Our purpose tonight is to bust the myth of Calvinism and explore the biblical doctrine of Predestination and Eternal Security.
Outline
1. Read the biblical passages that contain the word “predestination”
2. The Confusion: exploring John Calvin and His theology
3. The Truth: What does the Bible say?
MAIN TEXT
Rom 8:29-30
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (KJV)
Eph 1:4-5
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
KJV
Eph 1:11
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
KJV
The Confusion: John Calvin’s theology
John Calvin wasn’t that bad of a guy.
Born
July 10, 1509(1509-07-10)Noyon, Picardie, Kingdom of France, Kingdom of France
Died
May 27, 1564 (aged 54)Geneva
Occupation
Pastor and theologian
Religious stance
Reformed Protestant
He always claimed to try his best to stick with what the Bible said and not follow any creed or church doctrine.
He rejected Roman Catholicism, the pope and the indulgences.
His business training and skills lead to the development of the silk industry in Geneva. His writing heavily influenced the city of Geneva and they adopted a moral and government system that proved to be very effective.
He was one of the first male theologians of the Protestant reformation to speak out against male marital infidelity and spoke harshly against spousal abuse.
The Five points of Calvinism, sometimes called the doctrines of grace and remembered with the acronymn TULIP. [1]
While he never articulated these ideas this way – this list is based upon his works
Total depravity
Also called "radical depravity" and "total inability", this point means that every person is corrupt and sinful throughout in all of his or her faculties, including the mind and will. Thus, no one is able to do what is truly good in God's eyes. (This does not mean that every act is as evil as it could be, but rather that every good act is corrupted by sin.) As a result of this corruption, man is enslaved to sin, rebellious and hostile toward God, blind to truth, and unable to save himself or even prepare himself for salvation.
Unconditional election
Election means "choice." God's choice from eternity past, of whom he will bring to himself, is not based on foreseen virtue, merit, or faith in the persons he chooses but rather is unconditionally grounded in his own sovereign decision.
Limited atonement
Also called "particular redemption" or "definite atonement", the doctrine of limited atonement is the teaching that Jesus' atonement was definite and certain in its design and accomplishment. The doctrine is driven by the concept of the sovereignty of God in salvation and the Calvinist understanding of the nature of the atonement: In the Calvinist view, the atonement is viewed as a penal substitution (that is, Jesus was punished in the place of sinners), and since, Calvinists argue, it would be unjust for God to pay the penalty for some people's sins and then still condemn them for those sins, all those whose sins were atoned for must necessarily be saved. Moreover, since in this scheme God knows precisely who the elect are and since only the elect will be saved, there is no requirement that Christ atone for sins in general, only for those of the elect. Calvinists do not believe, however, that the atonement is limited in its value or power (in other words, God could have elected everyone and used it to atone for them all), but rather that the atonement is limited in the sense that it is designed for some and not all.
Irresistible grace
Also known as "effectual grace" or the "effectual call", this doctrine does not hold that every influence of God's Holy Spirit cannot be resisted but that the Holy Spirit is able to overcome all resistance and make his influence irresistible and effective. Thus, when God sovereignly purposes to save someone, that individual certainly will be saved.
Perseverance of the saints
Also called the "preservation of the saints" or "eternal security," the fifth point teaches that, since God is sovereign and his will cannot be frustrated by human will or anything else, those whom God has called into communion with himself will continue in faith until the end. Those who apparently fall away either never had true faith to begin with or will return. This is slightly different from the "once saved, always saved" view prevalent in some evangelical churches in which, despite apostasy or unrepentant and habitual sin, the individual is truly saved if he or she had truly accepted Christ in the past; in traditional Calvinist teaching, apostasy by such a person may be proof that they never were saved.
The Truth
What does the Bible say?
There is some confusion on this topic b/c the knee-jerk reaction of some Apostolics leads to a misinterpretation of this topic. There is some predestination that takes place in God’s plan
Predestination Defined: To predestine means to foreordain, to determine in advance, to plan ahead of time with no possibility of alteration.[2]
Things and people that are predestined:
The Atonement
The sacrifice for our sins, the blood of Jesus Christ, was and is predestined to cover sin.
Zech 12:10
10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
KJV
Heb 9:13-14
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
KJV
The Incarnation
The incarnation was predestined.
Well didn’t Jesus say “not my will but yours be done” Yes – but I believe that it would have been impossible for Jesus to fail in His mission. People who believe that He could have failed misunderstand the nature of the incarnation – another topic for another day.
God predestined Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for all humanity.
Acts 3:18
But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
KJV
Acts 4:27-28
27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
KJV
The Church
The book of revelation describes the marriage supper of the Lamb – a future event illustrating the predestination of the church.
Rev 19:7-9
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
KJV
The confusion arises when people incorrectly assume that since the atonement, the incarnation and the church are unconditionally predestined that they are too!
God has not unconditionally predestined the individual soul. To do that would completely remove free will from the picture. While Calvinists rightly exult salvation as the unconditional mercy and grace of God they err in the area of free will.
Free will
The Bible states that man was created with a free will.
Gen 2:17
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
KJV
Even after the fall man still has the ability to choose
Matt 16:24
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me
KJV
Eph 2:8
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
KJV
While it is impossible for us to be saved outside of the unmerited favour we are not so depraved that when confronted by our sin, convicted and drawn by His spirit we are not able to choose to follow His
Context
In order to figure out these scriptures (our text) we must examine them in their context.
If we interpret the scriptures incorrectly then we are going to get the wrong conclusion.
Think of biblical interpretation as a recipe. We must understand the different ingredients and add them all together to get a finished interpretation. Here are the ingredients:
· Author
· Audience
· Book
· Verses
· Passage
· The rest of scripture.
If these ingredients are missing, we miss what the Bible is trying to say, we fall into false doctrine and possibly lose out on salvation.
John Calvin’s false doctrine is based upon poor interpretation of the Scriptures
The doctrine of predestination becomes clearer once we examine the scriptures in their context.
Let’s look at Romans first.
Author: Paul, a Christian missionary. Paul was a highly educated man and was skilled in the OT Law. He dictated His book to a scribe named Tertius.[3]
Audience: The Christian church in Rome; primarily made up of Gentiles though it did have strong Jewish population. The readers were evidently familiar with the OT Law. This is largely because of the strong Jewish influence in the city of Rome.[4]
Book: Romans is a powerful book. It’s the cornerstone in the biblical doctrine of Justification by faith. It explains why, when and how a person receives biblical salvation. It’s purpose is to give a comprehensive statement of the Gospel.[5] It’s written in the ancient language of Koine Greek à which we must refer too if we wish to discover
The book is a doctrinal exposition of the Gospel
Outline for the book of Romans.[6]
This divides the topics Paul wrote about as they are found. You’ll notice the outline is not based upon chapter and verse divisions; that’s because there were no chapter and verse divisions in the original document. Chapters and verses were added several hundred years later to help us reference scripture. But they should never have any influence on interpretation.
I. Prologue (1:1-17)
II. Universal Guilt (1:18-3:20)
Ill. Justification by Faith (3:21-5:21)
IV. The Believer’s Life (6:1-8:39)
V. The Condition of Israel (9:1-11:36)
VI. Practical Exhortations for Christian Living
VIl. Epilogue (15:14-16:27)
Why is it important to do look at an outline?
The passage dealing directly with predestination is found in the section where Paul deals with the believer’s life. The first four sections chronologically detail the relationship of the Christian to Christ:
Universal Guilt
Justification by faith in the Blood of Christ
Living the Christian life
We have come a long way from Calvin’s doctrine
We’ve proven that:
Predestination applies to the atonement, the incarnation and the church
Man has free will and has the ability to accept or reject God
Predestination applies only to believers
Now let’s go a little deeper and explore not just predestination but eternal security as well.
The verses:
Rom 8:29-30
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (KJV)
“Whom” is a key word in this scripture.
Whom in the original language, Greek, is plural; lending to an interpretation that God has predestined a group not a single individual.[7]
“The point is that the believer’s salvation is not just a wish or a mere possibility. It is an absolutely certain event if the believer will only remain in God’s plan. Moreover, salvation will consist of a transformation into the image of the Son—the image of God in human flesh. We will not become God, but we will receive a sinless nature and an immortal body like that of the man Christ.”[8]
This is further cemented when we examine the context of verses
Context of the passage:
Rom 8:1-9
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
KJV
The context of predestination is smack in the middle of a passage describing living in Christ by the Spirit.
The only way then to be predestined is to be in Christ, His church and live in the Spirit!
Eph1: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
It is easy to see that the context of these “predestination passages” applies DIRECTLY to those sealed by the Holy Ghost.
Unconditional Election/Eternal Security
Is it possible for a Christian to be lost? YES!!!
Gal 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
KJV
Gal 5:4
You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace
NKJV
Heb 10:26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
KJV
James 5:19-20
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
KJV
While these scriptures state that it is possible for a believer to sin – all of the one’s we read involve a WILLFULL and DELIBERATE rejection of Christ.
The Word of God is able to “divide the thoughts and intents of the heart.” There will be times while you walk on the straight and narrow that you will fall and fail but if you will repent, get up and keep going – you are still in Christ. However, if you wilfully reject Him you will be lost.
But if you’ll do your best; rest in Christ’s mercy and live in the power of the Spirit there is nothing that can stop you from reaching heaven. If firmly believe that God knows what will happen in your life and has worked everything for your and His favour. In a practice this means that you live everyday not worrying about your future or health b/c God is at the wheel of your life.
Conclusion: The Christian is predestined b/c of their place in Christ Jesus. As long as you walk with Him you will not fail! Heaven is your final destination – you are eternally secure. Through the Holy Ghost we have abundant, victorious and ultimately a triumphant life! Your life is in the hands of the Lord. So when life throws you a curveball don’t loose hope – God’s mapped out the destiny for those who live for Him – He’s not surprised or thrown off by adverstity. A predestined life is for all those who’ll deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow Jesus Christ.
[1] TULIP found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_points_of_Calvinism on October 30, 2007
[2] The Message of Romans Bernard, WAP, 190
[3] The Message of Romans, Bernard, WAP, 20
[4] Ibid, 21-22
[5] Ibid 23
[6] Ibid, 9-10
[7] ibid 191
[8] ibid 191
Sunday, November 4, 2007
SPEAKING NOTES: BIBLE MYTHBUSTERS 2 "PREDESTINATION"
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Speaking notes: Bible Mythbusters 1: Does Truth Exist?
PLEASE NOTE: THESE ARE MY LECTURE NOTES AND DO NOT CONTAIN PROPER CITATION - SORRY FOR THE OVERSITE
Mythbusters Series is based on apologetics or defending the Apostolic faith to the world and denominal and Charismatic Christian world. Our first lesson in this Mythbusters Series is called “Does Truth Exist? Shattering the myth of Postmodernism.” Our study will be part Bible study, part history lesson, part Christian apologetics Now before you roll your eyes, yawn and prepare for a good nap let me explain where and why we’re going in this direction tonight.
Why study this topic?
Dominant philosophy of the culture – new philosophy only been an academic discipline since 1980s
Postmodernism in a nutshell:
· Absolute truth does not exist
· The only truth is created by the culture
· You must find your own truth, morality, faith and spirituality
· “Do what is right in your own eyes”
Most of us know that this isn’t true – so I doubt that I have to convince anyone here – but I want to give you the tools to deconstruct this Satanic lie and understand it’s true origin.
We have an obligation to answer the unique spiritual cry of our culture
The Apostle Peter said
1 Pet 3:15
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
(KJV)
Answer:
627 apologia (ap-ol-og-ee'-ah); from the same as 626; a plea ("apology"):
KJV-- answer (forself), clearing ofself, defence.
§ In this scripture we are commanded by Peter to defend what we believe.
o Above is the Strong’s definition for the word answer – which as you can see is not to merely reply but to vigorously contend for our faith.
We have a scriptural obligation to answer our culture with the truth of the Gospel. Just as Paul was aware of the culture when he stood before the Greeks on Mars Hill and said that they were very religious but were missing the point we must answer the unique spiritual cry of this culture with the unchanging power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ..
Our faith is based on absolute facts
1 Cor 15:12-18
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
(KJV)
Paul was writing in defense of a bodily resurrection – but in the process makes a very important point about the nature of our faith.
We believe that Jesus died for our sins, and then rose again on the third day to conquer death and give those who follow him victory over sin and death.
But let me ask you, what if Jesus didn’t die or even worse, died then did not rise again? I borrow the words of Paul, “you faith is also in vain.”
The Christian belief is utterly different from other religions because it is based upon actual events that took place in time and space – not mystical experiences or philosophy.
That is why we defend absolutism, if there is no absolute truth we have no faith.
What is it?
History (human)
One of the best ways to discover what something is like is to look at its roots.
Postmodernism is a response to modernism.
Modernism is what most of you grew up around…
Sought to understand everything in terms of rationalism and the scientific method
It emphasized materialism
o Matter and the physical world are the only reality
o Science is the only answer for the origin of the universe and human existence
Major philosophers
o Darwin - evolution
o Karl Marx – the founder of Communism
o Nietzsche – “God Is Dead” Secularism and Science had killed the notion of God in western culture
Now Postmodernism is the recent response to Modernism
o Science has not answered all of the questions about the origin of man and the universe
o The advancement of technology, science and knowledge did not answer humanity’s nagging spiritual longing for more from life
o Pop Psychology is rejecting the idea that human emotions, feelings are nothing more than chemical processes. My psychology professor “seems to be something more to the human mind”
Until the world recognizes, submits to and serves Jesus Christ life will continually be void of meaning and purpose. True happiness exists in the loving arms of Jesus Christ.
However, instead of embracing God when modernism fell to pieces culture embraced posmodernism
Philosophy described
Truth is relative – meaning is created by the human mind and the culture.
§ We believe in Christianity not b/c it’s true but b/c it’s the dominant religion of our childhood
Religion and truth are then a product of the human mind and the culture
Religion is a human attempt to consolidate power within a culture
§ This part irritates me!
§ Postmodernism is widely embraced by society b/c it’s selfish.
· If you don’t want to do something that’s ok! You don’t have too!
· If you want to have an affair – you can! B/c you have to look after you – do what’s right for you.
How many have ever heard the following statements?
“Well that may be true for you, but it’s not for me”
“Look don’t force your values on me. Just because they’re true for you doesn’t mean they’re true for me”
“There are so many religions how can you say yours is true..that’s intolerant”
It is my personal belief that this philosophy with the popularity Hinduism and Zen/Yoga – both systems teach that the only reality is the one you experience and your experiences and your reality is unique to you
With these statements in mind let’s begin to build our case against postmodernism
Philosophy Refuted
Truth is not subjective
§ For something to be true it must correspond to an objective fact (correspond to its referent)
· Consider this statement: The earth is round.
o For that statement to be true the earth must in fact be round.
Doesn’t make sense
§ Something is either absolutely true or absolutely false
§ Opposing statements would have to be true
Milk example
Postmodernism is dumb: Consider these two statements
§ The milk is in the fridge
§ The milk is not in the fridge
· According to postmodernism it would be possible for milk to both in and not in the fridge at the same time!
Philosophy is self-destructive/contradictory
§ If it is absolutely true it collapses upon itself
· It makes relative truth an absolute. Either you accept relativism or you’re wrong and intolerant
§ If it is relatively true
And that, dear saints of God, is crazy!
The Bible says
Ps 31:5
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
KJV
The Bible declares over and over and over again that truth is not in the eye of the beholder but is absolute and determined by God. If there is absolute truth then there is absolute morality and accountability to one God. Whom this world will stand before and be judged according to their works. And if, this world wants to escape that day Jesus said
Matt 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
KJV
Postmodernism is the most dangerous philosophy to enter our culture
o It’s really not new
o It’s as old as eden
Satan’s temptation of Eve sounds just like this philosophy
Gen 3:1-6
3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
KJV
Postmodernism is the ultimate Satanic Deception! It allows you to be your own God. If you create your own reality, morals then you are accountable only to yourself – you are god!!!
Do know that the modern day Church of Satan do not necessarily believe in the worship of the Devil as supreme god! Do you know who they worship SELF!!
Quotes from the Satanic Bible and Satanic founder Anton LeVey Listen to what Anton LeVey the founder of the Church of Satan believes
They do not worship a living deity.
Major emphasis is placed on the power and authority of the individual Satanist, rather than on a god or goddess.
They believe that "no redeemer liveth" - that each person is their own redeemer, fully responsible for the direction of their own life
The Church of Satan is highly decentralized, believing that a strong central organization is not desirable. Each Satanist is expected to follow his/her own path.
Truth does exist both the Bible and the brain God gave you declare that there are absolutes in our world – Postmodernism has just been busted
Mythbusters Series is based on apologetics or defending the Apostolic faith to the world and denominal and Charismatic Christian world. Our first lesson in this Mythbusters Series is called “Does Truth Exist? Shattering the myth of Postmodernism.” Our study will be part Bible study, part history lesson, part Christian apologetics Now before you roll your eyes, yawn and prepare for a good nap let me explain where and why we’re going in this direction tonight.
Why study this topic?
Dominant philosophy of the culture – new philosophy only been an academic discipline since 1980s
Postmodernism in a nutshell:
· Absolute truth does not exist
· The only truth is created by the culture
· You must find your own truth, morality, faith and spirituality
· “Do what is right in your own eyes”
Most of us know that this isn’t true – so I doubt that I have to convince anyone here – but I want to give you the tools to deconstruct this Satanic lie and understand it’s true origin.
We have an obligation to answer the unique spiritual cry of our culture
The Apostle Peter said
1 Pet 3:15
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
(KJV)
Answer:
627 apologia (ap-ol-og-ee'-ah); from the same as 626; a plea ("apology"):
KJV-- answer (forself), clearing ofself, defence.
§ In this scripture we are commanded by Peter to defend what we believe.
o Above is the Strong’s definition for the word answer – which as you can see is not to merely reply but to vigorously contend for our faith.
We have a scriptural obligation to answer our culture with the truth of the Gospel. Just as Paul was aware of the culture when he stood before the Greeks on Mars Hill and said that they were very religious but were missing the point we must answer the unique spiritual cry of this culture with the unchanging power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ..
Our faith is based on absolute facts
1 Cor 15:12-18
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
(KJV)
Paul was writing in defense of a bodily resurrection – but in the process makes a very important point about the nature of our faith.
We believe that Jesus died for our sins, and then rose again on the third day to conquer death and give those who follow him victory over sin and death.
But let me ask you, what if Jesus didn’t die or even worse, died then did not rise again? I borrow the words of Paul, “you faith is also in vain.”
The Christian belief is utterly different from other religions because it is based upon actual events that took place in time and space – not mystical experiences or philosophy.
That is why we defend absolutism, if there is no absolute truth we have no faith.
What is it?
History (human)
One of the best ways to discover what something is like is to look at its roots.
Postmodernism is a response to modernism.
Modernism is what most of you grew up around…
Sought to understand everything in terms of rationalism and the scientific method
It emphasized materialism
o Matter and the physical world are the only reality
o Science is the only answer for the origin of the universe and human existence
Major philosophers
o Darwin - evolution
o Karl Marx – the founder of Communism
o Nietzsche – “God Is Dead” Secularism and Science had killed the notion of God in western culture
Now Postmodernism is the recent response to Modernism
o Science has not answered all of the questions about the origin of man and the universe
o The advancement of technology, science and knowledge did not answer humanity’s nagging spiritual longing for more from life
o Pop Psychology is rejecting the idea that human emotions, feelings are nothing more than chemical processes. My psychology professor “seems to be something more to the human mind”
Until the world recognizes, submits to and serves Jesus Christ life will continually be void of meaning and purpose. True happiness exists in the loving arms of Jesus Christ.
However, instead of embracing God when modernism fell to pieces culture embraced posmodernism
Philosophy described
Truth is relative – meaning is created by the human mind and the culture.
§ We believe in Christianity not b/c it’s true but b/c it’s the dominant religion of our childhood
Religion and truth are then a product of the human mind and the culture
Religion is a human attempt to consolidate power within a culture
§ This part irritates me!
§ Postmodernism is widely embraced by society b/c it’s selfish.
· If you don’t want to do something that’s ok! You don’t have too!
· If you want to have an affair – you can! B/c you have to look after you – do what’s right for you.
How many have ever heard the following statements?
“Well that may be true for you, but it’s not for me”
“Look don’t force your values on me. Just because they’re true for you doesn’t mean they’re true for me”
“There are so many religions how can you say yours is true..that’s intolerant”
It is my personal belief that this philosophy with the popularity Hinduism and Zen/Yoga – both systems teach that the only reality is the one you experience and your experiences and your reality is unique to you
With these statements in mind let’s begin to build our case against postmodernism
Philosophy Refuted
Truth is not subjective
§ For something to be true it must correspond to an objective fact (correspond to its referent)
· Consider this statement: The earth is round.
o For that statement to be true the earth must in fact be round.
Doesn’t make sense
§ Something is either absolutely true or absolutely false
§ Opposing statements would have to be true
Milk example
Postmodernism is dumb: Consider these two statements
§ The milk is in the fridge
§ The milk is not in the fridge
· According to postmodernism it would be possible for milk to both in and not in the fridge at the same time!
Philosophy is self-destructive/contradictory
§ If it is absolutely true it collapses upon itself
· It makes relative truth an absolute. Either you accept relativism or you’re wrong and intolerant
§ If it is relatively true
And that, dear saints of God, is crazy!
The Bible says
Ps 31:5
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
KJV
The Bible declares over and over and over again that truth is not in the eye of the beholder but is absolute and determined by God. If there is absolute truth then there is absolute morality and accountability to one God. Whom this world will stand before and be judged according to their works. And if, this world wants to escape that day Jesus said
Matt 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
KJV
Postmodernism is the most dangerous philosophy to enter our culture
o It’s really not new
o It’s as old as eden
Satan’s temptation of Eve sounds just like this philosophy
Gen 3:1-6
3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
KJV
Postmodernism is the ultimate Satanic Deception! It allows you to be your own God. If you create your own reality, morals then you are accountable only to yourself – you are god!!!
Do know that the modern day Church of Satan do not necessarily believe in the worship of the Devil as supreme god! Do you know who they worship SELF!!
Quotes from the Satanic Bible and Satanic founder Anton LeVey Listen to what Anton LeVey the founder of the Church of Satan believes
They do not worship a living deity.
Major emphasis is placed on the power and authority of the individual Satanist, rather than on a god or goddess.
They believe that "no redeemer liveth" - that each person is their own redeemer, fully responsible for the direction of their own life
The Church of Satan is highly decentralized, believing that a strong central organization is not desirable. Each Satanist is expected to follow his/her own path.
Truth does exist both the Bible and the brain God gave you declare that there are absolutes in our world – Postmodernism has just been busted
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
a blurb about holiness standards - Part one
This is the first of a mini-blogging-series on holiness I'm working on. Enjoy!
I believe in having holiness standards. I believe that our outside appearance should reflect Christ. However, I also believe that they are maturity issues. In other words, our external appearance is to reflect an inward relationship and experience with God - one that comes only with development. If people do not have that inward relationship than we cannot expect them to have a strong external witness. Because of my presupposition towards these teachings I find it perplexing that so many are so quick to judge others based soley on their appearance. Pastors and churches are called "weak" or the dreaded UPer label "liberal." The fact of the matter is none of us are perfect, we're all flawed, we all have our weaknesses. Some internal, some external. But instead of pointing fingers, I would rather have Paul's outlook on life:
Phil 3:12-13Not that I have already attained , or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
NKJV
In other words, I'm not perfect yet. Therefore, my main goal in life should be to work on me.
Jesus also said
Matthew 7:1-5
"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. NKJV
I think the application of this passage for our topic is this: It's a bigger sin to judge/gossip about/alienate a fellow saint, pastor and/or church based soley on standards than that individual or groups lack of teaching and maturity.
Don't get me wrong, standards are important! But let's remember why we're teaching, believing and practicing external witnesses. They are a reflection of a work Christ is doing IN us.
Next time we will examine the importance of holiness standards in light of popular culture's sexualisation of youth.
God bless,
adam
I believe in having holiness standards. I believe that our outside appearance should reflect Christ. However, I also believe that they are maturity issues. In other words, our external appearance is to reflect an inward relationship and experience with God - one that comes only with development. If people do not have that inward relationship than we cannot expect them to have a strong external witness. Because of my presupposition towards these teachings I find it perplexing that so many are so quick to judge others based soley on their appearance. Pastors and churches are called "weak" or the dreaded UPer label "liberal." The fact of the matter is none of us are perfect, we're all flawed, we all have our weaknesses. Some internal, some external. But instead of pointing fingers, I would rather have Paul's outlook on life:
Phil 3:12-13Not that I have already attained , or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
NKJV
In other words, I'm not perfect yet. Therefore, my main goal in life should be to work on me.
Jesus also said
Matthew 7:1-5
"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. NKJV
I think the application of this passage for our topic is this: It's a bigger sin to judge/gossip about/alienate a fellow saint, pastor and/or church based soley on standards than that individual or groups lack of teaching and maturity.
Don't get me wrong, standards are important! But let's remember why we're teaching, believing and practicing external witnesses. They are a reflection of a work Christ is doing IN us.
Next time we will examine the importance of holiness standards in light of popular culture's sexualisation of youth.
God bless,
adam
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Stupid Secularists (adam's random rant part deux)
In a few weeks the people of Ontario will hit the polls for our provincial election. There are some hot topics this year. Healthcare, electoral reform, taxes - the usual stuff that riles up the public. However this year a major issue has arisen. The Conservative party is promising if elected they will remove the discrimination in public education funding. Right now only public and Catholic schools recieve funding. The Conservatives pledge abolish the old system and make funding availiable to all faith-based schools.
My random rant today doesn't deal with whether or not the Conservative party should fund faith-based schools. I would rather discuss the rising animosity towards Christians and other faith-based groups in the media as a result of this debate. The secularists in the media state that all funding to faith-based schools (including Catholic) should be abolished - there should only be a single public system. This public system they argue should be completely and totally secular - meaning having no affiliation with a particular faith. "After all", the secularists say, "faith has no place in the public square" WHAT? Did I hear that correctly? Last I checked Canada and her provinces were democratic societies. Since we all cannot leave our homes and jobs to participate in the governing process we elect others to perform those duties on our behalf. These elected representatives make laws, impose taxation, protect, maintain transit, monitor the economy, according to the will of the people. Therefore, if the elected are representatives of the people and those people are of faith then that faith MUST be fairly represented in the public square. The philosophy of the separation of church and state is to protect religious groups from state interference not to prevent faith-based groups from having their voices heard in government. Next time you hear someone say that religion has no place in politics, calmly remind them that if they want a secular society that silences all religion they should move to China.
My random rant today doesn't deal with whether or not the Conservative party should fund faith-based schools. I would rather discuss the rising animosity towards Christians and other faith-based groups in the media as a result of this debate. The secularists in the media state that all funding to faith-based schools (including Catholic) should be abolished - there should only be a single public system. This public system they argue should be completely and totally secular - meaning having no affiliation with a particular faith. "After all", the secularists say, "faith has no place in the public square" WHAT? Did I hear that correctly? Last I checked Canada and her provinces were democratic societies. Since we all cannot leave our homes and jobs to participate in the governing process we elect others to perform those duties on our behalf. These elected representatives make laws, impose taxation, protect, maintain transit, monitor the economy, according to the will of the people. Therefore, if the elected are representatives of the people and those people are of faith then that faith MUST be fairly represented in the public square. The philosophy of the separation of church and state is to protect religious groups from state interference not to prevent faith-based groups from having their voices heard in government. Next time you hear someone say that religion has no place in politics, calmly remind them that if they want a secular society that silences all religion they should move to China.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Serve your place with pride (adam's random rant)
Nothing is more annoying than hearing someone describe their place in God's Kingdom beginning with the phrase, "I'm just...." "I'm just a Sunday School Teacher." "I'm just a church cleaner." "I'm just an usher." "I'm just...." Makes me sick. Somewhere in Pentecost we developed a philosophy that places certain church positions in a pseudo hierarchy. I'm sure we all realize that with different positions come different levels of delegated spiritual authority. However, authority does not equal importance. My homeboy Paul said in 1 Cor 12:18-20, "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body." (NKJV)
Remember you are important to the Church! Serve your place with pride.
This concludes adam's random rant
Remember you are important to the Church! Serve your place with pride.
This concludes adam's random rant
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Justification: When does it happen?
Since sin entered into the human race, man has desired to contact and have a relationship with God. Unfortunately, seeing that man is unrighteous; “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” the holiness of God cannot have relationship with the sin of man; “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Rom 3:10, Rom 8:7, KJV) Therefore, if man wants to have relationship with his Creator there must be a change in his state. In other words, man must be justified or declared righteous.
While all agree that justification takes place in the life of a believer, there is great debate in Christendom over when this act takes place. To correctly deduce the moment when one is declared righteous there are four questions that must be answered. Firstly, what is justification? Secondly, how was justification made available? Thirdly, how does one receive justification? Fourthly, what is faith, specifically in its role in the process of justification? When these questions are answered we will be able to draw some reasonable conclusions as to when justification takes place.
I. What is Justification?
Justification can be defined as, “a divine act whereby an infinitely Holy God judicially declares a believing sinner to be righteous and acceptable before Him.” (from New Unger's Bible Dictionary) Justification is not a process, it is a statement or declaration that one is now righteous. To further define justification let us look at its Greek definitions:
In Romans, the words “justify,” “justification,” “righteous,” and “righteousness” all come from the same Greek root. Respectively, the Greek words are dikaioō, dikaiōsis, dikaios, and dikaiosunē. According to Bauer’s lexicon, to be “justified” (dikaiousthai) means to “be acquitted, be pronounced and treated as righteous and thereby become dikaios, receive the divine gift of dikaiosunē, as a theological t.t. [technical term] be justified.” (Bernard, The Role of the Holy Spirit in Justification)
Douglass Moo simplifies all this, he states that justification is the act where God restores a person to a right relationship with him. (Moo, Douglas. The Epistle to the Romans) To sum, justification is the act where God pardons one’s transgressions and remits their sin.
II. How was justification made available?
Justification was made available through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, that being his death, burial and resurrection. Paul states: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice…(Rom 3:23-25,NIV)
Seeing that humanity could not save itself, Jesus Christ made justification available through his redemptive work. Redemptive work defined as the death, burial and resurrection. Many attest that justification was made available at the cross, this view is incorrect, because the total work of Christ had to be completed before righteousness could be attainable. Paul says, “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” (1 Cor 15:17, KJV) Seeing that we could not justify ourselves, Christ paid the price for humanity and made justification attainable for all.
III. How does one receive justification?
Seeing that Christ made justification available through his redemptive work, we are declared righteous through faith:
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. (Rom 3:27-30, KJV)
The question Paul is addressing in his letter to the Romans is a complex one. The Christian Jews at this time were coercing newly converted Gentiles to be circumcised so that they might be saved; and Paul’s argument to them is that we are not made righteous through the acts of our own sinful flesh but through faith in Jesus Christ.
IV. What is Faith
If faith is how one receives justification what is faith? Is it mere mental assent or is there something else we must look at. Faith:
In the Greek text is pistis, which Bauer et al. have defined as “faith, trust. 1. that which causes trust and faith-a. faithfulness, reliability…. 2. trust, confidence, faith in the active sense=‘believing’, in relig. usage.” Dunn explained that faith “is clearly intended to denote the basis of a relationship which is not dependent on specific ritual acts, but is direct and immediate, a relying on the risen Christ rather than a resting on the law.” (Bernard, The Role of the Holy Spirit in Justification)
Douglas Moo simplifies this definition:
We understand the words “obedience” and “faith” to be mutually interpreting: obedience always involves faith, and faith always involves obedience…. Paul called men and women to a faith that was always inseparable from obedience-for the Savior in whom we believe is nothing less than our Lord-and to an obedience that could never be divorced from faith-for we can obey Jesus as Lord only when we have given ourselves to him in faith. (Moo, Douglas. The Epistle to the Romans)
Therefore we can conclude that real biblical faith is more than mental assent but is rather active obedience in response to the redemptive work of Christ.
V. When is one Justified
Let us recap, justification was made available through the redemptive work of Christ, one receives that justification through faith or obedience in Jesus Christ. Now, at what point is one justified? One is justified, or counted righteous when they have correctly responded to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This response includes repentance, baptism in Jesus name and the sealing or infilling of the Holy Ghost. Just as Christ had to die, buried and be raised from the dead for our justification we must identify with the same before we can receive justification:
We are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. . . . For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 4; 8:2).
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:11). [emphasis mine]
If Christ had to die, be buried and rise again from the dead for our justification what makes us think that we become justified without complete identification? The Bible continually states that our unrighteousness is what condemns us therefore, we can conclude that when one is declared righteous they are no longer condemned. Where in Pentecostal theology have we come up with the idea that the “Acts 2:38” experience is needed for salvation but only repentance for justification? There is no difference between justification and salvation. I Corinthians 6:11 says “But ye are washed (denotes baptism) but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” “In the Name of the Lord Jesus” denotes the act of repentance and baptism united together where we are united with the death and burial of Jesus Christ and our sins are forgiven and “by the Spirit of our God” denotes the infilling of the Holy Ghost where we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, the earnest of our inheritance. We are justified through our identification with the redemptive work of Christ. In conclusion, let us remember that our justification is only found in Christ. In our flesh we are condemned to death but when we identify with the redemptive work of Christ we become just because He is just. We are declared righteous because he is righteous. And as long as we stay under blood we will have a home with him in eternity.
While all agree that justification takes place in the life of a believer, there is great debate in Christendom over when this act takes place. To correctly deduce the moment when one is declared righteous there are four questions that must be answered. Firstly, what is justification? Secondly, how was justification made available? Thirdly, how does one receive justification? Fourthly, what is faith, specifically in its role in the process of justification? When these questions are answered we will be able to draw some reasonable conclusions as to when justification takes place.
I. What is Justification?
Justification can be defined as, “a divine act whereby an infinitely Holy God judicially declares a believing sinner to be righteous and acceptable before Him.” (from New Unger's Bible Dictionary) Justification is not a process, it is a statement or declaration that one is now righteous. To further define justification let us look at its Greek definitions:
In Romans, the words “justify,” “justification,” “righteous,” and “righteousness” all come from the same Greek root. Respectively, the Greek words are dikaioō, dikaiōsis, dikaios, and dikaiosunē. According to Bauer’s lexicon, to be “justified” (dikaiousthai) means to “be acquitted, be pronounced and treated as righteous and thereby become dikaios, receive the divine gift of dikaiosunē, as a theological t.t. [technical term] be justified.” (Bernard, The Role of the Holy Spirit in Justification)
Douglass Moo simplifies all this, he states that justification is the act where God restores a person to a right relationship with him. (Moo, Douglas. The Epistle to the Romans) To sum, justification is the act where God pardons one’s transgressions and remits their sin.
II. How was justification made available?
Justification was made available through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, that being his death, burial and resurrection. Paul states: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice…(Rom 3:23-25,NIV)
Seeing that humanity could not save itself, Jesus Christ made justification available through his redemptive work. Redemptive work defined as the death, burial and resurrection. Many attest that justification was made available at the cross, this view is incorrect, because the total work of Christ had to be completed before righteousness could be attainable. Paul says, “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” (1 Cor 15:17, KJV) Seeing that we could not justify ourselves, Christ paid the price for humanity and made justification attainable for all.
III. How does one receive justification?
Seeing that Christ made justification available through his redemptive work, we are declared righteous through faith:
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. (Rom 3:27-30, KJV)
The question Paul is addressing in his letter to the Romans is a complex one. The Christian Jews at this time were coercing newly converted Gentiles to be circumcised so that they might be saved; and Paul’s argument to them is that we are not made righteous through the acts of our own sinful flesh but through faith in Jesus Christ.
IV. What is Faith
If faith is how one receives justification what is faith? Is it mere mental assent or is there something else we must look at. Faith:
In the Greek text is pistis, which Bauer et al. have defined as “faith, trust. 1. that which causes trust and faith-a. faithfulness, reliability…. 2. trust, confidence, faith in the active sense=‘believing’, in relig. usage.” Dunn explained that faith “is clearly intended to denote the basis of a relationship which is not dependent on specific ritual acts, but is direct and immediate, a relying on the risen Christ rather than a resting on the law.” (Bernard, The Role of the Holy Spirit in Justification)
Douglas Moo simplifies this definition:
We understand the words “obedience” and “faith” to be mutually interpreting: obedience always involves faith, and faith always involves obedience…. Paul called men and women to a faith that was always inseparable from obedience-for the Savior in whom we believe is nothing less than our Lord-and to an obedience that could never be divorced from faith-for we can obey Jesus as Lord only when we have given ourselves to him in faith. (Moo, Douglas. The Epistle to the Romans)
Therefore we can conclude that real biblical faith is more than mental assent but is rather active obedience in response to the redemptive work of Christ.
V. When is one Justified
Let us recap, justification was made available through the redemptive work of Christ, one receives that justification through faith or obedience in Jesus Christ. Now, at what point is one justified? One is justified, or counted righteous when they have correctly responded to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This response includes repentance, baptism in Jesus name and the sealing or infilling of the Holy Ghost. Just as Christ had to die, buried and be raised from the dead for our justification we must identify with the same before we can receive justification:
We are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. . . . For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 4; 8:2).
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (I Corinthians 6:11). [emphasis mine]
If Christ had to die, be buried and rise again from the dead for our justification what makes us think that we become justified without complete identification? The Bible continually states that our unrighteousness is what condemns us therefore, we can conclude that when one is declared righteous they are no longer condemned. Where in Pentecostal theology have we come up with the idea that the “Acts 2:38” experience is needed for salvation but only repentance for justification? There is no difference between justification and salvation. I Corinthians 6:11 says “But ye are washed (denotes baptism) but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” “In the Name of the Lord Jesus” denotes the act of repentance and baptism united together where we are united with the death and burial of Jesus Christ and our sins are forgiven and “by the Spirit of our God” denotes the infilling of the Holy Ghost where we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, the earnest of our inheritance. We are justified through our identification with the redemptive work of Christ. In conclusion, let us remember that our justification is only found in Christ. In our flesh we are condemned to death but when we identify with the redemptive work of Christ we become just because He is just. We are declared righteous because he is righteous. And as long as we stay under blood we will have a home with him in eternity.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Mecca Cola and Jesus Pepsi: Religion as a Commodity
Mecca Cola and Jesus Pepsi
Religion as a Commodity
I was viewing a web clip of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” the other day when, to my surprise, the comedic newscaster who pokes fun at real world events, proclaimed to his viewers that a new cola company had arisen out of the Middle East. (PS: I DO NOT ENDORSE THIS SHOW - IT IS USUALLY PERVERTED) It’s called, catch this, “Mecca Cola.” Perhaps, in the words of Jon, the purpose of this new Islamic based company is to soon become the new competitor of the more popular American Jesus/Jewish Coke. This product is currently available in most Middle Eastern countries and will be arriving in Canada soon – no word on its entry to the United States.
Religion as a Commodity
I was viewing a web clip of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” the other day when, to my surprise, the comedic newscaster who pokes fun at real world events, proclaimed to his viewers that a new cola company had arisen out of the Middle East. (PS: I DO NOT ENDORSE THIS SHOW - IT IS USUALLY PERVERTED) It’s called, catch this, “Mecca Cola.” Perhaps, in the words of Jon, the purpose of this new Islamic based company is to soon become the new competitor of the more popular American Jesus/Jewish Coke. This product is currently available in most Middle Eastern countries and will be arriving in Canada soon – no word on its entry to the United States.
As quirky a story this may be, it is a poignant picture of the commoditization of faith based culture. It seems as though the 21st century has made God a commodity, whose ever-so faithful servants stand in the market place hawking the latest bobble-head Jesus to keep on your dash or Muslim cola to quench the thirst of your fellow Arab brothers. It seems as though the shallow marketing, profit hungry concepts that rule most of our society have made its way to the last place we would expect, the doors of the church, or mosque for that matter.
If it seems like I’m a little passionate about this subject, I am. As a dedicated Christian, and youth pastor, I have grown tired of the “market place” faith that seems to dominate our western culture.
“What does this have to do with anything?” you may ask. Lots. Faith has been the bedrock of all societies in human history. It has been faith that has sustained us through our most difficult times. When the “Twin Towers” fell, for a brief moment, church attendance spiked and prayer vigils were held as people came together searching for answers to our deepest and darkest fears. It was the faith-based community that acted as a springboard for Martin Luther King’s message of equality and social justice for the Black community. Faith pervades all faucets of our society, influencing the core of our value and life convictions
What has alarmed me is that faith based communities and organizations, especially mainstream Christianity, have become so shallow. No longer is it clamoring against the throes of social injustice, inequality and outright sin, but rather faith is pimping itself in the market place. And in the process, is losing most of its core values that define it, that being a lifestyle of love, humility, godliness and self-control. Perhaps the starkest example of this would be the recent release of a new PC video game called “Left Behind.” “Left Behind” the game is loosely based on the hit novel series by Tim LaHaye and Larry Jenkins. The following list is a description of the game by its developers:
· Lead the Tribulation Force, including Rayford, Chloe, Buck and Bruce against Nicolae Carpathia – the AntiChrist
· This game does not include references to any religions
· There is NO killing in the name of God, and NO convert or die missions
· All content has been reviewed and approved by Tyndale House Publishers prior to publication
· Conduct warfare using PRAYER and WORSHIP – these are more powerful weapons than guns
· Recover ancient scriptures
· Witness spectacular Angelic and Demonic activity as a direct consequence of your choices
· Fight against negative spiritual influences against the Antichrist and his forces
· Command your forces through intense battles across a breathtaking, authentic depiction of New York City
· Control more than 30 unit types – from Prayer Warrior and Worship Leaders to Spies, Special Forces and Battle Tanks
· Enjoy a robust single player experience across dozens of New York City maps in Story Mode – fighting in China Town, SoHo , Uptown and more
· Play multiplayer games with the Tribulation Forces or the AntiChrist's Global Community Peacekeepers with up to eight players via LAN or Internet (http://www.lbgstore.com/left-behind-eternal-forces-the-pc-game-esrb-teen.html)
At first glance this game seems like the perfect solution to the wary parent. A game that features worship and prayer as weapon sounds great, right? I give this game a big, fat thumbs down. The rapture, next to the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, will be the most significant event in human history. It must never be packaged into something as trivial as a video game. According the above description, gamers will take on the identity of either those left behind or the armies of the Antichrist. First of all, once the rapture has taken place there is no hope for those “left behind.” So why create a game that glorifies those who are acutally left behind? And secondly, who in their right mind wants to be the Antichrist?
The following example portrays a sad picture of our society. The bony, greedy claws of hegemony and its fixation on profits have finally pierced our spirituality. And with its lust for profit and power has degraded the purity of human spirituality
I think though, we should look beyond what the profit-faith industry means now and ask ourselves of the results and future implications the commodity god. The answer is both simple and bleak. We live in a world of trends, right now we live in a very pluralistic, irreligious society with convictions much like the Ancient Greeks (another subject for another day). However, as history would teach us, society changes much like I change my socks, almost everyday. And, in a few years or decades, society will once again reach for faith. But faith will have nothing of substance to offer it, nothing but a few cheap bracelets, apostle plush toys and yes, a carbonated beverage.
Monday, April 30, 2007
IMPORTANT DATES RAGE YOUTH - APRIL 30
IMPORTANT DATES FOR R.A.G.E. YOUTH - APRIL 30!
- MAY 15 GYM NITE
- JUNE 2 - ONTARIO PLACE TRIP. PLEASE HAVE YOUR MONEY READY BY MAY 22
- AUG 30 - SEPT 2 - YOUTH CAMP @ HYUCKS BAY - STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS
TRUTH - defense for absolutism
A MAJORITY OF THE INFORMATION COMES FROM JOSH MCDOWELL'S NEW EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT IF YOU NOTICE THAT I HAVE COPIED ANOTHER'S WORK AND PROPER CITATION WAS NOT GIVEN - IT WAS AN OVERSITE NOT INTENTIONAL. FORGIVE ME, I'M NEW AT THIS.
TRUTH – a defense for absolutism
INTRO:
1 Pet 3:15
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
(KJV)
Answer:
627 apologia (ap-ol-og-ee'-ah); from the same as 626; a plea ("apology"):
KJV-- answer (forself), clearing ofself, defence.
§ In this scripture we are commanded by Peter to defend what we believe.
o Above is the Strong’s definition for the word answer – which as you can see is not to merely reply but to vigorously contend for our faith.
Tonight I want to give you a few extra tools to defend what we believe. Tonight I want to defend the belief of absolute truth. Many do not understand why we would discuss this tonight – they would think that that this philosophical discussion/Bible study would have no spiritual benefit to Christian youth. However, let me show you with two reasons why this discussion is imperative to our faith.
1. Our entire faith is based on absolute facts.
1 Cor 15:12-18
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
(KJV)
Paul was writing in defense of a bodily resurrection – but in the process makes a very important point about the nature of our faith. We believe that Jesus died for our sins, and then rose again on the third day to conquer death and give those who follow him victory over sin and death. But let me ask you, what if Jesus didn’t die or even worse, died then did not rise again? I borrow the words of Paul, “you faith is also in vain.” The Christian belief is utterly different from other religions because it is based upon actual events that took place in time and space – not mystical experiences or philosophy. That is why we defend absolutism, if there is no absolute truth we have no faith.
2. The world denies absolutism
How many have ever heard the following statements?
“Well that may be true for you, but it’s not for me”
“Look don’t force your values on me. Just because they’re true for you doesn’t mean they’re true for me”
Jesus is the truth Reply: “That’s wonderful if that’s true for you, but it’s not true for me”
“There are so many religions how can you say yours is true”
With these statements in mind let’s begin to build our case.
Defending absolute truth:
There are two words we must define in our study.
§ Metaphysics: the philosophical study of being as being, that is, of reality as it is in itself
§ Epistemology: how we know
(The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, McDowell, 585)
What is truth? Truth is that which corresponds to its referent. Metaphysical truth is that which corresponds with reality – by correspond we mean in agreement with some thing. In other words, a belief is true when it corresponds to an objective fact. This objective fact stands alone, needs no defense it is true because it is true.
Example: What was the highest mountain in the world before Mt Everest was discovered?_______________________________________ *** See end of blog for answer***
A philosopher by the name of Peter Van Inwagen writes:
“Each of our beliefs and assertions represents the World as being a certain way, and the belief or assertion is true if the World is that way, and false if the World is not that way. It is, as one might put it, up to our beliefs and assertions to get the World right; if they don’t, they’re not doing their job, and that’s their fault and no fault of the world’s”
If the correspondence theory were not true all factual communication would break down.
It would be impossible to lie if our words didn’t need to correspond to a fact
ABSOLUTISM VS RELATIVISM
Now that we have built a case for absolutism – let’s contrast it with the more common worldview of relativism.
Relativism is the theory that there is no objective standard by which truth may be determined, so that truth varies with individuals and circumstances.
Adam’s views on relativism: it’s dumb – it’s dumb to think and live your life this way b/c if you think about relativism for more than 20 seconds you will realize that it is a self-destructive philosophy. Let me use Josh McDowell and other really smart people to explain my premise. You cannot believe in relativism unless you believe in absolute truth. If the theory of relativism is true it is either true absolutely (meaning relativism is false) or it would be relatively true. And if it is, then relatively true to whom – and is it absolutely true to that person or relatively true? In other words, relativism implodes b/c it is either self-defeating or unassertable.
Entertain for a moment if relativism was true – the world would be full of contradictions, opposite conditions would exist. Examine the following statements, “There is milk in the fridge” “There is no milk in the fridge” if both statements are true then there must be and not be milk in the fridge. That’s nuts!
IN CONCLUSION
I certainly hope I’ve given you something to both think about and use as God leads you to seeking hearts. After convincing a seeker that absolutism is true – it would be perfect timing to introduce them to the powerful, life-changing truth of the Word of God. Perhaps next time we will discuss the reliability of the Bible. Till then, God bless – Adam.
MT Everest!
INTRO:
1 Pet 3:15
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
(KJV)
Answer:
627 apologia (ap-ol-og-ee'-ah); from the same as 626; a plea ("apology"):
KJV-- answer (forself), clearing ofself, defence.
§ In this scripture we are commanded by Peter to defend what we believe.
o Above is the Strong’s definition for the word answer – which as you can see is not to merely reply but to vigorously contend for our faith.
Tonight I want to give you a few extra tools to defend what we believe. Tonight I want to defend the belief of absolute truth. Many do not understand why we would discuss this tonight – they would think that that this philosophical discussion/Bible study would have no spiritual benefit to Christian youth. However, let me show you with two reasons why this discussion is imperative to our faith.
1. Our entire faith is based on absolute facts.
1 Cor 15:12-18
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
(KJV)
Paul was writing in defense of a bodily resurrection – but in the process makes a very important point about the nature of our faith. We believe that Jesus died for our sins, and then rose again on the third day to conquer death and give those who follow him victory over sin and death. But let me ask you, what if Jesus didn’t die or even worse, died then did not rise again? I borrow the words of Paul, “you faith is also in vain.” The Christian belief is utterly different from other religions because it is based upon actual events that took place in time and space – not mystical experiences or philosophy. That is why we defend absolutism, if there is no absolute truth we have no faith.
2. The world denies absolutism
How many have ever heard the following statements?
“Well that may be true for you, but it’s not for me”
“Look don’t force your values on me. Just because they’re true for you doesn’t mean they’re true for me”
Jesus is the truth Reply: “That’s wonderful if that’s true for you, but it’s not true for me”
“There are so many religions how can you say yours is true”
With these statements in mind let’s begin to build our case.
Defending absolute truth:
There are two words we must define in our study.
§ Metaphysics: the philosophical study of being as being, that is, of reality as it is in itself
§ Epistemology: how we know
(The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, McDowell, 585)
What is truth? Truth is that which corresponds to its referent. Metaphysical truth is that which corresponds with reality – by correspond we mean in agreement with some thing. In other words, a belief is true when it corresponds to an objective fact. This objective fact stands alone, needs no defense it is true because it is true.
Example: What was the highest mountain in the world before Mt Everest was discovered?_______________________________________ *** See end of blog for answer***
A philosopher by the name of Peter Van Inwagen writes:
“Each of our beliefs and assertions represents the World as being a certain way, and the belief or assertion is true if the World is that way, and false if the World is not that way. It is, as one might put it, up to our beliefs and assertions to get the World right; if they don’t, they’re not doing their job, and that’s their fault and no fault of the world’s”
If the correspondence theory were not true all factual communication would break down.
It would be impossible to lie if our words didn’t need to correspond to a fact
ABSOLUTISM VS RELATIVISM
Now that we have built a case for absolutism – let’s contrast it with the more common worldview of relativism.
Relativism is the theory that there is no objective standard by which truth may be determined, so that truth varies with individuals and circumstances.
Adam’s views on relativism: it’s dumb – it’s dumb to think and live your life this way b/c if you think about relativism for more than 20 seconds you will realize that it is a self-destructive philosophy. Let me use Josh McDowell and other really smart people to explain my premise. You cannot believe in relativism unless you believe in absolute truth. If the theory of relativism is true it is either true absolutely (meaning relativism is false) or it would be relatively true. And if it is, then relatively true to whom – and is it absolutely true to that person or relatively true? In other words, relativism implodes b/c it is either self-defeating or unassertable.
Entertain for a moment if relativism was true – the world would be full of contradictions, opposite conditions would exist. Examine the following statements, “There is milk in the fridge” “There is no milk in the fridge” if both statements are true then there must be and not be milk in the fridge. That’s nuts!
IN CONCLUSION
I certainly hope I’ve given you something to both think about and use as God leads you to seeking hearts. After convincing a seeker that absolutism is true – it would be perfect timing to introduce them to the powerful, life-changing truth of the Word of God. Perhaps next time we will discuss the reliability of the Bible. Till then, God bless – Adam.
MT Everest!
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