Gods Character Blog

The Enemy Enigma

dorothee — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:22:24 -0800

A recent sermon I listened to brought up a topic that I’ve thought about a lot in the last few years – one that has been an enigma to my own Christian life. The subject was, “Loving Our Enemies” and it seems to me that a failure to get to the bottom of this issue has prevented me from representing God as He really is.

God’s command to love our enemies is not merely a peripheral issue, but rather one of Jesus’ most central teaching. He tried to make this one crystal clear for us on so many occasions. “Love your enemies,” “Pray for those who curse you,” “Offer the other cheek,” “Carry their pack the extra mile,” “Don’t seek revenge,” “Pay evil back with good,” etc. But not just with words, the actions of Jesus that ultimately led Him to lay down His life for enemies should leave no doubt that “this is it!” At the same time, it is also quite evident that this most important teaching is also one that's been largely neglected. And more than that, it’s been ridiculed by many Christians and even declared immoral by others. “We have to defend the innocent, and with weapons, if necessary. Peace and non-violence are good to a certain extent, but there comes a point where the sword is necessary.”

But this is not consistent with the radical new kingdom Jesus came to bring. Jesus never defended Himself or His followers using violent means. Jesus never used a sword. Jesus always forgave. Jesus loved His enemies and chose to die for them rather than kill them. Jesus rebuked Peter when he tried to use violence. Jesus told Pilate that He was the King of a kingdom where swords have no place. Jesus’ non-violent kingdom was in full display before our eyes when He lived on this earth and when He died on the cross. And as Christians we’re supposed to be like Christ.

It is certain that the kingdom of God will not become a reality on this earth until a group of people have the courage to accept that love for enemies and the refusal of violence in any form toward all human beings is the highest goal. The glimpses we have seen of this kingdom in people like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. were like brief rays of sun shining through the darkness, but sadly their radical teachings all but died out.

When Jesus spoke of perfection (Christian maturity) (Matt 5:48), it was in the context of loving enemies in the same way that God loves His enemies. To really be like God then means to love those who hate me, to forgive those who have hurt me. And for us sinners it means to ask for forgiveness to those we have hurt.

But now the difficult part, the one I need help with. I admire that God’s kingdom is this way. It seems to me that the message of non-violence and love for enemies is the message for our time. I want to live and to think this way, but how in the world can I put it into practice? How can I live a life free from resentment, hurt, and judgment? I believe that at the most fundamental level, I have to decide that Jesus’ radical ways are right and good and that they can apply to me. I have to acknowledge that violence is never part of God’s kingdom. I have to trust that when Jesus talked about enemy love, He meant it for my life and my particular situation. This conscious decision, this choice is the first step to help bring God's kingdom down to this planet.

God is calling all of us to stop the cycle of violence in our lives by refusing to be part of it. Violence germinates in our minds and this is where healing must begin. The next step is to trust that God will help us in this new way of life. When we are tempted to hate our enemy, God will help us to suppress the impulse to pay back, to accuse in our minds, or to hold responsible those who have hurt or tried to destroy us. God eagerly waits to give us the strength to repay an insult with the desire to bless, and to return a cutting remark with a caring response. We must decide to press the stop button when hurtful scenes play back in our minds and, at that very moment, to see others as God sees them. Rather than feeding into the cycle of hatred, we are called to be peacemakers and to console those we have hurt and to bless those that we have injured by careless words or disapproving attitude. And God will lead us through this process, if we ask him to.

God does not ask us to be weak (passive doormats) in this world. Rather, we are to engage in active spiritual warfare by repaying evil with good. We will come in contact with people who are dangerous to others or to God's kingdom. He does not ask us to like or trust those who mean harm. Yet God calls us to rid ourselves of even a single thought of insult, slander, or malice toward anyone. In that process of transformation, we will receive the joy and happiness of freedom from the darkness of Satan’s ways which continually attempts to dominate our thoughts and ultimately our actions. Real and complete freedom is to have no violence or hatred in our thoughts and actions and to be filled with God’s goodness and peace.

God help us all to continually see and imagine Your beauty for in seeing You as You are, we become transformed and reflect Calvary love to others (2. Cor. 3:18). Our constant connection with You is the fuel that drives the transformation toward Christian maturity to the ideal where we can regard all people with tenderness of heart.

For anyone interested in an inspired sermon on this topic, watch or listen to the 2/28/2010 sermon by Greg Boyd entitled "Let it Go."

Also, on the front page, there is a thoughtful video on this subject.

“Our enemies are those who harbor hostility against us, not those against whom we cherish hostility...As a Christian I am called to treat my enemy as a brother and to meet hostility with love. My behavior is thus determined not by the way others treat me, but by the treatment I receive from Jesus.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Who's Your Authority?

brad — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:09:29 -0800

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth" Albert Einstein

Several years ago we were in a small group Bible study when the question was asked, “What would you do if someone came and performed undeniable miracles, claiming to represent God? How could you tell if the person was from God or Satan?” Two of the individuals in our group said that their first action would be to ask what their pastor thought.

Of course, it isn’t wrong to ask a pastor’s opinion, but this reflects a dangerous attitude of placing one's trust primarily in a human authority. History reveals countless examples in every generation of pastors and priests leading people away from God. This is not to say that spiritual leaders, pastors and mentors are necessarily wrong. The main point is that our relationship, trust, and knowledge of God must be personal, individualized, and not based on what someone else knows or says about God.

Every individual soul has a responsibility before God, and is not to be arbitrarily instructed by men as to what he shall do, what he shall say, and where he shall go. We are not to put confidence in the counsel of men and assent to all they shall say unless we have evidence that they are under the influence of the Spirit of God. (Review and Herald, July 1, 1909)

My nine year old son innocently said to me the other day, “I know the whole Bible, Dad. I’ve heard those stories like a thousand times.” I tried to explain that there is a depth in Bible study that is limitless. The real problem is that many adults also assume that they essentially know it all and that there really isn’t much more to be learned beyond what they pick up in church. This is not how it supposed to be!

When we prayerfully read the Bible we are actively engaged with the mind of God. In this process, the Holy Spirit leads us on a journey that gradually unfolds and we come closer and closer to “truth” and to the heart of God. A superficial reading of the Bible has the tendency to lead us to merely seek to confirm what we already believe to be true. Rather than searching for new and deeper insights, we keep the blinders on and progress no further than what was synthesized by pastors and theologians from the 18^th and 19^th century until our spiritual life gradually wastes away.

It is not safe for us as reformers to repeat the history of the Reformers in every particular; for after those to whom God gave light advanced to a certain knowledge, many of them ceased to be reformers. We must not for a moment think that there is no more light and truth to be given us, and become careless, and let the sanctifying power of the truth leak out of our hearts by our attitude of satisfaction in what we have already attained…The people of God have educated themselves in such a way that they have come to look to those in positions of trust as guardians of truth, and have placed men where God should be. When perplexities have come upon them, instead of seeking God, they have gone to human sources for help, and have received only such help as man can give. (Review and Herald, Aug. 7, 1894)

Our spiritual lives are not meant to be stagnant but rather on a continuous journey that evolves and discovers fresh truth that is relevant for each time and culture. This walk with God involves internalizing the old and in some cases doing away with the old. Jesus did away with many things: “You’ve heard that it was said, ‘an eye for an eye’ but now I tell you…” (Matthew 5:38,39). By stripping away the old system that was designed for a different time, Jesus brought new meaning to our relationship with God and others, bringing us closer to the way God's kingdom works. We also need to be careful not to uphold old teaching merely because our church fathers did. When we imply, for example, that “It is a shameful thing for a woman to speak in church” (1 Corinthians 14:35), we may unintentionally stand in the way of God's plan that we consider all people, regardless of their race, country of origin, socioeconomic status or gender as His children (Gal 3:28).

To some this view sounds scary and can leave the impression, “This means you will just pick and choose what you want to believe.” Not at all. As Christians, our authority is always Jesus, and every belief about God must be seen through the lens of Jesus’ life and death. Every belief that seems contrary to what Jesus revealed about God deserves a long hard second look. Reading the Bible in the light of the Cross illuminates the truth and allows us to leave the baggage of misconception behind. In fact, it’s “scary” to discover that we are not always advancing in our understanding of certain Christian beliefs and that we have become stagnant in our relationship with God:

But as real spiritual life declines, it has ever been the tendency to cease to advance in the knowledge of the truth. Men rest satisfied with the light already received from God’s word and discourage any further investigation of the Scriptures. They become conservative and seek to avoid discussion. The fact that there is no controversy or agitation among God’s people should not be regarded as conclusive evidence that they are holding fast to sound doctrine. There is reason to fear that they may not be clearly discriminating between truth and error. When no new questions are started by investigation of the Scriptures, when no difference of opinion arises which will set men to searching the Bible for themselves to make sure that they have the truth, there will be many now, as in ancient times, who will hold to tradition and worship they know not what. Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 706,707 (1889)

Many of the “old” teachings are just as true for us today, but we are to build on the old and to freshly apply it for our time. This is what Jesus was referring to when He said: “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old” (Matthew 13:52 NLT).

Many in our church like to discuss the “historic” beliefs of the church founders and suggest that we should return to the “roots” of our faith. Yet the writings of these individuals encourage us to grow and to progress beyond what was believed 150 years ago. Here is Ellen White’s interpretation of the parable in Matthew 13:52:

The great storehouse of truth is the word of God--the written word, the book of nature, and the book of experience in God’s dealing with human life. Here are the treasures from which Christ's workers are to draw. In the search after truth they are to depend upon God, not upon human intelligences, the great men whose wisdom is foolishness with God. Through His own appointed channels the Lord will impart a knowledge of Himself to every seeker…. But it is in the written word that a knowledge of God is most clearly revealed to fallen man. This is the treasure house of the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Christ in His teaching presented old truths of which He Himself was the originator, truths which He had spoken through patriarchs and prophets; but He now shed upon them a new light. How different appeared their meaning! A flood of light and spirituality was brought in by His explanation. And He promised that the Holy Spirit should enlighten the disciples, that the word of God should be ever unfolding to them. They would be able to present its truths in new beauty. Ever since the first promise of redemption was spoken in Eden, the life, the character, and the mediatorial work of Christ have been the study of human minds. Yet every mind through whom the Holy Spirit has worked has presented these themes in a light that is fresh and new. The truths of redemption are capable of constant development and expansion. Though old, they are ever new, constantly revealing to the seeker for truth a greater glory and a mightier power.

In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. Truth in Christ and through Christ is measureless. The student of Scripture looks, as it were, into a fountain that deepens and broadens as he gazes into its depths…it is possible for us to see all that we can bear of the divine compassion. This is unfolded to the humble, contrite soul…

...If we keep the Lord ever before us, allowing our hearts to go out in thanksgiving and praise to Him, we shall have a continual freshness in our religious life. Our prayers will take the form of a conversation with God as we would talk with a friend. He will speak His mysteries to us personally. Often there will come to us a sweet joyful sense of the presence of Jesus. Often our hearts will burn within us as He draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch.

...This experience gives every teacher of truth the very qualifications that will make him a representative of Christ. The spirit of Christ’s teaching will give a force and directness to his communications and to his prayers. His witness to Christ will not be a narrow, lifeless testimony. The minister will not preach over and over the same set discourses. His mind will be open to the constant illumination of the Holy Spirit….

The words of truth will grow in importance, and assume a breadth and fullness of meaning of which we have never dreamed. The beauty and riches of the word have a transforming influence on mind and character. The light of heavenly love will fall upon the heart as an inspiration. The appreciation of the Bible grows with its study. Whichever way the student may turn, he will find displayed the infinite wisdom and love of God. (Christ Object Lessons, pg 124-139)

Our close walk with the God revealed in Jesus will enable us to discern the truth for our time today. When we are confronted with new ideas (which may or may not be true), or when we face miraculous signs or wonders (which may or may not be of God), rather than blindly turning to others for their opinion, we will turn to the One that we have been in conversation with all along. Our gold standard that will help us discern the truth is always our knowledge of God as revealed by Jesus.

Just as Jesus brought new meaning to God’s words in the Old Testament, we would be wise to acknowledge that the words of our church fathers and perhaps even of our prophet may need to be filled with new meaning relevant for our time. Had Ellen White lived for another 100 years, she would most certainly not have maintained exactly the same interpretation in every detail. Her views and opinions changed during her lifetime and she encouraged others to study things for themselves and to progress in knowledge:

There is no excuse for any one in taking the position that there is no more truth to be revealed, and that all our expositions of Scripture are without an error. The fact that certain doctrines have been held as truth for many years by our people, is not a proof that our ideas are infallible. Age will not make error into truth, and truth can afford to be fair. No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation.” Review and Herald, Dec. 20, 1892

Let’s be eager to study the atonement and to find an even greater clarity than the one our church fathers (and mothers) found over a century ago. Let’s be eager to prayerfully study highly relevant topics such as the presence of suffering or the destruction of the wicked, unafraid to find new light, new understanding. Does the Holy Spirit of truth really want us to “sit tight” and to merely reflect the 19^th century view of reality?

Every human being, created in the image of God, is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator–individuality, power to think and to do. The men in whom this power is developed are the men who bear responsibilities, who are leaders in enterprise, and who influence character. It is the work of true education to develop this power, to train the youth to be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men’s thought. . . Instead of educated weaklings, institutions of learning may send forth men strong to think and to act, men who are masters and not slaves of circumstances, men who possess breadth of mind, clearness of thought, and the courage of their convictions. Education 17 (1903)

We must study the truth for ourselves. No man should be relied upon to think for us. No matter who he is, or in what position he may be placed, we are not to look upon any man as a criterion for us. We are to counsel together, and to be subject one to another; but at the same time we are to exercise the ability God has given us, in order to learn what is truth. Each one of us must look to God for divine enlightenment. We must individually develop a character that will stand the test in the day of God.” Testimonies to Ministers 109,110

Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God. He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves. . . . (RC 369)

There are today thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour’s teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God’s word that they are light bearers? 4SP 413-415 (1884)

All whom God has blessed with reasoning powers are to become intellectual Christians. They are not requested to believe without evidence; therefore Jesus has enjoined upon all to search the Scriptures. Let the ingenious inquirer, and the one who would know for himself what is truth, exert his mental powers to search out the truth as it is in Jesus. Any neglect here is at the peril of the soul. We must know individually the prescribed conditions of entering into eternal life. . . . We cannot allow these questions to be settled for us by another’s mind, or another’s judgment. . . . We cannot trust the salvation of our souls to ministers, to idle traditions, to human authorities, or to pretentions. . . . The Lord positively demands of every Christian an intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures. Review and Herald, March 8, 1887

God's Judgment on Haiti?

brad — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 09:13:48 -0800

Despite the fact that Jesus referred to Satan as “the prince of this world” (John 12:31, 14:30), the Devil doesn’t seem get much credit for all the mayhem that takes place on this planet. In fact, Satan gets almost no press and God is generally felt to be the acting subject in most disasters.

When the planes struck the twin towers on 9/11, the question “Where was God?” was repeatedly asked. When hurricane Katrina hit, it was suggested that God was punishing the people of New Orleans for homosexuality or for other rebellious actions. Several months ago when a tornado grazed a Lutheran church in Minnesota, John Piper said that this represented a warning from God because the church was discussing its stance on homosexuality. And now we witness horrible suffering in Haiti and individuals like Pat Robertson publically declare that this devastating earthquake was an act of God.

Perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised with some of the above statements. But now, an individual from my church family has suggested that since 50% of the people in Haiti practice “Haitian voodoo” this earthquake represents God’s judgment on Haiti:

The fact is that more than half of Haiti’s 9 million inhabitants practice Voodoo, Haiti’s dominant religion, and that some of the grossest forms of immorality are rampant. Significantly, much of Haiti’s dark Voodoo previously migrated to New Orleans--a city mostly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina….Evidence indicates that Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, fits the category of a city ‘full of transgression, and sinful in the extreme.’ On January 12, at 4:53 pm, it was virtually ‘destroyed’ by an earthquake. On the morning of August 29, 2005, New Orleans experienced its own disaster from the sky.

Should we be concerned with this statement? I believe so. One of the fundamental beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists is the concept of a great controversy between God and Satan, and that this controversy revolves around God’s character. Ellen White’s “Conflict of the Ages” series highlights the actions of God and Satan from the beginning of the rebellion in heaven, to the events of Gethsemane and the Cross, and to the final end of sin and sinners. It seems to me that to leave Satan entirely out of the equation in an event that ended the lives of so many is a sad omission and puts God in a very bad light.

It seems that our natural instinct is to believe that bad things happen as a result of God’s punishment for sin. Several years ago I heard the story of an entire family who was killed in a car accident while on their way to church. At the funeral people were discussing how something like this could happen until finally it was suggested, “There must have been an Achan in the car.”

This concept is frequently addressed in the Bible as well. When Satan left God’s presence to punish Job and his family, the servant who witnessed the destructive event (that we know was caused by Satan) exclaimed, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them” (Job 1:16). When the “friends” of Job came along, they also could only make sense of his fate by invoking God as the punisher for some sin that Job had committed. It isn’t until the end of the book that God comes on the scene to direct Job’s attention to a beast called Leviathan who had these descriptive attributes:

His pride is invincible; nothing can make a dent in that pride. Nothing can get through that proud skin-- impervious to weapons and weather. (Job 41:15,16) When it raises itself up the gods are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves. (Job 41:25) Nothing on earth is his equal-- a creature without fear. He looks down on all that are haughty; he is king over all that are proud. (Job 41:33,34)

Elsewhere in scripture, this same beast is described with these words: “On that day the LORD will use his fierce and powerful sword to punish Leviathan, that slippery snake, Leviathan, that twisting snake. He will kill that monster which lives in the sea” (Isaiah 27:1 GW).

How many other “slippery” and “twisting” snakes does the Bible describe? What we see in the book of Job, one of the earliest writings in scripture, is God beginning to paint the picture of a proud enemy who is responsible for suffering.

In Isaiah 14, Satan is described as being unveiled for who he is which prompts the surprised response:

Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble? Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners? (Isaiah 14:15-17)

Despite the fact that the disciples lived with God in human form, “the Prince of Peace,” they were of the same mindset as Job’s friends. When they saw the man who was born blind, they considered only two possible options: “Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents’ sin?” Jesus’ response was decisive. “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents’ sins” (John 9:2-3).

How did Jesus explain human suffering? After he was accused of breaking the Sabbath by healing a woman who was “bent over” for 18 years he said, “Now here is this descendant of Abraham whom Satan has kept in bonds for eighteen years; should she not be released on the Sabbath?” (Luke 13:16). The life of Jesus reveals God to be a healer, not a destroyer.

There was at least one “natural disaster” during Jesus’ day. When a tower in Siloam fell and killed 18 people, people naturally wondered who was responsible. “Were they killed because of their sinfulness?” This is how Jesus explained it:

What about those 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more sinful than other people living in Jerusalem? No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. (Luke 13:4-5)

Jesus taught us to pray that “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), which would suggest that God’s will is being done in heaven but not very often on the earth. The Lord’s Prayer also includes the words, “Keep us safe from the Evil one” (Matthew 6:13).

While we may not be able to say that every disaster is a direct action of Satan, the “powers that rule this world” (1 Corinthians 2:6) are those of Satan’s kingdom, not God’s. When we watch people trying to dig themselves out of rubble, our minds should be repulsed at the nature of Satan’s kingdom rather than reflecting on God as a punisher.

We are so slow to recognize Satan’s involvement in the world and so quick to label destruction as “God’s judgment.” When we witness great suffering in the world, let's be fast to show mercy, and slow to point our finger at other people's sins that are different than our own. Let's be slow to judge and condemn.

If God's will is for Haitians to suffer, why should we act contrary to God's will and show them mercy by helping them. This would be senseless and cruel and would violate God's law of love for our neighbor.

The book of Revelation, which is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:2) describes a war that began in heaven and that has spilled over onto planet earth. In this book, God is portrayed as “a slaughtered Lamb” (Revelation 5:6) while Satan is a ferocious beast, “his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon—the Destroyer” (Revelation 9:11).

Satan is the destroyer, not God, and we do great damage to God’s reputation when we label the slaughtered Lamb as the destroyer. It’s true that many see the destructive acts in Revelation as the judgments of God and interpret end time events in that light, but I have greatly appreciated the wisdom of those who see this book not only as a revelation of Christ, but also of the Adversary:

In the trumpet sequence it is his (Satan’s) activity that is depicted, in contrast to views that see the calamities accompanying the trumpets primarily as God’s judgments on human beings who are disobedient…As a deceiver, Satan wins support for his cause and programme by something other than what he truly represents. If this is the case, simple demolition of the deceiver will not suffice unless or until his true character has become manifest. Such a perception of the cosmic conflict depends on [the] presentation of evidence for its resolution. To the extent that the deceiver wins support by purporting to be what he is not, he must be unmasked by evidence to the contrary, that is by the evidence of his own actual deeds…The crucial point relates to the fact that a conflict of this nature cannot be resolved by force. Inevitably, this requirement exposes at least one troubling risk that is intrinsic to the non-use of force: If the deceiver is partly to be unmasked by the evidence of his own actions, it means that he will be granted the opportunity to bring his design to fruition. Satan must be allowed to commit evil for his evil character to be manifest. The political risk to the divine government of this projected policy, not to mention the theological risk, hardly needs to be elaborated. (Sigve Tonstad, Saving God’s Reputation, pages 110,129).

We should acknowledge that the Bible does at times reveal seemingly polar opposite ways of understanding death and destruction. For example, when David disobeyed God and ordered the census. In one place we are told that God did it: “The LORD was angry at Israel again, and he made David think it would be a good idea to count the people in Israel and Judah” (2 Samuel 24:1). But if we read on, the book of Chronicles describes the same event this way: “Satan wanted to bring trouble on the people of Israel, so he made David decide to take a census” (1 Chronicles 21:1).

I would like to offer these words of Ellen White as a perspective that rings true for me:

I was shown that the judgments of God would not come directly out from the Lord upon them, but in this way: They place themselves beyond His protection. He warns, corrects, reproves, and points out the only path of safety; then if those who have been the objects of His special care will follow their own course independent of the Spirit of God, after repeated warnings, if they choose their own way, then He does not commission His angels to prevent Satan's decided attacks upon them. It is Satan's power that is at work at sea and on land, bringing calamity and distress, and sweeping off multitudes to make sure of his prey. And storm and tempest both by sea and land will be, for Satan has come down in great wrath. He is at work. He knows his time is short and, if he is not restrained, we shall see more terrible manifestations of his power than we have ever dreamed of. (E.G. White, 14MR 3.1)

Jesus revealed a God who seeks out the poor and the mistreated of society. Even prior to the earthquake, Haiti was the poorest country in the western hemisphere. There are thousands of verses in the Bible that speak against the sin of greed and of not helping those who are in poverty. Contrast that with literally a handful of verses that have anything at all to do with homosexuality and the “sins” most Christians today usually associate with earthquakes and hurricanes. In other words, the Bible repeatedly hammers the seriousness of doing nothing for the poor and oppressed of society. Based on this, if God were the kind of person to pour out active judgments on the world, it seems to me that this would more likely occur toward those who have the means to help those who are suffering but yet choose not to do so.

The God who healed lepers, fed the hungry 5,000, chose a group of lowly fishermen to be his disciples and who ate with prostitutes and other “low-life” of society would never look down on the poverty stricken people of Haiti and say, “Look at all that voodoo going on down there…I’m sending a 7.0 their way.” God did not send the earthquake in Haiti; he is rather suffering with the people in Haiti who have fallen victim to the rule of Satan, the “prince of this world.” Our mission in Haiti is to do what we can to help and to heal, and in that way we might just reveal that the God we serve is a Healer, not a destroyer.

Two Views

Admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 06:00:12 -0800

Every Christian would agree with the words that "God is love" yet at times it seems that there are almost polar opposite views on core issues that relate to God’s character. Let's contrast some of these views.

For example:

1. Sin

View A:

Sin occurs in the mind and reflects a rebellious and distrustful attitude toward God. Sin results from a broken relationship with God that all stems from believing a lie about His character. Sinful actions (“breaking the rules”) are the natural unavoidable consequence of this broken relationship with God. Sin is inherently destructive and does its own punishing - God does not need to externally add a painful penalty for sin.

View B:

Sin is breaking the rules which must be punished in order for God to satisfy His justice. This punishment is the experience of “God’s wrath”

2. The remedy for sin

View A:

Sin is much like a disease that requires healing. The solution to the sin problem is to be restored back into relationship with God. This relationship and trust in God is restored when we see the goodness and trustworthiness of God as revealed by Jesus. As we are won back to love and trust, our rebellious attitude toward God is “put in remission.” In this process there is a natural and unavoidable consequence that our life will become more like Christ. “Salvation” literally means “unbroken” or “healed.” Just as salve heals a wound, salvation is the process of healing that occurs here and now. The emphasis is not on “getting to heaven” but rather on transformation and reflecting the character of our God so that others may also begin to experience his love and goodness.

View B:

Sin must be punished to legally set someone right with God. Jesus paid this price for our sins - He took the punishment that should have been ours which means that we can now be saved (i.e. - taken to heaven). Sin is a quantity that can be literally transferred from one person to another (as occurred with Jesus who “took” our sins upon himself). Emphasis is on the future aspect of getting to heaven as well as the utterly depraved and hopeless sinful nature of humanity. When we “accept” Christ we are “covered” by his righteousness and may enter heaven. When God looks at us then, instead of seeing us he sees the righteousness of his Son.

3. God’s wrath

View A:

God’s wrath is to experience the natural devastating consequences of separation from God. Emphasis is on God’s respect for human freedom. When humans willfully choose to leave God, he does not become the puppet-master and start pulling strings against our will. Rather, he leaves us to experience the natural consequences of this separation.

View B:

God’s wrath is an active punishment that comes directly from the hand of God toward sinners.This must be externally imposed in order for God to be a God of justice.

4. God’s justice

View A:

The Hebrew conception of God’s justice is not to inflict punishment or to use violent methods, but rather to intervene by correcting injustice in the world. For example, God’s justice is done when the widows, the poor, and the orphans are cared for and treated with love and respect. God’s justice is that God always does what is right.

View B:

God’s justice is predominantly seen in terms of a punishment that God must actively administer to unrepentant sinners. “God is love, but he is also just” which emphasizes a dimension of God’s character where he must administer a retributive punishment.

5. Biblical inspiration

View A:

The purpose of the Bible is to reveal to us the trustworthy character of God. The Bible reveals God’s dealings with men and women and should be read to form the basis for the core essential belief that “God can be trusted” and that “God is just like Jesus in character.” This view promotes thought inspiration and is able to accept minor mistakes in the writings of the Biblical writers while at the same time accepting the Bible as “inspired.” The angry words of David and Jeremiah toward their enemies, for example, are seen as reflecting the human element. In contrast to this, Christ’s command to love enemies is the gold standard of all truth not the angry words of the prophets. This view also recognizes the allegorical nature of certain passages, rather than a strict literal interpretation.

View B:

Emphasis is on the belief that the scriptures are the inerrant word of God. The purpose of scripture is to reveal how we are saved. Since all scripture is God breathed, when the Bible writers hate their enemies “with a perfect hatred” this must mean that there is a legitimate time for Christians to hate their enemies. Emphasis is on a more literal interpretation of scripture and sees much of the book of Revelation in that light.

6. The final end of sin and sinners

View A:

Sin (which results in separation from God) is inherently destructive. Sin literally does lead to death. The lake of fire represents the glory of God’s presence. The wicked are so out of harmony with a God who is love personified that his very presence is to them as a consuming fire (Isaiah 33:14,15) and they rather crave the “outer darkness.” In other words, the final destruction of the wicked is not something externally imposed by God but is rather a natural consequence of being completely out of sync with God’s love.

View B:

God will actively punish and then destroy the wicked with a literal fire. God will miraculously sustain the life of the wicked in this literal fire for the purpose of punishment. God must act in this way to “satisfy justice.” Some believe that this literal fire will last for eternity, others believe that the wicked will only be kept alive in the fire for a short period of time – some longer than others.

7. God’s use of rules and law

View A:

God condescended to stoop by meeting a people who were far from the ideal. God gave rules such as “eye for an eye”, divorce laws, how to deal with men who had multiple wives, rules not to sleep with animals, cities of refuge and a thousand other “bad rules” (Ezekiel 20:25) to meet a rebellious people. This is not the ideal, however. Even the 10 commandments were given because of the emergent nature of the situation. God's use of laws and rules say bad things about where we were, but it should not be a negative reflection on God. We do not read the Bible to collect a list of rules to be lived out in the twenty-first century, but rather the rules are a reflection of God’s condescension to meet rebels. The “ideal” of all law is to have supreme love for God, neighbor and enemy.

View B:

The rules are read to determine how to specifically live them out today. “If the Bible says that women shouldn’t speak in church, then they shouldn’t speak in church,” as compared to “View A” which would see God as meeting people where they were in a certain time and culture.

8. God’s use of force in the Old Testament

View A:

God’s methods are not coercion or force. But yet, loving parents (whose methods of parenting are not coercion or force) may occasionally need to shout and even threaten their children when they are about to run into the highway. In a similar way, this group believes that God’s Old Testament “violent” actions were never for the purpose of punishment, but rather for the purpose of protection and ultimately healing. For example, God allowed the flood to occur as a rescue mission (not as a retributive punishment) in order to save the last person on earth who trusted him - Noah. Without the flood, God would have lost contact with planet earth and Satan would have won the great controversy. These methods, however, do not clearly reflect the character of God. Jesus is the only clear reflection of God’s character and God’s kingdom.

View B:

The Old Testament violence of God reveals that God was punishing sin and it is confirmation that God will once again punish sin and sinners in the end.

9. The Sabbath

View A:

Emphasis is on the meaning of the Sabbath which is to say something about who God is. The Sabbath points to a God who would create a planet of completely free individuals and would then “finish” his work on the seventh day and rest. The bookend to this rest of creation occured when Jesus died (Friday night), cried out “it is finished,” and once again rested – this time in a tomb. These two great events in human history where God “finished” and “rested”, point to God as both our Creator and Redeemer. The Creator, in his love for lost humanity, willingly became a human and laid down His life for others. Finally, the God who created the Sabbath for man is seen as a God who craves relationship and special time with his children.

View B:

Emphasis is on the keeping of the day by not working and thus honoring God. The beauty of the Sabbath is that it is completely arbitrary and that it is a test of our obedience.

10. God’s power, human freedom

View A:

God is all-powerful, but his ultimate power is his love and humility - this is the power that draws us to him. God’s will is not being done on planet earth. The chaos we see around us is the result of God allowing humanity to freely go its own way. God is in a dilemma (in a sense) since he cannot coercively over-ride our free-will choice to descend into chaos and separation from him. Emphasis is on human freedom.

View B:

Emphasis is on God’s sovereignty, brightness, physical power and right to do whatever he chooses to do.

If we are to allow for a little dialogue between these two groups on this point, view B sees view A as holding a weak and “sentimental” depiction of God. View B’s emphasis on God’s power and sovereignty would lead them to say to the people in View A, “That means that human salvation is then up to human choice rather than God’s choice.” In response, View A would say, “God is like a husband who proposes to his bride. He does not force us to say ‘yes’ - the choice is ours in the sense that we must accept God’s hand in marriage.”

11. The atonement

View A:

The atonement is literally the “At-One-Ment”. The atonement is the process of reconciliation between God and humanity. It is the relationship restored. Seen in this way, God has been actively involved in the work of atonement since the rebellion began. The pinnacle of at-one-ment was achieved by the life and death of Jesus Christ who revealed to us the goodness and the trustworthy character of God. On the cross the hatred and ugliness of the character of Satan and the intrinsically destructive nature of sin were also revealed. This revelation was also important to bring us back to God as we discover that sin and Satan are the destroyers, not God. “The wages of sin is death” and Jesus revealed that sin pays the wage, not God. The cross did not change God but rather revealed God – a God who could look his enemies in the eye and say “Father, forgive them.” Emphasis is on God as the intercessor; God as the advocate with the Father; God as the substitute. In other words, the One in between us and God - is God!

View B:

The atonement represents the payment of a legal penalty so that the Father can save lost humanity. “That wages of sin is death” and Jesus took our sins and our punishment upon himself so that we can be saved. Jesus pleads his blood with the Father which is sufficient for salvation.

What are we to make of all this?

The nineteenth-century Danish theologian and philosopher Soren Kierkegaard vividly portrayed the spiritual poverty of the Danish state church with these words, [Christianity is] “Just about as genuine as tea made from a bit of paper which once lay in a drawer beside another bit of paper which had once been used to wrap up a few dried tea leaves from which tea had already been made three times.” He then went on to describe his calling: “My mission is to introduce Christianity into Christendom.”

Have we in Christendom really grasped the message of Christ?

Confetti for the Mind

brad — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:59:23 -0800

The first morning of the New Year always consists of cleaning up the mess from the night before - well, mainly cleaning up the confetti. Even though we throw the confetti in only one room of the house at midnight, these little glittery pieces have a remarkable ability to attach to the bottom of shoes and socks until finally they can be found in virtually every corner and crevice of the house - especially if you have young children tromping around like we do!

As I was trying to collect those colorful pieces in all sorts of places, it occurred to me that this confetti (which gave our entire house a certain festive look) was somewhat like our colorful thoughts and imaginations that are scattered inside our mind. Paul said that we are God's house (Hebrews 3:6) and repeatedly referred to our mind and body as the temple of God.

When our thoughts are focused on God and our daily imaginations dwell on His loving-kindness, our entire being will take on a certain character. Unfortunately, too often our thoughts and imaginations are on everything but God. It is very easy to dwell on the negative aspects of life - usually our own sins or the sins of others - which will invariably diffuse our minds transform us into angry and resentful people.

Jesus tried to teach this to us when He said, "If you don’t eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have the source of life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life...Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them” (John 6:53-56). Eating and drinking the blood of Jesus means to internalize the truth about God that Jesus came to reveal. Just as food and drink permeates the entire body, in the same way the blood of Jesus (which represents the truth about God's character that Jesus revealed) must become a part of our entire being. We internalize our God via our thoughts and imaginations. What we think and imagine, the scenes we "play back" inside our minds will shape our characters for we know all too well that we will become what we worship and admire.

For the year 2010, let's make an active daily decision to "take every thought captive to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5), so that we may "come to know his love – although it can never be fully known – and so be completely filled with the very nature (the very character) of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

God Cares About Sparrows... and Crows

brad — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:14:07 -0800

Not one sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And, the hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't worry! You are more valuable to him than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)

Every year our kids are involved in the traditional (and obligatory) Christmas play. Wise men, angels, shepherds, and two lucky children who are asked to play Mary and Joseph. This year, our sons Caleb (9) and James (7) were given the choice to dress up in something that would be fitting in the manger scene. James chose to be a shepherd, which was no problem since he could wear the outfit that Caleb used two years earlier. Caleb, however, had the fixed idea that he wanted to be a crow.

We struggled with how to respond to this persistent request since traditional animals in the manger scene are cows, donkeys and sheep. In the face of an army of little kids dressed neatly as shepherds and angels, wouldn’t a black crow stand out like a sore thumb? Even worse, Caleb is a head taller than most of the other kids in his fourth grade class. Would a very tall crow have the appearance of a vulture lurking over baby Jesus?

After a few gentle attempts to suggest something more traditional, Dorothee finally went to work on a crow costume – a black outfit complete with feathered wings, a black head and beak. Finally the work of art was complete, and it was a very fine crow costume indeed, although perhaps more fitting for a Halloween play.

We watched with just a little more anticipation than usual as the long rows of first graders, then second graders, third graders and finally fourth graders slowly lined the stage. Shepherd, shepherd, angel, shepherd, angel, wise man, shepherd, angel and so on, until finally a large black figure arrived on the stage. The lady sitting behind us whispered to her husband, “Is that a crow?” He replied, “I think that’s a crow.” The man next to me, not knowing that “the crow” was my son, pointed to Caleb and asked, “What is that boy dressed as?”

After a few minutes of taking in the scene, it was clear to us that our son was joyously content to be dressed as a crow. He enjoyed singing the Christmas songs. He bobbed to the music. He gestured at the right times, following the direction of the music director. And even his fourth grade buddies seemed to like his costume, except perhaps for the girl standing next to him who accidently got a few feathers into her mouth everytime Caleb lifted his arms. Our son was innocently happy standing as a crow around baby Jesus even if Dorothee and I couldn’t help but giggle our way through much of the concert.

What does all this have to do with God and His character? Consider these questions. Was God at all interested in such a small matter as a 9-year-old dressing up like a crow? Did God find this situation at all humorous? Did He want to share in the joy and laughter of this small joke with Dorothee and me? If an angel suggested to God that He might appreciate the humor of this large crow towering over the shepherds, did God respond, “Don’t you know that I am omnipresent and fully aware of the situation?” or did He rather share in the laughter?

We sometimes distance God so much from the seemingly trivial things in life. Subconsciously, it is easy to imagine God as stern, serious, and without any sense of humor. After all, with kids starving to death in Africa, how can God possibly enjoy a light and happy moment somewhere else in the world?

The reality is that God is infinitely attentive to every individual in the world, moment by moment. His heart aches with the suffering child in Africa as if she were His only child. And, it goes without saying that he calls all of us to do what we can to give of our time and resources to relieve this suffering. But at the same time, His heart is intimately connected with every other child on the planet (both young and old) – as if they were also the only one. God laughs and God cries, but he is not limited to experiencing only the “important” and weighty matters. If we imagine that God only has time for the really serious things of life, pretty soon our conversation with God becomes limited to asking Him to help the missionaries, the starving children, and for protection at a moment of great peril. That is not the kind of relationship God wants to have with us.

God desires to be a part of our daily thoughts and imagination. While driving to work, mowing the lawn, mopping the floor – even at Christmas plays – God is there hoping to experience a closer relationship. This relationship involves being in constant conversation with God. Small and big stuff, laughing and crying together – God wants to be a part of it all. When we begin to experience God as part of our lives in this way, just as one would share intimacy with a husband or wife, the daily hum-drum of life takes on another dimension. When we live life in union with God, our eyes will be opened to “the big stuff” and perhaps to new possibilities that may advance the kingdom….but along the way we just might share some lighter moments, a meaningful intimacy, and perhaps even a joke or two with God.

And who knows, I think that God may have whispered to Dorothee and me that the crows actually outnumbered the donkeys in the real manger scene….and He should know.

The Deadly Christmas Vaccine

Admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:59:31 -0800

Sometimes a vaccine can be dangerous. Of course, vaccinations are a hot topic this year since there is one available for both the seasonal and swine flu. These vaccines are highly recommended! In this article, however, I’d like to consider a different type of vaccine.

How do vaccine’s work? A vaccine contains a small amount of an agent that resembles a live microorganism – typically a microorganism that has been killed by chemicals or heat. This dead or sometimes partially dead microorganism then tricks the body’s immune system to recognize the agent as foreign, destroy it, and then to “remember” it should it show up again.

Vaccines are very effective because the immune system is now primed to easily recognize and destroy the “real” microorganism if it is later encountered. As an example of just how powerful a vaccine can be, in 1958 there were over 763,000 cases of measles in this country and with over 500 deaths. Last year, there were 64 reported cases – 54 of those were individuals from other countries and not vaccinated.

When our daughter, Christina, was 4 or 5, she would often pretend to cook. My wife Dorothee would allow her to use all kinds of spices and other ingredients in the kitchen to create some masterpiece – and then, of course, as good parents we had to pretend that it was delicious. One day Christina had a friend over and they decided to make a “chocolate cake” and somehow they managed to make this mass of buckwheat flour, paprika, nutmeg, poppy seeds, mud, leaves, and yes even a few chocolate chips and chocolate syrup to actually resemble a chocolate cake. It looked edible (with the lights dimmed).

But now, imagine that you had never tasted chocolate cake in your life and someone says to you, “You’ve never had chocolate cake? You’ve got to try it! Come on, Dr. Cole’s daughter even made it.” And so, you mosey over to the desert table…maybe again the lights are dimmed real low and so you can’t make it out very well, but someone cuts a piece of this “chocolate cake” for you and you dig in. You take your first bite and mixed in with the chocolate chips is the crunch of leaves, the spice of some paprika, and some other strange ingredients that have a very unusual texture that you can’t quite put your finger on.

Isn’t it true that the experience of eating a fake chocolate cake would serve as a very effective vaccine (in a sense) that would prevent you from ever trying it again? Wouldn’t this settle into your mind a fixed opinion that “I can’t stand chocolate cake!”

This time of year, we are literally inundated with a constant background noise of spiritual messages. Standing in the check-out line at K-Mart recently, I stood and listened not to “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”, but rather to “O Holy Night” a beautiful song that tells of the birth of Jesus. Just a few days ago I was in Starbucks and heard a wonderful version of “Silent Night”, another song that describes Jesus’ birth. 2 nights ago, we went for a walk in the evening and one of our neighbors has an incredible Christmas display – the entire front lawn must have at least 30 brightly lit scenes and right in between large images of Santa Claus and Winnie the Pooh, there was a manger scene with baby Jesus in the center.

I’m not saying that it is bad to have sacred songs in Starbucks or that we should outlaw Santa – not at all – but my question is this: Is it possible that as people’s visual and auditory senses are flooded with the manger scene this time of year that this could actually have the effect of vaccinating some against the real Christmas message?

The Bible is full of examples of people who really believe that they were doing God’s will when in reality they were spreading a deadly vaccine that actually prevented people from appreciating the true message. For example, listen to God’s words about the priests in the book of Hosea:

“The LORD says, ‘Let no one accuse the people or reprimand them [the people] – my complaint is against you priests. Night and day you blunder on, and the prophets do no better than you… My people are destroyed because they don’t know me…” (Hosea 4:4-6).

And why don’t they know God? The priests were spreading a vaccine of lies that inoculated the people from seeing the truth about God.

A very similar passage in Malachi:

“It is the duty of the priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn my will, because they are the messengers of the LORD Almighty. But now you priests have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has led many to do wrong” (Malachi 2:7,8).

The manifestation of this deadly vaccine doesn’t necessarily create atheists. It sometimes can result in a religious people, yet their experience with God is empty and consists of nothing more than lifeless rituals. A good example of this is found in Isaiah chapter 1, and notice that these people are going to church, observing the sacrificial system and keeping the Sabbath. But yet God’s diagnosis of them is very clear:

“Why this frenzy of sacrifices?’…‘Don't you think I've had my fill of burnt sacrifices, rams and plump grain-fed calves? Don't you think I've had my fill of blood from bulls, lambs, and goats? When you come before me, who ever gave you the idea of acting like this, Running here and there, doing this and that-- all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship? "Quit your worship charades. I can't stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings-- meetings, meetings, meetings--I can't stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You've worn me out! I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I'll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I'll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you've been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.” (Isaiah 1:11-15 MSG)

Here is a key point that we will come back to. These people are religious outwardly, but yet at the same time they are, in God’s words, “tearing people to pieces.” What would be the experience of a person who is perhaps considering taking God seriously for the first time in their life, but then they enter a church like this? The songs might be beautiful, but if the actions of the people are vicious and backstabbing, how long would you last in a church like that? Wouldn’t your spiritual immune system become so primed against the message of Christ based on such an experience?

When we take on the name of God, but yet spread a deadly vaccine against His message, nothing can do greater harm. This is the story of the Old Testament. As the Jews were being carted off in the Babylonian captivity, God said this about His people to the prophet Ezekiel:

"Wherever they went, they gave me a bad name. People said, 'These are God's people, but they got kicked off his land. I suffered much pain over my holy reputation, which the people of Israel blackened in every country they entered. 'Therefore, tell Israel...I'm not doing this for you, Israel. I'm doing it for me, to save my character, my holy name, which you've blackened in every dountry where you've gone. I'm going to put my great and holy name on display, the name that has been ruined in so many countries, the name that you blackened wherever you went." (Ezekiel 36:20-23 MSG)

The people who God had raised up to be a great light to reveal His character had instead given his holy name a black eye – once again, an example of a deadly vaccine against the truth.

Last Christmas I was giving a Bible study on the book of Matthew and we were discussing the birth of Jesus. A young man who I found out later was of Islamic faith attended for the first time. It was obvious from his body language that he was very interested and paying attention, but I couldn’t tell whether this was positive or negative – I just knew that whatever he was experiencing during that hour was very intense as he leaned forward in his chair, his eyes reacting to every word.

After it was over, he came up to me and essentially repeated the words that I had used, but yet he strongly disagreed with my conclusions: He said, “There is no way that God Almighty would spend 9 months in the womb. There is no way that God Almighty would spend his first night in a feeding trough. There is no way that God Almighty would grow up as a humble carpenter. There is no way that God Almighty would hang out with tax collectors and prostitutes. There is no way that God Almighty would wash the feet of Judas. There is no way that God Almighty would allow his own creatures to torture him to death. God is holy and pure. He could never do any of those things!”

It was fascinating for me to hear him repeat back the words that to me are the essence of the Good News, but yet he was completely immune to hearing about a God who was not only powerful, but also humble. To him, this was a repulsive message of nonsense.

Now that I have “picked on” the Jews and those of Islamic faith, let’s turn to Christians. David Kinnaman’s book “Un-Christian” reveals extensive survey results of attitudes that the younger generation in this country have toward Christians. This book revealed that people in the 16-29 age group felt that "Christians" usually don't resemble Christ very much. Of the 440 young people who were “outsiders” (i.e. – not church goers) they perceived Christians to be “hypocritical,” (85%); “insensitive to others,” (70%); “judgmental” (87%); “too involved in politics” (75%) and finally “anti-homosexual” (91%).

I saw someone write a blog on this book and they criticized the report saying, “Well, Christ wasn’t very popular so why should we expect to be popular in the world today?” In response, I would just like to say, was Christ criticized for being “hypocritical”, “insensitive”, “too involved in politics” or “judgmental”?

It seems that we may need to agree with Gandhi who said, “You Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

But now, having said all of that about the deadly vaccine, let’s try to understand, what is the appearance of the live “virus” of the Christian message? What does the real thing look like? What is the message we should be bringing to people this Christmas season?

I think that 1 John 1 very well captures the message. I’ve chosen The Message Bible here because it is less familiar and perhaps gives us the chance to hear it as if for the first time:

“From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in--we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy! This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him.” (1 John 1:1-5 MSG)

The Christmas message to me is essentially this: the all-powerful God (the One who created the entire Universe) in His extravagant love for you and me, spent 9 months inside the womb of one of His sinful creatures – and the Creator of all living things was Himself created, cell by cell. The message of Christmas to me is that we serve a God who spent His first night on earth not in a palace but in a feeding trough, for that’s what a manger is. The message of Christmas is that God, though He has unlimited power, was willing to relinquish that power and become dependent on Mary for food and diaper change.

The message of Christmas to me is that there is more to God than power and lights and sounds. The “Silent Night” in a manger reveals to us that in the heart of God there is also an immense humility and a willingness to stoop to an infinite degree to reach you and me.

Here is our dilemma: if people have become burned out with manger scenes, Christmas carols, and Christians who do not represent Christ, how do we convey the live-changing impact that this story should have on the world? How can we persuade people to stop and listen to this radical story about God?

I think that the commission of Jesus in Matthew 24:14 is the key. He said, “…this Good News will be preached as a witness to all people, and then the end will come.”

In other words, the gospel is spread not so much with words preached from a pulpit, but it is lived out in our lives (“as a witness”) as we treat people as Jesus treated people. As St. Francis once said, “Preach always. Use words if necessary.”

When the Good News is spread it should look like Jesus. To illustrate this, let’s return to some of the criticisms that young people today have toward Christians:

1. 87% of Christians are judgmental. Was Christ judgmental?

It’s interesting to contrast that Christians today are most likely to judge and condemn those whose behavior they believe is morally wrong. But compare that to Christ. Who did he have hard words for? It was for the religious leaders, the people who were going to church, paying tithe, keeping the Sabbath, reading their Bibles and doing a whole lot of things right externally. Notice though that toward the outsiders, the outcasts of society, Jesus did not appear as judgmental or condemnatory – and he was hated for this.

“When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company [prostitutes, tax collectors, and fisherman], they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers, ‘What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riff-raff?’” (Matthew 9:11 MSG)

What does this mean to us? It means that we need to go outside our comfort zones and to associate with and show compassion for outsiders and outcasts, just as Jesus did, rather to judge and condemn them from a distance. Only then will people have any interest in hearing about the God who slept in a manger.

2. 70% of Christians in this survey were perceived as being insensitive to others. Was Jesus insensitive to others?

We could list dozens of examples here, but one that I like is the story of Jairus’ daughter. Recall that when Jesus arrived at his home the little girl who was about 12, was dead. Jesus was ridiculed when he said, “She is only sleeping” but then he went in and said to her, “Little girl, I tell you to get up” (Mark 5:41) and of course when she did pandemonium broke loose in the room. Have you noticed though a remarkable little detail at the end of the story? The last sentence of the story has Jesus saying this, “Give her something to eat.” (Mark 5:43). You would think that after raising her from death, His job is done, but yet amidst the rejoicing family, Jesus is the one who is concerned that this little girl is hungry.

That suggests to me that even if you are a surgeon who has perhaps just completed some spectacular surgical procedure, that to “look like Christ” would also involve an eager attentiveness and sensitivity to the smaller needs of your patients. Christians in the world today should have their spiritual antennas eagerly watching to see where they can help those around them, no matter how small that help may be.

3. 91% of Christians were perceived as “anti-homosexual”.

If we use leprosy in Jesus’ day as a parallel to individuals today who are outcasts because they are HIV positive, perhaps we can glean some insights in this area.

In Mark chapter 1, we read that “A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus, knelt down, and begged him for help. ‘If you want to,’ he said, ‘you can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40) Notice carefully the words that the writer of this gospel uses and as he tries to capture the face and the emotions of Jesus in this encounter:

“Jesus was filled with pity, and reached out and touched him. ‘I do want to,’ he answered. ‘Be clean!” (Mark 1:41)

Wouldn’t you love to have a picture of Jesus’ face at that moment? Do you hear the great compassion and love that Jesus had for this man who was judged and condemned by others as an outcast? That is precisely the reputation that Christians should have in the world today. People should say of Christians, “those are the people who really care for others.”

What would be the result if this kind of Christ-like love for others was exhibited by Christians throughout the world today?

There was at least one time in human history when it would appear that the church looked like Jesus. After the resurrection, the early Christians banded together in love and service for others. The book of Acts describes the radical nature of this early movement as the people even sold their possessions and gave to all those in need. The result was spectacular and the message spread like wildfire! In Acts 2 it says that “Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and enjoying the good will of the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)

A few chapters later in Acts, as Paul and Silas entered Thessalonica, the reputation of this radical Christian movement had preceded them and the people of that town said to each other in a panic, “The people who have been turning the whole world upside down have come here now.” (Acts 17:6 - NJB)

If we stick with the vaccine-virus metaphor, this is what the live virus looks like (the good virus) when it spreads! It is highly contagious when the enthusiasm and passion for God’s love as revealed by Jesus is lived out by those who call themselves Christians. If this kind of love and service were revealed by Christians today, the entire world would soon be infected with the Good News about a God who became a baby.

- by Brad Cole

This lecture was given for the Christian Medical Dental Association on 12/4/09

What is the Good News?

Admin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:57:26 -0800

The Good News is frequently described in rather self-centered terms. For example, "it's good news that I can go to heaven"; "it's good news that Jesus paid the price for me"; "it's good news that I am now in good legal standing with God".

It seems though that the real message of Good News described in the Bible is something entirely different. Paul said it so clearly in Romans 1:16,17: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel...for in it, the righteousness of God is revealed."

Righteousness is a big word! Others have gone on to clarify that this refers to God's goodness, God's character, God's faithfulness and God's trustworthiness. In other words, the Good News is about God, not me (or you). Yes, it is great good news that we can go to heaven, but what would heaven be like if God were a tyrant? The ultimate Good News is that the all-powerful God is exactly as Jesus revealed Him to be - a God who would forgive the woman caught in adultery, heal people who did not ask to be healed, wash the feet of Judas, hang out with the "riff-raff" of society, choose a group of fisherman to be his disciples, and ultimately lay down his life for others.

It has been incredibly exciting to see many in the scholarly world come to this same conclusion. At a recent conference, Richard B Hays, a well known New Testament scholar who (according to Christianity Today) has written one of the 100 most important Christian books of the 20th Century, made this comment about the book of Romans:

"Many people have misread the book of Romans as a book that explains how we can legally get to heaven. This interpretation, however, misses the central question that Paul is answering in this book, and that central question is this: 'Can God be Trusted?'"

He then went on to describe that what Paul refers to as the Good News is ultimately God's trustworthiness (or "faithfulness") as revealed by Jesus. Fantastic!

It's true that not everyone agrees with this interpretation, but more and more it seems that people are reading this passage in a new light as well as understanding the gospel in a new light. For example, N.T. Wright, in his recent book "Justification" describes Romans 1:16 and 17 this way [warning, some big Greek words!]:

"Let me start with a bold double claim. Unless there had grown up in the Western church a long tradition of (a) reading 'God's righteousness' as iustitia Dei, then (b) trying to interpret that phrase with the various meanings of iustitia available at the time, and (c) interpreting that in turn within the categories of theological investigation of the time...unless all this had happened, nobody would ever have supposed that the 'righteousness' in question in Romans 1:17 was anything other than God's own 'righteousness', unveiled, as in a great apocalypse, before the watching world." (pg. 178)

For many years, Graham Maxwell preached this message about the Good News very clearly. Here is a link to an article written by Dr. Maxwell which was published in 1971 by Spectrum Magazine entitled, "What is the Good News?" It's a classic!

What's Distinctive About Your Church?

Admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:09:27 -0800

Why do you belong to the church you attend? Is it because you were born and raised in that church? Is it because of some unique doctrine's that the church holds that you believe to be true? Is it because this is the community where you have friends?

People who check out this site have sometimes asked, "Why are you guys Adventists?" People typically assume that we are Adventists because of the Sabbath. Others might believe we are Adventists because of a unique health message or because of a distinctive belief about the state of the dead, the heavenly sanctuary, or "annihilationism" as opposed to an eternally burning hell?

This sermon was given by Pastor Randy Roberts at the Loma Linda University church on November 7, 2009. It is the best sermon we have heard on this subject. We'll give you a hint... the subject of his sermon relates to the title of this website!

"One More Kisses?"

brad — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:56:09 -0800

Nick Loyd is a High School Pastor in Everett, Washington. Nick has had a very interesting series of articles about a non-violent kingdom on his blog over the last several months.

Nick was recently accepted in the Fuller's Master's of Divinity Program. Congratulations, Nick! As you will appreciate in this article, Nick has some great insights about the King and His Kingdom. We really appreciate this great article!

“One more kisses?”

Laying on her back with her blanket tucked up under her chin and a smirk on her face, my 21-month old daughter confidently asks the question she knows will postpone bedtime.

“One more kisses?”

It happens at the same time each night. I put her in the jammies with the pink hearts on front, help her brush her teeth, turn on her night light, start her lullaby music, rock her in the chair, read a story and pray with her. And then, to complete the daily routine, I lay her down in her bed and pile her animals and blanket around her.

All the right people are present. The old school version of Pooh Bear is there. So is the fluffy, white bear that I named “Bernard” but Paytyn decided should be called “Meman” instead. And, of course, the blanket. Each is an essential member of the bedtime routine.

I kiss her goodnight. I run my fingers through her hair and tell her I love her and to sleep well (and secretly pray it will be late into the morning).

And as I walk away, knowing she is waiting for just the perfect timing, I reach the bedroom door about to leave and I hear a delicate voice….

“One more kisses?”

Every night. Just as I reach the door. Every conceivable condition for her optimum bedtime is fulfilled. She has everything she needs, but she wants one more thing…

“One more kisses?”

“Daddy? One more kisses?”

Ten minutes and four trips back into the room for “one more kisses” later, I’m smothering her face with kisses, tickling her squirming body, and our laughter and giggling is bouncing off the walls with our shadows in the dimly lit room.

It’s hard to know who is having more fun. Some nights I think I would come back for “one more kisses” all night long if neither of us required the sleep. I mean, how do you turn down such an adorable offer?

“One more kisses?”

As I finally pull myself away from the beauty of the moment and head down stairs for good, still laughing with the intoxicating love for Paytyn, I’m often reminded that God sees me like I see her. He loves me. He enjoys me. He delights in me.

And maybe in that walk away from her room, my smile catches the most complete glimpse of this God who describes himself as my “Father”.

Unfortunately, I don’t always think like that. Sometimes, how I think about God is wrong about how He thinks about me.

Here’s my problem. Too often I’ve been told that God doesn’t really like me. Sure, he tolerates me, but he’s actually terminally angry with me. And I’m the one with the disease.

In fact, I’ve been told that God is so angry with me that he had to have the brutally savage sacrifice of his own son in order to satisfy the blood-thirsty vengeance he feels toward me.

Rough Translation: I couldn’t stand you and was gonna have to kill you, but I was able to find some other poor sucker to take out my anger on, so now I can go ahead and spare you. You’re welcome.

And that’s the “Good News”?

But even now, when God looks at me, he doesn’t even see me. He just sees Jesus. As if without Jesus I’m unlovable, unlookable, unlikeable.

And that’s a big deal, because it has birthed in my mind an idea about how God sees me that really messes up how I see Him; that God doesn’t really view me like his own child that he tickles and giggles with, but as a commodity he trades in. He owns me, but he doesn’t love me.

It’s a picture that has made him distant, cold, detached and worse… a father I’d like to disown.

And it isn’t at all who I think God really is.

In the Bible, John once wrote this summary about who God really is:

“God is love” (1 John 4:16)

Simple? Maybe. But keep in mind, this is the concluding statement of a man that walked with and lived with Jesus every day. This Jesus whom the author of Hebrews called the “exact representation” of God (1:3).

And in the end the best way he can summarize what God is like, having seen him up close and personal, is to tell us that he is pure love. Incredible. And so different than how I’m often tempted to see Him.

Tyrant? Law Enforcer? Blood-Thirsty? Condemning? Angry? Disapproving?

Nope. Just LOVE. God is love.

But better yet, read the intensity and personality of God’s love for you that John also wrote down:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)

That God sees us and loves us as a Father loves his own child is not new. It is a common comparison in the Bible. But notice the intensity of the love of this Father that John describes. It’s not just love. It’s GREAT LOVE. Love that has been LAVISHED. It is the tender, undeterred love of a dad for his daughter.

It’s love that tickles and giggles. It’s love that laughs and plays. It’s love that creates perfect circumstances. It’s love that names teddy bears. It’s love that comes back for “one more kisses” over and over, no matter who you are or what you’ve done or how late in the day it gets.

It’s love that sees you as a precious child. It’s love that genuinely loves you. No strings.

So, as you ponder the “Character of God” and explore the mysteries of who He is and the story he is orchestrating in this life, may you never forget WHO he is. May you never forget that he always loves you with an intense pursuing love, whether you are good, bad, religious, agnostic or even if you always refuse to love him back.

Because, whatever the death and resurrection of Jesus accomplished on a metaphysical level you can be sure it wasn’t about God finding a way to love you. He has always loved you.

No matter what anyone else tells you about what it means to have our lives “hid in Christ,” you can be positive it doesn’t mean that God has to disguise who you really are with the picture of someone better. When He sees you, he sees his dearly loved child.

And as you learn to see God as the Father that truly delights in you, unconditionally loves you, and desires the best for you, may you one day be drawn to find yourself stalling in his presence asking simply…

“One more kisses?”

Nick and family celebrate the Oregon Ducks trouncing of the USC Trojans!