Man's Accountability

"...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"  (Gen. 18:25, NKJV).
"So then each of us shall give account of himself to God"  (Rom. 14:12, NKJV).
"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself"  (Romans 14:7, NKJV).
"... 'There is no accountability, since God does not exist'"  (Psalm 10:4, HCSB).

If there is no God, man is not accountable--there's no Judge, no Lawgiver, no Executioner of final retribution and justice. The government would be the highest law, and standards would differ from state to state, subject to local opinion or custom.   In short, man would be a law unto himself.  Is responsibility a delusion then?  If there is no God, all things are permissible, according to Dostoevsky!   If there is no Judge, why worry about justice or answering to anyone.  However, the whole system of Western government is based on the premise of natural or transcendent law from God given to man in his conscience, and, since we are in His image, we are mere stewards of God and accountable for His blessings and will be held to account at Judgment Day.

"Man has forgotten God," according to Solzhenitsyn, and the chief question and issue of our day, according to William Durant, is whether man "can live without God."  Nietzsche said that God was dead, that we had killed Him, or that He was irrelevant if He does exist!  To the unbeliever, God is in none of His thoughts, and even if there is a God, he lives as a practical atheist, or as though there is no God--this is the dilemma:  Are Christians going to see the light and be the light, or let society rot and fall apart at the very foundations?  The beauty of the church is the sense and reality of belonging to a family where we are concerned for each other and can share with each other our burdens, blessings, gifts, and talents. Man is not a law unto himself, however, so he can live with the morals of a beast if he chooses, even if he sees himself as one.  (The purpose of government is to put a lid on and restrain evil in society, securing and maintaining our freedoms and rights--note that God confers our rights, and the government derives its power from the consent of the governed, and its main purpose is to keep evil at bay.)

However, God is not dead, He's more alive than ever before and will not die; He is the one who is there and we must reckon with Him, whether we want to or not. If there is no God, there are no absolutes either, and no standard of right and wrong beyond our subjective feelings. Many great atheists have tried to kill God or make Him irrelevant, but God lives on in men's hearts, for Christ founded a kingdom of hearts, not armies or wealth.

Man is too proud, however, to seek God and justifies himself and his sin.  What does this worldview entail and what is the logical conclusion?  We always invent a system of ethics that we feel or believe we can keep, and that doesn't condemn ourselves.  If there is no God, man has no hell to shun, nor fear of a Day of Judgment, and there is no Lawgiver to tell us right from wrong--man is the highest being and we have no one to give an account of ourselves to.

In short, man is an animal and has the right to live like an animal morally.  (Man then cannot be in the image of God, since there is no God, and therefore has no unique, intrinsic nor extrinsic dignity, the image of God implies a lot:  not only dignity but meaning and purpose; we're wired spiritually and rationally; we are also emotional, communicative, and moral beings that are fulfilled and made complete in Christ (cf. Col. 2:10); however, we are not replicas of God--Jesus is the only express image or icon of God.)

Having no Lawgiver implies we can make up our own rules as we go along and there are no absolutes--no God means no absolutes, but all is relevant (principle, morals, truth, and values)!  Having no Judge means we can get away with murder without fearing retribution!   Caveat:  Christianity doesn't endorse "going rogue" or philosophy of "each man for himself" in a "law of the jungle," where it's "survival of the fittest"--we are all family in Christ and ought to have vested interest in each other.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Minding Your Own Business

As concerned believers we are to look out for each other, not just Number One, and that includes being interested in each other's affairs and business and/or family dealings.  We are to mind our own business, though, when appropriate and not to become busybodies, snooping into affairs where we are not welcome.  It is tempting to become aloof and not care about the everyday, mundane lives of our circle of friends and sphere of influence.  Peter says that no believer should suffer as a busybody in other's matters, where we are intruding and unwelcome--the key is to show interest, not being "nosey," or prying!  Some people are encouraged just to be assured that we care and this is a methodology to preach the gospel.  We walk the straight and narrow path to balance the two extremes of ignoring them and meddling.

Paul warns about people who don't work, but expect others to support them while they become busybodies (cf. 2 Thess. 3:11).  We are told expressly to mind our own business in 1 Thess. 4:11, NKJV, boldface mine, and I quote:  "... [A]spire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you." We must seek an open door and seize the day (carpe diem, in Latin) when we see opportunity knocking where we can lend a helping hand--for Christ has no hands to help with but ours!

Some believers are naturally charismatic and gifted to handle private matters and to extend mercy and help to those in need in the body.  The primary cause of intrusion into the matters of other believers is lack of productive lives, where one has too much free time or downtime; the saying goes:  "An idle hand is the devil's workshop."  Note that Ecclesiastes 9:10 says that whatever we "find to do," do it with "all our might," and we are not made for idleness, but for work to suit our image of God and find fulfillment and meaning.

In matters of others, we are to demonstrate the love of the brethren and how we can extend it to all in need within the body of believers. Some folks believe religion is a personal matter and one should privatize it and not interfere.  One reminder:  don't get personal, without permission, the go-ahead, or the green light you cannot guarantee the outcome or final result--the Holy Spirit has the job of wooing and prompting the person's interest to open the door.   As a final caveat:  Never pry into uncharted territory where you aren't welcome--build a relationship first and earn the right to get personal!  Soli Deo Gloria!  

Obedience As Faith In Action

"Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?  You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living"  (Rom. 6:16, NLT). 
"If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives.  All their years will be pleasant"  (Job 36:11, NLT)
"This is what I told them:  'Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well"  (Jer. 7:23, NLT).
"Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions.  Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion"  (Ex. 23:21, NLT).
"... All this will happen if you carefully obey what the LORD your God says" (Zech. 6:15).
"It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home..." (Heb. 11:8, NLT).
"The people said to Joshua, 'We will serve the LORD our God.  We will obey him alone'"  (Josh. 24:24, NLT).  

NOTE:  OBEDIENCE IS PARAMOUNT IN PLEASING GOD AND IS EQUATED WITH FAITH IN ACTION AS PROOF THAT THE FAITH IS GENUINE AND ALIVE.

The Holy Spirit is reserved uniquely and solely for the obedient believer (Acts 5:32, HCSB,   "...and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him") , and who has obeyed the gospel (2 Thess. 1:8 says expressly:  "in flaming fire bringing judgment on those who do not know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus").   Peter said that he must "obey God rather than any human authority"  (Acts 5:29, NLT).  He elaborated that "the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him" is manifested for all to see by their witness.  Samuel the prophet, scolded Saul, saying, "To obey is better than sacrifice" (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22).  Jesus calls us friends if we do what He commands (are obedient); i.e., love the brethren and believe in Him!  His yoke is easy, to follow on to know the Lord by seeking His will and living accordingly (Hosea 6:3, NLT, says:  "Oh, that we might know the LORD!  Let us press on to know him...").   Paul says in Romans 2:8 that the unbeliever is one who doesn't "obey the truth!"

Obedience and faith are correlated and juxtaposed in Hebrews as follows:  "And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest?  Wasn't it the people who disobeyed him?  So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest [there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God]"  (Heb. 3:18-19; John 3:36 NLT).  There is no such thing as cheap grace (also known as easy-believism) that justifies the sin, not the sinner (we all tend to justify our pet sins and easily besetting ones).  The only test of faith is obedience as Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously said, "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes!"

Some people measure their faith by their ecstasies or existential encounters or any kind of subjective feeling or experience; while the true measure of faith is obedience not feeling--many have feelings and don't follow through, or are just emotive or demonstrative, uninhibited types!   Remember that our salvation is only for the obedient, and this means submission to the lordship of Christ.  We must not only trust Him as our Savior but submit to Him as our personal Lord!  Hebrews 5:9 (NLT) says, "...[H]e became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him."

There is no such thing as a carnal Christian who is getting away with a life of sin or even living in it, a true believer cannot continue in sin, but is chastised of the Lord when discipline is called for (cf. Rev. 3:19).  Some believers learn by the school of hard knocks, the wise ones learn through the ministry of the Word, where they learn to attend to God's voice and hear the Spirit's message to them.  Not obeying is a sign of rebellion, and God despises rebels! Rejecting the lordship and ownership of Christ over your life is rebellion and God will not countenance it, but judge it.   Soli Deo Gloria!  

Natural Theology

"Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your understanding of these things.  Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind"  (1 Cor. 14:20, NLT).

Theology is called the queen of sciences and is not an abstract study nor a so-called "fool's errand of speculation", but down to earth, systematic, and relevant;  it is in the application that the power is apparent.  All Scripture has theological undertones and significance (Note 2 Tim. 3:16, KJV, emphasis added,  "All Scripture is given inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine...").  Childish faith balks at in-depth study, and thrives on the milk, without ever maturing to solid food! 

Charles Darwin attempted to become a preacher, before becoming embittered by the death of his father and was quite impressed with a book by William Paley, called Natural Theology.  In it, there is proof of God's existence, including the "argument from design."  For example, if you found a watch in the middle of a forest, you'd assume someone put it there, and even that someone made it and designed it, due to a design--voila--a Designer!  Now we've proved God's existence indirectly.  Men have no excuse for disbelieving in Him, there is ample evidence for anyone willing to do His will. Even Bertrand Russell, the most famous atheist of the UK and of the twentieth century probably, was asked if he found out there was a God, what he'd tell Him:  "Why didn't you give us more evidence?"  There is never enough evidence for the skeptic; note that Russell admitted that there was indeed evidence!

There is great inherent value in doctrine because it essentially means teaching; we are to disseminate sound doctrine according to Titus 2:1.  You can have a sound theology, though, and not a sound spiritual life; however, without sound theology, in its essential and non-negotiable aspects, you cannot have a sound Christian life.  It's not a matter of being good at theology or thinking that if you know some theology, you are better, and others are poor specimens of the faith.  We are all theologians by any definition of the term; it's not a matter of semantics--all Christendom should be on the same page here!

We need to know the scoop or the lowdown in order to live right.  Our actions and beliefs are interrelated and correlated.  Scripture says that in the latter days, some will bail out theologically, and no longer listen to sound teaching (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3).  Nonbelievers are defined as those who reject the truth in Romans 2:8, but God is able to open their eyes and show them the light when the day dawns and the morning star arises in their hearts (cf. 2 Pet. 1:19).  There is no "secret knowledge" like the Gnostics (those in the "know") taught, but everything God wants us to know and all we need is written in the Word. The things hidden are not in the Apocrypha ("hidden"), but they don't belong to us at all (cf. Deut. 29:29).

Theologians, or those who make theology their pursuit, are an unpopular breed.  They get a bad rap and this is with all due respect because there are so many false teachers out there.  We cannot reject theology, for that would be spiritual suicide in rejecting the knowledge of God--it's no option!  One of the signs of the last days is the rise of false prophets and/or teachers saying what the people want to hear with their itching ears.

There is also natural law (sometimes called transcendent law from God) that all men are aware of in their God-given conscience, and they have no excuse for not knowing basic right and wrong--it's not social custom nor inherited by genes, but granted by God's common grace to all men.  Paul says to look to creation and you will see that man has no excuse (Romans 1:20, NLT, says, "... So they have no excuse for not knowing God").  However, though there are many "proofs" for God, it cannot be done scientifically, for those who will only believe what science posits:  God is outside the domain of science, because He is unseen, immeasurable, and infinite, meaning you cannot define nor confine Him for experimental research with laboratory conditions.  God demands faith, and so the only absolute proof of God is by experience, knowing Him personally by invitation.  You cannot know without any reservation that there is a God, except that He came to earth and revealed Himself to us--Jesus is all the theology we need (i.e., knowing Him is where it's at).

Just because there is bad theology, doesn't mean we can avoid it or reject it.  There is also good theology and you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!  Bad theology needs to be answered.  We do have the option to reject biblical knowledge as believers, for this is ultimately rejecting God.  The wise are hungry for the truth  (cf. Prov. 15:14), and knowledge is found on their lips since they store it up.  We are commanded to "study to show yourself approved unto God," and this implies we are to become students of the Word and ready apologists for the Lord.  The elders and deacons are to have the ability to refute false doctrine and defend the faith (cf. Titus 1:9, NKJV, which says, "[Holding] fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict").  

And so, it's not "those theologians!" It's "what kind of theologian are you?"  Just like we are all preachers and Good Samaritans, even if it's not our gift, we are to study the Word systematically, if possible, and to learn to discern truth from error and discern the solid food of the Word, not surviving solely on the milk of the Word.  All theology was designed to be understood with the mind (we have the mind of Christ and illuminating ministry of the Spirit), and theology is said to enter the heart via the mind, not vice versa.

And in conclusion, doctrine or theology is necessary for healthy spiritual growth, but not sufficient:  the fact that our hearts be right is more important than what school of theology we subscribe to.  Our doctrine doesn't need to be impeccably correct, but our heart needs to be in the right place!  Scripture, however, does teach both the primacy of the heart and of the mind--God wants us to understand the Word!   The mere presentation of doctrine can leave a person cold and seem farfetched to the spiritually naive because it must be enlightened by the Spirit and done in the right way, not just as an intellectual exercise!   We are not called to make converts to our school of theology, and God won't even ask us what we held so dear doctrine-wise, but to be held accountable for our works, when the final audit of our life's work is done.  Soli Deo Gloria!

How Normal Are Miracles?

"The genuine realist, if he is an unbeliever, will always find strength and ability to disbelieve in the miraculous, and if he is confronted with a miracle as an irrefutable fact he would rather disbelieve his own senses than admit the fact.  Faith does not ... spring from miracle, but the miracle from faith."  (Fyodor Dostoevsky)
"For nothing is impossible with God"  (Luke 1:37, NLT, italics added). 
"Is anything too hard for the LORD?"  (Genesis 18:14, NLT).
"O Sovereign LORD!  You made the heavens and the earth by your strong hand and powerful arm.  Nothing is too hard for you!"  (Jer. 32:17, NLT).
"Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But with God everything is possible'"  (Matt. 19:26, NLT).  "He replied, 'What is impossible for people is possible with God'"  (Luke 18:27, NLT). 
"I did tell you, but you do not believe.  The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me"   (John 10:25, NIV). 
"Even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father"  (John 10:38, NIV).

If miracles happened on a regular basis ("God found me a parking spot, what a miracle!"  "I passed the test!"), we would call them "regulars" or "ordinaries!" By definition, God is over, above, and beyond natural law, of which He is the Author and Governor.  Part of the problematic issue is the definition of miracles per se.  Miracles are not the suspension of natural law, but the overruling of it by the One who made the "laws of the universe" (cf. Job 38:33) as we perceive them. When you catch an apple fallen from a tree, you do not suspend gravity, but overrule it by catching it!

All events are governed and caused by God, who is the Causa prima, or First Cause (Uncaused cause), known by the Greek philosophers.  We call unusual events caused by God miracles.  Note:  God, is the only Legislator, and made the laws of nature, and is able to suspend them or overrule them to His preference and will--Jesus wasn't bound nor limited by them.

But miracles are more common than you think:  Just looking in the mirror can reveal one!  The transformation of a convert's life is the biggest and most dynamic testimony to miracles ever!  Life is a walking miracle, since, by the law of biogenesis, life only comes from life, because the metabolic motor, DNA, only is replicated by existing DNA; this begs the question of where the original DNA came from (God!).  DNA couldn't have arisen by chance or luck, (it's far too complex with many proteins, the most complicated substance known to man) no matter how much time you think there was for anything to happen (according to scientists the Big Bang took place some 13.7 billion years ago--not enough time!).  Furthermore, when you consider the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine, ponder that He does it all the time when water nourishes a vine, and the grapes are made into wine!  Doesn't the cow turn water into milk?  All of nature turns food and water into excrement and waste matter.

Jesus never did miracles for show or on-demand, nor did He ever do a "biggie" miracle, and He did them before skeptics as well with only his inner circle and friends present--they were not helter-skelter, without rhyme, reason, or justification,  but had a purpose or need to deal with.   His enemies didn't deny that He did them, but became jealous of His influence.   His miracles vouched for His claims and bore witness of the truth; His life not belying His testimony and witness either, which were substantiated in manifold manners.

None of the miracles were fantastic or for personal prestige, selfish gain, or even monetary gain.  They all served to glorify God and to be signs of His deity--most were done out of sympathy.  He proved He had all authority over disease, nature, death, demons, maladies, and disabilities.  He performed such a variety of miracles to demonstrate His powers that you must rule out deceit, and we are exhorted to believe "on the evidence of the miracles themselves" (cf. John 14:11, NIV).

The trouble with miracles is that it evokes skepticism and antagonism in some--faith in others is increased.  They are meant to nourish the weak in faith, but not to convince the skeptic or one who doesn't want to believe:  John 12:37 says that, though He had performed many miracles, they would not believe in Him (not could not).  It's sure interesting that His enemies and the Pharisees, in particular, didn't doubt that He performed signs or miracles, but said that, if they left Him alone, the whole world would follow and go after Him, according to John 11:48 (and leave them--their real fear!).

This is the thing with miracles:  If you remove them like Thomas Jefferson did in his personal Bible, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, you disembowel Christianity and neutralize the faith; other faiths can delete their miracles and their religion remains intact. If we were to remove them, Christ would've been merely a footnote in history and of only passing interest as an itinerant teacher.  His miracles were not for show, nor to impress, but to make a point.  The gospels record some 37 miracles (tally depends on what you call a miracle), but He did countless miracles in reality, not just the ones recorded, and the world couldn't contain the books that would be written.

Modern Science cannot forbid miracles, they are outside its turf and domain (history is nonrepeatable nor observable). David Hume described miracles as violations of natural law:  This is is a deification of the laws of nature, and the laws are merely descriptions of the ordinary course of events.  If there were no laws of nature, nothing would be predictable and we couldn't study nature.   We shouldn't seek miracles (unusual events caused by God), because they only give the appetite for more miracles!  We should praise the Lord for the ones we do witness on a daily basis!

People claim to have a problem with a certain miracle, such as the virgin birth, but their problem is with the whole concept of the supernatural and miracles in general; the issue is settled by philosophy and history and theology, not science--it ultimately rests on the veracity of the witnesses, and the reliability and credibility of the historical records.  Secularists, who premise their faith denying the supernatural, are ruling God out of the equation, upon denial of miracles, which happen by virtue of their being a supernatural God--a fact they willingly and knowingly suppress.

In the final analysis, as Dostoevsky said above, miracles come from faith, not faith from miracles!  Life is a miracle and the sunrise is one too, except that you experience it so often you don't consider the complexity and wonder involved.  Believers see miracles everywhere, skeptics see none due to the hardness of their hearts.  Everyday wonders are no fewer miracles and we ought not to take them for granted and lose our sense of awe with the miracles of nature; even the firmament shows His handiwork per Psalm 19.   Let me sum it up with a quote from songwriter William Cowper:  "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform!"  (Therefore, Matt. 9:29, NIV, says:  "...According to your faith let it be done to you.")   Soli Deo Gloria!  

You Meant It For Evil

Joseph told his brothers that God meant their evil deeds for the overall good in Gen. 50:20.  Yes, God manipulates evil for the greater good of man and glory of God.  Why?  There's so much evil to work with, why not? God turns the wrath of man into praise per Psalm 76:10!  You may ask, "Why does God permit evil?" Friday wondered the same question in Robinson Crusoe:  If God were to wipe it out right now, who would be left that isn't besmirched or tainted with evil through and through?  God directs events, but some He only permits or allows to happen indirectly--but God is still in charge.

God is holy and cannot bear the sight of evil nor allow it in His presence; He cannot countenance any sin or iniquity (cf. Hab. 1:13).  Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil (cf. Isaiah 5:20).  God has a purpose for everything, even the wicked for the day of evil (cf. Prov. 16:4).  God will ultimately judge it and bring everyone to account for their deeds, whether good or evil (cf. Eccl. 12:14).   Point in fact:  God already did something about evil; He made you!

God is not the author of evil, but if good didn't exist, there would be no evil--it's not an independent force a la yin yang--and it only exists as a parasite on good, because it's a perversion and distortion of good (note:  it's not the opposite of good and couldn't exist but for there being good to counterfeit without God), and we wouldn't know what good was without there being evil; would a fish know what dry air is like?  We have tasted of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and innocent children are unaware of it until the age of accountability (cf. Deut. 1:39; Isa. 7:16). If God were good, but not just and almighty, evil would be able to take over and corrupt all, but God restrains it and will judge it; justice delayed is not justice denied.  If there were no hell, God would be neither good nor just nor almighty.  We live in the day of grace and the Day of the Lord and of Judgment will eventually come to pass.   The mature believer discerns good and evil and is able to avoid evil and even hates it (cf. Heb. 5:14).  The fear of God is, therefore, to hate evil according to Proverb 8:13.

The whole point of allowing evil is to bring glory to God in the end result:  evil makes good shine all the brighter; during a disaster, Good Samaritans show forth the love of Christ in relief efforts.  You may ask, "Where was God when 9/11 happened?"  I say, "Where wasn't He?"  Some people see evil and say "Why?" while others see the good and say, "Why not?"  God is everywhere, this is known as ubiquity or omnipresence.  God is both transcendent or separate and removed from creation, but also immanent or close by, in that He is fully everywhere, and not partially anywhere.  God created the time/space continuum and can use it and isn't defined nor confined by it.  God is, therefore, able to guide by providence whatsoever takes place--every event and every creature's activity under the sun.

We don't blame God for evil, because man willingly does it, and not by compulsion.  Evil originated with Satan's pride and fall from heaven, and our evil had its origin in the original sin of Adam, which is imputed to our account and we are born into: we are sinners by nature, by choice, by birth, in fact, we have our solidarity in Adam with no more inclination to good, but we are not compelled nor impelled to sin, but inclined and predisposed to evil or sin, but we are not inclined to good, which was lost in the fall.

In the end, God doesn't owe man an explanation (He's too kind to be cruel, too wise to make a mistake, and too deep to explain Himself); we owe God an explanation!  God does as He pleases in all creation (cf. Psalm 135:6).  "But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind?  Whatever He wants to do, he does"  (Job 23:13, NLT).  No one can ask Him what He's doing and why (cf. Daniel 4:35; Job 9:32).  God says, "...Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish"  (Isaiah 46:10, NLT).

God rules He doesn't just reign like the do-nothing monarch of the UK.  "He rules over the nations, and dominion belongs to the LORD (cf. Psalm 22:28).  God is able to turn the heart of the king like water of a river (cf. Prov. 21:1).  Man can make his plots, but the Lord overrules and frustrates the evil of the nations:  "The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes"  (Ps. 33:10, NLT).

Indeed, note that "We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps"  (Prov. 16:9, NLT).  Man doesn't "get away" with evil, but will be held accountable at Judgment Day and he will reap his recompense.  Job was a man of integrity who shunned evil:  "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding"  (Job 28:28, NKJV).  Man ponders as to why bad things happen to good people without wondering why good things happen to bad people!

In sum, we must claim the promise of Romans 8:28, KJV, that says, "And we know that all things work together for good [turning proximate evil into long-term blessings] to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose."   Soli Deo Gloria! 

Getting Your Thinking Straightened Out

"Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established"  (Prov. 16:3, KJV).
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ [not a juxtaposition of thinking and obedience] (2 Cor 10:5, KJV).  
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee"  (Isaiah 26:3, KJV). 
"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind"  (Eph. 4:23, KJV).  
"...But we have the mind of Christ"   (1 Cor. 2:16, KJV).
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually"  (Gen. 6:5, KJV).
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think..."  (Romans 12:2, NLT).  
"In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge"  (Colossians 2:3, NIV). 

|"The only system of thought that Christ will fit into, is the one where He is the starting point."  (Athanasius, Father of Orthodoxy)


Jesus is the One who searches out the thoughts and intentions of our minds (cf. Rev. 2:23, NLT), and only by letting the Spirit control our minds leads to peace (cf. Rom. 8:6b, NLT).  We are to let the Spirit renew our minds (cf. Eph. 4:23, NLT), because of the foolish base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, which is GIGO (cf. Eccl. 10:3a, NLT).  But we have the mind of Christ per 1 Cor. 2:16, and we have the power to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10, NLT).  The believer's mind is not of confusion, for God is a God of order and not of confusion (cf. 1 Cor. 14: 33). If we demonstrate the mind of Christ the seeker will see that God is among us.

The Word has enlightened our minds and shown us the light, giving us wisdom in the eyes of our hearts (cf. Psalm 119:18; 1 Cor. 2:12-14).  We must strive to have all our thoughts fixed on Jesus (cf. Heb. 12:2), and when our minds have stayed on Him we have peace (cf. Isa. 26:3).  Our thoughts shall be established if our plans are of the Lord (cf. Prov. 16:3, KJV).  We must, nevertheless, "keep [our] heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life" (cf. Prov. 4:23). We, therefore, strive to have the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths [and thoughts of our minds] to be pleasing to God (cf. Psalm 19:14).

We must not lean unto our own understanding of things and events, but wholly lean on Christ to show the way and make us know His will (cf. Prov. 3:5). For we walk by faith, not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7).  We are in a constant battle to fight the onslaught of satanic thinking and we must know the word and power of God to fight with our weapon of choice, the Word of God (cf. 2 Cor. 10:4-5; Eph. 6:17).

Why worry about our minds?  We are to love God with all our minds too according to Matt. 22;37 and Mark 12:30.  It is important to be enlightened and know the scoop because zeal without knowledge is no good and vain (cf. Prov. 19:2).  The wise feed on truth, while the fool feeds on folly [trash]"  (cf. Proverbs 15:14).  God seeks to change the way we think by renewing our minds in His image (cf. Romans 12:2).

The conclusion of the matter at hand is that Satan plays mind games and is a deceiver that controls and influences our minds with corrupt worldviews that influence every academic discipline and facet of our lives:  from ethics to politics, to psychology, to history, and even philosophy and theology! We must be prepared to meet the challenge and call him out on his stratagems, not being ignorant of his schemes and tools to advance them (cf. 2 Cor. 1:11).  The only offense is the pattern taught in the Word, to learn to think the thoughts of God after Him, and interpret the world (cf. 1 Chronicles 12:32) according to His divine viewpoint.  To sum up, let me quote Prov. 27:19 (NLT):  "As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person." Soli Deo Gloria!

Why Read Scripture?

"The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue"  (2 Sam. 23:2, 
NLT).

"Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'I have put my words in your mouth'"  (Jeremiah 1:9, NIV).

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please'" (Isaiah 46:10, NIV).

"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21, NIV).  

 "The  LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word"  (1 Sam. 3:21, NIV).  

"[Till] what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true" (Psalm 105:19, NIV). 

"... Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses"  (1 Kings 8:56, NIV).


There are a few books that people refer to, and even quote, but have not even read cover to cover:  Das Kapital by Marx; The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels; On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life, by Darwin; The Muslim Qu'ran, the Book of Mormon, Mein Kampf  by Hitler, and surprisingly, even the Bible!  Most people who don't believe the Bible have never read it, and if they have read some of it, they don't even know its main message or theme, which they don't understand, nor can they articulate.

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time and its authenticity is vouched for by more sources than any secular history of antiquity; in fact the resurrection is arguably, according to D. James Kennedy, the best-attested fact of the ancient world or antiquity, and more variously proved than any other of the time--Luke says there are "many infallible proofs" for it in Acts 1:3.  More than 150 million copies are printed each year and it has been attacked ever since the first century by foes who have even tried to wipe it out, but it has miraculously survived.

A point in fact: There is an abundant reason to check it out and see why so many are devoted to it.  It is the English language at its best, and the best of literature the world has ever known.  As a contrast to other so-called holy books, the Bible is the only one based on and in history and it's historicity has never been contravened.  The Bible has impeccable credentials, unlike any secular work, and there is abundant evidence for anyone willing to investigate--no one can disbelieve due to lack of evidence!   In fact, Gen. Lew Wallace intended to disprove it and ending up writing Ben Hur:  A Tale of the Christ, after coming to faith in Christ!  One famed Archaeologist, Sir William Ramsay, an atheist, and from Oxford University, set out to disprove the book of Acts and found himself declaring himself a believer instead!  Dr. Simon Greenleaf, a famed expert on law and evidence from Harvard, was a skeptic, who examined the evidence for the resurrection, and ended up writing The Testimony of the Evangelists in favor of Christianity instead!


They may say they don't believe it but have no legitimate or rational justification for their faith.  You don't have to prove the Bible, it can prove and defend itself:  if they ask you to do it, just say, "No, you prove it--all you have to do is read it sincerely with an open mind!"  If the Bible depended upon outside attestation, it would be no greater than the source of proof--Scripture relies on internal evidence!  Because it's self-attesting and self-authenticated!  If someone were able to prove it, the Bible would be no greater than their mind.  It assumes you believe it's the Word of God and is the only scripture claiming any authority that gives ample evidence from history and fulfilled prophecy.  No other of the twenty-six scriptures or holy books have any prophecy, except the Bible (not just a few lucky guesses, but over 2,000 fulfilled predictive prophecies), because only God can foretell the future.  The point is that you don't have to believe the Bible to become saved, but you will after salvation if the salvation is genuine.  Believing the Bible is the Word of God doesn't save!

They may say that you shouldn't take it literally, but Christians aren't literalists, in that they believe everything literally, even obviously figurative parts and figures of speech--to be saved one must simply place unqualified faith in Christ as Lord with the ownership of your soul and life, trusting in Him categorically.  Much more, it was written during the time of the events by eyewitnesses:  "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty"  (2 Pet. 1:16, NIV).  In contrast, Buddhist literature was compiled 200 years after the fact!

The Bible feeds you, then makes you hungry, quenches your thirst, then makes you thirsty for more--you can never read it enough, because it's not the kind of book you read once and put aside back on your shelf, but devote your entire life to knowing and being familiar with, because God speaks to us in it.  As we read the Bible, it reads us, they say and this is true because it alone discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart and is able to penetrate the soul and spirit of man (cf. Heb. 4:12).  The Bible tells it like it is, both the revelation of God, the revelation of the nature of man, with no whitewashing or cover-ups, and even the revelation of our enemy and dilemma.  Paul tells Timothy to give himself wholly to the Scriptures in 1 Tim. 4:15 and this applies to all of us who name the name of Christ, not just the clergy.  The Bible is our lifeblood and food that satisfies.  The fool feeds on trash, according to Proverbs 15:14, while the wise feed on the Truth (Jesus called Scripture Truth in John 17:17).


The Bible has never been proven wrong historically, archaeologically, scientifically, morally, or even psychologically.  For example, over 25,000 digs have only verified the historicity of Scripture; though not a science textbook, it has no scientific absurdities nor inaccuracies (it referred to the laws of the universe that science is based on before science realized there were any--Job 38:33); the Bible mentions all 52 virtues (the Virtues Project lists these as traits respected in seven world traditions, but no other faith has them all), and though there are competing theories of psychology, Christianity is better psychology than psychology!  The Bible doesn't gloss over man's sin but is also the greatest source of wisdom known to man and doesn't need to be rewritten, but reread.

Unfortunately, when a secular historian makes a claim and the Bible doesn't agree, scholars agree with the secular historian first; however, legally, the burden of proof is on the skeptic to disprove the validity and historicity of the Bible, not vice versa.  Quoting D. James Kennedy:  Dr. William Albright says, "There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of the Old Testament tradition";  and Nelson Glueck has stated, "It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference."  Many archaeologists have tried to disprove the Bible and have failed, becoming believers instead--indeed Christ was right:  "the stones cry out" (cf. Luke 19:40)!  Lawyers have examined the evidence for the resurrection and have become believers.

Skeptics doubt the authenticity, reliability, integrity, fidelity, and veracity of Scripture, but the legal burden of proof is always on the one making the challenge to disprove the given claim. The skeptics mainly have blind faith, for they cannot prove their claims or don't even know why they don't believe, they just don't want to believe it and their doubts are irrational.  The point is that if the Bible has never been proven to be erroneous, why not trust it in spiritual matters too?

We don't just read the Bible to be wise, the power is in putting it into practice:  believe it to be saved; practice it to be holy, and apply it to be successful and fulfilled!  We don't just want to be experts or scholars in the Word without any real relationship with God coming from an application.  The Bible wasn't written to expand our knowledge about Scripture or about God, but to save us, increase our faith, and give us the knowledge of the Lord, as the byproduct as He speaks to us in His revealed Word.  It is one thing to know Scripture, and quite another to know the Author!

It has been said that it's an elixir for low spirits, balm for sore hearts, immunization for bad habits, a pick-me-up for dreary days, a stimulant for positive nerves, and a booster for high spirits.  There is no mood not duly represented in the Bible, even depression and discouragement and despair.  You can take every problem to the Bible and find solace and comfort. If you could only have one book to read, it would meet your every need--bring every question and problem to it for solving!  Just like G. K. Chesterton said, "We have found all the questions, now let's find the answers!"  (They're in the Bible!)   If you don't know the answer, get to know the Answerer!  All that God has revealed and that we need to know is written in the Word. We don't read it for purely academic reasons, to increase knowledge, but to change our lives!   In sum, the best habit you can learn is to develop a taste for Bible reading--discover it for yourself; don't just take someone's word for it!  Soli Deo Gloria!  

Secrets To A Convicting Testimony

"Has the LORD redeemed you?  Then speak out!  Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies"  (Psalm 107:2, NLT).
"Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story--those he redeemed from the hand of the foe"  (ibid., NIV).   
"Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble"  (ibid., ESV). 
 "You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves.  We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake"  (2 Cor. 4:5, NLT).   
"Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me" (Ps. 66:16, NLT).
DISCLAIMER:  THIS POST DOES NOT MEAN I CLAIM TO BE THE EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT.  IT WAS PROMPTED MAINLY BY MY OWN EXPERIENCES AND LEARNING CURVE THROUGH THROUGHOUT MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY'S SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS AND HEARING OTHERS.   I HOPE SOME OF THE WISDOM MAY COME IN HANDY AND CAN BE PASSED ON.

Giving one's conversion testimony can be done in the wrong way, even if you're sincere.  We are to take our testimony as serious business and even get counsel or advice on what to share, or as to what's relevant or works.  Sometimes our life is a testimony in itself and our actions speak louder than words:  One cowboy was asked why he didn't hitch his horse at the saloon anymore, but at the chapel; he replied simply that he heard the gospel and decided to change hitching posts--sometimes a short dramatic explanation of our metamorphosis is all that's necessary, just like the healed blind man in John 9:25, NIV, saying, "One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see."

A testimony is a first-hand, personalized account of your experience in the Lord--what happened, not just what formula you followed or plan of salvation you used.  You cannot refute such a personal claim.  It is vital to relate how your life changed and what is so different now if there is conversion (conversion means a change took place--the whole point in salvation:  a changed and exchanged life!).

We are all called to do the work of an evangelist and "preach the Word in season, and out of season" (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2).  We cannot expect them to always take our word for it but should rely on the convicting power of the Word, that will not come back void and will accomplish God's purpose (cf. Jer. 1:12, Isa. 55:11).  It is the Word that God promises to use as imperishable seeds implanted. We should address the situation at hand, give relevant info, and then make a beeline for the gospel, as this is the big opportunity and chance with an open door if we have gained their ear.  Background info is vital to help the inquirer relate to us and our situation, just as Paul always gave his personal history.

We all have a unique story to tell and the Bible says in Psalm 107:2, NIV: "Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story...."  Share with them how you came to see the light!  Just saying you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and became a Christian is simplistic, a cliche, or even hackneyed, if not in context. and if you don't elaborate or expound.  What do you mean by that?  Not everyone understands the jargon of Christianity and will understand you--the purpose is to reach the lost who don't know the lingo, not the saved who do.

Usually, testimonies are going one-on-one and can be made to suit, tailor, or fit the person we're witnessing to--you should know your audience or recipients!  No testimony should ever be negligent to make mention of an open invitation to accept Christ, as the Holy Spirit is opening the door we take advantage of it--many a believer has to learn by lost opportunity and trial and error.  The purpose of a testimony is to show others how to get saved, not just announce that you're a Christian.

We must remember that we cannot argue people into the kingdom nor rationalize God because the Holy Spirit has to do a work on their hearts first of preparation; i.e., we talk to God about people, before we talk to people about God and ask Him to open the door that only He can do.  The key to witnessing is laid out in Romans 1:14-16 as being a debtor to God, being eager and ready to share, and not being ashamed.  We must remember that only we can tell our story--everyone has a unique testimony and can reach a certain segment with it.  We have our marching orders directly from God to preach the gospel, known as the Great Commission, and the church is meant to facilitate and equip us for this challenge and mission.  We are all ministers of reconciliation appointed the task of preaching the good news about Jesus (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18).

One caveat is not to come on too strong or to force the issue, but be tactful and sensitive to where they are spiritual--let God work on them and woo.  He alone tugs at the heart and opens it to grant the gift of faith. The keys to a complete testimony are to explain one's life before salvation and then how you came to faith in Jesus, and finally the results of conversion and what your present experience is now.  Sometimes one can make use of evangelistic tools or anything that will bring up the subject in a roundabout manner, such as sharing a blog post or even making an indirect approach by mentioning one of the sound barriers (the mention of God, Christ, sin, etc.) and fishing for an opening.

But the Lord's servant must never quarrel (cf. 2 Tim. 2:23f).  And bear in mind that neither he who plants, nor he who waters is anything, but God who gives the increase (cf. 1 Cor. 3:7).  One also plants seeds or sows and another reaps!  We don't rely on the wisdom of man or of our own brilliance or craftiness, but on the power of the Word to prepare the heart and make it wise unto salvation.

To be effective, we should heed Paul's obedience to the gospel:  "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received..."  (1 Cor. 15:3a, ESV). We don't want to just demonstrate that we can talk the talk and speak the language, but we want to bring conviction.   Paul was obedient to the heavenly calling as our exemplar and role model.   In short, a testimony is this:  What's the gospel according to you?  Soli Deo Gloria!  

The Telltale Sign Of Christianity

Since Christ so loved us, so we ought also to love the brethren (cf. 1 John 4:11) with that same kind of love--unconditional agape love.  The love of God has shed abroad in our hearts (cf. Rom. 5:5) and constrains us to model Christ's love to the world (cf. 2 Cor. 5:14).  No matter what good deed you do, if you have not love, it is useless (cf. 1 Cor. 13).   This means we must not privatize our faith nor become spiritual Lone Rangers nor lone wolves, thinking we can worship and serve in a solitary manner or in the cornfield--and this will please God.

There are many so-called "each other" passages that command us to build relationships with each other as members of the same body.  For example, just as Christ accepted us, we ought also to accept one another (cf. Rom. 15:18).  This means putting aside personal opinions and prejudices and to keep the main thing the main thing.  Jesus did indeed say that they will know us by our love (cf. John 13:35), not our opinions.  We must prefer one another and honor one another, or give each their due respect as brothers in Christ--no one for whom Christ died is unworthy of our love.

It is a sure sign of love to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn--showing empathy as Romans 12:15 commands.  Do we put up with each other's faults and idiosyncrasies, or do they bug us?  We don't have to respect all differences of opinion on the same level, but the person having that right to disagree, as long as he isn't being disagreeable.  We are never to be contentious, divisive, argumentative, nor judgmental either.

When you love someone you are willing to submit to them out of reverence to Christ:  Christ was subordinate to the Father, and wives ought to be to their husbands.  This means we don't play God and lord it over or domineer fellow believers or the church.  Greatness is not how many people serve you, but how many you serve, according to Rick Warren!  The only truly happy believers are those who've learned to serve one another, according to Albert Schweitzer.  

There are many "each other" commands like being loyal, faithful, harmonious, respectful, accountable, and devoted.  We are to pray for one another, admonish one another, submit to one another, forgive one another, teach one another, encourage one another, and serve one another! All the commands are basically a manifestation of brotherly love.  Patience is one of the main manifestations of love and is the fruit of the Spirit--this is one of the most useful of virtues!

You cannot be your own church (Jesus promised that, where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is in their midst in Matt. 18:20, because there is only one Rock (cf. 1 Cor. 10:4) and that is Jesus, we are not islands either, but we need each other no matter what our gift or gifts.  No believer can survive in isolation or disconnected from the body.  Jesus has no hands to help but ours, no voice to spread the Word but ours, no heart to love others through but ours, and no mind to share God's Word with but ours.  We are indeed members one of another and our gift is not solely for our personal benefit, but that of the church body.  The hand cannot say to the eye that it is not needed, and so we all need each other and can benefit each other.   We must recognize our need, not only for Christ but for the body!

We fulfill the law of Christ by bearing each other's burdens. John says in 1 John 4:12, NLT, that "if we love each other God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."  Galatians 5:6, NIV, says, "the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."  We are to meet the spiritual and sometimes the physical needs of the body per Gal. 6:2, NLT, says to share our burdens, but carry our own load but Gal. 6:3, NLT, says:  "If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself.  You are not that important."

The church is more than an institution; Christ was an anti-establishment figure himself and upset the apple cart and threatened the turf of the Pharisees.  The church is meant to give us the conviction of believing, belonging, and becoming all God meant us to be.  It is not a club, for God demands commitment, service, and devotion.  Remember, it's a place for real people, not ideal people, and no perfect people need to apply!  It's not a hotel for saints, but a hospital for sinners!  We are to have a ministry to our fellow believers as well as a mission to the world of unbelievers, which can be realized in the church.  

The church is supposed to be an organism, not an organization (it is alive and active, not static or dead), and it's a family (members are actually closer to you than blood relatives if they're unsaved), and the church is the body of Christ through which the gifts of the Spirit are manifested and put into operation, the church is a place of corporate worship and fellowship, as well as a place to organize and mobilize the church to fulfill the Great Commission--getting the Word out.

We all need a sense of belonging and church is meant to fulfill that need so we don't seek it in worldly clubs or social groups to meet our needs, finally, the church is a place of growth and accountability (for discipleship) and where we hold each other accountable, so that we don't slip away from fellowship, but keeping in touch with God.  It's like getting a weekly spiritual checkup or getting a chance to give our self an exam or analysis--how can an isolated believer do this?  We don't literally compare ourselves with each other (cf. 2 Cor. 10:12; Gal. 6:4), but learn to interact with our gift in the body and become interdependent, since we are designed and built for harmony and unity per Eph. 4:3 (not uniformity) in the body as the expression of God's love to the world.

The conclusion of the matter is that they will know we are Christians by our love (just like the song goes!), not our vehicle, home, job, hobby, career, calling, stock portfolio or 401(k), personality type, talent, asset, power, riches, fame, celebrity--or any type of prosperity or success, such as achieving the American dream!  Soli Deo Gloria!