangelism. Weinstein told Fox News that “Someone needs to be punished for this [evangelism]. Until the Air Force or Army or Navy or Marine Corps punishes a member of the military for unconstitutional proselytizing and oppression, we will never have the ability to stop this horrible, horrendous, dehumanizing behavior.”

That’s right, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in the military is “dehumanizing behavior.” In the Fox News interview Weinstein compared leading someone to faith in Christ with rape. “It is a version of being spiritually raped” he said. “When those people [Christians] are in uniform” and they share their faith “they are creating tyranny, oppression, degradation, humiliation and horrible, horrible pain upon members of the military.” Currently evangelism is against military regulations the Pentagon told Fox News, although it is not enforced.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council told Fox News that he was stunned that military leaders were meeting with Weinstein. “Why would military leadership be meeting with one of the most rabid atheists in America to discuss religious freedom” Perkins asked. “That’s like consulting with China on how to improve human rights.” Well, maybe that’s not far behind.

Weinstein calls witnessing about Christ “a national security threat…it is sedition and treason…It should be punished.” Weinstein’s proposal, if enacted would make Christian military personnel enemies of the state. Ron Crews, the executive director for the Chaplain Alliance for religious Liberty states that Weinstein’s proposal would “significantly impact religious liberty. Lt. Gen (ret) William Boykin said, “If chaplains and other personnel are censored from offering the full solace of the Gospel, there is no religious freedom of the military.”

So, it may soon be possible if you are in the armed services to face a court martial as an enemy of the state for sharing your faith as a Christian. If this occurs guess who is next in line for prosecution? What can be done? Pray, share your faith, love people even your enemies, make a commitment to love God, follow Christ and contribute to your church. And call or write to your representatives in the U.S. House and the Senate. Let your voice be heard before it is silenced.

 

 

 

Karma or Christ

(Inspired by a conversation with my son Joseph) The Golden Rule sits at the heart of many of the world’s religions and philosophies. But until Jesus Christ the rule was generally stated in the negative—do not treat others in a way that you do not want to be treated. In effect, this rule flows out of the idea of karma.

In our society we think we should be able to do whatever we desire as long as it supposedly does not harm others. And we think that if we are unjust and bring pain to someone else we should keep a hard hat on; karma is on the lookout for us. When someone “gets away” with a wrong action we believe that somewhere down the road the offender will get what’s coming. Sadly, it is not just the world at large that thinks this way; too many Christians do as well.

Jesus Christ not only desires for us to refrain from wrong and hurtful action, he commands us to live in a righteous manner. He said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you (Matthew 5:43-46)?

What this means is that in this age of karma, Jesus Christ thrusts grace front and center. Grace means that we do what is right and even go above and beyond the call of duty. And when we do those actions they are noble, righteous, beautiful and truly good; like God. Our actions are God-like, because this is the way He has acted toward us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16, 17).”

Our sins demanded karma, justice, damnation; our sins demand that we should perish. But in grace God reaches out to us in Christ and says “Although your sins make you my enemy, I do not wish you harm, instead I desire to forgive you and offer you everlasting life (Romans 5:6-11). If we sinners were without grace the cost of karma would mean our perishing forever. Karma cannot accept when Christ said on the cross, “It is finished (John 19:30).” Karma must punish; love and grace must offer forgiveness.

Too many people in the world embrace karma when they should embrace Christ. Karma tells the world to do no harm. Christ tells us to “love one another; as I have loved you (John 13:34).” And sometimes the world treats grace as an insult unless grace becomes tolerant of sin. Jesus loved the sinner but he also said “Go and sin no more (John 8:11).” Karma says we need to affirm people. Grace says we need to love them and offer them redemption.

But what about those people who reject God’s offer of grace and forgiveness? Scripture says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6:7).” And, “the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).” As they say, karma’s a bitch. So which would you choose karma or Christ?

 

 

Terrorism and the Kingdom of God

This past Monday we were gripped again by the horrific violence of bombs exploding. This time at the Boston Marathon. Three innocent people were killed and almost 200 were severely wounded. Another evil act and another reminder (I don’t think it will be the last) of the evil in our sinful and broken world.

When heart-breaking catastrophes like this happen people are bound to ask, “Where was God in this? Why would God let something like this happen?” Here’s the answer to the first question: God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). And secondly, God allows things like this to happen because He has given free will to every one of us.

Since the time of our first parents, Adam and Eve, humanity has had the choice to live within the will of God or outside that holiness. For the most part it has chosen to reject God’s will. The result has been a broken world. Nature bears the marks of this brokenness too (Romans 8:20, 22). But it is humanity that suffers greatly—the morality, beliefs and behaviors are ungodly. This is why there is racism, extreme poverty, sexual violence, dishonest government, dirty politics, family breakdowns, cheating, stealing, killing and every evil thought and act that has led to heartache, sorrow, pain and tears.

But here is the good news! One day there will dawn on our planet a worldwide kingdom of righteousness and peace. A kingdom is coming with no more terrorist bombs maiming and killing people. Scripture says of that day, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:3, 4).”

You can be a part of this new world order. Jesus Christ announced “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel Mark 1:15).” If you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savor now is the time. The Bible says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).” Let God deliver you “from the power of darkness and” convey you “into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:13).”

But I also have a word for those of us who are Christians—shine your light! It is not enough for us to sorrow over the course of this world and wait for Christ to return. We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Take action, get involved, share the good news, help people, love and serve them. We pray “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).” This is good and right. But let God’s will and love be seen in all that you do and say. Bring God’s light into this dark world. Make a difference where you are. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)” even as we pray maranatha—“O Lord, come! (1 Corinthians 16:22)

Plato And Marriage Equality

I want to continue with the theme I wrote about last week—same-sex marriage. Specifically I want to write about Plato verses the Bible. When God created man and woman He said “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him (Genesis 1:18).” And then God made Eve, a woman, and brought her to Adam. God could have brought Adam another man or He could have brought him into a relationship with an animal. But God gave the man a woman. A most excellent gift!

The argument for same-sex marriage equality has a lot more to do with the Greek philosopher Plato than with the Bible. The argument that you hear from many homosexuals, “I was made this way” is an argument taken right from Plato. In his work Symposium, Plato explores an alternative explanation for the origin of mankind and gender. Rather than the biblical assessment that mankind was created with two genders—male and female—Plato suggests a three-gender origin (male-male, female-female, and male-female) that explains both heterosexual and homosexual orientations. He wrote,

“In the first place, let me treat of the nature of man and what has happened to it; for the original human nature was not like the present, but different. The sexes were not two as they are now, but originally three in number; there was man, woman, and the union of the two, having a name corresponding to this double nature, which had once a real existence, but is now lost.”

Plato describes these humans as “terrible” in might and strength. These humans were two-sided (two faces, two sets of legs and arms, etc). After they waged a war against the gods, Zeus decided to humble mankind by cutting them in half. This effectively reduced mankind to the two genders we know today, but according to Plato, many still unknowingly long for his original state.  Therefore you have homosexual attraction.

According to Plato, when two halves meet and recognize the unexplainable love they have for one another, they have no choice but to spend their whole lives together. Based on this logic, proponents of same-sex marriage claim it is against nature to deny marriage to such soul-mates. Thus, the homosexual who says “I was made this way and I want someone like me.” Scripture says in effect, “No, you were not. Your homosexual desire is a distortion of what is normal” (Romans 1:18-27)

When God created man and woman, He created them equal. They were created in His image (Genesis 1:27) and together they were to “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28).” God created man and woman to complement one another and to fully satisfy one another. They were also to produce children. A man and a man cannot do this; neither can a woman and a woman. Same sex marriage is therefore a misguided, distorted attempt to replicate what God intended for men and women. Marriage equality and satisfaction therefore is produced when men and women follow God’s ideal plan for what is good.

Sadly, the first man and woman did not follow God’s plan completely. And when they sinned it brought wrong attitudes and desires into the human heart. Some of these desires fall into the realm of sex and relationships. Others struggle with greed, anger, jealousy, etc. We all struggle because we are all sinners. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4), which is essentially wanting to do things our own way. When the prophet Isaiah foretold the sacrificial work of Christ he wrote, “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).”

In our society today there are those who creatively try to explain away sinful desires. They are doing what Plato did. Actually, we have all done it at times in our lives on many issues. But right now the big societal example is advocating for the equality of same-sex marriage. In doing this society wants to go its own way, the way of Plato and not God’s way. People have done this for 6000 years, but think of all the heartache, sorrows, pains and tears sin has brought upon us.

Today some people feel that unless homosexuals are granted the marriage equality of heterosexual couples they are being oppressed. But when a moral wrong is turned into a so called civil right all of society suffers for it. This does not mean it is acceptable to oppress homosexuals. It is not right to oppress any sinner; liar, thief or whatever. No one is justified to throw the first stone. But we are justified in speaking the truth; in holding forth God’s Word

Same-Sex Marriage; What’s Next?

The Supreme Court of the United Sates recently heard arguments in favor of same-sex marriage. Whatever is decided in the SCOTUS, acceptance of same-sex marriage has mostly won the day in the court of public opinion. I do not believe that the arguments for gay and lesbian marriage are biblical or logically persuasive or good for society in the long run. But they made their case and here’s how it was won. The reasons for homosexual marriage flowed with the contemporary mood.

It’s about progress: homosexual marriage is an idea whose time has come we are told. To be against gay marriage then is to be against progress and who wants to be in that camp? It makes you a barbarian! But many people forget that lots of ideas first seen as progressive, right and hailed as good and inevitable wound up on the junk heap: feudalism, National Socialism, communism, slavery, eugenics and the Chevy Volt.

It’s about love: when homosexual marriage is showcased as an expression of deep human love, who wants to be against love? But deep human love is not always self-affirming; sometimes it needs to be about self-denial. Sadly, mostly because of the failures and sins of those in failed heterosexual marriages our culture only sees marriage as the state putting its stamp of approval on romantic love. Marriage is seen as a relationship based on emotional intensity in which the couple is faithful to each other as long as the intensity lasts. The sacrifices that may be needed to maintain a marriage and bear and raise children are rarely thought about.

Male homosexuals are notorious for their promiscuity. Exclusivity is not their strength. So what happens to the children (from surrogate mothers – another can of worms) when marriages fail? Love is an important part of marriage, but not a basis for public policy. What if more than two people “love” one another (I’ll get to this in a moment)?

It’s about rights and equality: it is not by chance that the movement is called the gay rights movement. And I don’t deny that many homosexuals feel their basic human rights are in jeopardy. But all the chatter about rights confuses the issue. What law prohibits homosexuals from making promises to one another? The question is should the government call that promise a marriage? Homosexuals are asking for equal justice under the law. Who doesn’t want to wave the flag for equal rights?

During oral argument at the Supreme Court, advocates argued (as they have elsewhere) that impairing the right of homosexuals to marry is analogous to prohibiting interracial marriage and the only possible motive for opposing it is, well, you know, bigotry. But society has an interest in protecting the historic definition of marriage, because it is the first institution of society that creates and nurtures the next generation. Same-sex marriages do not naturally do this. Thus the state has a right to not recognize same-sex marriage because it harms society by destabilizing it. 

Furthermore is it unjust for the government to not legalize a marriage of four people? What about a marriage of close cousins? What if all the people in the accounting office want to be married? What if I love my cat? Must the government legalize these unions if the participants feel their rights are denied? Is marriage now to be an anything goes union? That’s where this is all headed.

In their statement Beyond Same-Sex Marriage, more than 300 LGBT and allied scholars call for legally recognizing sexual relationships involving more than two partners. University of Calgary professor Elizabeth Brake states in her book Minimizing Marriage that justice requires legalizing same sex marriage to “denormalize the ideal of heterosexual monogamy.”

Lesbian journalist Victoria Brown in Something Borrowed, Something Blue: Is Marriage Right For Queers agrees. “When supporters of traditional marriage state that allowing same-sex marriage couples to marry will weaken the institution of marriage…It most certainly will do so, and that will make marriage a far better concept than it previously has been.” Professor Ellen Willis writing in The Nation boldly states “conferring the legitimacy of marriage on homosexual relations will introduce an implicit revolt against the institution into its very heart.”

Gay radio host Michelangelo Signorile in Out Magazine called for those in homosexual relationships to “demand the right to marry not as a way of adhering to society’s moral codes but rather to debunk a myth and radically alter an archaic institution.” They should “fight for same-sex marriage and its benefits and then, once granted, redefine the institution of marriage completely, because the most subversive action lesbians and gay men can undertake…is to transform the notion of ‘family’ entirely.”

So what happens if the traditional family of mom, dad and children disintegrates? Well, ask yourself, what is already happening in our society because of broken homes? Sobering isn’t it. Can anyone else see Sodom and Gomorrah in the distance? So what can be done? The energy, the media and the protest slogans are all on the side of homosexual marriage.

First, Christians must prepare their families biblically for all of life and not just for the opposition we will face concerning same-sex marriage. We must realize that we are now not only a sub-culture but counter-cultural just as Christians were in the first century of our common era. Pastors must declare what the Scriptures declare about the meaning and purpose of all of life as well as marriage. Husbands and wives must make a commitment to their marriages to keep them strong and healthy. And we need to boldly speak the truth without fear and in love. The gospel is still “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).”