Past, Present, Future } Christianity

    Our God, the God of the Bible, is the God of all things past, present, and future.  He created all things.  He is the Alpha.  He is the uncaused cause of all that we know.  We can take much comfort in this thought, for the God who created the universe also cares for us.  His care toward us leads me to the fact that He is the God of the present as well.  Not only did God exist in all times past, He exists in the constant present, drawing us ever closer in our walk toward Him, and wooing the lost to come in as sons and daughters through Christ.  He actively hears our prayers.  He is aware of the pains and the sorrows that we face in this sin-affected world with our sin-affected bodies.  There is comfort found there.  Also, God is the God of the future.  He is the Omega, the End.  Only He has the right to end things as they are, as He sees fit.  God is the Victorious Warrior over sin, and the punishment for the evil one has been spelled out.  As sure as we, in our broken bodies, will one day face our appointment with death and then be judged, the great deciever will meet his end at the hand of the LORD.  God has reigned from the beginning, He continues to reign, and He will reign in the future forever.  Amen!!!

    As God Himself is the God of all things past, present and future, it is rightly reflected as such in His word, the Bible.  In the Bible, we have a historical account of the dealings of God with man.  We understand why things are as they are through history, which in turn provides us with a clear worldview by which we live.  The stories of the dealings of God with man hit home, because we can see certain qualities of ourselves in the characters of the Old Testament.  Namely, the brokenness of man that is common to all.  It is a comfort to know that God cares about the broken.  By relating the past to ourselves in the Present, and through the active work of the Holy Spirit on our lives, the Bible is a book of the present as well.  Amazingly, although this book is thousands of years old, it still pierces to the heart of sinful man, drawing men to come to faith in Christ.  God has spelled out the future for us in the Bible as well.  It is through the reading of His word that we understand our gift of eternal life and the punishment that will come to those who reject Him.  We understand that the enemy has already been defeated, because God has decreed it to be so.  And now, we wait, and we look, and most importantly, we work.

    Thus, as God is the God of all things past, present, and future, and as His word reflects all three, it only makes since that we, as God’s children, should be concerned with the past, present, and future as well.  Personally, I would venture to say that most of my life is spent in the present-past, immediate present, or the present-future.  Basically, most of my attention is turned toward the events that have happened, are happening, or will happen in a week or so.  I truly think that this is a problem that I have.  How would my life be different if I considered the far past in relation to today more often?  How would my life be affected if I considered the far future, even unto death, and the promise of God of eternal life after death, and yet even the judgement of God?  I think that focusing on such things cannot help but change the way that we live out our lives in the present.  Now, there is also work to be done in the present.  And there is joy to be found in life and in rest in the present.  My case is simply that I do not spend nearly enough time thinking about the past or the future.

    On a personal note, I am truly benefitted in my own life to stop and think about some of the great memories of times past and the hopes of the time future.  God has blessed my life richly.  I have had a wonderful life so far, and I look forward to what God will do with my flawed person in the future as He sanctifies and draws me to Himself. 

    Mostly, though, I praise God today for rest.  Rest in things past, rest in present troubles, and rest in life eternal.  Glory to God in the Highest!

Sometimes…

Sometimes I think about who I have been.  Sometimes I think about the part of me that still is, the part of me that I want to fight against.  Some of the bad choices that I have made, some of the terrible things that I have done or wanted to do, some of the horrible thoughts that have gone through my head, some of the awful words that have escaped my lips.  And I have to wonder…why?  Why should God care about someone so selfish, so undeserving, so flawed?  How can a sinner such as I merit the grace of a perfectly just God?  It’s a mystery to me, one for which I will be eternally grateful.

“Sin and despair like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.”

A Few Facts About Islam

This will be somewhat of a short post.  And no, I have not forgotten about this blog.  All of the following are taken verbatim from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam.

• In Islamic theology, Jesus was just a man and not the son of God.
• Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad, God’s final prophet, through the angel Gabriel, and regard the Qur’an and the Sunnah (words and deeds of Muhammad) as the fundamental sources of Islam. They do not regard Muhammad as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. Islamic tradition holds that Jews and Christians distorted the revelations God gave to these prophets by either altering the text, introducing a false interpretation, or both.
• There are between 1 billion and 1.8 billion Muslims, making Islam the second-largest religion in the world, after Christianity.
• Within Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is usually taken to mean military exertion against non-Muslim combatants in the defense or expansion of the Islamic state, the ultimate purpose of which is to universalize Islam. Jihad, the only form of warfare permissible in Islamic law, may be declared against apostates, rebels, highway robbers, violent groups, unIslamic leaders or states which refuse to submit to the authority of Islam. Most Muslims today interpret Jihad as only a defensive form of warfare: the external Jihad includes a struggle to make the Islamic societies conform to the Islamic norms of justice.
• For most Shi’as, offensive jihad can only be declared by a divinely appointed leader of the Muslim community, and as such is suspended since Muhammad al-Mahdi’s occultation in 868 AD.
• The Shi’a, who constitute the second-largest branch of Islam, believe in the political and religious leadership of Imams from the progeny of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who according to most Shi’a are in a state of ismah, meaning infallibility.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelvers:

• Twelver Shi’ism is the largest branch of the Shi’a branch of Islam.
• The Twelver Shi’a faith is predominantly found in Iran (90%) , Iraq (65%), Azerbaijan (75%), Lebanon (35%), Kuwait (35%), Turkey (25%), Saudi Arabia (10-15%)^[1], Bahrain (80%) and form a large minority in Pakistan (20%) and Afghanistan (18%).
• The twelfth and final Imam is Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is believed by the Twelvers to be currently alive, and in hiding.

And finally, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_al-Mahdi:

• Twelver Shi’as believe that Mahdi was born in 868 and has been hidden by God (referred to as the Occultation) to later emerge with Jesus to fulfill their mission of bringing Justice and Peace to the world.
• Sunni Muslims do not consider the son of Hasan al-Askari to be the Mahdi nor to be in occultation.
• It is said “predictions and lore conscerning the Mahdi abound.” Among them are that the promised Mahdi would be a Caliph of God and that to make a covenant with him is obligatory. He would belong to the House of Muhammad and would be in the line of Imam Hussein. His name would be Muhammad and his family name would be Abul Qasim, his father’s name would be ‘Abdu’llah, and he would appear in Mecca. He would protect the Muslims from destruction and would restore the religion to its original position.

A Few Truly Wonderful Things

I love hearing the testimonies of others.  Often, it’s wonderful to know the details of how God changes the cold hearts of men, calling them to Himself.  Perhaps that’s why one of my favorite radio programs to listen to as a kid was “Unshackled” by the Pacific Garden Mission.  Hearing the testimonies of others who were saved from much worse circumstances and hardships than I was truly changed my perspective of life.  I found a testimony that moved me today:  Click here for that.  As I thought about the finite limits of human knowledge and the futility and frustration that is found upon reaching the limits of it, I couldn’t help but remember the amazing sense of relief that I experienced when I accepted Christ as the Lord and Savior of my life.  I was moved to tears as I read, following the experience of this woman and her quest for knowledge, with her finally coming to the realization that ”The more I emptied myself of myself, the clearer the truth became. It had been my own selfish sin that had kept me from seeing it before.”  I’m so thankful that God emptied me of myself, and I’m so much more thankful that he continues to do so regularly.

Another wonderful thing for today is in the form of music.  It’s a myspace page, so you’ll have to click the song title there to hear it:  Brave Saint Saturn – Daylight  This describes the changeover from darkness to light, from restless pursuit to complete rest in Christ, in ways that I could never have thought to express it.  Keep in mind as you listen that Brave Saint Saturn is a concept band that tells the story of a space crew (a bit hokey, but still interesting).

*EDIT: 4:00 PM* – It seems that the author of the testimony is, in fact, a woman.  Thus, the post has been changed appropriately.

Shoddy Biblical Scholarship

Oftentimes critics of the Bible engage in rather shoddy scholarship, resorting to weak theories of analysis, picking apart apparent inconsistencies, and then acting as if they are indeed scholars of the highest regard.  (Perhaps not always the last part.)  What many fail to realize is that the Bible is indeed one of the most complex books ever written, which draws upon at least 9 different areas of expertise.  I ran across a well-written article on the internet that addresses this topic.  Be aware though:  he’s rather sarcastic and blunt; however it’s worth reading if you are new to reading the Bible or have questions regarding Biblical interpretation.

Calculated Contempt: Why Bible Critics Do Not Deserve the Benefit of the Doubt

What amazes me is how the Bible can be so complex, yet simple enough that all who will can understand and accept Christ.  Only the inspiration of God could have led to the formation of such a book.

On a side note, the same author addresses in detail the flaws in the popular atheistic film “The God Who Wasn’t There,” which caused a bit of a stir last year (I think last year???).

Again, I do not quite agree with his overall presentation.  Sure, it can be funny to sarcastically make fun of the inconsistencies of others (as atheists often attempt with Christianity), but it does nothing to further the cause of Christ (or atheism, for that matter).  Instead of attacking boldness and pride with boldness and pride, perhaps it would be better to respond with Christ-like humility.

On Christian Testimony Part One: A Preface

This next short series of posts will deal with the topic of Christian outreach and with the outspoken testimony of the Christian faith.  I fear that there are opportunities for some rather offensive issues to arise here and there, so before I get a bunch of nasty comments, I feel that I must first post a short preface. (*Note: This preface will eventually end up being a portion of a bonifide doctrinal statement page in the future*)

I believe, as I have mentioned before, based on Scripture (Romans 3:23) that all men are basically sinners, including myself.  Without the grace of God and the perfect offering of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins, we would be hopelessly lost and would receive the just reward of our sin:  Eternal damnation in Hell.  I believe this based on the idea that scripure is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) in plenary verbal form.  I do NOT believe in Bibliolatry, though, as some would state that this viewpoint leads to.  Does it not make sense that in order to have accurate translations of the ancient texts we need to study them in their original language and context?  I submit that it does.  This does not mean that the original texts are intrinsically better than the new translated texts, but it does place a vital importance on quality, translation, and accuracy.

Before I get too lost on non-topical topics, I will pull the reins in and get back to the original point.  Bear with me.

I am afraid that there has been a widespread misconception about Christians in the past.  Hopefully this preface will work to clarify a bit about that.  For those who might be unfamiliar with Scripture, you might be persuaded to think that once a person becomes “saved” and becomes a Christian that they are mystically transformed into a flawless, perfect being.  Okay, so not many would believe that.  There are no perfect people, obviously.  Then perhaps a much more widespread view of Christianity is that they view Christians as being just like themselves, but with a self-righteous, hypocritical bent.  Many people end up leaving the church for this reason.  In fact, it’s the very reason why my grandmother would not go to church any more.  Personal disputes with so-called “holy rollers” and “holier-than-thou” Christians have driven people away from the church body time and time again over the course of history.

For clarification’s sake, certain things DO happen when a person repents of his sin and accepts Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of his life:  1) That person is made to be righteous in the sight of God the Father.  The only way this can happen is through Christ, as GOD the Father cannot tolerate sin.  God’s wrath is taken away and is placed on His only begotten Son (in that fateful instance in time when Christ suffered and was forsaken by God) for all eternity.  (Romans 6:10)  2) The free gift of salvation is given. (eternal life with God after death)  3) The Holy Spirit indwells the believer and acts as a constant comforter and director. 4) The Spirit begins the process of sanctifying the believer.  The believer becomes regenerate, conforming his image to the Image of Christ as he is changed by God.

In summation, the key differences between the believer and the non-believer are that the believer is now under the grace of God instead of the wrath of God, the believer has hope after death, the believer has the Holy Spirit as a constant comforter and guide, and the believer has begun the process of sanctification, or becoming Christ-like in every area of his or her life. 

DON’T MISS THIS – HERE’S AN IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!  This is where many get frustrated with Christianity.  Just because a person becomes regenerately saved does not mean that the person will completely stop sinning immediately!  Certainly there is no longer a desire to offend God and other people after the act of true repentance of sin has taken place.  It does not mean that the person will live a miraculously flawless life after salvation, however.  We are constantly surrounded with Christians who are in different stages of sanctification and maturity.  Unfortunately, we are also surrounded by many who are only Christian in name, yet they do not show forth any fruit of the Spirit.  If a person is truly repentant, that person will eschew the old sin nature and will cling to the regenerate nature that God has given.  Also, that person will want to serve and worship God in Spirit and in Truth.  Occasionally that person might even make a mistake, possibly even a big mistake, and get involved in sin, but “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Also, the Bible is clear that a Christian will not continue in sin.

So, I said all that to say this:  If you have ever had a bad experience in church or with Christians outside of church, it’s understandable, but not acceptable.  Christians should be the ones reaching out, loving, caring for, and sacrificing for the community.  Christians should also be the ones who are working to abstain from sinful acts.  Sadly, quite sadly, too often it is not so. 

To the Christian:  We can and must do better in all points of the Christian life.

To the skeptic: Please do not confuse the actions of a few individuals who may or may not be truly repentant and regenerate for the actions of the entire Christian religion.  To do so is quite stereotypical and illogical.  If you want to find good examples of Christian living, there are many out there.  Look to those who are staying the course as good examples of Christianity.  Also, I implore you to seek out the input rather than the output.  Look to the Word of God, the Bible, instead of the average Christian.  The only one who was ever perfect was Jesus Christ.  He is truly worth looking at, and ultimately worth getting to know.

Neomodernism Defined on Wikipedia

I decided to check the most obvious of sources about neomodernism, that is, wikipedia.  Here is the link to the article, and I suggest that you read it.  Basically, what people are connecting the word “neomodernism” to is exactly what I described in my original post on the topic, minus the apathy and association with agnosticism.  As expected, neomodernism does not endorse “absolutes” of any kind.  It does, however, contest that there are purposes, and that there is only one intent given to an authorial work.  It didn’t suprise me to see Richard Dawkins’s name on the page either.  Atheism and neomodernism seem to go hand-in-hand.  Most of the atheists that I have known tend to think of themselves as intellectual counter-culturalists.  Thus, they percieve order, even natural order and basic truth, but do not purpose absolute truth other than that they are “absolutely sure” that God does not exist.

In my opinion, this philosophical construct of the humanities more aptly defines the reality of what many believe in society at present: percieved and undeniable order, but unwillingness to have faith in the unseen.