“Once people have seen the light, gotten a taste of heaven and been part of the work of the Holy Spirit, once they've personally experienced the sheer goodness of God's Word and the powers breaking in on us - if then they turn their backs on it, washing their hands of the whole thing, well, they can't start over as if nothing happened. That's impossible. Why, they've re-crucified Jesus! They've repudiated Him in public! Parched ground that soaks up the rain and then produces an abundance of carrots and corn for its gardener gets God's "Well done!" But if it produces weeds and thistles, it's more likely to get cussed out. Fields like that are burned, not harvested.
If we give up and turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ's sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment - and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God's Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he'll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: "Vengeance is mine, and I won't overlook a thing" and "God will judge His people." Nobody's getting by with anything, believe me.
Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-31
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Moral Superiority
Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Honecker, Castro, Ho, Marx, Engels, Lenin, Kim, Ceausescu and virtually every atheist today view themselves as morally superior to those who have attempted to follow the most morally superior human to ever walk the earth. If they were simply talking about Christians and not Jesus, they may be right. After all, it’s usually the sickest of us who are most likely to recognize that we need a doctor. And that's what Christianity is, a hospice for those of us who have admitted our sin-sickness. On the other hand atheists really have no choice in rejecting Jesus the Christ and the religion that bears His name since part of their atheist dogma is, ‘Religion is harmful. Get rid of it and everything will begin to move toward civil society.’ Marx and Engels put it bluntly, “Abolish all religion and all morality.” And of course another major point of atheist dogma is, "I don't need God in order to be a good person."
Ya, well, the end result of these self proclaimed ethical leaders has been to bring upon the world atrocities and horrors more degrading (100 million dead in the 20th century alone) than anything that the world has seen or experienced prior to their advent.
These self-professed “good people” actually see Jesus and what He teaches as morally inferior to their own world-view.
For example, in the comments section of a CNN article highlighting the return to safer promiscuous sex due to some new drugs (http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/23/aids-drugs-may-stop-hiv-transmission/?hpt=T2), two people pointed out that abstinence or lifelong monogamy was the only way to prevent the spread of STD’s. Other commenters who hated anything that smacked of Christianity actually accused these two of holding opinions that were “a low point in human thinking.”
Those who hate Christianity don’t stop at those who try to follow Jesus (we Christians ARE morally inferior so we deserve what we get). Rather, secular bigots actually see themselves and their philosophical view of life as superior to that presented by Jesus Himself. They really believe that to be true!
It’s true, I guess. We get the kind of leaders and the kind of world we deserve.
Ya, well, the end result of these self proclaimed ethical leaders has been to bring upon the world atrocities and horrors more degrading (100 million dead in the 20th century alone) than anything that the world has seen or experienced prior to their advent.
These self-professed “good people” actually see Jesus and what He teaches as morally inferior to their own world-view.
For example, in the comments section of a CNN article highlighting the return to safer promiscuous sex due to some new drugs (http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/23/aids-drugs-may-stop-hiv-transmission/?hpt=T2), two people pointed out that abstinence or lifelong monogamy was the only way to prevent the spread of STD’s. Other commenters who hated anything that smacked of Christianity actually accused these two of holding opinions that were “a low point in human thinking.”
Those who hate Christianity don’t stop at those who try to follow Jesus (we Christians ARE morally inferior so we deserve what we get). Rather, secular bigots actually see themselves and their philosophical view of life as superior to that presented by Jesus Himself. They really believe that to be true!
It’s true, I guess. We get the kind of leaders and the kind of world we deserve.
Purpose of Suffering
“When we heard that, we and everyone there that day begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn't budge: "Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You're looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can't you see that?"
Acts 21: 12-13
Acts 21: 12-13
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Hugo and The Old Testament
Like many new believers and I suppose all sceptics, Hugo has expressed struggles with what is written in the Old Testament. Admittedly there is a lot that we simply cannot understand. On the other hand, after thirty years of following Jesus, I’ve come to realise that the problem is mine and not the Bible’s. A line that I heard a long time ago that has been helpful to me goes like this: “All of the Old Testament points to Jesus and if you haven’t seen that while reading the OT, then you’ve read it wrong.”
While a person can enter the Old Testament from many and varied points of interest, that it points to Jesus must surely be the most important thing to be looking for when reading it. Preparing the way for Jesus is what gives the OT context. This is true for even the most difficult parts where whole, albeit profoundly evil cultures are eliminated to make room for the Israelites “through whom the whole world will be blessed.” And while there are many parts of the Old Testament that might make a person scrunch up h/her face with doubt, the parts that point to Jesus must cause us to move cautiously before rejecting what that Book says.
Professor Peter Stoner, Editor of ‘Science Digest’ has calculated that the odds of the 20 prophecies of what happened to Jesus on the last day of His life here on earth, to be 10 to the power of minus 157, against them coming true in one man, accidentally. Scientists agree that 10 to minus 50 is the same as zero - impossible.
Born of a virgin
The Prophecy - Isaiah 7:14 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son and she will call his name Immanuel.” This would not be much of a sign if it was just a man marrying a virgin.
From the seed of Abraham
The Prophecy - Genesis 22:18 (Written about 1440 years before Jesus was born)
“And in your seed all the nations of the world shall be blessed.” (God speaking to Abraham). This determines that of all the races of the world, we could look for The Saviour to come from the Hebrew race.
Son of Isaac
The Prophecy - Genesis 21:12 (Written about 1440 years before Jesus was born).
“For Isaac is the son through whom My promise will be fulfilled.” (See Matthew chapter 1 for a continuation of Jesus’ genealogy record) Abraham had two sons. God eliminates one half of the lineage of Abraham in prophesying the lineage of Jesus.
Son of Jacob
The Prophecy - Numbers 24:17 (Written about 1400 years before Jesus was born)
“I see in the future of Israel, far down the distant trail that there shall come a star from Jacob, this ruler of Israel.” Isaac had two sons. God eliminates one half of the lineage of Isaac prophesying the lineage of Jesus
Tribe of Judah
The Prophecy - Genesis 49:10 (Written about 1440 years before Jesus was born).
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” Jacob had 12 sons out of which came the 12 tribes of Israel. God eliminates eleven of the twelve tribes of Israel in prophesying the lineage of Jesus.
Family line of Jesse
The Prophecy - Isaiah 11:1 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“The royal line of Jesse will be cut off, chopped down like a tree. But from the stump will grow a shoot, yes a new branch, the Messiah from the old root.”
House of David
The Prophecy - Isaiah 23:5 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“ For the time is coming says the Lord, when I will place a righteous branch upon King David’s throne. He shall be a King who shall rule with wisdom and justice.” Jesse had at least eight sons. Now God eliminates all of Jesse’s sons except David in prophesying the lineage of Jesus.
Born at Bethlehem
The Prophecy - Micah 5:2 - (Written about 750 years before Jesus was born)
“O Bethlehem you are but a small Judean village, yet you will be the birthplace of my King who is alive from ages past. God, in prophecy, now eliminates all the cities and towns in the world but one for the entrance of His Son to planet earth.
Preceded by a messenger
The Prophecy - Isaiah 40:3 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“I hear a voice calling in the wilderness, make a road for the Lord.”
Ministry to begin in Galilee
The Prophecy - Isaiah 9:1 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish in the land of Zebulun and Neaphtali, by the way of the sea on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles.”
Ministry of Miracles
The Prophecy - Isaiah 35:5 & 6 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be unstopped, the lame will leap like deer, the tongue of the dumb will shout for joy.”
Teacher of parables
The Prophecy - Psalm 78:2 (Written over many centuries but completed about 300 years before Jesus was born). “I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old.”
Enter Jerusalem on a donkey
The Prophecy - Zechariah 9:9 (Written about 520 years before Jesus was born)
“Rejoice greatly oh My people, shout with joy, for look, your King is coming , He is the righteous one, the victor, yet He is lowly, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
Stumbling stone to the unbelievers
The Prophecy - Psalm 118:22 (Written over many centuries but completed about 300 years before Jesus was born).
“The stone which the builders rejected, has become the corner stone.”
Resurrection
The Prophecy - Psalm 16:10 (Written over many centuries but completed about 300 years before Jesus was born).
“For you will not leave me among the dead. You will not allow your beloved one to rot in the grave.”
The following were prophesied from 1000 - 500 years before Jesus was born but were all fulfilled in one day.
Betrayed by a friend
The Prophecy - Psalm 41:9 - “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread has lifted up his heel against me.”
Sold for 30 Pieces of silver
The Prophecy - Zephaniah 11:12 - “If you like give me my pay, what ever I’m worth. So they counted out 30 silver coins.”
Money thrown into God’s house
The Prophecy - Zechariah 11:13 - “And the Lord told me, toss it into the temple treasury this magnificent sum they value you at. So I took the thirty coins and threw them in.”
Forsaken by his disciples
The Prophecy - Zechariah 13:7 - “Strike down the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.”
Accused by false witness
The Prophecy - Psalm 35:11 - “These evil men swear to a lie. They accuse me of things I have never even heard about.”
Quiet before his accusers
The Prophecy - Isaiah 53:7 - “He was oppressed and He was afflicted yet He never said a word.”
Hands and feet pierced
The Prophecy - Psalm 22:16 - “They pierced my hands and feet.”
Crucifixion had not come into the Jewish system until hundreds of years after Psalms was written. It was unheard of at the time of Psalms.
Made intercession for his persecutors
The Prophecy - Isaiah 53:12 - “Yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors.”
Hated without cause
The Prophecy - Psalm 69:4 - “Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.”
Friends stood afar off
The Prophecy - Psalm 38:11 - My loved ones and my friends stay away, even my own family stands at a distance.”
People shook their heads
The Prophecy - Psalm 109:25 - I also have become a reproach to them. When they see me they wag their heads.”
Garments parted and lots cast
The Prophecy - Psalm 22:18 - They divided my garments among them and for my clothing they cast lots.”
Gall and vinegar offered Him
The Prophecy - Psalm 69:21 - They gave me gall for my food. For my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
His forsaken cry
The Prophecy - Psalm 22:1 - “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.”
Committed himself to God
The Prophecy - Psalm 31:5 - “Into they hand I commit My spirit.”
Bones not broken
The Prophecy - Psalm 34:20 - He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken.”
His side pierced
The Prophecy - Zechariah 12:10 - They will look on me whom they have pierced.
Darkness at noon
The Prophecy - Amos 8:9 - I shall make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight.
Buried in a rich man’s grave
The Prophecy - Isaiah 53:9 - He was buried like a criminal in a rich man’s grave.”
Jesus had no control over the prophecies about:
1. Place of birth
2. Time of birth
3. Manner of birth
4. Betrayal
5. Manner of death
6. People’s reaction
7 Piercing, and
8. Burial
Once again, think about these words:
Professor Peter Stoner, Editor of ‘Science Digest’ has calculate that the odds of the 20 prophecies of what happened to Jesus on the last day of His life here on earth, to be 10 to the power of minus 157, against them coming true in one man, accidentally. Scientists agree that 10 to minus 50 is the same as zero - impossible.
To those who encountered Him but refused to believe what He taught, Jesus had this to say.
(John 5:46 & 47) Jesus said, “It is not I who will accuse you before the Father, Moses will. For you have refused to believe Moses. He wrote about Me but you refuse to believe him, so you refuse to believe Me. Since you don’t believe what Moses wrote, no wonder you don’t believe Me either.”
(Matthew 13:17) Jesus said, “For I tell the truth, many prophets longed to see what you see and hear what you hear.”
(Mark 12:36) Jesus said, “When David spoke, the Holy Spirit was speaking through him when he said it.”
(John 10:34) Jesus said, “The Scriptures cannot be untrue.”
To neglect such awesome evidence will surely come at an awesome cost. Jesus promises however that to respond positively will come with an awesome reward.
Jesus was talking about the same Scriptures we have today. In the next two verses, Jesus indicates that “all” of the Old Testament included prophecy of His coming.
(Luke 24:25 & 27) “How foolish you have been and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” And beginning with the Law and all the Prophets, Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scripture about Him.”
(Luke 24:44) Jesus said, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Of course there are parts of the OT that we simply don’t understand. However, to get caught up in what we don’t understand and ignore what we do understand doesn’t make much sense. Even the sceptic Samuel Clemens said, “It’s not the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand that scare me. It’s the parts of the Bible that I do understand that scare me.”
Good luck on your journey.
While a person can enter the Old Testament from many and varied points of interest, that it points to Jesus must surely be the most important thing to be looking for when reading it. Preparing the way for Jesus is what gives the OT context. This is true for even the most difficult parts where whole, albeit profoundly evil cultures are eliminated to make room for the Israelites “through whom the whole world will be blessed.” And while there are many parts of the Old Testament that might make a person scrunch up h/her face with doubt, the parts that point to Jesus must cause us to move cautiously before rejecting what that Book says.
Professor Peter Stoner, Editor of ‘Science Digest’ has calculated that the odds of the 20 prophecies of what happened to Jesus on the last day of His life here on earth, to be 10 to the power of minus 157, against them coming true in one man, accidentally. Scientists agree that 10 to minus 50 is the same as zero - impossible.
Born of a virgin
The Prophecy - Isaiah 7:14 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son and she will call his name Immanuel.” This would not be much of a sign if it was just a man marrying a virgin.
From the seed of Abraham
The Prophecy - Genesis 22:18 (Written about 1440 years before Jesus was born)
“And in your seed all the nations of the world shall be blessed.” (God speaking to Abraham). This determines that of all the races of the world, we could look for The Saviour to come from the Hebrew race.
Son of Isaac
The Prophecy - Genesis 21:12 (Written about 1440 years before Jesus was born).
“For Isaac is the son through whom My promise will be fulfilled.” (See Matthew chapter 1 for a continuation of Jesus’ genealogy record) Abraham had two sons. God eliminates one half of the lineage of Abraham in prophesying the lineage of Jesus.
Son of Jacob
The Prophecy - Numbers 24:17 (Written about 1400 years before Jesus was born)
“I see in the future of Israel, far down the distant trail that there shall come a star from Jacob, this ruler of Israel.” Isaac had two sons. God eliminates one half of the lineage of Isaac prophesying the lineage of Jesus
Tribe of Judah
The Prophecy - Genesis 49:10 (Written about 1440 years before Jesus was born).
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” Jacob had 12 sons out of which came the 12 tribes of Israel. God eliminates eleven of the twelve tribes of Israel in prophesying the lineage of Jesus.
Family line of Jesse
The Prophecy - Isaiah 11:1 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“The royal line of Jesse will be cut off, chopped down like a tree. But from the stump will grow a shoot, yes a new branch, the Messiah from the old root.”
House of David
The Prophecy - Isaiah 23:5 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“ For the time is coming says the Lord, when I will place a righteous branch upon King David’s throne. He shall be a King who shall rule with wisdom and justice.” Jesse had at least eight sons. Now God eliminates all of Jesse’s sons except David in prophesying the lineage of Jesus.
Born at Bethlehem
The Prophecy - Micah 5:2 - (Written about 750 years before Jesus was born)
“O Bethlehem you are but a small Judean village, yet you will be the birthplace of my King who is alive from ages past. God, in prophecy, now eliminates all the cities and towns in the world but one for the entrance of His Son to planet earth.
Preceded by a messenger
The Prophecy - Isaiah 40:3 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“I hear a voice calling in the wilderness, make a road for the Lord.”
Ministry to begin in Galilee
The Prophecy - Isaiah 9:1 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish in the land of Zebulun and Neaphtali, by the way of the sea on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles.”
Ministry of Miracles
The Prophecy - Isaiah 35:5 & 6 (Written about 690 years before Jesus was born).
“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be unstopped, the lame will leap like deer, the tongue of the dumb will shout for joy.”
Teacher of parables
The Prophecy - Psalm 78:2 (Written over many centuries but completed about 300 years before Jesus was born). “I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old.”
Enter Jerusalem on a donkey
The Prophecy - Zechariah 9:9 (Written about 520 years before Jesus was born)
“Rejoice greatly oh My people, shout with joy, for look, your King is coming , He is the righteous one, the victor, yet He is lowly, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
Stumbling stone to the unbelievers
The Prophecy - Psalm 118:22 (Written over many centuries but completed about 300 years before Jesus was born).
“The stone which the builders rejected, has become the corner stone.”
Resurrection
The Prophecy - Psalm 16:10 (Written over many centuries but completed about 300 years before Jesus was born).
“For you will not leave me among the dead. You will not allow your beloved one to rot in the grave.”
The following were prophesied from 1000 - 500 years before Jesus was born but were all fulfilled in one day.
Betrayed by a friend
The Prophecy - Psalm 41:9 - “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread has lifted up his heel against me.”
Sold for 30 Pieces of silver
The Prophecy - Zephaniah 11:12 - “If you like give me my pay, what ever I’m worth. So they counted out 30 silver coins.”
Money thrown into God’s house
The Prophecy - Zechariah 11:13 - “And the Lord told me, toss it into the temple treasury this magnificent sum they value you at. So I took the thirty coins and threw them in.”
Forsaken by his disciples
The Prophecy - Zechariah 13:7 - “Strike down the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.”
Accused by false witness
The Prophecy - Psalm 35:11 - “These evil men swear to a lie. They accuse me of things I have never even heard about.”
Quiet before his accusers
The Prophecy - Isaiah 53:7 - “He was oppressed and He was afflicted yet He never said a word.”
Hands and feet pierced
The Prophecy - Psalm 22:16 - “They pierced my hands and feet.”
Crucifixion had not come into the Jewish system until hundreds of years after Psalms was written. It was unheard of at the time of Psalms.
Made intercession for his persecutors
The Prophecy - Isaiah 53:12 - “Yet He bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors.”
Hated without cause
The Prophecy - Psalm 69:4 - “Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.”
Friends stood afar off
The Prophecy - Psalm 38:11 - My loved ones and my friends stay away, even my own family stands at a distance.”
People shook their heads
The Prophecy - Psalm 109:25 - I also have become a reproach to them. When they see me they wag their heads.”
Garments parted and lots cast
The Prophecy - Psalm 22:18 - They divided my garments among them and for my clothing they cast lots.”
Gall and vinegar offered Him
The Prophecy - Psalm 69:21 - They gave me gall for my food. For my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
His forsaken cry
The Prophecy - Psalm 22:1 - “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.”
Committed himself to God
The Prophecy - Psalm 31:5 - “Into they hand I commit My spirit.”
Bones not broken
The Prophecy - Psalm 34:20 - He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken.”
His side pierced
The Prophecy - Zechariah 12:10 - They will look on me whom they have pierced.
Darkness at noon
The Prophecy - Amos 8:9 - I shall make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight.
Buried in a rich man’s grave
The Prophecy - Isaiah 53:9 - He was buried like a criminal in a rich man’s grave.”
Jesus had no control over the prophecies about:
1. Place of birth
2. Time of birth
3. Manner of birth
4. Betrayal
5. Manner of death
6. People’s reaction
7 Piercing, and
8. Burial
Once again, think about these words:
Professor Peter Stoner, Editor of ‘Science Digest’ has calculate that the odds of the 20 prophecies of what happened to Jesus on the last day of His life here on earth, to be 10 to the power of minus 157, against them coming true in one man, accidentally. Scientists agree that 10 to minus 50 is the same as zero - impossible.
To those who encountered Him but refused to believe what He taught, Jesus had this to say.
(John 5:46 & 47) Jesus said, “It is not I who will accuse you before the Father, Moses will. For you have refused to believe Moses. He wrote about Me but you refuse to believe him, so you refuse to believe Me. Since you don’t believe what Moses wrote, no wonder you don’t believe Me either.”
(Matthew 13:17) Jesus said, “For I tell the truth, many prophets longed to see what you see and hear what you hear.”
(Mark 12:36) Jesus said, “When David spoke, the Holy Spirit was speaking through him when he said it.”
(John 10:34) Jesus said, “The Scriptures cannot be untrue.”
To neglect such awesome evidence will surely come at an awesome cost. Jesus promises however that to respond positively will come with an awesome reward.
Jesus was talking about the same Scriptures we have today. In the next two verses, Jesus indicates that “all” of the Old Testament included prophecy of His coming.
(Luke 24:25 & 27) “How foolish you have been and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” And beginning with the Law and all the Prophets, Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scripture about Him.”
(Luke 24:44) Jesus said, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Of course there are parts of the OT that we simply don’t understand. However, to get caught up in what we don’t understand and ignore what we do understand doesn’t make much sense. Even the sceptic Samuel Clemens said, “It’s not the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand that scare me. It’s the parts of the Bible that I do understand that scare me.”
Good luck on your journey.
More Sin Among Christians
“Don't you remember how it was? I do, perfectly well. The law code started out as an excellent piece of work. What happened, though, was that sin found a way to pervert the command into a temptation, making a piece of "forbidden fruit" out of it. The law code, instead of being used to guide me, was used to seduce me.
Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. But the law code itself is God's good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.
I can already hear your next question: "Does that mean I can't even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?" No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God's good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own.
I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Romans 7:8-25
Without all the paraphernalia of the law code, sin looked pretty dull and lifeless, and I went along without paying much attention to it. But once sin got its hands on the law code and decked itself out in all that finery, I was fooled, and fell for it. The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong. So sin was plenty alive, and I was stone dead. But the law code itself is God's good and common sense, each command sane and holy counsel.
I can already hear your next question: "Does that mean I can't even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?" No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God's good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own.
I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.
But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
Romans 7:8-25
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
1,000 Years
For decades I’ve read about the part in John’s Revelation where after a period of 1,000 years of peace and justice, satan will be released for a “little while.” (Revelation 20).
What’s up with that? God brings total peace and justice to earth and then allows it to all fall apart? - Again!
I think I finally get it. Adam and Eve had a perfect Father. They had a perfect home environment. There was nothing lacking in their lives. After the fall there was nothing and no one for them to blame for choosing to bring the influence of evil into the universe. Nevertheless, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed satan, and both of them (as do present-day atheists) insinuated that what they did was God’s fault. Ever since then, people have been blaming everyone and everything (except ourselves) for the horrors that we inflict upon each other. The current fad, led by atheists the world over, is to blame religion for the world’s ills. “We aren’t the problem,” they say. “It’s not our destruction loving nature that turns everything we touch into crap, including religion. No. It’s religion’s fault!”
Two famous atheists, Marx and Engels put it bluntly, “Abolish all religion and all morality.”
Wilfully ignoring our own sinful nature causes people to believe that eternal banishment to hell is tremendously unfair. “How dare God inflict such a horrific consequence for the simple sin of rebellion against one’s Creator?”
Ya, right. The SIMPLE sin of choosing evil over Love.
When Jesus returns for a thousand year reign, the basis for that idea is going to be removed. We are going to see that there is no one to blame save our own evil nature for the savagery and pain and betrayal and rebellion that we find so common among ourselves. For 1,000 years there is going to be peace and perfect justice. Just as it was before Adam and Eve made their fateful decision. For 1,000 years the power and influence of evil is going to be held at bay. Security and abundance will be available for all - for those who honour God and for those who don't.
And then, after 1,000 years of nothing but good, after 10 centuries (if this is a literal time-frame) of no one lacking for anything, the power and influence of sin will once again be allowed into our midst.
Why?
I think this is the point. If you look at James 1:13-15 you’ll see that there was nothing in Jesus to which satan could make his appeal. Jesus was tempted - it’s true - but there was nothing in Him that would find evil attractive enough to make Him give in to that temptation. For us, it’s completely different. Atheists would like us to believe that we are born good, but that is simply not the case. Like iron filings being drawn to a magnet, the evil that is in us from conception is drawn to the evil influence that is present in the world. Remove one or the other (the evil in us, or the evil influence in the world) and peace and justice CAN exist. For 1,000 years the influence of evil (satan’s “power to deceive the nations” Rev. 20:3) will be removed from earth. Without the evil influence in our world tempting us, our predisposition to evil will be “switched off” so to speak and we will actually accept goodness and justice. After 1,000 years, however, evil is going to be allowed once more to enter the scene. Our evil nature will come back to life and we will know that it truly is evil that we love; that we truly do love evil more than good.
When satan’s power to deceive the nations re enters the mix, sin loving men and women will turn with a vengeance on the One who provided them with everything they ever needed. This shows that even without evil being allowed to exercise its power to deceive us, OUR resident evil nature lies dormant, ready and waiting for something to attach itself to. The stench of our spiritual rot to which satan makes his appeal will be out for all to see.
God’s justice and wrath toward evil and toward those who love evil (those who have wilfully chosen to not allow God to remove this curse through faith in Jesus) will be incontestable. The consequence of hell will be seen as totally appropriate for those who would rebel against their Creator.
“Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments." Revelation 16:6; 19:1,2
What’s up with that? God brings total peace and justice to earth and then allows it to all fall apart? - Again!
I think I finally get it. Adam and Eve had a perfect Father. They had a perfect home environment. There was nothing lacking in their lives. After the fall there was nothing and no one for them to blame for choosing to bring the influence of evil into the universe. Nevertheless, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed satan, and both of them (as do present-day atheists) insinuated that what they did was God’s fault. Ever since then, people have been blaming everyone and everything (except ourselves) for the horrors that we inflict upon each other. The current fad, led by atheists the world over, is to blame religion for the world’s ills. “We aren’t the problem,” they say. “It’s not our destruction loving nature that turns everything we touch into crap, including religion. No. It’s religion’s fault!”
Two famous atheists, Marx and Engels put it bluntly, “Abolish all religion and all morality.”
Wilfully ignoring our own sinful nature causes people to believe that eternal banishment to hell is tremendously unfair. “How dare God inflict such a horrific consequence for the simple sin of rebellion against one’s Creator?”
Ya, right. The SIMPLE sin of choosing evil over Love.
When Jesus returns for a thousand year reign, the basis for that idea is going to be removed. We are going to see that there is no one to blame save our own evil nature for the savagery and pain and betrayal and rebellion that we find so common among ourselves. For 1,000 years there is going to be peace and perfect justice. Just as it was before Adam and Eve made their fateful decision. For 1,000 years the power and influence of evil is going to be held at bay. Security and abundance will be available for all - for those who honour God and for those who don't.
And then, after 1,000 years of nothing but good, after 10 centuries (if this is a literal time-frame) of no one lacking for anything, the power and influence of sin will once again be allowed into our midst.
Why?
I think this is the point. If you look at James 1:13-15 you’ll see that there was nothing in Jesus to which satan could make his appeal. Jesus was tempted - it’s true - but there was nothing in Him that would find evil attractive enough to make Him give in to that temptation. For us, it’s completely different. Atheists would like us to believe that we are born good, but that is simply not the case. Like iron filings being drawn to a magnet, the evil that is in us from conception is drawn to the evil influence that is present in the world. Remove one or the other (the evil in us, or the evil influence in the world) and peace and justice CAN exist. For 1,000 years the influence of evil (satan’s “power to deceive the nations” Rev. 20:3) will be removed from earth. Without the evil influence in our world tempting us, our predisposition to evil will be “switched off” so to speak and we will actually accept goodness and justice. After 1,000 years, however, evil is going to be allowed once more to enter the scene. Our evil nature will come back to life and we will know that it truly is evil that we love; that we truly do love evil more than good.
When satan’s power to deceive the nations re enters the mix, sin loving men and women will turn with a vengeance on the One who provided them with everything they ever needed. This shows that even without evil being allowed to exercise its power to deceive us, OUR resident evil nature lies dormant, ready and waiting for something to attach itself to. The stench of our spiritual rot to which satan makes his appeal will be out for all to see.
God’s justice and wrath toward evil and toward those who love evil (those who have wilfully chosen to not allow God to remove this curse through faith in Jesus) will be incontestable. The consequence of hell will be seen as totally appropriate for those who would rebel against their Creator.
“Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments." Revelation 16:6; 19:1,2
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