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“TALK ABOUT LOVE" All original ideas are Copyright of Richard R Sjaardema, 7/21/2010. (I, Richard R Sjaardema invite you to share and copy this material with Copyright notatation and without charge.)
(Pending table of contents)
1. WHY BOTHER TALKING
A. What Is Man
B. Thou Art Holy
C. Preparing For Celebration
2. KNOWING YOUR BELIEF
A. His Story Positioning
B. Word of God
C. What is Truth
3. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE
A. God’s Spiritual Gifts
B. God’s Greatest Gift
C. Beginning The Transformation
WHAT IS TRUTH
If you live around the Denver area long enough, you are bound to get to know at least one Rocket Scientist! I had the opportunity to work with one such brilliant man in Christian missions during the last years of his life. As is too often the case, we learn the most about a man in memory. In dedicating this chapter to this acquaintance, I can only hope to show honor to the man for his life well lived.
Having graduated from a local college, this man began a 37 year career with Martin Marietta which later became Lockheed Martin. His understanding and pioneering work in physics and advanced propulsion systems led various Achievement awards throughout his career. His team’s efforts succeeded in placing the Cassini Propulsion Module into orbit around Saturn in 2004 following slingshot maneuvers using the orbits of Earth, Venus and Jupiter to acquire the necessary velocity. His grasp of our universe was obviously beyond the average man’s realm of understanding.
As fate would have it, this man of God suffered a blood disorder through much of his life. In essence, his bone marrow could not replenish his blood cells resulting in the need for numerous blood transfusions to sustain his mortal existence. Given his scientific mind, this leader among men became involved with his doctor’s in developing treatments for his condition. Due to his development of a white blood cell separator, he also received a NASA Certificate of Recognition.
As a leader in His church, my friend loved our Creator God. He served faithfully as both a leader and a mentor. The blessings he bestowed on his family and acquaintances will be cherished for lifetimes. All who knew him realized that this man, who understood so many facets of our bodies and our universe, was left with no choice but to live in awe of an Almighty God. He could not imagine how a creation could exist without the Creator. In spite of his own personal trials, this man was humbled by God’s love for him and he could not help but shower that love upon all those he touched. His understanding of God is well represented in his favorite passage of scripture; Psalm 19:
“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and there is nothing hid from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
The Heavens Declare
I’d like to pause here for a moment and thank you for putting up with me so far. I cannot express what a privilege it is to share these insights with you. As a businessman, I set a goal and the procedures I felt would be necessary to accomplish the task. Through my education, I learned how to organize my thoughts in outline form. Thus, I set a rough index before I began this book. Now, as I reach each designated chapter, I first of all am perplexed as to what I could possibly say that would have any merit to you the reader. I carry no fantastic credentials so as to expound on such deep subjects as to “What is Truth!” I am left to pray to God and ask for guidance, and allow you to be the judge of whether these thoughts touch your soul. Thus, I hope that the words I share carry with them the Love and touch of our Almighty God. I consider this a tremendous and humbling responsibility! I do not take it lightly and I request your forgiveness for any shortcomings where my humanity shines through and may become offensive. Although everything I could write could be debated, I hope for now, you will take it for what it is worth and investigate it or debate it later as you are able.
Psalm 19, quoted above is most often attributed to King David of the Israelites and was used by the choirmaster. The passage is often attacked by Bible critics who assume that if God inspired the words, David would have shown more understanding of earth’s positioning in relation to the sun and other celestial beings. However, I would argue again that the author wrote within his understanding of the time and that the writing was poetic in nature. If I were to equate the passage to growing thought today that reality does not exist and that there is no truth, I would have to applaud the author’s grasp of the matter. So, if I could be so bold, let me at least state that reality exists. That the cosmos which exhilarates our minds with all the mysteries and beauty man has appreciated and imagined for no less than thousands of years is actually there would be a great starting common ground. If we’re already in disagreement, I am sorry. The rest of us are moving on.
Second, the fact that mankind has been able to set foot on the moon and succeed in orbiting Saturn with a manmade propulsion unit would suggest that our universe, at least today has a great deal of order to it. The relative stability of our present reality allows the greatest minds of our day to study the celestial beings and forecast future events with reasonable certainty. Whether or not they would enlighten us with signs of impending doom remains for the movie makers and gloom reapers to manipulate our fragile minds.
Now, for those mechanically minded individuals who need to know how things work and want proof of the intelligent design, let me recommend a book by Kenneth D. Boa and Robert M. Bowman Jr. entitled “20 Compelling Evidences that God Exists” In chapter 5, pages 42-44, they will enthrall the inquisitive mind with the four basic forces in nature: “strong nuclear,” “weak nuclear,” “electromagnetic,” and “gravitational.” They share that if the expansion rate of the universe were less we would have experienced “the big crunch!” (Well, we wouldn’t have, but you understand.) If the expansion was greater, gravity would have had issues resulting in a major debris field. They cite Oxford Mathematician Roger Penrose’s study of information including the findings of the COBE satellite. In order for our existence in our universe, Roger calculated the allowable margin of error to be 1 in 10 to the 10123. (Roger Penrose, The Emperor’s New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the laws of Physics, Forward by Martin Gardner (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989), 339-44.)
Now, I hope you’ll agree, that’s a (real) structured universe we’ve been given. Personally, I’d rather find inspiration in cloud patterns. However, therein lies a bit of chaos and more mystery, doesn’t it. The history of religiosity has seen God in the weather since time began. His wrath has been imagined in droughts. He has been encouraged to bring the rain through dance. He has been blamed for devastation by wind and flood. His disconnection from man has been assumed by the clouds. Listen to Eliphaz in Job 22:14: “Thick clouds enwrap him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.” And yet, the truth is, we can only imagine a God in nature. He may use it for good or bad; He may punish, He may bless, but our understanding of Him ultimately is a thing limited by our imagination. Today we can only behold the beauty, discuss the mystery, and consider the handiwork of the heavens, and therein lies our next lesson.
Glory and Honor
When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou dost care for him? Yet thou hast made him little less than God and dost crown him with glory and honor. Thou hast given him dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” Psalm 8:3-6
As I write this book, I realize the chair I am sitting in was designed by a man. It was manufactured by the machines built and designed by men. It rolls on a solid floor, connected to walls – all part of a house – again designed and built by men. I look out the window and appreciate a landscape of grass, trees, brickwork – much of which was designed and ordered by my own mind and put together by men. My fingers type these words and in some design and order they appear on the screen in front of me through some technical achievement by humankind that escapes my understanding. To one side there is a bottle of water that provides sustenance for me when I thirst. The bottle holding the water has a flip top lid to avoid destruction in the case of an accident – designed and built by man. To the other side the empty bowl with the remains of milk and cereal left from my breakfast. And, yet I realize that all of this good that man has provided has ultimately come from the natural resources present on this earth that some man somewhere – yes including me - has manipulated in such a way to meet so many of my desires at the moment. I am truly blessed.
As I write this book, I have a constant companion. My dog keeps me company day by day lying on the couch beside me. When I get up, she follows. From time to time, she requests my attention to allow her out of the house to protect me from noises outside. As my wife prepares for work, our other dogs trail behind her, conscious of her every movement and anxious as she exits the house. At that point, they become more aware of my own presence and often express the desire to rest in my lap. In the evening, my dogs show new signs of life as they rouse from their daytime slumber as they know the lady we love is returning, food is forthcoming, and the attention they crave from the humans they love so dearly is about to begin.
However, although they would be happy to eat with us, play with us, sit with us and learn from us, there are some things our animals will not do. They will not help me write. They will not help me design or build. They will not look out the window and appreciate the landscape I have helped to create. They will not ponder with me the intelligence of man or the design of the cosmos. They will not ponder the beauty of the sunrise or the coming events foretold upon the horizon. They will not question the creator or ponder the reality of their existence. Their faith, hope, love, and identity is wrapped up in themselves and they remain reliant upon their own effort or that of a human.
In contrast, the only ones we humans can be mindful of a creator and a creation with are other humans. This appears to be true throughout the world. Although I have not traveled the world, I have been to Europe and Africa. Although some spoke in a language I did not understand, they appeared to be very much like me. Some had different skin tones and/or cultural practices, but they all appeared to understand the fact they had a choice of how to act. They all appeared to be able to communicate with one another and often showed a desire to communicate with me. They all appeared quite able to comprehend their reality. I am sure if I pointed to something in the sky and started to show loud emotion, many of them would take notice and wonder!
Perhaps I could suggest that you do a scientific experiment at the local zoo. Imagine if you will a philosophical argument that you find of importance to you. Pick out a favorite tree, or for better luck, pick out a resident of the primate exhibit. Attempt to have discussion with plant or animal life. Time marches on, certainly there must be some missing link between their comprehension and that of humans that exists today, perhaps you will find that amazing discovery! Why do so many place such a strong faith in the hope of finding a missing link from a time gone by when the very thought process would suggest that something would be present today? Why do our schools of higher learning promote such ideology? The truth of the matter is, not one plant or animal can understand these concepts, but nearly every human being has some comprehension of them regardless of their handicap, real or imagined. The main evolution over time appears to be the accumulation of knowledge and application – and regardless of the exponential rate of its expansion, such accumulation shall still be appreciated almost exclusively by humans, whether that be for the bad or the good.
This is the beauty of my relationship with my wife. We can reason together. We can lift one another up or tear one another down emotionally like no other being on the face of the planet. She gave me the gift of a book as I set out on this 100 day book writing quest that I wish to share with you as it pertains to the Glory and Honor given by our creator. The following is taken from “The God Memorandum” by Og Mandino in his book entitled “The Greatest Miracle in the World” “The God Memorandum can also be found on the internet, and the following is taken from http://www.wowzone.com/godmemo.htm. I highly recommend Og’s books as I have found them to be motivational and inspirational. As with anyone, I cannot agree with everything the man wrote – and I have not checked all his facts. However, what he says stresses the point again of the order of the created things. After reading this passage, I think it would take a whole lot more faith to believe we are a happenstance of chance rather than intelligent design. If you are handicapped in any way and are missing any of the gifts mentioned here, then please focus on your blessings:
"Are you blind? Does the sun rise and fall without your witness?
No. You can see ... and the hundred million receptors I have placed in your eyes enable you to enjoy the magic of a leaf, a snowflake, a pond, an eagle, a child, a cloud, a star, a rose, a rainbow ... and the look of love. Count one blessing.
Are you deaf? Can a baby laugh or cry without your attention?
No. You can hear ... and the twenty-four thousand fibers I have built in each of your ears vibrate to the wind in the trees, the tides on the rocks, the majesty of an opera, a robin's plea, children at play ... and the words I love you. Count another blessing.
Are you mute? Do your lips move and bring forth only spittle?
No. You can speak ... as can no other of my creatures, and your words can calm the angry, uplift the despondent, goad the quitter, cheer the unhappy, warm the lonely, praise the worthy, encourage the defeated, teach the ignorant ... and say I love you. Count another blessing.
Are you paralyzed? Does your helpless form despoil the land?
No. You can move. You are not a tree condemned to a small plot while the wind and world abuses you. You can stretch and run and dance and work, for within you I have designed five hundred muscles, two hundred bones, and seven miles of nerve fiber all synchronized by me to do your bidding. Count another blessing.
Are you unloved and unloving? Does loneliness engulf you, night and day?
No. No more. For now you know love's secret, that to receive love it must be given with no thought of its return. To love for fulfillment, satisfaction, or pride is no love. Love is a gift on which no return is demanded. Now you know that to love unselfishly is its own reward. And even should love not be returned it is not lost, for love not reciprocated will flow back to you and soften and purify your heart. Count another blessing. Count twice.
Is your heart stricken? Does it leak and strain to maintain your life?
No. Your heart is strong. Touch your chest and feel its rhythm, pulsating, hour after hour, day and night, thirty-six million beats each year, year after year, asleep or awake, pumping your blood through more than sixty thousand miles of veins, arteries, and tubing ... pumping more than six hundred thousand gallons each year. Man has never created such a machine. Count another blessing.
Are you diseased of skin? Do people turn in horror when you approach?
No. Your skin is clear and a marvel of creation, needing only that you tend it with soap and oil and brush and care. In time all steels will tarnish and rust, but not your skin. Eventually the strongest of metals will wear, with use, but not that layer that I have constructed around you. Constantly it renews itself, old cells replaced by new, just as the old you is now replaced by the new. Count another blessing.
Are your lungs befouled? Does your breath of life struggle to enter your body?
No. Your portholes to life support you even in the vilest of environments of your own making, and they labor always to filter life-giving oxygen through six hundred million pockets of folded flesh while they rid your body of gaseous wastes. Count another blessing.
Is your blood poisoned? Is it diluted with water and pus?
No. Within your five quarts of blood are twenty-two trillion blood cells and within each cell are millions of molecules and within each molecule is an atom oscillating at more than ten million times each second. Each second, two million of your blood cells die to be replaced by two million more in a resurrection that has continued since your first birth. As it has always been inside, so now it is on your outside. Count another blessing.
Are you feeble of mind? Can you no longer think for yourself?
No. Your brain is the most complex structure in the universe. I know. Within its three pounds are thirteen billion nerve cells, more than three times as many cells as there are people on your earth. To help you file away every perception, every sound, every taste, every smell, every action you have experienced since the day of your birth, I have implanted, within your cells, more than one thousand billion billion protein molecules. Every incident in your life is there waiting only your recall. And, to assist your brain in the control of your body I have dispersed, throughout your form, four million pain-sensitive structures, five hundred thousand touch detectors, and more than two hundred thousand temperature detectors. No nation's gold is better protected than you. None of your ancient wonders are greater than you.
You are my finest creation.
Within you is enough atomic energy to destroy any of the world's great cities ... and rebuild it.
Are you poor? Is there no gold or silver in your purse?
No. You are rich! Together we have just counted your wealth. Study the list. Count them again. Tally your assets!
Why have you betrayed yourself? Why have you cried that all the blessings of humanity were removed from you? Why did you deceive yourself that you were powerless to change your life? Are you without talent, senses, abilities, pleasures, instincts, sensations, and pride? Are you without hope? Why do you cringe in the shadows, a giant defeated, awaiting only sympathetic transport into the welcome void and dampness of hell?
You have so much. Your blessings overflow your cup ... and you have been unmindful of them, like a child spoiled in luxury, since I have bestowed them upon you with generosity and regularity."
Okay, granted, we’re special – you might even say miraculous! But check out the disgusting conditions we’re living in! Sure, there’s beauty above and within, but what good is life if you don’t have a good place to call home? I’m glad you asked, because I have to agree with many of humanities top minds, this planet is a pretty great place to live. Without entering the debate of whether this is the only place, let me share from a table put together by Robert M. Bowman Jr. and Kenneth D. Boa from their book “20 Compelling Evidences that God Exists” which gives rough estimates of a life friendly planet existing somewhere in the universe:
Right kind of galaxy in the universe 1 in a thousand
Right kind of star in acceptable galaxies 1 in a billion
Right kind of solar system in acceptable stars 1 in a billion
Right kind of planet in acceptable solar systems 1 in 10 billion
Right kind of planet in the universe 1 in 10 quadrillion quadrillion
Likely number of actual planets in the universe 10 billion trillion
Probability of one good planet in the universe 1 in a billion
They quote Hugh Ross’ estimate that the odds of a life-friendly planet existing anywhere in the universe by chance to be less than 1 in one thousand quintillion quintillion quintillion quintillion quintillion quintillion quintillion! , (“Design Evidences for Life Support: Probability Estimate for Attaining the Necessary Parameters for a Life Support Planet.” Pasadena, Calif.: Reasons to Believe, 2000. Online at www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/designprobabilityupdate1998.html ) Now this quote is from 2000 and I am sure more discoveries have raised this rough guestimate.
Those numbers are beyond my comprehension. However, I must say that it appears to take great faith to believe that all of life on earth exists by chance and has evolved from one chance cell into the menagerie of life in existence today. Add to that the fact that of all life forms, only humans, and apparently all of humans appear able to fathom the possibility of the existence of a God or Creator.
Consider the Spiritual
So, if logic equates here, let me suggest a much lower number for the existence of God. Simply stated, perhaps we should consider the odds to be 1 in 2. There is a God or there is not a God. If I open this up to debate whether there is only one God or many god’s, or if I attempt to comprehend how we are involved in or by that God, I create many more options, and therefore, perhaps I have reduced the chances of whether there is no God.
If I enter into the debate of whether or not Reality exists, or whether this is only my imagination, I must assume by the very nature of the argument the reality of my own existence in some fashion and that there is a reality that I do not fully comprehend. The concept that there are multiple realities would in itself be a reality and lead me back to the fact that there can only be one truth. And again, it is a truth that I am sure none of us fully comprehend. Therefore, I do feel it would be good to have healthy discussion about it. Perhaps as this is a large part of who we are, our schools should allow these discussions in the realm of tolerance and personal development in classes such as “Religious Expression.” The failures of evolutionary brainwashing that has gone on for decades has got to come to a screeching halt, yet so do the dogmas of religious intolerance that has come from every angle of our societies.
The fact is, we appear to be beings capable and drawn to the consideration of the spiritual. More and more of the professionals in the medical fields and philosophical fields and psychological fields and scientific fields are becoming aware of the reality of this spiritual dimension and this could indeed be “The Final Frontier.” We certainly are much more capable of discovering more about our Spiritual nature than we are of gaining much more insight of space or our natural world. This frontier begins inside you and in your own family and in your own village and it doesn’t use up any of your tax dollars. All you’ve got to do to start exploring this final frontier is to think and we can all do that. Next step is to invest in relationships and listen and talk and most of us can do that.
A great opportunity given to many on our planet is to read! The claim is out there that God has revealed Himself to man through the written word. We can compare notes and understand Him more if we are open and willing to listen and communicate with one another. However, many misunderstandings exist when we attempt to understand another’s point of view through the eyes of someone else. I believe this even stands true with God. I can learn about Him through reading and listening to the words of others, but I believe He speaks to each one of us also and desires that personal relationship, but don’t take my word for it.
Through the written word, men have claimed to have had personal interaction with God. Through the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim texts, God has given Himself several names which translated into English most closely resemble words such as: “I Am” “The One True God,” “The Creator of All Things,” “The Beginning and the End.” “I Am the Lord thy God.”
Some other religious beliefs assume there are multiple gods. However, most Christian, Muslim, and Jewish believers also believe there are other cosmic beings; saints, spirits, angels, messengers. Some consider we are part of God, but even I am promoting an idea of spiritual identities! Most of us believe there is a battle between good and evil! Most of us imagine an ultimate place of divine and spiritual comfort. Our Spiritual words say much of what we experience in this life is of a Spiritual nature. Is it possible that our concepts of Spiritual realities are not that different from one another and that in understanding them, we may find many of the medical, philosophical, psychological, and scientific answers we seek? Perhaps the truth that will set us free is that the truth actually exists, and although we are all part of it, none of us fully comprehends it yet. Perhaps the God who claims “I Am The Lord Your God” desires to be found through our lost relationships. Perhaps in seeking Him through each other, we will find ourselves. Perhaps “Religious Expression” is not only a thing that should find its place in the classroom, but is a thing that should be shared in all facets of our lives.
The two greatest commandments of the Christian world are not so bad, they are:
“You shall Love the Lord thy God with all your heart; with all your soul; and with your entire mind.”
The second is like unto it
“You shall Love your neighbor as yourself.”
What a great way to live.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Talk About Love - Fifth chapter; "Word of God"
“TALK ABOUT LOVE" All original ideas are Copyright of Richard R Sjaardema, 7/21/2010. (I, Richard R Sjaardema invite you to share and copy this material with Copyright notatation and without charge.)
(Pending table of contents)
1. WHY BOTHER TALKING
A. What Is Man
B. Thou Art Holy
C. Preparing For Celebration
2. KNOWING YOUR BELIEF
A. His Story Positioning
B. Word of God
C. What is Truth
3. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE
A. God’s Spiritual Gifts
B. God’s Greatest Gift
C. Beginning The Transformation
WORD OF GOD
“I suppose that since most of our hurts come through relationships so will our healing, and I know that grace rarely makes sense for those looking in from the outside.”
(William Paul Young; The Shack; c2007; Windblown Media; pg 11)
In preparation for this chapter, I have felt led of God in several ways. In the past week, I have heard the words: “Position yourself for blessings.” Before setting about to write this chapter, I felt the need to read “The Shack” by William Paul Young quoted above. Willie writes this story well enough that I questioned whether or not the book was really fiction. It is. However, the message it brings out is a recurring theme in contemporary culture; that God is Love. As William set me on the throne of God to be the judge over my wayward children, how could I help but respond with forgiveness and grace. The reality of grappling with anger towards God or questioning how the God of wrath depicted in the Old Testament could equate with the God of Love depicted in the New Testament has been a question virtually unanswered to the present day. The pain this author has experienced personally as expressed through the pain of the main character of the book and equated with the pain in my personal life combined with the answers God gave as expressed through the author touched my life and offered answers to many worldwide.
As we enter into the discussion of the word of God, we must consider church & our Holy Books. But in addition, we must be aware of the messages we receive from Him, or about Him through other literature, music, movies, relationships, history, culture, education, creation, experiences, emotions, and so much more! Oh, and might we mention that still small voice within?
Inspired of God
Peter, a disciple of Jesus Christ and considered by millions in our world to have been the first Pope and the leader of the original Christian Church, wrote the following based on his upbringing in the Jewish faith and from his experiences with the Rabbi he chose to follow: “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” II Peter 1:16-21. (RSV)
As the Apostle Paul instructs young Timothy who prepares to administer of the word, he writes in II Timothy 3:14-17: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired by God is also (aka: All scripture is inspired by God and is) profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (RSV)
It should be noted here that the scriptural quotes I am using in this book are generally coming from the (here is how the title page reads) “Harper Study Bible: The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments Revised Standard Version Translated from the original languages being the version set forth A.D. 1611 Revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901 compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946-1952 Second edition of the new Testament A.D. 1971…Prepared and Edited by Harold Lindsell, Ph.D., D.D. Zondervan Bible Publishers Grand Rapids, Michigan” which I received upon graduation from Denver Christian High School in Denver Colorado in 1980.
From the thousands of Greek and Latin manuscripts being used in the world throughout history to translate the ancient texts into over 400 English translations, I can only hope the original words of God have been used. Luckily, in studying “Inerrancy of the Bible” through “Wikipedia” and other sources provided by God’s great gift to me, the Internet, I find that this theology of “Inerrancy of scripture” has only been of issue over the last couple centuries. The concern of those who hold to this theology both from study and from word of mouth is that if we would claim otherwise, the Christian faith would fail and the Bible would unravel. I believe the opposite is true! By holding the word of God in front of the Almighty All Loving God in light of our own interpretations and understandings, we are not only keeping others from seeing Him, but we are keeping humanity from accepting the blessing the Bible can be in their lives. In words acceptable to the Muslim, let’s not make an idol of the Word of God! Here again, I picture a triangle. As the moon reflects the light of the sun to the earth, so the Bible reflects the light of God unto the man who reads it. It is not God, but a reflection.
For instance; there are hundreds of versions out there. Many Christians today are being fed by the “Message!” Even the author, Eugene H. Patterson has concern with it being considered the “Word of God,” yet the reader finds it to be inspirational, profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. The reader may find himself more prepared for life following its reading. In fact, I am guessing the reason you are using your translation of your “Word of God” (you are, aren’t you?) is that you find it to be inspirational, profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness and that by reading it you might find blessing & hope for the activities of your day.
As for the phraseology of "inerrancy/flawless" in regard to scripture, rest assured; I find the Bible to continue to be the most inspirational, universal, timely, and influential reading of my day to day life. I have no doubt in my mind that it was, is, and always shall be the "inspired" word of God. Through it I have the greatest narratives ever written about the centerpiece of our existence, Jesus Christ and the greatest insights into His words and teachings during the time He spent on this earth. I believe it contains the explanations and answers to all of our problems in miraculous ways. It grants the insights necessary to evangelize to all cultures represented by humanity, indeed it speaks to those cultures better than I can or could ever hope to. Through it, I attempt to discern all other input, whether written or verbal, into who I am & what I believe. It challenges me. It changes me. Through it, God becomes more alive & real to me every day. I cherish its influence in my upbringing and find very few that have been granted the gift from God of reading it cover to cover annually and loving it. This exercise has blessed me more than scripture memorization ever did. Yet, it has made that exercise, also, easier & more fulfilling. I find it is not so much that I am spending time with God, but it is God spending time with me.
How would you most like to hear from God? When you read a book or hear someone else’s account of their vision, revelation, or understanding, are you quick to accept it? Or are you more apt to question what you are hearing based on your spiritual identity or world and life view? Even as I present questions of “inerrancy” or other faiths worshiping the same God as you; are you questioning whether I am in tune with God? What if I said that God spoke through other Holy books as well as yours and that they were inspired also? Would that just rock your boat enough to toss your lunch? How then would you feel most comfortable with God talking to you? Perhaps just listening to that still small voice that fits with your world and life view and keeps God in your little box? How do you know that the voice within is God and not d’evil? How do you know you’re not being duped? Perhaps you’d better talk to the pastor! But perhaps he’s struggling too – they do you know! What if you could go and listen to how he inspired men of God to speak throughout history in ways that would touch your life today? Sounds good to me and I think it made sense to God also. Be careful though, if you only read passages you can find that agree with what you’re thinking while avoiding those that challenge you to change your thinking, you still might be relying on yourself and not hearing God.
I challenge you in the words Paul used in his letter to the Colossians chapter 3:16-17 “let the word of Christ (God) dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. I’ll stop there at verse 17, because if I quote further, I might even frustrate some of those who disagree with Paul regarding the roles of men and women in church. Some of those even who claim the inerrancy of scripture.
Of Love and Laws
That of course brings up the next question. How can the God of judgment and laws of the Old Testament be the same God of the New Testament who is all about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, and self control? I think they referred to that God as Jesus Christ Superstar back in the 70’s. Of course, I cannot give you all the answers and have no desire to start yet another religion or theology, but I’m going to give you my ideas anyway and you can do what you want with them. Perhaps if you are Muslim, you can place a bounty on my head instead of inviting me to pray with you. Christians, perhaps you can exhume me after I’m dead or just burn me and my books now instead of asking me to join you in singing “Come by here my Lord” around the campfire. Jews, perhaps you can just stone me instead of inviting me to one of your great celebrations! But I’d rather you hear from God and forget about me.
I started this book out referring to us as Spiritual Beings. The fact you are still reading this book means that you have put pre-conceived notions on the shelf and are still listening – as you can tell, I do worry about what you think and I apologize for sounding crass. However, look in the mirror – I doubt you see a ghost! No doubt, we have a physical presence also. If there is not someone else in your shack, go outside and look around. I am guessing there is some other human not too far away. However, if you have chosen a life of loneliness, I am sorry; this is about mortal human relationships.
When God placed Adam in the garden, He asked Adam for his trust. Adam and Eve broke that trust and hid from God in shame. They had received their first three demons; the lust of the flesh; the lust of the eyes; and the pride of life. For the first time, they had become aware of their physical presence and their mortality. Today, whenever we consider eternal life mixed with our physical bodies without the presence of God, we generally consider something vile, evil, or of d’evil. Vampires, werewolf’s, depictions of grotesque figures of damaged bodies or zombies which cannot die – they’re not a pretty site. Lest we live with evil eternally, God gave us a history in the temporary mortal world and set in motion His plan of sanctification and the coming reunion.
For many years, it would seem, God and the angels still lived among men according to Moses Genesis anthology. However, as evil gained ground, the separation grew and eventually the heavenly bodies’ physical presence was removed from the earth and God chose to start over with one guy who showed promise. His name was Noah. Years later, mankind as a whole experienced an ego trip and decided they would all live together in one big city and skip filling the earth and subduing it. God had other plans and forced divisions between them in the form of language barriers (Babel) and masses of water. As perhaps could be expected - and given our experience in local school yards, mankind's social modes became quite sectarian as individual cultures and societies grew - still all connected in forms of worship to their historical memories of history and divinity, but ultimately divided without that central uniting force. Many more years went by until eventually, God chose a man through whom his plan for a reunion with humanity would take place.
So, God met with Abraham and told him a bit of His plan. Abraham’s seed is primarily remembered today through two children; the older child was Ishmael, and the younger child was Isaac. Although these two are most remembered, Abraham had other children also. According to Biblical history, the chosen seed passed on to Isaac and then to Jacob. Although the seed would eventually fall to Judah, Jacob is remembered through his 12 sons who became the nation of Israel during 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Now, God assured Ishmael of a great future, but the further story of that line is not given us in great detail in the Jewish history represented by the bible. The same may be said regarding many other peoples from far away lands. That is until the Christian era when all peoples could be adopted into Abraham’s line and into God’s redemptive plan. A clue to the symbolism of the 12 tribes representative of all of humanity is reflected in Deuteronomy 32:8; "When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. [footnote in RSV states that in Hebrew the verse would read (sons of Israel)]
Early in this book, we mentioned Moses who led the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. The people were not so happy to go walking through the desert and Moses found it necessary to enact rules, laws, and a hierarchy of command to keep the new nation together. Call it a national constitution. 10 of those laws stood out, however there were plenty that most of us would rather not read regardless of their inspiration. Yet, the Jews have been memorizing those laws for centuries. Consider these 10 laws, well known and cherished to Jews, Christians, and Muslims:
1. The first law starts with an introduction: "I am the Lord your God" Recognize immediately that this one God is introducing Himself to each of us as readers in a very different way. He is immediately personal and approachable. His desire is not only that we get along, but that we get to know Him starting with how we know Him already. He continues by stating "You shall have no other Gods before Me:" Personally, I find that without placing my understanding of God as #1 in my life, everthing else kind of falls apart. With Him as #1, I can endure just about everything else. Money, Relationships – all fail, God is always there. The difficulty is, He can't be seen or touched and chances are that's on purpose! We are all forced to serve something we must all struggle to understand and the only clues we have are in these books of religion and those voices all around that I've mentioned. If the Bible is true however, we can trust there is only one God, so we don't have to worry too much about serving the wrong one - or do we? With that question in mind, what does God say to this idea about creating an image of Him in our head or with our hands? Go to #2.
2. You shall not have idols: Throughout the Old Testament and even today, graven images were a problem and mankind has mistakenly thought they might carry with them some magic power. Wrong, they only take our eyes off the Father or mess up the true worthiness of His reality. Even when we attempt to solidify an image of good and evil in our mind and claim our concepts of God will never change, such concepts become a source of evil as they color our perception of our neighbor and fellow human being as evil instead of realizing we are united with humanity in sin both individually and communally. So, the message of "no images" appears to once again be useful in ultimately honoring God in His Holiness (see #1) and honoring our fellowman in unity and peace.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. I mentioned earlier the lack of respect and honor in our culture. In our physical natures, our institutional lives, our organizational structures, not to mention the way marriages and families work, respect and honor just make life easier. The same is true on a worldwide scale.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day; if you don’t take a break, you’re going to experience burnout. If you don’t take some time out for God, your life is going to fall apart. It just won’t make sense. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Note that this command states: a Sabbath to the Lord your God! Although there is one God, we all tend to understand Him differently and I am quite sure He respects our intent to worship Him on our Sabbath whether that happens to fall on a Saturday or a Sunday. This also has much to do with #5 below as reverence for our parents is also given in honoring their mode of worship and understanding. The same goes for the communities and cultures we grow up in. Religion and faith should not be used as an act of rebellion.
5. Honor your father and your mother: See #3 above. Try it; you’ll like it – even if you think they don’t deserve it. Your honor just may help them out of a rut and you’ll be happier in the long run. Generally, if they deserve it, count your lucky stars! This Honor principal starts with God and follows through to parents and will carry forward to all in authority and our fellowman through most of our religious teachings - regardless of culture. Without honor a house becomes divided and all we love will be lost. Honor generally must be given regardless of worthiness.
6. You shall not kill. I think we get this one as if we do kill, we will probably go to jail, go directly to jail. Mortal society just won’t put up with this stuff. And yet, is it really that simple? If it were that simple, the city of Jerusalem would not be a testimony of religious culture built upon religious culture built upon religious culture. Mankind's history too often has followed a successive theology principle as justification built on pride and the imagery of favoritism too often leads to the breaking of this simple and most obvious and important command for our societies to live in peace. This command tends to be an obvious test of honor and love - or hypocricy and wickedness - to a watching world.
7. You shall not commit adultery. Sex is awesome unless it leads to enmity, strife, hatred and murder! Also, if you have it with enough people, you’ll forget your first love, and God knew all about that. Plus, one of you is hurting, guaranteed!
8. You shall not steal. This was a big problem in our house. Stealing destroys relationships between humans given the loss of trust given the lack of honor. Again, go to jail, go directly to jail and give me back my $200.00.
9. You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Who is my neighbor? I’ll get to that later. But for now, suffice it to say, breaking trust destroys relationships and affects reputations. There is also a very deep meaning here regarding our imagery of our fellowman as evil. How we acted upon that assumption may be the most important question we ever face! This command is far more complex than the simple rule of Thou shalt not tell a lie. Protection and love of your fellowman is hereby commanded.
10. Don’t covet things you don’t have. You will never be satisfied or have joy in the things that are yours if you always want more. Of course, if we consider that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it, this very law could represent all our greed which is also often considered idolatry which brings us back to the top of the list.
Therefore, as Jesus claims in Mark 2:27 “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath;” it appears the whole law was made for the man - and indeed the whole of humanity, not man for the law. This thought process is so important in understanding the Bible. A tremendous key to understanding the early church and the epistles is found in Galatians 2:3. “But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.” Although chapters 1 and 2 are tremendous reading and touch heavily on Acts 15 and the Jerusalem council mentioned earlier, I use this verse as it nails the problem on the head. The problem was a serious private concern for the early Christian male convert. Paul speaks of this scare tactic often in his letters regarding the false teachers who would preach a different gospel. He includes Peter in this instance as one of these teachers (see chapter 2:11). However, he generally avoids mentioning the act itself as many of us righteous folk today would rather not talk about circumcision either. And yet, as strong as his call against circumcision for religious affiliation was, it is a common practice today for apparent health reasons. So, Paul claims that God presented the law for man to live well, not to be bound by it. Again, it would appear God knew His creation and attempted to provide us a framework for happiness and security to help us get through. Ok, that’s great, but it gets worse.
The rest of the Old Testament speaks of how Man continued to rebel against God. It is a series of case studies for our review from the life and times of God’s chosen people, the Jewish Nation. In review, brothers, all I can say is it must have been frustrating to be you! All you had to do was to follow the law and be happy, but life happened! The people rebelled and bad things happened. From other views of history, we see a time of barbarianism; People killing people; Nation destroying nation; Power overtaking power; Ego, ego, ego – but what’s that saying? Men will be men!
Imagine being a prophet at that time and seeing your culture – that had carried such promise in the good years - succumbing to starvation, disease, and genocide. I probably would have cried out to God and seen Him as the cause also. I certainly use to blame him for empty parking lot failure. Without following the laws which lead to peace among humans, cultures turn upon one another. Call it erasure, or call it judgment, call it a second chance, or call it profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may understand the needs for morality and righteousness and peace. Over and over, we hear from the Israelite’s life lessons and prophets words that to succeed, we must look after the less fortunate and put their needs above our own. Find the goodness in mankind and seek after peace. God is not a God of war, but He has allowed man to be a man and He hopes, He pleads that we will seek after Him.
I’m sure those prophets felt a sense of weeping and of gnashing of teeth as they experienced such separation from the Loving Creator God they felt they served alone. You could hear them scream out to God; “Lord, open the eyes of my fellow man so that they might see!” However, even in the worst of human situations, they always held on to Hope! In the pit of despair, Jeremiah could still say: “Great is thy Faithfulness!” In the pit of despair, that Jew in the German concentration camps of the 1940’s could recite the words of Job: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
If you have experienced the abandonment and grief of love lost, you can imagine a bit of what God experiences when you do not return His love. If you have shut your ears to the anger of a spoiled child who just wants more in spite of all you’ve already given, you understand a bit more of God’s heart. Guess what, it’s all written in the Bible. He would love to share some time with you today.
In understanding the judgments of God, listen to Isaiah in Isaiah 26:9 “My soul yearns for thee in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks thee. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”
I trust that you also can find inspiration, hope, peace, and Love in your Word from God. If not, may I suggest you change the channel?
Be Spirit Filled
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3
If I asked you when you last experienced a conversion, what would you say? In the forward of this book, I mentioned that I have loved Jesus Christ from my earliest memory. This caused a difficulty for me as I entered my teen years and early 20’s as I saw friends and acquaintances whose lives were dramatically changed when they first understood that God loved them enough to pay the penalty for their sins. The excitement they exhibited from their new experience of the Spirit of God within them brought jealousy to my heart in which his presence was such a way of life. What a privilege it must be to experience that anew, I thought.
And then, as life has gone on, I listen to Christians and hear conversion stories of that wonderful time when they first accepted Jesus Christ into their lives and how that has made all the difference. But too often, it is obvious they have lost that first love and desire, as I did. They wish they could have that conversion experience all over again. They thought life was going to get better, but, to be honest, life and death keep marching on and one day, praise God, we shall meet him face to face again. (Sigh)
For some 20 years, I experienced life. I stopped witnessing. Yes I enjoyed singing in a great choir and experienced that personal relationship, but I was too busy for much else. Praying, reading the word, I had my ups and downs. And then, life got tough. After 22 years in business, working 60 hours a week, I faced bankruptcy. Life with 4 teens and a house of consistent emotional trauma and turmoil challenged my psyche, my Spirituality, and my sanity. Anger and Confusion reigned. My kids were quick to point out that the God I loved certainly didn’t love me back.
All this came to a climax in 2006. Through an unusually difficult situation as a parent, I faced a decision to pursue legal action against a young man that had offended my family or to invite him into my life. That situation led me to begin reading the one year Bible and to invite this individual to attend worship with me so that he could understand our family's faith better. Through difficulty, he gave our agreement a valiant effort for about 6 weeks, but I continue to relish in the blessings of reading the Bible daily in a format that mixes a bit of Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms daily allowing me to read the Bible cover to cover annually. Often, I am finding it answers life's questions better than the daily news. Through this unpleasant experience and a choice to love an enemy, God had given me the best gift of my life!
At the time of this writing, I am reading that “One Year Bible” for the third time! Through this experience I receive revelations from God every morning through Bible reading and prayer. I have truly been blessed! I have been invited into Christian service in my community and experience further blessings from God and relationships through weekly worship services with various groups from my church and my surrounding community. These blessings come in the form of inspirational talks, personal study, and the opportunity to discuss life and insights with others. Truly, the greatest opportunities are to be able to pray with and for others regarding their lives. However, the greatest gift continues to be when I hear from someone else that they are praying for me! God is indeed good. My jealousy regarding those conversion experiences I had in my teens and twenties, and thirties has been exchanged with the thrill and chill of receiving those experiences every day. I hear the message God is sending of his love for mankind consistently in Bible reading, discussions with people who are also seeking God, and within my choice of music. Running my business still takes tremendous perseverance and responsibility, but my needs continue to be met. As mentioned at the top of this section, I even find inspiration into the love of our Father through the oft times strained relationships within my family. This also was common through Biblical writings of men of God - and so, I know I am not alone. God continues to love me regardless of how messed up I might be. He loves my kids also, and so do I.
Through my local Christian ministry, I have made many new friends. Two of these friends share my passion of receiving revelations from God through the written word. They invited me to dinner recently regarding “The Ezra Project” whose mission is “Connecting God’s People to God’s Word.” I picked up a brochure at the dinner that states the following: “Closing the gap between God’s people and God’s Word may be the second greatest need in the Body of Christ today. Admitting there is a gap is the first! Bible reading is spiraling downward in America:” (Let me add that this is a problem worldwide). “Gallup polls show Bible readership has declined from 73% in the 1980s to 59% in the 2000s. Only 16% of Americans read the Bible daily and 41% say they rarely or never read the Bible. Barna Research declares only 29% of men and 43% of women read the Bible weekly or daily. Christians are becoming Biblically illiterate and nine out of 10 do not have a Biblical worldview. The majority of people claiming to be Christians also claim to have no time in their day to engage in Scripture. They tend to base their beliefs on their own notions and not from the Bible which they do not regularly read, according to the Center for Bible Engagement.” You can find out more about supporting the Ezra Project and see how it might impact you or your community by visiting http://www.ezraproject.net/
Clara H. Scott had her song entitled “Open My Eyes, That I May See” published by the Evangelical Publishing Company of Chicago Illinois in 1895. She expressed her desire to receive the Word of God in the following verses:
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.
This information was found at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/p/openeyes.htm where you can find many more great hymns.
I would love for you to share this opportunity and be filled with the Spirit of God. Your life with God can be so much more than a chore and exercise. It can be alive and transforming! Let me add a couple more of the beatitudes from Mathew 5: verse 6; “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”, and verse 8; “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Although I love reading the Bible, if Christianity is not your thing, I trust you will find similar blessings from God through your own Spiritual guides. I truly believe that as God presented Himself to Mack in William P. Young’s book “The Shack”, God will meet with you within your understanding of Him if you seek Him with all your heart. However, if you feel you are missing out on something, I gladly extend the invitation to read the Bible. Truly, this is the greatest gift we can pass on to our fellow man.
Several more verses that I feel must be shared here:
The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-20: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”
The Apostle John writes in I John 1:5-9: This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 4:9: “Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children”
(Pending table of contents)
1. WHY BOTHER TALKING
A. What Is Man
B. Thou Art Holy
C. Preparing For Celebration
2. KNOWING YOUR BELIEF
A. His Story Positioning
B. Word of God
C. What is Truth
3. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE
A. God’s Spiritual Gifts
B. God’s Greatest Gift
C. Beginning The Transformation
WORD OF GOD
“I suppose that since most of our hurts come through relationships so will our healing, and I know that grace rarely makes sense for those looking in from the outside.”
(William Paul Young; The Shack; c2007; Windblown Media; pg 11)
In preparation for this chapter, I have felt led of God in several ways. In the past week, I have heard the words: “Position yourself for blessings.” Before setting about to write this chapter, I felt the need to read “The Shack” by William Paul Young quoted above. Willie writes this story well enough that I questioned whether or not the book was really fiction. It is. However, the message it brings out is a recurring theme in contemporary culture; that God is Love. As William set me on the throne of God to be the judge over my wayward children, how could I help but respond with forgiveness and grace. The reality of grappling with anger towards God or questioning how the God of wrath depicted in the Old Testament could equate with the God of Love depicted in the New Testament has been a question virtually unanswered to the present day. The pain this author has experienced personally as expressed through the pain of the main character of the book and equated with the pain in my personal life combined with the answers God gave as expressed through the author touched my life and offered answers to many worldwide.
As we enter into the discussion of the word of God, we must consider church & our Holy Books. But in addition, we must be aware of the messages we receive from Him, or about Him through other literature, music, movies, relationships, history, culture, education, creation, experiences, emotions, and so much more! Oh, and might we mention that still small voice within?
Inspired of God
Peter, a disciple of Jesus Christ and considered by millions in our world to have been the first Pope and the leader of the original Christian Church, wrote the following based on his upbringing in the Jewish faith and from his experiences with the Rabbi he chose to follow: “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” II Peter 1:16-21. (RSV)
As the Apostle Paul instructs young Timothy who prepares to administer of the word, he writes in II Timothy 3:14-17: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every scripture inspired by God is also (aka: All scripture is inspired by God and is) profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (RSV)
It should be noted here that the scriptural quotes I am using in this book are generally coming from the (here is how the title page reads) “Harper Study Bible: The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments Revised Standard Version Translated from the original languages being the version set forth A.D. 1611 Revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901 compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946-1952 Second edition of the new Testament A.D. 1971…Prepared and Edited by Harold Lindsell, Ph.D., D.D. Zondervan Bible Publishers Grand Rapids, Michigan” which I received upon graduation from Denver Christian High School in Denver Colorado in 1980.
From the thousands of Greek and Latin manuscripts being used in the world throughout history to translate the ancient texts into over 400 English translations, I can only hope the original words of God have been used. Luckily, in studying “Inerrancy of the Bible” through “Wikipedia” and other sources provided by God’s great gift to me, the Internet, I find that this theology of “Inerrancy of scripture” has only been of issue over the last couple centuries. The concern of those who hold to this theology both from study and from word of mouth is that if we would claim otherwise, the Christian faith would fail and the Bible would unravel. I believe the opposite is true! By holding the word of God in front of the Almighty All Loving God in light of our own interpretations and understandings, we are not only keeping others from seeing Him, but we are keeping humanity from accepting the blessing the Bible can be in their lives. In words acceptable to the Muslim, let’s not make an idol of the Word of God! Here again, I picture a triangle. As the moon reflects the light of the sun to the earth, so the Bible reflects the light of God unto the man who reads it. It is not God, but a reflection.
For instance; there are hundreds of versions out there. Many Christians today are being fed by the “Message!” Even the author, Eugene H. Patterson has concern with it being considered the “Word of God,” yet the reader finds it to be inspirational, profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. The reader may find himself more prepared for life following its reading. In fact, I am guessing the reason you are using your translation of your “Word of God” (you are, aren’t you?) is that you find it to be inspirational, profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness and that by reading it you might find blessing & hope for the activities of your day.
As for the phraseology of "inerrancy/flawless" in regard to scripture, rest assured; I find the Bible to continue to be the most inspirational, universal, timely, and influential reading of my day to day life. I have no doubt in my mind that it was, is, and always shall be the "inspired" word of God. Through it I have the greatest narratives ever written about the centerpiece of our existence, Jesus Christ and the greatest insights into His words and teachings during the time He spent on this earth. I believe it contains the explanations and answers to all of our problems in miraculous ways. It grants the insights necessary to evangelize to all cultures represented by humanity, indeed it speaks to those cultures better than I can or could ever hope to. Through it, I attempt to discern all other input, whether written or verbal, into who I am & what I believe. It challenges me. It changes me. Through it, God becomes more alive & real to me every day. I cherish its influence in my upbringing and find very few that have been granted the gift from God of reading it cover to cover annually and loving it. This exercise has blessed me more than scripture memorization ever did. Yet, it has made that exercise, also, easier & more fulfilling. I find it is not so much that I am spending time with God, but it is God spending time with me.
How would you most like to hear from God? When you read a book or hear someone else’s account of their vision, revelation, or understanding, are you quick to accept it? Or are you more apt to question what you are hearing based on your spiritual identity or world and life view? Even as I present questions of “inerrancy” or other faiths worshiping the same God as you; are you questioning whether I am in tune with God? What if I said that God spoke through other Holy books as well as yours and that they were inspired also? Would that just rock your boat enough to toss your lunch? How then would you feel most comfortable with God talking to you? Perhaps just listening to that still small voice that fits with your world and life view and keeps God in your little box? How do you know that the voice within is God and not d’evil? How do you know you’re not being duped? Perhaps you’d better talk to the pastor! But perhaps he’s struggling too – they do you know! What if you could go and listen to how he inspired men of God to speak throughout history in ways that would touch your life today? Sounds good to me and I think it made sense to God also. Be careful though, if you only read passages you can find that agree with what you’re thinking while avoiding those that challenge you to change your thinking, you still might be relying on yourself and not hearing God.
I challenge you in the words Paul used in his letter to the Colossians chapter 3:16-17 “let the word of Christ (God) dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. I’ll stop there at verse 17, because if I quote further, I might even frustrate some of those who disagree with Paul regarding the roles of men and women in church. Some of those even who claim the inerrancy of scripture.
Of Love and Laws
That of course brings up the next question. How can the God of judgment and laws of the Old Testament be the same God of the New Testament who is all about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, and self control? I think they referred to that God as Jesus Christ Superstar back in the 70’s. Of course, I cannot give you all the answers and have no desire to start yet another religion or theology, but I’m going to give you my ideas anyway and you can do what you want with them. Perhaps if you are Muslim, you can place a bounty on my head instead of inviting me to pray with you. Christians, perhaps you can exhume me after I’m dead or just burn me and my books now instead of asking me to join you in singing “Come by here my Lord” around the campfire. Jews, perhaps you can just stone me instead of inviting me to one of your great celebrations! But I’d rather you hear from God and forget about me.
I started this book out referring to us as Spiritual Beings. The fact you are still reading this book means that you have put pre-conceived notions on the shelf and are still listening – as you can tell, I do worry about what you think and I apologize for sounding crass. However, look in the mirror – I doubt you see a ghost! No doubt, we have a physical presence also. If there is not someone else in your shack, go outside and look around. I am guessing there is some other human not too far away. However, if you have chosen a life of loneliness, I am sorry; this is about mortal human relationships.
When God placed Adam in the garden, He asked Adam for his trust. Adam and Eve broke that trust and hid from God in shame. They had received their first three demons; the lust of the flesh; the lust of the eyes; and the pride of life. For the first time, they had become aware of their physical presence and their mortality. Today, whenever we consider eternal life mixed with our physical bodies without the presence of God, we generally consider something vile, evil, or of d’evil. Vampires, werewolf’s, depictions of grotesque figures of damaged bodies or zombies which cannot die – they’re not a pretty site. Lest we live with evil eternally, God gave us a history in the temporary mortal world and set in motion His plan of sanctification and the coming reunion.
For many years, it would seem, God and the angels still lived among men according to Moses Genesis anthology. However, as evil gained ground, the separation grew and eventually the heavenly bodies’ physical presence was removed from the earth and God chose to start over with one guy who showed promise. His name was Noah. Years later, mankind as a whole experienced an ego trip and decided they would all live together in one big city and skip filling the earth and subduing it. God had other plans and forced divisions between them in the form of language barriers (Babel) and masses of water. As perhaps could be expected - and given our experience in local school yards, mankind's social modes became quite sectarian as individual cultures and societies grew - still all connected in forms of worship to their historical memories of history and divinity, but ultimately divided without that central uniting force. Many more years went by until eventually, God chose a man through whom his plan for a reunion with humanity would take place.
So, God met with Abraham and told him a bit of His plan. Abraham’s seed is primarily remembered today through two children; the older child was Ishmael, and the younger child was Isaac. Although these two are most remembered, Abraham had other children also. According to Biblical history, the chosen seed passed on to Isaac and then to Jacob. Although the seed would eventually fall to Judah, Jacob is remembered through his 12 sons who became the nation of Israel during 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Now, God assured Ishmael of a great future, but the further story of that line is not given us in great detail in the Jewish history represented by the bible. The same may be said regarding many other peoples from far away lands. That is until the Christian era when all peoples could be adopted into Abraham’s line and into God’s redemptive plan. A clue to the symbolism of the 12 tribes representative of all of humanity is reflected in Deuteronomy 32:8; "When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. [footnote in RSV states that in Hebrew the verse would read (sons of Israel)]
Early in this book, we mentioned Moses who led the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. The people were not so happy to go walking through the desert and Moses found it necessary to enact rules, laws, and a hierarchy of command to keep the new nation together. Call it a national constitution. 10 of those laws stood out, however there were plenty that most of us would rather not read regardless of their inspiration. Yet, the Jews have been memorizing those laws for centuries. Consider these 10 laws, well known and cherished to Jews, Christians, and Muslims:
1. The first law starts with an introduction: "I am the Lord your God" Recognize immediately that this one God is introducing Himself to each of us as readers in a very different way. He is immediately personal and approachable. His desire is not only that we get along, but that we get to know Him starting with how we know Him already. He continues by stating "You shall have no other Gods before Me:" Personally, I find that without placing my understanding of God as #1 in my life, everthing else kind of falls apart. With Him as #1, I can endure just about everything else. Money, Relationships – all fail, God is always there. The difficulty is, He can't be seen or touched and chances are that's on purpose! We are all forced to serve something we must all struggle to understand and the only clues we have are in these books of religion and those voices all around that I've mentioned. If the Bible is true however, we can trust there is only one God, so we don't have to worry too much about serving the wrong one - or do we? With that question in mind, what does God say to this idea about creating an image of Him in our head or with our hands? Go to #2.
2. You shall not have idols: Throughout the Old Testament and even today, graven images were a problem and mankind has mistakenly thought they might carry with them some magic power. Wrong, they only take our eyes off the Father or mess up the true worthiness of His reality. Even when we attempt to solidify an image of good and evil in our mind and claim our concepts of God will never change, such concepts become a source of evil as they color our perception of our neighbor and fellow human being as evil instead of realizing we are united with humanity in sin both individually and communally. So, the message of "no images" appears to once again be useful in ultimately honoring God in His Holiness (see #1) and honoring our fellowman in unity and peace.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. I mentioned earlier the lack of respect and honor in our culture. In our physical natures, our institutional lives, our organizational structures, not to mention the way marriages and families work, respect and honor just make life easier. The same is true on a worldwide scale.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day; if you don’t take a break, you’re going to experience burnout. If you don’t take some time out for God, your life is going to fall apart. It just won’t make sense. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Note that this command states: a Sabbath to the Lord your God! Although there is one God, we all tend to understand Him differently and I am quite sure He respects our intent to worship Him on our Sabbath whether that happens to fall on a Saturday or a Sunday. This also has much to do with #5 below as reverence for our parents is also given in honoring their mode of worship and understanding. The same goes for the communities and cultures we grow up in. Religion and faith should not be used as an act of rebellion.
5. Honor your father and your mother: See #3 above. Try it; you’ll like it – even if you think they don’t deserve it. Your honor just may help them out of a rut and you’ll be happier in the long run. Generally, if they deserve it, count your lucky stars! This Honor principal starts with God and follows through to parents and will carry forward to all in authority and our fellowman through most of our religious teachings - regardless of culture. Without honor a house becomes divided and all we love will be lost. Honor generally must be given regardless of worthiness.
6. You shall not kill. I think we get this one as if we do kill, we will probably go to jail, go directly to jail. Mortal society just won’t put up with this stuff. And yet, is it really that simple? If it were that simple, the city of Jerusalem would not be a testimony of religious culture built upon religious culture built upon religious culture. Mankind's history too often has followed a successive theology principle as justification built on pride and the imagery of favoritism too often leads to the breaking of this simple and most obvious and important command for our societies to live in peace. This command tends to be an obvious test of honor and love - or hypocricy and wickedness - to a watching world.
7. You shall not commit adultery. Sex is awesome unless it leads to enmity, strife, hatred and murder! Also, if you have it with enough people, you’ll forget your first love, and God knew all about that. Plus, one of you is hurting, guaranteed!
8. You shall not steal. This was a big problem in our house. Stealing destroys relationships between humans given the loss of trust given the lack of honor. Again, go to jail, go directly to jail and give me back my $200.00.
9. You shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Who is my neighbor? I’ll get to that later. But for now, suffice it to say, breaking trust destroys relationships and affects reputations. There is also a very deep meaning here regarding our imagery of our fellowman as evil. How we acted upon that assumption may be the most important question we ever face! This command is far more complex than the simple rule of Thou shalt not tell a lie. Protection and love of your fellowman is hereby commanded.
10. Don’t covet things you don’t have. You will never be satisfied or have joy in the things that are yours if you always want more. Of course, if we consider that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it, this very law could represent all our greed which is also often considered idolatry which brings us back to the top of the list.
Therefore, as Jesus claims in Mark 2:27 “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath;” it appears the whole law was made for the man - and indeed the whole of humanity, not man for the law. This thought process is so important in understanding the Bible. A tremendous key to understanding the early church and the epistles is found in Galatians 2:3. “But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.” Although chapters 1 and 2 are tremendous reading and touch heavily on Acts 15 and the Jerusalem council mentioned earlier, I use this verse as it nails the problem on the head. The problem was a serious private concern for the early Christian male convert. Paul speaks of this scare tactic often in his letters regarding the false teachers who would preach a different gospel. He includes Peter in this instance as one of these teachers (see chapter 2:11). However, he generally avoids mentioning the act itself as many of us righteous folk today would rather not talk about circumcision either. And yet, as strong as his call against circumcision for religious affiliation was, it is a common practice today for apparent health reasons. So, Paul claims that God presented the law for man to live well, not to be bound by it. Again, it would appear God knew His creation and attempted to provide us a framework for happiness and security to help us get through. Ok, that’s great, but it gets worse.
The rest of the Old Testament speaks of how Man continued to rebel against God. It is a series of case studies for our review from the life and times of God’s chosen people, the Jewish Nation. In review, brothers, all I can say is it must have been frustrating to be you! All you had to do was to follow the law and be happy, but life happened! The people rebelled and bad things happened. From other views of history, we see a time of barbarianism; People killing people; Nation destroying nation; Power overtaking power; Ego, ego, ego – but what’s that saying? Men will be men!
Imagine being a prophet at that time and seeing your culture – that had carried such promise in the good years - succumbing to starvation, disease, and genocide. I probably would have cried out to God and seen Him as the cause also. I certainly use to blame him for empty parking lot failure. Without following the laws which lead to peace among humans, cultures turn upon one another. Call it erasure, or call it judgment, call it a second chance, or call it profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may understand the needs for morality and righteousness and peace. Over and over, we hear from the Israelite’s life lessons and prophets words that to succeed, we must look after the less fortunate and put their needs above our own. Find the goodness in mankind and seek after peace. God is not a God of war, but He has allowed man to be a man and He hopes, He pleads that we will seek after Him.
I’m sure those prophets felt a sense of weeping and of gnashing of teeth as they experienced such separation from the Loving Creator God they felt they served alone. You could hear them scream out to God; “Lord, open the eyes of my fellow man so that they might see!” However, even in the worst of human situations, they always held on to Hope! In the pit of despair, Jeremiah could still say: “Great is thy Faithfulness!” In the pit of despair, that Jew in the German concentration camps of the 1940’s could recite the words of Job: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
If you have experienced the abandonment and grief of love lost, you can imagine a bit of what God experiences when you do not return His love. If you have shut your ears to the anger of a spoiled child who just wants more in spite of all you’ve already given, you understand a bit more of God’s heart. Guess what, it’s all written in the Bible. He would love to share some time with you today.
In understanding the judgments of God, listen to Isaiah in Isaiah 26:9 “My soul yearns for thee in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks thee. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”
I trust that you also can find inspiration, hope, peace, and Love in your Word from God. If not, may I suggest you change the channel?
Be Spirit Filled
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3
If I asked you when you last experienced a conversion, what would you say? In the forward of this book, I mentioned that I have loved Jesus Christ from my earliest memory. This caused a difficulty for me as I entered my teen years and early 20’s as I saw friends and acquaintances whose lives were dramatically changed when they first understood that God loved them enough to pay the penalty for their sins. The excitement they exhibited from their new experience of the Spirit of God within them brought jealousy to my heart in which his presence was such a way of life. What a privilege it must be to experience that anew, I thought.
And then, as life has gone on, I listen to Christians and hear conversion stories of that wonderful time when they first accepted Jesus Christ into their lives and how that has made all the difference. But too often, it is obvious they have lost that first love and desire, as I did. They wish they could have that conversion experience all over again. They thought life was going to get better, but, to be honest, life and death keep marching on and one day, praise God, we shall meet him face to face again. (Sigh)
For some 20 years, I experienced life. I stopped witnessing. Yes I enjoyed singing in a great choir and experienced that personal relationship, but I was too busy for much else. Praying, reading the word, I had my ups and downs. And then, life got tough. After 22 years in business, working 60 hours a week, I faced bankruptcy. Life with 4 teens and a house of consistent emotional trauma and turmoil challenged my psyche, my Spirituality, and my sanity. Anger and Confusion reigned. My kids were quick to point out that the God I loved certainly didn’t love me back.
All this came to a climax in 2006. Through an unusually difficult situation as a parent, I faced a decision to pursue legal action against a young man that had offended my family or to invite him into my life. That situation led me to begin reading the one year Bible and to invite this individual to attend worship with me so that he could understand our family's faith better. Through difficulty, he gave our agreement a valiant effort for about 6 weeks, but I continue to relish in the blessings of reading the Bible daily in a format that mixes a bit of Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms daily allowing me to read the Bible cover to cover annually. Often, I am finding it answers life's questions better than the daily news. Through this unpleasant experience and a choice to love an enemy, God had given me the best gift of my life!
At the time of this writing, I am reading that “One Year Bible” for the third time! Through this experience I receive revelations from God every morning through Bible reading and prayer. I have truly been blessed! I have been invited into Christian service in my community and experience further blessings from God and relationships through weekly worship services with various groups from my church and my surrounding community. These blessings come in the form of inspirational talks, personal study, and the opportunity to discuss life and insights with others. Truly, the greatest opportunities are to be able to pray with and for others regarding their lives. However, the greatest gift continues to be when I hear from someone else that they are praying for me! God is indeed good. My jealousy regarding those conversion experiences I had in my teens and twenties, and thirties has been exchanged with the thrill and chill of receiving those experiences every day. I hear the message God is sending of his love for mankind consistently in Bible reading, discussions with people who are also seeking God, and within my choice of music. Running my business still takes tremendous perseverance and responsibility, but my needs continue to be met. As mentioned at the top of this section, I even find inspiration into the love of our Father through the oft times strained relationships within my family. This also was common through Biblical writings of men of God - and so, I know I am not alone. God continues to love me regardless of how messed up I might be. He loves my kids also, and so do I.
Through my local Christian ministry, I have made many new friends. Two of these friends share my passion of receiving revelations from God through the written word. They invited me to dinner recently regarding “The Ezra Project” whose mission is “Connecting God’s People to God’s Word.” I picked up a brochure at the dinner that states the following: “Closing the gap between God’s people and God’s Word may be the second greatest need in the Body of Christ today. Admitting there is a gap is the first! Bible reading is spiraling downward in America:” (Let me add that this is a problem worldwide). “Gallup polls show Bible readership has declined from 73% in the 1980s to 59% in the 2000s. Only 16% of Americans read the Bible daily and 41% say they rarely or never read the Bible. Barna Research declares only 29% of men and 43% of women read the Bible weekly or daily. Christians are becoming Biblically illiterate and nine out of 10 do not have a Biblical worldview. The majority of people claiming to be Christians also claim to have no time in their day to engage in Scripture. They tend to base their beliefs on their own notions and not from the Bible which they do not regularly read, according to the Center for Bible Engagement.” You can find out more about supporting the Ezra Project and see how it might impact you or your community by visiting http://www.ezraproject.net/
Clara H. Scott had her song entitled “Open My Eyes, That I May See” published by the Evangelical Publishing Company of Chicago Illinois in 1895. She expressed her desire to receive the Word of God in the following verses:
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.
This information was found at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/p/openeyes.htm where you can find many more great hymns.
I would love for you to share this opportunity and be filled with the Spirit of God. Your life with God can be so much more than a chore and exercise. It can be alive and transforming! Let me add a couple more of the beatitudes from Mathew 5: verse 6; “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”, and verse 8; “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Although I love reading the Bible, if Christianity is not your thing, I trust you will find similar blessings from God through your own Spiritual guides. I truly believe that as God presented Himself to Mack in William P. Young’s book “The Shack”, God will meet with you within your understanding of Him if you seek Him with all your heart. However, if you feel you are missing out on something, I gladly extend the invitation to read the Bible. Truly, this is the greatest gift we can pass on to our fellow man.
Several more verses that I feel must be shared here:
The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-20: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”
The Apostle John writes in I John 1:5-9: This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 4:9: “Only take heed, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children”
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Talk About Love - Fourth Chapter "Placed in His Story"
“TALK ABOUT LOVE" All original ideas are Copyright of Richard R Sjaardema, 7/21/2010. (I, Richard R Sjaardema invite you to share and copy this material with Copyright notatation and without charge.)
(Pending table of contents)
1. WHY BOTHER TALKING
A. What Is Man
B. Thou Art Holy
C. Preparing For Celebration
2. KNOWING YOUR BELIEF
A. His Story Positioning
B. Word of God
C. What is Truth
3. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE
A. God’s Spiritual Gifts
B. God’s Greatest Gift
C. Beginning The Transformation
Placed in His Story
As a businessman, I have appointments from time to time at the Courthouse in the various counties I do business in. This morning I had the opportunity of a private session with the Judge and Clerk in one such courtroom. Having seen the docket, the clerk welcomed me as he knew my name & knows a bit about my spiritual identity, and I his. In the course of our conversation, I posed a philosophical question as to whether those liberal Presbyterians were saved. Being privy to our conversation, the judge quickly answered, those are things best left to God. Having studied theology and history and he having a history as a Presbyterian as I do; the clerk entered into a much lengthier conversation. As an author, I share this story with you as it portrays well the spiritual identities we each carry with us given our walks of life. Personally, I felt the Judge pegged God’s role as Judge quite well. There are some aspects of another’s faith that are best left to God. The theologian & I had much more to say.
Earlier in the day, I had attended a men’s bible study with a group I meet with weekly. Our study brought up the idea of triangles in our lives. This too, spoke to me as I prepared to discuss with you the importance of “knowing what you believe.” As we seek God in our lives, in essence our world and life view can be depicted as a triangle. At the top is God. You then take up another corner and your world fills the other corner. This triangle, then, represents your world and life view. It is important that you understand, and feel confident in who you are in relationship with God and your world. When the lines connecting these relationships are pressured or broken, there is separation, pain, and frustration. Generally, you are the victim.
In my last chapter, I mentioned I Corinthians 13, often referred to in Christian circles as the Love chapter. In verse 13, three qualities of life are mentioned; Faith, Hope, and Love. I have also heard of these attributes being applied to raising children. However, I believe in that instance, they were referred to as love, hope, and purpose. In 2008, Barrack Obama rode to victory in the US Presidential race. A mainstay of his platform was Hope in the midst of crisis. The world fell in Love with his platform. In order for any of us to be effective evangelists regarding God our Father, we must be able to understand His love for us, His hope for mankind, and we must have faith in His purpose for our lives and those of our fellow man. Without a healthy understanding of who we are as God’s image bearers, our own faith will falter as we meet surprises and challenges along the way. Without a safe haven and a close knit family to run to in times of need, we will too often feel alone and discouraged.
Although it is unhealthy to believe that I have all the right answers, thereby building a fortress around me that no-one can get in, it is also important to have a firm foundation of faith on which to build. Although it is unhealthy to attempt to completely rely on others to get me through life, it is important to have friends on which to rely on for support, strength, rest for the soul, understanding, inspiration, and healing. In consideration of that triangle, this section is on understanding and maintaining that most important connection between you and God – and perhaps what has led to the ideologies which make you somewhat unique amongst the religious affiliations today.
Out of Judaism
Following their chosen death by Roman Roulette, only 2 of the 40 remained trapped in the cave. These two Jews then surrendered to their Roman captors during the Galilean invasion of July 67 AD. Josephus, the higher ranking of the two went on to serve as a negotiator during the war and became an historian of Jewish culture within the Roman world.
Among his writings is “The Antiquities of the Jews” c94. Although the authenticity of the “Testimonium Flavianum” within this writing has been heavily debated in recent centuries, the mention of Jesus in book 20 chapter 9 which states: “he (Ceasar) assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned.” Josephus hereby documented for the record the presence and life of a man and that of his early followers who have changed our world. There are few within our world today who have not heard of Jesus Christ or of this early sect called the Way which has become the Christian body. However, who Jesus was and what he represents has been hotly contested and heavily debated for nearly 2000 years. Our question now, is where does your spiritual identity fit into this history and how does it affect your connection with God our Father.
Take an aspirin & enjoy this quick synopsis of church history;
Since history began, your identity in relation to the Creator has been being defined. From earliest Creation and the first man; through his migration throughout the earth; through visions and inspirations, real or imagined, experienced by men and women throughout time; through the resulting multiplicity of religious cultures; through books, movies, and verbal communications; the history of God and his relationship with man has been being revealed up to, including, & in response to this one life of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 15 of the present day Bible, a story is recorded of a self proclaimed missionary to the Gentiles who met with the Jewish leaders of the Church in Jerusalem. This meeting, of the early church leaders met within a few years following Christ’s death. The main issue at stake regarded the legal requirements that should be applied to these new converts to the faith. This first missionary to Gentiles had been a dangerous antagonist to the early Church, but had experienced his own conversion which is also recorded by Luke in the book of Acts. The missionary’s name was Paul. His meeting with the early Church Fathers has come to be known as the Jerusalem Council.
During his lifetime, Paul wrote various letters to churches within His mission field regarding this growing new faith. Such letters caused controversy at the time and continue to be used as divisions of the faith today. In Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, he addressed his frustration regarding this trend. He wrote in I Corinthians 1:10-13a: “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Is Christ divided?” And then in verse 17: “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (RSV)
In Paul’s book to the Romans, which today we understand to be the second chapter, yet is a continuation of his unified letter, he challenged the church regarding their judgment of sinners as they represent sinners themselves. In Chapter 1:18 he wrote; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth”. In Romans 2:1, he continues; “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.” In verse 8 he wrote: “for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury.” Paul continued with his personal challenge of the believer in Romans 2:22-24: “You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (RSV)
In I Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul quoted an early church creed and gave a bit of history of the resurrection: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” (RSV)
Paul’s message was this: As a Roman citizen and raised as a Jewish spiritual leader, he claimed that God’s plan of re-unification with man as God had explained it through the Jewish nation had become available to all mankind through the forgiveness of their sins which was made possible through the sacrifice of this man, Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 2:14-19: “For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” (RSV)
Paul went on to preach throughout the region. It is strongly believed by historians and theologians that his letters were written before the gospels. His ministry was well documented by the writer of the gospel of Luke in a second book by the same author entitled “The Acts of the Apostles.” This book chronicled much of the life of the early church and led up to Paul’s incarceration in Rome where he was awaiting a hearing with the emperor, Nero regarding his involvement in this new sect of believers who came to be called Christians during his lifetime.
Paul’s letters were not universally accepted by the early church and, against his request, his followers were often called Pauline Christians. There were other sects at the time which included the Jerusalem Church, the Jewish Christians, and the Nazarenes. Various belief patterns and offshoots from the early Jewish faith and teachings of the early church fathers continued as men continued to seek after God and build religiosity through the centuries. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church both lay claim to be the offshoot of the Jerusalem Church. In fact, in spite of ongoing differences, they remained one until the schism of 1054 when the leaders of both bodies were excommunicated by the other. This action was repealed in 1965 through the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and they maintain ties to this day. Another offshoot of the Jerusalem church was Ebionites which refuted the Pauline Epistles and the divinity of Christ. This group adhered to the strict abidance of the Jewish laws and customs and the ideals of religious poverty. The teachings of the Ebionites were not unlike the later views of Arius in the fourth century as the divinity of Christ continued to be hotly debated leading to multiple church councils and excommunications as one theological group set themselves up as righteous against those whose opinions differed.
It is thought by many that around the year 200, Tertullian first coined the term “Trinity” which is not found in the Bible. This doctrine of the Trinity also caused hostile divisions within the religious communities. Unknown to many today, there were also Binitarian views as the divinity of the Spirit and the Son continued to be topics of debate as the church grappled with the unity or disunity of the considered Godhead depicted in the Bible.
Following the council of Jerusalem noted in Acts 15, the larger body of the Christian church did not gather together again until the year 325 at the Council of Nicaea which was held in present day Turkey. One hot topic at this council was that Arian question which considered that Jesus was not one with the Father and that he had not always existed. The question was defeated by a body of over 300 men, of whom only two voted in favor of such separation under threat of excommunication by the Emperor Constantine himself. The Nicene council was only one of many councils which were held annually for much of the 4th century as the Arian controversy continued to be a topic of healthy debate, only tarnished by the pride and violence of men who considered their understanding to be the righteousness of God. This question, and the resulting skirmishes and schisms continued to plague the church as a whole. A prominent member present at this council was Athanasius of Alexandria in Egypt. At the time he was Bishop of Egypt and Libya and a prominent member of the Eastern Church. Although Athanasius was a leading Bishop in the passage of the Nicene Creed and the buildup of the doctrine of the Trinity, history shows him to have been a proud and violent man - often facing excommunication and disciplinary action himself.
Not until the Council of Hippo in 393 were the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments approved as they are known by many Christians today. However, many Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim believers recognize different books of scripture even now. Several books of the 66 did not have universal approval within the church until much later. Revelation was not accepted by the Eastern Church until the fifth century. Indeed, somewhere in the world the debate over books continues at this moment. A prominent member of the council of Hippo was St. Augustine who wrote many books and instituted much of the philosophy regarding “original sin.” His writings would be heavily used years later in the protestant reformation and are still widely read today.
As can be expected, as man has continued his search for God, for enlightenment, and for understanding, many writings have come forth. During those early centuries, many writings were presented. As today, some were meant to be fiction, some were meant to be non-fiction. Some were written by men who strived to be filled with the spirit and some by those who were in rebellion against the church and God the Father. This was a time of Gnosticism. It is felt in contemporary culture that some of these books are only now being discovered for the first time; however, many of these early writings were considered and rejected by the early church as they did not agree with the early writings accepted by these same church fathers. Throughout its history, the church, although certainly flawed, has attempted to maintain a message of truth. Accepting some of these books as truth would be like accepting some accounts of God presented by fictional authors today as truth in coming centuries.
Throughout history, men who seek after God have claimed to have new understandings and messages from God himself, not unlike the Apostle Paul. Unfortunately, too often, such new ideas have been thrown out of the church with the hope of the common good. A term has been coined: “The Great Apostasy” regarding these breaks from the church. However, those who have been excommunicated often have felt there was a “Great Apostasy” within the church which often led to their independent thinking. This has led to new branches of the faith of man which litter the landscape with such a myriad of beliefs that contemporary man has entered post modernism with the feeling of “why bother, there is no truth.” In fact, today these various branches from the original vine eventually lead to you. We’ll revisit this later. For now, let’s travel to Saudi Arabia.
Birth of Islam
The great ancient city of Mecca is disappearing. The Wahhabists carry with them the teachings of the ministry of Muhammad against the idolatry of the people. Inasmuch, they are dedicated to destroying the holy sites which may in themselves lead to idolatry. With this demolition, an important historical treasure is disappearing. Let’s take a look back at that history.
Several weeks before Muhammad’s birth around 570 AD, his natural father died. When Muhammad was no more than 6, his mother died also and Muhammad was raised for the next few years by his paternal grandfather, caretaker of the holy sanctuary, Ka’bah – claimed by many Muslim’s to be the first house of worship of the one true God built by the prophet Adam, and rebuilt by the prophets Abraham and Ishmael.
Muhammad gained a reputation even as a youth for his honesty, reliability, and trustworthiness. As he became a man, he came to detest the idolatry which was practiced at the holy site of Ka’bah. He was instrumental in the rebuilding of the site during his career as a prophet and in the placement of the sacred Black Stone. It is to Ka’bah that the Muslim faces in prayer each day.
A merchant & shepherd disconnected with the culture of the city, Muhammad began a personal retreat to a cave for meditation for a period of time each year. Around the age of 40, Muhammad claimed to have had a revelation from God during one of these times. His recount of the revelation was not unlike that of the prophet Moses in his feeling of unworthiness and the resulting fear. Upon hearing his story and witnessing his fear, Muhammad’s wife believed the story & praised him for his reputation of truthfulness, honesty, and service to the poor, the orphaned, and the needy. She then shared the story with her uncle Waraqa, who also believed this to be a revelation from Allah. Some question whether the violence of the angel within the cave could have been sent by God, yet the Bible is quite clear that no angel (even d'evil himself) can act outside the authority of our Almighty God. Therefore, the question is moot as God promises that those who seek Him will find Him if they seek Him with all their heart. Muhammad certainly is portrayed by historical evidence as a seeker. Besides Moses fear in the presence of the burning bush, Muhammad's experience is also not unlike the death of Nadab and Abihu of Leviticus 9-10 or the violence even suffered by other Prophets throughout history.
Allah is the Arabic name given to the One True God, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. It is used, not only by Muslims, but also by Arab Christians and Jews. Although the variation of the name in Hebrew is Elo-him, it is pronounced Allaha in Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ.
The Muslim views of Jesus Christ to this day closely resemble the beliefs of Muhammad’s wife’s uncle, Waraqa, the Ebionite. As the Ebionites of the early church did not recognize the divinity of Jesus Christ, so the Muslims revere Jesus as a great prophet, though not to be associated with the One true God. A major division between the most Christian denominations and Islam is the theology and understanding of the Trinity. As with Christianity, Islam has split into various factions within the faith, each claiming theirs is the truth of God.
During his lifetime, according to Islamic sacred writings, Muhammad was given a vision of a Mosque on the temple mount of Jerusalem. He described his vision to those who were with him at the time who passed the story along until it became a part of the Islamic sacred writings. According to the writings, Allah told Muhammad “We appointed the vision which We showed thee as an ordeal for mankind.” Due to this vision, The Muslims captured Jerusalem in 1076 sparking the Crusades. Not only had jealousy for the sacred city of Jerusalem pitted the 3 religious groups against one another, but fear of the conquering Arabic peoples caused panic for homelands. Including the Children’s Crusade, the 9 Crusades spanned the years from 1096 to 1270. As mentioned previously, an Islamic Mosque remains on the original Temple Mount to this day.
Although there are many other religions on the face of the earth today, no other book is considered to be the word of God besides those of the Jews, Christians, Muslims, and some offshoots of those religions. This shall be discussed in the next chapter.
All Have Sinned
Nothing good ever comes of violence. (Martin Luther)
They’d tried for twenty years, but still no surviving male heir. As King Henry considered his options, he desired to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragorn so that he could marry his new love, Anne Boleyn. However, in fear of the retribution of Charles V, Catherine’s nephew, stemming from the recent attacks of Rome, and other matters of state, Pope Clement VII refused to grant the annulment. This led to further separations of Church and State as Henry went through with the marriage to Anne in 1533 in spite of the Pope’s refusal to grant the divorce. Pope Clement therefore excommunicated Henry from the Catholic Church. All this fueled the battles and debates stemming from the ongoing Protestant Reformation. Let’s jump back to those early stages with St. Augustine, shall we?
Following a rowdy youth, St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) practiced independent thought in writings which addressed salvation and divine grace. His book “City of God” depicted the church as the community that worshipped God. Although some considered him to be a heretic, as was common with independent thought, he is well revered by most church bodies and is considered influential in Western religion and reformation thinking.
According to Wikipedia, English translations of parts of the Bible can be traced back to the 7th century. However, John Wycliffe is generally credited with the first English translation of the Bible. The group of Bible translations now known as “Wyclif’s Bible” began to appear on the world stage from 1382 to 1395. John’s vision was to take the word of God from being heard by the common man only through the oral teachings of a biased church to being a personal study. As a prominent master and theologian at Oxford, John took a great interest in Biblical Studies and became involved somewhat in the politics of his day. However, when leadership of the college changed hands, Wycliffe began to struggle with difficulties with the church in Rome and monasticism. In 1381, following the spread of his doctrines regarding the Lord’s Supper, several of his works were branded heretical. He appealed to the King instead of the church for help. At the same time, a movement of contemporary thought led to a group called the Lollards of which John Wycliffe was considered to be a part. Although he disapproved of the peasant’s revolt of 1381, he was considered to be a cause. He died in 1384. In 1415 the Catholic Church branded him a heretic and called for his remains to be exhumed and for them and his writings to be burned. The exhumation took place in 1428.
These were only the birth pangs of a reformation, or revolution of the church. However, the start of the Protestant Reformation was said to have begun in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg Germany. The 95 theses themselves can be found on the internet at Wikisourse: 95 theses.
Just one year prior to Luther’s 95 theses being introduced to the world, Mary had been born to King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragorn mentioned at the beginning of this section. The political, civil, and moral climate that defined the remainder of Luther’s life with war and bloodshed in the name of religion had to break Luther’s heart. Yet the Reformation of spiritual thought and discussion that developed from his work and others who dared to discover more about our Creator God have enriched much of our lives.
At the writing of this book, it has been 500 years since King Henry ascended the throne in Europe and wed his bride, Catherine of Aragorn. The struggles that affected that marriage, and rocked our world in so many ways during that century so long ago, continue to define our world today. As frustrated as we may become at the seeming confusion brought on by our ancestry of the faith, we stand on the threshold of a new age of modern enlightenment. Our cultures are rich in wisdom and knowledge. Our colorful history is literally at our fingertips to answer whatever questions we may ponder. Never before has it been so easy to share with one another and understand our differences. It is time we grow beyond the pride, arrogance, and violence which God our Father hates and which has divided us for so long. In His name, it is time to reacquaint ourselves with our brothers and sisters of the faith in an environment of love, joy and peace. Understanding that we are all fallen and struggling with life’s difficulties together, let’s share in the wealth of our spiritual identities and celebrate our Father’s greatest gift of creation; Man! Together, perhaps we can begin healing our wounds instead of causing new ones. Let our houses of worship be places that embrace not only our own hearts, but those of our fellow man and of our world.
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” Psalm 122:1 (RSV)
Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God! Matthew 5:9 (RSV)
(Pending table of contents)
1. WHY BOTHER TALKING
A. What Is Man
B. Thou Art Holy
C. Preparing For Celebration
2. KNOWING YOUR BELIEF
A. His Story Positioning
B. Word of God
C. What is Truth
3. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE
A. God’s Spiritual Gifts
B. God’s Greatest Gift
C. Beginning The Transformation
Placed in His Story
As a businessman, I have appointments from time to time at the Courthouse in the various counties I do business in. This morning I had the opportunity of a private session with the Judge and Clerk in one such courtroom. Having seen the docket, the clerk welcomed me as he knew my name & knows a bit about my spiritual identity, and I his. In the course of our conversation, I posed a philosophical question as to whether those liberal Presbyterians were saved. Being privy to our conversation, the judge quickly answered, those are things best left to God. Having studied theology and history and he having a history as a Presbyterian as I do; the clerk entered into a much lengthier conversation. As an author, I share this story with you as it portrays well the spiritual identities we each carry with us given our walks of life. Personally, I felt the Judge pegged God’s role as Judge quite well. There are some aspects of another’s faith that are best left to God. The theologian & I had much more to say.
Earlier in the day, I had attended a men’s bible study with a group I meet with weekly. Our study brought up the idea of triangles in our lives. This too, spoke to me as I prepared to discuss with you the importance of “knowing what you believe.” As we seek God in our lives, in essence our world and life view can be depicted as a triangle. At the top is God. You then take up another corner and your world fills the other corner. This triangle, then, represents your world and life view. It is important that you understand, and feel confident in who you are in relationship with God and your world. When the lines connecting these relationships are pressured or broken, there is separation, pain, and frustration. Generally, you are the victim.
In my last chapter, I mentioned I Corinthians 13, often referred to in Christian circles as the Love chapter. In verse 13, three qualities of life are mentioned; Faith, Hope, and Love. I have also heard of these attributes being applied to raising children. However, I believe in that instance, they were referred to as love, hope, and purpose. In 2008, Barrack Obama rode to victory in the US Presidential race. A mainstay of his platform was Hope in the midst of crisis. The world fell in Love with his platform. In order for any of us to be effective evangelists regarding God our Father, we must be able to understand His love for us, His hope for mankind, and we must have faith in His purpose for our lives and those of our fellow man. Without a healthy understanding of who we are as God’s image bearers, our own faith will falter as we meet surprises and challenges along the way. Without a safe haven and a close knit family to run to in times of need, we will too often feel alone and discouraged.
Although it is unhealthy to believe that I have all the right answers, thereby building a fortress around me that no-one can get in, it is also important to have a firm foundation of faith on which to build. Although it is unhealthy to attempt to completely rely on others to get me through life, it is important to have friends on which to rely on for support, strength, rest for the soul, understanding, inspiration, and healing. In consideration of that triangle, this section is on understanding and maintaining that most important connection between you and God – and perhaps what has led to the ideologies which make you somewhat unique amongst the religious affiliations today.
Out of Judaism
Following their chosen death by Roman Roulette, only 2 of the 40 remained trapped in the cave. These two Jews then surrendered to their Roman captors during the Galilean invasion of July 67 AD. Josephus, the higher ranking of the two went on to serve as a negotiator during the war and became an historian of Jewish culture within the Roman world.
Among his writings is “The Antiquities of the Jews” c94. Although the authenticity of the “Testimonium Flavianum” within this writing has been heavily debated in recent centuries, the mention of Jesus in book 20 chapter 9 which states: “he (Ceasar) assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned.” Josephus hereby documented for the record the presence and life of a man and that of his early followers who have changed our world. There are few within our world today who have not heard of Jesus Christ or of this early sect called the Way which has become the Christian body. However, who Jesus was and what he represents has been hotly contested and heavily debated for nearly 2000 years. Our question now, is where does your spiritual identity fit into this history and how does it affect your connection with God our Father.
Take an aspirin & enjoy this quick synopsis of church history;
Since history began, your identity in relation to the Creator has been being defined. From earliest Creation and the first man; through his migration throughout the earth; through visions and inspirations, real or imagined, experienced by men and women throughout time; through the resulting multiplicity of religious cultures; through books, movies, and verbal communications; the history of God and his relationship with man has been being revealed up to, including, & in response to this one life of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 15 of the present day Bible, a story is recorded of a self proclaimed missionary to the Gentiles who met with the Jewish leaders of the Church in Jerusalem. This meeting, of the early church leaders met within a few years following Christ’s death. The main issue at stake regarded the legal requirements that should be applied to these new converts to the faith. This first missionary to Gentiles had been a dangerous antagonist to the early Church, but had experienced his own conversion which is also recorded by Luke in the book of Acts. The missionary’s name was Paul. His meeting with the early Church Fathers has come to be known as the Jerusalem Council.
During his lifetime, Paul wrote various letters to churches within His mission field regarding this growing new faith. Such letters caused controversy at the time and continue to be used as divisions of the faith today. In Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, he addressed his frustration regarding this trend. He wrote in I Corinthians 1:10-13a: “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Is Christ divided?” And then in verse 17: “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (RSV)
In Paul’s book to the Romans, which today we understand to be the second chapter, yet is a continuation of his unified letter, he challenged the church regarding their judgment of sinners as they represent sinners themselves. In Chapter 1:18 he wrote; “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth”. In Romans 2:1, he continues; “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.” In verse 8 he wrote: “for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury.” Paul continued with his personal challenge of the believer in Romans 2:22-24: “You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (RSV)
In I Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul quoted an early church creed and gave a bit of history of the resurrection: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.” (RSV)
Paul’s message was this: As a Roman citizen and raised as a Jewish spiritual leader, he claimed that God’s plan of re-unification with man as God had explained it through the Jewish nation had become available to all mankind through the forgiveness of their sins which was made possible through the sacrifice of this man, Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 2:14-19: “For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” (RSV)
Paul went on to preach throughout the region. It is strongly believed by historians and theologians that his letters were written before the gospels. His ministry was well documented by the writer of the gospel of Luke in a second book by the same author entitled “The Acts of the Apostles.” This book chronicled much of the life of the early church and led up to Paul’s incarceration in Rome where he was awaiting a hearing with the emperor, Nero regarding his involvement in this new sect of believers who came to be called Christians during his lifetime.
Paul’s letters were not universally accepted by the early church and, against his request, his followers were often called Pauline Christians. There were other sects at the time which included the Jerusalem Church, the Jewish Christians, and the Nazarenes. Various belief patterns and offshoots from the early Jewish faith and teachings of the early church fathers continued as men continued to seek after God and build religiosity through the centuries. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church both lay claim to be the offshoot of the Jerusalem Church. In fact, in spite of ongoing differences, they remained one until the schism of 1054 when the leaders of both bodies were excommunicated by the other. This action was repealed in 1965 through the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and they maintain ties to this day. Another offshoot of the Jerusalem church was Ebionites which refuted the Pauline Epistles and the divinity of Christ. This group adhered to the strict abidance of the Jewish laws and customs and the ideals of religious poverty. The teachings of the Ebionites were not unlike the later views of Arius in the fourth century as the divinity of Christ continued to be hotly debated leading to multiple church councils and excommunications as one theological group set themselves up as righteous against those whose opinions differed.
It is thought by many that around the year 200, Tertullian first coined the term “Trinity” which is not found in the Bible. This doctrine of the Trinity also caused hostile divisions within the religious communities. Unknown to many today, there were also Binitarian views as the divinity of the Spirit and the Son continued to be topics of debate as the church grappled with the unity or disunity of the considered Godhead depicted in the Bible.
Following the council of Jerusalem noted in Acts 15, the larger body of the Christian church did not gather together again until the year 325 at the Council of Nicaea which was held in present day Turkey. One hot topic at this council was that Arian question which considered that Jesus was not one with the Father and that he had not always existed. The question was defeated by a body of over 300 men, of whom only two voted in favor of such separation under threat of excommunication by the Emperor Constantine himself. The Nicene council was only one of many councils which were held annually for much of the 4th century as the Arian controversy continued to be a topic of healthy debate, only tarnished by the pride and violence of men who considered their understanding to be the righteousness of God. This question, and the resulting skirmishes and schisms continued to plague the church as a whole. A prominent member present at this council was Athanasius of Alexandria in Egypt. At the time he was Bishop of Egypt and Libya and a prominent member of the Eastern Church. Although Athanasius was a leading Bishop in the passage of the Nicene Creed and the buildup of the doctrine of the Trinity, history shows him to have been a proud and violent man - often facing excommunication and disciplinary action himself.
Not until the Council of Hippo in 393 were the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments approved as they are known by many Christians today. However, many Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim believers recognize different books of scripture even now. Several books of the 66 did not have universal approval within the church until much later. Revelation was not accepted by the Eastern Church until the fifth century. Indeed, somewhere in the world the debate over books continues at this moment. A prominent member of the council of Hippo was St. Augustine who wrote many books and instituted much of the philosophy regarding “original sin.” His writings would be heavily used years later in the protestant reformation and are still widely read today.
As can be expected, as man has continued his search for God, for enlightenment, and for understanding, many writings have come forth. During those early centuries, many writings were presented. As today, some were meant to be fiction, some were meant to be non-fiction. Some were written by men who strived to be filled with the spirit and some by those who were in rebellion against the church and God the Father. This was a time of Gnosticism. It is felt in contemporary culture that some of these books are only now being discovered for the first time; however, many of these early writings were considered and rejected by the early church as they did not agree with the early writings accepted by these same church fathers. Throughout its history, the church, although certainly flawed, has attempted to maintain a message of truth. Accepting some of these books as truth would be like accepting some accounts of God presented by fictional authors today as truth in coming centuries.
Throughout history, men who seek after God have claimed to have new understandings and messages from God himself, not unlike the Apostle Paul. Unfortunately, too often, such new ideas have been thrown out of the church with the hope of the common good. A term has been coined: “The Great Apostasy” regarding these breaks from the church. However, those who have been excommunicated often have felt there was a “Great Apostasy” within the church which often led to their independent thinking. This has led to new branches of the faith of man which litter the landscape with such a myriad of beliefs that contemporary man has entered post modernism with the feeling of “why bother, there is no truth.” In fact, today these various branches from the original vine eventually lead to you. We’ll revisit this later. For now, let’s travel to Saudi Arabia.
Birth of Islam
The great ancient city of Mecca is disappearing. The Wahhabists carry with them the teachings of the ministry of Muhammad against the idolatry of the people. Inasmuch, they are dedicated to destroying the holy sites which may in themselves lead to idolatry. With this demolition, an important historical treasure is disappearing. Let’s take a look back at that history.
Several weeks before Muhammad’s birth around 570 AD, his natural father died. When Muhammad was no more than 6, his mother died also and Muhammad was raised for the next few years by his paternal grandfather, caretaker of the holy sanctuary, Ka’bah – claimed by many Muslim’s to be the first house of worship of the one true God built by the prophet Adam, and rebuilt by the prophets Abraham and Ishmael.
Muhammad gained a reputation even as a youth for his honesty, reliability, and trustworthiness. As he became a man, he came to detest the idolatry which was practiced at the holy site of Ka’bah. He was instrumental in the rebuilding of the site during his career as a prophet and in the placement of the sacred Black Stone. It is to Ka’bah that the Muslim faces in prayer each day.
A merchant & shepherd disconnected with the culture of the city, Muhammad began a personal retreat to a cave for meditation for a period of time each year. Around the age of 40, Muhammad claimed to have had a revelation from God during one of these times. His recount of the revelation was not unlike that of the prophet Moses in his feeling of unworthiness and the resulting fear. Upon hearing his story and witnessing his fear, Muhammad’s wife believed the story & praised him for his reputation of truthfulness, honesty, and service to the poor, the orphaned, and the needy. She then shared the story with her uncle Waraqa, who also believed this to be a revelation from Allah. Some question whether the violence of the angel within the cave could have been sent by God, yet the Bible is quite clear that no angel (even d'evil himself) can act outside the authority of our Almighty God. Therefore, the question is moot as God promises that those who seek Him will find Him if they seek Him with all their heart. Muhammad certainly is portrayed by historical evidence as a seeker. Besides Moses fear in the presence of the burning bush, Muhammad's experience is also not unlike the death of Nadab and Abihu of Leviticus 9-10 or the violence even suffered by other Prophets throughout history.
Allah is the Arabic name given to the One True God, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. It is used, not only by Muslims, but also by Arab Christians and Jews. Although the variation of the name in Hebrew is Elo-him, it is pronounced Allaha in Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ.
The Muslim views of Jesus Christ to this day closely resemble the beliefs of Muhammad’s wife’s uncle, Waraqa, the Ebionite. As the Ebionites of the early church did not recognize the divinity of Jesus Christ, so the Muslims revere Jesus as a great prophet, though not to be associated with the One true God. A major division between the most Christian denominations and Islam is the theology and understanding of the Trinity. As with Christianity, Islam has split into various factions within the faith, each claiming theirs is the truth of God.
During his lifetime, according to Islamic sacred writings, Muhammad was given a vision of a Mosque on the temple mount of Jerusalem. He described his vision to those who were with him at the time who passed the story along until it became a part of the Islamic sacred writings. According to the writings, Allah told Muhammad “We appointed the vision which We showed thee as an ordeal for mankind.” Due to this vision, The Muslims captured Jerusalem in 1076 sparking the Crusades. Not only had jealousy for the sacred city of Jerusalem pitted the 3 religious groups against one another, but fear of the conquering Arabic peoples caused panic for homelands. Including the Children’s Crusade, the 9 Crusades spanned the years from 1096 to 1270. As mentioned previously, an Islamic Mosque remains on the original Temple Mount to this day.
Although there are many other religions on the face of the earth today, no other book is considered to be the word of God besides those of the Jews, Christians, Muslims, and some offshoots of those religions. This shall be discussed in the next chapter.
All Have Sinned
Nothing good ever comes of violence. (Martin Luther)
They’d tried for twenty years, but still no surviving male heir. As King Henry considered his options, he desired to end his marriage to Catherine of Aragorn so that he could marry his new love, Anne Boleyn. However, in fear of the retribution of Charles V, Catherine’s nephew, stemming from the recent attacks of Rome, and other matters of state, Pope Clement VII refused to grant the annulment. This led to further separations of Church and State as Henry went through with the marriage to Anne in 1533 in spite of the Pope’s refusal to grant the divorce. Pope Clement therefore excommunicated Henry from the Catholic Church. All this fueled the battles and debates stemming from the ongoing Protestant Reformation. Let’s jump back to those early stages with St. Augustine, shall we?
Following a rowdy youth, St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) practiced independent thought in writings which addressed salvation and divine grace. His book “City of God” depicted the church as the community that worshipped God. Although some considered him to be a heretic, as was common with independent thought, he is well revered by most church bodies and is considered influential in Western religion and reformation thinking.
According to Wikipedia, English translations of parts of the Bible can be traced back to the 7th century. However, John Wycliffe is generally credited with the first English translation of the Bible. The group of Bible translations now known as “Wyclif’s Bible” began to appear on the world stage from 1382 to 1395. John’s vision was to take the word of God from being heard by the common man only through the oral teachings of a biased church to being a personal study. As a prominent master and theologian at Oxford, John took a great interest in Biblical Studies and became involved somewhat in the politics of his day. However, when leadership of the college changed hands, Wycliffe began to struggle with difficulties with the church in Rome and monasticism. In 1381, following the spread of his doctrines regarding the Lord’s Supper, several of his works were branded heretical. He appealed to the King instead of the church for help. At the same time, a movement of contemporary thought led to a group called the Lollards of which John Wycliffe was considered to be a part. Although he disapproved of the peasant’s revolt of 1381, he was considered to be a cause. He died in 1384. In 1415 the Catholic Church branded him a heretic and called for his remains to be exhumed and for them and his writings to be burned. The exhumation took place in 1428.
These were only the birth pangs of a reformation, or revolution of the church. However, the start of the Protestant Reformation was said to have begun in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg Germany. The 95 theses themselves can be found on the internet at Wikisourse: 95 theses.
Just one year prior to Luther’s 95 theses being introduced to the world, Mary had been born to King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragorn mentioned at the beginning of this section. The political, civil, and moral climate that defined the remainder of Luther’s life with war and bloodshed in the name of religion had to break Luther’s heart. Yet the Reformation of spiritual thought and discussion that developed from his work and others who dared to discover more about our Creator God have enriched much of our lives.
At the writing of this book, it has been 500 years since King Henry ascended the throne in Europe and wed his bride, Catherine of Aragorn. The struggles that affected that marriage, and rocked our world in so many ways during that century so long ago, continue to define our world today. As frustrated as we may become at the seeming confusion brought on by our ancestry of the faith, we stand on the threshold of a new age of modern enlightenment. Our cultures are rich in wisdom and knowledge. Our colorful history is literally at our fingertips to answer whatever questions we may ponder. Never before has it been so easy to share with one another and understand our differences. It is time we grow beyond the pride, arrogance, and violence which God our Father hates and which has divided us for so long. In His name, it is time to reacquaint ourselves with our brothers and sisters of the faith in an environment of love, joy and peace. Understanding that we are all fallen and struggling with life’s difficulties together, let’s share in the wealth of our spiritual identities and celebrate our Father’s greatest gift of creation; Man! Together, perhaps we can begin healing our wounds instead of causing new ones. Let our houses of worship be places that embrace not only our own hearts, but those of our fellow man and of our world.
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” Psalm 122:1 (RSV)
Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God! Matthew 5:9 (RSV)
Monday, October 4, 2010
Talk About Love - Third Chapter "Invitations for Celebration"
“TALK ABOUT LOVE" All original ideas are Copyright of Richard R Sjaardema, 7/21/2010. (I, Richard R Sjaardema invite you to share and copy this material with Copyright notatation and without charge.)
(Pending table of contents)
1. WHY BOTHER TALKING
A What Is Man
B Thou Art Holy
C Preparing For Celebration
2. KNOWING YOUR BELIEF
A His Story Positioning
B Word of God
C What is Truth
3. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE
A God’s Spiritual Gifts
B God’s Greatest Gift
C Beginning The Transformation
INVITATIONS FOR CELEBRATION
This beginning of this oncoming discourse is bound to age this book in future years, if such years materialize, that is. The subject is that fateful day of December 21, 2012! I personally have found the Mayan predictions of interest as they appear to be well connected with creation and the cosmos. If indeed, an alignment not seen in tens of thousands of years is pending, isn’t it worth taking note as it certainly could represent signs from the Creator. The alignment certainly is not a manmade phenomenon, nor the fabric of disillusionment, is it? That indeed appears to be the real question.
Again, I shall quickly move on without an in depth study or an attempt to prove or disprove the question posed. Those of you who are interested can research this event to your hearts content. However, in the few years left (at the time of this writing) before 12/21/2012, I expect there will be plenty of hype and hysteria within our societies building up to the day. The movies have already been hitting the theatres. We humans have had a fascination and fear of “the end” for a time spanning much greater than a millennium. As this too is a prime target for sparking conversations, it certainly deserves it’s placement as we consider “Why Bother Talking!”
Word of Caution
If you are anything like me and you considered writing about the end of the world as we know it, you would probably devote yourself to a lot of prayer. This is heavy stuff and I do not step lightly into these waters. I must trust His guidance in my writing and I ask that you allow Him to speak to you through the words I share. I do not claim to be an expert in this area. However, I have listened to many experts and found many ideas. As is the nature of my writing, I will share what I have to share and ask that you read it with your eyes wide open, your mind alert and discerning, and that you will use whatever insights you receive to spark appropriate conversations. Later in this book I will deal with “What is Truth.” Suffice it to say, many theories will be shared here and anyone who tells you they have all the facts on the matter is frankly a liar.
If you are fascinated by “End Times” theology and want to get a well rounded idea of what this is all about, check out “End Time” in Wikipedia on the internet. Perhaps I can wow you with a few words: Wikipedia will compare the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity & Islam. You can learn more about the tribulation and other eschatological beliefs. You can learn about the 6000 year Jewish calendar that ends at or before the year 2240. However, this is contradicted by the Mormon’s belief that history is now reaching the 7000th year since Adam. You can learn of Millennium beliefs, and check out the debate on whether the book of Revelation was written before or after the fall of Jerusalem. For me, the discourse on Preterism was interesting. Perhaps you want to know more about Armageddon or dispensationalism. You can even read of Sunni Islam’s first trumpet which ushers in the death of all Humans, or their belief that humans will wait thousands of years under a scorching sun for judgment
If you read beyond the Abrahamic religions, you can learn about Zoroastrianism. You may read that the founder of Buddhism described a time when the practice of Buddhism would end. Society would become amoral in practicing greed and lust and experiencing tremendous poverty. Hindu philosophy seems to detail a longer history which is also marked by moral decay in society. There is Greek and Norse mythology and of course Native American beliefs which bring us back to those Mayans. There are many more, all too often spelling out gloom and doom and a time of hopelessness and despair.
I’ve shared this summary from Wikipedia to drive home the fact that there is a world of beliefs regarding the end times in which I am sure your spiritual identity struggles to find a home. Millions, if not Trillions of dollars have been spent on the indoctrinations of these various beliefs in our educational systems, all to sufficiently confuse us as to what is to come. There in, lies my word of caution.
There is much danger in end times philosophy. For one, there could be powerful individuals who may take it upon themselves to make such predictions come true. This could be particularly devastating considering that Sunni trumpet call for the death of all Humans! Believing one brand of theology may keep an individual or group sufficiently confused to the point that if today was indeed that final day, they would not be ready. Although there are many dangers in considering these theories to be facts, the last I will mention is that if one is so sure he/she is right, they will shut down other appropriate communication skills and miss God’s message as it may be shared by others. The best message I can share here is that man is not in control, but is certainly in a state of suspense. Our Creator, God the Father remains in control, listen to Him.
I believe the surest words I can pose regarding the end times remain those of Jesus Christ as recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke in their gospel writings recording life of Jesus as presented in the Christian Bible.
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” Matthew 24:36 (RSV)
“But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come” Mark 13:32-33 (RSV)
“It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Acts 1:7 (RSV)
Time For Peace
If you jumped to this section without reading the preceding, let me just mention my ideas on the matter are no more than theory. However, if you are reading this book, you may have an interest in what I think. Also, I believe it is valuable to listen to each other’s point of view and that there should be room for speculation. In sharing my views, I will immediately make new friends and enemies. My intent is to create healthy discussion, not argument. Let me state my primary motivation for sharing. I believe a change is imminent and that it could come at any moment. It is my strong desire that you be ready whatever may come. Fair?
As I have mentioned, my foundational belief is the word of God as found in the books of the Bible. However, as I have participated in “end times” discussions and studies with Christian brothers, I have found widely differing points of view. The most profound book, as far as Christians are concerned, before the “Left Behind” series of course, is the book of Revelation. Yet, even there, the wording is tremendously symbolic and left open to interpretation regarding times, seasons, and so much more. (I must add that I personally find the book of Isaiah a much more fascinating read. It is easier to understand and provides a much more positive outlook considering the power of the promised Christ to unite the world in peace. I must also note that both books were written in a time of desperation within the writer's culture as their communities faced severe oppression and impending doom)
The book of Revelation is considered to have been written by Jesus Christ’s apostle, John, to the early church around the time of Nero, the contemporary emperor of Rome. I am intrigued by those who would claim the book was written before the fall of Jerusalem because the later writing places John at a very old age. The timing of the writing is very crucial, I believe, as the earlier writing would allow much of the prophecy to have been fulfilled within that first century, during the reader’s lifetimes. In reading books with this viewpoint, it would appear that given Jewish culture and the events surrounding their lives, John’s writing would have made much more sense to the early church than they make to us today. In addition, I believe that I serve within the Kingdom of Jesus Christ today. I believe that when He returns, our existence as we know it shall be changed. No extra 7 years or 1000 years to get our lives in order. Now I might be wrong, but I just may be right.
Although my belief system most closely resembles preterist or a-millennial viewpoints, I attend a Church whose belief system most closely resembles the pre-millennial viewpoint. Most of my peers, therefore, expect a 7 year tribulation and coming thousand year reign of Christ. The general consensus is that we still have time, therefore, because through this belief structure, the Jewish temple must still be rebuilt in Jerusalem. This again causes a great difficulty as the temple mount is presently covered with a Mosque.
So, without claiming to be an expert, let me throw out an option that fits the scope of this book and our cultures can chew on this concept. It is my understanding through my reading and as mentioned previously in this chapter, that there are three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. All three lay claim to much of the old testament of the Bible. I admit, I am only beginning to study Islam, but their belief in the existence of Christ, and their acceptance of the Old Testament has been an eye opener. Given, this fact, consider this prophesy from Isaiah 2:2-4.
“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (NIV)
One premise of this book is that we may all be seeking the same God, the Father & creator of each of us and of our world. If, indeed, this is true, and Allah is indeed the same God as Yahweh, just served by a different name (more on this later) within a different culture and understanding as many in our world believe today, then the worship of God in the Mosque on the temple mount is indeed worship of the God of Jacob. For, don’t both peoples believe in the God of Abraham? Wasn’t this Muhammad’s vision and desire in the first place? Are not the Jews, Muslims, and Christians all claiming the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who also blessed Ishmael? Isn’t our message & the reason for wanting to spread the word is that He has become, although He has always been, the God of all mankind? This thought process bypasses, however, the comment of Jesus which states that the temple would be rebuilt in three days, often interpreted in that we are being rebuilt into One Body through His sacrifice and resurrection which brought salvation to all of creation of which He represents the firstborn - but perhaps that concept is too otherworldly for many of us to latch onto. The fact is, Jesus Christ's mission was all about peace and love. Not some drug induced high, but reflective of a very humanitarian Father who cares deeply for His Children.
If you are a Christian, do you truly believe God is a God of Love? Do you mean what you say when you utter those words; “For God so loved the world”? If indeed, we can attempt to understand our differences and accept that we may be one people seeking to serve and honor our common Father; perhaps we could heal our mortal wounds that have plagued us for many a millennium through division and fear. Perhaps we could work together to understand the love of God and enter into a new era of peace & fulfillment. I have come to find we are not the only faith that understands the concept of forgiveness! We are not the only faith finding those fruits of the Spirit of God which include kindness and understanding.
Yet, if we are bent on pride, hate, slander & the self righteousness that ours is the only way, regardless of the fact we each have differing spiritual identities, perhaps I have done nothing more than to motivate WWIII. Thanks be to God, His plan is not dependant on me.
The Wedding Reception
Although there are many theories regarding the end, one thing appears to be certain. Today, we are one day closer to whatever may come than we were yesterday. Whether that end represents the end of you, or the end of our present reality, it seems certain we are each one day closer to meeting our maker. The best advice, therefore, seems to be to get ready. But what does that mean?
For all the talk of end times, one of my favorite stories is that of the ten virgins as told by Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:1-13;
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (NIV)
If you are a person of faith, you realize how important Jesus Christ is regarding our understanding of the end times. Some say He is equal with God! Some say He was a great prophet! Others say He was a false prophet. Indeed, His identity has caused great unrest for the past 2000 years and counting. Our ownership or reaction to his persona and teaching has caused divisions and hostilities for nations and peoples for far too long. Our attractions or distractions regarding this man, Jesus Christ, have very much to do with these spiritual identities of ours that I am recommending that we share with one another. At the name of Jesus, we either find a bond or we enter into an argument. I propose that we figure out a way to be able to investigate our disagreements regarding this individual. Our educational institutions have far too long told us not invest in our spiritual identities – that they are of myth and legend. As we all seem to be in communication with something greater than ourselves, I feel that nothing could be further from the truth. Isn’t it time to find some peace and unity with our fellow man and with our creator?
As I have already mentioned, as many in contemporary religiosity are proclaiming doom, doom, I stand in expectation of a coming time of peace amongst peoples and nations. I believe God is about to lift the veil of misunderstandings that hides us from one another. I realize this stands in stark contrast to the prophecy of Jeremiah during the time of Babylonian conquest around 600 BC where he writes: “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 8:11 (RSV) It is my firm belief, however, that this quote within context speaks to the individual "peace" within experienced or taught within religiosity as the believer continues to live in sin.
In our cultures today, we are working on healing a lot of wounds. There is poverty, war, hunger, disease, greed, diversity, tension, fear, pride, anger, hostility. Add to these separations between peoples and cultures the ultimate separation between mankind and their Creator. These wounds run deep – from the beginning of time. As we have already mentioned, Adam hid from God, our Creator, in shame after his disobedience of a command. Even in this time of Jeremiah’s writing, the earth was so filled with war that Jeremiah’s world and life view could not help but be filled with wounds that few of us can understand, yet which still affect who we are.
In our understanding of our own wounds, I think many of us can relate to the next quote which I will share from the book of Jeremiah in chapter 12:1-3; “Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I complain to thee; yet I would plead my case before thee. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? Thou plantest them, and they take root; they grow and bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth and far from their heart. But thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my mind toward thee. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.” (RSV)
Beyond this being a blatant statement of self-righteousness on the part of a believer in the midst of strife, this prayer makes little sense to me. How can I love my brother and accept the perfect Love of my Father if I carry such hate for my fellow man. As we reach out to one another in Love and seek peace through the Father, we must lift one another up and let go of our dogmas of condemnation. Therefore, I reiterate what I have said before regarding the message of this book as I look forward to “end times” philosophy. Although contemporary religiosity seems to be claiming gloom and doom, judgment and division; war and rumor of war and wrath, I intend to hold firm to my filter of faith that claims “God so loved the world!” I intend to share a message that includes not only His love for all of creation, but also the resulting joy for all mankind, peace for all mankind, patience for all mankind with one another, kindness between all men, gentleness and tender hearts. I foresee a coming time of unity, healing, and rejoicing which we have not beheld in historical memory. I intend to share that message with you from the word of God as I understand it from the Bible. I invite you to hear what I have to say and compare it with whatever you believe to be the word of God and see if we can find this Love of the Father together.
Let’s look at this story of the kingdom of God from Matthew 25:1-13 with which we began this section. The story begins with 10 virgins. Although most of us imagine women here, isn’t it possible for men to be virgins too? Whatever the case, they obviously represent some righteous people - or more likely the self proclaimed righteousness of various religious groups. Unfortunately, some of these righteous, expectant, people were found to be in need and the responsible righteous people or groups of religiousity showed no compassion on them. Instead of working even with their friends or brothers, these righteous ideologies chose to go to the party alone. Although this matches much of denominationalism today, it stands in stark contrast to the majority of Biblical teaching as individualism is routinely condemned.
The oil in the lamps is considered by many Christian theologians to represent spirituality and living appropriately for God. However, listen to the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:5-6 as he begins speaking about improper living; “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. These are very common in American culture today, and I would guess they are quite common in other cultures also. Perhaps our lamps have run out of oil and we’d better be filling them up - to whom shall we go? How are we to gain entry to the Kingdom of God? Perhaps the answer does not lie in our options of houses of religion, but within a relationship with the bridegroom Himself and a change in our own personal makeup.
Paul compares these poor attributes regarding our character with appropriate descriptions of God’s chosen people in Colossians 3:12-15: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Now, although it is easy to feel good about sharing these attributes with one another that look like us, act like us, and believe pretty close to the same things as us, how are we seen by those who do not share our common characteristics? Does the world turn away from an ugliness of hypocrisy? Perhaps God does also. I don’t only challenge American Christians when I say this; I am talking to you and the ideals you value in your life! Do they make you proud in your self-righteousness? Or, do they leave you in humility as you also have work to do?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could reach out with the better virtues to all man? We value individuals in all of our cultures who show these virtuous qualities. These qualities are cherished in all religious circles. Our families work better with them. Our societies benefit from virtuous people. Our world could be transformed if we would just recognize this good in one another and hold to these standards instead of blind nationalism or religiosity. Not only do I feel that this time of peace is coming, I have also found that the Bible (and I dare say other holy books of other cultures) describes God our Father as virtuous and loving and forecasts this time of peace of which I speak.
Another wedding feast spoken of by Matthew is in chapter 22 verse 1-14. In this story, many who had been invited appeared disinterested. Therefore the master told the servants; “’Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:9-10 (RSV) If we can get beyond our selfishness and hate when it comes to understanding, loving and serving our Heavenly Father, perhaps we could find an understanding and love for, and the desire to serve one another. Perhaps, then, our world could be a much better place.
The final participant of the original story from Matthew 25 is the bridegroom Himself. Most theologians would say that this character represents Jesus Christ. Now, before you stop reading this book because of the mere mention of his name, let me suggest a crazy notion to you. I believe we shall find what many men of God believe today; that God the Father desired to make peace with Man. Routinely, men of God throughout the Old Testament of the Bible claimed that God the Father had become their salvation. I will present an argument through this book that this wedding feast is between man and God; that Jesus Christ is representative of our certificate of marriage; that through His sacrifice, God the Father has called all men to Him; that the Father Himself has provided the way of salvation for us. He knew that finding unity with Him on our own was impossible. I suggest that our understanding of Jesus Christ has been a stumbling block, keeping us from our Father’s promised Kingdom of peace and redemption.
A common thread within the Bible considers Jerusalem to represent a woman - often the wife of God. They go through times of marital bliss and times of divorce. She is portrayed as a harlot as she bows to idolatry and imagery. At times, Israel and Judah are considered sisters - wives of the same man who is represented by God. The various faiths and ideologies of the world at the time reflect mountains or hills or other women being sought after by God. This may be difficult for modern cultures today which are built on monogamous relationships, but that was not the culture that the Old Testament was written in. Such symbolism of God in such a great wedding feast of many brides or through the symbolism of one "New Jerusalem" representative of all of creation - a new reborn, revitalized, refined, redeemed creation is not so far fetched, is it?
And yet, we struggle through this seeming time of refinement and discipline. Our lives are a mess as we fight and judge one another. Our rebellion against God and our attempts to cut Him out of our cultures or to claim Him as our own has only made our problems worse. Through attempting to reach out to one another in Peace, I know we will find unity and healing. Through scripture, I intend to present a case that we are not facing further wrath from God, but that the feel good God we are hearing about in our cultures today is real; He is present; He loves us; and He is calling us to Himself. I hope that you too will catch this vision and fight against the gloom and doom and fear of coming wrath that has gripped our cultures in dissension for no good reason. It is time to believe those words; “For God So Loved the World”
Although we hear this message in our music and within our cultures; although we will find it in the Holy Bible; although it is preached in our houses of worship, I do not feel we have been able to grasp God’s all encompassing love. I do not believe that even the writer’s of our Holy books fully understood the message God was speaking through them. I think we can find disagreements not only between the writers of scripture, but we can even find disagreement in their own individual logic and theologies. I don’t think we should be ashamed to admit this fact as we study the scriptures together and discuss our ideas and develop our understandings. I believe God continues to speak to each of us today and by engaging communication with Him and one another, we will find the peace we seek. Perhaps as we filter our understandings through Love, those difficult passages won't seem so difficult anymore.
It is my strong desire that our cultures would open to one another and that we would be willing to understand one another and our relationship to our common Father. I fully trust that we would find our differences are minor and our brotherhood is strong. I know that our desire to live in peace and our attempts to serve one another with respect and dignity will draw us to one another in Love. I trust we will find victory over our common enemy – d’evil through the strength of our joy found with one another.
His Holy word claims that if we seek Him together, He will bless our efforts and allow Himself to be found. So often, He has said He is light and in Him is no darkness. He has said that His light can be found in us. In Matthew 5:14-16 we find these words; “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (RSV)
As our end is bound to come; whether by death or some climactic change of judgment or celebration of unity, it appears the best we can do is to prepare. Righteousness before God alone does not appear to be enough, but the intentional effort to love others and involve them in the preparation seems just as important. If we trust those words from John 3:16 “For God so Loved the World” we have nothing to fear – but everything to look forward to. Through our meditation with Him; through the reading of scripture, prayer, and desiring to exemplify His love through our service to and with our fellow man, perhaps we might find further love, joy, and peace in the effort.
Listen to the prophet Isaiah as he speaks into this time of preparation. He has just chastised the people for vain religious practices. Now he tells them what is expected by our Creator God in Isaiah 1:16-17:
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow, (RSV)
When I was a teenager, there was a time I lied to my father and I received his punishment. Today, my relationship is much different as I am a grown man. I may still fail in my vain attempts at righteousness, and if my father is aware of it, he will counsel with me, but the punishment I would have received as a child is no longer a part of our relationship. However, God our Father is aware of my sin. Through my communion with Him, He counsels with me daily. I cannot help but to turn from my sinful ways in honor of His presence within me. I still sin, but if I confess my sin and turn from my wicked ways as I understand them, He is faithful and just and will forgive my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Through the grace and mercy I have received from Him, I find a strength and desire to serve my fellow man and to share with them the hope that is within me.
I suspect that the gloom and doom associated with the coming change is that of an old relationship. So much of the Bible claims that God is now preparing us for a feast! The preparations are almost ready and it is high time the invitations were sent out.
When Adam first broke the covenant with God, he hid in fear. Knowing that man now desired separation from his creator, and for fear he would also take of the tree of life before he gained understanding, God sent him out of the Garden so that he could gain knowledge of his creator before partaking of the tree of life. Look at history; it is filled with man either seeking that reunion with, or the renunciation of God. It is filled with man attempting to find that tree of life, with or without the Creator. God has prepared a wedding feast – perhaps in that beautiful original Garden where he first placed his crown of creation to live with Him in paradise! The only thing He asks is that you are willing to be reunited with Him. He has prepared the way. Perhaps He has even given you that tree of life that you may live forever;
“This is the bread which comes down from heaven that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; John 6:50-51a (RSV) Jesus claimed to be your tree of eternal life – your reconnection with the Father which was lost in the Garden. One day we shall all understand, but perhaps not today. There’s something to talk about.
And, so – man of God, are you willing to come to God’s feast? Will you join me in sending out the invitations for the coming reunion when your Creator God renews His relationship with all those who seek Him? Here are the guidelines for sharing that invitation from the words of Paul to the people of Corinth in I Corinthians 13:1-13;
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude, Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (RSV)
Ladies and Gentlemen, I welcome you not to a funeral, but to a wedding! A reception! A reunion with one another and with our Creator God through His marvelous plan! His preparation is almost ready and He has placed His personal invitation on your heart. There is one thing left to do, Come, invite all your friends, and join the party! There are many good things - among them Peace, Joy, and Love! Everyone will be there, Welcome!
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:6-9 (RSV)
(Pending table of contents)
1. WHY BOTHER TALKING
A What Is Man
B Thou Art Holy
C Preparing For Celebration
2. KNOWING YOUR BELIEF
A His Story Positioning
B Word of God
C What is Truth
3. UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE
A God’s Spiritual Gifts
B God’s Greatest Gift
C Beginning The Transformation
INVITATIONS FOR CELEBRATION
This beginning of this oncoming discourse is bound to age this book in future years, if such years materialize, that is. The subject is that fateful day of December 21, 2012! I personally have found the Mayan predictions of interest as they appear to be well connected with creation and the cosmos. If indeed, an alignment not seen in tens of thousands of years is pending, isn’t it worth taking note as it certainly could represent signs from the Creator. The alignment certainly is not a manmade phenomenon, nor the fabric of disillusionment, is it? That indeed appears to be the real question.
Again, I shall quickly move on without an in depth study or an attempt to prove or disprove the question posed. Those of you who are interested can research this event to your hearts content. However, in the few years left (at the time of this writing) before 12/21/2012, I expect there will be plenty of hype and hysteria within our societies building up to the day. The movies have already been hitting the theatres. We humans have had a fascination and fear of “the end” for a time spanning much greater than a millennium. As this too is a prime target for sparking conversations, it certainly deserves it’s placement as we consider “Why Bother Talking!”
Word of Caution
If you are anything like me and you considered writing about the end of the world as we know it, you would probably devote yourself to a lot of prayer. This is heavy stuff and I do not step lightly into these waters. I must trust His guidance in my writing and I ask that you allow Him to speak to you through the words I share. I do not claim to be an expert in this area. However, I have listened to many experts and found many ideas. As is the nature of my writing, I will share what I have to share and ask that you read it with your eyes wide open, your mind alert and discerning, and that you will use whatever insights you receive to spark appropriate conversations. Later in this book I will deal with “What is Truth.” Suffice it to say, many theories will be shared here and anyone who tells you they have all the facts on the matter is frankly a liar.
If you are fascinated by “End Times” theology and want to get a well rounded idea of what this is all about, check out “End Time” in Wikipedia on the internet. Perhaps I can wow you with a few words: Wikipedia will compare the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity & Islam. You can learn more about the tribulation and other eschatological beliefs. You can learn about the 6000 year Jewish calendar that ends at or before the year 2240. However, this is contradicted by the Mormon’s belief that history is now reaching the 7000th year since Adam. You can learn of Millennium beliefs, and check out the debate on whether the book of Revelation was written before or after the fall of Jerusalem. For me, the discourse on Preterism was interesting. Perhaps you want to know more about Armageddon or dispensationalism. You can even read of Sunni Islam’s first trumpet which ushers in the death of all Humans, or their belief that humans will wait thousands of years under a scorching sun for judgment
If you read beyond the Abrahamic religions, you can learn about Zoroastrianism. You may read that the founder of Buddhism described a time when the practice of Buddhism would end. Society would become amoral in practicing greed and lust and experiencing tremendous poverty. Hindu philosophy seems to detail a longer history which is also marked by moral decay in society. There is Greek and Norse mythology and of course Native American beliefs which bring us back to those Mayans. There are many more, all too often spelling out gloom and doom and a time of hopelessness and despair.
I’ve shared this summary from Wikipedia to drive home the fact that there is a world of beliefs regarding the end times in which I am sure your spiritual identity struggles to find a home. Millions, if not Trillions of dollars have been spent on the indoctrinations of these various beliefs in our educational systems, all to sufficiently confuse us as to what is to come. There in, lies my word of caution.
There is much danger in end times philosophy. For one, there could be powerful individuals who may take it upon themselves to make such predictions come true. This could be particularly devastating considering that Sunni trumpet call for the death of all Humans! Believing one brand of theology may keep an individual or group sufficiently confused to the point that if today was indeed that final day, they would not be ready. Although there are many dangers in considering these theories to be facts, the last I will mention is that if one is so sure he/she is right, they will shut down other appropriate communication skills and miss God’s message as it may be shared by others. The best message I can share here is that man is not in control, but is certainly in a state of suspense. Our Creator, God the Father remains in control, listen to Him.
I believe the surest words I can pose regarding the end times remain those of Jesus Christ as recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke in their gospel writings recording life of Jesus as presented in the Christian Bible.
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” Matthew 24:36 (RSV)
“But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come” Mark 13:32-33 (RSV)
“It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Acts 1:7 (RSV)
Time For Peace
If you jumped to this section without reading the preceding, let me just mention my ideas on the matter are no more than theory. However, if you are reading this book, you may have an interest in what I think. Also, I believe it is valuable to listen to each other’s point of view and that there should be room for speculation. In sharing my views, I will immediately make new friends and enemies. My intent is to create healthy discussion, not argument. Let me state my primary motivation for sharing. I believe a change is imminent and that it could come at any moment. It is my strong desire that you be ready whatever may come. Fair?
As I have mentioned, my foundational belief is the word of God as found in the books of the Bible. However, as I have participated in “end times” discussions and studies with Christian brothers, I have found widely differing points of view. The most profound book, as far as Christians are concerned, before the “Left Behind” series of course, is the book of Revelation. Yet, even there, the wording is tremendously symbolic and left open to interpretation regarding times, seasons, and so much more. (I must add that I personally find the book of Isaiah a much more fascinating read. It is easier to understand and provides a much more positive outlook considering the power of the promised Christ to unite the world in peace. I must also note that both books were written in a time of desperation within the writer's culture as their communities faced severe oppression and impending doom)
The book of Revelation is considered to have been written by Jesus Christ’s apostle, John, to the early church around the time of Nero, the contemporary emperor of Rome. I am intrigued by those who would claim the book was written before the fall of Jerusalem because the later writing places John at a very old age. The timing of the writing is very crucial, I believe, as the earlier writing would allow much of the prophecy to have been fulfilled within that first century, during the reader’s lifetimes. In reading books with this viewpoint, it would appear that given Jewish culture and the events surrounding their lives, John’s writing would have made much more sense to the early church than they make to us today. In addition, I believe that I serve within the Kingdom of Jesus Christ today. I believe that when He returns, our existence as we know it shall be changed. No extra 7 years or 1000 years to get our lives in order. Now I might be wrong, but I just may be right.
Although my belief system most closely resembles preterist or a-millennial viewpoints, I attend a Church whose belief system most closely resembles the pre-millennial viewpoint. Most of my peers, therefore, expect a 7 year tribulation and coming thousand year reign of Christ. The general consensus is that we still have time, therefore, because through this belief structure, the Jewish temple must still be rebuilt in Jerusalem. This again causes a great difficulty as the temple mount is presently covered with a Mosque.
So, without claiming to be an expert, let me throw out an option that fits the scope of this book and our cultures can chew on this concept. It is my understanding through my reading and as mentioned previously in this chapter, that there are three Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. All three lay claim to much of the old testament of the Bible. I admit, I am only beginning to study Islam, but their belief in the existence of Christ, and their acceptance of the Old Testament has been an eye opener. Given, this fact, consider this prophesy from Isaiah 2:2-4.
“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (NIV)
One premise of this book is that we may all be seeking the same God, the Father & creator of each of us and of our world. If, indeed, this is true, and Allah is indeed the same God as Yahweh, just served by a different name (more on this later) within a different culture and understanding as many in our world believe today, then the worship of God in the Mosque on the temple mount is indeed worship of the God of Jacob. For, don’t both peoples believe in the God of Abraham? Wasn’t this Muhammad’s vision and desire in the first place? Are not the Jews, Muslims, and Christians all claiming the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who also blessed Ishmael? Isn’t our message & the reason for wanting to spread the word is that He has become, although He has always been, the God of all mankind? This thought process bypasses, however, the comment of Jesus which states that the temple would be rebuilt in three days, often interpreted in that we are being rebuilt into One Body through His sacrifice and resurrection which brought salvation to all of creation of which He represents the firstborn - but perhaps that concept is too otherworldly for many of us to latch onto. The fact is, Jesus Christ's mission was all about peace and love. Not some drug induced high, but reflective of a very humanitarian Father who cares deeply for His Children.
If you are a Christian, do you truly believe God is a God of Love? Do you mean what you say when you utter those words; “For God so loved the world”? If indeed, we can attempt to understand our differences and accept that we may be one people seeking to serve and honor our common Father; perhaps we could heal our mortal wounds that have plagued us for many a millennium through division and fear. Perhaps we could work together to understand the love of God and enter into a new era of peace & fulfillment. I have come to find we are not the only faith that understands the concept of forgiveness! We are not the only faith finding those fruits of the Spirit of God which include kindness and understanding.
Yet, if we are bent on pride, hate, slander & the self righteousness that ours is the only way, regardless of the fact we each have differing spiritual identities, perhaps I have done nothing more than to motivate WWIII. Thanks be to God, His plan is not dependant on me.
The Wedding Reception
Although there are many theories regarding the end, one thing appears to be certain. Today, we are one day closer to whatever may come than we were yesterday. Whether that end represents the end of you, or the end of our present reality, it seems certain we are each one day closer to meeting our maker. The best advice, therefore, seems to be to get ready. But what does that mean?
For all the talk of end times, one of my favorite stories is that of the ten virgins as told by Jesus Christ in Matthew 25:1-13;
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (NIV)
If you are a person of faith, you realize how important Jesus Christ is regarding our understanding of the end times. Some say He is equal with God! Some say He was a great prophet! Others say He was a false prophet. Indeed, His identity has caused great unrest for the past 2000 years and counting. Our ownership or reaction to his persona and teaching has caused divisions and hostilities for nations and peoples for far too long. Our attractions or distractions regarding this man, Jesus Christ, have very much to do with these spiritual identities of ours that I am recommending that we share with one another. At the name of Jesus, we either find a bond or we enter into an argument. I propose that we figure out a way to be able to investigate our disagreements regarding this individual. Our educational institutions have far too long told us not invest in our spiritual identities – that they are of myth and legend. As we all seem to be in communication with something greater than ourselves, I feel that nothing could be further from the truth. Isn’t it time to find some peace and unity with our fellow man and with our creator?
As I have already mentioned, as many in contemporary religiosity are proclaiming doom, doom, I stand in expectation of a coming time of peace amongst peoples and nations. I believe God is about to lift the veil of misunderstandings that hides us from one another. I realize this stands in stark contrast to the prophecy of Jeremiah during the time of Babylonian conquest around 600 BC where he writes: “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 8:11 (RSV) It is my firm belief, however, that this quote within context speaks to the individual "peace" within experienced or taught within religiosity as the believer continues to live in sin.
In our cultures today, we are working on healing a lot of wounds. There is poverty, war, hunger, disease, greed, diversity, tension, fear, pride, anger, hostility. Add to these separations between peoples and cultures the ultimate separation between mankind and their Creator. These wounds run deep – from the beginning of time. As we have already mentioned, Adam hid from God, our Creator, in shame after his disobedience of a command. Even in this time of Jeremiah’s writing, the earth was so filled with war that Jeremiah’s world and life view could not help but be filled with wounds that few of us can understand, yet which still affect who we are.
In our understanding of our own wounds, I think many of us can relate to the next quote which I will share from the book of Jeremiah in chapter 12:1-3; “Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I complain to thee; yet I would plead my case before thee. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? Thou plantest them, and they take root; they grow and bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth and far from their heart. But thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my mind toward thee. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.” (RSV)
Beyond this being a blatant statement of self-righteousness on the part of a believer in the midst of strife, this prayer makes little sense to me. How can I love my brother and accept the perfect Love of my Father if I carry such hate for my fellow man. As we reach out to one another in Love and seek peace through the Father, we must lift one another up and let go of our dogmas of condemnation. Therefore, I reiterate what I have said before regarding the message of this book as I look forward to “end times” philosophy. Although contemporary religiosity seems to be claiming gloom and doom, judgment and division; war and rumor of war and wrath, I intend to hold firm to my filter of faith that claims “God so loved the world!” I intend to share a message that includes not only His love for all of creation, but also the resulting joy for all mankind, peace for all mankind, patience for all mankind with one another, kindness between all men, gentleness and tender hearts. I foresee a coming time of unity, healing, and rejoicing which we have not beheld in historical memory. I intend to share that message with you from the word of God as I understand it from the Bible. I invite you to hear what I have to say and compare it with whatever you believe to be the word of God and see if we can find this Love of the Father together.
Let’s look at this story of the kingdom of God from Matthew 25:1-13 with which we began this section. The story begins with 10 virgins. Although most of us imagine women here, isn’t it possible for men to be virgins too? Whatever the case, they obviously represent some righteous people - or more likely the self proclaimed righteousness of various religious groups. Unfortunately, some of these righteous, expectant, people were found to be in need and the responsible righteous people or groups of religiousity showed no compassion on them. Instead of working even with their friends or brothers, these righteous ideologies chose to go to the party alone. Although this matches much of denominationalism today, it stands in stark contrast to the majority of Biblical teaching as individualism is routinely condemned.
The oil in the lamps is considered by many Christian theologians to represent spirituality and living appropriately for God. However, listen to the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:5-6 as he begins speaking about improper living; “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. These are very common in American culture today, and I would guess they are quite common in other cultures also. Perhaps our lamps have run out of oil and we’d better be filling them up - to whom shall we go? How are we to gain entry to the Kingdom of God? Perhaps the answer does not lie in our options of houses of religion, but within a relationship with the bridegroom Himself and a change in our own personal makeup.
Paul compares these poor attributes regarding our character with appropriate descriptions of God’s chosen people in Colossians 3:12-15: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Now, although it is easy to feel good about sharing these attributes with one another that look like us, act like us, and believe pretty close to the same things as us, how are we seen by those who do not share our common characteristics? Does the world turn away from an ugliness of hypocrisy? Perhaps God does also. I don’t only challenge American Christians when I say this; I am talking to you and the ideals you value in your life! Do they make you proud in your self-righteousness? Or, do they leave you in humility as you also have work to do?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could reach out with the better virtues to all man? We value individuals in all of our cultures who show these virtuous qualities. These qualities are cherished in all religious circles. Our families work better with them. Our societies benefit from virtuous people. Our world could be transformed if we would just recognize this good in one another and hold to these standards instead of blind nationalism or religiosity. Not only do I feel that this time of peace is coming, I have also found that the Bible (and I dare say other holy books of other cultures) describes God our Father as virtuous and loving and forecasts this time of peace of which I speak.
Another wedding feast spoken of by Matthew is in chapter 22 verse 1-14. In this story, many who had been invited appeared disinterested. Therefore the master told the servants; “’Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:9-10 (RSV) If we can get beyond our selfishness and hate when it comes to understanding, loving and serving our Heavenly Father, perhaps we could find an understanding and love for, and the desire to serve one another. Perhaps, then, our world could be a much better place.
The final participant of the original story from Matthew 25 is the bridegroom Himself. Most theologians would say that this character represents Jesus Christ. Now, before you stop reading this book because of the mere mention of his name, let me suggest a crazy notion to you. I believe we shall find what many men of God believe today; that God the Father desired to make peace with Man. Routinely, men of God throughout the Old Testament of the Bible claimed that God the Father had become their salvation. I will present an argument through this book that this wedding feast is between man and God; that Jesus Christ is representative of our certificate of marriage; that through His sacrifice, God the Father has called all men to Him; that the Father Himself has provided the way of salvation for us. He knew that finding unity with Him on our own was impossible. I suggest that our understanding of Jesus Christ has been a stumbling block, keeping us from our Father’s promised Kingdom of peace and redemption.
A common thread within the Bible considers Jerusalem to represent a woman - often the wife of God. They go through times of marital bliss and times of divorce. She is portrayed as a harlot as she bows to idolatry and imagery. At times, Israel and Judah are considered sisters - wives of the same man who is represented by God. The various faiths and ideologies of the world at the time reflect mountains or hills or other women being sought after by God. This may be difficult for modern cultures today which are built on monogamous relationships, but that was not the culture that the Old Testament was written in. Such symbolism of God in such a great wedding feast of many brides or through the symbolism of one "New Jerusalem" representative of all of creation - a new reborn, revitalized, refined, redeemed creation is not so far fetched, is it?
And yet, we struggle through this seeming time of refinement and discipline. Our lives are a mess as we fight and judge one another. Our rebellion against God and our attempts to cut Him out of our cultures or to claim Him as our own has only made our problems worse. Through attempting to reach out to one another in Peace, I know we will find unity and healing. Through scripture, I intend to present a case that we are not facing further wrath from God, but that the feel good God we are hearing about in our cultures today is real; He is present; He loves us; and He is calling us to Himself. I hope that you too will catch this vision and fight against the gloom and doom and fear of coming wrath that has gripped our cultures in dissension for no good reason. It is time to believe those words; “For God So Loved the World”
Although we hear this message in our music and within our cultures; although we will find it in the Holy Bible; although it is preached in our houses of worship, I do not feel we have been able to grasp God’s all encompassing love. I do not believe that even the writer’s of our Holy books fully understood the message God was speaking through them. I think we can find disagreements not only between the writers of scripture, but we can even find disagreement in their own individual logic and theologies. I don’t think we should be ashamed to admit this fact as we study the scriptures together and discuss our ideas and develop our understandings. I believe God continues to speak to each of us today and by engaging communication with Him and one another, we will find the peace we seek. Perhaps as we filter our understandings through Love, those difficult passages won't seem so difficult anymore.
It is my strong desire that our cultures would open to one another and that we would be willing to understand one another and our relationship to our common Father. I fully trust that we would find our differences are minor and our brotherhood is strong. I know that our desire to live in peace and our attempts to serve one another with respect and dignity will draw us to one another in Love. I trust we will find victory over our common enemy – d’evil through the strength of our joy found with one another.
His Holy word claims that if we seek Him together, He will bless our efforts and allow Himself to be found. So often, He has said He is light and in Him is no darkness. He has said that His light can be found in us. In Matthew 5:14-16 we find these words; “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (RSV)
As our end is bound to come; whether by death or some climactic change of judgment or celebration of unity, it appears the best we can do is to prepare. Righteousness before God alone does not appear to be enough, but the intentional effort to love others and involve them in the preparation seems just as important. If we trust those words from John 3:16 “For God so Loved the World” we have nothing to fear – but everything to look forward to. Through our meditation with Him; through the reading of scripture, prayer, and desiring to exemplify His love through our service to and with our fellow man, perhaps we might find further love, joy, and peace in the effort.
Listen to the prophet Isaiah as he speaks into this time of preparation. He has just chastised the people for vain religious practices. Now he tells them what is expected by our Creator God in Isaiah 1:16-17:
“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow, (RSV)
When I was a teenager, there was a time I lied to my father and I received his punishment. Today, my relationship is much different as I am a grown man. I may still fail in my vain attempts at righteousness, and if my father is aware of it, he will counsel with me, but the punishment I would have received as a child is no longer a part of our relationship. However, God our Father is aware of my sin. Through my communion with Him, He counsels with me daily. I cannot help but to turn from my sinful ways in honor of His presence within me. I still sin, but if I confess my sin and turn from my wicked ways as I understand them, He is faithful and just and will forgive my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Through the grace and mercy I have received from Him, I find a strength and desire to serve my fellow man and to share with them the hope that is within me.
I suspect that the gloom and doom associated with the coming change is that of an old relationship. So much of the Bible claims that God is now preparing us for a feast! The preparations are almost ready and it is high time the invitations were sent out.
When Adam first broke the covenant with God, he hid in fear. Knowing that man now desired separation from his creator, and for fear he would also take of the tree of life before he gained understanding, God sent him out of the Garden so that he could gain knowledge of his creator before partaking of the tree of life. Look at history; it is filled with man either seeking that reunion with, or the renunciation of God. It is filled with man attempting to find that tree of life, with or without the Creator. God has prepared a wedding feast – perhaps in that beautiful original Garden where he first placed his crown of creation to live with Him in paradise! The only thing He asks is that you are willing to be reunited with Him. He has prepared the way. Perhaps He has even given you that tree of life that you may live forever;
“This is the bread which comes down from heaven that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; John 6:50-51a (RSV) Jesus claimed to be your tree of eternal life – your reconnection with the Father which was lost in the Garden. One day we shall all understand, but perhaps not today. There’s something to talk about.
And, so – man of God, are you willing to come to God’s feast? Will you join me in sending out the invitations for the coming reunion when your Creator God renews His relationship with all those who seek Him? Here are the guidelines for sharing that invitation from the words of Paul to the people of Corinth in I Corinthians 13:1-13;
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude, Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (RSV)
Ladies and Gentlemen, I welcome you not to a funeral, but to a wedding! A reception! A reunion with one another and with our Creator God through His marvelous plan! His preparation is almost ready and He has placed His personal invitation on your heart. There is one thing left to do, Come, invite all your friends, and join the party! There are many good things - among them Peace, Joy, and Love! Everyone will be there, Welcome!
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:6-9 (RSV)
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