Opus 2016-220: Basic Beliefs: Providence

Alistair Begg was preaching about providence.  That is a word we don’t hear much any more.  It was common in the early years of our country.  It was a word that could be used by Christians and deists.  It spoke of the controlling hand of God in the affairs of men. 

What Begg was trying to do was get us to notice the mundane ways in which God works though our world.  I can’t remember if he used the term or I came up with it but I find I need to hear about “God in the ordinary” today.  Most Christians will understand that God created the world even if they tend to think in terms of a guided evolution.  What we often fail to remember is that God holds all things together. 

(Colossians 1:17 KJV)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

God’s hand is still active in our world.  We don’t always understand.  We wonder about terrorism and earthquakes.  I wonder about you as you wonder about me.  Why is my life so blessed when I see others in so much pain?  I expect to understand more tomorrow and possibly a lot more in eternity.  I will keep thinking and asking.  Until I figure it out I am secure in the awareness that there are answers and reasons. 

I don’t need to know how my body figures out antibodies but I do need to get enough sleep.  I don’t understand why some learn to read and it remains a mystery for others.  I would like to think my children have turned out so well is because I am an awesome father, but I know that isn’t enough. 

It is Providence.  It is grace.  It is the hand of God.

homo unius libri

Opus 2016-105: Basic Beliefs: Imago Dei

I was listening to a hymn that spoke of “I am the Potter, you are the clay”.

This is an expression of two points of Christian belief that are paradoxical.

One is that we are nothing compared to God.  This is what the song was singing about.  We are the created beings.  He is the Creator.  That gives him the right to do with us as He pleases.  This is expressed in different ways in the Old and New Testaments.  An early expression is,

(Isaiah 64:8 KJV)  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Generally speaking the clay on the wheel doesn’t tell the potter how to shape it.

The other is that we are created in the Image of God.  This is the Imago Dei. 

(Genesis 1:26 KJV)  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

This is the reason that Christians can turn the other cheek with dignity.  This is why Christians can have a belief in the future.  Our God cares about us.  He has instilled something in us that is not in the animals, plants of rocks of the field.  We are a unique creation and that governs not only how we relate to the world but how we relate to each other. 

This is why Christians have been at the front of the battle against slavery and its modern jargon of “human trafficking”.  When a slave is declared to be your brother that means you must treat him as a brother even if the status of slave is legal.  You also know that if you don’t treat him right then the Father of you both will meet you behind the woodshed and He will not be happy.  That can be a powerful motivator.

This is why Christians have been the creative force behind ending slavery and creating hospitals, orphanages, food banks, and the rule of law. 

If you are a believer you need to understand this.  If you are not a believer you need to understand this.  It could make your day, or ruin it.  Or make it by ruining it.

homo unius libri

Opus 2015-440: Basic Beliefs: The Other Cheek, part 4 of 4

The full witness of scripture and the example of Jesus help us understand what it means to turn the other cheek.  Third is the amount of selfishness I am surrounded by. 

Sin is real.  The sinful nature is real.  People are not ruled by an inner desire for peace and prosperity.  They are controlled by a desire for self-gratification.  It is amazing how many people look on peace makers as raw meat.  When you turn the other cheek they see it as a mark of weakness instead obedience to a Jesus Principle.  From that point on you become their favorite victim. 

I am not a fan of the big push against bullying in our schools.  It is not based on Christian values.  It is simply part of the Nanny State trying to smooth the waters and silence the opposition to the Homosexual agenda.  The LBGTQ political machine is at the root of much of it.  At the same time, bullies exist.  They tend to have one thing in common:  They are cowards looking for wounded prey.  I tend to think of them as the jackals or hyenas of our human world.  They avoid strength and genuine confrontation.  Their specialty is to feed on the weak and helpless.  They love to run into people who turn the other cheek.  It is like having an “Everything Free Day” at Nordstrom.  Get a cart and load up.

I think that the principle is more in the little things than in personal defense.  It is an attitude that goes along with the standard of putting others first.  This is expressed many ways in the scripture.  One of my favorites it,

(Philippians 2:3 KJV)  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

I don’t know about you but I have been around people who love to nit pick and demean.  They seem to be looking for chinks in your armor so that they can pull you down.  Our temptation is to respond to them on the same level.  If they say we can’t sing we want to point out they can’t dance, so to speak.  This is the daily living level where the principle is to be applied.  This is where the love of Christ controls us.  This is where we turn the other cheek.

We want to get angry.  We want to defend ourselves.  We want to win.  That is natural.  That can also be sin.

The testimony of the entire scripture is that there are times to step up and confront evil.  Think of Moses and Pharaoh.  Think of David and Goliath.  Think of Peter and the Jewish leaders.  For that matter think of Paul confronting Peter in Galatians.  The principle still applies.  When we confront evil it is not to dominate or to win for ourselves.  It is to be a tool of God.  It is to serve and protect others.  It is to be done in humility and love.

Sometimes truth is not easy.  Actually, often truth is not easy.  But it is still truth.

homo unius libri

Opus 2015-439: Basic Beliefs: The Other Cheek, part 3 of 4

The first material to be considered in understanding the teaching on turning the other cheek was the rest of scripture.  No verse stands in isolation as a game changer.  The second point is the example of Jesus.

Jesus had numerous conflicts with different Jewish leaders.  We hear about the Pharisees, but they were not alone in opposition to Jesus.  Did He lower His eyes and humbly submit to their verbal attacks?  Not on your life.  He poured water on their puny flames.  He poked holes in their thin arguments.  He tore down their legalistic walls.  He did not turn the other cheek or go the extra mile.

Picture how heated it must have gotten. 

(John 8:59 KJV)  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

This is not exactly what we would call turning the other cheek yet we must believe that Jesus practiced what He preached.  Of course when it came time to go to the cross, He turned the other cheek and went quietly along.

Yet even in the process of moving toward the crucifixion He did not play dumb and humble.  When Pilate tried to talk to Him, He talked right back.  Read through John 18 for some strong dialogue. 

To be continued...

homo unius libri

Opus 2015-438: Basic Beliefs: The Other Cheek, part 2 of 4

You need to consider all of scripture before you make a point of doctrine or draw a line in the sand.  Everyone is familiar with the words of Jesus when he sent out the twelve to preach.

(Luke 9:3 KJV)  And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

And He repeated it in the next chapter when He sent out seventy.

(Luke 10:4 KJV)  Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

Most people who broadcast those verses will not mention what Jesus said at the end of His ministry, just before the crucifixion. 

(Luke 22:35-36 KJV)  And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.  Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

The situation changed.  The instructions changed.  The basic principles were the same.  They still had two cheeks but now they also had a sword.  Interesting.  Complicated.  I don’t think the swords were just for opening letters.  And keep in mind that in the spirit of modern liberals the Romans had assault-sword bans that prohibited the possession of swords by non-Romans.  If you are going to ban swords based on chapters 9 and 10 then you will also need to ban cash, shoes food and an extra coat.

Then consider the often repeated call to reprove and rebuke.  In fact, one of the spiritual gifts, exhortation, involves those as well and encouraging.  How can you correct someone if all you do is turn the other cheek?

I don’t ask these questions as someone who is constantly getting into fights to defend my honor but as someone who is constantly biting my tongue and walking away.

To be continued...

homo unius libri

Opus 2015-435: Basic Beliefs: The Other Cheek, part 1 of 4

One of the Biblical teachings I have struggled with all my life is turning the other cheek.

(Matthew 5:39 KJV)  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

It is seems clear and is followed by other verses that expand on the principle.  I can see how this kind of attitude is what makes Christians different from the world.  We are supposed to have an attitude of forgiveness and non-retaliation.  The first is required; the second, proscribed.  This makes it possible for people of many opinions to live together in peace.  When I was rear-ended on the freeway the other day I did not jump out cussing and start swinging.  It might be the way many people react, but it is not the Christian way.

I get it.  I apply it every day but three things complicate the application for me. 

First, there are other verses which need to be considered.  When you read and apply the Bible there are very few verses that stand in isolation.  Each verse is to be considered as a part of the whole.  Rarely do verses stand alone.  Other verses tend to move “turning the other cheek” towards a principle rather than a law. 

To be continued...

homo unius libri

Opus 2015-421: Basic Beliefs: Hell

This week I have been speculating on what Hell will be like.  No, it is not because it was a rough week at school.  I look at that as more like purgatory, but since I am not a Roman Catholic, I don’t believe in purgatory. 

I have a lot of speculations that might fall into the realm of heresy.  As I was thinking about them I realized I had not addressed Hell in my ongoing series about Basic Christian Beliefs. 

Christians believe in potential future that is often called “hell”.  If you do not believe it is real then you either are not someone God would recognize as a Christian, you have never read your Bible or you are really into figurative language to rationalize away anything you don’t like.  I am not sure that all three categories are not the same but ultimately I will leave that up to God.  I have the feeling He will be much more forgiving than I would in some areas and much more harsh in others.  His place, not mine.

The Bible assumes that there is continued, personal existence after death.  There are two clear teachings which are usually called heaven and hell.  The Catholics have added two more categories:  limbo and purgatory.  Today I am going to take a quick look at hell.

“Hell” is a general term used on the fly to designate what happens to our souls and bodies after death if we have not trusted in Jesus for our salvation.  I say general term because there are different Greek and Hebrew words that have different nuances.  In the NASB you find the English word “hell” 13 times and it is always the Greek word [gehenna] (1067).  (Numbers without an “x” are the Greek and Hebrews numbers from Strong’s system.  If you don’t know what that is, ignore them.  Brackets enclose the transliterated Hebrew and Greek words.)  In the KJV you find the English word 54 times in both Old and New Testaments.  The KJV also translated the Greek word [hades] (86) as “hell” where the NASB transliterates it to Hades.  In the OT you have [sheol] (7585) 85 times which the NASB transliterates but the KJV usually calls “hell” (31x) or “grave” (30x). 

To say that Hell does not exist means you must ignore a lot of the Bible.

What they have in common is that this will be a place separated from God and not pleasant.  Hell is pictured as a place of torment.  It is called a lake of fire and yet is enclosed in darkness.  It will be the final abode of Satan and his minions.  Although God is aware and present in a theological sense He withdraws His presence. 

Keep in mind that anyone who dies outside the faith would be classified as one of Satan’s minions. 

That is an overview.  If there is any part of the teaching of the Bible that I don’t like, this is it.  However, it is there.  It is clear.  It is a Basic Belief.  If you claim to be a Christian, reject it at your peril.  If you are not a believer then just file it in that drawer that says “Weird Christian Fantasies”.  I am sure it is a big drawer for you.

homo unius libri

Opus 2015-180: On the Light Side

There are certain trade offs in life.  I believe that humans are different than the animals.  That is because, as a Christian, I believe that men are women are created in the image of God. 

(Genesis 1:27 KJV)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

What does that mean?  A lot of controversy is involved.  One of the interesting things about being created in the image of God is that we are not the best at everything.  Almost any animal that lives is better than we are at something.  We cannot walk across the ceiling like a fly.  We cannot live under water like a fish.  We cannot fly like a bird.

What generated my thinking here was something I read on a blog dealing with preparation for a power outage and the need for light.  The author of Stealth Survival said,

“One of our most severe shortcomings is our inability to see in the darkness. Our night vision is extremely poor and pales in comparison to other creatures present in our world.”

I knew that cats could see in the dark but what the author was saying seemed to imply that seeing in the dark is better in a large number of animals.  On the scale of life we have a very limited ability to see at night.

So we compensate by other means.  No animal has come up with fire or flashlights.  Those are the ways that humans respond to our lack of night vision.  We apply the image of God by being creative.  In so doing we not only drive back the darkness but produce a devise that can scare away the creatures of the shadows.  Fires will keep animals away.  A bright light will scare them.

Be grateful that the image of God makes you adaptable and superior.

homo unius libri

Opus 2013-367: Basic Beliefs: God Is..., Part 3 of 3

In addition to being spirit and light we see that God is love.

(1 John 4:8 KJV)  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

“Love” here is the Greek agape.  It is a type of love that the world does not accept.  It is summarized in I Corinthians 13 where the KJV calls it “charity.”

We hear a lot about love in our day and age.  It is portrayed as something of great value.  It is said to be lacking.  It is supposed to be a panacea for all that is wrong with our world.

The problem is that the “love” that the songs, posters and counselors talk about is not agape love.  The “love” of the songs is basically lust and physical gratification.  The “love” of the posters is spineless accommodation to narcissism.  The “love” of the counselors is self centered. 

Agape love is summarized in patience, kindness, forgiveness, self sacrifice.  It is a commitment, not an emotion.  Agape love is what is sometimes called “tough love.”  It makes hard choices and does not make excuses.  When correction is needed, it corrects.  When punishment is needed, it punishes.  But it always acts this way for the improvement of the target.  It is full of encouraging hope based on reality.  It is not about the lover or lovee feeling good.  It is to make good.

It might help if we said “God is agape” rather than “God is love.”

So.  God is spirit.  God is light.  God is love.

Something to think about.  Something to believe.  Someone to follow.

homo unius libri

Opus 2013-366: Basic Beliefs: God Is..., Part 2 of 3

God is spirit, not material. 

There is a second declaration that the professor  brought to our attention.

(1 John 1:5 KJV)  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

So we see that God is light. 

Here again we see a place where we need to suspend our literal, physical understanding.  Our common understanding is that God is “a” light.  We think in physical terms and that works well up to a point.  Light reveals.  Light gives life.  Light helps us see our steps.  These are all good applications which are true, but God is more than that.

We are not talking about God being a stream of photons or energy which could be measured if we had a big enough meter.  That is a characteristic, an attribute not an essential essence.

In this verse it is contrasted with darkness.  Other places we see this distinction.  Isaiah gives some contrasts.

(Isaiah 5:20 KJV)  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

(Isaiah 42:16 KJV)  And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

You see the division of good and evil, bitter and sweet, crooked and straight.

John gives it as a mindset.

(John 1:5 KJV)  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

(John 3:19 KJV)  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Paul points out that light and darkness cannot be joined.

(2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV)  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

I think that we are talking about the righteousness of God, the holiness of God or the purity of God. 

Anyway you want to slice it, to me, the light is the place to be.

To be continued...

homo unius libri

Opus 2013-365: Basic Beliefs: God Is..., Part 1 of 3

Years ago in a seminary class the professor stated that there are three categorical statements about God in the Bible.  These are in addition to the attributes stated or implied.  These are statements that begin, “God is....”  When I did a search for “God is” in my software I came up with 169 hits.  Most of them are simple statements like “God is giving to us.”  Those obviously don’t fit this category.  Others are more subtle like,

(Deuteronomy 4:31 KJV)  (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

I want to look at the three statements given by that professor.  Interestingly they are all from the writings of John, the last writer and the one with the most time to reflect.  This is not intended as a required doctrinal statement explaining God.  It is simply a look at some of the basics.

The first statement,

(John 4:24 KJV)  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

First, lets deal with the translation.  In the KJV and other older translations this describes God as “a” Spirit.  Modern translations drop the indefinite article and simply have “God is spirit.”  Greek does not use the articles the way we do.  The definite article, “the,” is used sparingly and seems to indicate emphasis.  The indefinite articles, “a” and “an,” do not exist in Greek so anywhere you see them they are added on the opinion of the translators.

The theological point here is that the eternal God is not a physical being.  When the Son came to earth he was “incarnated.”  That means He crossed a line and took on the physical nature of human beings without giving up the divine nature.  In essence though, it means that we are not to think of God in physical terms. 

There are numerous figures of speech in the Bible that are used to teach us about God.  They help us to understand bigger lessons.  There are times when the word picture is clear in our minds and seems to indicate that God is physical.

(Mark 16:19 KJV)  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

But if God is not physical, He does not have hands.  It is just as powerful to accept this as a metaphor and learn from it.  Everything is the Bible is not to be taken literally.  How do you know?  Paraphrasing the realtor who asked what was most important, “Three things:  Context, context, context.”Try to understand the Bible in the context of the Bible. 

For example.

(Psalms 91:4 KJV)  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Does that mean that God is a chicken?  If you insist that everything is totally literal that is your declaration.  If you accept that this is a metaphor, then don’t insist everything is literal.  Accepting the inspiration of the Word is not the same as demanding a literal interpretation.

More could be said but the first point is that God is Spirit, not material.

To be continued...

homo unius libri

Opus 2013-282: Basic Beliefs: The Resurrection of Jesus, revisited

Some diluted versions of the Christian faith are totally acceptable to the world at large.  If you just stick to the second half of the Ten Commandments, rename it the Six Commandments, you are good to go.  Much of what Jesus taught is not offensive to people of good will.  Most of what Jesus taught was simply a repeat of the Old Testament and healthy rules of living that would have been approved by Dr. Phil as well as your local porn star.

What stops them cold are what the Bible teaches about His death and resurrection.  That they cannot abide because that goes along with the first four commandments and the full teaching of the Old Testament.  God is supreme.  Man is created.  We are to live in obedience according to His rules. 

With Jesus we add the resurrection.  I wrote about this before, but some things cannot be repeated often enough.  You can see a fuller discussion at Opus 211-325. 

It is the key difference between moral teaching and hope for eternity.  Living well is a benefit but it will not drive away the specter of death.  The resurrection is the center.  It is the center of the problem and the center of the solution.  It is not turning the other cheek, justice or anything else.  The problem of the world is with the resurrection of Jesus.  That is offered by the Bible as the key.  It is offered by the true church.

And it is offered to you.

The cross and the shed blood offer forgiveness of sins.  The empty tomb offers the hope of eternal life. 

homo unius libri

Opus 2013-131: Basic Beliefs: Living by Faith

Do I have confidence in my salvation?  Yes.  I have placed my trust in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  I believe that His death paid the price for sin for those who will believe. 

Do I have confidence in my eternity?  Yes.  I believe that Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death.  Thus the grave has no fear.  Death has no sting.  The separation is a graduation, not a termination.

Do I have confidence in my day?  No.  That thought came to me as I was having a worry moment.  I was looking at my ability to walk successfully through the day.  I was considering the day ahead filled with students who did not want to learn and administrators who did not want to lead.  I was feeling futile. 

Then I realized that my eternity is a continuation of my day.   If I can believe for eternity I should be able to believe for the next 24 hours. 

(Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

It isn’t very consistent to believe in forever and not today. 

Now to apply it as I drive.

homo unius libri

Opus 2011-336, Basic Beliefs: Life After Death

Christians believe that life does not end when the body stops working.  We look forward to the resurrection which I have already touched on.  What happens after that?  One of the words we use is “heaven.”  It is usually a concept that is misunderstood and, frankly, wrong.

First, lets look at the average, everyday view of heaven.  It usually shows up in cartoons involving lots of clouds, white robes, wings and harps.  Sometimes it involves a guy playing Peter, God behind a desk or angels of some age.  There are often pearly gates and a big book.  Taken individually vague hints of each of these can be found in the Bible.  They don’t, however, generally come together as a description of what eternal life will be like for us.  When put together in the popular image they become totally false.

If “Heaven” in the popular culture is not a Christian concept, what does the Bible teach? 

First, we have the physical resurrection.  We will be resurrected to bodies that are superficially like the ones we have now.  When Jesus appeared to the disciples, He came in what seemed to be a normal body.  He invited them to touch the scars left by the crucifixion.  He asked for something to eat.  All of this was done to verify that He was a physical being.  Start there.

But it will be physical with a difference.  Jesus was able to move into secure rooms with locked doors.  The sci-fi concept of teleportation comes to mind.  It will be an existence with no pain.  It is safe to assume that the sex drive will be trumped by something better.  There will be no marriage.  If we live eternally there will be no need for children.  There are many indicators of a level of living we cannot understand now, but it will not be ethereal spirits floating around in an eerie void. 

The earth will be redone.  Part of the concept of the end times is the destruction of the earth.  It will be changed just as our bodies will be changed.  A New Jerusalem will be built on a new Earth.  This is where the carnivore lion will lie down with the herbivorous lamb.  We won’t need the sun because the glory of God will light everything. 

It is going to be an existence that is so wonderful and different we cannot comprehend it.  In trying to explain it to my son I pointed out that when he was two years old he could spend hours playing with his blocks.  Surfing the internet would have been beyond his comprehension.  Now he can’t remember what he found so fascinating about those blocks.  Take that difference, multiply it by infinity and you begin to approach what eternal life will be like.  Keep in mind it is being prepared by Jesus who is the creative God of the Universe.  We will not have a chance to get bored.

Compare that to what the Koran describes.  My memory has a picture of kicking back in a hammock under some palm trees with a stream of wine and lots of dates served by beautiful young women.  That might do me for an afternoon but not for an eternity.

The eastern religions have a long series of incarnations in which you strive to reach of point of goodness in which you pass into Nirvana and cease to be aware because awareness is misery.

We believe in an afterlife with our individuality intact as we surf the eternal internet with instant downloads, awesome interactions and the inventor of the whole thing cheering us on.  It will bring new meaning to intuitive.

Plan on it.  See you there?

homo unius libri

Opus 2011-325, Basic Beliefs: The Resurrection

One of the clearest teachings in the Bible involves the idea of the resurrection.  It has two branches.  You must believe both to call yourself a Christian.

The first is the resurrection of Jesus.  The Gospels clearly teach that Jesus died on a cross, was buried and on the third day came back to life.  The death is clear.  The Romans, who knew death when they saw it, pushed a spear up into his side just to make sure.  The return to life is also clear.  It is emphasized that it was a physical resurrection, not just a “spiritual” resurrection.

Jesus went out of His way to reinforce this.

(John 20:27 KJV)  Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

And in a longer passage it becomes clear that the gospel is underlining the fact of the physical resurrection.  You see, even the disciples, who were there, had questions.  Jesus answered them two ways.

(Luke 24:39-43 KJV)  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.  And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.  And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?  And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.  And he took it, and did eat before them.

First, He let them examine Him.  He acknowledged their concern and answered it.  And then He ate.  Ghosts don’t eat.  We have all seen the cartoons with Casper the Friendly Ghost taking a bite of cake and having it fall to the floor.

And yet people still try to deny that Jesus was physically resurrected.  They are like fish the don’t want to believe in the existence of water.

The second branch is the resurrection of the dead.  Notice I said “the dead.”  This will involve both believers and non-believers.  Everyone will be resurrected.  Non-believers will be resurrected for the judgement.  Believers will be resurrected to live eternally in the presence of God.

For our purposes I want to underscore the resurrection of believers.  Read through I Corinthians 15, if you have any doubts about it.  Paul starts off talking about the reality of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

(1 Corinthians 15:3-4 KJV)  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

That seems clear.  Why do people who call themselves Christian still dispute it?  But like most heresy, it is not new.  Even Paul was dealing with this issue.

(1 Corinthians 15:12 KJV)  Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

And then he makes that statement that brings me to why the resurrection of Jesus is so important:

(1 Corinthians 15:13-14 KJV)  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Everything that involves being a Christian hinges on the physical resurrection of Jesus.  If He was not raised, out faith is “vain.”  That means useless.  Read the rest of the chapter and next time someone tells you some weird story about what happened at the cross don’t even try to be polite.  You can feel free to laugh.  And have pity.  They have no hope.

I trust that you do.

homo unius libri

Opus 2011-189, Basic Beliefs: The Second Coming

I have heard several times that one difference between Jews and Christians is in our expectation of the Messiah.  Both believe in a Messiah but with a different understanding.  The Jews are still waiting for his arrival.  Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and are waiting for Him to return.

There are a lot of terms used:  Second coming, eschatology, end times, and rapture among a few.  There is so much disagreement that over time it will require many different posts.  For instance the rapture.  You have pre-trib, post-trib and mid-trib.  Does Jesus reclaim His church before, during or after the great tribulation.  The answer can split a church.  I am what I heard called a pan-trib person.  I believe it will all pan out in the end and it isn’t worth getting worried about.

Most Christian teaching about the end of the world is found in the Apocalyptic literature.  These include Revelation, Daniel and Ezekiel.  It is a genre that has its own rules which seem to be subject to change depending on what you want to prove.  It is full of visions and strange events that would fit well in modern horror and fantasy novels.

Some teaching is found in the gospels but the most important passage is often ignored.

(Mark 13:32 KJV)  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

If people paid attention to this verse they would spend less time writing books, studying Revelation and looking like fools in the secular media.

Christians all believe that Jesus is coming back.  Beyond that we have as many variations as there are types of pizza.

homo unius libri

Opus 2011-185, Basic Beliefs: Saved by Grace

(Ephesians 2:8 KJV)  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

There are certain basic beliefs that everyone will agree on but when you press the issue you find that the understanding and applications are different.  One of the central ideas of Christianity is that we are saved by the grace of God, not by our own efforts.  In other words, salvation is a gift.  Salvation is not something that we can earn.

On one side of this is the tremendous price that sin demands.  The only acceptable payment for sin is death. 

(Hebrews 9:22 NASB)  And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

This presents a problem.  We have all sinned.  The only way to cleans the sin it by paying with our lives.  Sin is that important.  But if we die to pay the price, we die in our sins because our death is still not enough to pay the price.

This is where Jesus becomes our hope.  He is the perfect lamb of God.  He is our sacrifice.

(2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV)  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Only the perfect lamb was worthy to pay for our sins.

Because of this we talk about our forgiveness in terms of grace, a free gift bestowed by God.  So far we are all in agreement.

The question that divides us is how God decides to bestow that grace.  Who will be saved?  How will God make the choice?

At one extreme we have the Pelagian position.  This was a heresy that taught man could earn his salvation.  He was solely responsible and could work hard enough to deserve a place in heaven.  This has been rejected by all Christians.

At the other extreme we have the Five Point Calvinists.  The five points are summarized in the acronym TULIP.  The middle three letters concern us here.  “U” stands for “unconditional election.”  This means that being saved is totally unrelated to how you live or whether you continue in sin.  God does not use standards we can measure.  The “L” stands for “limited atonement.”  This means that Jesus did not die for everyone, just the ones who are chosen by God.  The “I” stands for “irresistible grace.”  This means that God chose you at the moment of creation and you really have nothing to say about it.  He made the decision for you. 

The third position, and the best since I agree with it, is that we are saved by grace and part of that grace is the action of the Holy Spirit making it possible for us to respond freely to the call of God.  This is the Arminian position.  We either respond “yes” or “no,” but the choice is ours.  We are not saved by our efforts but the grace of God is extended to those of us who choose to believe.  Thus, as the verse above says, we are saved by grace, through faith.

It is interesting that each step calls the ones below them anathema.  All of us disown the Pelagians.  Calvinists disown the Arminians.  As an Arminian I expect heaven to be full of Calvinists but they will be surprised that I made it. 

Isn’t love wonderful? 

homo unius libri

Opus 2011-139, Basic Beliefs: All Have Sinned

Closely following after the idea of Original Sin is the idea of personal sin.  The Bible makes a simple statement,

(Romans 3:23 KJV)  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

This is a simple statement that is in harmony with the rest of scripture.  All human beings have sinned.  The result of sin is spiritual and eternal death.

(Romans 6:23 KJV)  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This means that every human being is on the way to hell, not because of a precondition, but because of actions and choices they have made.

homo unius libri

Opus 2011-97, Basic Beliefs: Original Sin

Everyone will admit that there is something wrong with the world.  You may think it is the liberals, public schools, fluoride, or your mother in law.  As I have stated before, Thomas Sowell talks about the Constrained and Unconstrained visions.  Victor Davis Hanson talks about the Tragic and the Therapeutic.  Christians trace the problem back to the nature of man.  We are the problem.  It comes under different titles:  Sinful nature, Sin nature, Original Sin, Depravity and I am sure there are others.

The concept goes back to the Garden of Eden.  In the Garden Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  From that time on all human beings are believed to be born with a tendency to selfishness and rebellion toward God.  It is more obvious in some than in others but it exists in everyone.  The only hope is the cleansing that comes from the Blood of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  In this sense Jesus is called the New Adam.  He undid what Adam caused.

(1 Corinthians 15:22 KJV)  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Original sin is at the root of everything that is wrong in our world.

The problem goes beyond man and into the natural world.

Sin brings death.  We live in a world that is constantly dying.  Dead animals and plants decompose back into the soil.  Food is destroyed by tiny organisms.  Bodies age and are ravaged by disease.  All because of sin.

(Romans 8:22 KJV)  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

There is a picture we are given of what the world will be like on the New Earth. 

(Isaiah 65:25 KJV)  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

Until such time we will continue to deal with the problem of sin.  No psychology will fix it.  Education will not blot it out.  Time will not heal.  The only cure for this evil is found in Jesus.

Now you know.  You are welcome.

homo unius libri

Opus 2011-72, Basic Beliefs: Creation, Infinity and Eternity

Recently I was out walking during the day.  It must have been a weekend.  We had just come through a time of heavy rains so the air was clear and there were some incredible cloud sculptures to enjoy.  I got to thinking about the glory of creation.  One of the beliefs of all Christians is that God created the universe.  Some take Genesis 1 as a literal statement and believe that the world was created in  six twenty-four hour days and God rested on the seventh.  At the other end of the spectrum are those who accept the theory of evolution but look at it like intelligent design instead of chance.  The universe may be billions of years old, but God was in charge of each molecule and reaction.

We also believe that God is eternal and infinite.  When I put these ideas together I got to thinking about the probability that God is still being creative.  When I am resurrected to the New Earth and the New Jerusalem I am going to have forever to explore and enjoy all that God is doing.  And He will continue doing more.  I will never even begin to catch up. 

How can I get across how beyond comprehension this is.  There are two types of creativity.  One type is what the vast majority of people do.  It is simply taking an idea a tweeking it.  The other type is genuine creativity.  Ideas that seem to come from nowhere.  For instance, who first thought of the bow and arrow?  The jump from a spear to a device that uses certain types of wood with the ends joined by a chord is really thinking outside the box.  Who thought of putting feathers on the arrow to make it fly true?  We make them longer, paint them colors or find new materials, but the real genius was the original invention.  God does this all the time.

Plan on joining the exploration.

homo unius libri