What About Hell? Well, What About It?

"... Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Gen. 18:25, ESV).
"For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men" (Lam. 3:33, KJV). 

NB:  JUSTICE DELAYED IS NOT JUSTICE DENIED!  

I heard an anecdote of a child asking the parent what the word heck was, and was told that it was where you go when you don't believe in Gosh!  Many people feel so uncomfortable about hell that they avoid the subject and it isn't even part of their vocabulary. In fact, this is the doctrine that probably gives Christianity a bad rap and people become antagonistic.  The word is often avoided in polite company and euphemisms are used, just as for death itself.  We're all guilty of not taking it seriously, even trivializing it or correcting someone's diction, even when offended.  We don't want to admit publically it exists because people object--a way of showing tact and sensitivity.  But the truth can be offensive.  Even the heathen will bid someone go there when they want to curse them, take revenge, or get even.  Sometimes it seems that at some time everyone wishes there was a hell, even if they don't believe in God--just for a place for their enemies to go. You may even hear an atheist tell you to go there when angry!

Now, God is also uncomfortable about hell; yes, He created it for the devil and his fallen angels and it's the "other place" where people realize who they wanted to be for eternity apart from God; however, God had no choice (what's He to do?) because He is holy and just and cannot tolerate evil but must judge it.  If He overlooked it without retribution, He wouldn't be just!  There is no other place to go as an alternative final abode; either one is with God or separated for Him forever--no middle ground of neutrality or no-man's land. 

The punishment and this is not a place to learn a lesson or to be reformed like a prison, but a place of comeuppance--being dealt their due desserts.  But God is just and people are not punished beyond what strict justice mandates and the more one knew to do right, the more accountable they are, that of whom much is given, much is required also.  There is final equity in hell for the just punishment of the lost or condemned. People in hell will not be able to repent, it's not a place of people changing their minds concerning their lives and lack of faith in God, for they will still insist that they are right and God wrong and accuse Him, instead of owning up to their own failings and evils.  You would think people would realize their failures, but they will not and only be hardened and committed in their animosity toward God. Repentance is the gift of God and a matter of grace, but there's no grace in hell; as it says in Dante's Inferno, "All ye who enter here abandon all hope!"

If we eliminate hell from our doctrine, Christianity would be a lot more palatable to the infidel and some even think that that is the weakness of the faith--this teaching. They may want to be apologetic for God, protecting His reputation, but hell is real whether we preach it or not; Jesus mentioned it twice as much as heaven and the same word for everlasting was used to describe it--it's not annihilation or the grave as cults lead one to believe.  Hell is a necessary doctrine because it must be  If God is just and didn't punish sin it would mean He has weakness or is nonchalant or not holy.  But God is almighty and holy and can do something about what offends Him.  Sin isn't just something that God can overlook like we can, because God is allergic to sin and good and evil are antithetical to God and they cannot co-exist.

The torture of hell might be that this is the place where there are no rules and people get what they always wanted, but the real hell of it is that God isn't' there and they will realize that God's presence is what gives us joy in life and the ability to live life to the fullest.  Just like it wasn't good for man to be alone and that's why God created Eve, hell could be a place of ultimate solitariness where one must contemplate forever what he did and have no one to blame but himself.  They will have to live with their depraved self without any redeeming value or blessings.  It's like having everything to live on and nothing to live for; in that case, even rich people are bored and find no purpose in life until they find true meaning in God.

Thus hell is the eternal monument to man's dignity where ultimate justice is meted out accordingly and in due measure, no more nor any less than required.  It's a salute to man's so-called free will and the choices he made and that all choices have ultimate consequences!  Time to pay the piper!  Time for the recompense of the wicked getting what they deserve.  If there was no hell we would lose an important anchor in preaching and society to the reality of sin's judgment.

We don't repent to get so-called fire insurance or a ticket out of hell, but we must realize there are consequences to our choices and decisions which God will judge.  Christians shall not come into judgment (cf. John 5:24; Rom. 8:1), but the wicked will be judged (cf. Rom. 2:6; Heb. 9:27) according to their works and the books opened to show that they fall short of the perfect requirements for heaven's entree in spite of their do-goodism.   Soli Deo Gloria!

The Naked Ape...

"There is something about the way God is that is like the way we are." (Moreland and Rae, Body & Soul, 158). 

There was a popular '60s book entitled, The Naked Ape, about the similarities of man to the beast. He just looks at how we're alike without recognizing the vast contrast:  viva la difference!   "Where is the one who makes us smarter than the animals..." (Job 18:3, NLT). "Do you think we are mere animals?  Do you think we are stupid?" (Job 18:3, NLT).  People are brainwashed with the Big Lie that we are animals, and thus can do or live according to our own morals and mores or ethics.  Consequently, believing we are animals, is it any wonder we act like them (rampant immorality, and always new inventions of sin)?   They say that "people of faith have a psychological need to believe, but they have behavioral and psychological needs not to believe--it might upset their lifestyle!

But man is distinct from the beast:  he's programmed or hard-wired to be like God in image and likeness in order to relate to God and fellowship and worship Him.  We were not made to be complete in our relationships with the beasts--Adam found no suitable helpmate before Eve.  God made man to be in communion with Him and to glorify Him while enjoying the ride!  We are "naked" in the sense that we are self-conscious, not that we evolved into wearing clothes because we had no fur coat to keep warm!  Chihuahuas have less hair and no desire to wear clothes.  Why is it that it was after Adam and Eve ate of the proverbial apple that they put on aprons of fig leaves?  They became self-conscious and knew good and evil for starters. Why is it that young children are unaware of their nakedness? They are innocent!  Man is a sinner and is the only creature that is--animals aren't accountable for their deeds! '

Man is hard-wired for many things since he's in God's image:

To worship God (if he doesn't he'll find something or someone to worship, even if it's himself!); to work (man fulfills himself in his labors and makes himself in God's image); to communicate and relate to others (animals communicate but don't argue, or communicate about the communication; only man can know God in the sense of having the mind to fathom, the heart to love, the will to obey)--note that God is abstract and animals are incapable of this type of reasoning; to be rational with a sense to reason with (you cannot reason with beasts!); to know right and wrong, good and evil (we alone have a conscience to feel guilt!); man is not a creature of instinct like the beast because we can control our passions and channel them to what's responsible (beasts are merely animals in heat avoiding pain and discomfort and seeking pleasure and are mainly sex, shelter, and food-driven); we're creative and want to accomplish tasks; while we're also self-critical; we can plan and forecast the future within reason;  we have a learning curve that passes on to the next generation and increases in knowledge; we alone appreciate beauty, design, and harmony of nature, especially in art and music; man alone has imagination, and man is called Homo sapien because he's the wise man;  we're drawn to be moral and principle-driven, and we're temperamental and emotional and express it in complex manners.

When you see all the differences between man and beast we have to wonder when did hominids become human?  There are more to differ than to compare--we are in contrast to beasts not just better beasts.  Even Darwin scoffed at the idea we should trust the convictions of a monkey!  And when did hominids acquire human rights?   But most of all, man is hard-wired for dignity (extrinsic from God), purpose (in God), and meaning (in God)!  In fact, "Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless (Bertrand Russell, atheist).  In sum, we must ask why man alone has the concept of eternity in his heart and seeks after God and isn't oblivious to Him.  We seek fulfillment in life and to live for something above and beyond, bigger than ourselves.    

In sum, a man realizes his potential in being like God expressing virtue and abstract behavior: good sportsmanship, good faith, altruism, bravery, integrity, justice, decency, unselfishness, et cetera.  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Christians Rock Too!

Jesus may be different things to different people, often depending on your culture and background. If you are partial to Rock, you may believe Jesus rocks or rather can rock; however, if you love the Classics, you may be inclined to believe Jesus loves orchestras, and so forth!  Listing to Johnny Cash, I believe Jesus may speak Country! Many of the classical composers were devout Christians and I can say personally, that God has given me a great degree of appreciation for the Classics, now that I have His Spirit.  I sense the Holy Spirit especially when I hear the organ music of J. S. Bach, written as a prelude to worship services.  Haven't you ever heard the oratorio, Handel's Messiah and recognize the glory of heavenly choruses singing the "Hallelujah" in harmony? He claims to have seen a vision of God while composing it.  In my opinion, heavenly music is beautiful and doesn't have to carry a beat.  Is Jesus in a choir? Truly, Jesus is different strokes for different folks.  There is no one-size-fits-all type of worship or musical genre that pleases believers or God.

It is dangerous to put God in a box and claim that Jesus exclusively endorses a certain genre of music--some may rightly claim that Jesus has a soul, or that Jesus raps, too.  God is out to reach as many people as possible and can use any medium He chooses, but that doesn't mean we have to like any medium against our nature or culture. If you liked Rock & Roll, you are bound to feel an affinity to "Christian Rock."  What we need to do is find the genre we can relate to and not think that we have cornered the market on Christian music with it--as they say:  "To each his own." I do not see the heavenly choruses of angels rock and roll myself, but that's my opinion.  It seems that heavenly music is of a different dimension!

It is a dangerous doctrine to interpret an enthusiastic gathering as meaning that God endorses it in any special way, or that "Jesus is there!"  Christ wants us to learn to walk with Him wherever we go and to find Him in all our situations, not just at a concert.  According to Scripture, whenever two or three are gathered in His name, Christ is present.  He warned against saying, "Christ is here," or "Christ is there," to mean a blessing or sanction on the music genre or a special presence.  We believe Christ is present in a special way at the Lord's Supper--not at concerts (you shouldn't feel that you have to go someplace to be filled with the Spirit, as it is written of David, who "strengthened himself in the LORD his God), because concerts often feed on emotions and not truth.

I take issue at some of their lyrics; however, music often rules and you can get people to believe almost anything by putting it to a tune. Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world, according to Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Today's phenomenon is that the musicians seem to be dictating the doctrines of the church.  Truth still matters!

If you are not musical, meaning, by definition, you cannot carry a tune, sing in key, or even sense rhythm, then how can you agree that Jesus fits into your box or you know what music He favors or blesses?   Are we at the mercy of the musicians to decide for us or can we find our own way that God speaks to our souls? Before the dawn of Rock & Roll, was Jesus musical, or was He silent?  Has God changed?  I decry the way the Christian music scene today has become so dominated with professionalism and musicians out to hold concerts, charging for admission--you shouldn't have to pay to worship God! Have we witnessed the professionalization of worship?

And so, one must say that "his Jesus" (Jesus as he knows, relates, and sees) rocks, but others may take issue and posit that "their Jesus" has the preference for soul, raps, or personifies the ageless appeal of the classics. When you say, "Jesus rocks," you should make it clear what you are saying, because those are loaded terms, easily misconstrued.   There is no such thing as "Christian music" because God transcends our limits and cannot be defined musically (i.e., put in a box), who invented it:  it is not the music that is non-Christian, but the lyrics in many cases.

Case in point:  I get goosebumps every time I hear the "Star-spangled Banner," or "God Bless America." Does this mean that Christ is a patriotic American?  There is so much unnecessary confusion in the church due to not saying what we mean, and leaving it open to private interpretation. Just because drums and guitars are used, doesn't define it as Rock; but merely contemporary--we should never limit ourselves, nor God!  Soli Deo Gloria!

I Write The Songs...

"Beautiful words stir my heart.  I will recite a lovely poem about the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet" (Psalm 45:1, NLT).   "You are always on their lips but far from their hearts (Jer. 12:2, NIV).  "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness." (Psalm 29:2, NIV).  "To sing is to pray twice."  --Augustine

Barry Manilow was known in the '70s for his song that assumed the personification of music.  "I wrote the very first song.  I write the songs that make the whole world sing,  [I am music]..."    Music is symbolic language (NB:  musical instruments are symbols too and music isn't mentioned until Gen. 4:21) and those who speak the language know that it can be interpreted in many lights too, it can soothe the savage beast and lift the spirits, as well as arouse to patriotism and warfare readiness.  They used to march into battle at the sound of a trumpet or horn's ram.

Music is essentially worship in essence and we all have this inclination to express this because our God is musical and invented it.  As man is the religious creature he is--hard-wired for worship, he will worship someone or something (even himself), if not God, to fill this gap and need of ours. Hero worship and celebrity enchantment or fascination are two examples prevalent today.

The Scripture, especially the psalms, exhort us to "sing unto the LORD," but not everyone has musical ability to carry a tune or sing in key and some may feel embarrassed at their voice handicap.  That's all right, because not every believer is called to be the voice of God or to bring Him praise in the same way.  We all must find our niche by virtue of exercising our gifting and make ourselves useful in God's service as unto the Lord (we must try out to test our gifting).

One thing I want to point out about interpreting the psalms is that poetry is another type of genre than teaching or didactive type found in the epistles.  And the principle is to interpret metaphoric poetry in light of didactive portions, not vice versa.  Don't try to base your doctrine solely on a poetic phrase.  When the psalm says to sing unto the Lord, it may mean in a symbolic or spiritual sense--singing in the Spirit and with one's spirit--which is much better than going through the motions and memorizing the song and dance routine of the pious!  After all, if the mountains can break forth into song and the seas can roar, we know it's metaphoric and not necessarily to be taken literally  The hermeneutic principle is that we take the Bible as literally true, but not everything is literal!

Everything we do is to be as unto the Lord and in His name; for instance, the writing of a hymn requires the filling and anointing ministry of the Spirit.  In that case when someone pens a song unto the Lord, he is the hand of Jesus that is worshiping God and not being inhibited.  In a sense, writing is a form of singing in the Spirit, just like playing an instrument is, and whistling and humming are, and one's spirit is singing aloud the praises of God realizing fulfillment in song.  That's why we believe in the freedom of expression.  A song is incomplete until sung!  A poem is incomplete until read.   That's what brings life to them and satisfaction and fulfillment.  The Jews used to believe that they had to read aloud to bring life to what they were reading.  We don't want our thoughts to remain that--just something in our head as head belief!

We must be careful not to judge another's worship or expression of it by whether he's audibly singing or voicing aloud his worship publicly. There are those who are inhibited and refrain from verbalizing their praise, but often to their regret:  One dying man said, "If I had the strength, I'd shout praise to God!" The reply by the chaplain, "It's too bad you didn't praise God when you had the strength!"  God doesn't look at the outward appearance, but the condition of the heart--He alone is in a position to judge and we don't have enough info to do it; for instance, it says to sing a new song, and they may not like the song it's not new to them and they would be just giving mere lip service hypocritically. Some are very discretionary as to what they will sing, and agree with.  But it's better to be silent than to pretend worship or do it without a heart after God or being after God's own heart.  

Corporate worship is complicated and involves input from instruments, writers, worship leaders, and even choruses--it's not a performance, but service and ministry of the Spirit.  Worship is done throughout the service (offering, the preaching, sharing, fellowship, gift usage) and when people know their niche, are edified, and feel part of the fellowship, they are worshiping in spirit and in truth. Singing unto the Lord is not just vocalization, but also instrumentalism and instrumentation, silent reverence and awe, and finally, even singing in one's spirit.

We don't need a list of dos and don'ts, for our faith is not a to-do list, because God wants us to want to sing unto the Lord, and not do it from compulsion. He wants it to be a natural response.  He seeks joyful and glad adoration from the heart; it's paramount that we be ourselves and act without hypocrisy--how you act alone might be indicative of your real identity.     Soli Deo Gloria!

The Freedom To Choose

"I know, LORD, that a man's way of life is not his own; no one who walks determines his own steps."  (Jer. 10:23, HCSB).
"A man's heart determines his way, but the LORD determines his steps" (Prov. 16:9, HCSB).
"A man's steps are determined by the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?" (Prov. 20:24, HCSB).
"For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose" (Phil. 2:13, HCSB).  

NB: GOD COULDN'T HAVE GIVEN US FREE WILL WITHOUT HAVNG THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE EVIL AND REBEL AGAINST HIM.  

Life is full of choices.  We've all heard the order by Joshua:  "Choose this day whom you will serve!"  If there were no choice, we'd have no freedom!  Deut. 30:19 says, "...Now choose life...."  Our life is full of choices or decisions if you will:  "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley decision!  For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision," (Joel 3:14, NIV).  Most people balk at making the big decisions in life (career path, marriage, buying a home, college to attend, but especially becoming a member of a religion and more specifically becoming a Christian).  We should be hesitant at such climactic times that could make or break us!

Now, why were we given this faculty of choice in the first place?  Adam had the power not to sin and the power to sin, after the fall, he had the inability not to sin, and after salvation, the ability not to sin and the ability not to sin again.  But Christ has the inability to sin!  He is fully incapable of sinning, while the natural man is fully incapable of not sinning!   As the Bible does reveal, there was a rebellion in heaven and the devil was cast out for his pride and revolt at doing God's will.  The issue is why does evil exist and there is no simple answer.  To say that it just shows who the bad guys are is too simplistic.  If we had no choice (i.e., free or independent will or our own) we'd be automatons or robots or puppets on a divine string pulled by God!

God never created evil; He created its possibility! (No choice to make means no real free will to obey).  If people weren't free to disobey Him, they'd be robots without a free will or faculty of choice.  With the existence of objective good comes the necessary existence of objective evil!  When you have equality, inequality will exist, whether realized or not, at least in concept.  We must see evil as a parasite on good and not its opposite, though.  It couldn't exist apart from good.  For example, we have inequity, injustice, unrighteousness, lawlessness, unfairness, un-sportsmanship, et cetera! But the good news is that good triumphs over evil and there will be a final end to its influence in the world in the Day of the Lord.   But God just chooses to let it run its course--that's His way of defeating it and showing that it cannot win no matter what. 

And so, the freedom of choice or free will cannot exist without a choice to be made or the existence of evil as well as good.  And we did eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and we are all are involved in this battle against evil and its influence on the world. What we lost at the fall was the inclination to do good and inherited the inclination to do evil. And so we haven't ceased to be human, just to be good!   There is no outside force to influence us (that would be coercion or determinism), but God is able to work with our will to accomplish His will (cf. Rom. 9:19; Prov.16:9; Prov. 20:24, Jer. 10:23; Prov. 21:1).

We can only see good in light of evil!  There must be something to compare goodness to!  God is the Supreme Good you might say and we compare all goodness to Him.  Evil is the absence of good, therefore, and that's why we are evil because we lack perfect goodness in God's eyes and are sinners!

But our wills are enslaved to sin and need salvation just like the rest of our evil hearts.  We don't need free will to be saved, but wills made free--we are not born free but the slave of sin and in bondage!  As Augustine said, we are "free but not freed."  That is, we've lost our liberty like being a man in prison who still has a will of his own!

In a sense, everything is determined, even as it was written of Judas to betray our Lord, but God is not deterministic, that is to say, there is no determinism or coercion to do what aren't wont to do, but act fully voluntarily.  You may say that we act according to our nature or upbringing, (nature vs. nurture), but God determines both!  The vulture and dove eat according to their nature in a voluntary manner, because of their nature.   We cannot change who we are, but God can transform us into new creatures in Christ.

"... Now choose life that you and your children may live"  (Deut. 30:19, NIV).  To have no choice to make is inhuman and foreign to freedom and will.    
   Soli Deo Gloria!  

Faith Is a Start

We must attempt our commencement somewhere.  NB:  the principle is that where you start has a lot to determine where you'll end up!  Athanasius said that the only system of thought that Christ will fit into is the one where He is the starting point.  Paul says we progress "from faith to faith."   But today we see Secularists screaming "Down with God, up with man!'  They seek to dethrone Him and exalt man.  The Bible assumes unapologetically that God exists, and if it appealed to any authority figure or discipline it wouldn't be the final arbiter of truth, which it claims to be (e.g., if we appealed to a historian to verify the narrative, historians would be the authority not the inspired Word of God).  Scripture says a man has no excuse (cf. Rom. 1:28) and suppresses the truth.  The Bible says that denial of God stems from the heart of man that is depraved (cf. Psa. 14:1), and there is a God-shaped vacuum only filled by God!  So man is searching (really for the benefits, not the Benefactor) and has an innate sense of eternity, but that doesn't mean he'll find Him unless he is willing to do His will and diligently searches for Him with all his heart (cf. John 7:17; Jer. 29:13; Isa. 55:6).

When someone challenges your faith saying, "I don't believe in God!' Retort back as a comeback that objective truth is true regardless of belief or not.   Something isn't true because it's believed nor false because of denial.   We cannot wish God out of existence--He's the God who will not die!  We may not see Him but we don't see the wind either--we can see what it does though!  Likewise, with God, we cannot see the invisible, but we can see Him at work in the world and in our lives!  Just like when the sun comes out we can see everything else, so it is when God opens our eyes and we see with the eyes of our spirit and heart! Faith is not a throwback to our need for a father figure, a projection of an authority figure, nor to fulfill a psychological need to believe; the skeptic has a psychological need not to believe--his lifestyle may be at stake!

NB:  Science is inappropriate for finding or proving God; He's not tangible, audible, nor visible, and certainly won't subject Himself to our tests, test tubes, and experiments.  We cannot measure two feet of His love nor weigh a pound of His justice--these things are metaphysical!   But we know they exist, nevertheless!   Remember:  doubt is not the opposite of faith, but merely a sign of courage and intellectual integrity.  NO one has perfect faith.  Learn to doubt your doubts. Doubt, in essence, is an element of faith, for there's a doubt-faith continuum with various degrees of the certitude we all progress through on our way to the Celestial City as pilgrims.  We all must take the LEAP!  

The Bible says in Prov. 1:7 that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge"--that's what we must seek.  In other words, if we don't know God or assume Him in the equation of life, we can know nothing for certain--it's all relative and all truth, morals, and values are only relative and not fixed, objective, universal, absolute, and eternal.  No God--no truth!  When we remove God from the metric of our life we lose our bearings and the moral compass we need, a sense of "ought."  This leads to erosion of the moral fiber of society and finally its demise or takeover.

All knowledge is contingent and must begin somewhere.  We know the Lord as a gift of faith and revelation:  "Taste and see that the LORD is good!"  The proof of the pudding is in the eating!  We don't believe in the sun simply because we can see it in the sky, but because we can see everything else.  Scientists also assume things they cannot prove; all knowledge begins with some presupposition or premise that cannot be proven.  Scientists and Secularists (those who believe in naturalism or that every event has a natural explanation and that science is the ultimate arbiter of truth in the physical world) both of these persons are people of faith the same as religious people--they just presuppose something different.  You can be religious without even having a religion!  But Secular Humanism is when someone is trying to be good without God in the calculus, giving himself the praise, glory, and honor.

Now let's assume you know that fire is hot!  Either you took it by faith or found out the hard way, empirically!  But that knowledge depends upon the senses you have being accurate and that you're not delusional or imagining things.  You may be dreaming!   But in saying it is hot, you're assuming that hot is an accurate description and you are intelligible and communicable.  But when you touched the fire, your suspicion turned to experience and experience as well as rationalism and revelation are ways to arrive at knowledge.  Skeptics like to say that they have facts and the naive and religious have faith, but in reality, both are people of faith and will be accountable for what they do with it.

When you have faith in someone and they betray you, you can lose some faith or break faith completely.  You can also lose faith by finding out by experience you are right--then you have knowledge.  Knowledge is defined as "justified true belief."  A belief is some idea we hold concerning our reality.  There is no universal belief but there is the universal, absolute truth!  Don't confuse the two.  In the seventeenth century, it was justified to be in a geocentric solar system, and in the fourteenth century, you were justified to believe in a Ptolemaic one as well as flat earth!  The Copernican revolution changed our ideas of science just as the Reformation did about theology.    Experiment or scientific empiricism is what changed everything!   This requires measurement, observation, experiment, repeatability, testing, hypothesizing, and controlling of variables.  You may also need laboratory conditions and/or a test tube.

Now, theology is considered the queen of sciences and Christianity the mother of modern science! Sir Francis Bacon is considered the "father of the scientific method."   Why?  Because they were first to actually know something in a metaphysical way, making sense of the physical universe and making it possible in their worldview to have a rational study of nature.  The Bible actually says that there are laws to nature (naturally what you'd expect from a Divine Lawmaker) in Job 38:33, and in several passages, it's ahead of the scientific knowledge of its day to prove its divine origin and inspiration.

Now, infinite regress is impossible in math, logic, and philosophy!  It's impossible to cross infinity, like trying to run an infinite distance in a finite time span.  But God is timeless and lives independent of it as being eternal (He created time as the corollary of space and matter).  It is known in the kalam cosmological argument for God that everything that begins to exist (in time) has a cause--this is logical.  The universe began to exist and ergo had a cause--I daresay God!   We cannot say, for instance, that life evolved because we have to start with the assumption that life was in existence in the first place.

We believe in God because we are convinced and see it as a rational and reasonable choice; thus we take a leap of faith and "experience God" as good.   Our faith transfers to a properly basic belief or a kind of knowledge based on experience--like finding out fires are hot! How many don't really know that yet!   We see the direction the evidence is leading, going with the flow and preponderance and making a decision to exercise our sense of faith, even if we don't have all the evidence (like juries often do) and may not have any "smoking gun" evidence either.  No one can disbelieve due to lack of evidence!  But God doesn't force faith, it's a gift for us to exercise.  We are not exhorted to exercise blind faith or lend credence without a valid reason or evidence.

Faith has a reason with some being more valid:  I want to believe it; I have vested interest in it; it will cost me something (a job or grade not to believe it); everyone believes it; it's always been believed!  We must believe rationally, for God respects our minds and doesn't expect intellectual suicide or for us to kiss our brains goodbye!  Our faith is defensible in the open marketplace of ideas, even the public forum, and public square!  God requires no one to believe what seems irrational or unreasonable!  We believe something just like a jury does--we are convinced by the weight of evidence and see the big picture.

Now that newborn or beginning faith has room to germinate, it must be tested, tried, and proved as to whether it's genuine, saving faith, or bogus faith that gets choked on weeds, being distracted or has too thin of a soil. Faith grows, but it's still faith because we aren't asked to have perfect faith, only sincere faith.  If we knew everything perfectly then we'd have knowledge, and faith is what pleases God.  For God is not going to reward us according to our faith, though, but what it produces--its fruit!  God doesn't want our achievements in the flesh, what He wants is us and this entails obedience.  A disobedient Christian is a contradiction in terms!  We must "trust and obey."

Now, faith the size of a mustard seed is all that's necessary, but we can ask for more faith and Jesus can help us with our unbelief (cf. Mark 10:9).  The point of faith is that we don't believe in faith, for faith doesn't save, Christ does--it's the object that matters!   It is to no avail to have strong faith in a lie or be deceived into fanaticism.  Sincerity matters, but it's no everything and someone can be sincerely wrong.  Paul said (cf. Rom. 10:2) that Israel had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge--they were sincerely wrong!

There's no excuse not to believe: there's ample evidence for the willing but never enough for the unwilling.  The real reason people don't believe is that it's a choice and they don't want to believe (cf. John12:37).  We all must choose Whom we will serve--we're all servants, it just differs who our master is!  The heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart.  Sin makes man rebellious and stubborn, unwilling to obey or please God.

Finally, you must start somewhere: How about first base?   In every truth claim, you begin with a premise you can't prove. Knowledge has its beginning, but don't jump to the conclusion that everything had a beginning, then nothing would exist because you'd have the problem of infinite regress or crossing infinity--there was a beginning, just as the Bible says!   You either start with man and explain everything else, (Homo mensura, or "man is the measure of all things), or you begin with God and explain man!  The Bible doesn't start out, "Once upon a time," but  "In the beginning God."  Every journey of faith begins somewhere and God says to begin with Him in our calculus focused on Him.

In other words, we don't rationalize to God, but reason from Him.  You can neither prove nor disprove Him, you only can offer evidence and arguments, neither being conclusive, but possibly compelling or convicting.  Either there was just the material cosmos or there was God!  Either God created everything or it evolved by some fluke or accident of nature; there's no other choice except the Eastern philosophy of Maya or that the cosmos as an illusion.  God hides (cf. Isa. 45:15) with just enough light for the searcher to see and just enough darkness for the trifler not to see.

In sum, a seasoned believer has been there and done that so to speak and has a faith tried as if by fire and knows in Whom he believes and his calling, gifting, marching orders, and mission in life.  He isn't likely to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine (cf. Eph. 4:14).  He may have ups and downs in feelings or moods, but his faith has a foundation and is steadfast.  Sometimes he is called to act merely in faith and walk with the Lord in the Spirit, having fellowship during the hard times.  For we walk by faith, not by sight!  Faith can be seen as knowledge in action; it's not how much we believe but how well we obey.  (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7).

Biblical Economics

Biblical Economics

Christian economics is in accordance with biblical principles that are called God's economy.  It is stipulated, for instance, that it is more blessed to give than to receive (like Jesus said) and that God is interested in the success of His servants (not necessarily financial success), i.e., that God blesses the task or endeavor of the believer, and uses him for His glory as a vessel of honor ("... And in whatever he does, he prospers," says Psalm 1:3, NASB).   Jesus said in Matt. 10:8 (NASB) "... Freely you received, freely give."  It is also written, "Give, and it will be given to you.  They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return"  (Luke 6:38, NASB). We cannot out-give our generous God!



Jesus said, "To whom much is given, much is required." Thus, we all have different levels of talent, resources, time, money, and opportunity to let our lives bring glory to God.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta summed it up by saying that God doesn't call us to success, but to faithfulness. God isn't interested in our achievements, but in our obedience.  To put it in perspective, Einstein also said that we should not strive to be persons of success as much as persons of value--inherent worth in Christ.



The Bible doesn't endorse any form of economic system outright, but the spirit of it seems to view human rights and an open and free economic market.  Biblical economics relies on the profit motive, competition (the government should level the playing field and ensure fairness), stewardship of God's resources (we are accountable to God at the Judgment Seat of Christ), equal opportunity (not equal outcome) in an open market, as little government intervention as possible (even Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations, advocated this), i.e., laissez-faire policy, property rights (even the government cannot seize without due process), the Protestant work ethic (ensuring dignity in all labor), and the legitimate money system (stable, free from inflation, and not just fiat currency).



The barter system and mercantile (exchanging gold for products, etc.) systems were used before money in the form of coins or currency were in circulation. Now we have fiat  (it's money by decree, not inherent worth) or printed money from the government, which is only legal because the government says so and has the monopoly to do it, and it's not even backed by its value in precious metals anymore since 1963.  America went off the gold standard soon afterwards.



The basic types of economic systems in existence, though none exist in their purest  form, are capitalism (favoring free enterprise without governmental intervention,  fraud, theft, or force wand open markets that are unregulated), and socialism or communism that take away biblical rights and use a centralized governmental control one's freedom and the other entails totalitarianism or no personal liberty.  Note that economics is called a dismal science because it's not really science, but more like philosophy.  The Christian's main focus necessitates central planners that regulate the means of production and the economy at large.  We are not here to achieve the American dream or to amass wealth as the summum bonum, "for where his treasure is, there his heart will be also."  We are neither to be materialists seeking to become successful monetarily, not to be so spiritual that we are no earthly good. However, we are called to be productive and bear fruit and return on the investment that God made in us to the best of our ability, opportunity, resources, time, and talents.



With a Christian's ethical view, making the maximum profit is not the ultimate bottom line.  Profit must be legit and not by the exploitation of workers or the consumer.  Christ judges a company by its moral value and contribution to the well-being of society, not by how much it makes.  Serve God in the one that you can most glorify Him in and dedicate your service to.  We are made in the image of God and show forth that image best when we work or are in engaged in our calling--what we are meant and suited to do.



There was a film years ago "Wall Street" about a broker that said, "Greed is good."  Capitalism is driven by greed, envy, and covetousness.  We want to keep up with the Jones's!  Businessmen today interpret ethics as the art of not getting caught, not doing the most good to the most people, at the most times, in the most manners, as long as you can.  It has been said that capitalism is a system suited for sinners, while socialism is for saints (but we have both!).



Communist theory or mentality is basically that each one will automatically produce what he is capable of and society "owes" him a living to meet all his needs, if he cannot.  This is the source of the "entitlement mentality" that prevails today--people ruin their lives or are victims and blame the government for their own problems.  But note that society has granted certain people as being entitled.  No one gets something for nothing or undeserved, but only out of compassion and rule of law.  If they get laid off, the government is to blame and must support them. Prosperity is not about God blessing us and seeing how much we can produce and contribute to our fellow man, but how much we can get from the government by milking the system for all it's worth.


The Bible warns against governments that weaken or defile the money supply with dross and this is comparable to inflation, or what is in reality a hidden tax on the one's who are most vulnerable. Inflation is not just an increase in taxes, but an increase in the money supply, which drives up everything in turn and no one comes out ahead.  The only way to eliminate this juggernaut is to balance the budget, but today's economists basically follow the Keynesian model that makes deficit spending respectable and the government just prints money and increases its supply as a hidden tax, which the politicians have gotten away with because of the ignorance of the common people.  Even defender of free enterprise, Milton Friedman, calls for limited and controlled inflation as being in the best interest of the general public, and so it is commonplace to subscribe to.



The Christian worldview doesn't call for a redistribution of wealth or the scarce natural resources of robbing the rich and giving the poor, but of creating equal opportunity under the law, because we believe that "all men are created equal," not equal outcome under the law--the goal is to equitably distribute natural resources.  Also, the Pledge of Allegiance calls for "liberty and justice for all."  The Bible nowhere teaches that we are to be one economic class or classless, as communism teaches, but we are still "one in Christ." Before the law, we are all equal and no one is to be denied liberty and justice, which are never to be perverted--we must not resort to the law of the jungle.



Mandatory welfare was known in antiquity and Israel was obliged to practice it with their tithes, alms, and farming practices, such as being allowed to glean in the fields.  There was to be no poor in the land (cf. Deut. 15:4).  But a welfare state whereby the state takes care of you from cradle to grave, called a "nanny state," was unknown in biblical times--people took responsibility for their own lives and fates.  The more rights we receive, the more obligations others have. Today only a small portion of all entitlement (20 percent) goes to the poor (actually less than 2 percent of the total budget) and most of it goes to Republican party members who own farms and other businesses that get a take. Partisans are talking about cutting entitlement, they are focused on food stamps or some other aid to the poor, not the upper classes.  Scripture condemns labor exploitation in Malachi 3:5 and warns against not giving him his due. The worker deserves his wages and the farmer ought to be the first to benefit form the fruit of his labor. The Greeks looked upon labor as a curse that was only fitting for slaves, but Martin Luther gave it dignity because all manner of labor, secular and sacred, can be done to the glory of God (cf. Col. 3:23). America has championed the Protestant work ethic since the days of Jamestown and Captain John Smith, who declared that if a man is unwilling to work he shouldn't eat, just like Paul told the Thessalonians in 2 Thess. 3:10. There is to be no "idle rich" or leisure class living in luxury that is unproductive or retired from engaging in the Lord's work, in which we never give up doing--doing the Lord's work with slackness is cursed (cf. Jer. 48:10).



The government has the divine right and obligation to assure equal treatment in the marketplace and that there is a fair and equitable exchange of goods and services, whereby no one takes advantage of or defrauds the consumer.  It respects the right of private property and its chief purpose is to maintain peace and safety and protection of personal property in the society.  There must be law and order in a land run by the rule of law for there to be opportunity to make the investment because of the ability to make a profit is not infringed on by an over-regulated economy.  We need as little government as possible, known as being against Big Government, and need to stop thinking that government is the solution to all our problems.  The more government, the less freedom and rights and more obligation to others.  There has to be a balanced trade-off because of the law of diminishing returns on interventionism by the bureaucracy, lest one system run amok.



However, the Christian is concerned for social justice and whether there is equity and opportunity for the poor.  "He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well.  Is not this to know me?  declares the LORD?" (Jer. 22:16, ESV).  The prophet Amos decried the social injustice of his day and how "... They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals"  (Amos 2:11, NIV).  John Wesley had the right attitude and motto:  "Make all you can, save all you can, give away all you can--this is good stewardship of God-given resources.  Never lose track of the fact that we own nothing, but are just stewards of God's gifts.  In sum, there is no "social gospel" that we are called to convert the world to, other than the Great Commission and making disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that Christ taught (including labor/management rights and responsibilities).
Soli Deo Gloria!

What Is Saving Faith?

In Jesus' Name

When we pray in Jesus' name what do we imply and implicate? It seems odd to pray to Jesus in Jesus' name but God's name is one and co-equal, but not interchangeable, and by no means do we pray presumptuously or in an overly familiar pattern like we're being best bud; however, we can pray like one of the family of God.   Jesus exhorted us to ask anything in His name in prayer (according to His will) and Paul said, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.  Does this necessitate knowing Jesus' actual, official name or title?  In  Aramaic, His name was Yeshua or Joshua as we would say it Anglicized.  Are Christians who believe in Jesus and those in Yeshua both saved and praying to the same God?  Today, many youths believe all monotheistic religions pray to the same God, just by different names.

There is nitpicking and anyone who thinks we have to get all our doctrine straightened out to be saved doesn't know the Lord.  It is vital to know to Whom we are praying and Whom we trust, not their official title or name.  The name of Jesus refers to His authority and power at the right hand of God. We may all know Christ by a different name, but what is fundamental and essential is that we know the Lord in our hearts.  Obviously, if you don't feel comfortable with a father figure, you may refrain from calling God your Father (cf. Isa. 9:6), but you have the divine right and privilege to do so, which is a status symbol in heaven.  When we command demons in Jesus' name to leave or begone, we are using His authority, not ours.  They know Jesus, not you!

We must understand that in every tongue they call Jesus by a different name by custom, though by transliteration or close pronunciation (as allowable).  The Spanish refer to Jesus, but pronounce it differently, the Germans may say Jesu, and the Swedes Jesus, but they all pronounce it quite unique to their tongue without a J sound.  What's more important, the spelling or the pronunciation then?  But we all know to whom we are referring--the only begotten Son of God!

Doctrine is important, but it's not everything and even sincerity isn't, where one's heart resides is the most vital link to eternal life.  We will be rewarded for all our deeds done in the name of Jesus, and that doesn't mean according to our perception of it, but to honor and glorify the one and only begotten Son of God.  Some will do good deeds in Christ's name but lack saving faith, simply trusting in their works, not in Christ.  To suffer for the sake of the Name is an honor, though.

The crux of the matter, then, is knowing Him, not in being a linguist!  How do we know that translating a name is copacetic with God and He doesn't forbid it?  Greek translates Hallelujah as alleluia because there's no H!   In Greek, there is no J sound!  They translate Jesus name, nevertheless with it.   With a J sound would've sounded strange to them.  

We know that translating is approved because we have the Septuagint into Greek and it was quoted by the apostles and church fathers, who even wrote in Greek.  We don't go around like Germans telling people to believe in Jesus Christus!  In German a Christian is a "Christ," and a Christ is Jesus Christus, or Jesu Christi!  Just like when immigrants come to America they usually Anglicize their names to they don't sound fresh off the boat.  Though it seems odd that Hispanics name their children Jesus, they call the Lord Senor too like we would say, Mr. Jesus!   Thus, we know the Son of God by the Anglicized name "Jesus."
  Soli Deo Gloria!

Christ's Bema

"...[B]ecause anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him"  (Heb. 11:6, NIV).
"... 'Fear not, Abram,  I am your shield, your reward shall be very great'"  (Gen. 15:1, NIV).
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you"  (Matt. 5:12, NIV).
BY WAY OF INTRO, SOME LAWYERS DON'T CARE SO MUCH WHAT THE LAW IS AS TO WHO THE JUDGE IS!  WE CAN REST IN PEACE THAT THE RIGHTEOUS FATHER HAS GIVEN ALL JUDGMENT TO THE SON WHO SAVED US.

The Judgment Seat of Christ, known as His bema or tribunal, is where all believers get their appraisal (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:8,10) and evaluation of their life's work done in the Lord, as to whether it deserves reward.  Some will be saved, as if by fire (cf. 1 Cor. 3:14-15) and some will have a full reward.  But what are we to expect at the bema?  God isn't going to inquire as to what political party we aligned ourselves with or affiliated with, as to whether we are saved by virtue of it--for God is nonpartisan and doesn't give us brownie points for this!  He will not inquire about our denominational affiliation or positions on the issues and doctrines.  God isn't going to ask us about our highs and ecstasies in our walk, for God is more concerned with faith than feeling.

Oswald Chambers said that the "measure of a person's spiritual life is not their ecstasies, but their obedience!"  Again I quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, rephrased Martin Luther:  "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes!"  They go hand in hand and must not be divorced--they can be distinguished, but not separated!   We must be obedient to the faith (cf. Rom. 1:50.   This means a penitent and willing spirit, submissive to His will as our yoke. We are not under the Law, (cf. Rom. 6:14) but under a higher standard, albeit easier, the law of love, which can never be satisfied! 

We must not expect God to give us kudos for our strong faith or our assurance--how strong our faith was--for the faith as of a mustard seed is adequate.  Faith, like our righteousness, is the gift of God for which we are held to account.  Our assurance of salvation and strong faith is a gift and for our benefit, not God's.  We're measured by our good works, not our faith (cf. Rom. 2:6)!  Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our blessing or gift to God!   All our works must be tried as if by fire, to see if they are worthy--some will only be wood, hay, and stubble, while others as pure as silver and gold that is refined and found to reflect God's image--we are meant to be God's ambassadors in the world (cf. 2 Cor 5:20) and for God to see Himself in us (cf. Col. 1:27).

At Christ's bema we will be held accountable for all the resources, blessings, character, personality, gifts, talents, relationships, time, opportunities God has granted us by grace.  Everything we have is only on loan from God as we are merely stewards of His manifold blessings and provision.    Nothing we have belongs to us, for it's all His and we must make an investment in the Lord to find a return on that investment!   God's dividends are well worth it--for it is well worth the time and effort to serve the Lord, for He is a bountiful giver of rewards as our Provider (Jehovah-Jireh) to those who serve Him, and God is no man's debtor!

Paul wasn't against good works, just those done in the flesh (by the energy of the natural man, not the Holy Spirit).  Only those works foreordained by God per Ephesians 2:10 and we are led to do while filled with the Spirit and enabled to do:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD God"  (cf. Zech. 4:6).  If we walk after the flesh, it doesn't matter how many good deeds we do--they are not worthy (cf. Isa. 64:6). This is why the faith we have is the faith we show, and works validate faith and are evidence, not the substitute for it; also, faith without works is dead faith and cannot save (cf. James 2:17)!

We increase in the knowledge of God as we do works in the Spirit as God ordained (cf. Col. 1:10).  This is precisely why Christ said that even a cup of cold water given in His name will not remain unrewarded or lose its reward!  Many will put their confidence in their works, not in the Lord, and expect a free pass by virtue of them; however, all in all, what we should expect to hear are the words:  "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!"  The Lord is our portion and our reward  (cf. Gen. 15:1)  and compensation is in heaven--don't get into a comfort zone in this life and feel too much at home.

In sum, we must be looking unto the heavenly city (cf. Phil. 3:20), to a heavenly reward not realized, and not realize our reward in this life (cf. Psalm 17:14)--we're only passing through as sojourners (cf. 1 Pet. 2:11) and pilgrims, as mere stewards of God's manifold bounties!   Soli Deo Gloria!