Is God Speaking?

The small group of men I deal with on a weekly basis have had many conversations lately about the dangers of the “prosperity gospel”. I’ve also been getting involved with Reclaim Ministries (ministry seeking to restore the hearts of men). And I’ve been trying to dig more into the life of a Muslim-turned-Christian, Nabeel Qureshi. All of these together have caused me to really start thinking deeply about “why don’t I hear from God?”

It's easy in American culture to rely on yourself in many ways. I may need help re-doing some plumbing, running electric, or putting on a new roof, but for the most part I can at least afford to pay an expert to do those things on my own. Even from a faith perspective, it’s easy to silo church events to fit them into our schedule, fake a deep relationship with God, and put up a “tomato cage” around our actually dead heart. To read of Christ’s miracles, hear of the power of God living in His followers, and be told contemporary stories from around the globe of physical healings, visions and dreams, all seems foreign and unreachable. So when you talk to someone who “heard from the Lord”, you can become immediately skeptical as your internal knee jerks.

But to dismiss the supernatural is foolish. Starting from the premise (or “truth” if you ask me) that the Bible is 100% accurate, then the supernatural isn’t a foreign concept, but it actually happens. So while hearing from God seems like a thing of myth and magic, it’s a thing. But if it’s real, why don’t I hear from Him?

I was lying awake last night, so I began to pray. As I prayed, a little understanding came over me. As I’ve walked through some deep, spiritual conversations with men lately, I’ve come to know my own heart a little more clearly. And as I’ve understood my own heart, I’ve realized how bent I am toward negativity, anger, annoyance, skepticism, self-righteousness, and the like. If it weren’t for my elementary knowledge of Biblical scripture, I would like people much less than I do with it. My mind is not geared toward love (other than to my wife and children – that comes naturally), but rather hate. So as I lay there praying, I theorized that the good thoughts I have could only come from God. If the bad thoughts I have come from me – that is, my sinful nature – and the good thoughts come only from God, then is it possible that the supernatural is actually more elementary than I’ve thought? (James 1:17 – “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”)

If I could write down all of the times I’ve ignored that thing I should have done or should have said, but instead followed my own way, I could have filled volumes by now – possibly enough to line the shelves of my own library! I’ve decided I need to start being more intentional with my thoughts than I have been. If I can be actually conscious of my thoughts, take note if they are good or bad, and direct my actions based on that, I would think I’m actually listening to God speak through my heart. (2 Corinthians 10:5 – “We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”; Galatians 5:17 – “For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”)

When I feel I should say something nice, I should say it.

When I feel I should pray for someone, I should stop and do it.

When I feel I should give to someone / something out of my abundance, I should give it.

The list goes on.

(James 4:17 – “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”)

I think it’s that simple. Be filled with Christ’s righteousness, goodness, and holiness, and you will hear from Him. And the good you hear, act upon that, and you’re living out the supernatural. But being filled with Christ’s attributes takes prayer, time in the Bible, and fellowship with the saints. With those “tools”, and only those, is one able to determine if you’re hearing from God or yourself (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 – “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.”; 1 John 4:1 – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”)

I think of a story a guy relayed to a group of men last night, about a guy named John Kavanaugh who sought out time with Mother Teresa:

“When the brilliant ethicist John Kavanaugh went to work for three months at ‘the house of the dying’ in Calcutta, he was seeking a clear answer as to how best to spend the rest of his life. On the first morning there he met Mother Teresa. She asked, ‘And what can I do for you?’ Kavanaugh asked her to pray for him.

‘What do you want me to pray for?’ she asked. He voiced the request that he had borne thousands of miles from the United States: ‘Pray that I have clarity.’

She said firmly, ‘No, I will not do that.’ When he asked her why, she said, ‘Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.’ When Kavanaugh commented that she always seemed to have the clarity he longed for, she laughed and said, ‘I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.’”

Listen. Test. Trust. Don’t question… act.

Okay - I’m listening, Lord……

Remembering the Sabbath

This is something I've been pondering, but definitely not something I'm any better at than probably anyone else reading this. I realize that's a huge assumption since I don't know you, but based on what I see in the lives around me, the percentage is favor of my being right that we're alike here.

Though the Ten Commandments are only a portion of the Old Testament Law, we as Christians tend to hold these up as the exclamation point of the Law:

1) You shall have no other gods before me.

2) You shall not have any idols.

3) You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

4) Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

5) Honor your father and mother.

6) You shall not murder.

7) You shall not commit adultery.

8) You shall not steal.

9) You shall not give false testimony.

10) You shall not covet.

(ref. Deuteronomy 5:6-21)

Based on the fact that you're a living and breathing human being, there's a high likelihood that you already believe strongly that we shouldn't murder, cheat on our spouse, steal, lie, or covet - those are somehow hardwired into our innate morality. And if you have any sort of church-going history, you probably have an inkling that we should have no other gods before THE God, we shouldn't have idols (and that these come in many forms, like hobbies, jobs, and even our spouses), we shouldn't use the Lord's name in vane, and we should honor our father and mother.

So that's 9 of 10, leaving only the Sabbath. How do we observe that and keep it holy? Is it simply by sleeping in, fighting our children to get up and get dressed, getting to church late, coming home for a nap, then watching the football game? Others may also see it as a day to get some things done.

While both of these examples do appear different than most other days of the week (other than the second example could look a lot like Saturday for that person), is that really how we make it holy?

Now I'm not getting into an argument over whether the Sabbath is a Sunday or a Saturday, or any other day of the week really, but here in American Christian culture, that day has been traditionally set aside as Sunday. And the way we make this holy is by holding church services on that day.

What does 'holy' even mean? It comes from the Hebrew meaning "separate". So anything holy is to be separate, different, clean, and pure; sacred, consecrated, divine. So while it is to look different than other days of the week, and it does just that, making it holy is something entirely different.

Now I'm not trying to be legalistic here, but Jesus didn't come to abolish the law - he came to fulfill it. When you hear Jesus preach about lying, stealing, adultery, etc. in the Sermon on the Mount  (Matthew 5-7), he doesn't just suggest these things are still wrong, but that fulfillment of them goes beyond just the actual command. For instance, in Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus says "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment'. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment."

So Jesus didn't say that murder was okay now, but that we just shouldn't be angry with our brother. I think it's clear he's still against murder. So "don't murder", but it's more than that - it's "don't murder, and don't even by angry with your brother."

Again, this isn't meant to be legalistic, but rather a barometer for our our hearts. If we can say "I've never killed anyone, but yeah - I'm always angry at my brother," then how are we fulfilling what Jesus says are the two greatest commandments: 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind; and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself? This shouldn't be a "you're bad because you broke the rules, or yay - pat on the back for you. This is simply a heart-check to make sure we're aligning our lives with Christ.

But in the same way, shouldn't we be remembering the Sabbath and making it holy? And according to Christ's fulfillment of the law, shouldn't we be not only remembering it and making it holy, but going beyond that? Shouldn't the Sabbath be set apart, yet we should set our entire lives apart every day? This doesn't mean every day looks like Sunday, or that because we look like Christ every day we can ignore Sunday. If we aren't angry with our brother but still murder, it's still wrong. In the same way, I think our lives need to look different every day, but the Sabbath still needs to be there.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:1-2)

On this Sunday, the Sabbath, the Lord's Day, I hope we can all find a way to set this day aside. That we can not only set this day aside as somehow holy, but to carry on throughout our week.

God Speed.

Standing Invitation

 This is a standing invitation:

                What: To read from the Bible and pray together

    Who: You? Anyone really, but namely God’s people, followers of Jesus Christ; but please, if you’re just curious, need any sort of comfort, etc… come. One exception (since this needs to be clarified in today’s world): if you’re sick, please stay home and join us in spirit from there.

                Where: My house

    When: Every Sunday evening, 6:00 p.m. (beginning TONIGHT January 10^th, 2021); come early, but no sooner than 5:30 p.m. please, but reading will begin at 6:00 p.m. sharp

                Why: Let me explain…

Whether you agree with the legitimacy of Biden’s presidential election, or you are on the side of Trump, you have to admit that this past week has surely been the exclamation point that we are in a period of political turmoil. And hopefully you see that it’s not just political turmoil, but the freedoms we have been afforded in this country and that we are now abusing to the point of sin, even within the Church, are leading us slowly into the shadows and eventual eternal death. By “Church” I DONT mean what’s being taught from our pulpits, but rather what’s happening and being excused in the hearts of those who profess loyalty and service to Christ the King: aka “Christians” aka “the Church”!! Search your heart – I know I’ve been evaluating my own a lot more recently – you have prideful, selfish sins like me too, ones that need repented of, confessed, prayed for.

One could argue that America, as a whole, is at the peak of human existence. We have more freedom and opportunity than ever before, financially, politically, spiritually, practically, leisurely – you name it! Though God is speaking of Solomon (the richest to have ever lived) and the temple, I can’t help but draw the parallels:

When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, the Lord appeared to him at night and said… (2 Chronicles 7:11-12a)

Sounds somewhat like America, right? We’re (relatively) rich compared to the rest of the world as a whole, we have accomplished (relatively) everything we’ve set out to do, and the Church itself is thriving – in fact, there’s an intersection close by my house where until recently three different church buildings occupied three of the four corners!!!

So again, if you argue we’re at the peak of existence here, then here’s a shake-up:

I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.

When I shut up the heavens so there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (God – 2 Chronicles 12b-15)

Again, though this isn’t speaking of America, you can see some similarities. What’s going on right now is somewhat of a drought, a plague, or an invasion of locusts on our so-called “crop”. And since God doesn’t change (Hebrews 13:8), what the above says to me is that if God’s people would humble themselves, pray, seek Him, and repent, even as with the above story, He will hear them, forgive them, and heal their land – His eyes will be open and ears attentive to their prayers.

So we need a revolution – not against the rulers of our time, or against frustrating neighbors, or that guy who cut you off on the highway, or ornery bosses – but against our own hearts and wickedness. The only way we can make a difference in this world is to seek God. Repent and go after Him.

So every Sunday, here’s what this will be:

·                Reading from the Bible (just like they did in Nehemiah 8)

·                 Prayer

·                 And if / when needed: confession

·                 Families – children will hopefully be participating, so we can pass this along to the next generation

What this will NOT be:

·                A sermon. We will simply read from the Bible together and pray – though feel free to linger and       discuss with others if necessary afterward.

·              Sitting in my living room with a copy of coffee and a Bible on our laps - dress for the weather, bring an umbrella or boots (my yard may be muddy), a chair, warm clothes…

·              American fellowship – eat before you come, or wait until you get home, but we won’t have a meal or snacks

·              A replacement for church attendance – if you regularly go to church on Sunday evenings, please don’t skip that to come here!

·              A political rally. We are leaving our political affiliations and the Constitution at home – this is for us to come together under the banner of Christ, and Him alone (what an opportunity)!!!

Remember, in the 2 Chronicles passage above, God seeks humility in our seeking Him, so this isn’t about meeting comfortably, but coming as you are and worshipping Him through our acknowledgement of scripture and communion through prayer with what we have when we’re here.

Obviously plans will be somewhat fluid and can / may change – meaning if there are only a few people and it’s pouring down rain, we can cram in the garage to stay dry. If there are only ten of us, we’ll prayer in a smaller circle – and if there are 200, we’ll have to split that up somehow. BUT – we will gather every Sunday evening at 6pm. And the bathroom will always be open for emergencies!!

Last thing I would ask is that you bring a physical, printed Bible. If at all possible, leave your phone at home, or at the least in your car when you arrive. If you don’t have a Bible, I will get one to you!!!

So mark your calendar for every Sunday and come. It’s a standing invitation. No need to RSVP. Just show up. I’m not planning anything other than scripture and prayer, which aren’t contingent upon the number of people who show up.

I pray God will awaken your heart to this goal of oneness. Just like Jesus himself prayed before he was arrested to be crucified: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23) Jesus is praying for us – we’ve heard the message passed down by his disciples, and he urges us to be in complete unity.

Questions? Text 330-466-7411.

War & Government: A Christian's Response

 The year 2020 has definitely been a year for the record books. From a pandemic to riots in the streets, from social justice being shouted in every metropolis to a very polarized presidential election, nobody with a pulse can deny how uncharacteristic this year has been. Because of all this, there are Christians out there asking “what do we do with now?”

While we wait for the much-anticipated outcome of the presidential election, we ponder what the world will be like once finalized. The argument can be made that the pandemic, social justice, and riots will all be solved or made worse depending on who ends up sitting in the Oval Office.

Though already on a downward moral and spiritual spiral, the conclusion of the election could potentially cause America to spiral further, and possibly faster. If our government turns to tyrannical rule, a socialist / Marxist pre-cursor, or worse, we are left as Christ-followers wondering about our voice, our place, and ultimately our action, if necessary.

As a Christian, how should I interact with my government? Though America is much different than much of the world due to democracy and our many freedoms, I am a Christian before I am an American. And the Bible does not differentiate between how I should relate to my government, whether a democracy or a dictatorship. In fact, Scripture essentially only outlines that relationship with ‘government’ in a higher sense.

Passages like Romans 13:1-7 and I Peter 2:13-15 seem to be very clear on this matter: submit to authority, for going against them is essentially going against what God has determined to be in place. Do what they say.

But what about tyranny? What about me losing my freedom? What if they government goes against the Founding Fathers and eventually does away with church, religion, prayer, and the like? Do I draw the line in my submission to authority somewhere, or do I fight back, even if it means picking up arms and going to war?

I think Pastor John Macarthur sums up these two passages and answers my follow-up questions rather well, in his article Can Christians Participate in Civil Disobedience?

“We believe the Scripture teaches that we are to submit to government even if that government does not function entirely (or ever primarily) by biblical principles (Romans 13:1-7). That principle is explicit in Peter’s message to servants (I Peter 2:18-19), which directly follows his more general comments regarding government (I Peter 2:13-17). And that epistle teaches the same thing over and over again in varied ways: Submit even if you suffer, because in doing so you identify with Christ and are blessed (cf. I Peter 2:21-24; 3:1-2; 4:12-14; 5:9-10). There are times when we must obey God rather than men, but we believe that we should disobey the authorities only if they command us to do something directly against God’s law (e.g. Acts 5:29 and its surrounding context).

“So we believe that civil disobedience is justified only when government compels us to sin, or when there is no legal recourse for fighting injustice. The reason we draw the line there is simply because all the scriptural examples of civil disobedience fall squarely into those two situations. Any other kind of activism has no precedent in the Word of God and violates the spirit of Romans 13 and I Peter 2.”

Again, I am a Christian before I am an American. So essentially my freedoms are not something to fight for, but to be blessed with. My role is to become more like Christ, to love like He did, and shine that into the world around me.

All that said, though, in the context of democracy and freedom of speech, even a Christian is given the right to speak out on matters and vote when necessary. These are freedoms we should take advantage of as long as we are allotted. But when those freedoms are taken away, we are taught to submit and suffer.

If the American government decides to allow the LGBQ+ community to marry one another, give one skin pigmentation certain rights over another, or level the economic playing field via socialism, then my responsibility is to submit. If that same government decides to abolish organized religion, demolish all religious buildings, and throw those in prison who worship only God and pray openly in His name, then I continue to serve Him, no matter the earthly consequences.

But then given the divided nature of this election and how lines are being drawn, the 2^nd Amendment and rumors of potential civil war and unrest begin to circulate. According to John Macarthur’s article What does the Bible say about war? Is there ever a just reason for it? the Christian is permitted to participate in “just war” (https://www.gty.org/library/questions/QA65/what-does-the-bible-say-about-war-is-there-ever-a-just-reason-for-it). A “just war” is justified on three main supports: 1) God considers human life precious; 2) God commands protection of human life; and 3) God commissioned government to punish evildoers.

I Peter 2:13-14 indicates “that God gives governments the responsibility of carrying out punishment on those who commit deadly atrocities—like those perpetrated on September 11. And that responsibility includes waging war when necessary against nations or groups that carry out such actions.”

So if a new Hitler arises in America and begins murdering image-bearers of God, the government has a right and responsibility to retaliate, and the Christian has a right to participate in that military response. But what if the government is ‘Hitler’? I think especially in the United States, the people are in charge of the government, and given the 2^nd Amendment and a well-regulate militia may have the right in certain circumstances to also organize and retaliate.

This area gets grey when we talk about something like abortion though. If the killing of unborn children, also image-bearers of God, is legalized by the government, do we as Christian’s have a right and necessity to retaliate against the government and / or organizations that are legalizing, normalizing, and helping in this atrocious act? My own thought on this matter, right or wrong, is that the government legalizing it does not mean you are forced to do it – if forced, one should obviously go against it. This matter is then left in the hands of the individual – and a sinner who has the opportunity and desire to do this can do so legally – and the Christian’s response is to do everything in their power to stop it.

In summary, we submit to our governing authorities, unless that authority contradicts God’s holy law. We do not wage war against any government unless it is in justified defense of image-bearers of God, and that is done in an organized, regulated governmental sort of fashion.

[Note: I realize this rambling does not discuss self-defense, including and especially lethal self-defense. That is a similar yet different topic. Quickly put though, I think the Bible allows for the carrying of lethal weapons and the use of those in the case of self-defense matching force-with-force.]

 

Source Articles:

Can Christians Participate in Civil Disobedience? (gty.org)

The Christian's Responsibility to Government, Part 1 (gty.org) (Parts 2-4 are also on gty.org)

What does the Bible say about war? Is there ever a just reason for it? (gty.org)

Bad Things Happen to Good People Too

Why do bad things happen to good people? If God loves us, why does He allow bad things to happen?

I believe God is sovereign – independent, self-governing, autonomous. He can do, and does, whatever He wants, whenever He wants, in whatever fashion He wants. Isaiah even tells us “’my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways’, declares the Lord” (v. 8). My understanding (or lack thereof) does not precede His sovereign decision.

In Genesis 3, we read about the “fall of man” - sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, and one of the consequences of this – among other types of suffering listed in this passage - was death (v. 19). In Romans 3:23, we’re told that “all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God”, and that the wages of this sin is death (Romans 6:23). So just like the first humans, the consequence of my sin is death – the consequence of your sin is death. We all die – even the “best” among us.

So even if I’m following Leviticus 11:44 and I Peter 3:16, to be holy just as God is Himself holy, I also know that it doesn’t matter when it comes to daily living. Even Jesus says, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).

If I put all of this together, I’m hearing that I’m a sinner that has earned death as a result (Romans 3:23, 6:23). And even if I do good works and really strive for holiness to be like God Himself (Leviticus 11:44), it still rains on me (Matthew 5:45), and I’m guaranteed trials in this life (James 1:2).

In that case, I answer my own questions: because we’re all sinners who have earned death.

BUT… I Peter 1:6-7 further clarifies the benefit of the call to holiness: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trails. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be provided genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

I may not know when I’ll die, but I know I will. This is the fate of us all. And based on Genesis 3, I’m not guaranteed an easy life because of sin. But what I do now in response to the trials and the knowledge that I will die one day after those trials are all over, that is the call to holiness.

I don’t have to understand why God does what He does. My faith and holiness are my response to the consequences of sin which prove I trust Him no matter what. The bad things aren’t because of Him. The bad things are because of you, and me. We’ll all face bad things, ending in the ultimate bad thing: death. Even the most righteous and well-meaning of us die – it doesn’t matter.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (I Peter 1:3).

The Easy Way

Two things I enjoy reading: Desiring God (a daily devotional app by John Piper) and The Art of Manliness (specifically his Sunday Firesides). Today, they worked together to get my thoughts moving.

There is no easy way with life. If you take things like fast food, a hanging curveball, or pornography, things can be easy. But life itself is not easy. “There must be a way to make good money, without working hard; to lose weight, without cutting calories; to drink caffeine throughout the day, and still get a good nights sleep; to get ripped, without lifting heavy weights.” 

We know this, but don’t want to believe it. If there are these things here-and-there that are quick, easy pleasures, then there must be a solution for making the harder things of life simpler.

Unfortunately, there are some rules to how the universe operates that cannot be undone. Gravity can be overcome, but not without major force. The sun cannot be stopped from setting unless you can travel around the world fast enough to avoid it. Weeds in my yard will continue to grow like the Amazon without tireless work and investment.

In observation of the world around me, and in my own life personally, I believe there are just some things that will take hard work, no matter how much I want to believe otherwise.

Paul, in II Corinthians 4:16 says “though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” Yet another rule of the universe that cannot be ignored: we all grow old, and eventually die.

But the good news in Paul’s words are that another rule of the universe cannot be ignored: we CAN be renewed internally day-by-day, and we CAN live eternally. (That may sound hokey to some, but hopefully worth looking into!)

Think about Paul’s life. If you aren’t familiar with Paul, I suggest you go check out his story. He endured a lot, yet didn’t lose heart. Think about being beaten... in Paul’s time, there were no antibiotics. It could take a while to recover from something like that, even without complications and infection. And as he aged, that would only get harder. His sight would diminish (and there were no glasses) and hearing get harder (and there were no hearing aids). He was a missionary, and spent most of his time walking between towns - which would also get harder with age. Paul’s life... and let’s face it, YOUR life... are wasting away. Your outer self, no matter how much work you put into it, will only last so long.

My hope isn’t to discourage you from working hard to take care of your temporary outer self. Physical training is of some value. So is working hard to earn more money. However, you will die someday, and you can’t take your money with you. That homer in you hit in high school is a memory lost. The pornography you immersed your brain in is left for some other poor chap to lose himself in. It’s all gone... the easy stuff with the hard stuff. BUT... the one thing worth the effort... your inner self... THAT is what I would hope you would being to put more emphasis on. Put in the hard work there, because effort toward knowing Christ, getting your heart changed, and living eternally after all the temporal crap has faded... that’s actually worth it.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Where are you investing your treasure today? Is it in easy things? In harder things that don’t matter when your body is about ready to leave this world? Or is it in the eternal impact of who you actually are? Invest... because “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:14) The rest are looking to the easy road... but that leads to destruction.

Find life. Invest.

Stopping the Swinging Pendulum

John Piper says “there are many professing Christians who have a view of salvation that... nullifies the threats of the Bible.”

I’ve been meditating on this in light of my own views of Christ, His Church, the world... and I think he’s right, especially here in America.

We love our freedom. We want to be able to do what we want, when we want, with whomever we want, with no repercussion. We want to be accepted for who we are, no matter the vice. Then, after to coming to know the Bible a little bit, and grasping a taste that God is loving, forgiving, and gracious, we take every evil thing inside us for granted. We dismiss, way into the back of our minds, the equally important qualities of God that are just and full of wrath, that our sin separates us from Him.

And so the pendulum swings...

But the opposite is also true. There are those that tend to emphasize God’s wrath and His being the Ultimate Judge to the point that His love and grace are essentially a footnote. So in these cases, we attempt to come up with rules and guidelines to how we approach our “faith”. God says so... so do it. If you’re outside of that, then you’re already condemned to hell.

You could make a enormously long list of things written simply in the Bible alone that God says not to do. You could extend that list by adding on the things He says TO do. After that, rank these things in terms of human importance. Then draw a horizontal list through your line. Place it where the things of most importance condemn a man if he violates them, and those with lesser importance do not. Must with understanding of this would agree that violation of any part of God’s word is sin, which condemns.

And so the pendulum swings...

If God is completely just / full of wrath, yet completely loving / full of grace, how do we know how to follow the Bible’s teachings? If everything he says “do” or “don’t do” has the power to condemn, yet He’s willing and ready to forgive us of any / all sin (He already sent Christ), what do I do with the list?

The pendulum needs to stop swinging, and we need to rest in the middle. We need to understand God is all of the scary stuff and all of the not-scary stuff, all at the same time. He’s given us ways to live, but which we should obey. We should fight as a warrior in battle against disobedience, but understand that He’s there as a patient and loving father, ready to help us back up to try again, with grace.

The bar is high. James 4 says if you know the good you ought to do, yet don’t do it... THAT’S sin. That list we came up with... those are just some good things we ought to do. There are so many others that aren’t written down (e.g., the Bible doesn’t say “don’t cut somebody off on the highway during rush hour”) - but we ought to do those. The bar is TOO high.

So let’s stop making rules we need to follow to reach heaven - that’s up to God. Follow Him. And let’s stop using His grace and / or our salvation as a means to justify our sin. Let’s rest in the middle. Let’s follow God out of faith in His ultimate sovereignty.