The Old Humanism...

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep." --Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


Humanism isn't a newfangled idea or concept but was an idea concocted or developed by the Greeks in antiquity. They sought to make man the measure of all things or that everything is related to man and interpreted with him in mind (known as Homo mensura in Greek). This was promulgated chiefly by Protagoras. The actual roots stem from ancient times (postdiluvian or after the Noachian flood, aka the Deluge) when the people sought to make a name for themselves (cf. Gen. 11:4). Man has always had trouble with the truth because his pride gets in the way; he tends not to accept the authority of God and seeks to be his own man. Sin is basically that: the declaration of independence from God. As it is written (Rom. 1:28, HCSB): "And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God...." In fact, Voltaire went so far as to define God thus: "Man has created God in his image." And Sigmund Freud went on to insult God as being a "projection."


By definition, humanism is the deifying of man and the dethroning of God! Men have tried to make a name for themselves since the tower of Babel (cf. Gen. 11:4). Friedrich Nietzsche proclaimed unashamedly that "God is dead," which meant that He either doesn't exist or is totally irrelevant. They exalt man and ignore God or make Him irrelevant, even declaring Him dead. What kind of God dies? But our God refuses to and will not die! What they are doing is worshiping man, because man is by nature a religious creature that is hard-wired to worship someone or something and never can claim to worship nothing even if he's a self-proclaimed nihilist or atheist. They are parading themselves and are braggadocious of their own achievements, not God's accomplishment, and in this way are very religious. John Dewey, who co-wrote Humanist Manifesto [I], in his book Common Faith, posited that we can be "religious" without "religion" or claiming no official or affiliated religion.


It sounds offensive to say, "Glory to man in the highest!" This is counter-intuitive but is what they are maintaining unawares. Man is not worthy of worship but man cannot but worship someone or something. Humanists tend to live in the here and now and refuse to let God into the reckoning. Without God in the equation, man is without purpose and hope and is empty. This void or God-shaped vacuum can only be filled by God according to Blaise Pascal! Sartre said that unless one considers God in the picture, man is a "useless passion." Christians, on the other hand, live their lives in light of eternity, not just for the mundane and the present circumstances--they can live above them and have hope for the future that lifts the spirit. Augustine of Hippo is known for maintaining that man is restless until he finds his rest in God.


Humanists live for themselves like animals in heat avoiding pain and seeking pleasure. But Christians live for God and have a higher purpose in living that brings meaning and definition. They have a destiny to live out and a reason for being. I want to point out that even Christians can become humanists by letting their pride get in the way and becoming self-centered and selfish and losing track of the will of God, seeking short-term pleasure in life instead of a life defeating evil and the power of sin. And when Solomon says that there's nothing new under the sun, he's right in that even Adam and Eve were humanists when they ate of the proverbial apple and sought their own wisdom, pleasure, and meaning in life independent of God's will and love.


We must realize that God has a purpose for everyone and Christians realize fulfillment in God only. God even made the wicked for the day of evil. When we have served our purpose God may call us home to glory, but we're all here for a purpose that we may not be aware of. Paul said in Col. 1:16 (MSG): "...[E]verthing got started in him and finds its purpose in him." We are all here for a reason and must never say as the old proverb goes: "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!" Those famous words are in Scripture and man has always been guilty of this kind of thinking.


Julian Huxley wrote Religion without Revelation to point out that we can be good without God and don't need God or believe in absolutes to have ethics or morals. That's basically what Satan has always tried to convince man since the Garden of Eden: We can be good without God, or we can be as gods! This is what's so deceiving of false religions because they may seem good on the outside and people are tricked into thinking that they mean well, but Satan knows how to insert just enough error to be dangerous and inoculate one from the truth and deceive with an element of truth.


In conclusion, we'll never arrive at objective truth (true regardless of whether it's believed and apart from personal input or perspective) unless we start with God in the picture, as Athanasius said, "The only system of thought into which Jesus Christ will fit is the one in which He is the starting point." We must not begin with man and explain the universe or explain away God, but must begin with God and explain everything else: reality, man, the world with all the academic disciplines, current events, and history. The Bible starts out as rational,, "In the Beginning," and it's theological as well as rational, even without realizing it or becoming atheists, they are practical atheists maintaining: "Down with God; up with man!" Au contraire! The divine viewpoint should be: "All the world is relative to Christ," according to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Carl Henry said, "The Christian belief system is relevant to all of life." Soli Deo Gloria  

Seeking God's Face...

"The light of the glory of God is given us in the face of Jesus Christ," whom to see is to see the Father's face in spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 4:6). NB:  Jonathan Edwards said that the main business of the Christian life is seeking God!  We are told to seek His face ("My heart says this about You, "You are to seek My face,"  LORD, I will seek Your face.  Do not hide Your face from me..." (Psalm 27:8-9, HCSB).  God is not hiding or playing some game of cosmic hide and seek, He's waiting to be found and will reveal and authenticate Himself to all sincere seekers, but not triflers. God hides Himself that we may earnestly seek Him. ("If only I knew where I might find Him" per Job 23:3)  God's whereabouts are as near as the mention of His name! 

This search for God never ends but begins at salvation and will end at the beatific vision in glory when we do see His face.  We don't know Christ after the flesh but should recognize His Spirit at work and moving in the body, as it bears witness with our spirit (cf. Romans 8:16).  God as the Hound of Heaven seeks us who are the lost sheep:  "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me" (Isaiah 65:1, NIV).

When Christians say, "I found it!" what they really mean is that God found them and revealed Himself to them as the hymn Amazing Grace goes, "I was lost but now am found."  Pascal also mused:  "I would not have found God had He not first sought out me."  God wants to make His face shine upon us in blessing us, and  this is His commitment to us as believers. Blessing and seeing God's face are correlated. 

The inauguration of Christ's ministry (the official initiation ceremony) at His baptism included the Father's stamp of approval and official blessing, and He knew His mission and that God was with Him--that's His name:  God is with us!  You could say Jesus was coming of age and His rite of passage.  "... [I]f only I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus..." (Acts 20:24, ESV).   We are to embark on our mission with God's blessing also and know that God is with us too.  We are blessed in the Beloved by association.  Having this ministry from God or ordination to His service we've also been commissioned), we can anticipate the continual blessing and prosperity of God in whatever we do to His glory and in His name. 

As we get to know Christ, we grow in likeness, for we are all works in progress and Christ wants to show Himself in our witness.  Remember, God isn't finished with us yet and always finishes what He starts (cf. Phil. 1:6).  You might think of us as a slab of marble that the divine Sculptor is attempting to make into a statue of Christ, and what he does is take away everything that doesn't resemble Christ!  We all have some rough edges to get smoothed out and that's why we are put through the crucible because our faith is more precious than silver or gold and must be tested for our sake.

To receive God's blessing, we must have faith and make the commitment to go on in self-denial to "follow Him [in lordship to salvation] more nearly, ]getting] to know Him more clearly, and to love Him more dearly,"  as quoted from Richard of Chichester.  Moses came to know God face to face, like a friend and his face, was hid with a veil to hide the glory. There is something about a person having spent time in fellowship with the Lord.  It was obvious the disciples had been with the Lord after the resurrection appearances.

Receiving God's blessing gives us a new outlook on life and new hope, purpose, and meaning in life.  With God we have dignity!  Without God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless, according to atheist Bertrand Russell.  The more we are assured of His blessing and approval of us, the more confident we get to attempt more in God's name and to venture out in even greater things expecting even greater blessings.   It is true that the greater blesses the lesser, and also that we also ought to bless one another!

But we are saved to be a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13).   God wants our cups to run over!  One function of the body of Christ is to be a blessing to the community in mission (cf. Jer. 29:7) and to bless the members of the body in ministry to one another. We all can bless each other with our spiritual gifts and teach one another in discipleship or mentoring.   May we pray God's blessings on each other.

The more we become like Christ, the more blessings we receive in Him to share.  We are blessed to pass it on.  "But He gives more grace..." (cf. James 4:6)!  There is more to salvation than being forgiven:  to seek the Lord's sanction and blessing in all our labors. We should see God at work in us.  And we are to ever seek God's blessings in our work for temporal as well as spiritual things.  He blesses us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (cf. Eph. 1:3) and the promises to Abraham that God will bless those who bless us is ours to claim, for all who have faith in Christ are children of Abraham (cf. Gal. 3:7,29) and we are joint-heirs of Christ.

In prayer, we can access or gain entree into the throne room of God for prayer in boldness (cf. Heb. 4:16), as Moses spoke to God face to face as to a friend, and to whom no prophet ever did again.  What unrealized, untapped potential there is in prayer there is when we have faith in Jesus' name. 

The antithesis of seeking God's face is to be hiding from God or the truth.  Sooner or later we may meet our "burning bush" and confront God and have a moment of truth with Him.  Then we are sanctified by the truth (cf. John 17:17) and realize its power over us.   We are to "contend for the faith" or the truth delivered to the saints.  The polar opposite of truth is apostasy and this is not the final lot of the believer.

If God were to withhold His grace from us for any length of time, we'd be without hope and God in the world, just as George Whitefield said of a man going to the gallows: "There but for the grace of God go I."  God can harden the heart of a person who rejects Him in judgment much like He did to Pharaoh when he didn't believe the miracles Moses performed with the "finger of God."  For God hardens whom He will and has mercy on whom He will (cf. Romans 9:18); it's His prerogative to do as He reserves the right to do with His ultimate free will.     Soli Deo Gloria!

Great Expectations?

"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (cf. Psalm 27:13).
"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13, KJV). "Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and he shall srengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD" (Psalm 27:14, KJV).   "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength" (Isaiah 40:31, KJV).   "... [F]or it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you" (Hosea 10:12, KJV).  

Charles Dickens wrote the book by the title Great Expectations and made this a treasured classic.  William Carey preached: "Attempt great things for God; expect great things from God."  We are to be ever-waiting for the coming of Christ, the Parousia (Second Advent or Coming).  In a manner of speaking, we're all "expecting." We all need delayed gratification.  We're pregnant with God's hope and promise!   It's not just during Christmas that we should honor and recognize the magi or wise men, but today to emulate them.  In other words, "wise men still seek Him!"  This is the common message on many a greeting card because it applies, resonates, and hits home.

Jonathan Edwards said that the main business of the Christian life is the seeking of God.  We are to always seek His face and R. C. Sproul says that finding God begins at salvation, just like it says in Amazing Grace:  "I was lost but now am found."  The Good Shepherd found us as lost sheep, we didn't find Him.   Pascal said that if God hadn't first sought him, he never would've found God. Scripture says:  "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me" (Isaiah 65:1, NIV). 

His coming is sure; are you ready?  Being prepared for it isn't just a matter of making our funeral arrangements and taking care of our final expenses!  Hezekiah was told that he was about to die and to get his house in order!  Do you feel that if you were to die today that you have lived according to the will of God and have completed your mission?  When David had completed God's purpose, God took him (cf. Acts. 13:36).  We're all here for a purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil, and God orchestrates and micromanages all of history for His glory and plans with no backup plan or Plan B.  We are either in the will of God or not, and the safest place to be is in the will of God.  We are bold when we know God is with us just like the apostles willingly gave their lives for the gospel message as martyrs.  They considered it an honor to suffer for His name's sake.

We must wait patiently on the Lord, for He will not tarry and His promise will be fulfilled in God's timetable. Waiting can try our patience, but the great hope we have should make it worth it and give us the grace to do God's will till the end.  There is great expectation in anticipation!   Our payoff is great and this is a greater motive to wait patiently, for the present trials we endure are nothing compared to the reward we'll see in heaven.  Simeon was told by the LORD that he'd see the Messiah before he died and when he did it turned out to be worth the wait and he could depart in peace.  We may not die happy, but if we died fulfilled, that is much greater, for happiness can be deceiving.  Over seventeen million hours ago John said that we were "in the last hour."  This only shows God's perception of time, not that the Lord tarries or delays His coming, for we know that His patience means our salvation.

Jesus said that if we seek, we shall find, but we must search for God with all our heart (cf. Jer. 29:13; Deut. 4:29) to find Him, for He doesn't deal with triflers.  In our expectations, we are to aim high for God has not set any limit as to how far He can take us if we trust in Him. We are to walk on water and move mountains!   But if we aim at nothing we will surely get there.  Therefore, dream big!

In the final analysis, we must realize that the enemy is a killjoy seeking to discourage us from finding our mission in life or calling in Christ (we're then as meandering stars) and his ominous words are:  "Hath God said?"  He asked Eve this and got her first to doubt God's Word, then to believe his words, and finally to disobey God's Word.  God wants to be our Guiding Light, Beacon, and GPS through this life and we must let Him lead the way.

This reminds me of Alice in Wonderland where she asks the Cheshire Cat at the fork in the road, "Would you tell me please, which way I ought to walk from here?"  He said that depends upon where you want to go.  Alice says, "I don't care where."  The cat tells her that it doesn't matter which way she walks then!  Alice says, "As long as I get somewhere!"  The cat says you'll do that if you walk long enough--you're sure to get somewhere!"   But we want God's best!   In sum, we must not "settle" but seek God's will for our lives and not some default plan.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Man's Never-ending Quest

"The only system of thought that Christ will fit into is the one where He is the starting point."  --Athanasius, church father and father of orthodoxy.  
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death..." (Heb. 2:9, KJV, italics mine).   
"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom..." (1 Cor. 1:21, ESV, italics added).  
"If a man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God?  If a man is made for God, why is he opposed to God?"  --Blaise Pascal, French scientist, mathematician, and philosopher
"Our hearts are restless till they find their rest in [God]."  --St. Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."  --Henry David Thoreau, author
"The search for God begins at salvation."  --R. C. Sproul, theologian
"Searching for God is the main business of the Christian life."  --Jonathan Edwards, theologian and revivalist


Whether mankind admits it or not, he's on a search for something to fulfill his inner needs--he's looking the Jesus he doesn't know.  He seeks the "pleasures of sin for a season" (cf. Heb. 11:35).  He may find it in the pleasures the world has to offer (cf. 1 John 2:14-15) or in some kind of intellectual fulfillment, but he will never be satisfied till he has found it in God because we are made to know God and to love Him in a personal relationship. God desires to get personal!  This void or hole in mankind's heart is a vacuum only God can fill (according to Pascal) and all of us will naturally seek crutches to lean on in order to find a substitute. Augustine said "we are restless till we find our rest in [God]!"  Man is a religious being who is meant to worship God, and if not, will find a substitute god to worship. He will not find it in political freedom, education, culture, higher standards of living, materialism, sex, drugs, nor false religions, but only in the truth that sets free.

Nature abhors a vacuum and man has expressed it in his boredom and frustration with himself and the world.  Man is not an animal in heat seeking pleasure and avoiding pain, but is hard-wired for meaningful work, dignity, purpose, and service in God.   But "emptiness is the ultimate truth," according to the Dalai Lama and Carl Jung said that "the central neurosis of our time is emptiness!"  We instinctively sense something wrong with us and the picture.  Billy Graham says, "We grasp at every passing straw, and even as we clutch it disappears." We are designed to be fulfilled in God doing His will and work, and ignoring design breaks faith with the Designer: for we are meant for purpose, honor, meaning, and dignity because we are in God's image.

So many today think of God as a thing to be used, such as the "Force," of Star Wars fame, but God is a divine person that loves us.  We use and manipulate things, but we know, relate to, and love persons.  Mankind will not admit it but he's really searching for the benefits without the Benefactor!  He may be looking for peace of mind (but not in Christ), prosperity (but not in God's economy), intellectual fulfillment (but not the truth to set him free), better relationships (but not humbly and not with God), (the answer, but not the Answerer!) or even just to know if there is a God or not (out of curiosity, not sincerity), without committing oneself to Him.

Truth is free but not cheap, we must be willing to come to Christ for it.  We look for what we want to see and view the world according to what we are, not what it is.  If we want forgiveness, we must first become convicted and file for spiritual bankruptcy, realizing we cannot please God on our own merit.  And so the qualification for salvation is to realize one's unworthiness! We must first realize our emptiness and need to be filled and made complete.

It should be noted that the Jews of Jesus' day were looking for a Messiah, but the one of conventional standards would deliver them from Roman oppression.  They wanted a military hero but got a pacifist that would rule the world of hearts in love.  It is a proven psychological fact that our prejudices and inclinations bias our viewpoints and and worldview--known as confirmation bias.  No one is totally objective and we all must realize that just because He didn't fit the profile doesn't mean He's not who He claimed to be.  The Jews saw no personal need of forgiveness or preaching and weren't seeking a Savior.

But Jesus is not always what we want Him to be and we must accept Him for who He is--the full package--or not at all, which is rejection.  We cannot dichotomize Christ and accept forgiveness without lordship and divide His offices and personhood as Lord and Savior--we must trust Him as Savior and also submit to Him as Lord of all.  We dare not "divide His person nor confound His nature," according to the church fathers.  

Jesus didn't come to do our bidding but to do the will of the Father, which was total relinquishment of His will to the Father's as the motto of His life.   Jesus is the only person who was born to die, yes to complete His mission He had to be crucified and die for our sins, carrying our penalty and paying the full cost.  We also have a purpose to fulfill God's purpose for our lives, and when we are done we can say with Paul that we have nothing to boast of but what Christ has accomplished through us.   Paul only wanted to complete the mission that God gave him (cf. Acts 20:24) and that ministry being obedient to the heavenly vision and the will of God for his life.  We also must live with a purpose and submit ourselves to God's will, which is not a one-time event but continual, progressive, and ongoing.

To really see, we need the eyes of our hearts opened (cf. Eph. 1:18) and that can only be done by Jesus Christ illuminating us through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit using the Word (cf. 1 Thess. 1:5; 2:13) to speak God's message.  The whole world is blinded by Satan  (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4) and doesn't see a need for God apart from a work of grace in the heart.   They have eyes but see not nor perceive (cf. Isaiah 6:9).  The whole world is under the influence and power of the Adversary (cf. 1 John 5:19)!

But Christ, as Savior, came to set us free from Satan's power, our sin nature, the sting of death, and the influence of the world-system that corrupts our minds.  The world at large doesn't see Jesus at work in Providence and is blind to the works of God, sometimes even calling them flukes, accidents, luck, or chance.  We all tend to see what we want to see!  No one has perfect objectivity but God. 

We must not become distracted by the world and it's pleasures and realize that God is at work in us to do and to will of His good pleasure (cf. Phil. 1:6); we are the vessels of honor being used for His glory if we let Him (cf. Isaiah 43:7).  It has been said by Corrie ten Boom, "If we look at the world, we'll be distressed; if we look at ourselves, we will be depressed; but if we look at Christ, we'll be at rest."  The way to victory is to keep our eyes on Jesus, the "Author and Finisher of our faith" and this will keep us focused on spiritual priorities.

We must "consider Jesus"  (cf. Heb. 3:1) and look at Him (cf. Isaiah 45:22), and also to realize that we "see Jesus" (cf. Heb. 2:9) spiritually and in Scripture that it's all about Him and if we keep focused on Him, all else pales in comparison.  We must not resort to the quest of the Greek disciples who said, "But we would see Jesus," for it's with our spiritual eyes we must see and be illuminated. It is a fact that believing is seeing, not seeing is believing!  

To find God, we must be open to who He is and who He claimed to be. We are to always seek His face!   Sincerity matters, but it's not everything. Our praise is recognizing Him for who He is as the eternal Son of God.  He's not just some babe in a manger who's cute and comfortable with our sensibilities and sentimentalism, but the Almighty God in the flesh--Lord at His birth.  Yuletide brings the revelation that He was born into our space-time continuum to identify with us but He did it in the fullness of time (cf. Gal. 4:4), when all was according to plan.

He entered history--the time-space continuum! And this is history that can be vouched for!  But whether He's born in us is a matter of salvation!  In our never-ending quest, we should not put God in a box, making Him too small, or we'll never find Him.  He can be real to us and our quest can be complete in Him as the "Captain of our soul and Master of our fate."   Only knowing and acknowledging the real Jesus satisfies and the danger is to accept "another Spirit, another gospel, another Jesus."  (cf. 2 Cor. 11:4).    The divine diagnosis:  Man needs God!    In summation, NB:  Wise men still seek Him!   

CAVEATS:  DON'T LET YOUR CONCEPT OF GOD BECOME TOO SMALL OR YOUR THOUGHTS OF HIM TOO HUMAN!   I MATTERS HOW BIG YOUR GOD IS, NOT HOW BIG IS YOUR FAITH?   ITS OBJECT IS VITAL.      Soli Deo Gloria!

The Art of Bible Study, Approach And Technique

"[A]nd there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word" (1 Sam. 3:21, NIV).
"[T]ill what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true [tested him]" (Psa. 105:19, NIV).  
"For I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27, NKJV).
"Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law" (Psa. 119:18, NKJV).
"It's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that bother me, it's the parts I do understand." --Mark Twain

NB: It is one thing to know the Scriptures, and quite another to know the Author, as the Bible doesn't so much as describe God as to make Him known.  

We all need to address a problem with a plan of attack and studying the Bible is no easy one for the novice.  Basically, all the rules that apply to any literature also do apply to Scripture, only more so.  The Bible, for instance, is to be taken literally, at face value, but not everything is meant to be literal but as plays on words and figures of speech.  Poetry is usually figurative and not to be taken literally all the time, which is a common mistake; likewise, citing Proverbs as promises you can take to the bank or divine directives is mistaken--all genres must be treated accordingly.  One common error is to interpret the Bible according to our experience; the flip side is correct, though--interpret experience according to the light of the Scripture.  The Bible makes sense and common sense is a basic concept--if common sense makes sense, seek no other sense, or you'll have nonsense, it is said.

The Bible is a library with a coherent theme that forms a complete picture taken as a whole, and to see the big picture one must recognize the storyline, the revelation of Jesus everywhere, and main message, which even a child can comprehend.  Normally, we interpret it as it's written and let Scripture be its own interpreter or Supreme Court.  This means understanding poetry as poetry and narrative as narrative, history as history, etc; i.e., distinguishing genres.  Be careful not to read into the Bible what you already believe and are just looking for proof texts to validate yourself.  We must search for the intended meaning to the recipients and what the author meant, not what it means to us when we see some far-fetched idea from some isolated passage.  Don't look for far-out truths, but try to see the obvious ones first.  Caveat for mysticism:  Note that "no prophecy is of any private interpretation" (cf. 2 Pet. 1:20), and God isn't going to show you unique, or personal truths that no one else knows as some special revelation--He reveals truth to the body of Christ and the church in particular to confirm it.  "For it is no empty word for you, but your very life..." (cf. Deut. 32:47, ESV).

The Bible is meant to change our lives, not increase our knowledge and it will keep us from sin, or sin will keep us from it.  We must apply ourselves to the study of the Word, and be in the right spirit, frame of mind, having an open, willing, and obedient attitude. We need to be like Ezra, who "prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD," (cf. Ezra 7:10).  God's Word will test you and it's what sanctifies us as Jesus called it truth (cf. Psalm 105:19; John 17:17).  Don't think it needs to be rewritten, it just needs to be reread, for you don't read it once and put it on the shelf. Even Lincoln said he was profitably engaged in reading the Bible!  We need to be like Paul said, "The Word is very near you...."  Paul urged Timothy to give himself wholly to the Scriptures (cf. 1 Tim. 4:15).

Remember, when reading, that the entirety of God's Word is truth (cf. Psalm 119:160), and this means the sum of it, and you cannot divorce or isolate Scripture to suit your private interpretations.  What would the reader have understood? That means don't try to apply ex-post facto standards or laws to Bible times, but interpret according to the time written and don't fit it into politically correct norms.  The whole purpose of reading is to see the world through the spectacle of God's Word and get a Christian worldview, experiencing the mind of Christ and thus be sanctified by the Truth.  It is said the Bible is our beacon, our celestial fix, our heavenly GPS, and our guidance system for life; however, it's much more than a rule book or set of instructions or code to live by--we experience God in the Word and find that He speaks through it.

One key to reading, as with all reading, is to do it with purpose and have the right attitude:  a needy heart, a willing spirit, and an open mind.  God will show us "Aha!" moments in the Word if we do this. We learn to experience the living God in the living Word!  No need to get Bible fatigue, or boredom from overuse of familiar versions, try new ones!  When we learn to see Jesus in the Word, we can rightly divide the Word of Truth (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15), as exhorted; the whole of Scripture is about Him in some fashion.

The most common mistake is to take texts out of context and get a pretext, even when using it as a proof text. As is the case with all reading, common sense, grammar, logic, diction, syntax, and the rules of inference and allusion or quotation apply.  Don't read into the text (eisegesis) with preconceived notions and opinions just looking for verifications!  You must be willing to go where the Truth leads and be willing to admit you could be wrong!  There is no such thing as total or perfect objectivity but this is no excuse not to have sound study technique and habits.

In studying it, be sure to interpret narratives or history in light of didactic or teaching passages, implicit in light of explicit, obscure and unclear in light of the clear, and also don't forget that we interpret the New Testament in light of the Old Testament and vice versa--never dividing what God has progressively revealed and joined (cf. Mark 10:9). A caveat for Gnosticism or mysticism:  Don't individualize it or think it applies especially to you and no others or there is some secret message or knowledge to be had.  It is easy to take a mere academic approach or to over-spiritualize, allegorize (see it merely as a tall tale and only a practical lesson to be learned), or be guilty of subjectivism (inserting personal opinion and feelings).

For example, seeing the story of Job as merely a grin and bear it, or David and Goliath as standing up to your foes; or the feeding of the multitude as being prepared.  Even though some passages are allegorical, such as Sarah and Isaac and Ishmael, but we must see the deeper meaning of what is intended, that which only the Holy Spirit can illuminate.  Thus, there is grave danger in negligence of the author's intent and concentrating on your immediate impression.  In other words, we don't read it like we would Aesop's Fables for the moral of the story, that we could learn from any fictional source.  We can expect "the day to dawn and the morning star to arise in [our] hearts" (cf. 2 Pet. 1:19).

There's more than one way to skin a cat:  Do word studies traced through the Word; look for the big picture and see the main message gradually revealed from book to book; take on a subject and see the entire Word develop the doctrine, known as topical study; trace the development of a doctrine; study one book at a time or certain genres of books; study by genre, such as poetry, proverb, history, prophecy, law, and gospel; do an exegesis of one text and analyze it critically, in context, to decipher its message in detail, or do expository studies to reveal and expose truths needed to be discovered,  broadcast, or disseminated even using a lexicon, Bible dictionary, or Bible handbook.

In sum, we take Scripture at face value (the Bible does engage in symbolism and Jesus didn't always beat around the bush though) and take it according to the whole analogy of the Word and we cannot fabricate our own truths; we have a right to our own opinions and applications, but not our own truths. 

CAVEAT:  We need to steer clear of being mystical and interpreting passages with private meanings that others don't see; i.e., wondering what it means to us, not what the writer intended and what the recipient understood--the Bible isn't a fairy tale or bedtime story.    Soli Deo Gloria!

The Post-ethical Society

"Nothing good ever came from Christianity." --Madalyn Murray O'Hair, atheist activist or should I say "anti-theist?"  
"Morality is a nebulous thing; listen to the God within." (New Age philosophy)
"The summation of Christian ethics:  "Follow Me," Jesus
"The test of an idea is not whether it's true, but whether it works." --John Dewey, father of American public education and philosopher-author of A Common Faith
"Ethics is about not getting caught."  --Author unknown
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Prov. 14:34, NIV). 
"Morality is merely an extension of self-interest." --Karl Marx
"The Law of God is engraved in man." --John Calvin
"...[T]he propitious smile of Heaven" that fall only on that nation that does not "disregard the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained." --George Washington from Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville as quoted by David Noebel.  
"If we are not governed by God, then we will be ruled by tyrants." --William Penn
"Morality is not based on private opinion, but transcendent truth.  Morality is merely responsible decision-making [to the secularist]" --Charles Colson
"There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof is death" (Prov. 14:12; 16:25, NIV). 
"All a mans' ways are right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart" (Prov. 21:2, NIV). 
"... Hate what is evil; cling to what is good" (Rom. 12:9, NIV). 
"Let all things be done decently and in order" (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40).
"A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart" (Prov. 21:2, NIV).  
"Who stands fast?  ..., not the man whose final standard is his reason, his principles, conscience, virtue but God." --Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a martyr in his own right during Nazi regime who opposed Hitlerism

By way of intro, Kant's moral argument for God is as follows: ethics exist, to be possible, justice must exist, because it must occur in the afterlife; therefore a Judge must exist; the one who is capable to render it must be all-powerful and all-knowing.

READ ON TO SEE HOW OUR MORAL LAXITY HAS DEVOLVED INTO MORAL PARALYSIS AND MORAL DEPRAVITY, DUE TO LOSS OF BIBLICAL VALUES AS OUR ANCHOR.

We have inherited a post-ethical world that doubts the very existence of any objective, absolute, and universal morals and ethics, but that they are only relative to society, culture, time, person, and situation.  This is called moral relativism and the ethics of situation-ethics.  Kant pondered the very existence of ethics too and concluded that they don't exist if one rules out God from the equation--they both necessitate the other. Kant reasoned that God must exist for ethics to be possible.   "If God does not exist," goes Dostoevsky's dictum, "then all things are permissible."  But we know ethics do exist and guilt is real, whether psychologists can explain it away or not.  We are responsible, moral creatures that will have to give an account of ourselves to God at Judgment Day.

Secular Humanism has ruled God out and will not let a Divine Foot in the door to interfere with their personal mores and standards of behavior, which allows them to live like animals because they believe they are, in essence, animals. You can rise no higher than your image of yourself!  And what you think about God, according to A. W. Tozer is the most important thing about you.  The thing about ethics to realize is that where you begin determines where you'll end up.  Doctors still take the Hippocratic Oath, but their interpretation of it is purely humanistic.  The basic command is: "First, do no harm!"  Christianity is the only worldview that gives dignity to man and thus purpose, meaning, understanding, and legitimate goals.


We are not headed toward a utopia and man is not perfectible, contrary to modern thought.  They reason that if a man is perfectible and always evolving then so is society.  The truth is that we now have more knowledge but less wisdom and that is a dangerous combo. Most people today believe they have a right to make up their own code as they go along and whatever "feels right" to them is the right thing to do.  This all started going into a downward spiral after the teaching of Dr. Timothy Leary, who said, "Turn on!  Tune in! Drop out!"  A whole generation was lost in the quest to find themselves and gave no credence to religious feelings or interest.

The formula of Secular Humanism was "down with God, up with man!"  We deify man and dethrone God.  This kind of thinking goes back to Protagoras saying, "man is the measure of all things" or Homo mensura in Latin, WHEREBY WE BEGIN WITH MAN TO MAKE OUR CONCLUSIONS. NOTE THAT ATHANASIUS, FATHER OF ORTHODOXY, SAID, "The only system of thought Christ will fit into is the one where He is the starting point."  The conclusion of the matter is that without God there is no anchor to weigh in on and to tie everything together with, no grounds for commonality and unit and no common thread or unifying factor.  If there is no God, then there are no moral absolutes and all values, principles, ethics, and standards are relative.  In essence, this is to say that if we let ethics be the result of personal decision and whim, it's the same as denying any ethics at all--if there is no universal standard, there is no standard; this will lead to utter chaos and destruction of society, for no society has survived the loss of its gods, according to George Bernard Shaw.

There are many ethical systems and most people seem to think the ends justify the means, which is pure pragmatism and what communists embrace.  The New Morality says all that matters is the motive of love or good intent, not the results.  In reality, the motive and the end result must be righteous and pure in God's eyes for it to be ethical. Politics without principle is one of the Seven Deadly Sins named by Gandhi--that is our present reality, in which pragmatism and expediency rule.  And to most people, the Golden Rule has degenerated into the phrases:  He who has the gold, rules! Might makes right! Do unto them before they do unto you!  (Iron Rule).  It is a proven fact that Americans follow the Brazen Rule, which says treat unto others the way they treat you!  They certainly don't go high when others go low, but stoop to their level and are a no better example of righteousness. Our contemporary intelligentsia believes ethics evolve with time and are suitable only for the age they are in, but morals are timeless: what was right in Moses' day, is still valid today--God's principles and laws don't waver, because God is immutable and never whimsical, arbitrary, nor capricious.

The whole premise of having ethics is that we are in God's image and are obliged to act like He would, just as Plato observed:  If I want to know how to live in reality, I must know what God is really like!  The good news is that Jesus came to explain God to us and to show us the Way!  We have no excuse not to know the highest ethic achievable:  The Sermon on the Mount highlighted in the Golden Rule.  But this can only be realized by believers living in the Spirit.  The Christian life has not been found unworkable and failed, but found difficult and not attempted.  Christianity is not the first choice of many because it demands so much--denying yourself, giving up all, and following Christ no matter the cost.  In religion, you can be good without God, and are already considered good by nature.

We have a president with no moral compass, it's alleged, is it any wonder that our nation is becoming numb to ethical dilemmas and growing apathetic and calloused toward ethical issues, with a gradual normalization of wrong?  When you have everyone doing their own thing, chaos results and it turns out like Israel before it had a king:  "Everyone did what was right in their own eyes" (cf. Jdg. 21:25). Our nation is in moral paralysis and it has little or no sense of "ought" to judge our laws by, which are only the vested interest of those with the most money, loudest voice, and most influence with the rich and powerful and/or ruling class.

People have traded morals for practicality and we live in a market-driven and results-oriented society that is not truth-centered or oriented.  According to pragmatism, the value of an idea is its result, not its truth, which cannot be ascertained.  They say we must be results-oriented.  The rich and powerful have succeeded, by and large, in eradicating God from the public arena and common marketplace of ideas, and the Christian voice has been muffled and nearly silenced, and even fallen for Satan's lies, as the Evangelical Right turns a deaf ear to political mischief.

Alas, the day when our nation decides that anything goes and we are answerable to no one and there's no Higher Power we are held accountable to--a day when God is dead in our nation, or no longer relevant and believable. We are approaching that day now when all we get is lip service and an occasional nod to God to satisfy the so-called Evangelical Right, who believe they represent God but have hijacked the faith. In the final analysis, morality matters simply because God is the moral center of the universe--He is our judge, we are not His judge.

The ultimate questions we must inquire concerning are:  Does man have a purpose?  Can man live without God?  Has man forgotten God?  The idea of Secular Humanism is being good without God, a religion without God in the picture.  We must rise to the occasion and fly our Christian colors and vociferously proclaim and spread the word of our Great Commission. CAVEAT:  God is the only reliable anchor of society, the glue that holds it together via His divine institutions family, church, government--all meant to curtail and keep evil at bay.

A word to the wise is sufficient from Saint Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of Hippo: "Government is not a necessary evil, but necessary because of evil."  But then again, as an afterthought, I daresay our Bohemian and iconoclastic president has defied all norms of expectation and seems to be more of a Teflon president than Reagan, getting by with his unconventional M.O. without losing any of his loyal, devoted "base."      Soli Deo Gloria!

Christianity Is Good Psychology...

"There is something about the way God is that is like the way we are." --J. P. Moreland and Scott Rae
"Psychologist, Heal Thyself." --Joyce Milton
"If there is no God, all things are permissible." -- Dostoevsky
"... [A]nd [God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7, KJV).
NB: The Greek antiquarian axiom: Know thyself!

The Christian faith is a school of psychology, in fact, a better one than pop or even traditional psychology, and it is a competing one for the hearts and minds of Christians, some of whom feel alienated from the church and don't find solutions in its traditions and teachings. Too often Christians seeking psychological counseling just have unresolved personal problems and aren't obedient believers repenting of their sins and being accountable--the troubled souls need guidance and support for the social maladjustment. But psychology is starting to realize the importance of accountability and of making choices again, which is a kind of recognition of sin, the ultimate irresponsibility. The point is that without God there is no sin and we are not accountable!

The fact is that only the church offers answers to all the ultimate questions and dilemmas of man, and psychology focuses on behavior, dodging the bullet. Psychology is supposedly the study of the soul or psyche, but it has reverted to studying and modifying behavior. They don't have the big answer to what's wrong with us but focus on diagnosis and so-called self-help therapies. We instinctively sense something is awry with our condition. William Kirk Kilpatrick concludes, "The real test of a theory or way of life, however, is not whether it can relieve pain but what it says about the pain it cannot relieve." Why is it that religious people are known to be less stressed than nonbelievers?

Christian psychology, which seems like an oxymoron, focuses on positive psychological hygiene, as well as avoiding bad, destructive behavior. We are supposed to cease to do evil and learn to do good. Don't just avoid sin, but do the right thing and live right. According to Christian psychologists, most mental illnesses don't really exist, but they are over-diagnosed to people who have emotional problems with life adjustment and coping in the real world. They have not learned to hack Reality 101. (Modern psychology doesn't know any answers to life's problems and issues, such as the meaning and purpose of life, where we came from, where we're headed, and why we are here.) They study behavior but cannot define human nature and don't know what makes us human--the image of God!

Every rational person knows about the existence of good and evil and has eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Adam, but most people still think man is basically good, while Christianity is counter-cultural and says we are basically and intrinsically evil and corrupt through and through--no one escapes corruption and is pure in God's eyes. This raises a red flag when they cannot account for the evil in the world and don't even have a definition for it. But Paul said, "Wretched man that I am, who will rescue me from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24). We must know ourselves as the Greeks admonished, and the picture isn't pretty. A famous Christian philosopher remarked: "What is wrong with the world? I am, sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton." Christianity gives us dignity and makes us accountable and oriented toward reality, and isn't a cop-out or escape. Christianity is the only worldview that adequately answers all the ultimate questions plaguing mankind.

Christianity is unique too: The problem is sin, and Christ is the answer! Man is plagued by real guilt (not a guilt-complex a la Freudian psychology) and needs forgiveness and freedom from guilt which can only be realized in spiritual renewal and salvation. We are each individually responsible to God and accountable and will be judged as to what we did with our gifts from God. Christianity doesn't give us the freedom to live as we want, but the power to live as we ought and sets us free from the bondage of sin's power over us. We were born in bondage not born free! Only in Christianity is there meaning in suffering and the guilt problem is dealt a final blow and resolved for good so that it doesn't dog a person for the rest of his life.

We are in the image of God, having intellect, will, emotion, intuition, conscience, etc., and must seek good and moral choices, as well as avoid the evil one: Doing the right thing while avoiding bad behavior as well. We all have human traits of wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence to name a few of the known 52 virtues delineated in Scripture. The goal is not to pinpoint blame or to point the finger, but to bring healing through reconciliation to God. Only then will we realize what makes life worth living. Soli Deo Gloria!

Our Common Salvation

Jude wanted to write a treatise (cf. Jude 1:3) on "our common salvation," but was diverted to discuss heresy that had crept into the church.

This is a subject known doctrinally as soteriology, from the Greek soter, or to save.

The common man has no comprehension of what salvation means, and probably relates to a boxer being "saved by the bell."  A renowned theologian (R. C. Sproul) was asked if he was saved:  "Saved from what?"  The man was taken aback and had no answer; he didn't know what our salvation is from!   Actually, we are saved by God and from God (delivered from the wrath to come according to 1 Thess. 1:10).  We are as bad off as can be, but not too bad to be saved!

Christianity is a religion of salvation and this is pivotal.  "Salvation is of the Lord," says Jonah 2:9, and this means that God does all the work and gets all the credit and glory.  The other two possibilities are to be saved by a  combination of our efforts and God's, or to be saved by our efforts alone.  Only in the scenario that has God doing everything, can we have the assurance of salvation?    If we had to do anything, we'd blow it.

The Bible proclaims the saviorhood of God; this is His purpose in dying  ("...and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.").  The Scriptures speak of Christ as being the only way to be saved and that there is no other Savior (cf. Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Hos. 13:4;  Isa.43:11).

All three offices of Christ take part in our salvation:  as Prophet, we are saved from ignorance of sin; as Priest from the guilt of sin; as King from the dominion of sin (per D. James Kennedy).

There are many aspects to look at our salvation.   At the point of salvation we are saved from the penalty of sin or justified, then we are sanctified or saved from the power of sin, and in the state of glory, we will be saved from the presence of sin.  Another way of looking at this is that of our position (in Christ), our condition (fellowship and sanctification), and our expectation (glorification).  From the standpoint of the tenses, we are saved, we are being saved, and we shall be saved.  Our outlook is given perspective so that we have a worldview:  "Our past is forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured."  This all began in eternity past, is realized in time, and looks forward to, and is consummated in heaven.

Our salvation is a done deal, a fait accompli, a finished work--a divine accomplishment, not a human achievement.  Religion is a do-it-yourself proposition and says, "Do," but God says, "Done!"  The entire Trinity took part:  the Father planned and authored it, the Son secured and accomplished it, and the Holy Spirit applied it.

Only in Christianity can we have the assurance of salvation and this is not meant to be permission to live in the flesh, but the power to live in the Spirit.   Assurance enhances growth and is assuredly a boon to our spiritual well-being--otherwise, we are stunted and paralyzed in our walk.  Note that assurance and security can be distinguished, but not separated.  They go hand in hand and without one, you cannot have the other.  Assurance is not to satisfy idle curiosity, but meant to strengthen our faith, and is a sign of faith, not presumption.

Salvation is not by knowledge--that would be intellectualism--and not by emotion--that would be emotionalism--and not by works--that would be moralism.   It is not by faith plus works, not by faith plus being good, nor by faith plus law-keeping.  It is by grace alone, through faith alone,  in Christ alone.  Principle:  Don't divorce faith and faithfulness!  What kind of faith is saving faith is the issue:  only obedient and repentant faith will do.

There are only four possibilities for salvation to note:  by works alone; by faith plus works; by faith alone bringing about good works, and by faith alone equaling salvation minus good works.  The first is religion, the second is legalism, the third is correct Reformed teaching, and the last one is only antinomianism or easy-believism.  [This labeling from R. C. Sproul]  The formula during the Reformation was that we are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.

Our faith is simple--so simple a child can do it-- but not simplistic; it is childlike, but not childish.  It's not a matter of trying, but trusting--trust and obey!  It is the work of God (John 6:28-29 answers this question:  "What shall we do, to do the works of God?  It is the work of God that you believe..."); because we are incurably addicted to doing something for our salvation, according to Chuck Swindoll.   The reformer called this Soli Deo Gloria, or to God alone be the glory!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Hermeneutics Made Simple

Unlocking Scripture

"Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law" (Psalm 119:18, NKJV).

"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (Acts 20:32, NKJV).

"'For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life..." (Deut. 32:47, NKJV).

"Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart..." (Jeremiah 15:16, NKJV).  

Readers of the Bible that fail to glean anything substantial, inspiring, or convicting have missed the point of not knowing the Author first; the Bible is meant to be a closed book to anyone nonspiritual, for it is spiritually discerned (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14).  There are foundational principles for decoding the Word just like for any book, only more so.  If one is unaware of the main message of salvation and the main diagnosis of sin and the main enemy of Satan, one will not comprehend anything intelligible or meaningful and inspiring.  We don't just read it to get inspired like one would read Shakespeare, but to be transformed and changed--it wasn't written to increase our knowledge (so don't read it for merely academic pursuits!), but to change our lives, for the Word is powerful, and living, and has the Spirit giving it convicting influence.  Sometimes readers get out of focus and experience "Bible fatigue" whereby it's lost some pizzazz or original flavor due to overly familiarization with the text; a new translation or version may be in order to refresh yourself and get back on track in the Word.

Many people claim to read the Word but have only given it passing attention and perusal.  What they ought to try is to let the Bible read them and go through them as they go through it and read it (to use figures of speech).  The Bible has a way of feeding you and making you hungry for more--it quenches your thirst and makes you thirsty--nothing else will satisfy once experienced!  Our goal is not so much to know the Word as the Author (it's a means to an end), and in our efforts to be people of the Book, to obey it and know God through it, as Jesus said in John 17:17, NKJV, "Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your Word is truth."  Our goal in learning the Word is not to just become familiar with it, but with the Author, and subsequently in a living relationship in which He speaks to us through it.

Many Christians have difficulty understanding the Word for lack of reading skills and of basic hermeneutics.  One must always put them into context (social, historical, paragraph, book, and the whole analogy of Scripture itself).  Another key is to see it all as a revelation of Christ and who He is, as revealed developmentally and gradually throughout the Bible; each book shows Christ in a new light and we can know Him in this way.  The Bible is written in many genres: historical narrative; poetry; didactive or teaching letters; prophecy; sermons; wisdom, literature or proverbs; songs and psalms;  and parables or figures of speech, beating around the bush or plainspoken.  One reason students don't read adequately is the biblical terminology or vocabulary and they don't avail themselves of dictionaries and Bible study aids.  A simple solution may be another version or study Bible!  The primary reason not to get anything out of the Word is not reading with a purpose or not depending on the Spirit's illumination and guidance.  If we don't put anything into it or any effort, we can expect little reward (as Psalm 119:162, NKJV, says, "I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure").

Furthermore, ask questions when studying about: lessons to learn; principles to know; promises to claim; errors to avoid; duties to perform; commands to obey; prayers to echo; warnings to heed; truth to realize; and examples to follow.  We so often neglect the main message and don't see the forest for the trees; keep the main thing the main thing! Whether you understand it or get anything out of it is not God's fault, but a mirror on the condition of your soul and openness to His will and Spirit. A guideline to follow is to bring an open mind, needy and thirsty heart, and obedient spirit to the Word!  In other words, expect God to speak to your heart.  Once you've had an "Aha!" moment in the Owner's Manual of life or an existential encounter with the Word, you'll be hooked and always eager to find the Bread of Life in the Word, which is the only message that can satisfy.

Some commonsensical principles of interpretation are to view the Old Testament in light of the New Testament, and vice versa; to interpret the implicit in light of the explicit, the obscure in light of the clear, (NB:  the New Testament trumps the Old Testament) and the narrative in light of the didactive or teaching passages; letting Scripture be its own Supreme Court and its own interpreter by letting cross-reference verses shed light on a passage; not to fabricate some far-out, far-fetched understanding comes from an isolated passage; and remembering that no Scripture is of any private interpretation (cf. 2 Pet. 1:20) and we have the responsibility to interpret it correctly and not become subjective; we have a right to our own applications and opinions, but not our own interpretations!  We have no right to fabricate our own truths or go off on a tangent all alone, avoiding taking some far-fetched idea from an obscure passage.  Taking the Bible literally doesn't mean we don't read certain passages as plays on words or figures of speech, but we do take it at face value when it's called for!  It should go without saying that all rules of inference and logic must be followed.

To be purpose-oriented, one must simply seek the purpose of the text as the author intended (what occasioned it?), before applying it to yourself--that entails reading with a purpose and not aimlessly.  Interpretation comes before application.  A mistake by the beginner is to read into the Word, rather than what's in it or reading out of it.  Finally, you can't just read any verse at random and expect it to be a divine message from the Almighty! The whole idea of reading with a purpose is to arrive at some take-away to meditate on as spiritual food for the day. The idea is to unlock the Word one verse at a time, but not to lose focus on the main message of salvation in Christ.  This is called bibliomancy and is not recommended.  (To get a clear view, one must see the big picture and know the gradual unfolding of the redemption story, or be able to walk through it.)   Soli Deo Gloria!