Convictions Verses Beliefs - The Nonsensical Square Circle

Convictions verses beliefs.  Convictions are like braided steel and beliefs are like cotton rope.  Beliefs can grow to become convictions but they can also fade like a post vacation tan.  It has become common knowledge that when teens raised in the Christian faith leave home they have a good chance of leaving the faith, never to return.  The Barna Group conducted a survey among young people (13-17) in 2009 and found that strong interest in staying connected with a church was most common among non-mainline denomination teenagers (49%). Only one-quarter of mainline (denomination) students (25%) and one-fifth of Catholic teens (20%) said they definitely expect their life to include active involvement with a faith community or church by age 25.  Why?  Their belief (if they had one) never grew to the level of a conviction.  Why? Because they never had a firm foundation.  Why?  Partly because in the Postmodern world there has been a blurring of the boundaries between truth and untruth.  Actually, the word "truth" has been systematically weeded out especially when it pertains to religious beliefs.


Let me try to give you a visual.  Imagine four people in the basket of a hot air balloon.  When they started the trip they all believed that having hot air in the balloon was the only way to keep them floating safely in the sky.   But they had all been exposed to many popular published papers and well prepared speeches  reporting that baskets don't need balloons to stay aloft.  Others reported that free falling baskets were not only fun but were the real goal of ballooning.  Others stated that it didn't really matter if the basket floated or fell because it was all an illusion anyway.  Suddenly there appeared a huge tear in the balloon and the basket began to free fall toward the ground.  Kyle smiled and said, "I really don't care about the hole because all my friends believe that balloons aren't necessary for this trip and I have learned tolerance."  Sarah yelled excitedly, "Yeah!  I always wanted to free fall.  My pastor always told me that there are many ways to get back to the ground and we should be open-minded to other ways.  This way is lots more fun!"  Tina closed her eyes and began to chant, "I'm floating.  I'm floating. I'm floating."  Brian looked around and realized that the situation was urgent and  his belief that a fully inflated hot air balloon was necessary for the basket to stay aloft was truth.  He grabbed the emergency parachute, strapped in on, and jumped from the doomed basket.


I know I've addressed this before but I think it's ultimately one of the most important topics of the Christian faith.  Is it true?  I mean if it's just one of many cool fads but it's not true then we should jump.  Have you seen the bumper stickers that show many different religious symbols configured to form the word "COEXIST"?  The symbols include the crescent of Islam, the Buddhist yin yang, E=mc2 (science), the Jewish Star of David, the pagan symbol "ankh" (everlasting life), the Celtic symbol of Wicca, and the cross of Christianity.  Now I agree that we need to coexist and as far as I can tell, we do.  But I think that the meaning of this in today's culture is that they are all equally valid and true as long as the believer is sincere.  I love Muslims, Buddhists, atheists, Jews, pagans, and Wiccans but I would never demean their beliefs or mine by the nonsensical idea that all of the beliefs can be true at the same time. Our young people have few convictions because they hold to the idea that truth is relative and to claim any exclusive truth is intolerant and wrong.  Jesus is cool for me but certainly not necessary for you.  You cling to that stone idol on a string around your neck and that is just as good as a risen Savior.


Jesus said unless we receive the Kingdom of God like little children we will not enter it.  Even a child knows that a circle can't be a square and that nothing can't be something.  A child knows that a rock can't be a marshmallow.  So why is it that adults can believe that God can both exist and not exist based on our beliefs or that Jesus both rose from the dead and didn't rise from the dead?  Why is it that adults can believe that life randomly came from a cosmic accident and evolved over millions of years and at the same time find it compatible with the belief that God created living creatures "each of their own kind" on the fifth day?  


We have become weak in our presentation of the Biblical truth and because many of our leaders don't have convictions with regard to the God of the Bible, neither do our youth have convictions.  Because many of our leaders don't believe the Bible and present bits and pieces to suit there desires, our youth are finding it meaningless and worthless. And quite frankly if it is not true then they are justified in fleeing.  But if it is true then they are fleeing from the very thing that will provide for them hope, forgiveness, and eternal life.  Our youth are increasingly hopeless, depressed, and angry.  Look around you.  Read the paper and see for yourselves.  


If it is true that "The Lord our God is One" that "Jesus is the way and the truth and the life" that "In the beginning God created.." that one day he will "Judge the living and the dead" that "on the third day he rose from the dead" and that there is a "broad road that leads to destruction and a narrow road that leads to life" then to just hold hands and sing Kumbaya is like all of us falling to the ground in our balloon-less basket.


Friends, truth is!  I challenge you today to examine what you hold to be true and if it doesn't stand then move on.  None of us really want to cling to a sinking ship.


One last thing, if you find this blog meaningful please pass the link on to your friends and family members!  


Grace and peace,


David

They Examined the Scriptures to See if What Paul was Saying was True

Please, don't just believe me!  Yes, you heard me right.  Please, don't just believe me.  Here is what I'd like you to do instead:

Pray for God to reveal to you the truth, his truth.  Search the Scriptures to see if what I say is true.  When you ask God to reveal the truth you have to be honestly willing and desiring of truth.  God is a good Father and won't give you a stone if you ask for bread.  The Bible says to "test the spirits to see  whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

I started the post in this way because not every teacher of the Christian faith is telling you the truth.  Not every little white building with a cross on it is truly a church of Jesus Christ, even if they use his name.  You need to be earnestly seeking the truth and willing to look carefully at what you are being taught in order to be sure that you're not being mislead and I want you to start right here with me.  Don't just believe me, please.

Paul was sharing the Gospel in a Greek city called Berea and here is what Luke said of the Bereans in the second chapter of Acts:

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

How did the Bereans know if Paul was preaching the truth?  They examined the Scriptures.  Luke didn't tell us that they knew based on how it made them feel.  He didn't say that they gathered together afterward and took a vote for a majority rule.  He didn't say they weighed it against worldly opinion.  They examined the Scriptures.  Why?  Because they knew that God couldn't speak against himself or contrary to his Word.  They understood the prophetic word to be true.  Jesus said in John 10 "The Scripture cannot be broken."

Peter was very aware that, as the Gospel of Jesus spread throughout the Middle East, Asia, and to Rome and that many false teachers had arisen (and would arise), that were perverting the Gospel.  He knew that there was "no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."  He understood that Scripture was "God breathed" and the words of the prophets were not just stories they made up.  He knew that the Gospel that he and the Apostles preached was given to them by Jesus and now went forth in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Listen to Peter's words:

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Peter 1:6)

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  (2 Peter 2:1)

If there was true teaching it must have had some solid foundation and some points that these false teachers were veering from.  I want to put forth a word that many in the liberal church (not politically liberal but theologically liberal) avoid like the mumps - "Doctrine".

Doctrine can be defined as - a principle or position or the body of principles in a branch of knowledge or system of belief.

If anyone holds to sound doctrine they are called "fundamentalists". I have been called a fundamentalist and I am thankful that they recognize the same fundamentals in me as were in Paul, Peter, and in Jesus himself.  What does fundamental mean?

-serving as an original or generating source

-of or relating to essential structure, function, or facts

You see, the fundamentals that I have been given were first given to the Apostles both in the form of the Old Testament and later in the Word made flesh - Jesus Christ.  It was the original and essential part of their faith!  How important were the fundamental beliefs of the Apostles?  Listen to Paul's words:

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:9)

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1)

Paul also reminded the Corinthian church of the Gospel he was given and said he passed it along as "first importance" then shared again the facts of Jesus' life, death, burial, and resurrection.

I'd like to remind you of some of the Biblical truths that are being called into question by some in the pulpits of the church, especially the comfortable western church.  

1) the divine inspiration and truth of the Bible 

2) the virgin birth, the resurrection, and the divinity of Jesus (i.e. Jesus being being God)

3) Jesus being the only way to God

I was told by a pastor that people from other nations and those with different belief systems had their way to God just as we have ours and that it was not the responsibility of Christian leaders to "foist" Jesus into their equations.  I have been told that I have put God in a box.  So here is the deal.  Please don't believe me.  Pray for God to reveal the truth to you and then listen.  Search the Word of God (if you indeed believe the Bible to be the Word of God) and see what is true.  Did Jesus place himself into groups of people from different nations and belief systems?  Did the Apostles travel to far away lands to share the Gospel of Jesus with those who were worshiping false gods?  Did they die violent deaths in order to do that?  Did Jesus tell us that he was one of many ways to the Father?  Did Jesus teach a social Gospel to feed the poor, clothe the naked, and heal the sick void of  himself and the kingdom of God?  

Paul said that there would be a time when people wouldn't put up with sound doctrine but would instead surround themselves with teachers who would tell them what their itching ears wanted to hear.  Today Jesus is being watered down and combined with and blended with other belief systems.  It has a form of Godliness but is void of its power.  It looks a little like Christianity but is not.  Jesus is a great moral teacher and many say "he is the way for me" but don't find him terribly necessary for others if they have found their own way.  If you want to know the truth you have to be open to it.  If you come into the Word and to the faith clinging to your agendas (no matter how apparently noble) you will come out with a religion that is partly Jesus and mostly you. As for me, I don't want more of me but less!

Peace and Grace,

David

Seeing vs. Perceiving and Hearing vs. Understanding ~ Turn and be Healed

So there was this kid who was playing videos games when his mother asks him if his homework is done. No response. She asks him again, this time a bit louder. No response. Finally, she claps her hands and asks him a third time, "Johnny! (name changed to protect the guilty) is your homework finished?" His eyes never leaving the screen and as his fingers continuing to control Luke Sky-walker's light saber, his head nods up and down. Mom, then opens the folder to see the blanks of the homework page just that . . . blank! Ah, hearing but not listening.

There is a big difference between hearing and listening and between listening and understanding. There is also a big difference between seeing and perceiving. I think that the difference lies in the wanting. Kids hear what they want to hear and see what they want to see. They will hear "yes" before "no" and will see the ice cream behind two packages of frozen peas but not the dirty underwear in the middle of the bedroom floor. We want what we want but not always what we need.

I have had so many discussions with people lately who are struggling with life and with faith. They seek wisdom from people they look up to and from books on the shelf. Some do church and some do not but often the result is the same, struggle, struggle, struggle. Some spend their time trying to disprove God while others complain that they just can't hear him in their lives. If any of these sound like you, I think this post is for you. I want to start by sharing a personal testimony and a little truth from the Word.

There was a time when I was religious on the outside. I went to church, prayed, put my money in the offering plate, served on a committee or two, and called myself a Christian. Although I lived a sinful life, it was easily rationalized and compartmentalized. I could argue that the Bible was just a book written by men so it didn't really pertain to me. God was nice and he certainly understood my needs and my desires. He knew I was basically good and certainly better than most of the heathens around me. I had some head knowledge about this God and this Jesus but it really meant little to me. When I struggled I'd complained to God that it was his fault because he could have told me what to do or just prevented the problem in the first place. When my life got bad enough I would just deny God's existence all together. I looked to others who lived like I did so that I could justify my actions and my thoughts. I read books that did the same. I did some inward seeking because surly I could heal myself. Me, Me, Me, Pride, Pride, Pride. I saw what I wanted to see, heard what I wanted to hear, and did what I wanted to do. And God let me wander in the desert until my feet burned and my thirst was unbearable. I lived the promise of Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

Do you really want to know God? I mean do you really want to know regardless of where it brings you? I think for me the answer at one time was really, no. I wanted to know God as long as it didn't cramp my style or make me set aside some firmly held beliefs about the world and about man. I wanted a God that would take care of my needs, tolerate my sin, and protect me from all harm. I acted like I wanted to know but didn't really. How about you? Are you doing some religion, some church, some youth group stuff, some rituals, and some repetitious and heartless prayer? If you are hungry for the truth of God and humbled before him, desiring his will in you life then you can sign off and catch us back here next week. If that doesn't really describe you right now then lets go a bit further.

Two men hung on crosses, their lives ebbing away. In between them a third man hung, a man named Jesus. One man mocked and jeered Jesus and, in his pride, ignored his own guilt and refused to believe in God's one and only Son. The truth was before him but he wanted it not. The second man became humble and admitted his guilt and understood the justice of his own death. He wanted to know the truth and to be accepted by Jesus who claimed to be the way and the truth and the life; this Jesus who said that the truth would set men free. "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"

Jesus stood before the Roman Governor of Judea, a man named Pontious Pilate, and Pilate asked him if he was a king. Jesus told him he was right in saying that he was a king. He said, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Pilate then asked, "What is truth?" But he didn't stick around for the answer. He was standing inches away from the truth, from God with us, and he walked away.

Paul spoke to the Jews who had questioned him about this Jesus and who refused to believe. He quoted Isaiah saying, "For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."

Do you need healing? I did. I pray that God would help your eyes to be open and your ears to hear so that your heart can understand and be healed. If you want to know the truth you have to seek it with humility. God's Word tells us that God accepts a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. I have to admit the process was sort of painful but his love and grace made it worth it. What a ride it's been! God is good all the time!~

I want to thank everyone who has sent emails and comments to the posts. We have had people from 23 different countries join us here and hope that you all have found food for your souls.

Peace in Christ,

David and The I-61 Project

Jesus ~ Who Do You Say He Is?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:13-16)

If you are here today (and you are) then I assume that you, at least, have some desire to seek spiritual things. You have some interest in seeing if what I have to say holds water and has some ability to affect your life for the good. That being said, I want to tell you that I have had many very deep discussions with people lately regarding "religion", tolerance, truth, God, and the person Jesus Christ. I have spoken to people who call themselves "Christians", to three very pleasant Jehovah's Witnesses, to a kind and gentle follower of the Bahai faith, and pastors of a mainline Christian denomination and I am confident in this fact: We do not all follow the same Jesus.

Regardless of who you are or where you are in your faith walk, you will have to answer the same question. "Who do you say that he is?" Even if you're an atheist, you have to answer the question. Your answer may be "I don't really care." but everyone will answer. Does it really matter? Well, hmmmm, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes. Why? You might ask. Can't we all just believe what we want and leave it at that? Well, sure, we can. This is America and we have the right to believe what we want, worship who and what we want, or not worship at all. But, I for one don't want to follow, put my faith in, or trust my life to a lie or a fable. Let me give you an analogy that I hope will make this tangible and clear.

There was once a small group of hikers enjoying a beautiful walk through a pristine mountain forest when they became lost. After a few days and nights they were becoming very hungry. But they had noticed, as they wandered, many mushrooms of different shapes, colors, and sizes.

Hiker number one (Christian) pointed out that according to his book of edible forest foods, only one type of mushroom in these woods was fit to eat. All the others would cause death. "It says right here that the Wala Wala mushroom is the only one that will sustain us in our hunger and that, even thought the others look good and some look like the Wala Wala, they ultimately will not satisfy our hunger but will lead to death."

"Bah humbug!" Shouted Hiker number two (Pluralist). "All mushrooms are the same and are good for the body. Stop being so intolerant of mushrooms. Who are you to say one mushroom is better than another? That book of yours is not factual. I read it myself and decided to just see the good in all mushrooms. The other parts of the book, those that were unpleasant, I just blacked 'em out with a Sharpie. Get a grip! I love all mushrooms and if you weren't so narrow minded you would see that they're all beautiful in their own way."

"You're both crazy! All mushrooms are dangerous and should be avoided at all cost. Everyone that I know who got caught up in the whole "mushroom eating" thing went nuts and some even became obsessed with mushrooms. That book is hogwash! I'm not touching any mushrooms or reading that silly book!" Exclaimed Hiker number three (Atheist).

So Pluralist, assuming that all mushrooms were the same, picked five of the most pleasant looking mushrooms, mixed them together into a fine mushroom salad and began to eat.

Christian picked a handful of Wala Walas and roasted them over a small fire then began to eat.

Atheist sat there refusing to eat and time went by.

When the mountain rangers found the group, only one man was alive, Christian.

OK, before you shoot me for being another intolerant religious guy, let's look at this practically. In real life there are mushrooms that are good to eat and others that will kill you. It's truth. Does it matter what you believe about mushrooms? No! Even if you sincerely believe that you can eat a handful of Amanita phalloides mushrooms (also called Death Caps), you will likely die a painful death. What matters is not our ideas or our emotions but the truth. I have been really amazed that intelligent people can believe that all beliefs can be true even if they claim different things. It is nonsensical. We have to at least meet at the place where we agree that all things can't be true. We can be tolerant of each other's beliefs and love each other (by the way, I do you all) but let's be reasonable. God can't both exist and not exist at the same time. God can't be a piece of carved wood and an all powerful spiritual being at the same time. Jesus can't have risen from the dead and not risen. Black can't be white and a square can't be a circle. Truth just is.

Jesus Christ ~ Who do people say that he is?

Some would say he was a fictitious character who never really lived. To them I would say that there is more historical evidence for the life of Jesus Christ than any other person in ancient history. There are more than 24,000 ancient manuscripts of the New Testament which have been discovered and many extra-biblical writers spoke of Jesus of Nazareth including Josephus (c. AD 37-101) and Tacitus (c. AD 115).

Some would say that he was just a fine religious leader who taught us how to live a good life. But Jesus didn't leave us that option. He claimed to be coequal with God the Father. He claimed to be the only way to the Father. He stated that he came to die for the sins of man. He rose from the dead. He claimed to be the Only Son of God.

As I have pointed out in my last two posts, the answer to the question, "Who do you say I am?" matters. The Bible (which I believe is reliable and will answer any questions you have about that) tells us that Jesus is God in the flesh. He is God made man who ultimately came to save us not from war, poverty, and division but from our own sin. The Old Testament testified about him but many, including many "Christian" leaders see the Old Testament as a history book written by men with political agendas. But Jesus said these words in John Chapter 5, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"

Jesus came to bring life, to bring restoration in our relationship with God the Father, to make us new creations, to give us everlasting life, to take away our guilt and shame, to reveal to us the amazing love of the God who created us. Jesus is not just one of many fine men who told us to hold hands and make world peace. He is the creator and sustainer of all things.

Please, if you have any doubts or questions about who he is and what he means to you, drop us an email or a comment on the Blog. Don't for a minute let anyone convince you that Jesus is any less than this. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Not just for me but for all.

Lastly, if anyone feels compelled to help us in the spreading of the Gospel, there is a "Donate" button on the Blog Home Page. It is tax deductible.

Peace and Joy,

David and the I-61 Project

Jesus ~ The Way

Hey Friends, I know it's not Saturday and I just posted to the Blog a few days ago but I wanted to share with you a dialogue that took place on Larry King Live on March 11, 2003. It was around the question, "What would Jesus do about the war in Iraq?" This conversation highlights the issue I brought up in last week's post. I want to state for record, that I agree whole heartily with John MacArthur. There is only one God and one Savior through whom we have access to the Father and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of what the Ecumenical Officer of the United Methodist Church (Bishop Melvin Talbert) claims, Jesus is the only way to the Father. That is not my claim but the claim of Jesus himself. Here is the conversation that took place between Larry King, John MacArthur, Max Lucado, and Melvin Talbert.

King: Saddam says he prays.

MacArthur: Saddam Hussein? I'm sure he does.

King: He prays five times a day. He believes he's right. He must be praying to something.

MacArthur: Well, it's the wrong God unfortunately. There is only one true and living God, and that's the God of the scripture. The God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And if you aren't praying to that God, you are praying to no one.

King: He doesn't believe that. How do you deal with that? His belief may be as strong as your belief.

MacArthur: You could believe that you could fly and jump off a five-story building. It doesn't make it real. Unfortunately, false religion is the ultimate deception...

King: is the Muslim world all false?

MacArthur: Well, the theology of Islam is false. It's the wrong God. It's the wrong view of Christ.

King: When they hear that, don't they get anti-American thoughts...

MacArthur: It has nothing to do with America. I would say it if I were French.

King: They think yours is the wrong God.

MacArthur: Well, they do. But there has to be truth and untruth. Once you've established the truth, and I think the word of God has been established as true -- I think it can hold up under the most intense scrutiny -- and other books do not.

King: Don't you believe, Bishop Talbert, that Christianity is the right path?

Talbert: I do believe for Christians, but we're not here to settle which religion is right. That dispute belongs to God. We are here to practice what we preach.

King: Do you believe your religion is right?

Talbert: Yes I do.

King: Or else why believe it?

Talbert: That is right.

King: So therefore, the other religions have to be wrong.

Talbert: No, I don't say that at all.

King: If you believe your religion is right, the other religions are wrong.

Talbert: I believe my God is large enough to be inclusive of all human beings who were created in God's image, and that includes those religions that are not Christians.

MacArthur: I want to ask a question. Why did Jesus say -- why did Paul say -- if any man preaches any other Christ than the true Jesus Christ, let him be cured? Why does the Bible say neither is there salvation in any other name than Jesus Christ? Why doe the scripture condemn anyone who rejects Jesus Christ and the gospel of Christ? Why is the message so exclusive?

Talbert: For me, salvation in Jesus Christ is the way, and what I try to do as a Christian is to live that example. My responsibility is not to convert all other religions, but to live the Christian faith in the face of those religions. Are you going to say that my -- our friend on the show tonight who is Jewish is on the wrong path? That's God's choice. That's God's judgment, not mine.

King: Max, what is your view of Islam?

Lucado: Well, I guess it depends on if you're asking it from a political or religious point of view.

King: I guess from religious.

Lucado: Religious point of view -- it is a different approach to God than the Christian approach to God. My understanding as a Christian is that we're saved by what Christ did for us, whereas the Islamic faith says we're saved by what we do for God.

King: But do you think, Bishop Talbert, that these differing opinions are leading to lots of conflict in the world?

Talbert: I believe they're leading for a lot of conflicts because we do not open ourselves o each other and learn and grow. I have talked with Muslim leaders. They are -- the ones that I have met -- very fine people. They're on their way as certain as I am on my way. And what we need to do is to be tolerant with each other and not assume that our way is the only way.

Well, Mr. Talbert, what we really need is to be truthful with each other and with people of all nations and religions, sharing with them the love of God in Jesus Christ. We need to share the Gospel that Paul preached and no other. Jesus is not "Our Way". He is "The Way". It is not an assumption at all, but the very truth spoken by the Lord of all creation. John 3:18, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." This is from the lips of Christ. You can't take Jesus and throw away his words..

Peace, David

The Biblical Jesus ~ It Depends on which Bible You Mean.

The Bible . . . Is it a book given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, written by men, infallible and inerrant or is it a book sort of inspired by God but written by men whose political and social agendas tainted its content?

Is it a book that God has allowed to become corrupted over time to include errors in translation, errors in the historical record, and filled with fictional stories made up by men? Is it a book that has no absolute truth but is completely pliable in the hands of anyone who reads it, able to be interpreted any way we choose? Can we pick out the parts we want to believe and set aside those we don't? Can we pick out the parts that make us happy and comfortable, using them as if they are accurate or relevant but scrap the parts the make us uncomfortable, claiming them to be inaccurate or irrelevant?

Does it matter really? I mean, so what if we come at this book from totally different positions. We all love Jesus, right? But what Jesus do we love? And was he really here? And did he really perform miracles? And did he really die on the cross? And did he really rise from the dead? If we claim in any form or fashion that the Biblical record is unreliable then we have absolutely no right or ability to make any statements about its truth or quote from it. If we can't believe it we certainly shouldn't base our lives on it. Unless of course, we see it as a book that has some good things to grab a hold of like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" then we can, I guess, just pick out the parts that make sense to our lives and leave the rest for the right wing Jesus freaks (Like me)

Here is the issue, at hand, and one that I believe is monumental to the Christian faith: The Gospel of Jesus Christ stands or falls on what we see the Bible to be. Many today claim that the Bible is not a document that has solid, unchangeable truth but is moldable and shapable to the reader. It can be interpreted as we see fit. I want to give a couple examples to make this more clear:
The Old Testament reveals a God who is the creator of all things including man. When man sinned God revealed not just his love for man but also his holy justice with regard to sin. It revealed a God who demonstrated some serious wrath against sin and sinful man. Now, those who claim that the Bible isn't to be taken literally, claim that this is just the story of an ancient people who fought other nations with their own political and religious motives. So then they can forgo any aspect of God that might seem intolerant, harsh, violent, or contrary to their religious beliefs. It was man's evil not God's wrath. One quick note regarding the description of Bible believers as "Literalists" (ie. they take the Bible literally). We can be smart enough to understand that when Jesus said, "I am the vine . . " or when Jesus was called, "the Lamb of God" that Jesus wasn't a vine or a lamb. But we can also see that when Jesus said, "The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations." He said, "In his name." What name? Jesus.

The New Testament reveals the story of a man named Jesus who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on a cross, and rose from the grave three days later. It claims Jesus to be God in the flesh who died for the sins of man. But Jesus was not always the gentle soft spoken peacemaker but made many claims about himself and about the judgment to come. But many today leave out all of the statements Jesus made about judgment, hell, and repentance. They leave out any statement that precludes salvation via any other person other than Jesus Christ. They do so by claiming that those who read the whole of scripture do so in a literal fashion while they themselves leave room for a much bigger God who can make the Bible all things to all men. Jesus can be their Lord and their Savior and their truth, way, and life but he is not for those of other faiths. Kind of like flag day. It is for us but not for Japan.

Can this be true? Can we both be right and does it matter? Can we ever preach from the Word and teach a church full of hearers from scriptures if we claim the Bible is not reliable and is only relevant or true to those who want them? Can we preach "I am the way and the truth and the life." as some sort of biblical feel good but claim that the next verse, "No one comes to the Father but through me." not to be true?

This is way more than can be addressed in a 10 minute blog post so we will be hanging here for a couple weeks. But, I want to share a couple things to start. First, if we believe Jesus lived and was divine (ie. God) then we should look at what he thought about the Old Testament and its reliability. Jesus quoted from twenty four of the Old Testament books and stated that he didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it." Jesus spoke of Jonah's time in the belly of the fish, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife who was turned to a pillar of salt, and he quoted many of the prophets. Did Jesus believe that the Old Testament was corrupted in its translation or the product of the minds of man? No! Paul believed that all scripture was "God breathed" and even if you claim he was talking about only the Old Testament then we can start there. Lastly, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found they contained a near complete copy of the book of Isaiah dated to around one hundred years before the birth of Christ. These texts from Qumran proved to be word-for-word identical to our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text. The 5 percent of variation consisted primarily of obvious slips of the pen and spelling alterations (Archer, 1974, p. 25).

The dilemma is this: If we claim the Biblical documents to be less than what Jesus and the Apostles believed them to be then we preach a Gospel that strips Jesus of his Lordship and of his Divinity. We make faith in Christ unnecessary for salvation and relegate Jesus to one of many religious leaders who taught us a better way to live. We can cut and paste the verses of the bible and use them as personal and social improvement tools and deny the truths we don't like.

Maybe God wasn't powerful enough to maintain the accuracy or truth of his Word and allowed it to be made virtually meaningless. Maybe the writings of Mohammad, Buddha, Krishna, Joseph Smith, Stephen King, and Mark Twain are all equally valid. Maybe Jesus didn't really exist and was just a fictitious character made up by these men, who for some crazy reason gave their lives to tell people about him. Maybe Paul didn't really meet Jesus on the road to Damascus and was later told what to preach. Maybe he just didn't like living high on the hog as a wealthy Jewish leader but instead wanted to see what it was like to be flogged, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten with fists, imprisoned, and beheaded for sharing the whole, uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified. Maybe.

Although we can believe that how we see the Bible makes little difference as long as we all "love Jesus" it is not so. Either Jesus is the One and Only Son of God, God in the flesh, the name above all names, God with us, the name to which every knee will bow, the Judge of the living and the dead, the King of Kings, the one through whom all things were made, or he is not. If he is then we better get back to proclaiming him to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit and not trusting that those without Christ can climb in another way. Jesus said he was THE way and not a way.

Stay tuned friends. Much more to come.

Peace, David

Don't just ride the bus. Look out the window. You might be on the wrong road!

Today I am going to go WAY out on a limb and it may send many of you running far away never to return. But before you do, I’d like to ask you to at least make it all the way to the end of this post and then ask yourself, “Did he say anything that wasn't biblical?” If you believe the words of the bible then you need to do some serious reflection. Ask yourself, “Can I pick and choose the parts I like and ignore or set aside those I don’t?” “Am I really a Christian or am I just going through the religious motions?” If you’re still doubtful regarding the validity of the Bible or are not a believer then stick around for a few more weeks and we’ll do our best to change that.

Jesus the fair skinned, blue-eyed guy with long flowing hair and a gentle voice walks the streets of Jerusalem repeating the words, “Peace, love, happiness, and prosperity”. He loves you and is your “friend”. He wants to show you a “better way to live”. He came to bring peace to the world and unite people of all religions and teach us tolerance. He wants to take your ten-dollar donation "seed" and multiply it into a thousand dollars so you can prosper. We’re all “children of God”.

Hogwash! Is that too strong? Maybe, we’ll see.

Comfortable people sit in an air-conditioned arena with posh stadium seats (complete with a holder for their grande, half-skim, caramel latte with extra whipped cream) to hear what their itching ears want to hear. Articulate, handsome, and charismatic preachers bask in the applause and the accolade of the people and their books sit atop the best-seller list for weeks at a time. They preach a “Jesus-lite”, watered down, palatable version of the gospel leaving out anything that might offend or cause people to walk out or cease to “dig deep” into their wallets during the offertory. Meanwhile tens of thousands of people who do "church" are still dead in their sins and don’t know it or care not to admit it. They are riding down the road to destruction and the “church” is driving the bus.

Let’s listen to the words of the real Jesus of Nazareth:

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword . . . Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:34-38

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ . . . There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.” Luke 13:24-28

“For God so loved the world that he gave one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life . . . whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16-18

Fire and Brimstone? No, just the rest of the story. The Gospel is "Good News" only because it is an answer for the bad news! So much to say and so little space! Here is the Gospel as clearly as I can put it forth. We are born with the seed of sin and are by nature, separated from God. (go back and read the “Veil” post). God is loving and compassionate but he is also holy and just. Justice demands a penalty and punishment for sin. The Bible says the penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God in a place the prepared for Satan and his fallen angels – Hell. (sorry, his words not mine) God provided an answer for the sin problem and that was a substitute, someone to take our place, to take our punishment. God sent his Son Jesus (fully man and fully God, sinless, and willing to die for us). He was crucified, died, and buried. He rose from the dead on the third day, conquering death. When we gain or take a hold of that gift by faith in Jesus Christ then his righteousness is transferred to our account. We can’t do it by works or by “being good people”. When we trust Christ, God sees us as having no sin and therefore no condemnation. The Apostle John said “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children not born of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” David, did John mean that we aren’t all “Children of God”? Yes, that IS what he meant. He was saying we are all Gods creation but not all his children. We, by faith in Jesus are adopted into his family. We are “born again”. We have “eternal life”. We are made “new creations”. We therefore have “no condemnation”.

Faith is not a head-knowledge or intellectual assent like “Yeah, I believe that Jesus existed.”, but a reliance on him as your only hope. It is not gained by joining a church, signing a piece of paper, or walking forward for an altar call (although it could happen then for sure). It is not acquired by repeating a prayer. It is not the result of perfect church attendance or singing in the church choir or playing drums for the praise team. It is not acquired when your parents had you baptized as babies. It isn't the result of graduating from the seminary or buying a fish sticker for your minivan. It IS acquired by realizing your sinfulness and your need for a Savior. It IS acquired by repentance (the acknowledging of and turning away from sin). It is acquired by trusting in Jesus Christ as your substitute on the cross. Like I said last week, God is not interested in making you happy, comfortable, or rich. He is interested in your life! Not just the short one here on earth but more importantly, the eternal one after.

One last thing: Trusting in Christ is not a guarantee of a life of bliss here on earth and may, in some ways, bring some additional trials and persecution but it is LIFE itself and does guarantee an eternity of perfect peace with the God who made you. I share today not as one who is judging or self righteous but as one who knows his brokenness and his need. Hope you stick around until next week.

In Christ's Love, David