Discipleship – Page 9 – Muscular Christianity

Who Defines “Good?”

Who defines “good?”

You?

Me?

How does one measure virtue?

And how do you convince someone who’s vile that they’re not “good” unless you can point to a standard that goes beyond personal preferences, impressions and experiences?

Suggesting that there is a collective mindset that has proven to be beneficial – that there is a sociological evolutionary process that can produce a transcendent absolute that all actions can be compared to – is a theory that does not stand up historically or practically.

You can insist that man is his own god but with that premise comes the need to explain your existence as a lucky accident, your purpose as temporary distraction and your destiny as a meaningless conclusion.

Every adjective you use assumes a philosophical foundation that must be based on something beyond what is human in order for it to resonate as True. Otherwise, your approach to yourself and the world around you is an opinion that is as pointless as your next breath.

Yet, in the context of the gospel, everything you say is True because you were made in God’s image with a Purpose and a Destiny that was established by Christ’s death and resurrection. That’s the best and greatest exclamation point at the end of person’s experiential sentence they could ever hope for!

BOOM!

But in the context of a purely humanistic paradigm, you’re looking in a mirror insisting that you can find significance and meaning while intentionally ignoring Who created both you and the mirror to begin with.

What If It Never Happens?

Musicians are weird. At least, that’s the way the come across sometimes.

But it’s not so much that they’re a little “off,” as much as it’s the way they process things. In order to be expressive as a musician, you have to have the capacity to feel and create. And as you progress in your craft, that capacity increases and it inevitably spills over into other areas of your mind. As a result, you can come across a little emotional in the context of scenarios where you might be expected to be more analytical.You might have ideas that seem too grandiose in the mind of someone who’s more about avoiding risk and remaining true to a plan that is “safe.”

So, if you’re one of those “emotional” people that others look at and wonder if your aspirations border on unrealistic, here’s a question for you:

What if your dreams never come true?

What if the throngs of customers that you imagine at your digital door, clamoring for more of your product and service, never materialize? What if you never get the record deal? What if you never play professional sports? What if you’re never able to support yourself and your family as a self employed businessman? What if you’re among those referenced in the Calvin Coolidge quote that says there’s “…nothing more common than unsuccessful men with talent.”

It hurts, doesn’t it? It’s not so much the obscurity represented by failing to realize your dreams as much as it’s the investment made and the apparent lack of return.

That’s a lot of wasted time and effort, isn’t it?

You hear some attempting to justify not realizing one’s goals by saying there’s a bigger picture and in that context you have a reward that’s not necessarily evident to the unenlightened eye.

Perhaps.

But I’ve always hesitated in gravitating to something that sounds like a consolation prize. I don’t want to settle for a “single.” I certainly don’t want to strike out, but there’s as Grand Slam in my mind that I want to see happen. Frankly, when things aren’t going as well as I would like them, it’s the thought of persevering and crossing the finish line as a victor that keeps me moving forward. I need to believe that I’m poised on the threshold of great things!

But what if it doesn’t happen? Is there anything being accomplished that constitutes a worthy investment of my energy and imagination if my dream never comes true?

I’ve decided the answer to that question is “Yes.” And while there is a “bigger picture” involved in the rationale that facilitates that answer, what I’m referring to here is more practical than it is philosophical.

When it’s all said and done, the “true currency” of my life is going to be calculated first and foremost in the context of the relationships I cultivated. At the top of the pile will be my relationship with Christ (Rev 20:15). That will be priority one. Secondly, I will answer for the way I loved my wife (Mal 2:13-16) then I will answer for the way in which I loved my kids (Eph 6:4). I’ll be rated according to the way I loved my friends (Jn 13:34-35) and finally, the way I served and had compassion for my fellow man (Lk 10:27).

Throughout Scripture you hear an emphasis on “love.” That’s the signature of a believer (Jn 13:34-35). When enumerating the more well known virtues, love is identified as the greatest of them all (1 Cor 13:13).

I don’t think I’ll ever stop “dreaming.” I’ve got a buddy whose license plate reads “Pray Big!” and I love that. But regardless of how those dreams pan out, whether they come true or they die a tragic death, the only thing that’s going to have any real merit is the way in which those dreams assisted in facilitating the love and compassion I’m commanded to exhibit. And there’s the answer to my dilemma as far as “What happens if they don’t come true?”

What occurs – what is measured – is the same regardless of the final status of said dream. It’s the way in which I served and loved. The passion that is hardwired into my emotional DNA is manifested and even cultiavted in part by the way in which I pursue my goals. If I’m wise, I’ll take that passion that is continually being enhanced by my “crazy ideas” and applying it liberally to the relationships I’ve been entrusted with. The result is an ever expanding amount of “true currency” being deposited into the only account that truly matters.

That’s not a consolation prize, it’s not an excuse, that’s Truth. Provided I keep my priorities in line, I can continue dreaming and scheming and not be discouraged by a lack of success because I know that my efforts are simultaneously fanning the flame of my capacity to care, my willingness to serve and my sensitivity to another’s pain. The result is a coffer of healthy relationships and that’s true currency.

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Religion is Bad…

There’s an article that was recently brought to my attention via Facebook entitled, “Study Discovers Children Raised Without Religion Are Kinder And More Empathetic.” It’s coming from a site called, “Awareness Act,” and while its credibility is questionable, the article does its job as far as asserting a subtle yet compelling reason for removing Christ from the marketplace.

Right?

I mean why would you support or even subscribe to something that seemingly contributes to a self-absorbed condition among children?

The article is reinforced and summarized by another site and it condenses the overall findings this way:

Across all countries, parents in religious households reported that their children expressed more empathy and sensitivity for justice in everyday life than non-religious parents. However, religiousness was inversely predictive of children’s altruism and positively correlated with their punitive tendencies. Together these results reveal the similarity across countries in how religion negatively influences children’s altruism, challenging the view that religiosity facilitates prosocial behavior.

Here’s the thing: Christ’s sacrifice on the cross represents one of the most selfless acts of unconditional love ever recorded in the history of mankind. Combine His Identity with the suffering that He endured for the sake of the very ones that were driving the spikes through His hands and you have the Ultimate example of altruism.

For those who don’t typically use the word, “altruism” in casual conversation, “altruism” (ALL-true-izem) means, “the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.”

That’s Jesus to a “T.”

There’s three things that I would submit in response to this article that makes it profoundly bogus.

#1…

Friedrich Nietzsche said that when people find out that God is dead in the nineteenth century, two things are going to happen in the twentieth century: First of all, the twentieth century will be the bloodiest century in the history of mankind and a universal madness will break out.

He was right.

We killed more people in the twentieth century than the previous nineteen put together and the “madness” that he predicted he experienced himself in that he spent the last 13 years of his life insane.

Why is this significant?

Because part of the way the above study evaluated altruism was though a game where kids where shown a collection of thirty stickers. They were told they could select 10 of their favorite to keep, but not everyone would be able to play the game. It was called the “Dictator Game” and this is the way in which the child’s “selfless” tendencies were being evaluated.

I’m not sure how that resonates with you, but I’m more inclined to look at the way in which the absence of a moral Absolute affects the lives of individuals and nations in the context of warfare and socio-economic anomalies and let that be the gauge I use to evaluate the Christian faith rather than how a child responds to a game.

#2…

Just because you say you’re a Christian doesn’t mean you subscribe to God as He’s revealed in Scripture. In other words, saying you’re “religious” could mean just about anything. Does Christ command us to be selfless? Absolutely (Phil 2:3-4)! Do self proclaimed “Christians” take that seriously? Given the fact that 25% of Christians don’t subscribe to a “biblical” God, it’s hard to tell.

#3…

Finally, the fact that you’re a child coming from a “Christian” household doesn’t mean that you’re being taught to revere Scripture let alone what it is that constitutes its content. This goes back to what was mentioned under #2. If you don’t know what you believe and why, or if you base your creed on a collection of experiential preferences rather than the Word of God, what can you realistically expect as far as child’s conduct when this is the “classroom” they’re being taught in?

In conclusion…

The Progressive mindset is founded on a godless paradigm. Everything from Socialism where government is god to the doctrine of entitlement where the individual is god. Either way, it’s a situation where moral absolutes don’t exist, one’s origin and destiny is purely happenstance and an individual’s sense of purpose is entirely subjective. Some see that as liberating because there’s no accountability and any kind of adversity or criticism can be categorized as fundamentally “wrong.”

But in the absence of a Standard, you have chaos, hopelessness and death. That’s not being overly philosophical, that’s just looking at the utility of Scripture, the testimony of history and the common sense evaluation of any situation that exists in the absence of a transcendent reason to “be.”

What ails society is not problematic because of Christ…

…what ails society is present because of a refusal to honor Him.

Dear Jim…

Here’s the thing:

I can’t prove that Jesus died and came back to life.

I can point to all of the evidence that exists in terms of archaeology, architecture, music, literature, art and 2,000 years worth of dramatically changed lives, but I don’t have a selfie featuring the Son of God and me mugging for the camera as He’s existing the empty tomb.

That’s the thing about Scripture that makes it difficult to “prove.” We can’t go back in time and validate things as an eyewitness. We’re limited to what’s been written and then go from there.

Thing is, atheists are in a similar predicament in that they can’t prove that Jesus never existed. Again, going back to the aforementioned evidence, while I can process it as credible, someone else can come along and logically question just how “credible” it is in light of possible corruption or anything else that could possibly have been done in centuries past that makes the whole thing imaginary and thus irrelevant. But, again, you can’t “prove” that by providing raw footage of said corruption. We both have to contend with the same limitations and thus the same lack of absolute certainty.

There’s no need to go back 2,000 years to evaluate whether or not the way the Bible instructs a person to live and think is authentic. Morality, emotional health, professional ambition, ethics, politics, physical fitness, mortality – all of these things are covered in the Bible and I would submit to you while there may always be some question marks about the authenticity of the Christian faith (as far as being able to observe things like the Resurrection first hand), the practical substance of the Christian doctrine is more than enough to justify faith in Christ.

There is, however, something else to consider and that’s the “utility” of the Bible.

However subjective the historical reality of Christ may be, the philosophical paradigm that’s advocated in Scripture is a purely objective entity which can be read and applied in real time. In this context, we’re not looking at whether or not what we’re evaluating was crafted 2,000 years ago. You’re simply looking at the way in which Scripture instructs people to live and think and then observing what results from applying those Truths. And it’s in the context of applying those Truths – using the methodology that’s also taught in Scripture – that you discover perhaps the most compelling evidence for the Christian doctrine.

Let me show you…

Let’s go with the Ten Commandments for starters. Remember, we’re not trying to authenticate the identity of Moses or whether or not the Red Sea was parted, thus allowing the Israelites to pass through on dry land. We’re looking at the practical application of Exodus 20 and considering how it impacts the life and perspective of someone who’s applying it in the way the approach themselves and the world around them.

You shall have no other gods before me. (Ex 20:3)

You can’t be greedy, prideful or depressed unless you’re thinking of yourself first and foremost. I’m not saying you have to be “selfish” to be sad. What I’m saying is that in order to be perpetually cynical or to exist in a state of chronic despair, you have to be focused on:

what’s happened to you
why it happened to you
how it makes you feel
how you can’t think of anything else
how you will never be the same
and how everyone should make an exception for you because of the situation you are in

In a similar way, a consistently prideful disposition is possible only if you’re focused on…

what you can do
what you have accomplished
why you are so special
what you are planning
and why you need to be the center of attention regardless of whatever else may be going on

When you make a point of subordinating what would otherwise be a situation where everything is processed through the filter of your ability and your preferences, you open yourself up to a perspective that is founded on Perfect Strength, Knowledge and Love. Consequently, you are a pleasure to work with, you have an optimistic disposition, your priorities are in order and should someone ask what it is that makes you tick, you are quick to point to the True Source of both your mindset and your ability.

⁴ You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Ex 20:4-6)

I can put premium fuel into my gas tank or I can fill it up with water. The gauge may say my tank is full, but the moment I go to start my car, the true composition of my fuel is going to be revealed as either real or fake.

If I’m going to benefit from all that Christ brings to the table, I’ve got to be focused on the Person of Jesus Christ as He’s defined in Scripture and not an image of Christ as he’s represented by a collection of cultural opinions. And not only for my own sake, but also for those who are within the sphere of my influence. Otherwise, not only am I going to be sitting on the side of the road, so will everyone else who’s followed my example.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Ex 20:7)

Even if I do have premium fuel in my gas tank, I’m still behind the wheel. I can choose where to go, regardless of the map that God’s given me that leads to a destination I can be certain is well worth my time and energy.

It’s one thing when I make it clear that I’m headed off in a different direction simply because I think I know better. It’s quite another when I profess to be following the Instructions on the box when in fact I’m not. At that point, I’m forging His Signature and giving the world the impression that I’m obeying my Heavenly Father when, the truth of the matter is, my Heavenly Father may have told me to do the exact opposite.

In that moment, not only am I squandering all the potential represented by Jeremiah 29:11, I’m also a potentially toxic distraction to those on the outside looking in who believe, based on my phraseology, that I’m a good example of what God can do in and through a person who’s serving Someone and Something greater than themselves.

⁸ Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Going to church on Sunday and being engaged rather than simply being present is much like going outside and looking at the stars on a clear night. You’re not just observing the constellations, you’re holding yourself and your circumstances up the Light of God’s Reality and Ability (Psalm 8). In that moment, you’re reminded of how it’s not what’s “happening” in your life as much as it’s what God is “doing” in your life. And with that reminder comes the philosophical foundation that needs to be dusted off from time to time and that’s the fact that He is God and He is aware and that He is able.

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Ex 20:12)

One of the primary jobs that your parents have is to teach you all about God, His Word, and why it’s as advantageous as it is to seek His Counsel in everything you say, think and do. If you’re honoring them, you’re opening yourself up to what they have to say and all the benefits that go along with it.

Now, while that command is for children, parents have got a line to toe as well (Prov 22:6; Eph 6:4). There’s more to “training” your child than just insisting that they go to church every Sunday and refrain from immoral behavior simply because “they should.” When you pop the hood on Proverbs 22:6, the verbiage is telling the parent to know their child well enough to understand how they are wired so that the advantages of obeying Scripture are understood as legitimate benefits and not intrusive limitations. To teach someone means to cause them to learn. If they’re learning nothing more than just a code of ethics that they’re adhering to simply to avoid disciplinary action from the Mom and Dad, they’re not learning anything other than just how to avoid being grounded.

On the other hand, if Mom and Dad are diligent students of Scripture and can not only explain what they believe and why, but also back their creed up with their character, then they’re in a good position to truly teach their kids Who God is and what He’s bringing to the table. It’s at that point that Exodus 20:12 is especially practical because you now have the Authority of God Himself behind a parent’s efforts to teach and train their child.

If every parent was resolved to lead by example and teach their kids everything that goes along with 1 Corinthians 12:31, then the world would be a better place. But not every parent thinks like that and some end up abusing their kids rather than raising them. Still, this command is helpful because you want to honor the office even if you don’t honor the man or the woman. Reason being is that an abusive parent leaves emotional and psychological wounds that are deep and dark. If you don’t forgive them, you wind up fastening a ball and chain to your psyche that makes it difficult to function. By obeying this command, you release the poison in your system that, while it may be there through no fault of your own, it is still something you want to rid yourself of if for no other reason than to ensure the apple falls as far away from the tree as possible when the time comes to raise your own children.

You shall not murder. (Ex 20:13)

Matthew Henry Commentary

“Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not do any thing hurtful or injurious to the health, ease, and life, of thy own body, or any other person’s unjustly.’’

This is one of the laws of nature, and was strongly enforced by the precepts given to Noah and his sons, Gen. 9:5, Gen. 9:6 . It does not forbid killing in lawful war, or in our own necessary defence, nor the magistrate’s putting offenders to death, for those things tend to the preserving of life; but it forbids all malice and hatred to the person of any (for he that hateth his brother is a murderer ), and all personal revenge arising therefrom; also all rash anger upon sudden provocations, and hurt said or done, or aimed to be done, in passion: of this our Saviour expounds this commandment, Mt. 5:22 . And, as that which is worst of all, it forbids persecution, laying wait for the blood of the innocent and excellent ones of the earth.

This isn’t just a command to not kill someone. When you consider the fact that man is made in the image of God, you’re not just taking a life, you’re assaulting that which is precious and valuable to your King.

Dr. Ravi Zacharias sums it up this way…

At its core life is sacred and of inestimable value, whether it is the life of a darling child in the fresh blossom of childhood, or the life of an elderly, weak, and frail recluse. We are each made in God’s sacred image. Think of this truth! That is why murder is described in Scripture for what it is: an attack upon God’s image. That is also why we are told, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15). Murder and even hateful words are attempts to destroy God’s image in another and to deny one’s value and spiritual essence. It is that essence which gives us our dignity and our worth. It is that essence which is our glory and true home.

When you make a point of seeing others as those who bear the image of God, it changes the way you look at people in general. Regardless of their race, color, creed or whether or not they just cut you off in traffic, theirs is an identity founded on something Divine and thus rates a consideration that goes beyond what might otherwise be the case if your perspective was founded solely on your personal passions and preferences.

It’s the fact that your neighbor (see Lk 10:25-37) bears the image of their King and therefore is more than a random face in the crowd that serves as the philosophical foundation for the remaining commandments.

You shall not commit adultery. (Ex 20:14)

It’s not just a violation of one’s chastity, it’s a violation of the marriage covenant which, by definition, is a contract made with God.

You shall not steal. (Ex 20:15)

You’re not just taking something that doesn’t belong to you, you’re taking something that was given to someone else by God.

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (Ex 20:16)

You’re not just attacking the integrity of your neighbor, you’re attacking the integrity of God. That’s not to suggest that your neighbor is the embodiment of truth, but, again, because he’s made in the image of God, there’s a bigger picture to consider than just the individual you’re maligning.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. (Ex 20:17)

Give to Caesar; Give to God

Some of you have probably heard me mention the simple conversation between Jesus and the one who was questioning him, trying to pit him against Caesar. And he looked at Jesus and he said, “Is it alright to pay taxes to Caesar?” (Mark 12:14-17) That is one question I wish so desperately Jesus had answered differently—then on April 15 you could be godly and rebellious at the same time!

Jesus, so brilliant in his response, he says, “Give me a coin.” And he took the coin and he says, “Whose image do you see on this?” The man says, “Caesar.” Jesus says, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and give to God that which is God’s.”

The disingenuousness of the questioner is noticed in the fact that he did not come back with a second question. He should have said, “What belongs to God?” And Jesus would have said, “Whose image is on you?”

Give to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar; give to God that which belongs to God. God’s image is on you. (Ravi Zacharias)

To covet something goes beyond simply admiring it. It means that you’re intent upon seizing it illegitimately. Whereas stealing is the external act of thievery, coveting is the internal machinations that lead to stealing.

Again, because your neighbor is made in the image of God, any sort of malice or wrongdoing directed towards your neighbor is ultimately an assault on God Himself.

So, to summarize what we’re looking at here:

This is more than just a code of ethics to be adhered to for the sake of being courteous and moral. It’s a perspective that’s founded on the vertical relationship that exists between all of humanity and God. And what makes all this incredibly amazing and distinctive when compared to all other religions is that God doesn’t simply say, “Get it done or else!” He provides both the strength (Is 41:10; 1 Cor 10:13) and the will (Ps 119:32; Jer 31:33; Rom 6:18; Phil 2:13) to make it happen.

And there’s so much more…

But the bottom line is: It works.

In 1976, a gentleman by the name of Francis Schaeffer published a book entitled, “How Then Shall We Live.” It’s a phenomenal book that traces the way in which society thinks based on its collective worldview and how this collective mindset can be seen in its art and architecture as well as in its religious orthodoxy. His point is that when you build your society / individual life on Divine Absolutes, the result is something substantial and liberating.

It works…

On the other hand, when you build your society / individual life on a humanistic paradigm, the result is a chaotic and fragmented existence.

It’s an overview of that book that I would submit as my conclusion.

According to Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live traces Western history from Ancient Rome until the time of writing (1976) along three lines: the philosophic, scientific, and religious. He also makes extensive references to art and architecture as a means of showing how these movements reflected changing patterns of thought through time. Schaeffer’s central premise is: when we base society on the Bible, on the infinite-personal God who is there and has spoken, this provides an absolute by which we can conduct our lives and by which we can judge society. This leads to what Schaeffer calls “Freedom without chaos.” When we base society on humanism, which he defines as “a value system rooted in the belief that man is his own measure, that man is autonomous, totally independent”, all values are relative and we have no way to distinguish right from wrong except for “synthesis, pragmatism, and utilitarianism.” Because we disagree on what is best for which group, this leads to fragmentation of thought, which has led us to the despair and alienation so prevalent in society today. This fragmentation is expressed in the visual arts in works such as Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso. This work is considered to mark the beginning of Modern Art. Another premise is that modern relative values are based on Personal Peace (the desire to be personally unaffected by the world’s problems) and Affluence (an increasing personal income.) He warns that when we live by these values we will be tempted to sacrifice our freedoms in exchange for an authoritarian government who will provide the relative values. He further warns that this government will not be obvious like the fascist regimes of the 20th century but will be based on manipulation and subtle forms of information control, psychology, and genetics. (“How Then Shall We Live“)

When someone asks me, “What do you believe and why do you believe it?” I respond by saying that, “I believe that Jesus died and came back to life.” And when they ask, “Why do you believe that?” I answer, “…because of the credibility and the utility of Scripture.” And while I can’t provide raw footage of any of the apostles or the prophets writing said text, I can look at the content and see a way of life that justifies my confidence in my creed.

There you have it!

Chapters and Verses – the Poison of Progressive Christianity

Progressive Christianity is characterized by a willingness to question tradition, acceptance of human diversity, a strong emphasis on social justice and care for the poor and the oppressed, and environmental stewardship of the earth. Progressive Christians have a deep belief in the centrality of the instruction to “love one another” (John 15:17) within the teachings of Jesus Christ.[2] This leads to a focus on promoting values such as compassion, justice, mercy, and tolerance, often through political activism. Though prominent, the movement is by no means the only significant movement of progressive thought among Christians. (wikipedia)

Here’s what I think:

Any of the above mentioned virtues in the absence of wisdom represent a perversion of their intended purpose. Compassion becomes a subsidy, justice becomes favoritism, mercy becomes an endorsement and tolerance becomes indifference. And when I say, “wisdom,” I mean Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Recently I was listening to a speaker on youtube elaborating on why the evangelical community is flawed in the way the condemn homosexuality. His entire platform was based on Jesus’ unconditional love and how we are commanded to love one another. Therefore any kind of criticism, let alone condemnation, is immediately processed as judgmental if not worse.

Our model is Christ, not only in the way He loved in terms of encouragement (Jn 16:33), sacrifice (Mk 10:45; l Jn 10:11) and forgiveness (Matt 18:21-22; Jn 8:11 ), but also in the way He loved by judging (Jn 7:24 [Eph 5:11]), condemning (Matt 12:34; Lk 11:29 [Rev 20:12]) and criticizing (Lk 13:14-15, 32). And I want to emphasize the “way” He loved. You don’t love someone by humiliating them, but you’re not loving them by being silent either. The Pharisees would’ve had a very difficult time making the case that Jesus was being “oppressive” by telling them the Truth.

At the heart of the Progressive mindset is the notion that there is no such thing as sin, and they hide their agenda behind words that are designed to position the sinner as a victim. Once established as a casualty, anyone who would criticize them is automatically processed as a villain – and that includes God Himself.

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “The Cost of Discipleship“)

Dilute the reality of sin and a redeemer is no longer necessary. Once redemption is irrelevant, Jesus Himself becomes a noble martyr rather than a Divine sacrifice.

And if you pull the curtain back on that strategy, you see satan himself pulling the strings (1 Jn 1-3).

Granted, you want to maintain your witness when it comes to dealing with “progressives” who ultimately champion a distortion of Scripture and not an application of it. But it is a toxic distraction that ultimately leads to death and for that reason, you want to roll up your sleeves and challenge those individuals by asking them to quote chapters and verses and not just a chapter and a verse that is taken out of context (Matt 7:15-23; 1 Tim 3:16-17).

Why Are They So Smug?

It’s frustrating, sometimes, to listen to atheists pontificate about Jesus as though He’s nothing more than a myth crafted by weak minded individuals who are desperately trying to craft a religious sounding narrative that helps them cope with their own mortality.

And what makes it so frustrating is that they’re so smug, even to the point of being condescending. It’s as if evidence that has been revealed and elaborated on throughout the centuries either doesn’t exist or, if it does exist, it’s dismissed with a wave of a liberal professor’s hand and the arrogant laughter of his like-minded fans.

click here to view a synthesis of Christ’s trial and crucifixion as documented in the Gospels (courtesy the “Reagan Review“)

Today is Good Friday. It’s 4:30 in the morning. According to my creed, if we were to wind the clock back some 2,019 years ago, in four and a half hours they’re going to put my Messiah to death. He’s been up all night, having to contend with a bogus trial at the hands of the religious authorities who are unwittingly fulfilling prophecies that had been articulated several centuries prior to this particular day (Psalm 22:16; 35:11; Is 53:8).

The Bible is amazing in the way it’s shaped. It’s as though you’re listening to a piece of music that, through various movements of major and minor tonalities, crescendos to this dark and dramatic scene where all that is evil and all that is good lock horns and you hold your breath wondering what is going to be the outcome.

But it’s more than just a soundtrack that accompanies a great story. The crucifixion of Christ represents, not only the final defeat of death and sin, it’s the most noble act of selfless love the world will ever see.

Even if you don’t believe in Christ, the sentiment represented by a holy God enduring an excruciating death deserves at least a respectful disposition, wouldn’t you think?

But that’s not what you get with the vast majority of critics – be they atheists or “scholars” – that present their arguments with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

Pause for a minute…

That’s my King being flogged, mocked and pinned to the cross with spikes through His hands and heels. He’s not some tragic figure. He’s not delusional. He’s God Almighty. When God saved Noah and his family, He knew at that point that Noah’s three sons represented the descendants of those who would one day subject His Son to a horrible death.

Some look at the story of Noah and accuse God of being an absent minded doofus. Why save a handful of people and destroy millions if that handful would go on to produce a populace more wicked than the first? Did He not know what He was doing?

That’s the wrong question.

The real question is why didn’t He destroy all of humanity at that point and be done with it? He knew the price He would have to pay by keeping humanity on the screen. Yet, He did so. Not because He was confused, but because He loved His creation enough to watch His Son die for them.

I’ve recently encountered a gentleman by the name of Dr Robert Price. He’s a very educated man with several academic credentials that would suggest he’s a staunch defender of the Christian faith.

But he’s the exact opposite.

He insists that the whole of Scripture is a fable and that Jesus is a myth.

But his platform is littered with holes and a confidence that seems ill founded.

He has a book out called, “The Case Against the Case for Christ.” It’s positioned as a refutation of Lee Strobel’s book, “The Case For Christ.”

He begins by lumping Strobel into a category of apologists that have no real credibility because they all begin with a premise that says the Bible is true. Hence their findings are filtered through a predisposition that doesn’t allow for critical thinking.

But if you know anything about Lee Strobel, you know that this man was the legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. He was a confident atheist and, when his wife got saved, he was determined to reveal the resurrection of Christ as a hoax so he could get his wife back. Strobel was anything but your typical “apologist.” He was determined to disprove the resurrection and not validate it as a historical event.

At one point, Price dismisses the accomplishments of Dr. William F. Albright as nothing more than the work of a “Presbyterian.”

William F. Albright, PhD, LttD was the W.M. Spence Professor of Semitic Languages and Chairman, Oriental Seminary at John Hopkins University. He taught at John Hopkins from 1929 to 1958. He was President of the International Organization of Old Testament Scholars, director of the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, and lead a number of archaeological expeditions in the Middle East. He wrote more than 800 publications and became a public figure as a result of his participating in authenticating the Dead Sea Scrolls. He was a strong advocate for the idea that archaeology proved the authenticity of the Bible,

But in the mind of Price, he’s just a Presbyterian.

Price goes on to say that Nazareth never existed, which is a conclusion that can only be drawn if you’re resolved to ignore certain discoveries that prove its existence.

He also says the the Bible is “swarming with contradictions.” No doubt he’s familiar with Dr Gleason’s explanation of many of these situations in his book the “Encyclopedia of Biblical Difficulties.” (click here to read more about Dr. Gleason’s work and credentials)

There’s a difference between reading the Bible and studying it, just like there’s a difference between someone who’s looking for truth and that person who’s simply looking for excuses.

Jesus didn’t take any selfies when He existed the tomb. We don’t have footage of the early disciples nor do have any photographs of King David. All we have is 2,000 years worth of art, architecture, music, archaeology, history, literature and over two millennium of dramatically changed lives. Yes, it’s compelling but we’re still looking at the actual events from a distance.

We can’t touch the cross, we can’t view the resurrection…

But we can access the evidence…

We can acknowledge the grandeur of creation (Rom 1:20), we can admit our own imperfections (Rom 3:23), we can note the reality of death (Heb 9:27), we can concede the necessity of moral absolutes (Jud 21:25), we can respect the selfless-ness advocated in the Scriptures (Matt 7:12; Phil 2:3).

Or…

We can be smug and veil the lack of credibility and logical substance that characterizes our arguments by punctuating our platform with cynicism, half truths and a philosophical paradigm that refuses to acknowledge no absolute save the absolute of one’s self.

That’s it right there…

“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:4-5)

It’s more than just an academic disposition, it’s a spiritual condition.

Why are they so smug?

Because they are their own god.

And there but for the grace of God go I…

It’s 6:30 now. In two and a half hours, He allows Himself to be pinned to that crossbeam where He’ll stay for six hours before He breathes His last and says, “It is finished.”

And He’s doing that for and because of me.

I may not be able to change the minds of those who view the Reality of Christ with a smug disdain. But I can stay aware of Who my God is and what He did on this day over 2,000 years ago.

Happy Easter!

Do Intelligent People Tend to Not Believe in God?

A recent article in Christianity Today entitled “Why Intelligent People Are Less Likely to Be Religious” does a great job of quantifying that headline so the reader walks away with a perspective that accommodates the truth that it’s not just a matter of intelligence, there are other factor at play. Here’s some additional observations:

It’s not a matter of intelligence. Some of today’s most brilliant minds are people of faith. It’s not intelligence, it’s a toxic kind of pride that says the universe and the complexities of the human experience can be wholly explained according to the number of letters you have after your name.

The fact is, the term “atheist” is a bit of a misnomer. It’s not that an atheist doesn’t believe in God as much as they believe that they’re looking at him every time they see their reflection in a mirror. They define their morality as well as the common good. They regulate the origin of the cosmos to a theory, that while completely devoid of substance, is nevertheless defined as “science” and they justify their perspective by believing that one day “they’ll figure it out.” They take Romans 1:20 and substitute themselves and their idea that human knowledge is, in and of itself, divine.

A good example of this is Creation. Most evolutionary theories are predicated on the preexistence of natural laws. Gravity, biological reactions, chemical properties, mathematical equations and even the existence of time are all assumed. Yet, these are all orderly systems that didn’t spring up out of nowhere. And however ethereal it may sound, any kind of “law” has to proceed from a law giver. It’s not just the notion that two particles fortuitously collided and precipitated a chemical reaction that resulted in the beginning of a planet that would then have the capacity to “evolve” and produce a single cell amoeba which would, over the course of billions of years, become a fingernail. You first have to have gravity and you have to chemical and physical laws. If you start with the cosmological equivalent to the null set, you have a zero with a slash through it. You don’t just have an empty space, you don’t even have a space.

I heard a speaker once refer to Genesis 1:1 as a “trinity of trinities…”

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…”

Beginning (time) -> past, present and future
Heavens (space) -> height, width and depth
Earth (matter) -> liquid, gas, solid

And all of this had to happen simultaneously. You can’t create something unless you’ve got a space to put it in and a moment for it to exist.

While it boggles the mind, it simultaneously reveals those who flash their intelligence and academic credentials as being outrageously arrogant. It’s not that you can’t learn and observe and become wise. But you have to begin with a philosophical paradigm that says there is a profound organization that characterizes the created order, and this ordered system had an Architect. Remove the Architect and you’ve got a senseless chaos that cannot be rationally observed because, by definition, it has no rational basis.

It’s not about intelligence, it’s about pride.

The China Study | Part II

She just seemed weird

First of all, she was a vegetarian. That always seemed a little “off” to me because, oftentimes, that dietary regimen always seemed to be accompanied with some eccentricities that, as a whole, just seemed weird. In this case, she used organic deodorant as well as organic toothpaste…

Now, while I never asked her about her rationale, I’m sure she could’ve elaborated on all kinds of health concerns and environmental factors, but the fact of the matter was, she was very pale and – not just skinny – she was frail looking. In other words, she just seemed weird.

Fast forward several years later

While I’m not reevaluating my deodorant or toothpaste, I do have a much different approach to an all plant diet. Granted, while my openmindedness is inspired in part by some fitness goals, the substance that characterizes the argument in favor of a diet that avoids any kind of dairy or animal based protein sources is downright compelling.

One thing that should be stated up front, however, is that it can be very difficult to “hear” the voice of sound science above the din of marketing campaigns, cultural norms and a business landscape that is focused more on what influences the consumer than what actually benefits the consumer. How does one distinguish the difference between the source that’s offering you a comprehensive, full color portrait as opposed to the one that’s giving you a judiciously positioned black and white snapshot?

I’ve decided that if I can corroborate what’s being presented with other credible sources that aren’t necessarily fitness related…

…and if what I’m hearing runs contrary to what makes sense if your desire is to make money by promoting industrial preferences…

…then, I’m going to listen.

One of the oldest “books” around

That said, it says in Genesis 1:29 that when God first put humanity on the map, it was fruits and vegetables on the menu and that was it (Gen 1:29). Meat would become a part of the picture later (Gen 9:3), but, from the standpoint of one of the oldest texts we have available to us, fruits and vegetables are mentioned very prominently, if not exclusively, as far as what’s going to work best with the way our bodies are wired.

So, there’s that.

Then you’ve got the tension that invariably exists when you publish facts that fly in the face of conventional medicine and big money food manufacturers. There is a place for surgery just as there is a place for good tasting food. But you don’t want to rely on surgery to repair what should be remedied with a change in your lifestyle and you don’t want to structure your diet around items that should be embraced as occasional treats as opposed to standard meals.

So, when you’ve got a team of scientists that are appropriately guarded in the way they conduct their research knowing that their findings, however conclusive they may be, are still not especially welcome in some circles – it they’re still bold enough to publish their findings – that makes them all the more credible in my mind because they’re not benefiting themselves at all by criticizing a paradigm that is both traditional and lucrative.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is you can treat, prevent and even reverse a number of diseases that are traditionally categorized as ailments that can only be addressed in the context of pharmaceuticals and surgery. And while it might seem that you have to be fairly detailed in your choice of fruits and vegetables in order to get the full protein profile along with all the nutrients you need, you don’t. It’s really pretty easy and by eating a plant based diet, you’re getting everything you need in a manner is absorbed by your body without any of the health threatening side effects that accompany the kind of nutrition provided by animal products.

Take a look at the following chart¹:

NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF PLANT AND ANIMAL-BASED FOODS (per 500 calories of energy)
Nutrient	Plant-Based Foods	Animal Based Foods
Cholesterol (mg)	–	137
Fat (g)	4	36
Protein (g)	33	34
Beta-carotene (mcg)	29,919	17
Dietary Fiber (g)	31	–
Vitamin C (mg)	293	4
Folate (mcg)	1168	19
Vitamin E (mg_ATE)	11	0.5
Iron (mg)	20	2
Magnesium (mg)	548	51
Calcium (mg)	545	252
^Equal parts of tomatoes, spinach, lima beans, peas and potatoes ^*Equal parts of beef, pork, chicken and whole milk

Color me weird…

In “The China Study,” Dr. Campbell cites some pretty sobering statistics. He says…

If you are an American male, you have a 47% chance of getting cancer. If you’re an American woman, you have a 38% chance of contracting the disease. In addition, as a nation, we are fast becoming the most obese nation on planet earth with overweight Americans now outnumbering those who maintain a healthy weight. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, almost a third of adults 20 years or older are obese. “One is considered obese if they’re carrying more than a third of a person above and beyond a healthy weight.”²

And then he goes on to say…

Additionally, impressive evidence now exists that show that advanced heart disease, relatively advanced cancers of certain types, diabetes and a few other degenerative diseases can be reversed by diet. I remember when my superiors were only reluctantly accepting the evidence of nutrition being able to prevent heart disease, for example, but vehemently denying its ability to reverse such a disease that’s already advanced. But the evidence can no longer be ignored. Those in science or medicine who shut their minds to such an idea are being more than stubborn; they are being irresponsible. ³

The woman I referenced as being “weird,” was a little “different” in the way she approached certain things. But I’m convinced that her approach to a plant based diet was absolutely on point. So, should someone look at me and wonder if my eating beans and nuts for my protein source instead of eggs and meat seems, “off…”

Well, color me “weird” too!

China Study | Part I <- -> China Study | Part III

1. “The China Study”, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, Thomas M. Campbell II, MD, BenBella Books Inc, Dallas TX, p224
2. Ibid, p4
3. Ibid, p16-17

Unity at the Expense of Truth?

Here’s the quote:

“Beware of those who point out what everyone else is doing wrong rather than point people to Christ. We will never come into the unity of doctrine. We are called to the unity of the Faith. If they believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Holy Son of the Most High God, then they are with us, not against us.”

This is coming from Lisa Bevere, who seems pretty solid and what she’s saying here is definitely on point in that she’s repeating what it says in Mark 9:40 and Titus 3:9 But there are some who might want to take her words and twist them into an admonishment to never speak up in the face of something that is fundamentally wrong.

On The View there was a segment where the guest, Ann Coulter” was talking about illegal immigration. Raven, one of the regulars on the The View, responded by saying that she was taught that if you can’t say something nice, you shouldn’t say anything at all.” The problem with Raven’s rhetoric is that it prioritizes a person’s emotions over what is true and just. Your innocence is defined by your actions and not by your emotions. While the manner in which justice is administered can be debated, your guilt is not something that is adjusted according to your passion.

Here’s what I’m thinking…

Can you imagine what a guy’s life would be like if he attended a Bible study lead by Theodore Roosevelt, King David, Shamgar and Jackie Robinson?

There’s a lot of guys I could potentially choose from, but I went with these guys because of the way their lives leave no room for doubt as far as what it means to have convictions as opposed to opinions, number one. Number two, because they were all very familiar with the Truth of God and not just some edited facts about God. And finally, because they lived out the biblical definition of what it means to be a man.

You could debate all three of those reasons, I suppose, but it’s the last one that really resonates with me because I think the reason a lot of disputes and debates have the momentum and influence that they do is because the Substance of God’s Word has been replaced with one’s “perspective” on God’s Word.

That’s not the way a godly man thinks.

If you took Lisa’s quote and asked King David’s opinion, he would look at you like you’ve got monkeys flying out of your nose. Nathan would never have gotten in David’s grill if he was interested in unity at the expense of Truth (2 Sam 12). That’s not being judgmental or even divisive. That’s being wise.

If you took it to Teddy, consider the way he stood up to the political machinations of his day, the way in which be broke up the trusts and the monopolies. Combine that with the way in which evinced Scripture in his writings and even in the philosophical foundations upon which he based policy and you have yet another epic human being looking at you as though you’re out of your mind.

There’s not much about Shamgar in the book of Judges, but anyone who saved Israel in the context of a single round of combat that pitted him against 600 Philistines with an oxgoad would be all too familiar with the lame and bogus results of a lackadaisical approach to doctrine / discipline. Shamgar’s exploits are to be processed not only in the context of what it must’ve looked like to defeat 600 combatants (Jud 3:31) with a stick but also because there weren’t any swords in Israel at the time (Jud 5:8). That’s what happens when you insist that there are no enemies and no need to identify false doctrine.

And Jackie Robinson…He’s someone I’m just now becoming familiar with. There’s more to his story than what the movie “42” documents. His ability to maintain a calm demeanor in the face of outrageous racial slurs and even death threats was based on his faith and not just his desire to see the color barrier broken in Major League Baseball. A lot of those racial slurs were coming from people in the South who could quote the Scripture that describes how Christ died for humanity out of one corner of their mouth, while simultaneously insisting that certain ethnic groups didn’t qualify as human.

All of these guys reeked of excellence. They were physical, they were spiritual, they were professional – they were everything that you would aspire to in the context of authentic masculinity. And much of what drove them was an enthusiastic willingness to submit and subordinate themselves to the Absolute of God’s Wisdom, Power and Grace as documented in His Word. They didn’t look for loopholes that catered to the lesser version of themselves or compromises that maintained a “comfortable” environment at the expense of a healthy community.

And that’s the difference between reading God’s Word and studying it… It’s the difference between being a male and being a man…

And that’s the difference between living and existing.

Trash can ending…extended thirty second note combo between the toms and the kick…dramatic round of quarter note triplets on snare and… BAM!

Thank you! Good night!