Our Incurable Addiction

"[F]or in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to discover and hate his own sin" (Psalm 36:2, HCSB).     

Man insists upon presenting Himself to God in the most favorable light in regards to his deeds, thinking that the good ones outweigh the bad ones and that he has some merit before a "just" God who will have mercy on him.   He should realize that Job One is repentance and that he must realize he's a lost sinner in need of God and cannot save himself.  The chief problem with man is that he doesn't see his own sin or unworthiness--he believes in the basic or inherent goodness of man and of himself; however, our do-goodery amounts to zilch in God's estimation and He doesn't grade on a curve--He leveled the playing field and we're all in the same boat (totally depraved with nothing good to claim).

If God were just to all of us, we'd all be judged worthy of damnation!  We can be thankful God tempers His justice with mercy (cf. Habukkuk 3:2) We would hope God is not just, and not only merciful (keeping us from getting our just due) but also gracious (giving us what we don't deserve, cannot pay back, and cannot even earn).

The difference between what the common man in view of his religiosity thinks and Christianity is that he is incurably addicted to doing something for his salvation and doesn't seem to have the mindset to realize that it's a gift to be received.  It's not about "Do!" but "Done!"  In Christ, it's a done deal and there's nothing we can do to improve upon God's plan!  To add to God's work is an insult to our Maker like painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa!   God doesn't need our efforts to impress Him, for we cannot.  Put it this way:  If we had to do something for salvation, we'd fail!

Salvation must be seen as something we cannot earn by anything we do, and we have no merit before God--that's the definition of grace (unmerited favor!). This is the only way to make salvation available to all  (the outward, general call is to all per Titus 2:11) because it's the only way that everyone has equal chance and no one is excluded, since anyone can believe!  If God had said we had to run the mile in under four minutes, you'd see every earnest believer taking up jogging and joining track teams!

But faith is not what we see, it's evidence of that something being real to us; however, we want to do something because we cannot conceive of this abstract thought of faith.  The Jews asked Jesus what they must do to do the works of God and He told them:  "The work of God is this:  to believe in the one he has sent" (cf. John 6:29, NIV).  You can read at least two doctrines into this verse:  Our faith is solely God's work in our heart and a gift that only God can accomplish; and the only thing that pleases God is faith and our works in the flesh amount to nothing..   But James (cf. James 2:24) said that we are not saved by faith alone but by works!  What he was getting at was that faith must be proved by works and Paul would say that works must spring from faith.

We dare not divorce faith and works for a faith without works as evidence is dead faith and cannot save.  ("faith without works is dead" according to James 2:26).  The Reformers reconciled all this by their famous formula of salvation:  We are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone!  It just makes sense that anyone can just say they have faith or even believe they have faith, but if there's no fruit, there's no reality of faith.  Our works become a "therefore," not an "in order to."

There's a difference between a profession of faith and a reality of faith.  Just as Christ said that we shall know them by their fruits, and know fruit means no faith, the whole point of salvation is a changed and transformed life from the inside out due to a living relationship with God through Jesus. We must realize that true faith expresses itself, it's the evidence that gives us credibility and witness to the lost.

We are not saved by our good deeds or behavior, but unto them, likewise, we are not saved by good deeds, but not without them either (CAVEAT:  Beware the doctrine of the antinomians who adhere to a faith that is alone and doesn't need produce works; i.e., once saved you can live lawless or without restraint).

In sum, we must turn that creed into deeds, letting it show, giving it away to keep it, just as Titus 2:14, NIV,  says so plainly:  "... purify for  himself a people, that is his very own, eager to do what is good."       Soli Deo Gloria!

Can Man Live Without God?...

"Men have forgotten God." (Alexander Solzhenitsyn)
"A person cannot live without worshiping something." (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

The whole concept of modern Secular Humanism is to exalt man (glory to man in the highest!) and to dethrone God and put Him in His place, as they see it. In other words, they proclaim: Up with man, down with God! Man has attempted to make a name for himself ever since the tower of Babel (cf. Gen. 11:4) and believes he can get along without God's intervention, grace, or providence. Man is deluded into thinking he can rule God out of the universe and doesn't need Him or He is irrelevant or unnecessary to explain reality.

Pertinent remarks by great thinkers: "Religion is indispensable to private morals and public order" (Cicero); "No society has ever been able to maintain a moral life without the aid of its religion" (William Durant). Humanism has been defined as "religion without God." And you don't have to be an atheist to have no place for God in your life, practical atheists believe in God, but live as though there is no God. Psalm 10:4 (HCSB) sums it up: "There is no accountability since God does not exist."

Humanist historian/philosopher (and author of The Story of Civilization) Will Durant posed the dilemma we face today as the postmodern philosophy (that "God is dead") that permeates society, and humanists try to be good without God in the equation: "The greatest question of our time is not communism vs. individualism, not Europe vs. America, nor even the East vs. the West; it is whether men can bear to live without God." People have no excuse not to believe in God (cf. Rom. 1:20), but they foolishly suppress the fact and are in a state of denial. They seem to think that God is no longer relevant, that we can solve our issues and problems without His input or intervention, and that we are basically good, not evil, or are perfectible. 

We live in an age when sinners decide that they are their own judges of morality and can make their own value judgments: "Everyone did what was right in their own eyes," much like Israel did, as recorded in Judges 21:25. Men find themselves judging God, rather than realizing He's their judge. Now the biggest problem nations face is that of keeping the peace, and there shall be wars and rumors of wars till the end, and when we reach peace we will no longer feel we need God. America is a so-called good nation by human standards as recorded by secular Alexis de Tocqueville, in his work Democracy in America, which he wrote after visiting the U.S, posited that our strength lies in our "goodness," and when we "ceased to be good we will cease to be great." This is not based on biblical nor historical precedent, but only personal deduction and observation.

Yes, America is different (we are probably the most religious nation on earth), yet we are failing on the world stage due to poor leadership and the good citizens (believers) cease to be salt and light and evil is winning by default, not because Christianity has failed, nor because its worldview is faulty, but because Christians fail to stand up and be counted, to take their stand for the right and to fly their Christian colors. It has been said by philosophers and historians that morality in a nation cannot be upheld without the aid of religion: George Bernard Shaw said that "no nation can survive the loss of its gods." George Washington said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." Christians ought to protest the secularization of a society that seeks to eradicate God from the public square and discourse. 

But we cannot silence God, though! If we try to go to war with Him we will lose and our nation will lose its blessing and providential hand. We fight this by speaking up against the evils of society, even if it entails becoming activists and doing whatever you can to mobilize the church and equip them for the battle. We are not to passively allow Satan to seize control!

When you take God out of the picture, there remains a vacuum that is filled with satanic activity. When we cease to worship God, we will ultimately find something else to worship, because man is meant and designed for worship!  No one actually worships, reveres, adores, or esteems nothing. God is the motive people have for good behavior because you see very few hospitals, orphanages, relief organizations, leprosariums founded by infidels. In India, they think that the suffering of man is caused by bad karma and you shouldn't interfere with another's karma!

We are at the point in our society where we don't know right from wrong and have lost our moral fiber because there's no moral compass and God condemns those who call good evil and evil good (cf. Isa. 5:20). There is an absolute standard to judge by and people do instinctively know right from wrong due to having a conscience and everyone is culpable to be blamed because of transcendent or natural law, which is above national law and even nations are subject to. You could say that the new battle is against God and the new war of independence is from God! People, in general, think that the Ten Commandments are obsolete or are the Ten Suggestions, and don't apply to a modern society and don't feel bound by them,  and they are free to make up their own rules as they go along to suit themselves. As long as they can think of some reason to justify themselves and have good motives, the reason that they are doing the right thing.

But goodness isn't defined by man, but by God and is in conformity with His nature. The basic diagnosis of man is that he does things his way and not God's way (as Isa. 53:6 says, "... we have turned everyone to his own way..."). We cannot know good without knowing God, for He is the final arbiter of it and will judge us and our standards of good versus His. Without God, Shakespeare summed up the essence of life as Macbeth mused in Hamlet: "... 'tis a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing." If we are not in God's image, we are mere animals and glorified apes: "Do you think we are mere animals? Do you think we are stupid?" (Job 18:3, NLT)--teach man he is an animal and he will act like one.

"Without God, life makes no sense," according to Rick Warren!"  If there is no God all things are permissible," according to Fyodor Dostoevsky, and there can be no absolutes or standards to measure perfection by. The world has nothing against religion as long as it remains privatized, but we are to spread the word and be obedient to the gospel without suppressing it--it's a command to obey not an option to consider. The implications of atheism are profound: No judge to make us feel guilty; no Lord ot guide us, no lawgiver to obey; no ruler or sovereign to submit to, no creator to emulate, know, and love; no hell to shun; and no heaven to look forward to--how dismal and bleak an outlook!

Romans 1:18ff shows what transpires once a man leaves God out of the reckoning. In the final analysis, God will bless America by association again when the church repents and gets back on track fulfilling the Great Commission (not the Great Suggestion), and not when it tries to implement sharia law or usher in the Millennial Kingdom, in order to "advance the cause of Christ" through legislation or government, though this may be the trend towards righteousness and a worthy cause. Soli Deo Gloria!

Man, The Religious Creature

"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32, HCSB).
"... God have mercy on me, the sinner!"  (Luke 18:13, NASB--the sinner's prayer). 
"...But I am not ashamed, because I know the One I have believed in ..." (2 Tim. 1:12, HCSB).
"... My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection..." (Phil. 3:10, HCSB).
"If only I knew how to find Him..." (Job 23:2, HCSB). 
"Yes, You are a God who hides Himself..." (Isa. 45:15, HCSB).

Kids are taught in the schools they are animals, and is it any wonder they act like them?  But we are not animals!  Have you ever observed an ape building a chapel?  Man is incurably religious in his core being and nature and if he doesn't worship God, he'll worship something in its place: himself, fame, fortune, power, celebrities, heroes, an engrossing hobby, a sport or sports team, you name it!  Mankind is hard-wired for worship and religion--it's his nature!  Religion dates back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Even made themselves aprons of fig leaves--Operation Fig Leaf!  Mankind has been termed Homo religiosus or the religious being.  He's also been called Homo divinus, or the divine being.  It is really obvious that man has a spiritual dimension and inclination, which in itself is a sort of proof of God's existence, as when one feels the tug of a kite, knowing it's there.  We feel pulled toward God as if gravitating in His direction.  Man has always been on the quest to find Him but God hides Himself (cf. Isa. 45:15) only to be found by the diligent (cf. Heb. 11:6) and not triflers. He will authenticate Himself if searched for!

The answer though is that we cannot find Him unless He reveals Himself and He has in Christ. But a poll was once taken in the UK and they found out that a certain percentage of people actually believe in "the Force," of Star Wars fame, though it's fictional!  People grasp at each passing straw hoping for hope and light at the end of the tunnel.  And George Lucas, the producer of the Star Wars saga, said that he's come to the conclusion that all religions are right!  This is impossible due to the inherent contradictions of beliefs, but it is logically possible they all could be wrong!

As Pascal said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which only God can fill through His Son, Jesus Christ." Augustine said that our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God.  We are empty, unfulfilled beings without God in the picture.  We need God to find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in our life.  Without God, life makes no sense--it's a useless passion.   The ontological proof of God is that He is worshiped in some manner in every culture around the globe.  All culture, it's been claimed, is shaped by religion.  The stability of society depends upon religion as the guiding light and principle of moral principle.  In fact, George Bernard Shaw, quoted by William Barclay, said that "no nation has survived the loss of its gods."

As a matter of fact, we are all inclined to think we can gain the approbation of God in many ways:  religion, morality, good deeds, philosophy, or ritual!  We aren't called to become do-gooders or goody-goodies or even Goody-Two-shoes!  Our good deeds or do-goodery amount to naught in God's eyes, even as filthy rage according to Isa. 64:6!  We must do all to the glory of God (cf. Col. 3:17, 23) and in the Spirit of God, not by might nor by power (cf. Zech. 4:6).  Religiosity accounts for zilch in God's economy and the way up is down, it's a matter of how low we can go, not how high we can attain on our own merit.  We all like to compare ourselves with others (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12) and think we are more "religious," righteous, or holy (cf. Isa. 65:5) than others, but God doesn't grade on a curve and we are all in the same boat--God has leveled the playing field.  We are all justly condemned apart from grace and fall short of God's glorious ideal and standard of holiness (cf. Rom. 3:23).

But God has not called us to a to-do list; He's called us to a to-know list instead. The bottom line is that man is incurably addicted to doing something for his salvation and wants to give himself some credit.  We don't need a to-do list and Christianity is not a catalog of rules or list of dos and don'ts, but it's a list of to-knows!  We need to know God, know we are saved, know the will of God, know Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, know the Word, know the gospel, know our enemy, know our calling, know Christian ethics, know sound doctrine, and to know the Lord first-hand not second-hand, and even to know ourselves for who we are, etc. But don't forget, in knowing, we must apply what we know!  Christianity is a religion of knowledge and we know that we know--we don't conjecture or surmise, but know by the testimony of the Word itself with certitude.  There are basically three ways of knowing something:  experience (the empirical), revelation, and rational thought processes and reasoning faculties--we have the revealed Word of God.

Christianity is a revealed religion, not one of religious imagination or concoction.  It's the only faith that is based on facts, history, and evidence and we can know for sure of what we are talking about or believing.  Many religions are referred to as "faiths," but only Christianity stresses this as the instrumental means of salvation--faith is stressed as the goal and primary virtue!  But note that it's the object of the faith that saves, not faith per se--we don't have faith in faith, but faith in Jesus!  Jesus is the only Savior!  We don't just acquiesce or agree to a creed or recitations, we know a person!  Christianity isn't selling some good work or philosophy of life, but freely offering the gift of salvation to all!  But note that Christianity has nothing to say to those who don't realize they are lost and in sin.  The prerequisite is being lost before being found!

But fortunately, Christ doesn't call us to religion!  The Bible even frowns upon the term itself and prefers to call our religion a "faith" or the Way.  We know the way to eternal life!  What we are called to specifically is a life of holiness, righteousness, good works, and fellowship with God.  We are called to walk in the light and be lights.  To be the salt and light of the world at large.  Our righteousness is as filthy rags and all our good deeds don't benefit God--He just turns everything to His glory, even making the wrath of men to praise Him (cf. Psa. 76:10).  Our righteousness, then, is God's gift to us--not our gift to God!  We have nothing to boast of, and nothing that we didn't receive (cf. 1 Cor. 4:7).

Man naturally wants to do something for his salvation and must receive it by grace as the free gift of God, unearned, and unmerited.  Salvation is much more than the offer of forgiveness for our past, but the power to live in the present, and hope for the future.  Only Christianity promises and delivers on that promise from the power of sin and also the freedom from its bondage.  We cannot pay it back nor do we deserve it--or it wouldn't be grace.  God owes no one salvation and didn't have to save anyone (or it would be justice), but freely chose to save those whom He foreknew according to His favor and will or purposes (cf. Eph. 1:5). As a result, we are all called to a life of walking with Christ in fellowship and getting to know Him personally and spreading this message--to know Him and make Him known as the marching orders.

Salvation is open to all and offered freely to all (cf. Titus 2:11) who realize their sinfulness and deem themselves unqualified and sinners by nature, birth, and choice, i.e., born in sin and a slave to it.  In fact, the only qualification is to recognize one's not being qualified!  We all need grace and no one is any more righteous than another--we cannot claim holier than thou type (cf. Isa. 65:5) attitudes.  The fact is, that we are never good enough to be saved and cannot do any so-called presalvation work to qualify--but we are bad enough to need salvation.  God has judged all under sin, that the gift of grace may be offered to all.  God doesn't grade on a curve and no one gets in automatically, we all go through the turnstile of salvation one at a time via the same formula:  by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and God alone getting the glory, while the Scriptures alone are the rule of faith and authority.

Christianity is more than a religion or philosophy--it's a more abundant way of life with Christ, knowing Him personally and putting this faith into action.  It was originally called the Way!  The phenomenon of Christianity is "changed lives" that cannot be attributed to anything but the work of God's transforming power.  And subsequently to translate creeds into deeds.  It would be an insult to tell a Christian that he has "found religion," when he has found the Lord! In principle, religion is based on human achievement, not a divine accomplishment; what we do, not what God has done!  Religion is man reaching out to God, not God reaching out to man. Religion is basically a do-it-yourself proposition and a lift-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps undertaking.  Viva la difference!  

Finally, there is no caste system, no elite, neither are there any spiritual classes to be conscious of (there's no class warfare!)--we are all saints and children of the King and members of the royal family of God as brethren of Christ. We're all one in Christ (cf. Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11).  We are all family in Christ!  (A word to the wise:  pure religion, as described in James 1:27, won't save; only Christ saves through faith by the grace of God.)   Soli Deo Gloria!

Better Than Sacrifice

"... 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams'" (1 Sam. 15:22, NIV). 
"For I desire steadfast love [or mercy] and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6, ESV).

God isn't interested in what we give up for Him (like giving up something for Lent), but that we dedicate our lives to Him in full surrender to His will. It's not what you give up but that you give up yourself.  Living the Christian life costs something in the long term, but not living it costs more!  To obey is better than sacrifice  (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22)!  He desires mercy and not sacrifice (cf. Hos. 6:6; Matt. 9:13)!  When we bring our offerings to God, and our whole life is to be an offering, we are doing that which costs us something--the ownership of our lives.  The kinds of sacrifices that please God are the sacrifice of praise (cf. Heb. 13:15), the sacrifice of righteousness (Psa. 4:5) and the sacrifice of thanksgiving (cf. Psa. 107:22, 116:17)! "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice" (Prov. 21:3, NIV).  The sacrifice that pleases God is a broken spirit and contrite heart (cf. Psa. 51:17).

If we are just going through the motions of sacrifice and it becomes a matter of routine, duty, or habit, we've lost it.  Some people just memorize the Dance of the Pious and put on a show for God as they nod to God to fulfill their guilty conscience.  We can never know the joy of worship when we are not free in the Spirit of all guilt and sin.  We worship with our lives, not just in church!  We don't go to church to just to sing a worship song because the full service is worship to Him.  Sometimes it seems we don't get much out of the worship but this ought not to be so.  If we don't get anything out of worship we did it for the wrong reason and may be in a worship rut.  Worship is God-centered and we must learn to focus on Christ and get our eyes off ourselves.  We lose ourselves in worship and enjoy doing it and by not letting it become perfunctory. When all's right with God our worship will show it and we get recharged as a by-product!  We empty ourselves to get filled!  The way to entree into God's presence, actually being ushered into the throne room, is by offering thanksgiving and praising Him.  "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise...," (Psalm 100:4, NIV).

Sacrifice entails that it costs us something, as David said he would not "offer to God that which cost [him] nothing."  Our salvation costs Christ His blook, subordination, and life but is freely offered to us when we trust Him as Savior and submit to Him as Lord.  It's free, but it costs everything we've got!   True holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  Christians are to be hedonists in the sense of finding their joy in the Lord!  (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV) says "... [F]or the joy of the LORD is your strength...." What is the chief end of man?  "We ought to rejoice in the Lord always and glorify God by enjoying Him forever" (paraphrase from The Westminster Shorter Catechism). God is most pleased and glorified with us when we enjoy Him and take pleasure in Him: take delight in the Lord and He will give you the delights of your heart (cf. Psa. 37:4).

Our lives are to "offer [our] bodies as a living sacrifice ... this is [our] true and proper worship" (cf. Rom. 12:1) and that means salvation isn't by martyrdom or asceticism (i.e., the more we suffer, the holier we are!) but we must desire to live out our faith!  And we must offer ourselves to God's altar daily and renew our commitment regularly-it's not just a one-time event or decision!  We are to be so filled with the Spirit (cf. Eph. 5:18) that we overflow to be a blessing to others as a conduit as our cup overflows (cf. Psa. 23:5;  Zech. 8:13). Christians have the beatific vision as an eternal hope and will enter into the "joy of the Lord" in glory as a reward.     Soli Deo Gloria!

Who Needs Religion?

"In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God" (Ps. 10:4, NIV).
"There is no fear of God before their eyes"[no place for God in their worldview] (Rom. 3:18, ESV).
"The only system of thought where Christ will fit into is the one where he is the starting point." --Athanasius, Father of Orthodoxy

A chaplain was once told by a recruit that he had tried religion already and it didn't work for him, according to a famous anecdote, and then the chaplain retorted with the comeback that he had tried religion too--for fifteen years and it didn't work for him either; then he tried Christ!  Another anecdote:  A soldier in battle noticed the bravery of the padre and told him that if that's what Christ can do for you, then he wants Him too.  There's a difference between religion and Christianity and I just want to make the point that a lot of people don't try Christianity, not because it has failed people and found wanting, but that it's difficult and people don't want to commit!

The reason that Buddhism and Secular Humanism are so popular is that you can be good without God and that these faiths require no personal sacrifice--Christ demands that we give up or deny ourselves and follow Him, wherever He may lead.  That's what Humanism is:  deifying man and dethroning God and goodness without God.  They all contend that you can be good without God, so why invoke a Deity?  Islam is also popular for geopolitical considerations.

Yes, but God's standard is high and He raised the bar, and He looks at the motive--is it to gain the approbation of man or some other ulterior motive, bolster his pride, or to unselfishly please God?  Man cannot please God in the power of the flesh and all his righteousness is considered garbage or a menstrual rag in His sight.  Yes, in the eyes of mankind you can be good; look at Ted Turner donating $1 Billion to the UN, for example; but his motive wasn't to please God or do His will, but to bolster his self-righteousness and ego in the eyes of others.  The whole issue of goodness is that evil is the distortion of good and a guise of it and may contain the appearance of good, but it isn't.  Evil is privation or distortion of good (it's a parasite); it cannot exist independently.   It's just good enough to deceive and inoculate from the real thing!

But the problem is that you cannot explain "good" apart from God.  Just like they say your morals or ethics by the same token.  A moral or ethical person may not even believe in God for that matter.  But where did goodness come from but the source of all goodness--God?  God is the "moral center of the universe" and demands man's repentance and high morality, and gave him a moral compass, and he has no excuse to sin but culpability, which is for anything against God's nature, the virus affecting all mankind, and our so-called Declaration of Independence from God--our birthright from Adam.  According to Dostoevsky, "if there is no God, all things are permissible."

God is the Supreme Good according to Plato and the Ultimate Good as the standard of all, by which we measure our achievement.  He is the source of all goodness and blessing.  The problem with man is that he thinks he's all right and doesn't need Him, that he is already good, and Christians are called to be a light and show that they fall short with the help of the conviction of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God in the heart as seed implanted.

A person may say he can be good without God so why invoke a Deity, for what reason?  As Bertrand Russell said, "Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless." Christianity is not an AA pledge, the turning over of a new leaf, or a self-improvement course, but trusting Christ to make you into a new person from the inside out and a transformed individual.  It is an insult to say that a believer has "found religion" since there are so many contrasts between the do-it-yourself proposition of religion and the work of grace in Christ. The primary difference between religion and Christianity is "do" versus "done."

In Christ, the work of salvation is a done deal and accomplished fact to be availed by the believer in faith.  Christ sets us free from the power of Satan, sin, and self and gives us the power to live in the Spirit availing ourselves of this transforming power--"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection," cf. Phil. 3:10.  He's still in the resurrection business!  Paul said that he counted all else rubbish or manure in comparison to knowing Christ as his personal Savior.

Christ does all the work from start to finish--we cooperate as works in progress.  "Salvation is of the LORD," (cf. Jonah 2:9).  We just let God do His thing and have His way with us.  The biggest proof of the resurrection of Christ was the transformation of the timid, disillusioned, and cowering disciples and especially what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus--his testimony was heard in very high places far and wide across the Roman empire.

In sum, Christ didn't come to make bad men good (goody-goodies), but to make dead men alive;  Christ makes us good from the inside out we are transformed into new creatures in Christ, it wasn't a matter of human effort, turning over a new leaf, or an AA pledge, or New Year's resolution, but a surrender to God in Christ and a receiving of a new life as a gift in return. There are a plethora of religions based on human achievement--but you never know where you stand!  Christianity is based on God's accomplishment!   Bear in mind that our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to God (cf. Isaiah 45:24)!    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Religious Creature...

"He [the Antichrist] shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action ["will firmly resist him," NIV; "shall be strong, and do exploits," KJV]"  (Daniel 11:32, ESV). 

Man is the only religious creature; i.e., monkeys don't build chapels!  He has been called Homo religiosus (man the religious) or Homo divinus (man the divine) by scholars because of this tendency.  Only man has the will to obey God, the heart to love God, and the mind to know God--as creatures in His image.  Dostoevsky said, "Man cannot live without worshiping something."  It's our nature and what makes us uniquely human.  We are hard-wired or designed for God and can only be happy and fulfilled in God.  Bertrand Russell said, "Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless."  Without God, we have no dignity or purpose and we can only find meaning in Him.  There's a void or "God-shaped vacuum" in man's heart that "only God can fill," according to Blaise Pascal, philosopher-mathematician.  And St. Augustine said, "You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in You."

Conventional wisdom would tell you that the more gods you have the better off you are, and this was the assumption of ancient man, who worshiped a pantheon of gods and goddesses. The Israelites had resorted to henotheism, or that there are many so-called gods, but the LORD is the Most High.  They believed, for instance, that Baal was the fertility God, (flocks, field, and family) but the LORD was the God of their army and of victory in war (the Lord of Hosts).   But the Bible tells us that if we have God we have all we need and are complete in Him.

Man is empty without God and cannot live abundantly apart from His plan for our lives.  Jesus came to give us this complete and abundant life of fulfillment.  Man has always believed in a higher power and archeology proves this as fact, the belief in God is not mere superstition but universal--even to the point of having some sort of Creator-God or unknown God--and that man's concept of God has devolved, not evolved through the ages.  But we are to have no other gods before Him and acknowledge no other Savior (cf. Hos. 13:4).

Psychologists have tried to rationalize our faith in God as fear of the unknown, a throwback to our need for a father-figure, a method of evolutionary advantage, a mental virus, or as a system of contentment in hard times.  They think we invented God, as Voltaire said, "Man created God in his own image."  God is, by definition, the highest Being that can be (imagined or real). There can be no other so-called "necessary being," uncaused cause, or unmoved mover--someone began the chain link of cause and effect ad infinitum, since eternal regression is mathematically and philosophically inconceivable and impossible.  It has been proved now that man's earliest worship of God was of a monotheistic tradition, and not polytheistic, as first thought.  Man originally entertained the idea of the one true God, as Scripture unequivocally posits and depicts.

It should be noted that man is the only creature capable of being bored with himself and unable to entertain himself when he is down in spirits.  Boredom is meant for a reason, to show us we need God and to find purpose in life-- with purpose you seldom get bored!  This is only to show us that we need God in our lives for completion.

It is a fact that you can be religious without subscribing to a religion; Secular Humanism is a kind of religion without God, trying to be good without God's help or for the glory of God.  It is a proven fact psychologically that religious people tend to be happier than those who are not, and when we're not grounded in the truth we become highly superstitious and make up our own religion!  We all need to be set free by the truth and only the Son can do this (cf. John 8:32, 36).

It is a proven fact that society needs religion to maintain law and order and a precept of morality:  George Bernard Shaw said that no nation has survived the loss of its gods. Cicero saw religion's value in keeping public morals.  John Adams said, "... Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people...."  G. K Chesterton said our nation has the "soul of a church!"  Eisenhower recognized the need of religion to maintain our way of life, and any religion would do--the point is that man needs religious and moral guidance to keep evil at bay.  The Pax Romana (200-year peace of Rome) worked for this purpose until Christianity changed its moral roots.

Real worship is the offering of ourselves to God; however, when we surrender our resources and ourselves to anything or anyone else in devotion, it's a form of idolatry, taking from God what is His due, for He alone is worthy.  True worship of our Lord is defined as being Christ-centered, God-focused, Spirit-controlled-and-led when we get our eyes off ourselves and onto Jesus who alone is the worthy Lamb of God, our Savior--we must draw the line at homage like Daniel!

In the final analysis, the only cure for the sin of idolatry is to have an adequate concept of God, not putting Him in a box or making Him one-dimensional, and knowing your God personally and not just second-hand.  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Catholic Question

"My hope is built on nothing less,
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name"
--EDWARD MOTE

Many Catholics don't even know why they are that denomination, often because they were born into it or married into it.  Protestants stand united in the gospel message, which Martin Luther had revived, that it was by faith that a man is accepted by God.  Faith alone or sola fide became the rallying cry or the battle cry and the Counter-Reformation at the Council of Trent, 1545-1563 pronounced anathema on anyone who adhered to such "heresy" that wasn't "biblical."

Catholics had distorted the gospel to the max: by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, with Scripture alone as the authority, so that all the glory goes to God alone!  What they did was add merit to grace, works to faith, and the church and clergy to Christ, and even tradition to Scripture. Jesus condemned the tradition of man in Matt. 15 and Mark 7, and tradition is only appropriate when concordant with Scripture.  We are saved by grace through faith, and not by works per Eph. 2:8-9. Christians do works as a "therefore," not an "in order to."  In sum, I say:  "Look for Scriptural warrant or precedent, not for tradition."  Contention arose from the so-called "Counter-Reformation" that gave tradition equal authority as Scripture--Protestants affirm the Bible as the guide and rule of faith.

Religion says "do," while Christianity says "done."  We are not to become rules-obsessed like the Pharisees and know a code or a creed, we are to know a person!  Paul pronounced anathema anyone who preaches another gospel in Gal. 1:6-9 and this is the danger, not in praying the Rosary, or invoking saints, but in spreading a false gospel which is damnable; however, be at ease, Catholics can be saved, if they call upon the name of the Lord in faith in repentance; so put aside all apprehension that I'm trying to condemn them all; at worst, they are ignorant of the Word and are living defeated lives because of it. 

Caveat:  In determining truth, it's paramount to realize that Christianity isn't true because it works (yoga and TM work!), but Christianity works because it's true the converse!  You cannot say, "It works for me," without defeating the purpose of Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that these are absolute, not relative to your experiences or situations.

I don't care if you believe in the Fairy Godmother, Easter bunny, Santa Claus, Prince Charming, mermaids, dragons, the abominable snowman (Sasquatch), leprechauns, aliens, ghosts, haunted houses, Halloween, unicorns, knights in shining armor, the Loch Ness monster, cavemen, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Mother Nature, or the Tooth Fairy; those are not damnable though implausible beliefs.  Many of Catholic traditions, such as believing in the Apocrypha are not damnable per se, but just "extra-biblical," rather than "anti-biblical."  You must get this right to become a Christian (cf. Matt. 16:15; 2 John 9):  Who is Jesus Christ?  He is God in the flesh, or you're not a believer and unsaved. Technically, Catholics are Christians, because they know Jesus, but there is so much baggage that it is hard to get to the meat of the Word in that church, and many who find the Lord do leave it for more evangelical churches.

Praying the Rosary, invoking saints, and other religiosity may not be prohibited in the Word, but there are sins of omission as well and these are often mutually exclusive and when you know the Lord, you pray intimately with him and not by rote or in a perfunctory manner, or even to show religiosity as the Pharisees did.  Our prayer life is to be kept in our prayer closet and not "advertised" or promoted, for then we will have our reward--the approbation of man and his praise.

Unfortunately, many Protestants today have come full circle, in that they no longer read the Bible, but rely on their church to tell them what to believe rather than be like the believing Jews in Berea, who searched the Scriptures out in order to see if the things Paul said were so.  This is what Protestants were objecting to:  the authority of the Pope and clergy.  Martin Luther proclaimed:  I dissent, I disagree, I protest!  Hence we are known as Protestants.  

Here's an example of Protestants coming full circle:  "I don't read the Bible or believe in its authority anymore for the ultimate authority and arbiter of truth!"  Q: "How do you know what God's will is and learn about God?"  "I listen to the preacher!"  Q: "How do you know what to believe?"  "He agrees with me!"  Q: "And whom do you agree with?"  "I agree with him--we both believe the same thing!"  Soli Deo Gloria!

Flaunting Your Religion...

We are not to wear our religion on our sleeves, as an advertisement so to speak, hoping to arouse witness or opportunity to share our testimony; however, God is the only one to open doors and when He does, no one can close it.  Don't force the door open; He opens the door no one can close, too (cf. Isa. 22:22).   It is not a good idea to see oneself as the representative of Christendom, self-appointed, so-to-speak, and forcing your opinions on others unwilling to hear them.  Daniel neither flaunted his religion--it was no secret either--neither did he privatize it to the point that he was ashamed, but was always ready to be a witness when God makes all things beautiful in His time.

Paul felt three things:  He was indebted to preach; he was eager to preach; and he was unashamed to preach (cf. Romans 1:14-16).  Why? Because he realized the power of the gospel message and that if you can get your message around to that subject and make a beeline for the gospel itself (how God solved the sin problem through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ), then the Holy Spirit can convict (cf. John 16:8-11) a person of their sins and of the truth of the Word and testimony of Christ--this is where the power is!

We are not to parade our spirituality as the Pharisees did, who loved to stand in the streets and have their long prayers heard and wear clothes that looked "spiritual."  Our religiosity should be a private manner and when we pray it should be in our prayer closet.  However, Jesus said to let your good works be seen by men, that they may glorify your Father in heaven. Jesus said (Matt. 6:1) not to practice our righteousness before men, to be seen by men (then we've had our reward).

Personally, I have discovered that, once unbelievers find out you are a Christian, they dog your every step, hold you up to intense scrutiny, judge you, gossip about you, and you are always living in a glass house, as it were, exposed and under their radar.  Be ready to follow Jesus and bear your cross once your testimony is known--you don't know where it'll lead, even having dire results (faith is not despite the evidence, but ins spite of the consequences).  

We must all be willing to confess Jesus before men (cf. Matt. 10:32) and make our faith known publicly--there is no secret service in the Christianity, nor spiritual lone rangers who have no ties to the body--we must be willing to show our Christian colors and prove ourselves worthy to suffer for His sake, and this means taking stands and even risking a political stance and standing up for Jesus, not standing on the sidelines, losing by default or neglect--conceding everything away on the open marketplace of ideas!

The Bible exhorts us to "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15, KJV).  Depend on the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to do it's convicting (cf. John 16:8ff)--we cannot do this, but only God can.  If we can't defend our faith we merely confirm unbelievers in their unbelief and miss an opportunity, of which we will give account for.   Jude 3 exhorts all believers to "earnestly contend for the faith," and this implies studying "to present oneself approved unto God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed... (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15, NASB)."

Sometimes a celebrity or public personage announces that he or she is a Christian and even that they are proud of it.  Jesus may get a bad rap if the person seems hypocritical and doesn't live up to his talk and there is no discrepancy.  He simply hasn't yet earned the right to speak up and should not make himself the spotlight or an issue.  One dubious politico recently said, "I'm proud to be a Christian" in the press; this came as a shock to many evangelical, conservative, and fundamental believers.  Too premature of a witness may jeopardize a testimony when one's character belies or contradicts what one says.  

No one deserves to be the incarnation of Christendom and the universal witness for Him as the representative of Christ on earth, or Head of the Church; we are mere ambassadors of Christ!    Finally, a word to the wise should be sufficient with this caveat:  We will be judged by our witness--the faith you have is the faith you show!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Being Heavenly Minded

 "...seek those things which are above..." (Col. 3:1).

First of all, there is no such animal--this is pure fiction and reveals more about the person accusing the so-called spiritual believer out of jealousy or rivalry--what is his motive for even saying this?  Secondly, by earthly I mean doing the world some good, like running for mayor or protesting for your rights in some way, not earning a living--bearing his burden.   We are to become as less involved in world affairs as possible and the married person simply is more involved in civilian problems.

D. L. Moody said that you can be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good!  Let me qualify this assertion:  Religiosity and going through the motions of faith are not being heavenly minded (i.e., saying the Rosary or the Lord's prayer repeatedly).  God commands us to pray without ceasing--that means to always be in an attitude of prayer and be in tune or fellowship with Him, listening as well as talking.  An example in the Bible of someone who was heavenly minded and accused of being no earthly good was Mary by her sister Martha.  Jesus said that she had chosen the better part and it shall not be taken away from her.  She was willing to pay the price to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to the Master teacher even if it cost something.

We don't want to relegate spiritual interests behind the temporal or mundane--but keep priorities and make time (you may not find the time) for Jesus in your hectic schedule (if Satan cannot make you bad, he'll make you busy).  When we are heavenly minded we are also spiritually productive, for example, we can stand in the gap for others and notice when they are in need.  Walking in the flesh is really being earthly minded, and whenever we are in the Spirit, we are heavenly minded and able to produce the fruit of the Spirit.

All parts of the body need each other and no member can say the other is unnecessary or should be like them to be acceptable.  Christ is the standard and the head or leader of the body.  There is a place for practical as well as so-called spiritual believers.  We are not to contend or quarrel with our Maker but realize our full potential in Christ as His servants.  We are rewarded according to our works and the faithfulness of our service regardless of the gift.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Problem Of Depression

Depression, according to Dr. Gene A. Getz, is when we dwell on the past, misinterpret the present, or anticipate the future all in a bad light.  It is caused by unhealthy thoughts in most cases, though it is possible not to know the reason:  Refer to Psalm 42 and 43 where the psalmist wonders just why he is so "downcast."   It is popularly defined as impression without expression equals depression.  Sometimes the blues are called the doldrums or being in the pits or in a funk.

The problem we have today is not that we have a new problem labeled "depression" which was somehow invented by the psychiatrists in this modern age to define a new phenomenon, but that we don't want to admit our problem or weakness and keep it all to ourselves until it is too late and we are victims.  Many veterans are committing suicide and they have learned to cope in the most trying of circumstances, but find civilian life unwelcome and unsettling and can't readjust or acclimatize back into the common society, which is another culture shock.  Job, Jonah, and Elijah all had death wishes and we have their records in Scripture to warn us or show us that it is not unusual or something God can't deal with or heal.

The problem with depression, is not that we get it, because most will at one time or another ("Song sung blue, everyone knows one"), but how we cope with it (we all have coping mechanisms that "work" for us, some are just self-destructive like binge eating)--what is the therapeutic thing to do and is this a helpful solution, or part of the problem?  If we go shopping, eat, sleep, gamble, drink, withdraw, or get into trouble every time we get depressed, it may become an ingrained habit and become part of our nature.  "Sow a thought, and reap an act; sow an act and reap a habit; sow a habit, and reap a character; sow a character, and reap a destiny.'  We are what our thoughts make us up to be:  "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).  It is important what we make out reality to be and our viewpoint, regarding reality and how we adjust to it.  We cannot live in a fantasy world but must be realistic.

Depression, to some, is a choice:  they choose to have a pity party and wallow in their self-pity, just not able to cope.  But in some cases, it is more of an inherited trait or personality trait, and not a flaw to be ashamed of, but something that can be helped.  We may not choose to be depressed, but we do choose how we react to it and how to cope.  Psychiatry today is focusing more on the positive thing to do and depending less on trying to figure out the reason for the depression.  Living a healthy lifestyle is the cure, not understanding ourselves.  The Greek axiom of Socrates, "Know thyself" may be valid for success, but we need to interact with others and get help if we are to overcome our depression--by the way, knowing the Lord is even more vital.  People who need people are the happiest people!  "I get by with a little help from my friends," sing The Beatles.  You'd be surprised at how much a good friend can get you out of your depression simply by talk therapy.  Things tend to work them out if we give them a chance.

Some people are known to have "bipolar disorder" and abnormally have highs and lows due to some inborn. inherited trait, but this per se is not wrong or a "sin" but how they deal with it and what happens when they are in their periods of depression or euphoria.  They may even frown upon someone feeling "too good" for their own good.   Creative people would often rather stay that way because they find creativity has a lot to do with their feelings. It is not good to rely on feelings but some people are more maudlin and sentimental; others are more stoical and less demonstrative in their feelings and don't even relate to their feminine side--they want to "be a man" or act like a man and be "tough."

We don't want to get out of touch with our emotions and harden our hearts, but God desires a tender heart that is in tune with Him and his feelings.  Great men in the Bible also were in touch with their feelings and were not ashamed. Sometimes all we need to do is to get it out in the open and express ourselves in the interaction with others by having and making friends--we don't want to end up loners who live in their own little world without any fellowship or interaction with people they are in touch within their circle of friends or sphere of influence.

Ted Turner says that "Christianity is for losers."  They say that it's a crutch!  Everyone has a crutch of some kind--no one is an island that needs no one.  We all need each other--only God is a rock.  The Buddhists say that we to face up to our own karma and we only get what we deserve--what goes around, comes around.

We all are meant to be a religious people that can only find fulfillment in God--a vacuum that only God can fulfill. Augustine said only God can meet our needs for this longing of the soul.  Men are said to be Homo religiosus or a religious being.  We will worship something, whether it is God or not doesn't matter, it will be something (fame, fortune, power) or someone (heroes, family, friends, lovers), but letting anything take God's place is idolatry and breaking the first commandment not to have any gods before our God in His rightful place.  When we learn to depend on Christ in our daily walk we have certainly matured and we all must learn that we are all part of the body of Christ and are in this together.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Authentic Worship

"Blessed are the people who know the festal shout [hear the call to worship, those who have learned to acclaim you]"  (Psalm 89:15).


"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name, worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness"  (Psalm 29:2).  This the key verse and theme of the Psalms.  The way to begin worship is by thanksgiving and praise, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise, give thanks to Him, praise His name" (Psalm 100:4).  We are to take worship seriously, because God is worthy and doesn't want our leftover time, talent, resources, money, efforts--He wants the first-fruits because that takes faith when we give God the priority of everything (e.g., people are not interruptions but opportunities, and we see God open doors for His will and good deeds). "Let the redeemed of the LORD, say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble"  (Psalm 107:2).

Here's are examples of OT worship:  "And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands.   And they bowed they heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground"  (Nehemiah 8:6).  "Worship was meant to be with the body as well as the spirit.  Also, Psalm 95:6 says:  "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!"

What we do for the Lord ought to be our best:  "A curse on him who is lax in the LORD'S work" (Jeremiah 48:10).   "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Col. 3:23).  Solomon says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might!

Man is called Homo religiosus (a religious man) and is made to worship God and, if not God will worship something in its place (idolatry).  Man is made for God and only happy in God.

Caveat:  "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain; their teaching [doctrines] are but rules taught by men" (Matthew 15:8-9).  Malachi warned the Jews about their lukewarm worship--they were frauds at worship.


Martin Luther was the first reformer to declare and teach that we worship God by our labor as well as in song or at church.  When we work we are fulfilling part of our "image and likeness" of God and doing God's will, no matter what our calling in life.  Our life is a "spiritual service of worship" (Rom. 12:1) and is "holy and pleasing to God."  Labor used to be looked upon as a curse only fit for slaves or the lower class while the privileged lived in luxury talking about the latest ideas or something to that effect.  With God labor and work have dignity and everyone can serve.  We don't only go to church to worship, we worship by our sacrificial lives--we go to work to worship too.  Our lives are living worship.  Real worship is when we "first give [ourselves] to the Lord" because what God really wants is US!

It is vain to just give your money to church, if you think that is all it takes to please God ("Here, God, is your money!  I hope you're happy!), if you don't belong to the Lord yourself!  The idea of New Testament giving is that is voluntary, not compulsory according to 2 Cor. 9:7 says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."   We should not give "grudgingly," but "excel in the grace of giving" because it is a matter of having faith to live in God's economy of it being more blessed to give than to receive--reaping what we sow, sparingly or abundantly, respectively.

"To obey is better than sacrifice, to hearken than the fat of rams..." (1 Sam. 15:22).  Saul had gone through the rituals and illegal routine of offering a sacrifice, thinking he was doing his bit to please God; when, in fact, he was only lukewarm, half-hearted or tepid in his service and devotion--no man in the Bible had more opportunity and blew it more than this first king of Israel.  Isaiah 1:13 says, "... I can not endure iniquity and solemn assembly."

David, on the other hand, said, "I will not offer to the LORD  that which cost me nothing"  (1 Chronicles 21:25). This is exactly the way of following the Lord:  we can accept our discipleship to cost us something (e.g., friends, jobs, homes, family, and even life)--what they say is that freedom is not free; well, our salvation cost Christ dearly and salvation is a free gift to us to accept by faith, but it may cost us something to live the Christian life and follow Jesus. Samuel told King Saul that obedience was paramount, not ritual, and to listen to God's voice, not going through the motions of religiosity--anyone can put up a front, but Jesus sees through the veneer!

Some people sing in church not really meaning what they sing, because they say, "I'm just singing." God takes our attitude seriously and wants us to worship in "Spirit and in truth" according to John 4:24.   We need not only be correct in our thinking and teaching but be filled with the Spirit and in right relationship with our brothers in Christ.

Jesus said that if you go to offer a sacrifice and remember that your brother has something against you, go and reconcile and then offer your sacrifice. Worship implies fellowship, not only with God but with our Christian family.  They go hand in hand and can be distinguished, but not separated!  [Just like I can distinguish your soul and body, but if I separate them you are dead.]  In sum, shun lip service as abhorrent to the LORD (cf. Jer. 12:2; Isa.. 29:13).    Soli Deo Gloria!